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Favorite Malady Trilogy #2
Redemption
The man I love has trapped me in a gilded cage.I trusted him to keep me safe. He was my white knight and my dark god, all in one gorgeous package.
Until an awful revelation changed everything.
Now, I'm desperate to escape his twisted obsession, but he refuses to let me go.
He insists that I still love him, but he can't command my affections.
No matter how much pleasure he gives me or how many times he says I belong to him.
For a man like Dane, I don't think redemption is possible, even if some secret part of my heart yearns for it to be true.
Until an awful revelation changed everything.
Now, I'm desperate to escape his twisted obsession, but he refuses to let me go.
He insists that I still love him, but he can't command my affections.
No matter how much pleasure he gives me or how many times he says I belong to him.
For a man like Dane, I don't think redemption is possible, even if some secret part of my heart yearns for it to be true.
- GenresDark RomanceDarkAdult
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2025
617 people are currently reading
1025 people want to read
About the author
Julia Sykes
137 books2,014 followersJulia Sykes is a USA Today bestselling author of edgy, emotional romance. When she's not writing, she's usually reading.
Other than reading, her obsessions include iced coffee, unicorns, charcuterie, aged Manchego cheese (or any cheese, really), and fancy dresses.
An American expat, Julia now lives in her adopted, beloved home of York, England. Most days, you can find her wandering the cobbled streets and daydreaming about her next novel.
Other than reading, her obsessions include iced coffee, unicorns, charcuterie, aged Manchego cheese (or any cheese, really), and fancy dresses.
An American expat, Julia now lives in her adopted, beloved home of York, England. Most days, you can find her wandering the cobbled streets and daydreaming about her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
September 24, 2025
I'm honestly disappointed because this book was nowhere close to how amazing the first one was. Nothing happens until the end. The entirety of the book is filled with fillers. There were numerous flashbacks that could've simply been summarised in a single chapter rather than taking up the entire first half. So many detailed explanations of insignificant things. And the fact that nothing actually happened until the end took me out of the story entirely. I don't think I'll be reading the last book of this trilogy.
September 5, 2025
Learning the sordid truth about their premeditated fall into love, Dane is desperate to keep Abigail and must make a rash decision in order to keep her from fleeing.
Loved this installment of their story. More than the first, actually. We got to see more of Dane’s crazy, but also his deep affection for Abigail, to the point of vulnerability. Learning more about his past and how it shaped his worldview and his aptitude for relationships made falling for him that much easier.
That ending was a WTF and I can’t wait to see where there story goes from here.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥1/2
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😳🥺😭🥵🤯
Ending: 🧗🏻♀️ {Cliffy}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Past & Present}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, New Adult, Suspense
✨ Tropes: Billionaire, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Kidnapped/Captive, Rich Boy x Poor Girl, Stalker
💫 Microtropes: Alphahole, Boy Obsessed, “Good Girl”, Manipulation, OTT Jealous/Possessive, Pet Name, Royalty, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying, Tragic Past
💋 Kinks: 🍑, Bondage/Restraints, Breath Play, Collared, Domination, Handcuffs, 🔪 Play, Masked MMC, Power Exchange, Praise, Primal, Toys as Teammates
⚠️ Warning: This steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🚩 Safety Squad: Attempted Așșault (Not by MMC), Drugged (by MMC), Unalìvíng, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Redemption is part of the Favorite Malady trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. This series must be read in order.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
Loved this installment of their story. More than the first, actually. We got to see more of Dane’s crazy, but also his deep affection for Abigail, to the point of vulnerability. Learning more about his past and how it shaped his worldview and his aptitude for relationships made falling for him that much easier.
That ending was a WTF and I can’t wait to see where there story goes from here.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥1/2
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😳🥺😭🥵🤯
Ending: 🧗🏻♀️ {Cliffy}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Past & Present}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, New Adult, Suspense
✨ Tropes: Billionaire, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Kidnapped/Captive, Rich Boy x Poor Girl, Stalker
💫 Microtropes: Alphahole, Boy Obsessed, “Good Girl”, Manipulation, OTT Jealous/Possessive, Pet Name, Royalty, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying, Tragic Past
💋 Kinks: 🍑, Bondage/Restraints, Breath Play, Collared, Domination, Handcuffs, 🔪 Play, Masked MMC, Power Exchange, Praise, Primal, Toys as Teammates
⚠️ Warning: This steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🚩 Safety Squad: Attempted Așșault (Not by MMC), Drugged (by MMC), Unalìvíng, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Redemption is part of the Favorite Malady trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. This series must be read in order.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
December 12, 2025
4.5 Stars
My oh my oh my. I didn't know how Dane could be redeemed after that final chapter of book one but I'm ready to forgive and forget and possibly grovel at that man's feet. He's an acquired taste, granted, and my taste buds are tingling.
These books are not for the faint of heart, triggers should be checked, double-checked and then checked again just for safety. They are darkly erotic, freaking hot and painfully pleasurable.
Thank you Hambright PR and Julia Sykes for the copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Over and out
My oh my oh my. I didn't know how Dane could be redeemed after that final chapter of book one but I'm ready to forgive and forget and possibly grovel at that man's feet. He's an acquired taste, granted, and my taste buds are tingling.
These books are not for the faint of heart, triggers should be checked, double-checked and then checked again just for safety. They are darkly erotic, freaking hot and painfully pleasurable.
Thank you Hambright PR and Julia Sykes for the copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Over and out
June 27, 2025
PLEASE PLEASE read your trigger warnings if you’re squeamish. Book 2 is darker (imo) than book one and you’re going to need them.
Also, holy cliffhanger! Julia coming in hot with the cliffhangers in this series lol
In Redemption, we get another look at Daddy Dane and the way his brain works. This book alternates between last and present with throwback chapters to Abigail’s “courtship” from Dane’s perspective.
We get a glimpse of why Dane is the way he is, why he thinks the way he does, and Abigail’s reaction to it all. There are for sure darker themes in this book, so again, check your trigger warnings. There were parts that made me a little uncomfortable at times but they didn’t stop me from giving this book 5 stars.
And now I have to wait AGAIN for the next book. Ugh. I’m so impatient lol.
Amazing work, Julia. Once again you have me on the edge of my seat in anticipation for the next book.
**Thank you to Julia Sykes and team for sending me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**
Also, holy cliffhanger! Julia coming in hot with the cliffhangers in this series lol
In Redemption, we get another look at Daddy Dane and the way his brain works. This book alternates between last and present with throwback chapters to Abigail’s “courtship” from Dane’s perspective.
We get a glimpse of why Dane is the way he is, why he thinks the way he does, and Abigail’s reaction to it all. There are for sure darker themes in this book, so again, check your trigger warnings. There were parts that made me a little uncomfortable at times but they didn’t stop me from giving this book 5 stars.
And now I have to wait AGAIN for the next book. Ugh. I’m so impatient lol.
Amazing work, Julia. Once again you have me on the edge of my seat in anticipation for the next book.
**Thank you to Julia Sykes and team for sending me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**
December 4, 2025
This second book in the trilogy is just as suspenseful and spicy as the first. The cliffhanger was intense and the building relationship between Dane and Abigail was heartwarming.
This book did touch on several points about abuse and how it can change you. I loved how the author described Dane’s experience with his family and Abigail’s relationship with her family.
…Now please excuse me because I HAVE to read the third book and I can’t stop on that wild cliffhanger. 🫡
This book did touch on several points about abuse and how it can change you. I loved how the author described Dane’s experience with his family and Abigail’s relationship with her family.
…Now please excuse me because I HAVE to read the third book and I can’t stop on that wild cliffhanger. 🫡
December 21, 2025
3.5 stars
Started good, got slow and had a lot of filler, then got good again... and yes, will be back for book 3 whenever the audiobook comes out!
Started good, got slow and had a lot of filler, then got good again... and yes, will be back for book 3 whenever the audiobook comes out!
December 10, 2025
This one was not as good as book one, and Abbey and Adana sure give me a case of whiplash! However , I love seeing them overcome obstacles and come back to each other
August 31, 2025
❤~🌟~❤4.5 BRUTALLY BEAUTIFUL STARS ❤~🌟~❤
”I may be a monster, but I’m her monster.”
Dark, depraved, and utterly addictive, Redemption is the second scintillating installment in Julia Sykes’ Favorite Malady series. And it's even more tantalizingly twisted than the first!
Abigail Foster’s fantasy lover, Dr. Dane Graham, morphs into her worst nightmare when she discovers the sordid crimes the cunning Brit’s committed against her. Only for Dane to then spirit her away, against her will, from her safe, sequestered life in Charleston, SC to his family’s remote estate in the wilds of Yorkshire—a world that pushes her to the brink.
There, buried secrets and his fractured psyche close in around her, even as an undeniable, dangerous craving reignites between them.
Abigail’s seething resentment toward her ruthlessly sexy stalker slowly gives way to a soul burning love that knows no bounds—twisted, raw, and born of pain, but no less powerful for it.
”I’m lost in a flood of euphoria, and I fall out of time and place. All that exists is Dane. My dark god. My protector. My master.”
Sykes crafts a masterfully dark romance, where Dane is both sadistic captor and fiercely protective antihero. His inner torment bleeds through every interaction, making him as irresistible as he is terrifying. Abigail’s emotional tug-of-war—between fear and longing, revulsion and arousal—feels raw and all-consuming. Their chemistry is scorching, their connection razor-sharp, and the palpable tension pulsing between them leaves you breathless!
This isn’t a love story for the faint of heart. It’s brutal, intense, and laced with emotional whiplash. But in the thorns, an eternal bond is forged between these two tortured souls that’s as devastating as it is beautiful.
With a mind-blowing cliffhanger that will leave you frantic for the final book, Redemption is proof positive of Julia Sykes’ prowess in spine-tingling dark romance. Just don’t forget to check the trigger warnings because this one cuts deep!
Bottom Line:
Can a psychopath truly be redeemed by love…or will he simply drag her into the darkness with him? I, for one, cannot wait to find out in Absolution, the highly-anticipated conclusion!
”I may be a monster, but I’m her monster.”
Dark, depraved, and utterly addictive, Redemption is the second scintillating installment in Julia Sykes’ Favorite Malady series. And it's even more tantalizingly twisted than the first!
Abigail Foster’s fantasy lover, Dr. Dane Graham, morphs into her worst nightmare when she discovers the sordid crimes the cunning Brit’s committed against her. Only for Dane to then spirit her away, against her will, from her safe, sequestered life in Charleston, SC to his family’s remote estate in the wilds of Yorkshire—a world that pushes her to the brink.
There, buried secrets and his fractured psyche close in around her, even as an undeniable, dangerous craving reignites between them.
Abigail’s seething resentment toward her ruthlessly sexy stalker slowly gives way to a soul burning love that knows no bounds—twisted, raw, and born of pain, but no less powerful for it.
”I’m lost in a flood of euphoria, and I fall out of time and place. All that exists is Dane. My dark god. My protector. My master.”
Sykes crafts a masterfully dark romance, where Dane is both sadistic captor and fiercely protective antihero. His inner torment bleeds through every interaction, making him as irresistible as he is terrifying. Abigail’s emotional tug-of-war—between fear and longing, revulsion and arousal—feels raw and all-consuming. Their chemistry is scorching, their connection razor-sharp, and the palpable tension pulsing between them leaves you breathless!
This isn’t a love story for the faint of heart. It’s brutal, intense, and laced with emotional whiplash. But in the thorns, an eternal bond is forged between these two tortured souls that’s as devastating as it is beautiful.
With a mind-blowing cliffhanger that will leave you frantic for the final book, Redemption is proof positive of Julia Sykes’ prowess in spine-tingling dark romance. Just don’t forget to check the trigger warnings because this one cuts deep!
Bottom Line:
Can a psychopath truly be redeemed by love…or will he simply drag her into the darkness with him? I, for one, cannot wait to find out in Absolution, the highly-anticipated conclusion!
December 5, 2025
I described Book 1 as suspenseful, edgy, dark, and steamy. That indeed carries over in Redemption, Book 2. But readers get almost a mini rewind of when Dane first meets Abigail and develops his obsession with her. There is so much more to Dane than just being a distinguished plastic surgeon. His other side is quite dark and brutal. But that is just one layer to him. He has trauma just like Abigail does. I was so frustrated by his family. As his story unfolds, I can understand the direction of his “redemption” in terms of how Abigail viewed him. The story is quite intense and a page-turner, with a jaw-dropping ending that leads into Book 3, Absolution.
Thank you to Author Julia Sykes and Hambright PR for the gifted e-copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to Author Julia Sykes and Hambright PR for the gifted e-copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 5, 2025
With all dark romances please check your flippin triggers and thank you.
Wow, well this started off where the first book finished and i loved that, none of this what gappened in between business.
Abigails journey through this book is full of confusion, betrayal, heartache and love and i love her.
Dane is just a psychotic beaut who's going through a journey of his own and I'm here for it.
That ending... Well i can't wait for book 3 now
Wow, well this started off where the first book finished and i loved that, none of this what gappened in between business.
Abigails journey through this book is full of confusion, betrayal, heartache and love and i love her.
Dane is just a psychotic beaut who's going through a journey of his own and I'm here for it.
That ending... Well i can't wait for book 3 now
July 16, 2025
Check TWs before reading⚠️ Another great read in this dark romance series! Loved seeing the character growth in the MMC in this book. There was a lot of emotional turmoil in both the FMC and MMC in this book, versus book 1 being mostly only the FMC battling the emotional turmoil. Another insane cliffhanger?!😭
June 29, 2025
I had the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book and loved it!
⭐️⭐️ Check Trigger Warnings ⭐️⭐️
Redemption picked up right where Compulsion left off and it did not disappoint! The back and forth bantering/arguing, the hurt, the healing, and all of it in-between between Dane and Abigail was so well written, I kept craving more and didn’t want to put it down. The cliffhanger is a big one and I cannot wait to find out what happens in Absolution when it releases!!
⭐️⭐️ Check Trigger Warnings ⭐️⭐️
Redemption picked up right where Compulsion left off and it did not disappoint! The back and forth bantering/arguing, the hurt, the healing, and all of it in-between between Dane and Abigail was so well written, I kept craving more and didn’t want to put it down. The cliffhanger is a big one and I cannot wait to find out what happens in Absolution when it releases!!
July 1, 2025
Redemption is an intense and emotionally charged installment in Julia Sykes’ dark romance series that dives even deeper into obsession, betrayal, and psychological entrapment. This second book picks up the tension with a unique storytelling structure—shifting between Abigail’s present-day perspective and Dane’s POV from three months earlier. The layered timeline gives this story a gripping edge and adds depth to the emotional turmoil both characters are experiencing.
Abigail’s journey is painful and raw. She wakes up to a reality that feels like a twisted nightmare: kidnapped and imprisoned by the very man she once loved. Dane, her former protector and lover, is now her captor—convinced he can force her to remember their love, despite the irreparable damage he’s caused. He’s a fascinating character—equal parts calculated and vulnerable, and definitely a complex, morally grey antihero. The way he’s written makes you swing between hating him and feeling for him, which speaks to how powerful the emotional writing is.
The writing style was almost poetic, visceral, and so emotionally loaded, it pulls you into their fractured world. The book also does a beautiful job describing its setting!
That said, there were a few elements I wish had been explored further. Some plot points felt underdeveloped or were brushed past too quickly, especially in the second half. But despite those gaps, I was completely consumed by the push-and-pull between Abigail and Dane—the chemistry, the heartache, the obsession. Dane’s internal conflict, his three personas (charming gentleman, calm caretaker, and controlling stalker), make him one of the more compelling dark romance leads I’ve read in a while.
This isn’t your typical feel-good romance. It’s very dark, messy, and at times deeply unsettling—but it pulls you in and doesn’t let go. I found myself torn between frustration and fascination, loving and hating the emotional rollercoaster it put me through. And just when things start to settle? That cliffhanger drops like a bomb, leaving you breathless and desperate for the next book.
Fair warning: This book is significantly darker than the first. Please DO check your trigger warnings before diving in.
If you’re into dark romance with complex characters, emotional intensity, and a stalker story-line that really leans into its premise, Redemption is a must-read.
Abigail’s journey is painful and raw. She wakes up to a reality that feels like a twisted nightmare: kidnapped and imprisoned by the very man she once loved. Dane, her former protector and lover, is now her captor—convinced he can force her to remember their love, despite the irreparable damage he’s caused. He’s a fascinating character—equal parts calculated and vulnerable, and definitely a complex, morally grey antihero. The way he’s written makes you swing between hating him and feeling for him, which speaks to how powerful the emotional writing is.
The writing style was almost poetic, visceral, and so emotionally loaded, it pulls you into their fractured world. The book also does a beautiful job describing its setting!
That said, there were a few elements I wish had been explored further. Some plot points felt underdeveloped or were brushed past too quickly, especially in the second half. But despite those gaps, I was completely consumed by the push-and-pull between Abigail and Dane—the chemistry, the heartache, the obsession. Dane’s internal conflict, his three personas (charming gentleman, calm caretaker, and controlling stalker), make him one of the more compelling dark romance leads I’ve read in a while.
This isn’t your typical feel-good romance. It’s very dark, messy, and at times deeply unsettling—but it pulls you in and doesn’t let go. I found myself torn between frustration and fascination, loving and hating the emotional rollercoaster it put me through. And just when things start to settle? That cliffhanger drops like a bomb, leaving you breathless and desperate for the next book.
Fair warning: This book is significantly darker than the first. Please DO check your trigger warnings before diving in.
If you’re into dark romance with complex characters, emotional intensity, and a stalker story-line that really leans into its premise, Redemption is a must-read.
November 28, 2025
What a twisted and dark romance full of passion, obsession, and sex!!
I was recently gifted an eARC of the Favorite Malady Trilogy by Julia Sykes from Hambright, and I devoured all three books quickly!
The first book in the series, Compulsion, really lays the groundwork for who our FMC and MMC are, how they’ve “met”, and how they become linked to one another. Throughout the book, you are questioning your mind and if Dane is really as “bad” as he seems, or if he is just the right amount of obsessed and possessed that you want more, and if Abigail is tough enough to endure him!
The second book in the series tips everything on its face! Dane is definitely morally grey, Abigail is definitely tough but conflicted, and there are more enemies to fear than just Dane’s possessive flaws!! Through this book in the series, we see how Dane’s obsession came to be, as well as what he is willing to do to keep Abby safe!
The third and final book in the series come with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears! There is some heinous backstory we are filled in on, family tensions come to a head, and our couple finally meet their end. Is it an HEA or a Romeo and Juliet style demise? You’ll have to read to find out!
What all three books had in common was an intense and dark chemistry between our MCs that definitely kept me coming back for more. From their conversations in the present to their real first meeting, this couple oozed sex appeal and definitely lived up to the BDSM label for this series! I loved watching Abigail come into her own and live through all her darknesses to be a stronger person, and I loved Dane crumbling for the one person who could get him to feel.
Thank you to Hambright and Julia Sykes for the opportunity to read this trilogy. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
Series average rating: 4 stars
I was recently gifted an eARC of the Favorite Malady Trilogy by Julia Sykes from Hambright, and I devoured all three books quickly!
The first book in the series, Compulsion, really lays the groundwork for who our FMC and MMC are, how they’ve “met”, and how they become linked to one another. Throughout the book, you are questioning your mind and if Dane is really as “bad” as he seems, or if he is just the right amount of obsessed and possessed that you want more, and if Abigail is tough enough to endure him!
The second book in the series tips everything on its face! Dane is definitely morally grey, Abigail is definitely tough but conflicted, and there are more enemies to fear than just Dane’s possessive flaws!! Through this book in the series, we see how Dane’s obsession came to be, as well as what he is willing to do to keep Abby safe!
The third and final book in the series come with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears! There is some heinous backstory we are filled in on, family tensions come to a head, and our couple finally meet their end. Is it an HEA or a Romeo and Juliet style demise? You’ll have to read to find out!
What all three books had in common was an intense and dark chemistry between our MCs that definitely kept me coming back for more. From their conversations in the present to their real first meeting, this couple oozed sex appeal and definitely lived up to the BDSM label for this series! I loved watching Abigail come into her own and live through all her darknesses to be a stronger person, and I loved Dane crumbling for the one person who could get him to feel.
Thank you to Hambright and Julia Sykes for the opportunity to read this trilogy. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
Series average rating: 4 stars
June 29, 2025
Redemption contains some triggering situations such as stalking, kidnapping, drugging, dubious consent, CNC (consensual non-consent), sexual assault, graphic violence, murder and mentions of childhood abuse, and a traumatic death.
This book is the second book in the Malady Trilogy. Please read the first book, Compulsion, before this one.
I rated this book 5* I hated and love the emotions this book made me feel, you can't help but feel for Abby, Dane is definitely a piece of work truthfully but he got the message not to undermine what he did which was a lot... This book is definitely darker than the first one. However, it definitely gave more detail as to why and how Dane is the way he is. This book series definitely isn't all sunshine and roses, it's twists and definitely makes you think about the situations, but it also made British cities so beautiful eith how they were described, especially York! It's one of the best cities we have (it's old... I like old cities with history, alright...)
I'd recommend this series to those not put off by the triggers as this book definitely made me question it in parts however I devoured this book in a day, which I haven't done for a while!
This book is the second book in the Malady Trilogy. Please read the first book, Compulsion, before this one.
I rated this book 5* I hated and love the emotions this book made me feel, you can't help but feel for Abby, Dane is definitely a piece of work truthfully but he got the message not to undermine what he did which was a lot... This book is definitely darker than the first one. However, it definitely gave more detail as to why and how Dane is the way he is. This book series definitely isn't all sunshine and roses, it's twists and definitely makes you think about the situations, but it also made British cities so beautiful eith how they were described, especially York! It's one of the best cities we have (it's old... I like old cities with history, alright...)
I'd recommend this series to those not put off by the triggers as this book definitely made me question it in parts however I devoured this book in a day, which I haven't done for a while!
October 11, 2025
Diving right back in where book one’s cliffhanger left us we follow Abby after she has discovered Dane’s secret. Will she ever be able to forgive the Doctor who was capturing her heart? This shows through flashbacks a little more behind who Dane is and how he thinks. Get ready for more of this dark and twisted captive tale and yes, there are TWs so be prepared. Ending on another huge cliffhanger that will leave you needing the conclusion of their damaged love story. Told in first person and dual POV.
July 17, 2025
3.75 ✨ for sure.
If you’re not into dark, don’t bother with this one. Read the warnings/triggers and don’t go in blind.
Abigail … girl, while I love me a good chase through the woods, this is a whole different type of thing. The obsession is real and not one I would mess with … ok maybe I would but I’m also kinda crazy … Dane is on another level though.
Dane … I can appreciate your desire to change. Maybe next time think twice before accidentally condemning someone though?
Excited to read the third book.
If you’re not into dark, don’t bother with this one. Read the warnings/triggers and don’t go in blind.
Abigail … girl, while I love me a good chase through the woods, this is a whole different type of thing. The obsession is real and not one I would mess with … ok maybe I would but I’m also kinda crazy … Dane is on another level though.
Dane … I can appreciate your desire to change. Maybe next time think twice before accidentally condemning someone though?
Excited to read the third book.
July 18, 2025
Book 2 in the series and WOW! This Dark Romance had me all over the place! If you love feeling whiplash over the mmc this is for you! Book2 sees some amazing pov from the mmc from book 1 that left me constantly questioning my love/hate for him. What an emotional journey! Highly recommend this series and cant wait for book 3. Definitely read!!
August 23, 2025
Holy Shit!
After the Cliffhanger of Book one I didn't think it could get any better. I was completely WRONG!
Abigail is finding her inner strength for sure. Dane has appeared to lose all self control.
I can't wait to see what happens next.
I definitely recommend 👌
After the Cliffhanger of Book one I didn't think it could get any better. I was completely WRONG!
Abigail is finding her inner strength for sure. Dane has appeared to lose all self control.
I can't wait to see what happens next.
I definitely recommend 👌
November 21, 2025
This book was an ok continuation of Dane and Abby's story but was also a lot of flashbacks. Dane and Abby were able to connect on a more emotional level as Dane shows her all the dark and vulnerable parts of himself.
August 21, 2025
Honestly, wish I could eviscerate this from my cortex, and not have waisted my precious time.
⚠️ Side note: I do wanna say that this review is no hate to the author, just my opinion. I realize that reading is a choice, and I could have chosen to simply not read it. Believe me when I say this, AND I CANNOT STRECH THIS ENOUGH, I wish I could turn back time.
While recently reading the mindf* series (a masterpiece), I wanted a light in between read. Then I stumbled upon this debris. I really didn’t mind de 1st book all that much, and actually enjoyed it. The fact that she wasn’t glorifying s/a, and actually hated the mmc after finding out what he did to her, who was simply a psychopath, and he knew it too (love the selfreflection). I realized I kinda liked it, and mindlessly decided I wanna know what happens, let me start Book 2.
But the so-called “redemption arc” in Book 2 is insane. Tell me why she forgives him after him kindnapping her, drugging her, and s/a ing her about 2 to 3 times. Now, I love dark romance, and can handle a bit of a grey area, but this was insane. Her hating him was complety justified, to evidently get used as (his word, not mine) “my pet.” After him sexually coercing, degrading, and telling her he will never let her go, she decided that “he does treat me like a equal, I do still love him.” The delusion on this woman is baffling.
Now, to say I do like the fact he never physically 🍇her, and somewhat groveled after realizing he’s a sociopath, and he shouldn’t have done what he did and keeps doing, but for her to just forgive him…
And then to say she draws the line at murder😦😑.
Also, can someone, for the love of god, tell me why every single male that is in contact with girl that isn’t him or gay, almost s/a or 🍇apes her? And this men litteraly said, “everybody wants my pretty little pet, but they can’t have her.” After doing the same exact 💩 they have done to her.
Book 1 was a mistake to read. Book 2 was mental self harm.
⚠️ Side note: I do wanna say that this review is no hate to the author, just my opinion. I realize that reading is a choice, and I could have chosen to simply not read it. Believe me when I say this, AND I CANNOT STRECH THIS ENOUGH, I wish I could turn back time.
While recently reading the mindf* series (a masterpiece), I wanted a light in between read. Then I stumbled upon this debris. I really didn’t mind de 1st book all that much, and actually enjoyed it. The fact that she wasn’t glorifying s/a, and actually hated the mmc after finding out what he did to her, who was simply a psychopath, and he knew it too (love the selfreflection). I realized I kinda liked it, and mindlessly decided I wanna know what happens, let me start Book 2.
But the so-called “redemption arc” in Book 2 is insane. Tell me why she forgives him after him kindnapping her, drugging her, and s/a ing her about 2 to 3 times. Now, I love dark romance, and can handle a bit of a grey area, but this was insane. Her hating him was complety justified, to evidently get used as (his word, not mine) “my pet.” After him sexually coercing, degrading, and telling her he will never let her go, she decided that “he does treat me like a equal, I do still love him.” The delusion on this woman is baffling.
Now, to say I do like the fact he never physically 🍇her, and somewhat groveled after realizing he’s a sociopath, and he shouldn’t have done what he did and keeps doing, but for her to just forgive him…
And then to say she draws the line at murder😦😑.
Also, can someone, for the love of god, tell me why every single male that is in contact with girl that isn’t him or gay, almost s/a or 🍇apes her? And this men litteraly said, “everybody wants my pretty little pet, but they can’t have her.” After doing the same exact 💩 they have done to her.
Book 1 was a mistake to read. Book 2 was mental self harm.
November 24, 2025
Redemption by Julia Sykes.
Let me just say it upfront—Julia Sykes didn’t write a romance. She wrote an emotional demolition derby where your heart gets rammed repeatedly, set on fire, and then told to beg for more. Redemption is the second book in her Favorite Malady Trilogy, and if Compulsion left you shaky, this one will leave you clinically unwell in the best way possible. This book isn’t for the faint-hearted, the weak-stomached, or anyone who likes their love stories “healthy.” This is for the readers who stare straight into the abyss and say, “Yeah, I can fix him.”
We pick up exactly where Compulsion ended—with Abigail reeling after discovering that her lover, the dangerously charming Dr. Dane Graham, was also her anonymous online stalker, GentAnon. Talk about betrayal with a capital B. Before she can even process the magnitude of it, Dane snatches her away from her Charleston home and whisks her across the Atlantic to his sprawling, secluded estate in Yorkshire. And that’s where the psychological warfare begins—against her, against him, and honestly against the reader, because this book messes with your head like it’s auditioning for a PhD in emotional manipulation.
The storytelling shifts between present-day captivity and flashbacks to their “courtship” from Dane’s perspective. Julia Sykes gives us a disturbing but magnetic look inside his fractured psyche. We get why he’s broken—childhood trauma, warped logic, and a God complex wrapped in a guilt spiral—but we’re also forced to confront the reality that empathy doesn’t equal absolution. Dane’s love for Abigail is obsessive, delusional, and dangerous. But somehow, Sykes makes it compelling. He’s both predator and protector, monster and man, sinner and self-appointed savior. It’s disgusting and beautiful all at once—and that’s the magic of dark romance done right.
Abigail, meanwhile, is done playing the victim. She’s terrified, enraged, and yet inexorably drawn to the man who destroyed her. Her evolution in this book is powerful—she refuses to be anyone’s captive, emotionally or physically. She turns her pain into art (literally—her paintings are raw manifestations of her trauma), and in doing so, she begins to confront not just Dane’s darkness, but her own. Sykes gives us a heroine who’s flawed and conflicted, who can be both disgusted by him and still crave the connection that broke her. It’s uncomfortable. It’s messy. It’s human.
One of my favorite moments? When Abigail finally uses her artwork to make Dane see what he’s done to her. It’s not forgiveness—it’s confrontation, and it’s stunning. The scene gutted me. You feel every ounce of her rage and sorrow pour onto the canvas. And for the first time, Dane seems to truly grasp the devastation he’s caused. Whether that recognition leads to redemption or deeper ruin is anyone’s guess, but it’s a turning point that proves Sykes isn’t just writing smut—she’s writing psychological warfare disguised as a love story.
And let’s talk about the writing. Sykes’ prose is razor-sharp, sensual, and addictive. Every line drips with tension. Every scene feels like a test of loyalty between the characters and the reader. It’s like she’s daring us to keep reading, to look away from the carnage and still root for these two fractured souls clawing toward something resembling love. And then she cliffhangers us again—hard. The kind of ending that makes you want to throw your Kindle across the room and start a group therapy chat with other readers.
The quote that wrecked me completely:
“He says I still love him. That I belong to him. But no matter how many times he claims my body, he can’t command my heart.”
That line is the book in a nutshell—power, control, love, and the defiance of a woman refusing to be defined by her captor.
Now, a PSA for readers: this is dark. Trigger warnings include stalking, kidnapping, drugging, psychological manipulation, non-consensual acts, and emotional abuse. If you’re squeamish, stay far, far away. But if you crave morally gray antiheroes, complex psychology, and love stories born in chaos, this is your twisted paradise.
Ultimately, Redemption isn’t about excusing evil—it’s about exploring the razor-thin line between love and obsession, control and surrender, punishment and salvation. Julia Sykes doesn’t hand you comfort; she hands you questions. Can a monster truly be redeemed? Or is redemption just another form of control?
This series is emotional carnage, and I am willingly bleeding out for it. I laughed (awkwardly), I cringed (often), I shouted “girl, run!” at least five times—and still rooted for the monster by page 200. That’s the power of Sykes’ storytelling.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — five twisted, haunting, gloriously unhinged stars.
I need Absolution immediately. Preferably yesterday.
Let me just say it upfront—Julia Sykes didn’t write a romance. She wrote an emotional demolition derby where your heart gets rammed repeatedly, set on fire, and then told to beg for more. Redemption is the second book in her Favorite Malady Trilogy, and if Compulsion left you shaky, this one will leave you clinically unwell in the best way possible. This book isn’t for the faint-hearted, the weak-stomached, or anyone who likes their love stories “healthy.” This is for the readers who stare straight into the abyss and say, “Yeah, I can fix him.”
We pick up exactly where Compulsion ended—with Abigail reeling after discovering that her lover, the dangerously charming Dr. Dane Graham, was also her anonymous online stalker, GentAnon. Talk about betrayal with a capital B. Before she can even process the magnitude of it, Dane snatches her away from her Charleston home and whisks her across the Atlantic to his sprawling, secluded estate in Yorkshire. And that’s where the psychological warfare begins—against her, against him, and honestly against the reader, because this book messes with your head like it’s auditioning for a PhD in emotional manipulation.
The storytelling shifts between present-day captivity and flashbacks to their “courtship” from Dane’s perspective. Julia Sykes gives us a disturbing but magnetic look inside his fractured psyche. We get why he’s broken—childhood trauma, warped logic, and a God complex wrapped in a guilt spiral—but we’re also forced to confront the reality that empathy doesn’t equal absolution. Dane’s love for Abigail is obsessive, delusional, and dangerous. But somehow, Sykes makes it compelling. He’s both predator and protector, monster and man, sinner and self-appointed savior. It’s disgusting and beautiful all at once—and that’s the magic of dark romance done right.
Abigail, meanwhile, is done playing the victim. She’s terrified, enraged, and yet inexorably drawn to the man who destroyed her. Her evolution in this book is powerful—she refuses to be anyone’s captive, emotionally or physically. She turns her pain into art (literally—her paintings are raw manifestations of her trauma), and in doing so, she begins to confront not just Dane’s darkness, but her own. Sykes gives us a heroine who’s flawed and conflicted, who can be both disgusted by him and still crave the connection that broke her. It’s uncomfortable. It’s messy. It’s human.
One of my favorite moments? When Abigail finally uses her artwork to make Dane see what he’s done to her. It’s not forgiveness—it’s confrontation, and it’s stunning. The scene gutted me. You feel every ounce of her rage and sorrow pour onto the canvas. And for the first time, Dane seems to truly grasp the devastation he’s caused. Whether that recognition leads to redemption or deeper ruin is anyone’s guess, but it’s a turning point that proves Sykes isn’t just writing smut—she’s writing psychological warfare disguised as a love story.
And let’s talk about the writing. Sykes’ prose is razor-sharp, sensual, and addictive. Every line drips with tension. Every scene feels like a test of loyalty between the characters and the reader. It’s like she’s daring us to keep reading, to look away from the carnage and still root for these two fractured souls clawing toward something resembling love. And then she cliffhangers us again—hard. The kind of ending that makes you want to throw your Kindle across the room and start a group therapy chat with other readers.
The quote that wrecked me completely:
“He says I still love him. That I belong to him. But no matter how many times he claims my body, he can’t command my heart.”
That line is the book in a nutshell—power, control, love, and the defiance of a woman refusing to be defined by her captor.
Now, a PSA for readers: this is dark. Trigger warnings include stalking, kidnapping, drugging, psychological manipulation, non-consensual acts, and emotional abuse. If you’re squeamish, stay far, far away. But if you crave morally gray antiheroes, complex psychology, and love stories born in chaos, this is your twisted paradise.
Ultimately, Redemption isn’t about excusing evil—it’s about exploring the razor-thin line between love and obsession, control and surrender, punishment and salvation. Julia Sykes doesn’t hand you comfort; she hands you questions. Can a monster truly be redeemed? Or is redemption just another form of control?
This series is emotional carnage, and I am willingly bleeding out for it. I laughed (awkwardly), I cringed (often), I shouted “girl, run!” at least five times—and still rooted for the monster by page 200. That’s the power of Sykes’ storytelling.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — five twisted, haunting, gloriously unhinged stars.
I need Absolution immediately. Preferably yesterday.
July 8, 2025
Dark, Twisted, and Utterly Addicting
Before you read Redemption check the trigger warnings!!!
This book doesn’t shy away from difficult themes—and that’s exactly what made me want to read it. Julia Sykes has delivered a dark romance that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go.
This story is an emotional roller coaster—intense, consuming, and at times devastating. The world Julia creates is vivid as well as immersive. It pulls you into the complex and dangerous relationship between Abagail and Dane. It’s a much darker read than the first book, and not for the faint of heart.
What sets this book apart is the dual perspective. While we’ve seen things from Abagail’s point of view before, this time we get a deeper dive into Dane’s mind—and it’s both eye-opening and chilling. Dane is a complicated morally grey anti hero who loves Abagail to the point of obsession, once her protector now her captor as he attempts to force her to remember their love in a way that shows he's blinded to the pain and hurt Abagail is suffering by his hands. Dane is the best kind of bad: intelligent, manipulative at times, calculating, and heartbreakingly vulnerable. Once Abagail’s protector, he’s now her captor, desperate to make her remember the love they once shared—even if it means breaking her in the process. His actions are horrifying at times, but you also can't help but feel the depth of his emotion, and that’s the terrifying beauty of it.
Through chapters alternating between past and present, we begin to understand how Dane sees the world and his love for Abagail—obsessive, consuming, and warped by trauma. It’s rare to get such an honest and disturbing insight into the mind of a morally grey anti-hero, and Julia handles it masterfully.
This book delivers spice, psychological manipulation, and characters you’ll love and hate in equal measure. The emotional tension is relentless, and the cliffhanger ending left me stunned and desperate for the next installment.
This is a dark, twisted, and unforgettable romance that explores ( and at times blurs) the dangerous line between love and obsession. It’s beautifully written, deeply emotional, and disturbingly compelling. If you're into dark romance with psychological depth and moral complexity, do yourself a favor and read this book!
Fair warning: it’s darker than book one, and that cliffhanger is brutal.
Before you read Redemption check the trigger warnings!!!
This book doesn’t shy away from difficult themes—and that’s exactly what made me want to read it. Julia Sykes has delivered a dark romance that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go.
This story is an emotional roller coaster—intense, consuming, and at times devastating. The world Julia creates is vivid as well as immersive. It pulls you into the complex and dangerous relationship between Abagail and Dane. It’s a much darker read than the first book, and not for the faint of heart.
What sets this book apart is the dual perspective. While we’ve seen things from Abagail’s point of view before, this time we get a deeper dive into Dane’s mind—and it’s both eye-opening and chilling. Dane is a complicated morally grey anti hero who loves Abagail to the point of obsession, once her protector now her captor as he attempts to force her to remember their love in a way that shows he's blinded to the pain and hurt Abagail is suffering by his hands. Dane is the best kind of bad: intelligent, manipulative at times, calculating, and heartbreakingly vulnerable. Once Abagail’s protector, he’s now her captor, desperate to make her remember the love they once shared—even if it means breaking her in the process. His actions are horrifying at times, but you also can't help but feel the depth of his emotion, and that’s the terrifying beauty of it.
Through chapters alternating between past and present, we begin to understand how Dane sees the world and his love for Abagail—obsessive, consuming, and warped by trauma. It’s rare to get such an honest and disturbing insight into the mind of a morally grey anti-hero, and Julia handles it masterfully.
This book delivers spice, psychological manipulation, and characters you’ll love and hate in equal measure. The emotional tension is relentless, and the cliffhanger ending left me stunned and desperate for the next installment.
This is a dark, twisted, and unforgettable romance that explores ( and at times blurs) the dangerous line between love and obsession. It’s beautifully written, deeply emotional, and disturbingly compelling. If you're into dark romance with psychological depth and moral complexity, do yourself a favor and read this book!
Fair warning: it’s darker than book one, and that cliffhanger is brutal.
July 4, 2025
Redemption is book2 in the Favorite Malady Trilogy. It picks up right after book1: Compulsion. Explaining what happened to Abigail at the end of the prev book where Dane had abducted her and ultimately imprisoning her at his family estate in England.
As this book is more darker than the first, it shows Danes emotional range from stalker and overly obsessed MMC to a man who was a afraid of admitting what his true feelings are. It is told in flashbacks, we learn the details of what Dane was doing as he stalked Abigail. His reasoning and drive and what made him do what he was doing. Abigail on the other hand was trapped in a situation where she was shocked at what he did to her and seemingly could not get past it. Fighting him tooth and nail even going so far as trying to escape and getting in a car accident. But Dane wore her down, as his own feeling evolved he was realizing he could not live with out her.
His delusion, and raw emotion pushed him the direction of ultimate captivity until she was would willing stay with him. She still fought him, but was beginning to melt her resolve as she saw into the boy he once was and began to see why he was the way he was.
I can say i preferred him as the ott stalker persona, you are mine forever and I will never let you go. I felt Abigail fought too much even when he was trying to be better. She was looking for the end game to leave. I wanted her to empathize wit him and see he was like her, had past trauma and work together to heal the both of them. ANd just when it looked as of they were close, ready to go home the
"Thing" happened. I was like whaaaaaaattttt??? It literally threw me for a loop. And I hate cliff hangers, but I need to know how this ends.
I cant wait to see what happens next, I am of course rooting them, and hope that Abigail can see past his transgressions and help him Work as a team and not abandon him, SO we shall see.
This was book is reviewed honestly, as it was given a prior advance copy to read. I highly recommend this book as it shows obsessively devotion,for a fmc who never experience some strong =, dare I say love. Raed your TW
As this book is more darker than the first, it shows Danes emotional range from stalker and overly obsessed MMC to a man who was a afraid of admitting what his true feelings are. It is told in flashbacks, we learn the details of what Dane was doing as he stalked Abigail. His reasoning and drive and what made him do what he was doing. Abigail on the other hand was trapped in a situation where she was shocked at what he did to her and seemingly could not get past it. Fighting him tooth and nail even going so far as trying to escape and getting in a car accident. But Dane wore her down, as his own feeling evolved he was realizing he could not live with out her.
His delusion, and raw emotion pushed him the direction of ultimate captivity until she was would willing stay with him. She still fought him, but was beginning to melt her resolve as she saw into the boy he once was and began to see why he was the way he was.
I can say i preferred him as the ott stalker persona, you are mine forever and I will never let you go. I felt Abigail fought too much even when he was trying to be better. She was looking for the end game to leave. I wanted her to empathize wit him and see he was like her, had past trauma and work together to heal the both of them. ANd just when it looked as of they were close, ready to go home the
"Thing" happened. I was like whaaaaaaattttt??? It literally threw me for a loop. And I hate cliff hangers, but I need to know how this ends.
I cant wait to see what happens next, I am of course rooting them, and hope that Abigail can see past his transgressions and help him Work as a team and not abandon him, SO we shall see.
This was book is reviewed honestly, as it was given a prior advance copy to read. I highly recommend this book as it shows obsessively devotion,for a fmc who never experience some strong =, dare I say love. Raed your TW
July 9, 2025
Book 2 of the Favorite Malady Trilogy (3rd and final book to come out 9/26/25)
This book picks up where Compulsion left off. Abigail finds out about Dane’s stalking, manipulation, and lying.
Dane (Daniel Graham) drugs Abigail and takes her back to his Family’s Estate. She tries to escape using his brother’s old jeep. She crashes, Dane sews her up, but is more dedicated now than ever to get her to love him again. Abigail is disgusted and heartbroken.
She paints a picture for Dane for how he has broken her by DubCon again. Dane finally realizes what he did was wrong. He says he doesn’t know how to love because he was never shown, but tells Abigail she can have his heart from his chest because without her there is no point in living. Abigail sticks up for Dane to his horrible family. Dane’s father is an alcoholic and because he’s a Duke he can buy himself out of any trouble. Dane’s father was driving drunk one night with Dane and his 5 year old twin sister Katie in the car. He wrecked and Dane was stuck looking at his dead, disfigured from the accident, for hours until someone found them.
Abigail falls back in love with Dane and to earn her trust he takes her to a private event and takes her in a maze and gives her the option for CNC. Trust restored.
Dane submits Abigail’s art to a gallery in York England. Abigail is there late one night with Stephen the owner’s son and he spikes her drink.
Dane comes looking for Abigail when she is late and hears Abigail moan. He thinks for a minute that Abigail is with Stephen willingly. Stephen was already going to die, but he would never hurt Abigail. Dane then realizes that Abigail has been drugged and murders Stephen.
He plans on taking Abigail back to Charlotte as soon as possible. Abigail feels horrible that Dane killed someone else on her behalf. The book ends with the police coming to arrest Abigail, she was Stephen’s last appointment. Dane in that moment knows prison is his worst nightmare, but he never deserved Abigail. Abigail didn’t put him to the police. Dane turned off his charm and showed the police his true face without the mask. He admits to the murder. The end!!! What?!!!
This book picks up where Compulsion left off. Abigail finds out about Dane’s stalking, manipulation, and lying.
Dane (Daniel Graham) drugs Abigail and takes her back to his Family’s Estate. She tries to escape using his brother’s old jeep. She crashes, Dane sews her up, but is more dedicated now than ever to get her to love him again. Abigail is disgusted and heartbroken.
She paints a picture for Dane for how he has broken her by DubCon again. Dane finally realizes what he did was wrong. He says he doesn’t know how to love because he was never shown, but tells Abigail she can have his heart from his chest because without her there is no point in living. Abigail sticks up for Dane to his horrible family. Dane’s father is an alcoholic and because he’s a Duke he can buy himself out of any trouble. Dane’s father was driving drunk one night with Dane and his 5 year old twin sister Katie in the car. He wrecked and Dane was stuck looking at his dead, disfigured from the accident, for hours until someone found them.
Abigail falls back in love with Dane and to earn her trust he takes her to a private event and takes her in a maze and gives her the option for CNC. Trust restored.
Dane submits Abigail’s art to a gallery in York England. Abigail is there late one night with Stephen the owner’s son and he spikes her drink.
Dane comes looking for Abigail when she is late and hears Abigail moan. He thinks for a minute that Abigail is with Stephen willingly. Stephen was already going to die, but he would never hurt Abigail. Dane then realizes that Abigail has been drugged and murders Stephen.
He plans on taking Abigail back to Charlotte as soon as possible. Abigail feels horrible that Dane killed someone else on her behalf. The book ends with the police coming to arrest Abigail, she was Stephen’s last appointment. Dane in that moment knows prison is his worst nightmare, but he never deserved Abigail. Abigail didn’t put him to the police. Dane turned off his charm and showed the police his true face without the mask. He admits to the murder. The end!!! What?!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2025
🖤🔥 Redemption (Favorite Malady Trilogy #2) by Julia Sykes 🔥🖤
“I may be a monster, but I’m her monster.”
The obsession deepens. The line between love and madness? Completely obliterated.
If Compulsion pulled you into the dark, Redemption locks the door behind you and swallows the key. Julia Sykes delivers another addictive, gut-clenching, and dangerously seductive descent into obsession, trauma, and impossible love.
💉 Dane Graham was once Abigail’s savior, her white knight, and her dark god. Until his secrets came to light, shattering everything they built. Now, desperate to keep her, he takes her from her home and traps her in his isolated world.
☕ Abigail Foster wants to hate him, but her body and heart betray her at every turn. Between fury, longing, and dangerous desire, she must decide whether love can survive this kind of darkness… or if it will destroy them both.
✨ What to Expect:
🖤 Captive / forced proximity
💋 Enemies-to-lovers (again)
🩸 Stalker / obsession romance
🏰 Gothic manor + psychological tension
🔥 Consensual non-consent + primal play
💀 Tortured antihero + touch-her-and-die energy
💔 Dual POV + emotional whiplash
⛓️ Intense spice (bondage, breath play, domination)
⚡️ Cliffhanger ending that wrecks you
Sykes gives us more of Dane’s past, peeling back the layers of a man both terrifying and heartbreakingly vulnerable. His love for Abigail is twisted but devastatingly human with a craving for redemption he doesn’t believe he deserves. And Abigail? She’s caught between fury and devotion, fighting to reclaim her autonomy even as she can’t help but crave the man who broke her.
The result? A dark, emotional inferno that burns with lust, guilt, and a hint of hope.
Brutal, hypnotic, and hauntingly intimate.
Prepare your heart for chaos, because the ending? Absolute jaw-drop.
#Redemption #JuliaSykes #DarkRomance #ObsessiveLove #MorallyGreyHero #CaptiveRomance #FavoriteMaladyTrilogy #PsychologicalRomance #SpicyReads #Bookstagram #DarkBookTok #BDSMBooks #HeFallsHard #TouchHerAndDie #HPRFavoriteMaladyTrilogy #HambrightPR
“I may be a monster, but I’m her monster.”
The obsession deepens. The line between love and madness? Completely obliterated.
If Compulsion pulled you into the dark, Redemption locks the door behind you and swallows the key. Julia Sykes delivers another addictive, gut-clenching, and dangerously seductive descent into obsession, trauma, and impossible love.
💉 Dane Graham was once Abigail’s savior, her white knight, and her dark god. Until his secrets came to light, shattering everything they built. Now, desperate to keep her, he takes her from her home and traps her in his isolated world.
☕ Abigail Foster wants to hate him, but her body and heart betray her at every turn. Between fury, longing, and dangerous desire, she must decide whether love can survive this kind of darkness… or if it will destroy them both.
✨ What to Expect:
🖤 Captive / forced proximity
💋 Enemies-to-lovers (again)
🩸 Stalker / obsession romance
🏰 Gothic manor + psychological tension
🔥 Consensual non-consent + primal play
💀 Tortured antihero + touch-her-and-die energy
💔 Dual POV + emotional whiplash
⛓️ Intense spice (bondage, breath play, domination)
⚡️ Cliffhanger ending that wrecks you
Sykes gives us more of Dane’s past, peeling back the layers of a man both terrifying and heartbreakingly vulnerable. His love for Abigail is twisted but devastatingly human with a craving for redemption he doesn’t believe he deserves. And Abigail? She’s caught between fury and devotion, fighting to reclaim her autonomy even as she can’t help but crave the man who broke her.
The result? A dark, emotional inferno that burns with lust, guilt, and a hint of hope.
Brutal, hypnotic, and hauntingly intimate.
Prepare your heart for chaos, because the ending? Absolute jaw-drop.
#Redemption #JuliaSykes #DarkRomance #ObsessiveLove #MorallyGreyHero #CaptiveRomance #FavoriteMaladyTrilogy #PsychologicalRomance #SpicyReads #Bookstagram #DarkBookTok #BDSMBooks #HeFallsHard #TouchHerAndDie #HPRFavoriteMaladyTrilogy #HambrightPR
July 7, 2025
Wow! I wasn’t sure what to expect in this chapter of Dane and Abigail’s story. I finished a few days ago and needed time to process what I’ve read.
Once again, Ms Sykes weaves a gripping tale. We left book one on the cliffhanger of Abigail discovering Dane’s secrets. Book two opens right after that discovery. It’s a frenzied dance for the first 30% of the book. Every individual scene was shocking. I couldn’t predict anything. I wasn’t sure if Dane was just going to be the villain in Abby’s story. Or if he really could “change.”
With the title being Redemption, I didn’t know if his redeeming qualities would be the type of cliche story lines with similar titles. Ms Sykes really took the definition of Redemption to heart while writing this part of Dane and Abby’s story. I can’t think of another story where the villain truly seems to have redeemed themselves. The way all of this was written, you could feel his heart as he realizes what he’s done to Abby. He isn’t that stereotypical OTT/Jealous/Possessive MMC. Which is quite refreshing in my opinion. Dark romance can get kind of cookie cutter/boring at times. Not this time!
As per her usual writing style, this part of the story gave me all the feels. It took me a bit to figure out what exactly those feelings were. But once I did… bravo…chef’s kiss…insert whatever adjective you may. I can’t say enough about the way this romance is unfolding!
Looking forward to the conclusion this fall!!
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book through the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Once again, Ms Sykes weaves a gripping tale. We left book one on the cliffhanger of Abigail discovering Dane’s secrets. Book two opens right after that discovery. It’s a frenzied dance for the first 30% of the book. Every individual scene was shocking. I couldn’t predict anything. I wasn’t sure if Dane was just going to be the villain in Abby’s story. Or if he really could “change.”
With the title being Redemption, I didn’t know if his redeeming qualities would be the type of cliche story lines with similar titles. Ms Sykes really took the definition of Redemption to heart while writing this part of Dane and Abby’s story. I can’t think of another story where the villain truly seems to have redeemed themselves. The way all of this was written, you could feel his heart as he realizes what he’s done to Abby. He isn’t that stereotypical OTT/Jealous/Possessive MMC. Which is quite refreshing in my opinion. Dark romance can get kind of cookie cutter/boring at times. Not this time!
As per her usual writing style, this part of the story gave me all the feels. It took me a bit to figure out what exactly those feelings were. But once I did… bravo…chef’s kiss…insert whatever adjective you may. I can’t say enough about the way this romance is unfolding!
Looking forward to the conclusion this fall!!
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book through the publisher. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2025
This book felt like running an emotional marathon with characters who actively refuse to make it easy. They frustrated me beyond reason, pushed every limit I have, and yet I couldn’t look away. I needed closure. I needed absolution. Which feels fitting, considering the final book in the trilogy is literally titled Absolution.
Redemption was a deeply jarring reading experience. On a technical level, the writing is excellent. The prose is strong, immersive, and intentional. The author clearly knows exactly what she’s doing, and she does it well. On an emotional level, though, this book scrambled my brain. The events, the choices, and the sheer depravity of the situation left me sitting with some very big, very uncomfortable feelings.
I want a happy ending for these characters. I want relief. But I also can’t deny that this story might be one of the most “fucked” situations I’ve ever encountered in fiction. And that’s precisely the point. The fact that an author can put words on a page and evoke this level of frustration, distress, empathy, and emotional chaos is genuinely impressive.
This is not a comfortable read. It’s not meant to be. But as much as I struggled with the characters and their choices, I can’t ignore the power of the storytelling. Loving a book and being emotionally wrecked by it are not mutually exclusive, and Redemption is proof of that.
I’m going into Absolution battered, wary, and desperate for closure. Which, honestly, feels exactly right.
Redemption was a deeply jarring reading experience. On a technical level, the writing is excellent. The prose is strong, immersive, and intentional. The author clearly knows exactly what she’s doing, and she does it well. On an emotional level, though, this book scrambled my brain. The events, the choices, and the sheer depravity of the situation left me sitting with some very big, very uncomfortable feelings.
I want a happy ending for these characters. I want relief. But I also can’t deny that this story might be one of the most “fucked” situations I’ve ever encountered in fiction. And that’s precisely the point. The fact that an author can put words on a page and evoke this level of frustration, distress, empathy, and emotional chaos is genuinely impressive.
This is not a comfortable read. It’s not meant to be. But as much as I struggled with the characters and their choices, I can’t ignore the power of the storytelling. Loving a book and being emotionally wrecked by it are not mutually exclusive, and Redemption is proof of that.
I’m going into Absolution battered, wary, and desperate for closure. Which, honestly, feels exactly right.
July 1, 2025
After finishing this latest installment of the "Favorite Malady" series, I had to sit a moment to calm my heart down. A deep breath later and a COLD glass of water for the steamy scenes, I was prepared to write my review. PLEASE Read your trigger warnings. This is a darker story than their first one. This will be a spoil free review.
This picks up right from where the last book left off. Abigail found out that Dane was her stalker, GentAnon and her masked attacker. After drugging her, he kidnaps her to England to prove that she still loves him and that he can't let her go. This dives into Dane's psyche while Abigail struggles to get him to understand that what he is doing is wrong and that it is hurting her soul and breaking her. After certain events, she shows him how she is feeling with her art and he finally starts to understand. More events happen, complete with darker pleasures, and the story ends on another cliffhanger. I did enjoy this book, even though it was darker that the first story but in a "the ends did justify the means" kinda way. Certain scenes did make me uncomfortable but reading from both POVs helped. Five stars from me. This series is for those who need the darkness every now and then, who need someone to see the darkness in them and still accept them. Warts and all.
This picks up right from where the last book left off. Abigail found out that Dane was her stalker, GentAnon and her masked attacker. After drugging her, he kidnaps her to England to prove that she still loves him and that he can't let her go. This dives into Dane's psyche while Abigail struggles to get him to understand that what he is doing is wrong and that it is hurting her soul and breaking her. After certain events, she shows him how she is feeling with her art and he finally starts to understand. More events happen, complete with darker pleasures, and the story ends on another cliffhanger. I did enjoy this book, even though it was darker that the first story but in a "the ends did justify the means" kinda way. Certain scenes did make me uncomfortable but reading from both POVs helped. Five stars from me. This series is for those who need the darkness every now and then, who need someone to see the darkness in them and still accept them. Warts and all.
December 21, 2025
This trilogy is dark, twisted, full of obsession and intense passion. I couldn’t put it down!!
We start off with Compulsion (Book 1) where we meet Dane and Abigail. We discover how the two meet and Dane becomes completely obsessed and decides he must have her no matter what. But these two share a bond that is dark and dangerous, but beautiful and twisted at the same time.
Then Redemption (Book 2) Abigail knows that Dane is also her online friend she shares all her dark sexual desires with. Everything is flipped upside down. She doesn’t feel like she can trust him and her love for him is based on a lie. But Dane is not going to let her go. Abigail is conflicted, her heart and body want him, but her head is telling her to run. We also learn more about Dane and his past and where his obsession began.
And then we end with Absolution (Book 3) where we come to an end. Abigail has found her strength is this book and found her peace and happiness with Dane. This book as dark, but a bit different when we learn some darkness that Abigail forgot from her childhood. And of course, Dane is there to stand by her and protect her from anything and everything evil. His obsession never ends.
This book is spicy, it’s dark, full of possessiveness and obsession. It will leave you wanting more and have you flipping those pages to get to the next chapter.
We start off with Compulsion (Book 1) where we meet Dane and Abigail. We discover how the two meet and Dane becomes completely obsessed and decides he must have her no matter what. But these two share a bond that is dark and dangerous, but beautiful and twisted at the same time.
Then Redemption (Book 2) Abigail knows that Dane is also her online friend she shares all her dark sexual desires with. Everything is flipped upside down. She doesn’t feel like she can trust him and her love for him is based on a lie. But Dane is not going to let her go. Abigail is conflicted, her heart and body want him, but her head is telling her to run. We also learn more about Dane and his past and where his obsession began.
And then we end with Absolution (Book 3) where we come to an end. Abigail has found her strength is this book and found her peace and happiness with Dane. This book as dark, but a bit different when we learn some darkness that Abigail forgot from her childhood. And of course, Dane is there to stand by her and protect her from anything and everything evil. His obsession never ends.
This book is spicy, it’s dark, full of possessiveness and obsession. It will leave you wanting more and have you flipping those pages to get to the next chapter.
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