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Burning Ember: Harbingers of Chaos, Book 1
This story isn’t for the faint-hearted—or for anyone who thinks they’ll simply listen to a few chapters and go to bed. It’s an up-all-night, soul-searing ride of sin and salvation. A brazenly sexy tale of a sinner and a saint who must fight through hell to claim each other.
This book explores dark themes. Please heed the trigger warnings before listening. Your mental health matters.
They warned me that the very sight of me would incite a side of Maverick I would want to flee in fear of. But I had no place else to go. My only option was to brave his wrath to survive.
His darkness reaches into me, pulling at something raw, something I don’t understand. With every word he slays me, his every touch burns along my skin. He breaks down my walls, igniting my fiery temper all the while laying bare desires I was never meant to feel, much less act on.
Beneath the fire and fury, I glimpse the cracks in his armor and the man he’s desperately trying to hide. But the longer I stay, the harder it is to tell where my survival ends and his begins.
To want him is to risk everything—to give him my heart is to risk the last thing I’m holding on to with a deadly my life. The only way to survive may be to surrender to the fire, let it consume me, and pray I come out the other side.
This book explores dark themes. Please heed the trigger warnings before listening. Your mental health matters.
They warned me that the very sight of me would incite a side of Maverick I would want to flee in fear of. But I had no place else to go. My only option was to brave his wrath to survive.
His darkness reaches into me, pulling at something raw, something I don’t understand. With every word he slays me, his every touch burns along my skin. He breaks down my walls, igniting my fiery temper all the while laying bare desires I was never meant to feel, much less act on.
Beneath the fire and fury, I glimpse the cracks in his armor and the man he’s desperately trying to hide. But the longer I stay, the harder it is to tell where my survival ends and his begins.
To want him is to risk everything—to give him my heart is to risk the last thing I’m holding on to with a deadly my life. The only way to survive may be to surrender to the fire, let it consume me, and pray I come out the other side.
- GenresDark RomanceAudiobook
Audible Audio
Published February 13, 2025
3 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Darby Briar
8 books481 followersDarby Briar is an American author who loves writing stories about men with broken souls and women who don’t know their own strength. She’s a lover of fiction whether it be a movie or book, but prefers stories with some romance, and ones that include a happy ending. She grew up in Utah and still lives in the northern part of the state. She’s married and her and her husband have three adorable kids.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 9, 2025
Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🎧
This is a dark and gritty MC romance by Darby Briar. You definitely need to check your trigger warnings before going into this one ⚠️
I am usually not a huge fan of MC romances, or if I read one, I prefer MC 'light'. But... I have been trying books out of my comfort zone lately and have been enjoying the variety. And I have to say, I really enjoyed this book! I was listening at every opportunity!
This was nearly 16 hours (1 x speed girly) of ALL the feels. A proper rollercoaster. It was brutal, dark, gritty, uncomfortable, hopeful, hot, sexy, romantic, and funny!
Ember is on the run from an abusive relationship, ends up on the streets, and is in a desperate situation. A chance encounter with an MC 'Old Lady', who helps her out, and she finds herself living at the Harbingers of Chaos MC club. I love how strong and resilient Ember is after all she has to endure.
Now.... enter Maverick 🔥🔥 head of the MC, who is a hot, broody dominant as*hole with past relationship trauma and trust issues. This is a slow burn, starting as hate/enemies to lovers to obsession 🩶🔥🌶 The chemistry is off the charts!
The HEA is hard fought. The last two hours of this book were brutal, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. OMG, my heart was in my throat 😭😭. But....that ending was perfect for our Mav/Luce and Doll/Pumpkin 👌 🧡
I love the found family element, and there are so many interesting characters to explore. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
The narrators Joe Arden and Marie Hawkins were amazing on this audio. They brought these characters to life in the best way and conveyed all the emotions. Audio is definitely the best way to devour this book!
This is a dark and gritty MC romance by Darby Briar. You definitely need to check your trigger warnings before going into this one ⚠️
I am usually not a huge fan of MC romances, or if I read one, I prefer MC 'light'. But... I have been trying books out of my comfort zone lately and have been enjoying the variety. And I have to say, I really enjoyed this book! I was listening at every opportunity!
This was nearly 16 hours (1 x speed girly) of ALL the feels. A proper rollercoaster. It was brutal, dark, gritty, uncomfortable, hopeful, hot, sexy, romantic, and funny!
Ember is on the run from an abusive relationship, ends up on the streets, and is in a desperate situation. A chance encounter with an MC 'Old Lady', who helps her out, and she finds herself living at the Harbingers of Chaos MC club. I love how strong and resilient Ember is after all she has to endure.
Now.... enter Maverick 🔥🔥 head of the MC, who is a hot, broody dominant as*hole with past relationship trauma and trust issues. This is a slow burn, starting as hate/enemies to lovers to obsession 🩶🔥🌶 The chemistry is off the charts!
The HEA is hard fought. The last two hours of this book were brutal, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. OMG, my heart was in my throat 😭😭. But....that ending was perfect for our Mav/Luce and Doll/Pumpkin 👌 🧡
I love the found family element, and there are so many interesting characters to explore. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
The narrators Joe Arden and Marie Hawkins were amazing on this audio. They brought these characters to life in the best way and conveyed all the emotions. Audio is definitely the best way to devour this book!
August 6, 2025
I passed on an ALC of this title because I was torn and afraid I wouldn't like it. Well, here we are many months later and I finally listened to it and absolutely loved it. I enjoy MC books but they aren't ones I search out. If I could find more written like Darby writes I would devour as many as I can.
Ember and Mav had me invested in them immediately, even though he is not the most pleasant of people when first appearing. When that man starts to let his walls down and see Ember for who she is and not his ex that man melted my heart. He knows how to grovel. When one little bit of miscommunication happens I wanted to smack him upside his head but he redeemed himself very quickly and saw things for what they were and at that point I couldn't stop listening because I had to know how it ended.
As for the narrators, Marie is fairly new to me. I love how she handled every single female character in the book and she pairs very nicely along Joe Arden. This audio is the Joe Arden voice I have been missing lately. It is my favorite of his! Both of them were so good at conveying the emotions of the characters in numerous parts of the story...not just with the main characters either. I hope to hear more collaborations from them.
Ember and Mav had me invested in them immediately, even though he is not the most pleasant of people when first appearing. When that man starts to let his walls down and see Ember for who she is and not his ex that man melted my heart. He knows how to grovel. When one little bit of miscommunication happens I wanted to smack him upside his head but he redeemed himself very quickly and saw things for what they were and at that point I couldn't stop listening because I had to know how it ended.
As for the narrators, Marie is fairly new to me. I love how she handled every single female character in the book and she pairs very nicely along Joe Arden. This audio is the Joe Arden voice I have been missing lately. It is my favorite of his! Both of them were so good at conveying the emotions of the characters in numerous parts of the story...not just with the main characters either. I hope to hear more collaborations from them.
October 6, 2025
🎧Alc Review
I’ve been craving a good Motorcycle Club book since watching SOA.
This one was utter perfection. Ember is a strong but struggling FMC
She ends up in an MC Club and finds her family. God this book had me so invested in the story from the start.
These characters have so many layers that you cant help but fall in love with them
all including the side characters.
The twists and turns were so emotional from the beginning to the end.
My heart broke, I swooned and by the end I cried
I love having a book based off Albuquerque was an added bonus, mentioning places I’ve lived just made the story even better.
The narration was top tier. The way Joe was able to voice every male character with differences to make them have their own voice and identity speaks to the level of his talent.
Marie is easily becoming on of my favorite female voice. The way she adapts to each charact and delivers their emotions with such perfection.
These two together was an utter masterpiece
5/5📖
🎧5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵
🖤Motorcycle Club
🖤Found Family
🖤SPICY
🖤Hang on👌🏽
I’ve been craving a good Motorcycle Club book since watching SOA.
This one was utter perfection. Ember is a strong but struggling FMC
She ends up in an MC Club and finds her family. God this book had me so invested in the story from the start.
These characters have so many layers that you cant help but fall in love with them
all including the side characters.
The twists and turns were so emotional from the beginning to the end.
My heart broke, I swooned and by the end I cried
I love having a book based off Albuquerque was an added bonus, mentioning places I’ve lived just made the story even better.
The narration was top tier. The way Joe was able to voice every male character with differences to make them have their own voice and identity speaks to the level of his talent.
Marie is easily becoming on of my favorite female voice. The way she adapts to each charact and delivers their emotions with such perfection.
These two together was an utter masterpiece
5/5📖
🎧5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵
🖤Motorcycle Club
🖤Found Family
🖤SPICY
🖤Hang on👌🏽
March 30, 2025
Do not read, audio book this 110%!!
Omg this book, I literally devoured it in one go! The story, the characters I laughed and cried and Luce/Mav will live forever in my memory!
The audio is duet and it hits so well the spice is amazing but the characters were just as good and both of the narrators were incredible! Marie Hawkins as Em was gorgeous and loved her feeling and depth and Joe Arden all I can say is OMG every word is electric and beautiful!
Check your triggers as it has some darker moments (and a number of different triggers) but it’s well written! If anything the only let down was wanting more of everything, the dark moments, the banter, the spice, just more of the world and the characters!
Omg this book, I literally devoured it in one go! The story, the characters I laughed and cried and Luce/Mav will live forever in my memory!
The audio is duet and it hits so well the spice is amazing but the characters were just as good and both of the narrators were incredible! Marie Hawkins as Em was gorgeous and loved her feeling and depth and Joe Arden all I can say is OMG every word is electric and beautiful!
Check your triggers as it has some darker moments (and a number of different triggers) but it’s well written! If anything the only let down was wanting more of everything, the dark moments, the banter, the spice, just more of the world and the characters!
May 23, 2025
3.5⭐️
🎧 Burning Ember was such a fun little MC romance ride! I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Marie Hawkins and the swoon-worthy Joe Arden. Honestly, if I could have him narrate my grocery list, I would. His voice? The accents?? Pure magic. 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
The story itself kept me hooked — Ember is the kind of sweet, innocent FMC you can’t help but root for, and Mav? Ohhh, Mav. Classic motorcycle club bad boy with a possessive streak a mile wide. 🏍️🔥 Total “touch her and d!e” energy, and I was here for it.
Could it have gone a bit deeper in some parts? Sure. But overall, it delivered on what I wanted — a spicy, protective alpha romance with just enough grit to keep it interesting.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎧 Burning Ember was such a fun little MC romance ride! I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Marie Hawkins and the swoon-worthy Joe Arden. Honestly, if I could have him narrate my grocery list, I would. His voice? The accents?? Pure magic. 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
The story itself kept me hooked — Ember is the kind of sweet, innocent FMC you can’t help but root for, and Mav? Ohhh, Mav. Classic motorcycle club bad boy with a possessive streak a mile wide. 🏍️🔥 Total “touch her and d!e” energy, and I was here for it.
Could it have gone a bit deeper in some parts? Sure. But overall, it delivered on what I wanted — a spicy, protective alpha romance with just enough grit to keep it interesting.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
November 13, 2025
3.5 stars
November 28, 2025
💙🌟Absolutely love this book. Heading to read Lyrebird right now. Love this series so much I ordered a T-shirt from the merch site. It’s so cute!💙🌟
December 9, 2025
sooo good!!
June 10, 2025
PHENOMENAL!!! The audiobook was AMAZING! One of my top picks for the year. There was just something about this story that grabbed my heart! Enemies to lovers, SPICE, found family, raw emotion, biker club dark romance . It gave me all of the feels! I NEED MORE!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews