Ride with me (or die with me): Riley's Tale - A Darker Sapphic Romance

by C. M. Raven

What would you do if your only choice is dying for the woman you love or walking away?

Riley, a hot masc with a deadly secret and a bike from hell, meets Jaz, a badass hacker fighting for justice and against capitalism. Their paths cross on a Spanish island while they try to put an end to a self-proclaimed lightworker exploiting women, and they end up on a heated adventure in the city that never sleeps.

Motorcycles.
Smut.
Secret Organizations.
Forbidden love.
Who did this to you?

Important Author's This is a wlw (sapphic) darker romance (mind the content notes). While it is interconnected (as it is a prequel to the "The Guru" Trilogy, giving an insight into the story of Riley), it is also a standalone.

When you'd rather pick the bear, this is for you. And yes, I said when, not if.

159 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2025

Reviews

[Lez_be_readin_ya · Rating 3 out of 5]

C.M. has written a wonderful book; I liked the characters, found them relatable, and thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. While there were a few aspects I didn't particularly care for, I won't elaborate, as overall, it was a great read.

Riley herself was a delightful character, I enjoyed her nonsense approach to life, and I really enjoyed her bad ass vibe. I loved the way she kicked ass. Her independent spirit was inspiring; she was one of those characters you aspire to be like, and also long to be with 😏

This book is generally great, and I recommended it. However, it contains some mature and dark themes that may not be suitable for all readers; please be aware of potential triggers, as it's not a lighthearted story.

Star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating. 🔥🔥🔥

I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

[Fionna Guillaume · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella read like an action movie: badass characters, sexy bikes, explosions, espionage, and well-armed lesbian heroines with a lust for justice. Honestly, I loved the characters. I could totally imagine them on the big screen, and this is a movie I would totally pay money to watch. If you like a screenplay with big scenes, fireballs, fast cars, and nonstop action, then this story is for you.

However, unfortunately I found myself thinking - more than once - that this would make a better movie than a book. While I appreciated the fast pace, there were times I would have appreciated a breather, taking a moment with a character to get to know her a bit more, dig deeper into her backstory. Also, for a published text, this felt unfinished. There were many grammatical errors (such as misuse of to and too, as well as missing possessives), spelling mistakes, and odd sentence structure that, frankly, got in the way of the story for me. I can forgive a typo or two, but when it becomes distracting and consistent, it just looks like a proper round of copyediting is needed. So for that, I have to say it didn't rev my motors as much as I had hoped.

Still, there is plenty to like in this story - especially the protagonist, Riley, who is the perfect heroine to take down toxic masculinity. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, with appreciation for the author's daring and energetic storytelling. There is lots to appreciate, though more polishing would improve the experience significantly.

[~lil maso~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Natalie for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner

A short novella story that captivated me with fascinating characters who are wild, strong and kick arse!

This was not a story for the faint of heart, please do read the trigger warnings before starting.
With that said, I enjoyed the storyline as not much can shock me anymore.

Fast paced, with lots of twists and turns, kept me on my toes through out.


*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
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[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

This is sapphic dark romance novella. Some of its content may not be suitable for all readers, so do read the trigger warnings.

I found this to be a fast-paced, intense read, with feisty female lead characters that I enjoyed. Riley and Jaz had interesting chemistry, and I felt the story was about Riley finding herself and exploring who she wanted to be. If you're looking for a dark, spicy read with strong female protagonists, this may be what you're looking for.

Thank you to Booksirens and the author for a free copy to review.

[Natalie Miernicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short novella story that captivated me with fascinating characters who are wild, strong and kick arse! This was not a story for the faint of heart, please do read the trigger warnings before starting. With that said, I enjoyed the storyline as not much can shock me anymore... fast paced, with lots of twists and turns, kept me on my toes through out.

[Dulaine Roode · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story.

It was action packed from start to finish, and I really liked the "take charge" way that Riley and Jaz had when on the retreat. Also, their relationship progression after that night.

It was a bit extreme though in the retaliation of Riley's employer, but yes, we all know that there are those kinds of people out there too…

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

[Coral · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short novel, bikers, strong female protagonist but what I do not appreciate is reading in third person for that reason I did not get to finish it, although it is particular opinion.

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

[Steph H · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF around 40% wasn’t vibing with the 3rd person pov, think first person would have been the better but im also in an off reading patch.. So it could just be me.