Mercedes Lewis was born into Crown City royalty—the perfect plus-size daughter of the most powerful man in politics. But perfection comes at a price, and her father's rules are law: No scandal. No rebellion. And definitely no secret marriage to the man who works for him.
Christian Scott isn't just dangerous. He's lethal. The man who will do anything to protect what's his.
When their worlds collide again, he's not there to apologize. Not to beg. But to reclaim what's his.
She should hate him. She should forget him. But resisting Christian Scott isn't just impossible—it's dangerous.
Because in Crown City, power is everything—and Mercedes is caught between two ruthless men:
The father who controls her world. The husband who will burn it all down for her. Both powerful. Both dangerous. Both willing to destroy everything to keep her.
And when love and power collide, betrayal is just as deadly as desire.
Dark Desires is a steamy, high-stakes BWWM dark romance featuring:
A curvy, plus-size Black heroine who knows her worth A possessive hitman who takes what he wants A secret marriage and forbidden love An age gap, forced proximity, and corrupt politics Jealousy, power struggles, and a hero who does not share No cheating, no mercy, and a guaranteed HEA
Mercedes is the daughter of an ambitious politician. The book opens with her at a party on the wrong side of town where she's able to let loose and be herself without anyone knowing who she is. Just when she's getting ready to go home with her dance partner for the night, she sees Christian, her assassin and secret husband. Mercedes and Christian have unfinished business because even though she asked him for a divorce, they're still married and Christian is less than willing to give her up. Mercedes is 10 years younger than Christian who sometimes works for her father but belongs to an assassin's organization that he's worked for for 18 years, and at 35 would mean he has been doing that kind of work since he was around 17. She left Christian six months ago when she found out what he did for a living but still craves him, and he her. Once they reunite, the book is a lot of revelations and emotional upheaval, particularly on the part of Mercedes.
I was going along with the plot but the chemistry between Mercedes and Christian just wasn't really there for me. I cringed every time she called him Daddy which is a personal ick for me, the complexity that the author tried to pull for the story fell flat to me (mom was a hitwoman in her past, the hookups Christian had with his coworker before he met Mercedes were with Mercedes's older sister who looks like her, the guy Mercedes almost went home with at the beginning of the book was really a plant her dad orchestrated for Mercedes to marry, etc.). Usually I love twists that catch me off guard but these revelations, and others didn't really get me that same satisfaction I'm used to feeling.
This book was intriguing but lacked the umph I was looking for. The characters and plot could have been developed more to really give this book some depth. I found some of the scenes to be a bit dry and rushed. The fmc seemed really shallow and wavered when she could have been a really strong black woman. The book was still entertaining even with the depth not being there.
I stumbled upon this book on a whim, never having read anything by Odyssey Lenoir before. The synopsis reeled me in—seriously, who wouldn’t want to dive into a story where two powerful men are battling it out for one woman’s heart? Count me in!
Let’s talk about Christian… Oh, Christian. This man is pure danger. Not in a clichéd way, but in the "always showing up and stealing the scene" kind of way. Wherever Nevaeh is, he’s there too, commanding her in ways that leave her—and the reader—utterly breathless. He wields his power over her like a master, and she crumbles, but in a way that feels magnetic rather than weak. The tension between them is scorching—so intense that words hardly do it justice. Let’s just say this book is definitely for an adult audience (21+), and if you can appreciate sizzling chemistry, you’re in for a treat. In fact, even though this isn’t a paranormal romance, the bond between Christian and Nevaeh might as well be fate. They’re mates in every way that matters.
At first, Nevaeh wasn’t my favorite. She came across as an adult brat, too afraid to carve out her own life apart from her parents’ influence. She lived for their approval, their reputation, and, let’s face it, their wallet. I was practically yelling for her to confront her father! But by the end, she had evolved. Sure, she still carried a bit of that spoiled edge, but she made decisions that were finally hers—decisions that shaped her life and her relationship with Christian for the better.
Now, let’s circle back to Christian because… Team Christian, all the way! From the moment of their first steamy encounter, I was sold. He could have obliterated his opposition with the force of his power, yet he held back—likely out of respect for his wife. That restraint made him even more intriguing.
Overall, I loved this book. I’m so glad I gave it a chance. From start to finish, it had me hooked. The twists and turns kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had it all figured out—boom! Another surprise.
But don’t just take my word for it. Pick it up, dive in, and enjoy the ride. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Dark Desires is a 🔥🔥🔥dark ❤️with mystery, suspense & literally the mother 😉of all twists😳 !!!Christian is a 💯alpha, possessive hitman & Mercedes is the sheltered daughter of the town’s unscrupulous, evil mayor, who tightly controlled her life until Christian rescues her😘. This is my 1st 📕 by this✍🏽& it def. won’t be my last ! I loved the story from word one to the end 😍🥳
Awesome Romance Thriller … Loved the development of the characters and that everyone played their positions. Momma to the rescue and she knew the whole time and was like not my baby girl! Father was a hot mess as well as the half sibling. Keon was dirty and did not hold a light to Christian. Mercedes and Christian deserved their HEA 🥰🥰🥰🥰
I’m new to this author, however the book didn’t disappoint. I loved the dynamic between Mercedes and Christian. There were plenty of surprises and twists. I appreciated Mercedes finally standing up for herself and ending the manipulation. Her father was a real piece of work who got what he deserved. Looking forward to reading more books from this author.
This book was absolutely amazing. The lengths that Christian would go through for Mercedes was beyond words. I can’t believe how evil Vaughn was. He would do anything to keep Mercedes and Christian apart. I also couldn’t believe what we found out about her mother. I loved the whole book throughout and loved how it ended.
The plot was really engaging and kept my interest, but the repeated use of “Daddy” and “slut” during intimate scenes wasn’t for me. The level of detail was more than I prefer, though I still enjoyed the storyline overall. Readers who like very detailed, explicit romance may enjoy this more than I did.
Captivating and keeps you interested from. the first page. Loved the chemistry with Christian and Mercedes. The scene near the end with Mom, never saw it coming. Fabulous story. Would loved a follow up to see what happened with mom, sister, friends and them in Australia.
This book was good not great but just good. The storyline was good. The female character was shallow and care more about her trust fun. She did love her husband but the trust fund was always on her mind
First time reader of this author and I'm, loving it. I'm going to check out the rest of the catalog. Not 5 stars only because there is no epilogue. I feel like a glimpse of their future as a couple needed.
I'm sorry but this book was trash. There was no backstory, no character development and the sex was too much. This could have been a great story. Could have.
Christian was determined to keep his wife. He would do anything necessary to keep her. The problem was Mercedes' evil father, who was hell bent on winning his political aspirations by any means necessary, too. She had her reasons for keeping their marriage quiet. He refused to divorce her for her father's political yearnings. He wanted to tell the world, but she disagreed with Christian's profession. But in the end, when she realized who her parents were, she became the committed wife Christian needed because she loved him too.
Boy, the drama in this story kept me turning the pages. I was not expecting the ending, though. Nesha had her nerves.