Crown of Thorns

The Initiation #3

by Lola Malone

We. Rewrite. Our legacy.

Saint-Laurent Boarding College for boys. Prestigious, pompous, and privileged. Everything I am not. Because what goes on behind some of those curtains, is not for all to see…
__

When you tear away the thorns, what will you find?
When Dad kicked me out, life became rough. After years of surviving on the streets, I found my redemption in education.
Being offered a job at Saint-Laurent is a dream come true.
But one fatal misstep puts my entire career in danger. It opens doors to a painful memory. No matter how hard I try to ignore its existence, it won’t leave me alone.
Louis Deveraux is a walking sin. A devil. And he’s not going anywhere.
The more I try to get out, the more I get sucked in. Deal after deal. Louis seduces me, provokes me, and—painfully slowly—devours me whole. He’s my bully and my god. He’s my tormenter and my lifeline. He can destroy my career at any time and he knows it.
Through the mystery of Monterrey Castle, regrets of the past make themselves known. Revenge can be deadly, and the truth hurts. It makes me fight back. It makes me endanger everything and everyone I’ve ever wanted.
___
WHAT TO EXPECT:
MM
Gothic vibes
Secret brotherhood
Forbidden romance
Professor / student
Obsessive, stalkerish MMC
Party boy vs broken boy
Hurt/comfort
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Dub con / non con


Content warning: This story contains abuse from a parent. One of the MC’s deals with significant trauma.
Crown of Thorns is book three in the Initiation series. There are three books in this series. They can be read as standalones, but for an ultimate reading experience, it is recommended to read them in order. These books all take place in the world of Saint-Laurent Boarding College.

Genres: M M Romance, Dark, Dark Academia, College, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Secret Society

382 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 24, 2025

About the author

Lola Malone writes dark, morally grey MM romance for readers who love obsession, mystery, and morally questionable men.

Her stories are filled with possessive heroes, dangerous secrets, and emotionally intense romances where loyalty is tested and no one leaves unchanged.

From elite academies and secret societies to distant worlds on the edge of collapse, every book explores the thin line between love and obsession.

If you love obsessive heroes, dark secrets, and romance that burns a little darker, welcome to Lola's world.

Reviews

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
This is book three in The Initiation Series, and finally we get Louis and Noah. And let me tell you, their chemistry is insane. Noah’s journey was everything. Watching him come into his own, grow more confident and grounded in who he is it just made me so proud of him like he was a real person. And Louis? He surprised the hell out of me. I thought I knew who he was, but he’s got so many layers, and the way he showed up for Noah? Ugh. Loved it. Lola absolutely nailed it. She’s one of those authors I’ll read anything from, no questions asked. If you’ve been reading the series, don’t skip this one.

**I received a complimentary, advanced copy of this book from the author and this is my voluntary, honest review.**

[Mal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely a romance on the darker side. It has elements of coercion and dubious consent. While I love the way Lola Malone writes always straddling grey themes and secrets that come to light, I was hoping for more from the story - at times the characters felt like they were leaning into their shadows and then not, I felt the reveal left me wanting more.

[fran :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
de los tres libros?? mi favorito sin dudas, se me hicieron demasiado tiernos con su toque de manipulación, obsesión y coerción, siento que es libro en el que más tienen escenas románticas, charlas y actos de obsesión que se reflejaban en actos de atención, como dejarle el desayuno cada dia, decorar todo para incrustarse en su mundo y dentro del mismo noah, el rastreador (dudoso), comprarle libros que creia que le gustarian, cocinarle constantemente.
louis si era bastante intenso, obsesivo y persistente, pero como dicen por ahi, el que la sigue la consigue.

[Kaitlyn Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of Crown of Thorns by Lola Malone
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Dark. Forbidden. Deliciously twisted. Crown of Thorns sunk its claws into me with zero apologies and dragged me straight into the depths of morally gray obsession—and I was so here for it.

This was my first Lola Malone book, and while I didn’t read the first two in the series (which made the whole secret society aspect a little confusing at times), I still found myself totally invested in the chaos that was Louis and Noah. Their relationship was forbidden and utterly magnetic. And Louis? He might’ve been a little unhinged, but his delusional clinginess was lowkey adorable. He was feral in his devotion—shameless, possessive, and also… surprisingly tender. He knew what he wanted and wouldn’t let the world—or a whole damn secret society—stand in his way.

Noah’s arc gutted me. Watching him wrestle with loyalty, shame, and desire while being slowly pulled into Louis’s orbit was a masterclass in emotional tension. That moment when Louis was being beaten by the society and found out about the paper Noah had written? Heart-wrenching. The pain of their separation, their yearning, and the fear surrounding their relationship—all of it hit hard.

I was shook when Noah finally made his decision. That ending? I don’t know what it says about me, but I was cheering. So damn proud of him.

While the society storyline felt a little murky (again, probably because I skipped ahead in the series), the emotional payoff, the tension, and the dark romance absolutely carried it. If you like your love stories tangled in secrets, obsession, and danger—with a healthy dose of morally gray chaos—this one’s for you.

[Gina Roma · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️ 3,75

Crown of Thorns is the third and final book in the "The Initiation" series… and I’m honestly speechless. I’ve completely fallen in love with Louis and Noah’s story. It’s addictive as hell! The book grabs you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. I literally couldn’t stop reading.

Everything in this book is so perfectly woven together. Nothing is missing, nothing feels unnecessary, and it’s all written with that signature Lola touch. Her writing is beautiful, unmistakable, elegant, and fierce at the same time.

The plot has mystery, tension, trauma, and raw emotion in every chapter. The chemistry between Louis (Little devil) and Noah (Professor) is out of this world. From the moment they see each other, there’s fire, danger, and desire.
Louis' possessiveness, the age gap, Noah’s heartbreaking past, the dark aura of the castle… everything blends in such a sublime way.

The spicy scenes are chef’s kiss 🤌🏻🤌🏻 Intense, emotional, and so damn hot. These two are living rent-free in my head. Tbh, for me, this is Lola’s most romantic book yet, and that says a lot.

Around the 70% mark, get ready for an emotional freefall. The ending is heartbreaking and beautiful. It aches in your chest but still makes you smile through the tears.

Going back to Saint Laurent, to the Monterrey Castle, to that dark, intoxicating atmosphere. The dark academia vibes, the rituals, the secrets… it’s pure magic.

I also have to shout out the returning characters I adore ❤️ Arthur and Regis from Crown of Steel, Gaël and Dominique from Crown of Disguise. Seeing them again gave me life. And those little moments with Gaël made me smile every time. Pure magic.
And that Wicked Chase mention… what a gift for those of us who’ve been here since the very beginning.

I don’t want to say goodbye to this series. Or to these boys. I met Lola Malone through Crown of Disguise and it’s been an amazing journey ever since. These characters will stay with me forever. I genuinely carry them in my heart.

Thank you, Lola. For everything 🥹🖤🥀

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amount of sleep i lost because I couldn't put this book down,because it was so captivating is crazy.The story of Louis and Noah was everything I didn’t know I needed.Right from the Prologue,i just knew without a question of a doubt that i was going to love this book.It delivered a perfect mix of passion,intensity,and intrigue.Louis was the epitome of possessive & obsessive.Party boy on the surface,but underneath,he was caring,loyal & loving.All these qualities together,made him irresistible.Noah was beautifully broken, with walls built so high around him.Watching Louis,so determined to tear those walls down was both heartbreaking and heartwarming.Lola delivered a steamy,forbidden romance with mystery and i didnt want the book to end.The Initiation series is a world that is steamy,emotional,dangerous,forbidden,and utterly addictive.Every character in this series has a magnetic pull on the reader,you can’t help but be drawn into their lives, their secrets,and their relationships.
spice-🌶🌶🌶

[Book.Dragon.Page1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Lola writes it l, I will read it! Especially this series. Crown of Disguise remains my favorite but this book was soooo good. The feels!! I fell a little bit in love with Louis during the second half of the book. And the professor! After everything he really deserves someone as amazing as Louis! And again.. the feels...! Tears in my eyes during all those secrets that were uncovered.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the world this author created, I can’t get enough of it.
Dark, forbidden, delicious, with morally grey MCs a delight to read!

“Welcome, Professor Montague!” “Welcome to Saint-Laurent,”

Spiralling down, knowing he had a hot encounter with one of his students, Noah tried, really tried to keep Louis away. Impossible, Louis has one goal; conquering his professor. With all the power his family has, Louis has access to every space at Saint-Laurent.

There’s a big difference between attitude and realness. We get to know both sides of both men.
And to watch that was just awesome! There’s so much to know about them!
Overall an amazing captivatingly written experience, hot, raw, dark, and delicious!

[Charlotte Hardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ate this up but had low expectations and wasn’t expecting a literary masterpiece anyway. Student becomes obsessed with his professor. Age gap. Dark academia. Secret society. The vibes were vibing, the smut was smutting.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fine final book in the series overall, wished a bit more from it somehow. I loved the ending though and the vibes are always immaculate 🤩

[The Naughty Booknook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been eagerly anticipating book 3, and it exceeded my expectations! I'm saddened to see this remarkable series conclude, as it has been an absolute favorite of mine. However, I'm thrilled to have witnessed Louis and Noah's journey unfold from a complex beginning of push and pull to a perfect finale of forgiveness, acceptance, and love, sealed with a promise of devotion. I hope this isn't the last we've seen of Saint-Laurent School. ❤️

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books just keep getting better and better. I am completely in love with Noah and Louis.

[Queenbeereads_sugarandspice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! I think it’s important I start by saying that while I love forbidden romances, sometimes the professor-student ones lose my interest at some point during the book. I’ve therefore been waiting for a book with this sub trope that could keep me gripped, and I was thrilled to find it in this one. That overwhelming feeling of temptation that Noah felt radiated off the page, and I felt the effect too, finding myself also getting pretty lost in the enigma that is Louis Deveraux.

Louis is the ultimate temptation, and after Noah’s unwitting encounter with him at a club, he really tries to fight his lingering attraction to the persistent student, but those feelings for him become all-consuming. I absolutely felt Noah's struggle as he tried to resist Louis's advances, despite the younger man invading both his professional and personal lives. He’s drawn to Louis like a moth to a flame and that overwhelming tension between them was bound to erupt at some point, despite all his valiant attempts to try and protect both himself and his job. Obviously, Louis is eagerly waiting to take advantage of that situation when it happens…

I was reluctant to let myself like their relationship at first – probably because of Louis’s dogged pursuit and the way he treats it like a game initially – but it gradually becomes clear that they are exactly what the other needs to breathe. I got so caught up in all that overwhelming temptation and the push-pull nature of their relationship. While frustrating for Louis when Noah avoided him after their encounters, this withdrawal showed just how conflicted the professor was by their relationship and his subsequent growing feelings and made it much more realistic.

When Noah’s resolve inevitably breaks, their intimate moments together are full of passionate intensity, and I was fully on board for it. Louis brings out the darker side of Noah, giving the professor an outlet for the ‘raging bull’ he keeps hidden. Instead of shying away from it, Louis accepts and embraces that element of danger, and on his part, enjoys giving up control for the first time.

Noah’s encumbered by so many unresolved feelings from his past, and he’s originally portrayed as such a composed, buttoned-up character, so I adored the chapter where he lets loose and just runs through the woods with Louis in pursuit. He didn’t really have chance to be a proper teenager, so it’s such a poignant moment.

It may be obvious that it did take me a while to warm up to Louis. That initial impression of how he seemed to thrive on the game of pursuing Noah really affected my opinion of him, even though I knew that he was bound to have complicated layers that just needed some coaxing before we saw his true self. As we started to unpick his character, I reached a point where I realised that I’d unwittingly actually grown quite fond of him, and seeing him doing sweet, affectionate things like baking some of Noah’s favourite things or buying him little treats really helped. Despite his confident, arrogant exterior, he’s considerate and caring – though don’t get me wrong, where Noah’s considered he’s also obsessive and possessive – while also harbouring deep insecurities about comparing himself to his twin brother. Noah brings him a sense of peace, and I loved that Louis gets to that happy place where he feel comfortable just being himself.

I also adored the fact that Noah was rebuilding his relationship with his younger sister. Her appearances brought some lightness to the intense situation and showed us Noah's softer side when he was still keeping his walls up to everyone else.

I have completely read the books out of order – but after reading this, I really want to experience Arthur and Régis’s story too. It would just be so interesting to see Louis’s twin’s point of view and his relationship with their stepbrother (which I’ll admit is also one of my favourite sub tropes). I’m presuming that there may be some crossover at times, from the aspect we witnessed during this book, and I’m looking forward to diving into their story at some point soon.

[Jessie J melka · Rating 5 out of 5]

{Crown of thorns}
Arc review by Jessie Melka
___________•___________

Wow just my vibe

Crown of thorns is the new book of the series the initiation by Lola malone and my favourite of the series so far crown of thorns can be red as a standalone as well as the rest of the series, but I would recommend to read them in order to really know everything that’s going on and to get a bit more insight to the other characters

In crown of thorns we are back at saint-Laurent boarding college for boys yet again and here we meet Noah the broken professor with a heart of gold but a rage that simmers just beneath the surface Noah its the new professor at saint-Laurent but before he starts his dream job, he runs into Louis at the black cat strip club Louis is masked so he doesn’t know the pretty stranger until later and when he finds out that Louis is a student, let’s just say he freaks out

Oh Louis, I have been waiting for his book for so long since the first time we went to juiced I’ve been so interested in the twins and their ways since the first book and now we finally have Louis and actually I was kind of shocked. He’s much more than I thought even though he could chase himself as such a bad boy with a lot of confidence. But of course there’s also something deeper to Louis his insecurities and extreme jealousy clearly rules the most of his life

The spice whoa I don’t even know how to talk about this. There was so much and it was so hot

Anyway, I rated this book a 4.5 out of 5 if you are like me and love all of Lola’s work then I will also recommend this for you especially if you’re into age gap and enemies to lovers because this goes wild
but remember to form your own opinions and not just listen to me
Until next time, my loves…

Rating: 4,5/5
Spice: 3,5/5
Angst: 3/5
Would I read again: yes

(I received an advance copy for free and I’m leaving this review voluntarily)


🐦‍⬛professor x student
🖤dub con
🐦‍⬛age gap
🖤hurt/comfort
🐦‍⬛possessive Mc
🖤Enemies to lovers
🐦‍⬛forced proximity
___________•___________

[Sara Husser · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ You are a treasure. The rarest thing I've ever found. The light in my eyes ⭐️

"Let's flip his world inside out. By the time I'm done, he won't know if he wants to kiss me or kill me. Either way, he'll still beg."

"What is sanity without the craze? What is recovery without disease? The moment that I saw you at that dinner, the moment I knew you were that same guy from the bar, I knew you were mine."

"I want to break him into a thousand pieces, watch him shatter in defeat, before I glue him back together and keep him locked up where only I can get to keep him, because he is mine. Mine."

What an EPIC conclusion to this series. I'm so sad that it's over 😭😭. I'm really hoping Lola adds more books to this mysterious gothic world she created. I loved the troupes in this book! Enemies to lovers, student/professor, obessesive MC, stalking, grumpy/sunshine, and party boy/broken boy. The flow, writing, spicy scenes, plot, and emotions in this book were perfectly balanced. I loved the mysterious plot twist toward the end of the book and loved how Noah's history was brought into all the Brotherhood shenanigans.

This started off with Louis meeting his professor at a gay bar, although Noah had no idea it was Louis. Louis became so obsessed and infatuated with Noah that he ended up blackmailing him. Things got heated and intense very fast 🔥🔥🔥🔥🥵🥵. The chemistry between these two was insane 😏. The spice in this was top notch and kinky 💦💦. I loved how intense, bratty, confident, and dedicated Louis was to Noah lol. That boy knew what he wanted and wouldn't stop for anything. My heart broke for Noah. His past was traumatic and he was never comfortable in his own skin. He was never able to live fully and grew up way too fast. Louis was perfect for Noah and healed him. At the same time, Noah tamed Louis.

I loved seeing all the other side characters and their banter with each other. Lola created such a magical world with this series. ✨️ I highly recommend this entire series and I hope to see more 🖤🖤

[Mikaela (risqué.romance) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crown of Thorns - Lola Malone
4.25/5✨🌟

* Student/professor
* Forced proximity
* Age gap
* Forbidden Vibes
* Enemies to lovers

* SPOILERS *

𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘔𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯. 𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘢, 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥. 𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦.

Louis & Noah. I loved them so much. I wasn’t sure what kind of book this book since I’ve never ever read anything by Lola before but man, I devoured this in one day.

I loved how Noah began to unravel Louis especially when he got him to admit in the one scene he was jealous of his brother. I also loved how Noah slowly began to knock down Louis’s walls of Louis falling for him.

The spice was spicing. Just by the first chapter of this book when they met, I knew their chemistry was going to be steamy.

Louis spoiled Noah and I was here for everything he did. Even the little things that Noah did for Louis was super cute.

When secrets began to come forth, man, things got interesting really fast. The things that Noah went through, I just wanted to cry for him because he didn’t deserve any of it.

Louis just wanted to be loved but he was afraid. On the outside, he showed the confident man full of chaos and stubbornness. The conversation he had with his father was super entertaining. Yup. I might have to go back and read the others in this series because I am now hooked on the other characters in this series.

I love that what happened that the characters that caused the downfall got what they deserved. Absolutely loved this book so much.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Rin Varga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me in its clutches the entire time, I felt like my heart was being ripped apart in all the best ways!!

As sweet and suspenseful as it is spicy, this book was the culmination of all Malone's past books in the Initiation series, and it definitely shows! It was the perfect standalone despite having read previous books in the series, and my favorite of all of them without question.

(Spice aside for a moment) I LOVE strong character development, mystery, intrigue, and characters whose personalities just seem to knit seamlessly together and make sense...that's this book!!

As a twin, I SUPER appreciated how Lois' inevitable comparison to his brother Arthur, even if only imagined in his own head, makes his insecurities and fears come out in the open in a way he can't hide.

He wants to be remembered, chosen, wanted, and loved as an INDIVIDUAL.

And because he believes that Noah sees HIM, the person, he can't give up chasing someone that makes him feel like he MATTERS.

Their push-and-pull relationship literally hurt me at times with the domestic bittersweetness of being by someone's side and living in the same space without really knowing if they're yours, or if you're theirs. And rather than feeling like they were going around in circles, it's more like new layers kept getting revealed as more walls keep falling away.

It's a story of passion, fear, identity, and vulnerability. I felt like I couldn't breath for most of the book, honestly, I wanted SO BADLY for things to work out for them! More than a few moments brought me to tears, and I was left satisfied knowing this was the most emotionally invested I've been in a book all year🖤

If you only pick up one book in the Initiation series, PLEASE let it be this one!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[gettinglostINAbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙎𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡. 𝙎𝙤, 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨." 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨.

👑Crown of Thorns by Lola Malone
👑The Initiation series #3
👑MM Romance
👑MC-Louis Deveraux
👑MC-Noah Montague
👑Enemies to lovers
👑Forbidden romance, age-cap (11 years) (professor/student)
👑Gothic boarding school / secret society
👑Obsession, manipulation, and slow-burn destruction
👑Hurt/comfort, dub-con / non-con theme
👑 Spice and a HEA


Crown of Thorns follows Louis, twin of Arthur, and one of my favorite characters. Too charming for his own good, but with a big, tender heart… he’s just so much more than the shallow party boy or the jock everyone sees. When he sets his sights on Noah, he’s all-in and Noah doesn’t stand a flying chance.

Noah returns to Saint-Laurent as a professor, haunted by the past and trying to keep his demons buried, but Louis breaks through every wall. Their connection grows, even when Noah is trying his best to keep Louis at bay. I loved watching how Louis quietly, but persistently, becomes part of Noah’s world.

Beneath the elite surface of Monterrey Castle operates a secret society built on money, obedience and silence. And when the past connected to this society comes to hunt him, Noah has no choice but to face it, to once and for all rewrite his legacy.

This book runs parallel to Crown of Steel, and I loved to see all the other boys and finally getting to discover what our boy Louis was up to all this time. The last 30% is completely uncharted territory, and it had me flipping pages fast.

The Initiation series is set in a rich dark academia setting, with a secret brotherhood, and deeply emotional romances. Each book gives you a new couple, tangled pasts, and a web of secrets at Saint-Laurent Boarding College that keeps getting darker, and more addictive.

Crown of Thorns is the third book in the Initiation series, and while it can be read as a standalone, I recommend starting with book one for the full experience, and you want that, believe me.

[Daryn Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crown of Thorns ARC Review:

Noah and Louis 💌

After surviving the rejection from his home by his Dad, Noah’s path to salvation is through throwing all he has into his education. Now returning to his hometown as a new professor for Saint-Laurent, his return to home is made complicated by the obsession that Louis Devereaux has over him. Louis won’t back down, causing Noah to fear the loss of his career that is now in the palms of Louis’ hands. In trying to gain any semblance of control back, Noah’s actions complicate the already long list of secrets between him and Louis with the secrets the castle holds about the past that bleed into the present.

Louis and Noah have taken the crown of my favorites in this series so far! Noah has trauma from his past that keeps Louis at arms length away, but that doesn’t stop Louis from staying in Noah’s orbit! What starts as Noah catching Louis’ eye, becomes embedded in complex emotions as Louis tries to peel back all that Noah is holding close to the chest all while the secrets of the college threaten to tear Noah’s life apart. Louis is so much more than the forever smirking partyboy at the top of the school’s hierarchy, and I just loved getting to see into his head. He shows Noah more care than he’s ever been shown, and I loved seeing Noah lower his defenses over time. Even if their journey is anything but easy, I am so happy these two have each other.

I love the gothic tones of the series, Crown of Thorns was no different, standing out on its own all while keeping with the themes and tones of the overall world. This was a winner and one I can see myself returning to, just for Louis and Noah’s journey alone, plus the continued building on the secrets of this series knocks me off my feet the more they are revealed.

5/5 🌟

[read_with_lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔 & 𝑵𝒐𝒂𝒉

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝟑

Lola Malone is a master in taking you by the hand, and let you feel here books. She let you fall in love with her boys.
She took me right back into 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒚 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒆.. the forest, the paintings and pictures on the walls, the dark hallways.. everything was back from the first page, and I could smell the forest and I saw the dark corners.

But 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔 & 𝑵𝒐𝒂𝒉 damnnnn
I felt their connection, their love, their angst and anger... the push and pull between them is so sexy.. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔 so rich, strong and powerful, cocky and sexy, loyal and possessive he is free and love his life, people loves him and he is the center of every party, until he sees his new professor 𝑵𝒐𝒂𝒉 his world is shifting and his possessive side is taking over he always gets what he wants, and he wants 𝑵𝒐𝒂𝒉.

𝑵𝒐𝒂𝒉 the beautiful professor, is happy with the change he is getting, a job, a paycheck a change for a normal life. He doesn't want any problems he had had enough of them the last years. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔 is a walking red flag who is taking over his control.

Their connection is strong.. roles are shifted.. they are hot as f*ck !

this book took me right back 𝑺𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕-𝑳𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑩𝒐𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆 like I never left after Gael and Dominique Crown of Disguise or Arthur and Regis Crown of Steel

Please please Lola... don't end this series.. I still need Damien his story pleaseeeeeee.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series and this book and thought the writing in crown of thorns was very poetic.

“Louis leaves domestic chaos like glitter…. Everywhere I turn, he’s there. In the smell or coffee, in the cold scent of lime on the knife handles. In the citrus candles by the windowsill. I don’t need to open the fridge to know what I’ll find. He’s curated my space like he’s setting up camp inside of me.”

“He’s chaos wrapped in silk. Sweat, heat, limbs tangled like vines, pressing against me like a secret I never asked to keep.”

However the timeline inconsistencies annoyed me. This 3rd book takes place with a similar timeline to crown or steel but there were the same certain scenes wrote differently in each book. Spoilers ahead:

For example- on page 153 of crown or thorns Louis says “…. I haven’t been with anyone since that dinner. The one you saw that night is my favorite guy, but I cancelled all further appointments.”

Said dinner happens at the beginning of the book weeks maybe even months before winter break. Hard to tell with the wonky timeline but it’s def before winter break.

In crown of steel page 277 we observe Louis from Arther’s POV the days immediate days leading up to winter break: “my eyes catch sight of my brother rolling the escort’s hip over his own as he lets him ride his cock, his chest plastered against the guys back.”

This feels like a large oversight as it’s clearly not true that Louis hadn’t been with anyone since he met Noah at the dinner at the beginning of the semester. The conversation leading up to the scene with the escort involves a conversation about the new teacher professor montegue so we know Noah is already in the picture prior to the hookup with the escort.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙. 𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚.”

The tension has been simmering between these two since “Crown of Steel,” and we finally learn just exactly what Louis has been up to with the new professor at Saint-Laurent.

Meet Louis - part of the elite here at Saint-Laurent. Captain of the football team, life of the party, amazing cook, and always gets what he wants. And what, or shall I say who, he wants, is Professor Noah Montague. Little does the professor know what he’s in for after catching the eye of Louis.

Noah has a lot of demons from a past that continues to haunt him. While he may be causing waves as the youngest professor at Saint-Laurent, his family secrets come to light and soon Noah must face the truth. Even though he claims he wants nothing to do with Louis, Louis has a way of helping him battle those demons and becoming his true self.

I love a professor/student romance and this one is a wild ride. You witness Noah go through all the guilt, shame, and desire when it comes to Louis and the past meeting up with them. And Louis learning what it means to truly be loved, even if he had to go the obsessive/stalker route to get there.

While this can be read as a standalone, I do recommend checking out the first two books to get a better understanding of the characters, college, and secret society. I’m curious to see whose story is next and what all will happen within the wall of Saint-Laurent.

[Vickyy.readss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book that had me on a chokehold. Lola recently became one of my top MM authors and I’m here for all er books.

This book had everything, the forbidden love, the spice, the plot, the everything. One of my favorite trope in forbidden love where the tension is so much that it makes me giggle every now and then. And this book had that.

Noah is that MMC thats not sure what he wants but also can’t stop himself from going after it. And that drives me crazy like it drives him crazy. Because you just know the spice is gonna be good because of that and the tension between them is gonna be out this world. Sometimes the past is what’s stopping you from fully living, because you’re holding on to so much, but once you meet that person who’ll help you release that past, and all that trauma it’ll be worth it, and thats when our little devil comes it.

Louis, cheers to another MMC that has been added to my top funniest MMC list. He’s funny without even trying to be funny and I love that. I was absolutely obsessed with his obsession with Noah. Doing everything he can to trap him, lead him where he wants. All the decorations he did, I need someone like that. The more you get to know him the more you realize he’s not just this popular guy who thinks he’s perfect, cuz like all of us he has his demons he’s fighting, and Noah is the solution to them.

This book made me feel everything and will now forever be stuck with me! Thank you Lola for the ARC opportunity.🖤

[Valma_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review - Crown of Thorns

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

I love the professor x student trope so as soon as saw the ARC sign up for this book I jumped on it! I’m so grateful to the author for being chosen to read and review this book. It gave me all the feels and more!

Crown of Thorns was giving all the forbidden and dark academia vibes and I loved it! The secret society aspect was creepy but in a good way and the idea of it all being built off the French Revolution had me. 🖤

Louis was such a possessive and chaotic character who instantly had his sights set on Noah. He was confident but had his insecurities that Noah helped with by being there for him.

Shoutout to Louis’ family for being protective and supportive of him.

Noah was a broken man who had demons from his past and this led him to struggle to let himself be with Louis. But Louis broke down Noah’s walls and made him obsessed.

The way that both boys needed each other was so special and the nicknames: darling, sweetheart, baby and little devil had me completely folded for them! I adored the way they cared and loved for each other 🥺

This book reminded me in some ways of Kiss the Villain especially the cat and mouse dynamic! KTV is my fav book ever and Crown of Thorns is definitely right up there next to it to now!!

Please read the trigger warnings and decide if you want to go into this because it is an intoxicating book! I recommend this to everyone and I hope you all love it! ♥️

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC REVIEW


Did I lose a wink of sleep just to finish this book? Yes.
Do I regret it? Absolutely not.

Lola Malone has done it again. Another banger that’s going to live rent-free in my head for a while. Her books always hook me, but this one? This one made me completely obsessed. Usually in Lola’s stories, I’m all heart-eyes for the one being chased but this time? Louis stole the damn show. I freaking love this spicy kitten on the surface, he’s all control tough, possessive, a little intense but underneath, he’s just a man who wants to be understood and loved completely. And Noah? He saw right through him. The connection between them was chaotic, passionate, and somehow exactly what they both needed.

Noah broke my heart in the best way. After everything he’d been through, it was healing to see him slowly let Louis in. He tried to stay guarded, tried to hold back but resisting Louis was never going to last. The tension between them was unreal.

There’s something about the way Lola writes loyalty between her characters that gets me every time. Once their attention is locked on each other, it never wavers. That kind of devotion? Inject it straight into my veins.

This book was everything: spicy, emotional, a little messy, but full of love and intensity. I devoured it, and I already miss Louis and Noah.

[VicReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝙲𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚜
𝚋𝚢 @lolamalonebooks

🄰🅁🄲 🅁🄴🅅🄸🄴🅆

4.5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

↓↓
Oh Louis, you little contradiction you. He was all tough, demanding and a bit obsessive but deep down he needed someone to see him and love him for all of him. He really found his perfect match with Noah.

My heart broke for Noah so much and what he went through. He deserved all the love he got. I mean it was a little chaotic but it was exactly what he needed. I really enjoyed watching him slowly open up to Louis.

The tension, I'll give it to Noah, he tried, he really really did but he could only hold on for so long. That man was an absolute beast, in more ways than one, IYKYK.

The little mystery and suspense aspect kept me guessing on what was going to happen. I thought I had it figured it but once things started to be revealed, let's just say I was not prepared for the answers.

There's some movement within the Brotherhood and I really hope we get some more answers to what is going on and of course more of these couples in this world.

𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤 / 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝔼𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥
🖤 Professor x Student
🖤 Forbidden Vibes
🖤 Possessive MC
🖤 Obsessive/Stalker MC
🖤 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Broken Boy x Party Boy
🖤 Forced Proximity
🖤 Hurt/Comfort
🖤 Age Gap
🖤 Academia

[Itzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars my favorite

Since I read COD I’ve been so intrigued about Louis he was this interesting character that i couldn’t wait to read his thoughts and meet his love interest and let me just say Lola deliver she couldn’t have given him a better Love Interest Noah was perfect for him as Louis was to him. He was so broken my heart broke for him reading about his past and how he was treated and was just heartbreaking and Louis was chaos to Noah’s calmness but also so much more while he did to was fighting his own insecurities he also wanted to be everything and give everything to Noah. Their chemistry was just amazing, their push and pull was perfection.

While I love the story If you follow the series then you are familiar with some the twist this series has but here you get to see a little more that, for me that I got to admit wasn’t very fond of some the decisions regarding the Brotherhood in the first book without giving to much a spoiler I wish those who cause harm would have been punished way earlier a lot of headache will have been avoided. But nonetheless the less this is more a Louis and Noah story and I love that because they were both meant to be.

Overall Crown of Thorns was worth the wait please read it is so good.

[Autumn L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noah wants to make the world pay for all he’s been through. That was until he met Louis. That man broke down every wall, Noah had put up. A toxic love that will make you feel. And that these characters deserve the world. I like that you get to know more about the brotherhood. Also get a mystery on what really happened to Noah’s family. I like that Louis is able to be his real self with Noah. And that he wants to take care of Noah with every fiber in his body. You can see just how much he’ll fight for what he wants. Noah, this man is finally able to accept himself. He’s grown up so much since he met Louis. I like how hard he worked because he did it for a better life. That after a lot of pain is able to be free of all guilt in his life. Both together have a power dynamic. That Noah is able to let all his demons go with Louis. Who is gladly to accept everything that Noah throws at him. The nicknames that they have for each other. I just love them so much. The fact they both know they can’t be without each other. I love reading these characters so much. Also get to see past characters and what they’re doing. This series was amazing. I would highly recommend it to anybody that loves dark academia MM romance.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Crown of Thorns” by @lolamaloneauthor is straight-up addictive!

From the moment I read the prologue, I knew this was going to be so good!! It doesn’t just open with heat—it opens with mind-blowing spice that immediately sucked me into the darkness of Saint-Laurent Boarding College. 🔥🔥

This book is a whirlwind of obsession, secrecy, and power plays, all wrapped in a gothic atmosphere. Professor Noah Montague is a mystery all on his own—guarded, brooding, and sexy in the way only a tortured man who hides behind glasses and books can be. Louis Deveraux is chaos personified. He’s wild, alluring, and impossible to resist. He’s one of the kings at Saint Laurent everyone knows it.

I loved every twist in this story, but what I really devoured were the secrets. There’s an intricacy to the plot that unfolds with perfect pacing, revealing past traumas, buried truths, and motives that are anything but pure. I love secret societies and the dirty, powerful things they can do.

This is the third book in the Initiation series. I highly recommend reading books one and two first to fully immerse yourself in this society. However, it can also be read as a standalone novel.

[Nelli Lakatos · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐬 was my first book by Lola Malone and wow, it did not dissapointed! The writing style was immaculate, I was mesmerized by this novel from the very first page.

Age gap is my absolute favorite trope and this is my first professor/student romance and it delivered. The chemistry and banter between the love interests were brilliant! The spice were perfect too!

I highly recommend checking out this wonderful novel, I had the best time reading it!

♡ Age Gap ♡
♡ Professor/Student ♡
♡ Forced Proximity ♡
♡ Hurt/Comfort ♡
♡ Enemies to Lovers ♡
♡ Dark Academia ♡

✨ 𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ✨

"𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜, 𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍."

"𝙹𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚛, 𝚂𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝-𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜. 𝙸'𝚖 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙."

Thank you so much @the_literaryrx and @lolanalonebooks for an ARC of this fantastic novel in exchange for my honest review.
𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲! 🥳