Ash and Poison

by Maya Raine

She is as lethal as her poisons...

A serial killer on sabbatical should know better than to lust after her patient, especially one as ruthless as Asher Maddox. It’s reckless, unethical, and violates every oath Diya has sworn as a doctor. But she can't stop fantasizing about him, even when he’s trying his hardest to silence her. Permanently.

He craves a taste of her...

Hollowhaven is a graveyard of ghosts and dark secrets. Asher is here for one thing: to avenge his best friend’s murder. Everything is going according to plan until his unhinged psychiatrist gets in the way. Now he doesn't know whether to kill her or kiss her.

When their worlds collide...

The sins long buried come crawling out, and they have nowhere to turn except to each other. Stuck in a town where the dead don’t rest and secrets fester in every word unspoken, Asher and Diya must decide if they want to destroy each other or survive the darkness together to fight the true evil.

Genres: Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Serial Killer, Romance, Smut, Found Family

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 20, 2025

About the author

"I’m a witch. I dabble in magic. Concocting and selling charms made with a pinch of creativity, a dash of madness and a sprinkle of darkness, infused with spice and love!”

Maya is a fantasy/ dark romance author who loves multi-dimensional, morally questionable characters, mystery and suspense, complex world-building, lores, myth and magic, enemies-to-lovers, slow burn to burn the world down spice/smut and of course, murder.

A wallflower trying to tackle the world with words. Writer. Dreamer. Neurodiverse. Slightly insane. Strangely sane. Addicted to coffee, chocolate, book boyfriends and stories.

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got an ARC!! I LOVED Unholy Bonds so I'm so excited for this new book!
3⭐
2🌶️
...well...I DESPERATELY wanted to love this one, but I just didn't. I LIKED it but there were a few things that just didn't work for me.

Tropes:
🖤Found Family
🖤Touch her and Die
🖤Serial unalivers
🖤Creepy Asylum setting


🐈‍⬛Welcome to Hollowhaven.🐈‍⬛

We are very quickly thrown into Diyas world, like right into the action. Elbows deep in murder & murder & murder...Diya helps Asher track down a ruthless killer and avenge the friend, Riley, he wasn't able to save. We get Riley's perspective in a flashback perspective; with letters she wrote to Asher. These are seriously creepy! I was able to figure out who the killer was fairly quickly, but a last-minute twist was super fun!

I will say though, there is ALOT of abrupt thought/paragraph endings that felt very clunky and rough. This story didn't flow; it was a lot of jagged edges which is my biggest let down. Most of the background story building was focused on Diya (LOVED her history with the foster sisters) but I wanted more about Asher! I felt like his story was a bit bland.

There is a forbidden romance aspect here, psychiatrist/patient, which was pretty hot 🥵. Diya is obsessed with Asher & he is so possessive of her. That chase scene!! This is a HEA but with a little bit of taboo thrown in to keep things interesting. 😂

I will definitely still be picking up book 2 because this ends on a cliffhanger!

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am… in like… Emotional distress? LMAO I don’t even know. My heart has been ripped out and put through the WRINGER with A&P. I am distraught LOLOLOL. Holy shit. Maya.. Miss ma’am. The plot twists, the characters, the spice, the mystery, the laughs, the thrill, the rage, the suspense, THE HEARTACHES?? Oh my gosh. My heart physically can’t take anymore. I CAN’T CRY ANY MORE TEARS.

My girl Diya… MY GIRL WENT THROUGH SOME SHIT. And our man Asher?? MY HEART BROKE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. But the combination of the two?? The enemies to lovers theme between the two had me so antsy and giggly all at once!! The trusted therapist who has a dark side. The dark psycho who also has the sweetest side??

To all my s/a survivors who never got their justice, who saw their enemy walk free… Your past does not define you. Your traumas do not define who you are. You are worthy of love and compassion. YOU ARE WORTHY OF LOVE AND CARE. YOU ARE WORTHY OF IT ALL.

Anyways… 100000000/10. I loved this book through and through. Go read it. Don’t ask. Just go.

[Nini · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!

As always maya writes about fierce fmc's and female rage👀👀 and I'm here for all of them🫣🫣👀

I feel like we got thrown into this one and we don't get a bit of "backstory" that we maybe should had!
I was actually waiting to love this one as I loved "unholy bonds" by the author, but or i was to excited and put the bar to high or I don't know😭😭😭
I still think it was not a bad book at all but the way we got into the story was not my favourite...
i'm waiting to get more backstory about the mmc's in the second book😭😭

Quotes:
Irritating bastard. Even tied to the bed, he looked at me like he was somehow in control.
"Should I leave you like that? Shackled, helpless, fragile... easy enough for anyone to hurt you?"
"Don't you fucking dare, Diya.'
I trembled, my body reacting to his hoarse voice, the way he said my name in a growl.
My body was a fucking illiterate, completely incapable of reading the reality of the situation.
••
"I will be waiting, pussycat." 🫣
••
"(...) all my problems would disappear.
But I'd be bored again. The chase was fun, exhilarating."
••
"i'd love to tie you to your bed and eat you out. Or... or you could sit on my face and
let me enjoy the treat." He groaned. "Oh..."
My pulse quickened as his eyes zeroed
in on my lips.
That delicious bastard.🫣
••

Tropes:
☆🍁dark romance
☆🍁rivals to Lovers
☆🍁obsessed FMC
☆🍁touch her & die
☆🍁forced Proximity
☆🍁feminine Rage
☆🍁stalking
☆🍁on your knees
☆🍁crawl to me
☆🍁psychiatrist who needs therapy
☆🍁he prepares a bath after saving her
☆🍁strong female friendships

[Danika · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I received this as an ARC snd all I can say is wow I was hooked from the start the plot , the suspense , the BANTER and the SPICE was top tier , if you’re looking for a dark thriller book with all the spice, plot , banter and enemies to lovers and 2 hot phycopaths then this is the book , I loved this book from start to finish , I love love Asher and Diya together , I did not see that twist coming at the end but I’m so soo here for it ,
I cannot wait to purchase the physical copy

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

let me just start by saying that I am so grateful to have been able to read this book before it's officially released!
I was honestly so confused in the first half of this book.. I didnt understand what the heck was happening. but the second half..?! holy shit.
just when you think you have it all figured out, the twist comes in and leaves you speechless. and the ending?? let's just say I NEED the second book like, now.
Asher and Diya's story is witty, cute, and engaging. I loved the development of the relationship between them, and with Layne also. This was a great book and I highly suggest it if you were a fan of the Ruinous Love trilogy!

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me be honest — I don’t even remember when I applied for the ARC (I do that a lot!). When I first read the title, I assumed it was going to be a typical dark romance , something twisted, intense, dangerous. And it is , but not in the way I expected. Then I got it: it’s Ash and his poison , his girl.

That hit different.

Now, about the book… Damn, don’t even get me started.

Sometimes, the right book finds you when you need it the most. And this one did. I had been feeling so stressed with life, and this story? It gave me exactly what I was craving. It kept me up at night , and trust me, I’m not complaining.

The writing? So good. It’s well-paced, engaging, and honestly just addictive. The author’s growth really shows , she’s sharpening her skills with every book.

Let’s talk about Diya. She’s that boss lady. I loved her. The struggles she’s faced, the pain she carries, and how she rises above it all , pure power. But what had me cheering for her the most? Her revenge. Or her revenge for him. It was slaying.

Then there’s Ash , mysterious, closed-off, deadly. He wants Diya dead because she saw something she shouldn’t have. She infuriates him, consumes his thoughts. And yet… something shifts. And what happens next?

That’s for you to find out.

This book is everything , dark, violent, sweet in its own twisted way. If you love dark romance with actual depth, blood, brutality, and a hint of softness?

Ash and Poison is your next obsession.🔥🎀❤️

[Melanie Endicott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this early. OH MY GOD! If you like the ruinous love trilogy then you will absolutely love this! It’s quite similar but in a different way. Oh my god, I love love love Asher and Dirya friendship into relationship way! I love how Asher wanted justice for his best friends murder. He has a sweet side after all. I just love this book so much, it actually got me out of my reading slump. Thank you, thank you & THAT FREAKING CLIFFHANGER???!?? I NEED ANSWERS ASAP PLEASE! 10/10 rating a very good five star book!

[Nicole Tecmire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read this book before it has been published as an ARC read. I absolutely enjoyed it once I fully understood the plot and what was going on. At first, I was confused….I felt like the book sort of jumped around a bit and I was like wait … what? But as I got more into it….it was great! So glad I read it and I hope you’ll give this author a shot, too!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Just WOW.

I am so beyond happy to have been chosen to get this ARC read. To make it even more special this was my first one, EVER! Thank you! Thank you!

Let me start off by saying, you are amazing to write this book. I am blown away! I do have an honest opinion about this book.
I will start off with the things I didn’t dream up and down excited about.
The FMC nickname for the MMC…… why. Is there a secret joke that we won’t know about? Did you toss a dice with pet names and just get stuck with it? I’m sorry if this is your nickname for someone. I just got 🥴🤢 about it. Especially at the Spicy scenes. That nickname just wasn’t my FAVORITE.

The speed and skips through the writing.
Maybe I’m just slow, but there were a few occasions when I had to reread a couple of times to wonder how characters basically teleported across the scenes. It was a little hard to exactly figure out where people were going. Or came from.
Yea maybe I’m slow.

Those were the only things I had a problem with. So it’s all on me and it’s just an opinion. The things I absolutely LOVED(gotta always end with good.)

The plot….. the back stories. I was HOOKED as soon as the plot kept getting thicker and thicker. Like I really don’t want to give toooo much away. But, once I got all the information and things were starting to get figured out and then BOOM, you “accidentally fall into an empty grave” surprised.

The spicccccccccccccccceeee: YES THANK YOU FOR NOT MAKING ME WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK TO GET SPICE!
Thank you for having such great chemistry between the Main characters! From the start to finish it was both there and resolving. So yes thank you

Then endings…. I was NOT expecting the ending at all. It was my absolute favorite how the back story came together for every character.

The characters were very well written. The back stories for each character made a solid foundation for each character. Especially on how they all fit. Millie is my absolute favorite character.

This book will break your heart in places. But Maya will help stitch back together in the best way. So thank you Maya for giving me the opportunity to read this book and review it.
You did a very good job and I am proud of you for it. Every time I think about writing a book and I laugh at myself because my ADHD brain would last maybe 5 minutes 🤣so amazing job! Thank you again.

[Kubra Dinler · Rating 5 out of 5]

" To everyone whose inner child was killed way too young. To every girl who had to trade tea parties and fairy tales for fighting real wolves. The only way to get better is to get even"

I was lucky to get an ARC Copy of this book this is my first book from this author.
To ev
I could not put this book down, the plot and twist this really shocked me but loved it and the character development was great. I really enjoyed this book. some parts of this book broke me. I would definitely reread this book again.

can't wait to read more books from Maya Raine.

[Ashly · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 [Rounded up to 4]
🌶️🌶️.5/5
📚 Book #1 of the "Killer Instincts" Series
⺁ Ends on a Cliffhanger

Im a fan of Maya Raine's Unholy Bonds : A Serial Killer Romantic Suspense book, so when I saw that she was writing another book with a kick ass FMC who is filled with feminine rage, I needed to read it. I really liked this book, but there are a few things that caused me to not give this book a solid 4 stars.

The first half of the book we jump in, immediately to the action and bloodbath that is Diya's life. It gives us background on why she is where she is currently, but the first half of the story is choppy and there are a lot of abrupt endings to scenes that just dont make sense. I also take issue with how we get so much backstory on Diya and her sisters but we really know next to nothing about Asher. I hope in book two, that changes and we get to learn more about him, but my take on this book is he should have had more book time since the who murder mystery surrounded his best friend Riley.

I do love the chemistry between Asher & Diya, and the whole enemies to lovers trope. It hits hard when the love interest legit tries to the kill the other ☠️. Also the support that Diya gets from her sisters is next level and I cant wait to learn more about them in the next book. Also, Dex can get dead for interrupting the Mask/Woods scene IYKYK.

All in all, a good start to the series and I hope the next book flows a little more smoothly because I will for sure be reading it to find out what happens to Layne and how Theobald settles in.

[Aera · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW (thanks for the arc babe!!)

Boy oh boy😭🤌 Maya did it once again. The first book that I completed this year and it's already the best one. The leads are to die for😭 Their chemistry, banter, bickering, and every flippin thing about those two had me hooked.

ASHER MADDOX IS SOOOOOOO MY TYPE. LIKE EXACTLY MY TYPE🤤 He's personality, his stubbornness, his guts, he's submissiveness, GOD HE HIMSELF MAKES ME WANNA EAT HIM UP🫦 THE WAY I'D ANYTHING TO BE IN PLACE OF DIYA.

Now coming on the star of the show, DIYA MF SHARMA🫦 Ma' lady carried the whole book on her shoulders🥰 Bro I didn't think I'd like her more than Yara but I do. I think it's probably cause I relate to her more than ever. Plus her being Indian>>>>
Oh god and her sisters!!!!!! Layne and Trina, both are so sexyyy. I want them as friends (I SWEAR MAYA WRITES THE BEST WOMEN😭 )

The plot of the book is settled is an asylum where Diya is a psychiatrist and Asher is her patient. The asylum has a history patient's killing themselves but no one ever thought of it as anything more until Asher's friend Riley suicides. Asher wants revenge and Diya being the curious cat she is (a dangerous one) ends up helping Asher.

Even though I did ended up figuring out everything way before but that's just cause I have trust and I was literally doubting every character 💀

[Tracy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted, tense, and totally addictive.

Diya and Asher’s dynamic in Ash and Poison is intense from the start, with equal parts danger and desire. I kept thinking, “Eugh, just fuck already,” but the emotional undercurrent and rising stakes kept me truly hooked.

The secrets lurking beneath the surface added layers I didn’t expect, and I found myself far more invested in the investigation than I anticipated. Asher’s motive for revenge and Diya’s ability to see through him made for a fascinating push-pull that carried all the way through.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m already looking forward to book 2 to see how it all unravels.

I received an ARC copy via the author, thank you so much for the chance to read this early! This review is my own and I’m leaving it voluntarily.

[Rian · Rating 4 out of 5]

When this author's book 'Unholy Bonds' came out, I read that and thought it was fun. It made me very curious about what else Maya Raine would write in the future, so when this book came up as an ARC, I got very excited.

The plot was very interesting, and there were some cool ✨elements✨ in this book (like some very interesting letters from someone else's murder victim 👀) that really added to the story. I also found the main girl, Diya, her backstory and (foster?) sisters to be cool.
Something to note down is that you are, however, thrown RIGHT into the story without much buildup. So that is something you have to like. If you don't mind that, then you'll be fine, but if you need the story to build up, there is maybe a small chance you get a bit confused because a lot is happening all the time. (Not saying it wasn't fun, because I did have fun, but make sure you don't need a slow buildup!)

To sum it all up: I had fun, and I'm curious to see what life brings in the next book.



I got this book as an ARC, so "thank you <3" to the author. I left this review 100% voluntarily.

If you'd like to read about more books I liked, check out my Goodreads profile. I also sometimes post reviews on Instagram and talk about bookish stuff on Threads.

[Shellaney Hankins · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I received this amazing book from BookSirens as an advanced reader copy <3

Maya has really captured the dark depths that we will go for the ones we care about. About the feminine rage to rid this world of true evil. I love the bond and support that Diya has with her foster sisters is amazing in itself because the trio have worked together to take out the awful people that create the nightmares that plague so many people…

With Diya needing to lay low for awhile due to being chased down by Agent Knight and Dex she finds herself a nice place at the Hallowhaven asylum to continue practicing psychiatry. Asher is a patient at Hallowhaven who has been haunted by finding his best friend after she supposedly unalived herself, but he doesn’t believe that. With the letters he received one day detailing all that his friend went through he made it his mission to find out who was responsible for his friend’s end and take them out. But when he gets caught by Diya he has a new mission - end her.

But what Asher didn’t anticipate happening is developing feelings for Diya and their back and forth for control is addicting. Asher is just a soft little Pussycat that just wants to please Diya. They come together to figure out this twisted web of madness and destroy the monsters that lurk in the trees…

The twists and turns this took had me on the edge of my seat needing to get to the bottom of the end of so many innocent girls… this book was amazing and will definitely have a spot on my shelf when I can get my hands on a copy!

[Jessica Chiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book! I'd never read Maya Raine until now and I can't wait to check out her other books!

Dark, twisty, and spicy. All the pieces click together so well throughout. I loved the character-building and depth there. If you're a fan of dark romance, this is absolutely worth the read.

check it out on publication day May 20th!

[Arianna Arzola · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark, sexy, wild ride! Very much Dexter vibes and I loved all the twists! This is definitely a mystery in the beginning and you’re going to find yourself having to put pieces together as you get further in the book but I really enjoyed the premise of that! Diya is a BADDIE ! She did NOT come to play around with anybody and nobody is going to get in her way and I loved her entire vibe. The passion and heat between Diya and Asher is everythinggg!! I can’t wait to read more from this author! ❤️ also- pussycat is the best 😂 I giggle every freaking time.

thank you for letting me be part of the ARC team for this absolute beauty! I also love the play on the title name 🥹❤️

[Hayley Bent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be given an ARC
I have never read this author before but I was intrigued to read her books, murder, spice and strong females. Really enjoyed this book, interesting plot. I worked out the killer towards the end but was in the dark before this.
Not loads of spice but enough to keep me entertained. I really enjoyed the plot and will definitely read her other books.

I would recommend reading this book.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The start is pretty slow, the actual plot starts thickening up a bit after you’re half way through (let’s say 65/70%), but when it picks up you can’t put it down until you get to the end.

The relationship between Diya and Asher is cute, I thought it would be like “Butcher & blackbird”, but not really, it’s less rom-com but still pretty fast-paced.

Honestly I don’t even remember the smut, I started to skip it because it was too much when we still had so little of the actual plot, it got boring fast.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5

[Jade Neradil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I think it was a good book, however the first few chapters were hard to follow and I struggled to understand what was going on, and couldn’t get even the basic plot downpat as it seemed to jump around without any context behind it.

Excited to read other books from this author however as I’ve heard good things.

[Leanne Fernihough · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I thought it was slow going to begin with and then about 40% of the way through it got a lot better.
Good amount of spice and a good twist near the end. I thought i knew who the killer was but i was half wrong.

Its set the scene for more books to follow im looking forward to reading the rest

[Tia G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read! It took a little bit to get into but then I was hooked! The story of Asher and Diya is unique, fun, crazy and romantic in its own way. About halfway through, I could not put this book down and needed to find out what happened!

I love that this had a great plot, tons of character development and a little murder mystery sprinkled in. I'm a big fan of spice in books but I love a good balance between spice and plot; this book was the absolute perfect balance.

Highly recommend and I cannot wait for the next book in the series! I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love mayas writing. It’s so fun to read. I really enjoyed this book overall. There were some parts in it that i did get confused on and would have to go back and reread. I thought it started off really fast paced and I got kind of lost in what was happening. That’s the only reason why I didn’t get it five stars. Overall, characters were amazing. The story was amazing. Great ending. Definitely would recommend :)

[Mia Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book! wow 😮

I honestly am struggling to put into words, how much this book got me!

it took me a couple of chapters to get into it, but as soon as I did, I never wanted to put it down 📚

this was written so incredibly well and told the story so well! I love Diya and Asher so much! can we see more of Layne and Trina!? pleaseeeeee

the ending tho! 😮

[Jessica James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC for my honest review of the book. Thanks Maya for letting me pre read it!! I was super excited to read this book. It had a lot of aspects that were right up my alley, a dark & twisty serial killer romance, enemies to lovers and so much more!

Minor spoilers:
At first, I found the beginning a bit confusing, but as I read on, I really loved the book. The nerd in me absolutely loved the use of poisonous flowers and I hope there’s more in the next book. (Not to mention the use of Mercury as a poison! That’s not something you hear very often.) I found it to be a really unique take on the serial killer FMC. I loved Diya & found her story to be very interesting, if a bit dark. My favorite character was Asher though. I loved the humor & spice his character brought. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Layne & Diya and how involved Layne was in the story. I also appreciated that Layne was there saving the day as much as Asher was in the end. I wish Trina had a bigger part because the sisterhood that they found in each other as foster sisters who went through hell together was really moving. I hope she is featured more in the next book.

I loved the twist at the end. I thought for sure I knew what was happening & who was doing it halfway through the book & was disappointed at first because of how predictable it seemed but boy was I wrong! I literally never saw that coming. Part of me wishes there was a bit more storyline involving the supporting characters like Jonah, the mayor & his wife, Millie & Jimmy. I absolutely loved that Millie got a happy ending. It was truly deserved. Seeing her mental state develop through her art was a very smart move the author. It conveyed so much more than just writing about it in a clinical take from Dr. Diya’s perspective.

This is definitely a whirlwind ride that I’m here for! I would absolutely recommend this book. Is it the spiciest book ever? No. Do I wish the spicy scenes were more in depth? Yes. I’d give it an overall 🌶️🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️. I really enjoyed the forbidden love between Dr. Diya & her patient, Asher but loved it even more once you found out his backstory. I can’t wait to read the next book!

[Gracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

• ARC REVIEW •
Diya Sharma aka the Psychiatrist/Serial killer who falls in love with her patient ala Asher Maddox who is on MISSION to killl everyone who hurt his best friend Riley and was declared as suicide but it's actually not... what's the truth behind her death??
Diya Sharma was lethal, seductive, cunning and beauty with brains..who kills BAD MEN in the society like Vigilante...
Asher Maddox is arrogant, smug, possessive and ohh his DIRTY MOUTH is the death of me!!!
THE CHEMISTRY, AND THE SPICE WAS SPICING 🤌🏻👀🤭🫠😩🥵🥵🥵😏❤️‍🔥IT COULD CUT THROUGH THE PAPER!!!
AND ALSO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SPICE IT'S CHEF'S KISS,!!
DIYA, LAYNE, TRINA the sister's bond was everything...IT WAS LIKE THEM AGAINST THE WORLD FROM TIME AND TIME BEING!!!AND I LOVED IT SOO MUCH!!! THE GIRLHOOD AND ALL!!!WAS SOO GOOD!!!🥹🥹🥹💕
WHEN I GUESSED WHO THE SERIAL KILLER WAS WAS MAYA GAVE ME WHIPLASH AND I KINDA SAW IT FROM FAR...BUT IT WAS GOOD!!!
AND DIYA & ASHER'S GHOSTMASK AND THE HUNT IN THE WOODS SCENE WAS SOO FUCKING GOOD!!!💅🏻😩🥵🥹🥹❤️‍🔥
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST I FELT A BIT SAD FOR VINCENT...I HOPE HE GETS HIS LOVE INTEREST IN THE NEXT BOOK?? LET'S SEE...👀👀🤭
OVER ALL THE BOOK WAS ENTERTAINING WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT MURDER MYSTERY, CHEMISTRY BTW THE CHARACTERS AND THE PLOT TWIST EVERYTHING WERE IN TACK...
CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SECOND BOOK!!!
MY RATING: 4🌟
SPICE:🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Izi Loe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to read an ARC of Ash & Poison and overall I enjoyed it!

I felt that the story didn't really pick up until about 2/3 of the way through, however the twists towards the end were very unexpected and helped me finish the last few chapters in a hurry!

Sets up for a second book with an excellent cliffhanger...

Spicy scenes are kinky - but the nickname of "Pussycat" was a bit cringey IMO.

I looking forward to reading the next book and would recommend this to anyone who likes a bit of gore with their spice!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've received an ARC for this book, and all I can say is thank you Maya! I would like to recommend this book to everyone but I don't think is meant for everyone there are some dark topics in the book and the romance too so I think everyone should read the trigger warnings!

I've devoured this book, I haven't pick a book this easy to read in a while, I felt the need to know more and more of what was going on, I have loved the mystery aspect of the book just so you know my first suspect was correct but in the end I was still surprised to know the all story !

I love Diya and Asher together they are a powerful force but for me it's the sister bond is just something else!
I'm trying not to give any spoilers of the story, so all I am going to say is : love the romance, love the mystery, love the sisters, love the happy ending that the victims got! love everything in this book!

I think it's going on my favorites books of the year it's really good!!!!

That fcking end!!!!!! I need more please!!!!!

[Mary Kate Helmholdt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wait what…. That ending and now I have to wait for the second to come out …. First of all I got this book as an ARC and will say I was confused in the beginning about after chapter 2 and rereading to understand R letters to ash where kind of past not present but kind of is in away …. I loved the banter between Diya/ Dee / poison and Asher / ash/ pussycat! Although this is A dark romance and I will say check the TW before hand… I really enjoyed this book. It hit me with every emotion and I really felt for these characters and the plot twist was like what!!!! I mean just when you think you know who the killer is it’s like BAM plot twist in the most beautiful way. I love the Diya and her relationship with her sisters and the backstory on them and can’t wait to see what book 2 has in store for us!!!

[Hope✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received this as an ARC and devoured it. Dark romance thriller with a badass FMC, spicy tension, and a plot that kept me flipping pages. The MMC/FMC dynamic went full “stab for you” by the end and I was living for it.

The beginning was a little rushed and I wish there was more world-building, plus a few dialogue moments got a bit confusing—but overall, I really enjoyed it.

And that cliffhanger?? Yeah. I’m not okay.

Recommend to anyone who loves morally gray characters, spice, and high-stakes vibes.