Pen Pal

by Stéphanie Noircent

I thought I was safe behind paper and ink… until I became my pen pal's obsession—and his only way out.

It started with a letter. A curiosity. A reckless decision to write to a man locked away in Ashwood Prison.

Lorenzo Ricci, the son of the Italian Mafia boss, was supposed to be just words on a page. A prisoner with a past as dark as the ink he spilled. But letter by letter, he slipped beneath my skin. His confessions were raw. His promises, sinful. His obsession with me? All-consuming.

I should have stopped writing. I should have ignored the way he made me feel. Instead, I kept writing. And when fate led me to stand before him—not as his pen pal, but as his lawyer—I knew I was in too deep.

I told myself I could handle it. That I could balance the case, the temptation, the unrelenting hunger in his eyes. But when the walls of Ashwood closed in, when the nightmare I never saw coming trapped me in its grasp…

Enzo was there. Watching. Waiting.

Because monsters don’t just lurk in prison cells. Sometimes, they write you letters. And sometimes… they come for what’s theirs.

Pen Pal is a dual POV steamy pitch-black dark romance intended for readers aged 18 and above. This book contains disturbing and potentially triggering content, including themes of violence, abuse, and psychological trauma. Reader discretion is strongly advised. Please review the content warnings at the beginning of the book before proceeding. Pen Pal is Book 1 of the Ashwood Prison series. Each book focuses on a different couple and can be read as a standalone.

"This book makes other dark romance novels look like child's play" -Mel Huizar

"Dark, spicy, and disturbing, just like I like it." -Leelee Kalipoon

"Horrifyingly dark and deliciously steamy. I can't wait for the next book." -Linda Rancourt

Genres: Dark Romance

349 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2025

About the author

Stephanie Noircent is author to the Royal Mates series and the Moon Valley Clinic series. She lives in Canada and is a married mother of two. She has three goldfish, a dog, and two cats. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in nature. You can connect with her here: linktr.ee/stephanienoircent

Reviews

[Andy Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most amazing book I've ever read!!!! Dark & delicious

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Idk why it says 209 pages it's actually more like 350 pages. But it was amazing and dark and smutty with lots of romance and this book is so fucked up but in a good way. Oh I am an ARC reader that's how I read it early

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was not expecting this level of darkness, probably because I like to skip trigger warnings and be surprised haha. But def enjoyed this novel. Deffo check content warnings tho, this is not for sensitive readers. The spice was top tier too.

[Hatshepsut · Rating 1 out of 5]

No words about how tremendously bad this was, in every sense: plot, writing, characters, logic, consistency. Ridiculously bad, exceeded the point of laughable.

[Barbara Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

First the Good—-This is one dark read. Enzo is deranged and a psychopath and I am here for it.
Enzo is an inmate convicted of murder. He first meets Amara during a meeting with his lawyer. She is working as an intern. He decides then and there that she is his. They begin writing each other until….the letters stop coming.
This is a demented story. Amara is married to an abusive man.
I love how protective and psychotic Enzo is. We see a clear development of Amara’s character and how she overcomes her fears and becomes a force to be reckoned with.

Now the Bad——there are so many inconsistencies in this story until it is impossible to ignore. First there were only two kids and then all of a sudden there is an older brother.
He had no one on the outside then all of a sudden he had an entire group of henchmen working for him. There was mentioned that Amara was married when they first met then it almost seemed as if she didn’t get married until after she finished her internship. There was one mentioned of a second conjugal visit then it stated it was the first one since the wedding night.

[Cheryl Tessier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm surprised at the negative reviews, people seem to forget that books are a work of FICTION and not real life. That being said, as an SA survivor, I too reached for my man when I came home, so that part is realistic, not everyone processes trauma the same way. I love how obsessed Enzo is with Amara, and how he didn't let Mark get away with what he did. The whole book is filled with tension, horror, and unbridled passion. I enjoyed every second of it. Seeing how Enzo took care of her healed something in me, thank you to the author. THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR THE WEAK!

[De_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darker mafia scenes

If Mafia is your preferred genre and the countless watered down mafia and bratva novels are very repetitive, then maybe give this a read. It actually has the darkness more suited to what one may think should be mafia associated. Though so much of this one does seem over the top, as the MFC, an abused woman, falls quickly for the MMC, also abusive.
He does.get.tiresome in his attitude as well, but she comes across as quite unbelievable as well. Some scenes, the bedroom with the ex husband scene, for a week-long she suffers horrendously, and jumps in feet first with no mention of injuries immediately after, then for weeks after freezes at her man's touch? I just found it off the wall. I have no triggers, you may. Read the warnings.

[Annie Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m an ARC reader and oh my GOD! This book makes Haunting Adeline seem like a children’s book! For the ladies who love a romance that’s also basically horror and is pitch black, this is the book for you.

[Charli Petrisor · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ - some bits were fantastic. However, the majority was so frustrating and inconsistent within the story. Almost felt like the author started writing it, left it for a few months then carried on without checking what she had already written.