Corrupted Promises

by Sherelle Green

STORI MAVERICK She was never supposed to be my addiction. Journee Ellis was the girl everyone wanted back in high school but no one could have. She was untouchable, electric, and hated me on sight. I was the ghost lurking in the corner whose family name came with a warning sign.

Now, my obsession is cornered, desperate, and realizes too late that the wolves circling her require a Maverick to deter them.

She requires me.

She’ll hate the pieces of me she uncovers while I work to keep her family safe. But mostly she’ll hate herself. I’ve been drowning in the shadows for far too long. Now, it’s her turn to drown in me.

In a world of power and betrayal, blood binds the Maverick family, but love could tear them apart.

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2025

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Sherelle Green crafts brutal worlds where lust and danger collide. Known for her addictive, high-stakes mafia romances, she’s built an entire dark empire through her books—a place where ruthless antiheroes and complex heroines navigate twisted loyalties, betrayal, and forbidden passion.

With a deep fascination for the darker corners of love, she dives into themes of power, lust, vulnerability, and redemption, blending suspense and sensuality to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

From intricate family sagas and compelling love affairs, to thought-provoking fiction and romantic crime thrillers, her novels touch on how experiences & environment impact the way her beautifully flawed and relatable protagonists view life and love.

Reviews

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the writing. It’s pretty poetic at times and vivid in its imagery. There was so much happening in the beginning though. And the plot twist halfway through took me out🤯. Stori was ….kinda scary lol. He might be up there with Ocean in the “you’ve crossed the line from unhinged to certifiable” MMC category (IYKYK). There’s stalking & obsession…and then there’s Stori🫣Their “love” story I suppose was decades in the making but moved pretty quickly in real time. But I wasn’t really feeling love between them, but more like shared kinks, and obsession on Stori’s end and sexual liberation on Journee’s. I thought there would be more
Mafia shenanigans but it was pretty much just the hunt and chase between Stori & Journee. I really hope Onyx’s book is next.

That bonus scene at the end though🙈👀

[Velva Seay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is he a Monster?

I wasn't sure how I felt about Stori. He was such an enigma. He had me just questioning his reasoning. The love story of Stori and Journee was like no other I had ever read. I enjoyed the story very much. It wasn't an easy relationship by far but it was quite eye opening.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine reading your unhinged sexual fantasies with your favorite dark romance author and favorite male narrator...yea that about sums up this book.

[Cheryl Jamai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stori Maverick… where do I start? I didn’t have one of Sherelle Greens hero’s being crazy on my “bingo card”, but here we are. The opening scene gives us all the evidence we need. Journee teased and bullied Stori in high school. Stori as a teen with a crush, grew into Stori as an obsessed and fixated man on his “hellcat”.

Journee Ellis finally realized her dream of owning a night club after she moved back from Trinidad and Tobago. She moved there when her younger brother Ju Ju married someone from the area. While there she dated her sister-in-law’s cousin Tolo, who was involved in organized crime. While at her club The Luxe Key she was thinking about her failed relationships being her fault. Little did she know, someone from her past had a lot to do with it.

Due to some issues with Journee’s family, Stori and Journee are in close proximity and Journee starts to want Stori in ways she doesn’t expect. She notices how his glasses, which used to be too big for his face, fit perfectly. She’s attracted to how his eyes are the prettiest shade of brown. The reader finds out just how deep Stori’s obsession is and how far he is willing to go to reveal to his hellcat who she really is.

I was surprised by what Stori revealed to Journee and how interwoven he was in her life. Each time I thought it couldn’t get any weirder, something else was revealed. Ms. Green continues to push boundaries. On one hand I was “clutching” my proverbial pearls, and on the other I had to give it to Ms. Green for creating a story that had me intrigued to learn more about Stori Maverick and his world. I also enjoyed how Ms. Green used intro phrases for each chapter, and how those phrases were the building blocks to the climax of the story!. Overall, Corrupted Promises included all the elements of a great story. See complete review at romanceincolor.com.

[TheReaderVert · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable ride, I enjoyed it more before the big reveal and twist. I love dark romance × Black authors. And the MMC in this one is a delight. He's so matter-of-fact psycho + we get to watch him be a matter-of-fact stalking stalkery psycho for the woman he has loved for over 20 years. She was his HS bully-- pushing him into lockers, making fun of his glasses, but she had no idea he was demented and secretly viewed it as foreplay. So why 3 instead of 4 stars? For me, it's a personal thing. I prefer my obsessed OTT stalkers to be touch her and die variety. I will never share variety. Another man so much as breathes your air and they should die variety. And that isn't the case here. Even the twist took away from the mounting danger and crime aspect letting out all the fun suspenseful air.

[Gwendolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was crazy and wild as hell, with Stori Maverick being the crazy unhinged but not so crazy he didn't recognize love. Who is so obsessed that they go to the lengths of knowing when Journee poops in the bathroom? That did it for me! Just nasty! Nobody but Stori! I guess when you know it's the one, you know.

Lord, I was glad that Journee realized her love and how deep his love ran. If not, I don't know how Stori would survive without her.

The things he did to get his woman were unbelievable. Man, how he opened Journee up to pleasures beyond what she expected. Loved this story.

That bonus was off the rail. It was more than I expected!

[Kandice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Green Ms Green Ms Green what in the unhinged did I just read! Baybee I loved it. Stori is toxic and Journee has been through a lot. I don't know what it says about me that this was my favorite brother in the series. I didn't see those twists coming at all. Was waking up my whole house yelling at my kindle. Journee lived every woman's dream. And that bonus took me out. I should have listened to the disclaimer lol. I preordered the next story but don't know which brother it is. Will it be Onyx and Liana?

[Matysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying going in I ain’t know what Dark Bully Romance was but baby after finishing this story I think it’s nowone of my favorite romance sub genres. The Beautifully twisted mind of Sherelle Green was left on the table with this one. While I still want Onyx’s story like yesterday. Stori’s journee to love was sexily dark that I’m glad to have been able to experience it. And Journee’s stori of acceptance of the love and man meant was just as beautiful to watch. These Mavericks just get better and better as the series goes on. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

[Kristal Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corrupted promises

This book was so good. Stori might just be the most unhinged MMC to date. He was not wrapped too tight but everything he did was all about his hellcat, Journee. I liked seeing her finally give into her desires and stop focusing so much on what society deems as correct. As always, this author gave us spice, violence and an MMC that was beyond obsessed with the FMC and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

[Kia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well…..

Now I knew the Maverick family was a little unorthodox but Stori that man is unhinged and dark. Now he definitely had an unhealthy obsession for Journee that had he questioning her sanity but he proved he really saw her. All of her even the parts she thought she hid well, overall great read.

[tracee ligon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkness

Breathless. Stori was unexpected layers upon layers. You had a clue in the first two books but, Sherelle hats off to you. This book was amazing. Finished in one day. Hope Onyx and Liana are next.

[Dafort · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stori Maverick is unhinged. lol

[Crimson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yessss

I'm loving this series!!!! This man is completely UNHINGED! Yes he is baby and in here for it. My man, my man, my man. Y'all read the damn book.