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Heathens Hollow #3
Hollow
No body, no crime.
That’s what they say on Heathens Hollow, where the line between desire and obsession blurs with each tide.
I return to my family’s isolated island estate to recover, to heal. To escape the prison my life has become.
The maze calls to me with its twisting pathways and secrets buried beneath the soil.
And so do they.
Two men, tangled in a storm of their own making.
Damiano, the groundskeeper who knows every hidden path through the maze.
Flint, the bartender whose eyes hold truths about the island I’m not ready to face.
Former lovers. Current enemies. Both now inexplicably tied to me.
As The Hunt approaches, Heathens Hollow’s most dangerous ritual begins.
Masked pursuers. Willing prey. Ancient traditions that care nothing for outsiders.
Some things should stay buried in Heathens Hollow.
But on this island, secrets always find their way to the surface.
𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦:
Primal Play
Why Choose
Enemies to Lovers
Touch Her and Die
Masked Men
Stalking
MMF
Dark Romance
That’s what they say on Heathens Hollow, where the line between desire and obsession blurs with each tide.
I return to my family’s isolated island estate to recover, to heal. To escape the prison my life has become.
The maze calls to me with its twisting pathways and secrets buried beneath the soil.
And so do they.
Two men, tangled in a storm of their own making.
Damiano, the groundskeeper who knows every hidden path through the maze.
Flint, the bartender whose eyes hold truths about the island I’m not ready to face.
Former lovers. Current enemies. Both now inexplicably tied to me.
As The Hunt approaches, Heathens Hollow’s most dangerous ritual begins.
Masked pursuers. Willing prey. Ancient traditions that care nothing for outsiders.
Some things should stay buried in Heathens Hollow.
But on this island, secrets always find their way to the surface.
𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦:
Primal Play
Why Choose
Enemies to Lovers
Touch Her and Die
Masked Men
Stalking
MMF
Dark Romance
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 9, 2025
97 people are currently reading
643 people want to read
About the author
Alta Hensley
117 books2,363 followersAlta Hensley is a NYT & USA Today bestselling author of dark romance where the villain always gets the happily ever after.
Twisted, clever, and occasionally unhinged, her books deliver morally gray anti-heroes, sharp-tongued heroines, and happily ever afters that taste even sweeter after a little ruin. With a signature blend of grit, wit, and heat, Alta’s stories prove one thing: Villains deserve love too.
Alta lives on the foggy coast of Oregon with her husband, two daughters, and a pair of dogs who think they’re in charge. When she’s not writing redemption for the irredeemable, she’s walking the coastline or sipping craft beer in eccentric little bars that feel like they belong in her books.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AltaHensleyA...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alta-Hensley/e...
Website: www.altahensley.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/altahensley
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alta-...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@altahensley
Join her mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
Twisted, clever, and occasionally unhinged, her books deliver morally gray anti-heroes, sharp-tongued heroines, and happily ever afters that taste even sweeter after a little ruin. With a signature blend of grit, wit, and heat, Alta’s stories prove one thing: Villains deserve love too.
Alta lives on the foggy coast of Oregon with her husband, two daughters, and a pair of dogs who think they’re in charge. When she’s not writing redemption for the irredeemable, she’s walking the coastline or sipping craft beer in eccentric little bars that feel like they belong in her books.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AltaHensleyA...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alta-Hensley/e...
Website: www.altahensley.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/altahensley
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alta-...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@altahensley
Join her mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
June 16, 2025
Battling an invisible illness for years, Briar takes a sabbatical to Heathens Hollow for some “island air.“ Easily settling in, she finds the freedom and natural remedies crafted by Damiano to be good for body and spirit. But she quickly finds that Windward Estate, the family home, is not only home to the live-in gardener, but many buried secrets.
Drawn together by lust and chemistry, bound together by secrets and bloodshed, Briar, Damiano, and Flint forge a new future
I come for the smut {pun intended}, but I also appreciate a well-crafted storyline. With that, I enjoyed Flint and Damiano’s backstory. However, I would have liked to have more insight into Briar’s illness as it felt like there was a story there, in and of itself.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🫤🤫🥵😳🥰
Ending: 💕 {HFN}
POV: 👫🏻 {Multiple}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, Gothic, LGBTQ+, Suspense
✨ Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Friends-to-Lovers, Heroine in Danger, Rich AF, Second Chance, Small Town
💫 Microtropes: Alphahole, Tattooed MMC, Throuple, Touch-Her-and-💀
💋 Kinks: 🍑, Domination, Double Penetration, Masked MMC, Primal, ⚔️
⚠️ Warning: This suspenseful and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🚩 Safety Squad: Attempted Așșault (Not by MMC, Off-Page), Unalìvíng, Vìolençė, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Hollow is part of the Heathens Hollow series of interconnected standalones.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
Drawn together by lust and chemistry, bound together by secrets and bloodshed, Briar, Damiano, and Flint forge a new future
I come for the smut {pun intended}, but I also appreciate a well-crafted storyline. With that, I enjoyed Flint and Damiano’s backstory. However, I would have liked to have more insight into Briar’s illness as it felt like there was a story there, in and of itself.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🫤🤫🥵😳🥰
Ending: 💕 {HFN}
POV: 👫🏻 {Multiple}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, Gothic, LGBTQ+, Suspense
✨ Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Friends-to-Lovers, Heroine in Danger, Rich AF, Second Chance, Small Town
💫 Microtropes: Alphahole, Tattooed MMC, Throuple, Touch-Her-and-💀
💋 Kinks: 🍑, Domination, Double Penetration, Masked MMC, Primal, ⚔️
⚠️ Warning: This suspenseful and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🚩 Safety Squad: Attempted Așșault (Not by MMC, Off-Page), Unalìvíng, Vìolençė, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Hollow is part of the Heathens Hollow series of interconnected standalones.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
June 8, 2025
Hollow (Heathens Hollow, #3) by Alta Hensley
3/5 stars
Hollow is the third book in the Heathens Hollow series. In this book we follow Briar who just returned to Windward Estate. She has an autoimmune disease and is returning hoping to improve her health. Ever since her mother died her father lost himself in his work. And he now only asks about her health, not about who she is as a person.
Damiano Ricci is the gardener and when she spots him she is instantly drawn to him. He is also skilled at making herbal medications and gives her something to sleep. And she finally has a good night's sleep.
When the housekeeper Ms. Fletcher is leaving Briar decides to throw a party the next day to celebrate her 28th birthday. Even her father forgot that she's turning 28. But when the party happens, way too many people show up and Briar's body is too tired to keep up. She also noticed Damiano being extremely close with Flint, a man she invited when she was shopping for the party.
She needs some quiet time and enters the maze. Liam Bastian hunts her and tries to rape her. But she's able to defend herself and accidentally kills him. Damiano and Flint show up and they decide to bury the body in the maze and pretend they don't know anything.
But Liam's brother Viktor doesn't believe his brother just vanished and is hunting the entire island in order to find his brother. And that is what this book is mostly about. A short of murder mystery for the people on the island. Viktor has a lot of money, a lot of skills and has a lot of manpower to search for his missing brother.
The book is also about Damiano and Flint who used to date but suddenly grew apart due to a horrific experience. It's about Briar who's drawn to both men, and the men are both drawn to her as well. The men are rather sweet, especially Damiano. Flint is a bit more rough around the edges.
While I did enjoy this book. I did miss a lot of chemistry between the three main characters. The first love scene between Flint and Damiano was the most powerful. After that the chemistry got lost a little bit.
I know storylines in dark romances are often unrealistic, and I kind of love that about this genre. But in this book a few things really bothered me. They constantly emphasize that Victor's men are all over the island searching for Liam. But the three main characters constantly talk out loud, about the murder in open places. Like in the Maze, while they notice multiple times that Viktor's people are walking around in the Maze. It felt so unrealistic. At one point Briar goes to Flint's work place, which Viktor owns, and they talk about the murder there. It's in an exclusive and expensive club, so I assume there are cameras everywhere. But that was not the case in this instance.
I also couldn't really believe the whole smell of plants can cover the smells of a dead body storyline. Dogs can scent the tiniest things and with the body just being buried that felt very unrealistic as well.
All those things combined with a lack of chemistry made it a 3 out of 5 star book for me. I still enjoyed it and I am glad I read it. But I didn't love it as much as I wanted to. I prefer the second book over this one.
So 3 stars overall from me for Hollow by Alta Hensley.
3/5 stars
Hollow is the third book in the Heathens Hollow series. In this book we follow Briar who just returned to Windward Estate. She has an autoimmune disease and is returning hoping to improve her health. Ever since her mother died her father lost himself in his work. And he now only asks about her health, not about who she is as a person.
Damiano Ricci is the gardener and when she spots him she is instantly drawn to him. He is also skilled at making herbal medications and gives her something to sleep. And she finally has a good night's sleep.
When the housekeeper Ms. Fletcher is leaving Briar decides to throw a party the next day to celebrate her 28th birthday. Even her father forgot that she's turning 28. But when the party happens, way too many people show up and Briar's body is too tired to keep up. She also noticed Damiano being extremely close with Flint, a man she invited when she was shopping for the party.
She needs some quiet time and enters the maze. Liam Bastian hunts her and tries to rape her. But she's able to defend herself and accidentally kills him. Damiano and Flint show up and they decide to bury the body in the maze and pretend they don't know anything.
But Liam's brother Viktor doesn't believe his brother just vanished and is hunting the entire island in order to find his brother. And that is what this book is mostly about. A short of murder mystery for the people on the island. Viktor has a lot of money, a lot of skills and has a lot of manpower to search for his missing brother.
The book is also about Damiano and Flint who used to date but suddenly grew apart due to a horrific experience. It's about Briar who's drawn to both men, and the men are both drawn to her as well. The men are rather sweet, especially Damiano. Flint is a bit more rough around the edges.
While I did enjoy this book. I did miss a lot of chemistry between the three main characters. The first love scene between Flint and Damiano was the most powerful. After that the chemistry got lost a little bit.
I know storylines in dark romances are often unrealistic, and I kind of love that about this genre. But in this book a few things really bothered me. They constantly emphasize that Victor's men are all over the island searching for Liam. But the three main characters constantly talk out loud, about the murder in open places. Like in the Maze, while they notice multiple times that Viktor's people are walking around in the Maze. It felt so unrealistic. At one point Briar goes to Flint's work place, which Viktor owns, and they talk about the murder there. It's in an exclusive and expensive club, so I assume there are cameras everywhere. But that was not the case in this instance.
I also couldn't really believe the whole smell of plants can cover the smells of a dead body storyline. Dogs can scent the tiniest things and with the body just being buried that felt very unrealistic as well.
All those things combined with a lack of chemistry made it a 3 out of 5 star book for me. I still enjoyed it and I am glad I read it. But I didn't love it as much as I wanted to. I prefer the second book over this one.
So 3 stars overall from me for Hollow by Alta Hensley.
June 16, 2025
3.5 Red Light Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
This is the first book I've read by Alta Hensley and I don't regret it...I don't know what to make of this book. It's not at all what I was expecting... or jumping into...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Briar Waters suffers from a chronic autoimmune disease that leaves her pretty weak. She returns to her family's old summer home on the eerie island of Heathens Hollow where she’s hoping the quiet isolation will give her time to recover and regroup, especially after being pushed aside by her father, who’s preparing to marry someone younger than her. Instead, it is a place filled with secrets and danger. On her birthday Briar, in an act of rebellion, she throws a party for her new town themed after a raucous and salacious event held on the island called "The Hunt", where men chase women in white dresses and then fuck them. At first, it’s all fun and games, until one of the men at the party gets too aggressive, and things go very wrong for Briar. In an act of defence Briar ends up killing him. Damiano, her strange and brooding gardener and his on-again-off-again-ex Flint end up tied up in the event and together the three are forced to cover up the murder, especially since the dead man’s brother is known for taking justice into his own hands.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
I love Briar because while she's the type of girl that at times is VERY "too stupid to live", because she constantly makes ridiculous, stupid, spontaneous decisions that put her into crazy situations... she is also incredibly feisty, confident and stands up for herself despite being physically weak.
The relationship between Briar, Damiano, and Flint is toxic, explosive, violent and primal. Damiano and Flint are terrible for each other in the worst way. The two have an incredibly complicated relationship that's almost painful to witness but their chemistry is undeniable. They blur the line between love and hate with every interaction, both of them shaped by a deeply hurtful past. BUT that said with Briar in the middle, she calms them down and brings an almost synergy to their chaos. The three of them just work in this messed up weird magnetic way.
The major star in this book is the writing. It is haunting, poetic, lush and metaphorical. It is filled with an atmosphere that is intense, dark and heavy. There’s a visceral weight to the emotion in every sentence. Everything feels deep, aching, and dangerous in the best kind of way. It is what drew me in and kept me in. The island is its own character, and the dynamic between Briar, Damiano, and Flint is twisted yet intoxicating to watch.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Dark Romance
▶ Small Town Romance
▶ MMF Romance (YES there is crossed swords)
▶ Strangers to Lovers with Second Chance (between the MMC's)
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Forced Proximity
𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:
➢ Biting
➢ Primal Play
➢ Voyeurism
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Nicknames
▷ Chronic Illness Rep
▷ "Plant Vibes"
▷ Grey Sweatpants
▷ MMC with Tattoo's
▷ "Don't Stop"
▷ He Takes Care Of Her
If you like darkly poetic writing, morally grey characters, and messy, unfiltered chaos wrapped in fantastic vibes, I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS...
Thank you to Valentine PR for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
This is the first book I've read by Alta Hensley and I don't regret it...I don't know what to make of this book. It's not at all what I was expecting... or jumping into...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Briar Waters suffers from a chronic autoimmune disease that leaves her pretty weak. She returns to her family's old summer home on the eerie island of Heathens Hollow where she’s hoping the quiet isolation will give her time to recover and regroup, especially after being pushed aside by her father, who’s preparing to marry someone younger than her. Instead, it is a place filled with secrets and danger. On her birthday Briar, in an act of rebellion, she throws a party for her new town themed after a raucous and salacious event held on the island called "The Hunt", where men chase women in white dresses and then fuck them. At first, it’s all fun and games, until one of the men at the party gets too aggressive, and things go very wrong for Briar. In an act of defence Briar ends up killing him. Damiano, her strange and brooding gardener and his on-again-off-again-ex Flint end up tied up in the event and together the three are forced to cover up the murder, especially since the dead man’s brother is known for taking justice into his own hands.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
I love Briar because while she's the type of girl that at times is VERY "too stupid to live", because she constantly makes ridiculous, stupid, spontaneous decisions that put her into crazy situations... she is also incredibly feisty, confident and stands up for herself despite being physically weak.
The relationship between Briar, Damiano, and Flint is toxic, explosive, violent and primal. Damiano and Flint are terrible for each other in the worst way. The two have an incredibly complicated relationship that's almost painful to witness but their chemistry is undeniable. They blur the line between love and hate with every interaction, both of them shaped by a deeply hurtful past. BUT that said with Briar in the middle, she calms them down and brings an almost synergy to their chaos. The three of them just work in this messed up weird magnetic way.
The major star in this book is the writing. It is haunting, poetic, lush and metaphorical. It is filled with an atmosphere that is intense, dark and heavy. There’s a visceral weight to the emotion in every sentence. Everything feels deep, aching, and dangerous in the best kind of way. It is what drew me in and kept me in. The island is its own character, and the dynamic between Briar, Damiano, and Flint is twisted yet intoxicating to watch.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Dark Romance
▶ Small Town Romance
▶ MMF Romance (YES there is crossed swords)
▶ Strangers to Lovers with Second Chance (between the MMC's)
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Forced Proximity
𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:
➢ Biting
➢ Primal Play
➢ Voyeurism
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Nicknames
▷ Chronic Illness Rep
▷ "Plant Vibes"
▷ Grey Sweatpants
▷ MMC with Tattoo's
▷ "Don't Stop"
▷ He Takes Care Of Her
If you like darkly poetic writing, morally grey characters, and messy, unfiltered chaos wrapped in fantastic vibes, I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS...
Thank you to Valentine PR for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
June 10, 2025
Hollow by Alta Hensley
4/5⭐
3,5/5🌶️
This was my first book by this author, and I enjoyed it! The plot had me hooked right from the start, and the constant suspense made it hard to put down. The steamy scenes in this book are incredibly hot! Briar returns to her childhood home to take a break from her health issues and meets Damiano, the gardener of her family’s house, and Flint, a bartender at a fancy club. People treat her like an invalid because of her illness, and she’s tired of it. On her birthday, she decides to throw a party at her home, not realizing that this night will change her life forever.
I loved Briar’s determination and strength. She refuses to let her illness define her. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to express it. She wants to show everyone that she can take care of herself. Damiano and Flint have a complicated relationship. They’ve been lovers for years, but a past situation caused them to clash. Even while they’re trying to hurt one another, there’s an undeniable connection that keeps pulling them back together. One fateful night, Briar gets caught up in their mix, and they all start to grapple with secrets that could put their lives at risk.
The way their relationship develops is so engaging! What begins with hidden truths transforms into a bond where they realize they can keep each other safe. I loved how they worked together to protect one another. Damiano and Flint are filled with anger and hurt, and Briar has the ability to soothe them. It’s wonderful how she fits so perfectly into their lives. This book is packed with plenty of delicious spice, but it also has a good plot and suspense that will keep you turning the pages right to the end!
4/5⭐
3,5/5🌶️
This was my first book by this author, and I enjoyed it! The plot had me hooked right from the start, and the constant suspense made it hard to put down. The steamy scenes in this book are incredibly hot! Briar returns to her childhood home to take a break from her health issues and meets Damiano, the gardener of her family’s house, and Flint, a bartender at a fancy club. People treat her like an invalid because of her illness, and she’s tired of it. On her birthday, she decides to throw a party at her home, not realizing that this night will change her life forever.
I loved Briar’s determination and strength. She refuses to let her illness define her. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to express it. She wants to show everyone that she can take care of herself. Damiano and Flint have a complicated relationship. They’ve been lovers for years, but a past situation caused them to clash. Even while they’re trying to hurt one another, there’s an undeniable connection that keeps pulling them back together. One fateful night, Briar gets caught up in their mix, and they all start to grapple with secrets that could put their lives at risk.
The way their relationship develops is so engaging! What begins with hidden truths transforms into a bond where they realize they can keep each other safe. I loved how they worked together to protect one another. Damiano and Flint are filled with anger and hurt, and Briar has the ability to soothe them. It’s wonderful how she fits so perfectly into their lives. This book is packed with plenty of delicious spice, but it also has a good plot and suspense that will keep you turning the pages right to the end!
June 5, 2025
ARC Review – Thanks to Valentine PR and Alta Hensley for the advance copy 🫶
Wow—what a ride! This book completely pulled me in from the first page. I found myself flying through the chapters, constantly entertained and intrigued by the twists, turns, and delicious chaos unfolding. The pacing was just right, keeping me hooked without ever feeling rushed.
The spice? Chef’s kiss. 🔥 It was the perfect blend of tension and heat—enough to keep things exciting without overshadowing the story. And let’s talk about Heathens Hollow… what a wild, atmospheric setting! I felt alive, almost like a character itself. I'd absolutely risk it all to explore that island 🤭
If you’re into bold characters, a juicy plot, and just the right amount of spice, this one’s for you. I can already tell it’s going to be a fan favorite.
Wow—what a ride! This book completely pulled me in from the first page. I found myself flying through the chapters, constantly entertained and intrigued by the twists, turns, and delicious chaos unfolding. The pacing was just right, keeping me hooked without ever feeling rushed.
The spice? Chef’s kiss. 🔥 It was the perfect blend of tension and heat—enough to keep things exciting without overshadowing the story. And let’s talk about Heathens Hollow… what a wild, atmospheric setting! I felt alive, almost like a character itself. I'd absolutely risk it all to explore that island 🤭
If you’re into bold characters, a juicy plot, and just the right amount of spice, this one’s for you. I can already tell it’s going to be a fan favorite.
Read
June 9, 2025Available now!
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://bit.ly/4jvizZg
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/HollowAH
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4cnHECQ
Hollow is book three in the interconnected standalone series, Heathens Hollow from USA Today bestselling author, Alta Hensley.
Check out the series here!
https://mybook.to/HeathensHollow
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://bit.ly/4jvizZg
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/HollowAH
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4cnHECQ
Hollow is book three in the interconnected standalone series, Heathens Hollow from USA Today bestselling author, Alta Hensley.
Check out the series here!
https://mybook.to/HeathensHollow
June 19, 2025
“𝕰𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖞 𝖕𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖒. 𝕰𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖞 𝖘𝖊𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖙 𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖍𝖊𝖗…”
This is the 3rd book in the Heathens Hollow series. So far I have really loved the series and this instalment was no different.
In the third book we meet Briar…sweet and a bit naive. She’s not stupid, but she’s not very smart when it comes to things in life. She’s too trusting and often gets herself into trouble simply because she doesn’t think things through or see the glaring red flags. Briar heads back home to Heathens Hollow to rest and recharge. She’s dealing with a chronic auto-immune disease that keeps her fairly weak, and she thinks being home will give her a chance to recoup. Her father is there and he’s been distant with her since her mother passed…he’s set to marry a woman whose younger than his own daughter and really has no interest in being involved in his daughter life aside from asking her how her health is.
Briar decides to throw herself a party for her birthday since no one else remembered. It’s not just any kind of party though…it’s a party fit for heathens. Where the women are chased and f**£d when caught. A proverbial cat and mouse type game which fits the darkness that surrounds Heathens Hollow. But the game turns deadly when one of her party guests chases her and takes it too far…she defends herself and ends up 💀 him. Only problem is, he’s the brother of one of the most ruthless men on the island. Known for taking vengeance into his own hands.
Briar inadvertently drags Damiano, the Gardner, and his ex Flint into her chaos when they happen upon her in the maze next to the dead body. They help her burry him and vow to never speak of the incident. A secret binding them together for life. But it’s more than that. Damiano and Flint are former lovers who were so toxic and explosive together that they ended catastrophically. But they always seem to find their way back to each other in a never ending toxic circle. But now…face to face with Briar, they both feel an inexplicable pull towards her. They both want her and she wants them. And together, Briar is able to calm the storm that brews between Flint and Damiano.
They are all darkness , passion and chaos. And yet for them it works. Things are brewing on the island though. They are still hiding their dark secret while Viktor is still searching for his missing brother. He knows that he would never just up and leave and is determined to find out exactly what happened and who’s behind it.
Nothing about this trio should work, yet together they make sense. Finding comfort in each others chaos and darkness. Feeding off of the desperate need for each other and the fierce determination to protect Briar in any way possible.
Thank you so much to Atla Hensley and VPR for the opportunity to ARC read this book 💙
🍃Dark Romance
🩸Masked Men
🍃Enemies to Lovers
🩸Forced Proximity
🍃Chronic Illness Rep
🩸Found Family
🍃Friends to Lovers
🩸Heroine in Danger
🍃Why Choose MMF
🩸Billionaire Romance
🍃Second Chance
🩸Polyamory
🍃Dark Small Town
🩸Mystery/Suspense
🍃Touch Her and 💀
🩸Alphahole MMC
🍃Tattooed MMC
🩸DVP/Primal
🍃Voyeurism
🩸Stalker
🍃Obsessed Hero’s
🩸Torturer Lead
🍃Multi-POV
🩸Happy For Now
This is the 3rd book in the Heathens Hollow series. So far I have really loved the series and this instalment was no different.
In the third book we meet Briar…sweet and a bit naive. She’s not stupid, but she’s not very smart when it comes to things in life. She’s too trusting and often gets herself into trouble simply because she doesn’t think things through or see the glaring red flags. Briar heads back home to Heathens Hollow to rest and recharge. She’s dealing with a chronic auto-immune disease that keeps her fairly weak, and she thinks being home will give her a chance to recoup. Her father is there and he’s been distant with her since her mother passed…he’s set to marry a woman whose younger than his own daughter and really has no interest in being involved in his daughter life aside from asking her how her health is.
Briar decides to throw herself a party for her birthday since no one else remembered. It’s not just any kind of party though…it’s a party fit for heathens. Where the women are chased and f**£d when caught. A proverbial cat and mouse type game which fits the darkness that surrounds Heathens Hollow. But the game turns deadly when one of her party guests chases her and takes it too far…she defends herself and ends up 💀 him. Only problem is, he’s the brother of one of the most ruthless men on the island. Known for taking vengeance into his own hands.
Briar inadvertently drags Damiano, the Gardner, and his ex Flint into her chaos when they happen upon her in the maze next to the dead body. They help her burry him and vow to never speak of the incident. A secret binding them together for life. But it’s more than that. Damiano and Flint are former lovers who were so toxic and explosive together that they ended catastrophically. But they always seem to find their way back to each other in a never ending toxic circle. But now…face to face with Briar, they both feel an inexplicable pull towards her. They both want her and she wants them. And together, Briar is able to calm the storm that brews between Flint and Damiano.
They are all darkness , passion and chaos. And yet for them it works. Things are brewing on the island though. They are still hiding their dark secret while Viktor is still searching for his missing brother. He knows that he would never just up and leave and is determined to find out exactly what happened and who’s behind it.
Nothing about this trio should work, yet together they make sense. Finding comfort in each others chaos and darkness. Feeding off of the desperate need for each other and the fierce determination to protect Briar in any way possible.
Thank you so much to Atla Hensley and VPR for the opportunity to ARC read this book 💙
🍃Dark Romance
🩸Masked Men
🍃Enemies to Lovers
🩸Forced Proximity
🍃Chronic Illness Rep
🩸Found Family
🍃Friends to Lovers
🩸Heroine in Danger
🍃Why Choose MMF
🩸Billionaire Romance
🍃Second Chance
🩸Polyamory
🍃Dark Small Town
🩸Mystery/Suspense
🍃Touch Her and 💀
🩸Alphahole MMC
🍃Tattooed MMC
🩸DVP/Primal
🍃Voyeurism
🩸Stalker
🍃Obsessed Hero’s
🩸Torturer Lead
🍃Multi-POV
🩸Happy For Now
June 7, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5
🗓️ Release Date: 06.09.2025
📚 Book #3 in the Interconnected Standalone Series "Heathen's Hollow"
💥 Check Trigger Warnings
🖤 MMF
This is the first book that I have read in the Heathen's Hollow series, and I am hooked. This was a decently paced "spooky season" read. Briar [FMC] moves back to Heathens Hollow due to her sickness where she meets Damiano, the house gardener and Flint, the local Smex club’s head bartender who have a messy history/present and some dark secrets.
Briar gets a wild hair and decides to have a "Wild Hunt" themed birthday party in her house to piss off her basically estranged Father [Daddy issues] and everything goes downhill from there. Without giving anything away, there are lots of triggers so just check those before going into this book. I would rate this on the dark scale at a light grey for those that are seasoned Dark Romance Readers [Granted my dark meter is bias and broken] ...Probably Dark grey for those who dabble.
Tropes:
💀 Masked Men
🖤 Stalker
💀 Obsessed Heroes
🖤 Poly Relationship
💀 Touch Her & Die
🖤 Tortured Lead
🌶️🌶️.5/5
🗓️ Release Date: 06.09.2025
📚 Book #3 in the Interconnected Standalone Series "Heathen's Hollow"
💥 Check Trigger Warnings
🖤 MMF
This is the first book that I have read in the Heathen's Hollow series, and I am hooked. This was a decently paced "spooky season" read. Briar [FMC] moves back to Heathens Hollow due to her sickness where she meets Damiano, the house gardener and Flint, the local Smex club’s head bartender who have a messy history/present and some dark secrets.
Briar gets a wild hair and decides to have a "Wild Hunt" themed birthday party in her house to piss off her basically estranged Father [Daddy issues] and everything goes downhill from there. Without giving anything away, there are lots of triggers so just check those before going into this book. I would rate this on the dark scale at a light grey for those that are seasoned Dark Romance Readers [Granted my dark meter is bias and broken] ...Probably Dark grey for those who dabble.
Tropes:
💀 Masked Men
🖤 Stalker
💀 Obsessed Heroes
🖤 Poly Relationship
💀 Touch Her & Die
🖤 Tortured Lead
June 12, 2025
Thank you to Valentine PR and Alta Hensley for this arc!
The tropes:
• primal play
• masked men
• MMF romance
I really loved the vibes of this island and how it reminds me of like the purge in a way (the hunt). But, with hunting and f cking instead of k illing (like the purge). But, the rich on this island get away with a lot.
Overall, enjoyed it! And hope to read the other two previous interconnected standalones!
The tropes:
• primal play
• masked men
• MMF romance
I really loved the vibes of this island and how it reminds me of like the purge in a way (the hunt). But, with hunting and f cking instead of k illing (like the purge). But, the rich on this island get away with a lot.
Overall, enjoyed it! And hope to read the other two previous interconnected standalones!
June 8, 2025
I had the first book in this interconnected standalone series in my tbr for while but reading this was so good. I loved it, it was the perfect plot to spice ratio. I thought the hunt was such a neat aspect, I wish it would’ve been just a little more a part of it but for all I know it was a larger part in the first two books of the series. I still really enjoyed the book wither way. I really liked the toxicity and healing of the relationship between Damiano and Flint. The push and pull, love/lust and hatred relationship they had. It was just 🤌. Literally so good. Plus Briar being the perfect balance to their relationship. I can’t stress how I love the perfect balance aspect in couples. Not all relationships are formed with blood but this one definitely is😈
June 7, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ Releasing 6/9/25 Hollow is the third installment in the interconnected standalone Heathens Hollow Series. I went in blind but dove into Heathens (book #1) as well as Primal (book #2) before devouring Hollow. This series is dark, so please check your trigger warnings before turning a page! In my opinion, the series gets better with each book! Hollow did not disappoint; in Heathens Hollow, you either hunt or get hunted. The “wild hunts” are just that; they are wild but keep you turning pages to see what is happening next. I enjoyed the dynamic of Briar, Flint, & Damiano.
If you enjoy dark stalkers, poly relationships, masked men, daddy issues, and the touch-her-and-die trope, grab yourself a copy of Hollow! You won’t be disappointed.
If you enjoy dark stalkers, poly relationships, masked men, daddy issues, and the touch-her-and-die trope, grab yourself a copy of Hollow! You won’t be disappointed.
August 22, 2025
The third book the series is again dangerous, magnetic, and utterly unrelenting.
Heathens Hollow is more than just a setting; it's a living, breathing entity that pulls you into its twisted heart and refuses to let go.
Briar Waters returns to her family’s secluded summer estate on Heathens Hollow, hoping the isolation will offer a break from the illness that’s been quietly unraveling her life. What she finds instead is a place steeped in secrets and haunted by desire.
Damiano Ricci, The “unusual” groundskeeper who has a way with plants. is the brooding, enigmatic groundskeeper with a gift for coaxing life from the earth.
Flint Bishop, Damiano's former lover, now the sharp-tongued head bartender at The Vault, the island’s shadowy and exclusive club.
Damiano and Flint are each intoxicating in their own right, opposites that burn with a shared past and a dangerous pull toward Briar. Bound by a shared past and drawn together by unfolding tragedy, the three find themselves entangled in something far deeper, and far more dangerous, than any of them could have anticipated.
The tension between all three characters crackles with primal energy, with raw emotion and intensity that feels both forbidden and inevitable.
On the night of the Hunt, when masks slip and both long and short buried secrets claw their way to the surface, desire and danger collide in a way that’s both haunting and irresistible. The tension builds to a finale that is as chilling as it is intoxicating.
This isn’t just a dark romance—it’s a visceral descent into obsession and revelation. A story that lingers, cuts deep, and dares you to come back for more, even when you know it’ll hurt.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
byAlta Hensley
Set within the Gods Among Men Universe, each book in the Heathens Hollow Series can be read as a standalone, but are best enjoyed when read in order:
June 21, 2025
(I received an ARC for this book)
Trigger Warnings include:
attempted rape, murder, the act of hiding a crime, unknown chronic illness, the use of medicinal plants and herbs, rough sexual acts, (anal without lube), primal play
I have been so excited to return to Heathens Hollow! The gothic pieces of my heart loves it there! I really liked getting to enjoy the island in a different way. Briar is basically a stranger to the island, and all its darkness. And Damiano and Flint are kinda low men on the totem pole. They have no power or control. They aren't strangers to each other though...there's some deep seeded pain and anguish shared between those two. And when Briar is added into the fold? Now everything is shared. There's now a lot of secrets shared...and buried. They're the three musketeers in it together now! Three hearts, three secrets. They do say everything comes in threes! Damiano Ricci has a soft heart, and Flint Bishop evens him out with the rugged exterior. The emotions are vicious, raw. Dangerous. Especially when it comes to protecting each other.
For as tough as Briar was, I was disappointed by her occasional childish behavior. She sometimes acted like a rebellious teen. Even had the "I can make my own choices" cliche down. I would have loved some more time spent fleshing out the characters. Who are they outside of the choices they've made?
My Favorite Quotes:
• “I’m already broken. Don’t worry about breaking me more.”
• “I want to f!ck you until the sun comes up.”
• “I’m not looking for a good guy.”
• “Whatever this is between us. It’s not going to end well. For any of us.”
• “Shut up and f!ck me.”
• “Go to hell.” “Yes, I’ve been there with you by my side.”
• “I’m not going to apologize for wanting you both.”
• “You’re worth it.”
• “F!cked up or not, there is no two in our three.”
• “First I want to feel how wet you are for me.”
• “I want to watch you fall apart on his c!ck.”
• “I don’t want to leave. Not when I’ve just found something worth staying for.”
• “It’s not perfect, but it’s ours.”
8/10 Dirty Birdy
8/10 Dark Romance
6/10 Enemies to Lovers
5/10 Forced Proximity
6/10 Second Chance
7/10 Series
This is my review for Heathens
This is my review for Primal
Trigger Warnings include:
attempted rape, murder, the act of hiding a crime, unknown chronic illness, the use of medicinal plants and herbs, rough sexual acts, (anal without lube), primal play
I have been so excited to return to Heathens Hollow! The gothic pieces of my heart loves it there! I really liked getting to enjoy the island in a different way. Briar is basically a stranger to the island, and all its darkness. And Damiano and Flint are kinda low men on the totem pole. They have no power or control. They aren't strangers to each other though...there's some deep seeded pain and anguish shared between those two. And when Briar is added into the fold? Now everything is shared. There's now a lot of secrets shared...and buried. They're the three musketeers in it together now! Three hearts, three secrets. They do say everything comes in threes! Damiano Ricci has a soft heart, and Flint Bishop evens him out with the rugged exterior. The emotions are vicious, raw. Dangerous. Especially when it comes to protecting each other.
For as tough as Briar was, I was disappointed by her occasional childish behavior. She sometimes acted like a rebellious teen. Even had the "I can make my own choices" cliche down. I would have loved some more time spent fleshing out the characters. Who are they outside of the choices they've made?
My Favorite Quotes:
• “I’m already broken. Don’t worry about breaking me more.”
• “I want to f!ck you until the sun comes up.”
• “I’m not looking for a good guy.”
• “Whatever this is between us. It’s not going to end well. For any of us.”
• “Shut up and f!ck me.”
• “Go to hell.” “Yes, I’ve been there with you by my side.”
• “I’m not going to apologize for wanting you both.”
• “You’re worth it.”
• “F!cked up or not, there is no two in our three.”
• “First I want to feel how wet you are for me.”
• “I want to watch you fall apart on his c!ck.”
• “I don’t want to leave. Not when I’ve just found something worth staying for.”
• “It’s not perfect, but it’s ours.”
8/10 Dirty Birdy
8/10 Dark Romance
6/10 Enemies to Lovers
5/10 Forced Proximity
6/10 Second Chance
7/10 Series
This is my review for Heathens
This is my review for Primal
June 22, 2025
Book 3 of Heathens Hollow, where the rich pay for their wicked desires, but sometimes obsession takes over, and morals are thrown out the window with little care for the cost.
When Briar returns to her family estate in Heathens Hollow, it is to rest, recover, and heal from a long-time illness that kept her isolated for many years. The house has not changed a bit, but the elaborate hedge maze her grandmother coveted so much is still here, well-maintained and improved since she last saw it. Now that she is on the island again, she wants to breathe in the fresh ocean air and maybe have a bit of fun. Fun... that's something she has not had in a very long time, so she might look into what this infamous "Hunt" is all about, which is all the buzz on this island.
What Briar didn't expect was to be mixed in a tangled affair with two men on the island.
Damiano is the quiet and very hot groundskeeper of her estate, who is the mastermind of the new additions to the maze on the property and knows every hidden path since he's the one who maintains it.
Flint is a gorgeous bartender at "The Vault", an exclusive members-only establishment that offers people with certain appetites a place to indulge in privacy. Most anything goes at The Vault; you just need to have the money and social status to be a member.
Damino and Flint are former lovers, current enemies, yet can't seem to stay away from each other, regardless of their messy past, and now they are both tied to Briar, for better or worse.
The Hunt approaches soon as the date was moved ahead of schedule. It's Heathens Hollow’s most dangerous ritual of debauchery. After an unfortunate accident on Briar's estate, and its maze being a favorite place for the Hunters to play, it could reveal something Briar, Damino, and Flint want to keep under wraps. Some things should stay buried in Heathens Hollow, but sometimes secrets get unburied on this island.
𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦:
Primal Play
Why Choose
Enemies to Lovers
Touch Her and Die
Masked Men
Stalking
MMF
Dark Romance
Sick FMC
This is an adult-only book and has trigger warnings. Please look into those before reading the book.
Thank you to the author, Alta Hensley, and ValentinePR for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When Briar returns to her family estate in Heathens Hollow, it is to rest, recover, and heal from a long-time illness that kept her isolated for many years. The house has not changed a bit, but the elaborate hedge maze her grandmother coveted so much is still here, well-maintained and improved since she last saw it. Now that she is on the island again, she wants to breathe in the fresh ocean air and maybe have a bit of fun. Fun... that's something she has not had in a very long time, so she might look into what this infamous "Hunt" is all about, which is all the buzz on this island.
What Briar didn't expect was to be mixed in a tangled affair with two men on the island.
Damiano is the quiet and very hot groundskeeper of her estate, who is the mastermind of the new additions to the maze on the property and knows every hidden path since he's the one who maintains it.
Flint is a gorgeous bartender at "The Vault", an exclusive members-only establishment that offers people with certain appetites a place to indulge in privacy. Most anything goes at The Vault; you just need to have the money and social status to be a member.
Damino and Flint are former lovers, current enemies, yet can't seem to stay away from each other, regardless of their messy past, and now they are both tied to Briar, for better or worse.
The Hunt approaches soon as the date was moved ahead of schedule. It's Heathens Hollow’s most dangerous ritual of debauchery. After an unfortunate accident on Briar's estate, and its maze being a favorite place for the Hunters to play, it could reveal something Briar, Damino, and Flint want to keep under wraps. Some things should stay buried in Heathens Hollow, but sometimes secrets get unburied on this island.
𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦:
Primal Play
Why Choose
Enemies to Lovers
Touch Her and Die
Masked Men
Stalking
MMF
Dark Romance
Sick FMC
This is an adult-only book and has trigger warnings. Please look into those before reading the book.
Thank you to the author, Alta Hensley, and ValentinePR for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2025
When I say that I ate this book up, I mean that I read this in one sitting and did not put it down until I finished! You started this ride, and once you were on, it didn't stop! This was such a great story, and I loved the characters!
The story follows Briar, who moves back to Heathen's Hollow, where her family's mansion is, to rest because of her sickness. Briar has a debilitating autoimmune disease that takes a toll on her. While there, she meets Damiano, the gardener of her estate, and Flint, who runs the club's bar. When Briar meets both of them, she notices that there is something more going on between the two of them. Once Briar has settled into town, she decides to throw a birthday party with the theme of the hunt. While this is something that her family has never taken part in, and is an old tradition on the island. Briar knows that her father wouldn't approve of her throwing this party, especially with the theme, but she doesn't care. While Briar wants to have a fun and sexy night, it soon leads to something far more dark and sinister.
I loved both Flint and Damiano, and I loved how much they cared for Briar right from when they met her. But I also like how they both bring something so different to their relationship with Briar. Flint is the one who is rough and knows that she is capable of more, even if she has an autoimmune disease. Briar just wants people to treat her like she's normal, and that's exactly how Flint treats her. Damiano is soft, kind, and caring with Birar.
The spice was also off the charts in this book! The hate that Damiano and Flint had for each other was spicy and hot. They hated each other, but they couldn't keep their hands off each other. But, they also couldn't keep their hands off Briar. This book was the perfect mix of being a little slow burn in the beginning, but you can feel the tension that all the characters have with each other!
Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it. 5/5 stars!
The story follows Briar, who moves back to Heathen's Hollow, where her family's mansion is, to rest because of her sickness. Briar has a debilitating autoimmune disease that takes a toll on her. While there, she meets Damiano, the gardener of her estate, and Flint, who runs the club's bar. When Briar meets both of them, she notices that there is something more going on between the two of them. Once Briar has settled into town, she decides to throw a birthday party with the theme of the hunt. While this is something that her family has never taken part in, and is an old tradition on the island. Briar knows that her father wouldn't approve of her throwing this party, especially with the theme, but she doesn't care. While Briar wants to have a fun and sexy night, it soon leads to something far more dark and sinister.
I loved both Flint and Damiano, and I loved how much they cared for Briar right from when they met her. But I also like how they both bring something so different to their relationship with Briar. Flint is the one who is rough and knows that she is capable of more, even if she has an autoimmune disease. Briar just wants people to treat her like she's normal, and that's exactly how Flint treats her. Damiano is soft, kind, and caring with Birar.
The spice was also off the charts in this book! The hate that Damiano and Flint had for each other was spicy and hot. They hated each other, but they couldn't keep their hands off each other. But, they also couldn't keep their hands off Briar. This book was the perfect mix of being a little slow burn in the beginning, but you can feel the tension that all the characters have with each other!
Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it. 5/5 stars!
June 19, 2025
I have this as 3.5 because I felt like I was always little bit confused. It felt like i came in on a conversation that had just started and I missed like a question being asked but the whole books was the question being answered, does that make sense?
The FMC, Briar, makes it seem as if the island is alive and kind of keeping people there which I really liked the idea of but at the same time I feel like it wasnt truly executed that way more of a we're stuck here but not the islands fault kind of way. I did like the dynamic between each of the main characters individually and together. I felt like their relationship was inevitable in a good way and they were just buying time. Damiano and Flint have such good, "I hate you but I love you" chemistry and you can see that the past really messed them up in a way that just needed to be actually talked about not just them yelling at each other in the abstract and Briar helped to facilitate that kind of immediately but then realized they needed to be vulnerable not just pushed to talk. the spice was really good, I loved the voyeurism and the individual scenes becoming group scenes as well as the sneaking around with danger lurking in every corner. the plant knowledge was also hot, which I didn't realize I would be into.
the island traditions seemed interesting and I wish we had gotten to actually witness a real hunt or get some voyeurism scenes out of it since it was talked about so much.
thank you to valentine pr and the author for allowing me to read
The FMC, Briar, makes it seem as if the island is alive and kind of keeping people there which I really liked the idea of but at the same time I feel like it wasnt truly executed that way more of a we're stuck here but not the islands fault kind of way. I did like the dynamic between each of the main characters individually and together. I felt like their relationship was inevitable in a good way and they were just buying time. Damiano and Flint have such good, "I hate you but I love you" chemistry and you can see that the past really messed them up in a way that just needed to be actually talked about not just them yelling at each other in the abstract and Briar helped to facilitate that kind of immediately but then realized they needed to be vulnerable not just pushed to talk. the spice was really good, I loved the voyeurism and the individual scenes becoming group scenes as well as the sneaking around with danger lurking in every corner. the plant knowledge was also hot, which I didn't realize I would be into.
the island traditions seemed interesting and I wish we had gotten to actually witness a real hunt or get some voyeurism scenes out of it since it was talked about so much.
thank you to valentine pr and the author for allowing me to read
June 16, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ 4 🌶️
Review:
I really went into this thinking that it would be great considering I enjoyed the first one… but it ended up just being meh for me. I felt like the chemistry between Briar and the guys were too instantaneous. It was great when just Flint and Damiano had a hate/love relationship. But then they were both just swept away by this ill girl. Who I forgot was even sick throughout the second half until it was mentioned. And then the plot of this story repeated itself inside the book??? No thank you. Just not for me.
Summary:
After going through some intense time battling her autoimmune disease, Briar decides to return to the island to heal. Shes alone most of the time besides the hired help there to assist her. And one of them being dark and mysterious, Damiano. He’s the gardener and has a troubled relationship with Flint. They hate each other but can’t seem to stay away. And after Briar throws a Hunt party and comes into a situation both guys stumbled upon, they won’t be able to stay away from her either. Whether they like it or not, they’re all linked now.
Favorite Quote:
“It’s fucked up how stuff stays the same while people disappear.. reduced to memory.”
Tropes:
•love triangle
•MFM
•primal play
•autoimmune disease
•dark secrets
•SA
Review:
I really went into this thinking that it would be great considering I enjoyed the first one… but it ended up just being meh for me. I felt like the chemistry between Briar and the guys were too instantaneous. It was great when just Flint and Damiano had a hate/love relationship. But then they were both just swept away by this ill girl. Who I forgot was even sick throughout the second half until it was mentioned. And then the plot of this story repeated itself inside the book??? No thank you. Just not for me.
Summary:
After going through some intense time battling her autoimmune disease, Briar decides to return to the island to heal. Shes alone most of the time besides the hired help there to assist her. And one of them being dark and mysterious, Damiano. He’s the gardener and has a troubled relationship with Flint. They hate each other but can’t seem to stay away. And after Briar throws a Hunt party and comes into a situation both guys stumbled upon, they won’t be able to stay away from her either. Whether they like it or not, they’re all linked now.
Favorite Quote:
“It’s fucked up how stuff stays the same while people disappear.. reduced to memory.”
Tropes:
•love triangle
•MFM
•primal play
•autoimmune disease
•dark secrets
•SA
June 10, 2025
Bravo, Alta!! I absolutely enjoyed this!!
I did not (very sadly) read the first two book in this series but it did not at all damper by enjoyment of this book. I definitely have this burning need to go back and read them though.
Briar has returned home and while she's trying to get out of her current "lifestyle", she decides to host a party at her family's estate. Along the way, she connects with Damiano and Flint and so begins the story.
It was really entertaining to see the push and pull between Damiano and Flint. And then add Briar into that mix - perfection. For me personally, this was the only area that I wanted more. Alta gives readers what we need, but I just felt like we could've had more. But I also understand why we didn't as it wouldn't have fit the overall vibe of the story. It's also why it didn't hurt the story for me in anyway, I am just being selfish in wanting more from these three in that MMF aspect. LOL
Alta's writing style makes you feel like you are right in the thick of things with these characters. The pacing was perfect and everything flowed naturally from the romance aspect to the haunting parts. I loved everything about this book.
I did not (very sadly) read the first two book in this series but it did not at all damper by enjoyment of this book. I definitely have this burning need to go back and read them though.
Briar has returned home and while she's trying to get out of her current "lifestyle", she decides to host a party at her family's estate. Along the way, she connects with Damiano and Flint and so begins the story.
It was really entertaining to see the push and pull between Damiano and Flint. And then add Briar into that mix - perfection. For me personally, this was the only area that I wanted more. Alta gives readers what we need, but I just felt like we could've had more. But I also understand why we didn't as it wouldn't have fit the overall vibe of the story. It's also why it didn't hurt the story for me in anyway, I am just being selfish in wanting more from these three in that MMF aspect. LOL
Alta's writing style makes you feel like you are right in the thick of things with these characters. The pacing was perfect and everything flowed naturally from the romance aspect to the haunting parts. I loved everything about this book.
June 8, 2025
ARC Review
4.75⭐
Wow! Murder, Sex & Plants. What more could a girl want?
I really loved the chronic illness representation and the stubbornness of Briar! I'd like to know what herbs Damiano gave her to help sleep please? 🤣
I read Hollow as a standalone but now NEED to read Heath and Primal for more Hunt action. I already have them ready to read on my Kindle.
I felt like there was more to Damianos & Briars story. Why did Flint keep asking about 'baby sitting' or calling Briar, Damiano's pet project? Like he knew more?
So glad the Bastian brothers all got what they deserved. Scumbags.
Also I feel like Chapter 15 may have been the sexiest scene I've ever read. Love the thought of him watching them through the window 🥵
Thank you to the author and VPR for the ARC 💛
4.75⭐
Wow! Murder, Sex & Plants. What more could a girl want?
I really loved the chronic illness representation and the stubbornness of Briar! I'd like to know what herbs Damiano gave her to help sleep please? 🤣
I read Hollow as a standalone but now NEED to read Heath and Primal for more Hunt action. I already have them ready to read on my Kindle.
I felt like there was more to Damianos & Briars story. Why did Flint keep asking about 'baby sitting' or calling Briar, Damiano's pet project? Like he knew more?
So glad the Bastian brothers all got what they deserved. Scumbags.
Also I feel like Chapter 15 may have been the sexiest scene I've ever read. Love the thought of him watching them through the window 🥵
Thank you to the author and VPR for the ARC 💛
June 10, 2025
Briar returns to the family home to become healthy and live her life away from the Waters family and her father's remarriage.
She spies on Damiano, the gardener, who is wonderfully handsome and is immediate intrigued. But then she decides to go into town and runs into Flint, charismatic and very sensual, and again she feels drawn to him also.
Events draw this trio together and cause them to become support and protective of each other. This leads them on a path of chaos and life altering consequence.
I truly loved this story so much ❤️
She spies on Damiano, the gardener, who is wonderfully handsome and is immediate intrigued. But then she decides to go into town and runs into Flint, charismatic and very sensual, and again she feels drawn to him also.
Events draw this trio together and cause them to become support and protective of each other. This leads them on a path of chaos and life altering consequence.
I truly loved this story so much ❤️
September 20, 2025
I absolutely loved the first two books in the series. This one was just okay. I kept thinking that the heroine was around 21 because of how naive she was portrayed. She's 28. 😐 Lacking chemistry between the thruple.
June 24, 2025
It took me some time to get back to the Hollow. I enjoyed this one. The heat between them was tangible. The anger between Flint and Damiamo was off the charts. Briar smoothed their rough edges. The dead bodies started piling up. The hunt… wow. It was good. This book had totally new characters. This is a MM/MFM.
July 12, 2025
Hollow is the third book in the Heathens Hollow Series. It doesn't have to be read in order but can be read completely as a standalone. They're no cliffhanger or cheating and complete with a happily-ever-after. A brilliantly crafted story with damaged and broken individuals and a twisty and complex storyline that grabs the audience from the start and keeps you riveted and on edge of your seat with it's pulse-pounding adventure, non-stop twists and turns and mystery. An unputdownable and addictive read. Hang on to your seat and brace yourself for this tantalizing dark game of tension, cravings and heart-stirring emotions and follow along as these individuals all fall in love. Decadent. Captivating. Dark. Twisted. Dirty. Sinful. This is Briar, Flint and Damiano story which is told from a multiple point of view. This story demands to be read and screamed escape from the everyday life and gave that something extra that you craved and never knew that you needed. Warning Triggers:
🧍♂️🧍♀️🧍MFM, M/M, M/F Romance
☠️Touch-Her-and-Die Romance
☑️Polyamorous Romance
💋Primal Play
☑️Dark Romance
☑️Gothic Romance
☑️Masked Men
☑️Stalking
☑️Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
☑️Why-Choose Romance
♟️Autoimmune Disease
♟️Second Chance Romance
☑️Hate-to-Love Relationship
☑️Protective Alpha Heroes
☑️Chaos, Danger, Murders
🔥Debauchery, Depravity, Kinky Fuckery
Hollow Heathens picks up with another hunt but with a more sinister plot filled with murders, violence, trauma, bloodshed, pain and hurt, threats, attacks, passion, intrigue, love, consensual intense rough sex, dirty talking, revelations, dominance, submission, daddy issues, family found, many secrets, drama, possessiveness, obsession, betrayal, enemies, BDSM, darkness, madness, survival, loss, grief and so much more.
Briar Waters return to her family home the Heathens Hollow after being gone for a long time. She's has been sick for many years with an autoimmune disease and came for a well needed rest; to heal, to rest. To escape the prison her life has become. However, she got there for some alone time thinking that she would have some alone time. But she found Daminano, the grounds-keeper who knows every hidden path through the maze. Flint, the bartender whose eyes hold truths about the island she's not ready to face. And all her former lovers, current enemies who are both now inexplicably tied to her. Flint, is works at the Vault a kink sex club. He and Damiano as a contentious relationship. Briar decided to throw herself a birthday party for herself since her as forgotten that it was even her birthday and it seems like no one cares about her. She decided to have party inspired by the hunt which Heathens Hollow is famous for with an invitation to everyone on the island.
It's party where women is chased in the woods and gets capture by the male they gets to spend all night with each other doing whatever. However, things doesn't go as she thought it would go and blows out of proportion with a mass crowd of people which she couldn't handle. Trying to get a breath of fresh air she decided to leave the party and goes to maze but got lost and was accosted in the maze and Flint and Damiano saved her after they saw her next to the dead body of the brother of Viktor, the most cold-blooded and vicious man on Heathens Hollow island. The two helped her discard of the body and the act bonded them together. Viktor searches for his brother and vows vengeance against anyone who has anything to do with his disappearance. As they spends more time together the two men realized that they were attracted to Briar and this started a relationship between them. And Damiano and Flint were able to put their differences aside and reconcile their relationship after their break-up and hated for each other. There were redemption, healing, resilience, revenge and retaliation.
I received an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
🧍♂️🧍♀️🧍MFM, M/M, M/F Romance
☠️Touch-Her-and-Die Romance
☑️Polyamorous Romance
💋Primal Play
☑️Dark Romance
☑️Gothic Romance
☑️Masked Men
☑️Stalking
☑️Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
☑️Why-Choose Romance
♟️Autoimmune Disease
♟️Second Chance Romance
☑️Hate-to-Love Relationship
☑️Protective Alpha Heroes
☑️Chaos, Danger, Murders
🔥Debauchery, Depravity, Kinky Fuckery
Hollow Heathens picks up with another hunt but with a more sinister plot filled with murders, violence, trauma, bloodshed, pain and hurt, threats, attacks, passion, intrigue, love, consensual intense rough sex, dirty talking, revelations, dominance, submission, daddy issues, family found, many secrets, drama, possessiveness, obsession, betrayal, enemies, BDSM, darkness, madness, survival, loss, grief and so much more.
Briar Waters return to her family home the Heathens Hollow after being gone for a long time. She's has been sick for many years with an autoimmune disease and came for a well needed rest; to heal, to rest. To escape the prison her life has become. However, she got there for some alone time thinking that she would have some alone time. But she found Daminano, the grounds-keeper who knows every hidden path through the maze. Flint, the bartender whose eyes hold truths about the island she's not ready to face. And all her former lovers, current enemies who are both now inexplicably tied to her. Flint, is works at the Vault a kink sex club. He and Damiano as a contentious relationship. Briar decided to throw herself a birthday party for herself since her as forgotten that it was even her birthday and it seems like no one cares about her. She decided to have party inspired by the hunt which Heathens Hollow is famous for with an invitation to everyone on the island.
It's party where women is chased in the woods and gets capture by the male they gets to spend all night with each other doing whatever. However, things doesn't go as she thought it would go and blows out of proportion with a mass crowd of people which she couldn't handle. Trying to get a breath of fresh air she decided to leave the party and goes to maze but got lost and was accosted in the maze and Flint and Damiano saved her after they saw her next to the dead body of the brother of Viktor, the most cold-blooded and vicious man on Heathens Hollow island. The two helped her discard of the body and the act bonded them together. Viktor searches for his brother and vows vengeance against anyone who has anything to do with his disappearance. As they spends more time together the two men realized that they were attracted to Briar and this started a relationship between them. And Damiano and Flint were able to put their differences aside and reconcile their relationship after their break-up and hated for each other. There were redemption, healing, resilience, revenge and retaliation.
I received an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 11, 2025
Returning to Heathens Hollow isn’t Briar’s idea of fun, battling an illness that consumes her, her father is of the belief that her being back here will better her health, but for the first time is years she finds freedom and a sense of control that she has not felt before.
The Winward Estate is mysterious as are its inhabitants of Heathens Hollow, that’s why Briar decides to hold a Hunt themed birthday party, only the Hunt has significant meaning to those who partake in it’s festivities, yet there is an underlying current that even Briar isn’t aware of, until Briar finds herself in a situation that forces her to defend herself, only her actions have consequences when Damiano and Flint happen upon her, the bloodshed telling them all they need to know, do they realise Briar is in way over her head.
It’s clear as day that Damiano and Flint have a history and a toxic one at that. Damiano has a way about him, he clearly understands that Briar is battling a silent illness, yet it is his natural remedies that give her a new lease on life. Briar is intrigued by Damiano, she has a quiet strength and determination that shows him that she’s more than capable of handling herself.
But something about Damiano calls to Briar, she’s longed to feel something, anything and with him he makes her feel free, whole and complete. Flint has another layer to him that Briar wants to understand, but Flint’s feelings mask something deeper, and when they lay everything out, do we understand why their love for each other is so toxic.
Heathens Hollow knows how to take care of their own and Viktor is determined to get answers behind his brother Liam’s disappearance, having already lost his brother Erik, he will leave no stone unturned until he finds those responsible.
Briar, Damiano and Flint go about their daily life as if nothing ever happened, they’re cautious about where they meet and what they discuss, doing their best to be discreet. But this one secret draws them together, the lust and chemistry that these three exhibit is undeniable, pleasure, passion and pain igniting in a tangle of limbs, this moment bringing them together, but changing the dynamics of their relationship on a fundamental level, one that they didn’t anticipate.
With the Hunt in full swing, they thought they were safe, only someone else decided that Briar needed to play the game, realising little too late that as the events unfold, does she realise she’s been manipulated, by Viktor. He always suspected there was more to Briar Waters, and with how close she had been getting to Damiano and Flint did his suspicions prove correct.
Briar, determined not to become a victim of circumstance, does everything she can to fight Viktor, does Damiano come to her aid. In bloodshed and violence does the truth come out, Viktor and Damiano at an impasse, and in a split second it all changes, with Briar, Damiano and Flint now inexplicably tied together by the many buried secrets that Winward Estate hold.
Briar had every intention of leaving Heathens Hollow, but that was before she found her heart now lays with Damiano and Flint and her home, Winward Estate, when they learn the truth, it shocks them, but are both happy that Briar is staying. Because of her, they have found balance, the missing piece of their puzzle, the one person that makes senses in their chaotic lives, the one they see their future with.
But there lives wouldn’t be complete without a Hunt of their own, one where they claim there girl. There love for her raw, primitive, beautiful, powerful, dangerous, yet primal. Yet, it was dirty, filthy, depraved, uninhibited, sinfully wicked, steamy and delicious in all the best possible ways. With Briar, she is there heart and home, there forever.
Highly recommend both the author and the book. Can’t wait to read what this author writes next.
I received an ARC. Therefore, I am submitting a voluntary review.
The Winward Estate is mysterious as are its inhabitants of Heathens Hollow, that’s why Briar decides to hold a Hunt themed birthday party, only the Hunt has significant meaning to those who partake in it’s festivities, yet there is an underlying current that even Briar isn’t aware of, until Briar finds herself in a situation that forces her to defend herself, only her actions have consequences when Damiano and Flint happen upon her, the bloodshed telling them all they need to know, do they realise Briar is in way over her head.
It’s clear as day that Damiano and Flint have a history and a toxic one at that. Damiano has a way about him, he clearly understands that Briar is battling a silent illness, yet it is his natural remedies that give her a new lease on life. Briar is intrigued by Damiano, she has a quiet strength and determination that shows him that she’s more than capable of handling herself.
But something about Damiano calls to Briar, she’s longed to feel something, anything and with him he makes her feel free, whole and complete. Flint has another layer to him that Briar wants to understand, but Flint’s feelings mask something deeper, and when they lay everything out, do we understand why their love for each other is so toxic.
Heathens Hollow knows how to take care of their own and Viktor is determined to get answers behind his brother Liam’s disappearance, having already lost his brother Erik, he will leave no stone unturned until he finds those responsible.
Briar, Damiano and Flint go about their daily life as if nothing ever happened, they’re cautious about where they meet and what they discuss, doing their best to be discreet. But this one secret draws them together, the lust and chemistry that these three exhibit is undeniable, pleasure, passion and pain igniting in a tangle of limbs, this moment bringing them together, but changing the dynamics of their relationship on a fundamental level, one that they didn’t anticipate.
With the Hunt in full swing, they thought they were safe, only someone else decided that Briar needed to play the game, realising little too late that as the events unfold, does she realise she’s been manipulated, by Viktor. He always suspected there was more to Briar Waters, and with how close she had been getting to Damiano and Flint did his suspicions prove correct.
Briar, determined not to become a victim of circumstance, does everything she can to fight Viktor, does Damiano come to her aid. In bloodshed and violence does the truth come out, Viktor and Damiano at an impasse, and in a split second it all changes, with Briar, Damiano and Flint now inexplicably tied together by the many buried secrets that Winward Estate hold.
Briar had every intention of leaving Heathens Hollow, but that was before she found her heart now lays with Damiano and Flint and her home, Winward Estate, when they learn the truth, it shocks them, but are both happy that Briar is staying. Because of her, they have found balance, the missing piece of their puzzle, the one person that makes senses in their chaotic lives, the one they see their future with.
But there lives wouldn’t be complete without a Hunt of their own, one where they claim there girl. There love for her raw, primitive, beautiful, powerful, dangerous, yet primal. Yet, it was dirty, filthy, depraved, uninhibited, sinfully wicked, steamy and delicious in all the best possible ways. With Briar, she is there heart and home, there forever.
Highly recommend both the author and the book. Can’t wait to read what this author writes next.
I received an ARC. Therefore, I am submitting a voluntary review.
June 8, 2025
Hollow is book three of the Heathens Hollow Series by Alta Hensley with MM / MF / MMF scenes. Another tale based around life on this unusual island and the fascinating hunt that is regularly held there by the owners of The Vault. It’s a story full of twists and turns, with secrets galore and revelations as Briar Waters returns brings chaos to the lives of Damiano Ricci and Flint Bishop. A slow burn relationship which develops into something none of them expected.
The Windward Estate is the Waters family summer home on Heathens Hollow. Briar’s father has sent her there to recover from her autoimmune disease. Her illness has stolen so much from her that she desperately wants to be treated like a normal person for a change. She meets Damiano, the estate’s groundskeeper who is hot and brooding so she’s immediately attracted to him.
Damiano loves looking after the gardens and especially the maze, which has been built on secrets and is about to keep many more. He lives in the old greenhouse and knows all about plants and herbs, producing remedies and potions. He likes fixing broken things so is drawn to Briar and how she pushes herself.
Determined to enjoy life while she can, she decides to hold a hunt themed party to celebrate her birthday. She meets Flint outside The Vault where he is the head barman. She is surprised by her attraction to him as he gives off bad boy vibes but also quickly realises there is a history between him and Damiano.
The guys have a hate to love relationship which at times is violent. They were together but broke up and now they are unable to break the cycle of destroying each other. She is not what either of them expected and when the party doesn’t end well for her, they both come to her rescue. The three are left with a predicament they have to work together to sort out. Now due to circumstances out of their control, the guys are back bound to each other in blood and secrets.
They end up together after separate liaisons and she’s caught up in the middle and loving every encounter with them. She feels a dangerous pull to both of them and wants them both as they make her feel wanted. Damiano makes her feel safe and cares for her. Flint makes her feel alive and doesn’t treat her like she’ll break.
Revelations from their past surprises her
and we find out what really happened between them. Turns out the history between them is far more complicated than she thought. Both are very protective of her and start to believe they belong together. They understand each other, accept the broken parts and together become whole.
Things start getting dangerous for the three as events mean the truth could be revealed. Then the Hunt causes them more problems and leads to another deadly encounter for Briar. I loved all the revelations at the end and the final scenes between her and the guys. Another action packed and steamy story on the mysterious island. The guys are great and Briar shows such strength and determination in adversity.
The Windward Estate is the Waters family summer home on Heathens Hollow. Briar’s father has sent her there to recover from her autoimmune disease. Her illness has stolen so much from her that she desperately wants to be treated like a normal person for a change. She meets Damiano, the estate’s groundskeeper who is hot and brooding so she’s immediately attracted to him.
Damiano loves looking after the gardens and especially the maze, which has been built on secrets and is about to keep many more. He lives in the old greenhouse and knows all about plants and herbs, producing remedies and potions. He likes fixing broken things so is drawn to Briar and how she pushes herself.
Determined to enjoy life while she can, she decides to hold a hunt themed party to celebrate her birthday. She meets Flint outside The Vault where he is the head barman. She is surprised by her attraction to him as he gives off bad boy vibes but also quickly realises there is a history between him and Damiano.
The guys have a hate to love relationship which at times is violent. They were together but broke up and now they are unable to break the cycle of destroying each other. She is not what either of them expected and when the party doesn’t end well for her, they both come to her rescue. The three are left with a predicament they have to work together to sort out. Now due to circumstances out of their control, the guys are back bound to each other in blood and secrets.
They end up together after separate liaisons and she’s caught up in the middle and loving every encounter with them. She feels a dangerous pull to both of them and wants them both as they make her feel wanted. Damiano makes her feel safe and cares for her. Flint makes her feel alive and doesn’t treat her like she’ll break.
Revelations from their past surprises her
and we find out what really happened between them. Turns out the history between them is far more complicated than she thought. Both are very protective of her and start to believe they belong together. They understand each other, accept the broken parts and together become whole.
Things start getting dangerous for the three as events mean the truth could be revealed. Then the Hunt causes them more problems and leads to another deadly encounter for Briar. I loved all the revelations at the end and the final scenes between her and the guys. Another action packed and steamy story on the mysterious island. The guys are great and Briar shows such strength and determination in adversity.
June 6, 2025
I couldn’t wait to go back into the world of Heathens Hollow! The way this author pulls you into this world is amazing. Each book in this series centers around the annual Hunt. No need to describe it – it is exactly what you think. Yeah, lots of primal debauchery – and I’m here for every toe-curling minute!
Hollow centers around our FMC Briar, and the MMC’s Damiano and Flint. Briar is summering at her family home trying to recuperate from a debilitating autoimmune disorder. She’s tired of feeling like a burden to everyone, including her father who treats her more like a medical experiment than a daughter. She wants to take back some of what she used to be before illness took her life over. Growing up, she heard stories about the hunt, never participating herself. While wandering alone through the huge summer home, she decides she is going to do something for herself. She decides she’s going to throw a hunt-themed party and invite everyone and anyone she can find.
Enter Flint. She stumbles upon the handsome stranger outside The Vault, the local kink club catering to the elite and their depraved needs. Flint is the head bartender at The Vault. He’s cocky and a total bad boy. But Briar is definitely intrigued by him.
And then there’s Damiano, the gardener for her estate. When she meets him there is an instant attraction. She thinks he’s gorgeous and then she learns he’s an herbalist and he knows about alternative medicine. He too, is drawn to the beautiful Briar.
Feeling overwhelmed at her party, she needs air and quiet. She sneaks out and makes her way to the hedge maze on the estate to clear her head and then all hell breaks loose. What happens next binds Briar, Damiano and Flint into bonds being formed and secrets revealed.
The twists with this book seemed to pop up around every corner. The suspense, the secrets, the turmoil between Damiano and Flint, and the spice – oh my the spice! This book has everything! This book was a perfect blend of everything I like wrapped up in a nice little black bow.
I loved this group! Even with Briar’s illness she showed an admirable resolve and strength. She didn’t want to be seen as weak. Damiano and Flint were pure fire! The push-pull, the love-hate…perfection! And the three of them together!
While this is part of an interconnect series, it can be read as a standalone. Although, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning to get the full effect from this world. You won’t be disappointed!
Hollow centers around our FMC Briar, and the MMC’s Damiano and Flint. Briar is summering at her family home trying to recuperate from a debilitating autoimmune disorder. She’s tired of feeling like a burden to everyone, including her father who treats her more like a medical experiment than a daughter. She wants to take back some of what she used to be before illness took her life over. Growing up, she heard stories about the hunt, never participating herself. While wandering alone through the huge summer home, she decides she is going to do something for herself. She decides she’s going to throw a hunt-themed party and invite everyone and anyone she can find.
Enter Flint. She stumbles upon the handsome stranger outside The Vault, the local kink club catering to the elite and their depraved needs. Flint is the head bartender at The Vault. He’s cocky and a total bad boy. But Briar is definitely intrigued by him.
And then there’s Damiano, the gardener for her estate. When she meets him there is an instant attraction. She thinks he’s gorgeous and then she learns he’s an herbalist and he knows about alternative medicine. He too, is drawn to the beautiful Briar.
Feeling overwhelmed at her party, she needs air and quiet. She sneaks out and makes her way to the hedge maze on the estate to clear her head and then all hell breaks loose. What happens next binds Briar, Damiano and Flint into bonds being formed and secrets revealed.
The twists with this book seemed to pop up around every corner. The suspense, the secrets, the turmoil between Damiano and Flint, and the spice – oh my the spice! This book has everything! This book was a perfect blend of everything I like wrapped up in a nice little black bow.
I loved this group! Even with Briar’s illness she showed an admirable resolve and strength. She didn’t want to be seen as weak. Damiano and Flint were pure fire! The push-pull, the love-hate…perfection! And the three of them together!
While this is part of an interconnect series, it can be read as a standalone. Although, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning to get the full effect from this world. You won’t be disappointed!
June 13, 2025
Thank you to Valentine PR for a chance to read Hollow early!
Hollow is the third book of the Heathens Hollow series, it can be read as a standalone and is also connected to Alta’s Gods Among Men series. For reference, I have only read book 2 and 3 in this series and have not felt as though I’ve missed any key plot points.
Always check trigger warnings when reading dark romance.
Alta is AMAZING at firing on all cylinders right out of the gate and Hollow is no exception. We have our first major plot pushing event in chapter one and you immediately get a sense of the danger and depravity Heathens Hollow carries.
Briar is such a badass FMC, she is (by definition due to her illness) weak, but refutes that wholly and continues to impress and surprise not only Damiano and Flint, but us as readers as well. The boys are broody, dark, mysterious, and HOT. Their chemistry is palpable, and I just love that Briar enters the equation when they’re at a point of lovers-to-enemies/love-to-hate. Watching the three of them navigate not only current issues, but the past demons was really fun and Alta did a great job of combining them while giving us a feeling of complete storytelling in both the ‘then’ and the ‘now’ portions.
The autoimmune rep is incredible. First of all, the fact that Alta left it at a very blanket ‘autoimmune disease’ is great, because while each one does have specifics to it, there are common symptoms across the board and to me keeping it broad really helped widen the visibility for those who do suffer from any autoimmune issue. As I said before, Briar is expected to be weak due to her illness but she proves herself to be one of the strongest FMCs in the game, and that is so incredibly relatable to me, as my friend with an autoimmune (Bechets) has been taken all the way out more times than I can count, but she continues to fight back and to this day is one of the strongest people I know, both physically and mentally.
This is on the slightly higher end of an interconnected dark romance page count, clocking in over 350 pages, but it felt like it was 250. I flew through it, desperate to know more and then being sad when I knew we were coming to an end.
My biggest complaint is that I feel like this will be the final book in the series, and there’s still so much more I’d love to see and know about Heathens Hollow. I do plan to check out the Gods Among Men series, as I believe that trilogy tells us the origin of the Island and how it came to be run by dangerous and powerful men.
Hollow is the third book of the Heathens Hollow series, it can be read as a standalone and is also connected to Alta’s Gods Among Men series. For reference, I have only read book 2 and 3 in this series and have not felt as though I’ve missed any key plot points.
Always check trigger warnings when reading dark romance.
Alta is AMAZING at firing on all cylinders right out of the gate and Hollow is no exception. We have our first major plot pushing event in chapter one and you immediately get a sense of the danger and depravity Heathens Hollow carries.
Briar is such a badass FMC, she is (by definition due to her illness) weak, but refutes that wholly and continues to impress and surprise not only Damiano and Flint, but us as readers as well. The boys are broody, dark, mysterious, and HOT. Their chemistry is palpable, and I just love that Briar enters the equation when they’re at a point of lovers-to-enemies/love-to-hate. Watching the three of them navigate not only current issues, but the past demons was really fun and Alta did a great job of combining them while giving us a feeling of complete storytelling in both the ‘then’ and the ‘now’ portions.
The autoimmune rep is incredible. First of all, the fact that Alta left it at a very blanket ‘autoimmune disease’ is great, because while each one does have specifics to it, there are common symptoms across the board and to me keeping it broad really helped widen the visibility for those who do suffer from any autoimmune issue. As I said before, Briar is expected to be weak due to her illness but she proves herself to be one of the strongest FMCs in the game, and that is so incredibly relatable to me, as my friend with an autoimmune (Bechets) has been taken all the way out more times than I can count, but she continues to fight back and to this day is one of the strongest people I know, both physically and mentally.
This is on the slightly higher end of an interconnected dark romance page count, clocking in over 350 pages, but it felt like it was 250. I flew through it, desperate to know more and then being sad when I knew we were coming to an end.
My biggest complaint is that I feel like this will be the final book in the series, and there’s still so much more I’d love to see and know about Heathens Hollow. I do plan to check out the Gods Among Men series, as I believe that trilogy tells us the origin of the Island and how it came to be run by dangerous and powerful men.
September 9, 2025
When I saw this was a dark why choose I SIGNED UP SO QUICK! I was sucked in immediately from page 1. The eerie feeling I got that felt so amazing like it was a gothic dark horror movie.
You have our FMC BRIAR who is sick and goes back to the island she grew up on. Immediately I was drawn to her. I could feel and resonate with her pain feeling different and another shell of herself. When she got sick she became this darker morbid version of herself and before then she was carefree and funny. I resonated so much with that.
DRUM ROLLLLLLL: she meets OUR FIRST MMC DAMIANO RICCI? HELLLO? DADDY WITH AN ACCENT he takes care of the gardens and the green house and makes potions out of the herbs? SMASH NEXT QUESTION PLS.
BRIAR WANTS TO HOST A “HUNT” themed party at her house to rebel against her father she’s always been intrigued by it. The hunt is where the females dress in white dresses and the men wear masks and chase you through the woods only thing is don’t get caught. She’s throwing a party and tells our new HOT BARTNEDER DADDY WITH WHITE AT HIS TEMPLE (SMASH ALREADY) to invite ppl little does she know that BOTH OUR MMCS HAVE HISTORY AND CHEMISTRY
“You don’t want me telling your new project about last night? About what you do with that tongue when you think no one’s watching?”
LIKE THE WAY I WAS BITING MY FIST OVER THEN PLSSSS. When the boyfriends are boyfriends S L A Y.
THE FIRST SCENE BETWEEN BOTH MMCS WILL HAVE YOU GRIPPING THE SHEETS AND RUNNING TO TAKE A COLD SHOWER. This book is everything and more.
The party is all fun and games until one scene changes briars life and now the 3 of them are bound by blood and need to find a way to survive! as they’re trying to survive they realize they have more chemistry than they realized. DEFINITELY SUCH A HOT DARK WHY CHOOSE THAT I WILL BE REREADING over and OVER. If you asked me to choose between DAMIANO & FLINT I CHOOSE BOTH.
🖤masked men
🖤stalker
🖤obsessed heroes
🖤why choose
🖤touch her and die
🖤tortured lead
You have our FMC BRIAR who is sick and goes back to the island she grew up on. Immediately I was drawn to her. I could feel and resonate with her pain feeling different and another shell of herself. When she got sick she became this darker morbid version of herself and before then she was carefree and funny. I resonated so much with that.
DRUM ROLLLLLLL: she meets OUR FIRST MMC DAMIANO RICCI? HELLLO? DADDY WITH AN ACCENT he takes care of the gardens and the green house and makes potions out of the herbs? SMASH NEXT QUESTION PLS.
BRIAR WANTS TO HOST A “HUNT” themed party at her house to rebel against her father she’s always been intrigued by it. The hunt is where the females dress in white dresses and the men wear masks and chase you through the woods only thing is don’t get caught. She’s throwing a party and tells our new HOT BARTNEDER DADDY WITH WHITE AT HIS TEMPLE (SMASH ALREADY) to invite ppl little does she know that BOTH OUR MMCS HAVE HISTORY AND CHEMISTRY
“You don’t want me telling your new project about last night? About what you do with that tongue when you think no one’s watching?”
LIKE THE WAY I WAS BITING MY FIST OVER THEN PLSSSS. When the boyfriends are boyfriends S L A Y.
THE FIRST SCENE BETWEEN BOTH MMCS WILL HAVE YOU GRIPPING THE SHEETS AND RUNNING TO TAKE A COLD SHOWER. This book is everything and more.
The party is all fun and games until one scene changes briars life and now the 3 of them are bound by blood and need to find a way to survive! as they’re trying to survive they realize they have more chemistry than they realized. DEFINITELY SUCH A HOT DARK WHY CHOOSE THAT I WILL BE REREADING over and OVER. If you asked me to choose between DAMIANO & FLINT I CHOOSE BOTH.
🖤masked men
🖤stalker
🖤obsessed heroes
🖤why choose
🖤touch her and die
🖤tortured lead
June 9, 2025
Bah! I loved this book
Briar is sick with an autoimmune disease of some sort and is now heading back to Heathens Hollow to The Windward Estate, her family's mansion, to get some much-needed rest. The Waters family (Briar's family) owns Waters Biotechnology, meaning they are very rich, which make people believe she's one of 'those' rich family princesses. But all she wants is to get away from what is expected of her and everything that comes with her being ill.
When she arrives in the small town, she meets Damiano, the Gardener, and Flint, the club bartender, who seem to have a love-hate relationship with each other - a lot of push and pull. Not wanting to be painted in the same light as her father, she decides to throw a unique birthday party for herself. She's done with boring and safe - she's looking for fun and risky! But the night doesn't go as expected and things take a turn for the worst.
I love how the guys always watched out for Briar, even when she wasn't aware of it. We learn about the guys' past and why they are constantly fighting with each other, yet still burning hot for each other 🥵! The spicy scenes were very steamy (there is MMF, MM & MF)!!
This book is full of mystery and secrets which left me on the edge of my seat, in suspense, needing to know more. I didn't want to put the book down!
Overall: 4.65 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.65
Spice/Heat Intensity: 3 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Main Characters: Damiano, Flint & Briar
Darkness: 1 out of 5 🖤
Type of book: MMF, Why Choose, Duel 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone Novel
Title: Heathens Hollow Series- Hollow: Book 3
Epilogue: Yes
Ending Type: HEA
*OTT Possessive, obsessive, dominant, fiercely loyal and protective MMCs
*Eyes only for her
*Primal Play
*Enemies to Lovers
*Touch Her and Die
*Attempted 🍇 (not from either MCs)
*Masked Men
*Stalking
*MMF with ⚔️
*No cheating or sharing (outside the relationship)
⚠️ This book has descriptive parts that may be offensive or triggering to some. Please check the TW/CW before reading! 18+
*I received an early copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving this review.
Briar is sick with an autoimmune disease of some sort and is now heading back to Heathens Hollow to The Windward Estate, her family's mansion, to get some much-needed rest. The Waters family (Briar's family) owns Waters Biotechnology, meaning they are very rich, which make people believe she's one of 'those' rich family princesses. But all she wants is to get away from what is expected of her and everything that comes with her being ill.
When she arrives in the small town, she meets Damiano, the Gardener, and Flint, the club bartender, who seem to have a love-hate relationship with each other - a lot of push and pull. Not wanting to be painted in the same light as her father, she decides to throw a unique birthday party for herself. She's done with boring and safe - she's looking for fun and risky! But the night doesn't go as expected and things take a turn for the worst.
I love how the guys always watched out for Briar, even when she wasn't aware of it. We learn about the guys' past and why they are constantly fighting with each other, yet still burning hot for each other 🥵! The spicy scenes were very steamy (there is MMF, MM & MF)!!
This book is full of mystery and secrets which left me on the edge of my seat, in suspense, needing to know more. I didn't want to put the book down!
Overall: 4.65 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.65
Spice/Heat Intensity: 3 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Main Characters: Damiano, Flint & Briar
Darkness: 1 out of 5 🖤
Type of book: MMF, Why Choose, Duel 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone Novel
Title: Heathens Hollow Series- Hollow: Book 3
Epilogue: Yes
Ending Type: HEA
*OTT Possessive, obsessive, dominant, fiercely loyal and protective MMCs
*Eyes only for her
*Primal Play
*Enemies to Lovers
*Touch Her and Die
*Attempted 🍇 (not from either MCs)
*Masked Men
*Stalking
*MMF with ⚔️
*No cheating or sharing (outside the relationship)
⚠️ This book has descriptive parts that may be offensive or triggering to some. Please check the TW/CW before reading! 18+
*I received an early copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving this review.
June 7, 2025
She came home to heal. Two men with a past. Together they buried a secret.
When chronically ill and emotionally burned-out Briar Waters returns to her family estate on a fog-shrouded island, she's expecting rest. What she finds is a town with too many secrets, a prima ritual called The Hunt, and two men who see too much of her: Damiano, the brooding groundskeeper with a violent past, and Flint, the sharp-mouthed bartender with a grudge he won’t let go.
One party. One assault. One secret in the maze. Briar, Damiano, and Flint cover it up together, but the island never forgets. A powerful man begins digging, and the woods are crawling with search parties. As old betrayals resurface, the three are pulled deeper into each other’s arms and into the island’s oldest secrets.
Their connection is volatile and intimate, built on guilt, survival, and desire. What starts as damage control turns into something real. In the final hours of The Hunt, when everything burns, they’ll have to decide who they’re willing to protect and what they’re willing to destroy.
Briar, Damiano, and Flint begin as guarded, fractured people shaped by trauma and loss. Over time, they strip themselves bare. Briar takes control of her life, Damiano stops running from his guilt, and Flint lets someone see his broken pieces. What they build isn’t traditional. It’s raw, intimate, and forged in survival. Together, they create something real out of everything broken.
Steamy, dark, gothic, morally gray, MMF ménage romance, exploring love, desire, trauma, survival, secrecy, power, guilt, isolation, transformation, and revenge. It's about three broken people who stop running, face the fire, and choose to stand in it together.
When chronically ill and emotionally burned-out Briar Waters returns to her family estate on a fog-shrouded island, she's expecting rest. What she finds is a town with too many secrets, a prima ritual called The Hunt, and two men who see too much of her: Damiano, the brooding groundskeeper with a violent past, and Flint, the sharp-mouthed bartender with a grudge he won’t let go.
One party. One assault. One secret in the maze. Briar, Damiano, and Flint cover it up together, but the island never forgets. A powerful man begins digging, and the woods are crawling with search parties. As old betrayals resurface, the three are pulled deeper into each other’s arms and into the island’s oldest secrets.
Their connection is volatile and intimate, built on guilt, survival, and desire. What starts as damage control turns into something real. In the final hours of The Hunt, when everything burns, they’ll have to decide who they’re willing to protect and what they’re willing to destroy.
Briar, Damiano, and Flint begin as guarded, fractured people shaped by trauma and loss. Over time, they strip themselves bare. Briar takes control of her life, Damiano stops running from his guilt, and Flint lets someone see his broken pieces. What they build isn’t traditional. It’s raw, intimate, and forged in survival. Together, they create something real out of everything broken.
Steamy, dark, gothic, morally gray, MMF ménage romance, exploring love, desire, trauma, survival, secrecy, power, guilt, isolation, transformation, and revenge. It's about three broken people who stop running, face the fire, and choose to stand in it together.
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