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Silver Falls University #2
Loving the Reaper
An angsty, best-friends-to-lovers, dark romance from best-selling author, Lola King
He waited years for her to choose him. His patience has run out.
Welcome back to Silver Falls University. There is a murderer among us.
I've been best friends with Wren Hunter for sixteen years. The boy who chased me in our schoolyard, kissed my scraped knees, and always swore to protect me grew into the god of Silver Falls University: admired by his peers, desired by every woman on campus, and feared by anyone who gets in his way.
Wren knows me better than anyone. He sees through every wall I build. He can handle my fire and my stubbornness. Sometimes I believe he can even tame it. This is why I thought we would never cross the line between friendship and more, no matter how many times we teetered on the edge of it.
I was wrong.
The mask he wore around me is gone, and what’s underneath is dangerous, unrelenting, obsessive.
Wren doesn’t just want me—he decided I’m his.
And in his world, no one says no.
There’s a secret society behind him, powerful enough to cover up anything—or anyone—standing in their way. Now, I’m trapped in his game, bound to a man I don't recognize, in a world where nothing is what it seems.
Bodies are piling up.
Trust is a luxury.
And Wren Hunter might be the one thing that destroys me.
Loving The Reaper is a dark romance intended for readers over 18 only. Please, read the trigger warnings in the book.
This is the second book in a series of 3 interconnected standalones.
He waited years for her to choose him. His patience has run out.
Welcome back to Silver Falls University. There is a murderer among us.
I've been best friends with Wren Hunter for sixteen years. The boy who chased me in our schoolyard, kissed my scraped knees, and always swore to protect me grew into the god of Silver Falls University: admired by his peers, desired by every woman on campus, and feared by anyone who gets in his way.
Wren knows me better than anyone. He sees through every wall I build. He can handle my fire and my stubbornness. Sometimes I believe he can even tame it. This is why I thought we would never cross the line between friendship and more, no matter how many times we teetered on the edge of it.
I was wrong.
The mask he wore around me is gone, and what’s underneath is dangerous, unrelenting, obsessive.
Wren doesn’t just want me—he decided I’m his.
And in his world, no one says no.
There’s a secret society behind him, powerful enough to cover up anything—or anyone—standing in their way. Now, I’m trapped in his game, bound to a man I don't recognize, in a world where nothing is what it seems.
Bodies are piling up.
Trust is a luxury.
And Wren Hunter might be the one thing that destroys me.
Loving The Reaper is a dark romance intended for readers over 18 only. Please, read the trigger warnings in the book.
This is the second book in a series of 3 interconnected standalones.
576 pages, Paperback
Published April 21, 2025
About the author
Lola King
19 books3,460 followersLola King is a dark, steamy romance author who loves giving happy ever after’s to antiheroes. She writes about flawed and deeply broken characters and the women who bring them down to their knees. Her books are sometimes cute, sometimes angsty, but always sexy!
Lola lives in London and if she isn’t writing, she is most likely keeping her mind busy putting together a play or making music.
Let’s keep in touch on IG @lolaking_author or on FB readers’ group Lola’s Kings !
Lola lives in London and if she isn’t writing, she is most likely keeping her mind busy putting together a play or making music.
Let’s keep in touch on IG @lolaking_author or on FB readers’ group Lola’s Kings !
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,499 reviews
June 18, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ GUYSSSS HOLYYYY
“penelope baby” 😭😭😭
“penelope baby” 😭😭😭
June 11, 2025
4.5⭐️ GAHHHHHH THIS WAS SO GOOD AND INSANE AND UNHINGED I INHALEDDDDD IT!! If you want truly sick and twisted and extremely dark romance… Lola king is your girl. Don’t say I don’t warn you. I went into this with high expectations seeing as Lola is one of my favorite dark romance authors and my god WERE THEY MET!!
Don’t even get me started on Wren Hunter. THE PSYCOPATH THAT YOU ARE!!!!!! Guys no when I say he’s absolutely INSANE take what you think I mean and times that by 10. I’m in love with him. But the way he is around PENELOPE!!! No I can’t he’s so baby girl with her, he’s been in love with her for 16 YEARS!! And never gave up on having her. This man literally climbs up her balcony at night and watches her sleep and threatened to unalive all the men on campus if they so much as go near her… HOW SWEET!!! He also keeps a list of all her likes and dislikes and all the tiny details about her down to the shampoo and perfume she uses. No like this is the obsession I NEED!! He may or may not “snap” sometimes to the point where he loses all sense of himself and unalives people but like that’s besides the point… HES PROTECTING HER!!!! He’s so pathetic I can’t. But also being in his head was so funny because he’s just so nonchalant about the most OUT OF POCKET SHIT and I couldn’t stop laughing.
AND PENELOPEEEEEE no like I also have a crush on her. Another thing you can ALWAYS count on Lola King for is bad ass FMCs who put men in their place! Which is so refreshing in dark romance books. She was also absolutely crazy in her own way and I lived for that!! But I loved how she let her guard down with Wren and he was always that safe place for her to go back to.
"Crawl to the woman who owns you, Wren."
I MEANNNN?!!!
Ugh and the PLOT!! Dark romance with plot?! What a concept. The secret society and mystery aspect of the story had me GLUED to the pages! In this series you also get a gossip girl vibe in the sense that like there’s this unknown person who goes by the name of Hermes who spills everyone’s Tea on campus and I simply love that.
Again this is dark dark dark dark darkkkk pleaseeee check triggers. This will not be for everyone but oh my was it for me!
- friends to lovers
- Secret society
- College setting
- Morally black obsessed psychopath MMC
- morally grey FMC who puts men on their KNEES
“I would crawl all the way to hell to save her, only to realize she's the one ruling the darkest depths of it.”
“When I'm with Peach, I'm capable of quantifying and feeling infinity. It's the love I have for her. Infinite.“
“No one makes my heart beat. And I don't mean they make my heart skip a beat, or make my heart palpitate. I mean that when I'm not around you, I don't feel my fucking pulse, do you understand that?”
Don’t even get me started on Wren Hunter. THE PSYCOPATH THAT YOU ARE!!!!!! Guys no when I say he’s absolutely INSANE take what you think I mean and times that by 10. I’m in love with him. But the way he is around PENELOPE!!! No I can’t he’s so baby girl with her, he’s been in love with her for 16 YEARS!! And never gave up on having her. This man literally climbs up her balcony at night and watches her sleep and threatened to unalive all the men on campus if they so much as go near her… HOW SWEET!!! He also keeps a list of all her likes and dislikes and all the tiny details about her down to the shampoo and perfume she uses. No like this is the obsession I NEED!! He may or may not “snap” sometimes to the point where he loses all sense of himself and unalives people but like that’s besides the point… HES PROTECTING HER!!!! He’s so pathetic I can’t. But also being in his head was so funny because he’s just so nonchalant about the most OUT OF POCKET SHIT and I couldn’t stop laughing.
AND PENELOPEEEEEE no like I also have a crush on her. Another thing you can ALWAYS count on Lola King for is bad ass FMCs who put men in their place! Which is so refreshing in dark romance books. She was also absolutely crazy in her own way and I lived for that!! But I loved how she let her guard down with Wren and he was always that safe place for her to go back to.
"Crawl to the woman who owns you, Wren."
I MEANNNN?!!!
Ugh and the PLOT!! Dark romance with plot?! What a concept. The secret society and mystery aspect of the story had me GLUED to the pages! In this series you also get a gossip girl vibe in the sense that like there’s this unknown person who goes by the name of Hermes who spills everyone’s Tea on campus and I simply love that.
Again this is dark dark dark dark darkkkk pleaseeee check triggers. This will not be for everyone but oh my was it for me!
- friends to lovers
- Secret society
- College setting
- Morally black obsessed psychopath MMC
- morally grey FMC who puts men on their KNEES
“I would crawl all the way to hell to save her, only to realize she's the one ruling the darkest depths of it.”
“When I'm with Peach, I'm capable of quantifying and feeling infinity. It's the love I have for her. Infinite.“
“No one makes my heart beat. And I don't mean they make my heart skip a beat, or make my heart palpitate. I mean that when I'm not around you, I don't feel my fucking pulse, do you understand that?”
January 24, 2026
3⭐️
I did like Wren up until about 35 % into the book.What happened to his behavior after that is beyond me. Look, I know that these guys are beyond possessive and passionate and I LOVE that but this was a bit over the top.
On the other hand I Loved Peach ❤️. Such a good FMC! Last 6 chapters were chefs kiss.
This series is still my favorite but I just get an ick very easily when it comes to dark romance 🤷♀️.
To sum it up Christopher Murray is still the best ☺️.
PS : Who the hell is “Hermes”? If it is NOT revealed in a book #3 I will lose my shit!
I did like Wren up until about 35 % into the book.What happened to his behavior after that is beyond me. Look, I know that these guys are beyond possessive and passionate and I LOVE that but this was a bit over the top.
On the other hand I Loved Peach ❤️. Such a good FMC! Last 6 chapters were chefs kiss.
This series is still my favorite but I just get an ick very easily when it comes to dark romance 🤷♀️.
To sum it up Christopher Murray is still the best ☺️.
PS : Who the hell is “Hermes”? If it is NOT revealed in a book #3 I will lose my shit!
June 13, 2026
aaaaaahhhhhhh. holy shitttttt. thats me screaming. and mmmmmmmmmmm. thats me moaning. because !!!!! hello !!! through thick and thin but make it literal. 😫 and i never thought id say this but added to my fav found families list ✔️
SO PEACH KNEW HE CHEWED UP AND SWALLOWED THE PIECE OF PAPER
but also it wouldnt be my review without the mandatory alex and xi crumbs😌 bc im obsessed!
preread: i want to be called baby by wren hunter 😔
SO PEACH KNEW HE CHEWED UP AND SWALLOWED THE PIECE OF PAPER
but also it wouldnt be my review without the mandatory alex and xi crumbs😌 bc im obsessed!
"I can't believe you're the first one of us to get engaged!" Ella shrieks😫🥹
for the tenth time tonight, looking at Wren and me. "I thought it would be Alex."
"Me too," Xi approves.
preread: i want to be called baby by wren hunter 😔
April 21, 2025
WOMEN!!!!! AM I RIGHT?!?? 🔥❤️🔥
Lola does it again. Every single time I pick up one of her books, I know I’m in for a five star read but this one completely took me by surprise. Not because I didn’t expect to love it (I always do), but because of the wild direction the story went. It was twisty, intense, and full of jaw-on-the-floor moments that had me SHOOK.
Peach is easily one of my favorite FMCs, not just in the Lola-verse, but period. She’s fierce, unapologetic, commands a room, and never backs down, even when she’s going head-to-head with someone twice her size. But underneath all that fire is someone who’s broken, insecure, and hiding so much of herself from the world. She’s layered, raw, and so complex. I’m genuinely obsessed with her🍑
The push and pull between her and Wren for dominance? Absolutely addictive. This is childhood friends to lovers (but make it unhinged) This man has been silently watching her for years and somehow, that obsessive devotion came off as romantic in the most unhinged, Lola-core way. And the list?! I’m still screaming. The sweetest stalker you’ll ever meet(well he is also crazy but that’s fine) 😂 Wren may CRAVE dominance but that man is such a simp.
What I love most about Lola’s books is how layered the plots always are. There’s the secret society, the tangled college dynamics, the returning faces from earlier books and somehow it all weaves together so seamlessly. The back half of this book was total fucking chaos (in the best way) I was on the edge of my seat, heart racing, palms sweating, just trying to keep up. Absolute madness and I loved every second of it.
I genuinely loved every second of this book. The characters, the drama, it was a full on rollercoaster in the best way. And the spice? Absolutely delivers every single time 🥵🥵 The balance between plot and spice is always so on point in all of her books.
But what really stuck with me was how empowering this story felt for women. It wasn’t just about strong characters it was the way the entire narrative celebrated female strength, resilience, and the power women hold. It gave the book so much more weight, and made me love it even more.
Lola knows exactly what she’s doing, and I already need the next one in my hands.
I can not WAIT to find out who Hermes is👀
Lola does it again. Every single time I pick up one of her books, I know I’m in for a five star read but this one completely took me by surprise. Not because I didn’t expect to love it (I always do), but because of the wild direction the story went. It was twisty, intense, and full of jaw-on-the-floor moments that had me SHOOK.
Peach is easily one of my favorite FMCs, not just in the Lola-verse, but period. She’s fierce, unapologetic, commands a room, and never backs down, even when she’s going head-to-head with someone twice her size. But underneath all that fire is someone who’s broken, insecure, and hiding so much of herself from the world. She’s layered, raw, and so complex. I’m genuinely obsessed with her🍑
The push and pull between her and Wren for dominance? Absolutely addictive. This is childhood friends to lovers (but make it unhinged) This man has been silently watching her for years and somehow, that obsessive devotion came off as romantic in the most unhinged, Lola-core way. And the list?! I’m still screaming. The sweetest stalker you’ll ever meet(well he is also crazy but that’s fine) 😂 Wren may CRAVE dominance but that man is such a simp.
What I love most about Lola’s books is how layered the plots always are. There’s the secret society, the tangled college dynamics, the returning faces from earlier books and somehow it all weaves together so seamlessly. The back half of this book was total fucking chaos (in the best way) I was on the edge of my seat, heart racing, palms sweating, just trying to keep up. Absolute madness and I loved every second of it.
I genuinely loved every second of this book. The characters, the drama, it was a full on rollercoaster in the best way. And the spice? Absolutely delivers every single time 🥵🥵 The balance between plot and spice is always so on point in all of her books.
But what really stuck with me was how empowering this story felt for women. It wasn’t just about strong characters it was the way the entire narrative celebrated female strength, resilience, and the power women hold. It gave the book so much more weight, and made me love it even more.
Lola knows exactly what she’s doing, and I already need the next one in my hands.
I can not WAIT to find out who Hermes is👀
Currently Reading
December 9, 2025Available now!
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Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3PM8FFC
Listen today!
Audible: https://bit.ly/3JJhfpr
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4hamKZd
April 30, 2025
Peaches is one of Ella's best friend's from the previous book.
The push and pull of tug of war she unleashed on Wren was all the angst I needed, this man had the patience of a man in love, and that love goes back to when he was 8 years old and created a soft landing when she fell out of a tree.
But thrown into the friendship zone had his hands tied behind his back, he was losing hope. He needed her to open her eyes and see how good they could be.
But after one no turns into many and the circle's society initiations drawing in he doesn’t know what else he can do to convince her to be his.
Until she receives a letter, maybe the circle can help her get the information about her birth parents.
After being warned by Chris and Ella not to go against her better judgement that's exactly what she does. After Chris helps her warning her about the wine before going into the maze her urges her to run to Wren, otherwise she'll be in the clutches of the men within the circle and there will be no saving her.
Party girl Peaches took me by surprise, the drinking and drugs numbs that pain in her heart and quiets those questions she’s begging to get answered. Why she was abandoned and put up for adoption when she was a child? What did she do wrong? Why couldn’t they love her? Even though both her father's love her unconditionally she feels that emptiness deep within.
And when students start popping up dead fingers start pointing in one direction.
This one believe it or not had more twists and turns than the previous book, so many revelations, I can't wait for the next book.
The push and pull of tug of war she unleashed on Wren was all the angst I needed, this man had the patience of a man in love, and that love goes back to when he was 8 years old and created a soft landing when she fell out of a tree.
But thrown into the friendship zone had his hands tied behind his back, he was losing hope. He needed her to open her eyes and see how good they could be.
But after one no turns into many and the circle's society initiations drawing in he doesn’t know what else he can do to convince her to be his.
Until she receives a letter, maybe the circle can help her get the information about her birth parents.
After being warned by Chris and Ella not to go against her better judgement that's exactly what she does. After Chris helps her warning her about the wine before going into the maze her urges her to run to Wren, otherwise she'll be in the clutches of the men within the circle and there will be no saving her.
Party girl Peaches took me by surprise, the drinking and drugs numbs that pain in her heart and quiets those questions she’s begging to get answered. Why she was abandoned and put up for adoption when she was a child? What did she do wrong? Why couldn’t they love her? Even though both her father's love her unconditionally she feels that emptiness deep within.
And when students start popping up dead fingers start pointing in one direction.
This one believe it or not had more twists and turns than the previous book, so many revelations, I can't wait for the next book.
June 25, 2025
Ate this up and left no crumbs behind
"Penelope baby."
"Penelope baby."
June 21, 2025
4.5⭐️
оооу май, ще один тоталі ред флег, перед яким я не змогла встояти. повелася, як цуцик, на рена. але ох.. що цей хлопець робить 🫠
друга книга сподобалась мені більше своїми персонажами, інтригою та сюжетною розв'язкою в цілому. обожнюю, коли неочікуваний поворот під кінець справді дивує і змушує дивитись на персонажа зовсім інакше. вийшов трошки шік шак шок, але приємний шок 😏
рен та пенелопа (піч) просто закохали в себе. полюбляю цікаво розписаний троп від друзів до закоханих, а тут ще й в трохи дарк сетингу. ідеально на мій смак 😎 абсолютно розумію, чому ці двоє друзі з дитинства. насправді, вони дуже схожі. обидва розумні, захоплюються наукою, спортом, люблять із запалом конкурувати один з одним 😈
ми з самого початку знаємо, що рен давно по вуха в пенелопу. і дівчино, в тебе не було жодного шансу встояти, як би ти не намагалася. бо цей мен 🤌 він по-доброму одержимий і закоханий в піч з дитинства. і я не можу не танути від його любові, як він нотує і підмічає усі деталі, які подобаються піч, як він оповитий тільки нею. його турбота, піклування, а які слова він говорить.. рен чисто спіймав хвилю магії наді мною і я не пручаюсь 😌
подумаєш маленький нюанс - член таємного товариства, вбиває людей. і тут чисто "he was the best guy around! what about the people he murdered? what murdaaaaa?!" 😁🌚
з реном мій фемінізм, як і пенелопи, моментами вилітав в стратосферу, і я не жалкую 🤭 просто хотілось тихенько стати на коліна, аби рен також погладив по голівці, і бути його слухняною дівчинкою. я кайфувала від його домінування, контролю і під яким соусом він це підносив. сорі нот сорі 😝
окей, вже зрозуміло, що я повелася на рена, але і без цього сюжет мене порадував. ближче до кінця, як завжди, усе динамічно понеслося. неочікувані повороти, зняття масок, дрібка екшену, хвилювання та драми. після фіналу я ще більше полюбила пенелопу, ця дівчина 😮💨
і за традицією інтригу з гермесом залишили на фінальну книгу. сподіваюсь лола зможе цікаво завернути викриття цього персонажу, бо вже знатно підігріла інтерес до нього 🙌
p.s. не можу дочекатись наступної книги про ахіллеса. його записала в улюбленці ще з першої частини 🥵🔥
оооу май, ще один тоталі ред флег, перед яким я не змогла встояти. повелася, як цуцик, на рена. але ох.. що цей хлопець робить 🫠
друга книга сподобалась мені більше своїми персонажами, інтригою та сюжетною розв'язкою в цілому. обожнюю, коли неочікуваний поворот під кінець справді дивує і змушує дивитись на персонажа зовсім інакше. вийшов трошки шік шак шок, але приємний шок 😏
рен та пенелопа (піч) просто закохали в себе. полюбляю цікаво розписаний троп від друзів до закоханих, а тут ще й в трохи дарк сетингу. ідеально на мій смак 😎 абсолютно розумію, чому ці двоє друзі з дитинства. насправді, вони дуже схожі. обидва розумні, захоплюються наукою, спортом, люблять із запалом конкурувати один з одним 😈
ми з самого початку знаємо, що рен давно по вуха в пенелопу. і дівчино, в тебе не було жодного шансу встояти, як би ти не намагалася. бо цей мен 🤌 він по-доброму одержимий і закоханий в піч з дитинства. і я не можу не танути від його любові, як він нотує і підмічає усі деталі, які подобаються піч, як він оповитий тільки нею. його турбота, піклування, а які слова він говорить.. рен чисто спіймав хвилю магії наді мною і я не пручаюсь 😌
подумаєш маленький нюанс - член таємного товариства, вбиває людей. і тут чисто "he was the best guy around! what about the people he murdered? what murdaaaaa?!" 😁🌚
з реном мій фемінізм, як і пенелопи, моментами вилітав в стратосферу, і я не жалкую 🤭 просто хотілось тихенько стати на коліна, аби рен також погладив по голівці, і бути його слухняною дівчинкою. я кайфувала від його домінування, контролю і під яким соусом він це підносив. сорі нот сорі 😝
окей, вже зрозуміло, що я повелася на рена, але і без цього сюжет мене порадував. ближче до кінця, як завжди, усе динамічно понеслося. неочікувані повороти, зняття масок, дрібка екшену, хвилювання та драми. після фіналу я ще більше полюбила пенелопу, ця дівчина 😮💨
і за традицією інтригу з гермесом залишили на фінальну книгу. сподіваюсь лола зможе цікаво завернути викриття цього персонажу, бо вже знатно підігріла інтерес до нього 🙌
p.s. не можу дочекатись наступної книги про ахіллеса. його записала в улюбленці ще з першої частини 🥵🔥
April 24, 2025
This just isn’t it. Peaches was so insufferable. I had to end my misery.
January 14, 2026
3.75 ⭐️ the last 20% was actually everything and made up for some parts of the book for me!!
Wren Hunter grew on me so much on this one!! He was so baby girl with Penelope yet a total psychopath… no cause I was obsessed!! The way he has been in love with her for 16 years?!!! 😭 he keeps a list of things of what she likes and dislikes, and un—alives any one that does her wrong… like he’s crazy, but it’s so valid!! This man was so down bad , I love him!!!
Penelope as well grew on me because I really didn’t like her at first , idk what it was but I just felt she lacked so much tension with Wren and I just didn’t feel that spark with her and him til close to the end. I did like the she was unhinged as well ( the plot twist!!! ) and didn’t back down at times and had more of a backbone than most fmcs.
The plot twist towards the end … yeah I didn’t see that one coming!!! I wish this book wasn’t super long again because I felt like a lot of stuff dragged with the plot and relationship and some things kept on being repeated which annoyed me a bit , but overall I inhaled it and couldn’t put it down at the same time!!
I’m so ready for Achilles!!
“Home is a small place. It’s the tiniest place. It fits in my heart. It’s you, I hope I can be that for you someday too.” 🖤
Wren Hunter grew on me so much on this one!! He was so baby girl with Penelope yet a total psychopath… no cause I was obsessed!! The way he has been in love with her for 16 years?!!! 😭 he keeps a list of things of what she likes and dislikes, and un—alives any one that does her wrong… like he’s crazy, but it’s so valid!! This man was so down bad , I love him!!!
Penelope as well grew on me because I really didn’t like her at first , idk what it was but I just felt she lacked so much tension with Wren and I just didn’t feel that spark with her and him til close to the end. I did like the she was unhinged as well ( the plot twist!!! ) and didn’t back down at times and had more of a backbone than most fmcs.
The plot twist towards the end … yeah I didn’t see that one coming!!! I wish this book wasn’t super long again because I felt like a lot of stuff dragged with the plot and relationship and some things kept on being repeated which annoyed me a bit , but overall I inhaled it and couldn’t put it down at the same time!!
I’m so ready for Achilles!!
“Home is a small place. It’s the tiniest place. It fits in my heart. It’s you, I hope I can be that for you someday too.” 🖤
April 23, 2026
“You’re my home.”
“What if you’re the reason I’m still here? Because you’re the only one who keeps me sane, Trouble. That thing inside me… it only listens to you. Every time I’ve wanted to give up and let it take over, I thought of you of losing you. I live for one reason, and it’s you.”
This is a friends to lovers done right. Wren has been obsessed with Peach for 16 years, and you really feel that depth but also how dark it is. He’s obsessive, unhinged, controlling, a little psychotic… and honestly, I loved every second of it.
“Peach, baby, it’s no secret I don’t fuck anyone else,” he says, almost proudly. “And I know you haven’t either because my word is law at SFU. And the law says: stay away from what belongs to Wren Hunter.”
Peach, on the other hand, is strong, independent, and a total badass. That’s why it was a bit frustrating at times so much of the story focuses on her learning to submit to Wren. You can feel how hard that is for her, how much she fights it, and it took a lot of strength for her to finally admit her feelings.
Also… who is Hermes?? Every time I thought I figured it out, I was completely wrong.
I’m really excited for Alex and Xi’s book—I love them as a couple and need their backstory. And Achilles?? I’m already seated for that. But back to Wren and Peach… their story had its moments, but Peach did irritate me at times. It felt like more than half the book was just her struggling with submission, which got repetitive.
That said, Wren? I loved him. His obsessive, and his unhinged energy when it comes to Peach. The way he would watch over her at night, the way he would follow her around, the way he would make sure she was safe after drinking and partied too much. The notes he kept to himself about her, the way he cares, the way he calls her “Trouble” or “Penelope, baby” yeah, I ate that up.
Still, I think I loved Chris and Ella’s story more. (The forbidden brothers best friends, second chance romance gets me all the time)
“I tried, you know?” he says quietly. “I tried to show you only the good parts of me. I pretended for years that I was just your friend. I swallowed my anger when you flirted with other guys… punched walls when I wanted to punch them. And when I hurt them, I did it behind your back like a good person.”
“What if you’re the reason I’m still here? Because you’re the only one who keeps me sane, Trouble. That thing inside me… it only listens to you. Every time I’ve wanted to give up and let it take over, I thought of you of losing you. I live for one reason, and it’s you.”
This is a friends to lovers done right. Wren has been obsessed with Peach for 16 years, and you really feel that depth but also how dark it is. He’s obsessive, unhinged, controlling, a little psychotic… and honestly, I loved every second of it.
“Peach, baby, it’s no secret I don’t fuck anyone else,” he says, almost proudly. “And I know you haven’t either because my word is law at SFU. And the law says: stay away from what belongs to Wren Hunter.”
Peach, on the other hand, is strong, independent, and a total badass. That’s why it was a bit frustrating at times so much of the story focuses on her learning to submit to Wren. You can feel how hard that is for her, how much she fights it, and it took a lot of strength for her to finally admit her feelings.
Also… who is Hermes?? Every time I thought I figured it out, I was completely wrong.
I’m really excited for Alex and Xi’s book—I love them as a couple and need their backstory. And Achilles?? I’m already seated for that. But back to Wren and Peach… their story had its moments, but Peach did irritate me at times. It felt like more than half the book was just her struggling with submission, which got repetitive.
That said, Wren? I loved him. His obsessive, and his unhinged energy when it comes to Peach. The way he would watch over her at night, the way he would follow her around, the way he would make sure she was safe after drinking and partied too much. The notes he kept to himself about her, the way he cares, the way he calls her “Trouble” or “Penelope, baby” yeah, I ate that up.
Still, I think I loved Chris and Ella’s story more. (The forbidden brothers best friends, second chance romance gets me all the time)
“I tried, you know?” he says quietly. “I tried to show you only the good parts of me. I pretended for years that I was just your friend. I swallowed my anger when you flirted with other guys… punched walls when I wanted to punch them. And when I hurt them, I did it behind your back like a good person.”
December 10, 2025
Ну, це було краще за 1 книгу. Цю я принаймні дочитала.
Нижче враження більшою мірою від 85% книги, останні 15 наче інша людина писала.
Жгг — сучка-алкашка-наркоманка. Іноді можна побачити миті адекватності, але загалом елітна бидлота. Трохи краще за Еллочку з попередньої книги, але мені здається, що авторка ненавидить жінок. Всі її героїні хєрові та огидні. Піч мала шанси на успіх, але у стосунках дуже швидко перетворилась наганчірку другу Еллочку.
В останні 15% її персоналія різко перевернулась і виявилось вона супер феміністка 100lvl, борчиня за справедливість і просто героїня, яка потрібна цьому місту.
Чгг — милий пиріжок, ботанік-домінант. Totally obsessed своєю подругою дитинства. Іноді настільки, що це прям жалюгідно. В другій половині книги показав свою вавку в голові.
Їхні стосунки мені трохи нагадали серію сестер Річчі, де алкаш постійно рятував свою кохану шалашовку.
А сюжет, якого тут від сили 15%, схожий на Sicko by Amo Jones (теж той ще треш, але більш цікавий та запам'ятовується на все життя)
Сексуальні стосунки ммм знов мимо мене. На початку було прикольно, але потім контролюючі замашки Рена почали бісити. В сенсі не рухайся і будеш їсти тільки, коли я дозволю? Йди нахуй!
А коли згадуєш, що героям по 20 рочків, то хочеться сміятись з цього великого містера домінатора.
Таємне товариство... просто обійняти і плакати, авторка навіть не намагалась щось прописати.
Мені не подобається стиль авторки. Багато води, 200 сторінок можна спокійно викинути. Мова примітивна. Розвитку лл і персонажів немає, всі події відбуваються в рандомний момент. Темп розповіді теж дивний. 85% відбуваються підліткові піздостраждання, а в останні 15% авторка вирішила перевернути все догори дригом, додала екшену і вийшло все дуже сумбурно.
АЛЕ можливо я десь вдарилась головою, бо мені хочеться ще щось прочитати з її книг.
Нижче враження більшою мірою від 85% книги, останні 15 наче інша людина писала.
Жгг — сучка-алкашка-наркоманка. Іноді можна побачити миті адекватності, але загалом елітна бидлота. Трохи краще за Еллочку з попередньої книги, але мені здається, що авторка ненавидить жінок. Всі її героїні хєрові та огидні. Піч мала шанси на успіх, але у стосунках дуже швидко перетворилась на
В останні 15% її персоналія різко перевернулась і виявилось вона супер феміністка 100lvl, борчиня за справедливість і просто героїня, яка потрібна цьому місту.
Чгг — милий пиріжок, ботанік-домінант. Totally obsessed своєю подругою дитинства. Іноді настільки, що це прям жалюгідно. В другій половині книги показав свою вавку в голові.
Їхні стосунки мені трохи нагадали серію сестер Річчі, де алкаш постійно рятував свою кохану шалашовку.
А сюжет, якого тут від сили 15%, схожий на Sicko by Amo Jones (теж той ще треш, але більш цікавий та запам'ятовується на все життя)
Сексуальні стосунки ммм знов мимо мене. На початку було прикольно, але потім контролюючі замашки Рена почали бісити. В сенсі не рухайся і будеш їсти тільки, коли я дозволю? Йди нахуй!
А коли згадуєш, що героям по 20 рочків, то хочеться сміятись з цього великого містера домінатора.
Таємне товариство... просто обійняти і плакати, авторка навіть не намагалась щось прописати.
Мені не подобається стиль авторки. Багато води, 200 сторінок можна спокійно викинути. Мова примітивна. Розвитку лл і персонажів немає, всі події відбуваються в рандомний момент. Темп розповіді теж дивний. 85% відбуваються підліткові піздостраждання, а в останні 15% авторка вирішила перевернути все догори дригом, додала екшену і вийшло все дуже сумбурно.
АЛЕ можливо я десь вдарилась головою, бо мені хочеться ще щось прочитати з її книг.
April 25, 2025
When it comes to dark romance, I never really expect realism, because I feel that the greatest appeal of this genre lies precisely in its ability to address countless themes that, despite their dark content, still make a book feel appealing rather than repulsive. However, being realistic does not equate to a lack of narrative consistency, and when an author chooses to explore such gray plots, she needs to face this fact—especially when the story presents a hero who wants to be respectful to the woman he loves but is also willing to go as far as killing someone just because they bothered her.
Just as being a strong heroine is not the same as disobeying every order simply to avoid appearing submissive. It is this lack of consistency from both protagonists that made me abandon the book.
First, I will admit that I was disappointed with the dynamics of this couple in this book, especially since in the first one, they were the ones that caught my attention the most—unlike the main couple. Peach is an annoying character, and there is nothing strong about her. She is immature, stubborn, impulsive, hypocritical, and a real brat. I even question whether I can consider her intelligent, considering many of her actions bring more harm than good—like snorting cocaine while on medication or picking a fight with a guy much bigger than her while she has an injured arm.
She is also incredibly moralistic about things she herself does and enjoys, like criticizing Wren for being too domineering when she behaves the same way. Wren, on the other hand, is very contradictory, and I believe that the lack of consistency in his character prevents me from even understanding his essence. On one hand, he has no problem telling all the men at the university to stay away from her and hurting anyone who gets close, but at the same time, he wants her to make the first move in their relationship and always backs off when she runs away. He is obsessed with her and has no problem getting his hands dirty, but the line is drawn when it comes to her will and what she allows their relationship to be. It's all very contradictory for my taste. 🙃
The heroine is hailed as an independent and intelligent woman, while she takes drugs until she passes out and then waits for the hero to take care of her and fix all the mess she's made. He confesses his feelings and makes it clear that he wants something serious with her, but she runs away—and then gets jealous when he interacts with other women. Because that's their dynamic.
My biggest problem, besides Peach's foolish resistance, is her emotional involvement with Wren and how little she takes responsibility for it. He does everything for her, and she likes it. But she never has the courage to cut him off, even though she says she never wants anything serious with him. Just as she doesn’t mind having an orgasm just because he wanted to calm her down, while later she actively seeks out his brother, even though she knows how bad their relationship is. It all seems like an attempt to create an intense and quarrelsome relationship when, in the end, it just feels like a man with no self-respect, chained to a woman who refuses to take responsibility for her own actions and will fight like a spoiled child just to appear right.
Note for anyone who wants to read: I genuinely find it fascinating how these spoiled characters who grew up in luxury are suddenly full of class consciousness. I wonder if it's a prerequisite for balancing a protagonist who takes pleasure in enjoying the privileges that a sexist and misogynistic society offers, but refuses to consider residents of a criminal region as inferior. 🤔
(also: For a couple whose biggest undefined boundary was having sex with each other, their first time was pretty anticlimactic. It was a really quick and emotionless scene, which made me wonder why there was so much tension and drama in this relationship in the first place.)
Just as being a strong heroine is not the same as disobeying every order simply to avoid appearing submissive. It is this lack of consistency from both protagonists that made me abandon the book.
First, I will admit that I was disappointed with the dynamics of this couple in this book, especially since in the first one, they were the ones that caught my attention the most—unlike the main couple. Peach is an annoying character, and there is nothing strong about her. She is immature, stubborn, impulsive, hypocritical, and a real brat. I even question whether I can consider her intelligent, considering many of her actions bring more harm than good—like snorting cocaine while on medication or picking a fight with a guy much bigger than her while she has an injured arm.
She is also incredibly moralistic about things she herself does and enjoys, like criticizing Wren for being too domineering when she behaves the same way. Wren, on the other hand, is very contradictory, and I believe that the lack of consistency in his character prevents me from even understanding his essence. On one hand, he has no problem telling all the men at the university to stay away from her and hurting anyone who gets close, but at the same time, he wants her to make the first move in their relationship and always backs off when she runs away. He is obsessed with her and has no problem getting his hands dirty, but the line is drawn when it comes to her will and what she allows their relationship to be. It's all very contradictory for my taste. 🙃
The heroine is hailed as an independent and intelligent woman, while she takes drugs until she passes out and then waits for the hero to take care of her and fix all the mess she's made. He confesses his feelings and makes it clear that he wants something serious with her, but she runs away—and then gets jealous when he interacts with other women. Because that's their dynamic.
My biggest problem, besides Peach's foolish resistance, is her emotional involvement with Wren and how little she takes responsibility for it. He does everything for her, and she likes it. But she never has the courage to cut him off, even though she says she never wants anything serious with him. Just as she doesn’t mind having an orgasm just because he wanted to calm her down, while later she actively seeks out his brother, even though she knows how bad their relationship is. It all seems like an attempt to create an intense and quarrelsome relationship when, in the end, it just feels like a man with no self-respect, chained to a woman who refuses to take responsibility for her own actions and will fight like a spoiled child just to appear right.
Note for anyone who wants to read: I genuinely find it fascinating how these spoiled characters who grew up in luxury are suddenly full of class consciousness. I wonder if it's a prerequisite for balancing a protagonist who takes pleasure in enjoying the privileges that a sexist and misogynistic society offers, but refuses to consider residents of a criminal region as inferior. 🤔
(also: For a couple whose biggest undefined boundary was having sex with each other, their first time was pretty anticlimactic. It was a really quick and emotionless scene, which made me wonder why there was so much tension and drama in this relationship in the first place.)
January 10, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ Well, that was unhinged. Peach for president.
April 22, 2025
♾️ STARS
5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Best friends to lovers
Academia
Secret society
OTT obsessed MMC
He falls first
Dom/Sub
Stabby MMC
Touch her and ☠️
Feisty FMC
LOLA KING YOU ARE THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!
Some of you may know my Lola King obsession. She is motha! Up until now, Lawless God has been my number 1 book of hers…however…it’s been bumped to second. I can’t express my love for this book! It was absolutely phenomenal. I laughed and cried. I loved having some old faces pop up. Oh and the twists…holy hell! When you think you know…you don’t.
Wren and Peach have my freaking heart and soul. Their friendship and their love is EVERYTHING. I’m sitting here writing this and trying not to get choked up again. I’m so happy I had friends read this ARC with me because if I had no one to talk to I probably would have died…dramatic I know.
Wren has shown his obsession and tidbits of his darker side in Loving the Liar, but you truly have no idea how actually psychotic this man is until you read Loving the Reaper. Peach never stood a chance at escaping him. She was his wayyyyyyy before she even knew. Their dynamic and the push and pull of their struggle for dominance in their relationship is so much fun. Their unwavering loyalty to one another is just EVERYTHINGGGG! This book is EVERYTHING!!!! I knew last year when I read Lawless God, that it was going to be one of my top 5 books, and now I can officially say Lola King is taking up two of my top 5 spots. This was absolute perfection.
Usually, in my reviews I’d give a breakdown on the plot without giving spoilers…not this time. I want everyone who reads this to just dive in head first and experience it all as you go because that’s what this book is…an experience. The way I related with Peach and her internal struggles really consumed me. Did I DM Lola crying? I might have…but ya know what? No shame in my crying game lol that’s how much this character touched me. Speaking of touching…Wren…SHEESH. This man is a dom through and through. Don’t worry Nathan White…his book may have bumped yours to number 2 but you’re still my number 1 book husband.
Ps - Lola…I love you…I don’t want you to burn yourself out but I’m like….totally okay with you locking yourself away to write book 3…I’ll send you snacks.
5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Best friends to lovers
Academia
Secret society
OTT obsessed MMC
He falls first
Dom/Sub
Stabby MMC
Touch her and ☠️
Feisty FMC
LOLA KING YOU ARE THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!
Some of you may know my Lola King obsession. She is motha! Up until now, Lawless God has been my number 1 book of hers…however…it’s been bumped to second. I can’t express my love for this book! It was absolutely phenomenal. I laughed and cried. I loved having some old faces pop up. Oh and the twists…holy hell! When you think you know…you don’t.
Wren and Peach have my freaking heart and soul. Their friendship and their love is EVERYTHING. I’m sitting here writing this and trying not to get choked up again. I’m so happy I had friends read this ARC with me because if I had no one to talk to I probably would have died…dramatic I know.
Wren has shown his obsession and tidbits of his darker side in Loving the Liar, but you truly have no idea how actually psychotic this man is until you read Loving the Reaper. Peach never stood a chance at escaping him. She was his wayyyyyyy before she even knew. Their dynamic and the push and pull of their struggle for dominance in their relationship is so much fun. Their unwavering loyalty to one another is just EVERYTHINGGGG! This book is EVERYTHING!!!! I knew last year when I read Lawless God, that it was going to be one of my top 5 books, and now I can officially say Lola King is taking up two of my top 5 spots. This was absolute perfection.
Usually, in my reviews I’d give a breakdown on the plot without giving spoilers…not this time. I want everyone who reads this to just dive in head first and experience it all as you go because that’s what this book is…an experience. The way I related with Peach and her internal struggles really consumed me. Did I DM Lola crying? I might have…but ya know what? No shame in my crying game lol that’s how much this character touched me. Speaking of touching…Wren…SHEESH. This man is a dom through and through. Don’t worry Nathan White…his book may have bumped yours to number 2 but you’re still my number 1 book husband.
Ps - Lola…I love you…I don’t want you to burn yourself out but I’m like….totally okay with you locking yourself away to write book 3…I’ll send you snacks.
April 23, 2025
This is my first time reading from this author and I gobbled this UP🙂↕️.
Wren is the definition of an OBSESSED hero☝🏾 like he unalavied people for her.. he was so obsessed and in love I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time .
“I'm not a good guy. You know that. I'm good to you. Only you, Peach, can be my weakness and my strength. In sixteen years, you've put the biggest smiles on my face, and were the cause of the little tears I shed.”
“Home is a small place. It's the tiniest place. It fits in my heart. It's you. I hope I can be that for you someday too”🥹💗
Now Peach on the other hand I didn’t like that much🖐🏾 which is so disappointing cause I really was rooting for her but I just couldn’t connect with her . It’s rare to see the heroine pushing the H away so I really wanted to love her but I just didn’t :(.
And I really didn’t like how the plot of this whole book revolved around her getting herself in trouble & wren saving her :/ wren tells her to not do something—>she does this something—> she gets herself in trouble—> wren comes and saves her … like it was cute at first but I grew TIRED of it.
I’m not going to lie , I didn’t care about the secret society plot line , I was skimming I just didn’t care . And this book was dark yes but I couldn’t take it seriously like they were just unaliving ANYBODY😭.
Anyways I loved the writing and I’m really intrigued by Achilles👀 can’t wait for his book.
Wren is the definition of an OBSESSED hero☝🏾 like he unalavied people for her.. he was so obsessed and in love I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time .
“I'm not a good guy. You know that. I'm good to you. Only you, Peach, can be my weakness and my strength. In sixteen years, you've put the biggest smiles on my face, and were the cause of the little tears I shed.”
“Home is a small place. It's the tiniest place. It fits in my heart. It's you. I hope I can be that for you someday too”🥹💗
Now Peach on the other hand I didn’t like that much🖐🏾 which is so disappointing cause I really was rooting for her but I just couldn’t connect with her . It’s rare to see the heroine pushing the H away so I really wanted to love her but I just didn’t :(.
And I really didn’t like how the plot of this whole book revolved around her getting herself in trouble & wren saving her :/ wren tells her to not do something—>she does this something—> she gets herself in trouble—> wren comes and saves her … like it was cute at first but I grew TIRED of it.
I’m not going to lie , I didn’t care about the secret society plot line , I was skimming I just didn’t care . And this book was dark yes but I couldn’t take it seriously like they were just unaliving ANYBODY😭.
Anyways I loved the writing and I’m really intrigued by Achilles👀 can’t wait for his book.
January 6, 2026
Були моменти зовсім не передбачувані для мене, але братик мені з початку не подобався, гімно таке паскудне 💩.
Поки Рен і Пенелопа мені більше заходять, ніж Кріс, прости господи, і Елла.
Як для жінки, яка роздає всім тумаки на право і на ліво за те, що її та жінок в загальному об'єктизують - Піч 🍑 ... цікавий вибір для клички.
Поки Рен і Пенелопа мені більше заходять, ніж Кріс, прости господи, і Елла.
Як для жінки, яка роздає всім тумаки на право і на ліво за те, що її та жінок в загальному об'єктизують - Піч 🍑 ... цікавий вибір для клички.
December 7, 2025
them calling her Peach because of her ass is really fitting 🤡 what a shitty heroine 😐
the plot is insane in the worst way possible.
the plot is insane in the worst way possible.
December 20, 2025
"𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘐?" 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘦."
That book. THAT. BOOK. I was obsessed with it from the beginning and it just kept getting better and better ! The obsession Wren has for Peach ? In love. The strong fmc vibe Peach’s got ? In. Love. I love these two so much! They had me giggling and kicking my feet at nearly every scene. And the plot ? All the things we find out ? I was suspecting some of them but I was still shocked when I got to it. Btw, that plot reminded of the one in heartless beloved and I remember it was one of the reasons why I loved Alex sooo much hehe. And the emotions ? I read the last 70ish pages at work and I was trying really hard not to let my tears fall lmao
Also, that nervous tick Peach has, the one when she chews on her hair. I used to have it when I was little. I would chew on it A LOT and I take Ritalin for my adhd which is what she took but to stay focused, but those things made her character feel familiar to me.
And that sneak peek of Nyx (I think that’s her name ?) and Achilles ?? ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. I can’t wait to start their book ! I already love Achilles and I have no doubt I’ll love her too!
One last thing about that plot, it definitely has one of my favorite moments of the book! Especially the one the quote I added at the beginning of my review comes from !
Anyway, I definitely recommend it ! (check TWs)
That book. THAT. BOOK. I was obsessed with it from the beginning and it just kept getting better and better ! The obsession Wren has for Peach ? In love. The strong fmc vibe Peach’s got ? In. Love. I love these two so much! They had me giggling and kicking my feet at nearly every scene. And the plot ? All the things we find out ? I was suspecting some of them but I was still shocked when I got to it. Btw, that plot reminded of the one in heartless beloved and I remember it was one of the reasons why I loved Alex sooo much hehe. And the emotions ? I read the last 70ish pages at work and I was trying really hard not to let my tears fall lmao
Also, that nervous tick Peach has, the one when she chews on her hair. I used to have it when I was little. I would chew on it A LOT and I take Ritalin for my adhd which is what she took but to stay focused, but those things made her character feel familiar to me.
And that sneak peek of Nyx (I think that’s her name ?) and Achilles ?? ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. I can’t wait to start their book ! I already love Achilles and I have no doubt I’ll love her too!
One last thing about that plot, it definitely has one of my favorite moments of the book! Especially the one the quote I added at the beginning of my review comes from !
Anyway, I definitely recommend it ! (check TWs)
April 22, 2025
Loving The Reaper by Lola King
5/5⭐
3/5🌶️
This is my first book by this author, and I’m officially a huge fan! I was completely blown away by this story. From the first page, I felt like I was pulled into a captivating world, and the plot kept getting more interesting with every turn. Even though the book has over 500 pages, it flew by because I was so immersed in it. The mystery, suspense, and action kept me hooked from start to finish. My heart was still racing long after I turned the last page!
Wren is obsessed with Penelope or Peach, and it’s been that way since childhood. His obsession knows no bounds, and he makes sure everyone is aware of how he feels. Wren has this dark side—he’s unhinged, psychotic, manipulative, and loves being in control. People are afraid of him, and when he speaks, it’s like law. He wouldn’t hesitate to end anyone who hurts and disrespects Peach. He’s a walking red flag, but I can’t help but think he’s perfect. I loved how deeply he cared for her, remembering all the little things. Even though he exudes power and control, he never dims her light or takes away her choices. He constantly reminds her that she’s loved, smart, and capable of achieving anything she wants.
As for Peach, she’s an absolute badass! She’s smart, independent, sassy, and loves challenging Wren. She knows he has feelings for her, and she’s attracted to him too, but she’s not about to give up her independence. I loved her determination and admired her courage. The more I read, the more I was in awe of her character. I also appreciated how she gradually opened up to Wren and showed her vulnerable side. She feels safe with him and not afraid of him because she knows he’d never hurt her.
This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster! One moment I was on the edge of my seat, my heart racing from the suspense, then I’d feel a wave of sadness and find tears in my eyes, only to burst out laughing a moment later. And that plot twist? Wow, I didn’t see it coming at all! I was completely taken aback, but then I was grinning from ear to ear because I loved it so much. That twist earned me a five-star rating for this book—it was brilliant, and I’m still giddy just thinking about it!
Overall, this book was incredible, and I loved everything about it. I can't wait to dive into the rest of the author’s works! And that little sneak peek for the next book? I can already tell it’s going to be amazing, and I’m so excited to read it. If you enjoy dark college romances, pick this one up—you won’t regret it!
5/5⭐
3/5🌶️
This is my first book by this author, and I’m officially a huge fan! I was completely blown away by this story. From the first page, I felt like I was pulled into a captivating world, and the plot kept getting more interesting with every turn. Even though the book has over 500 pages, it flew by because I was so immersed in it. The mystery, suspense, and action kept me hooked from start to finish. My heart was still racing long after I turned the last page!
Wren is obsessed with Penelope or Peach, and it’s been that way since childhood. His obsession knows no bounds, and he makes sure everyone is aware of how he feels. Wren has this dark side—he’s unhinged, psychotic, manipulative, and loves being in control. People are afraid of him, and when he speaks, it’s like law. He wouldn’t hesitate to end anyone who hurts and disrespects Peach. He’s a walking red flag, but I can’t help but think he’s perfect. I loved how deeply he cared for her, remembering all the little things. Even though he exudes power and control, he never dims her light or takes away her choices. He constantly reminds her that she’s loved, smart, and capable of achieving anything she wants.
As for Peach, she’s an absolute badass! She’s smart, independent, sassy, and loves challenging Wren. She knows he has feelings for her, and she’s attracted to him too, but she’s not about to give up her independence. I loved her determination and admired her courage. The more I read, the more I was in awe of her character. I also appreciated how she gradually opened up to Wren and showed her vulnerable side. She feels safe with him and not afraid of him because she knows he’d never hurt her.
This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster! One moment I was on the edge of my seat, my heart racing from the suspense, then I’d feel a wave of sadness and find tears in my eyes, only to burst out laughing a moment later. And that plot twist? Wow, I didn’t see it coming at all! I was completely taken aback, but then I was grinning from ear to ear because I loved it so much. That twist earned me a five-star rating for this book—it was brilliant, and I’m still giddy just thinking about it!
Overall, this book was incredible, and I loved everything about it. I can't wait to dive into the rest of the author’s works! And that little sneak peek for the next book? I can already tell it’s going to be amazing, and I’m so excited to read it. If you enjoy dark college romances, pick this one up—you won’t regret it!
February 6, 2026
1.5🌟
Penelope ruined the entire book for me. She was okay at first, but she quickly became insufferable lol. Everything about her was cliche and her being a “badass” felt so forced and cringe. I’m sorry I literally hated her🤣🤣🤣 She genuinely only got worse and worse.
Also, her and Wren supposedly being bestfriends to lovers made no sense? The only reason I would’ve ever known that was because we were told they were bestfriends. Half the time she was rude to him and acted like she hated him? Best friends whereeee???? It felt way more like enemies to lovers. She also just randomly decided she was in love with him and completely did a 180 in how she acted with him. The progression of their relationship was just not done well. Tbh, I only enjoyed their spice in the beginning. I didn’t even care to read it after that. The romance as a whole was completely lacking.
Believe it or not, the first 45% of this was a vibe and I planned on giving it 3-3.5 stars at that point. It got boring after that and I lost interest. Like wtf was the pacing in this?
I’ll admit that the plot twist had me gagged. I actually didn’t see it coming at all.
Howeverrrrr, I do think there needed to be more evidence woven into the plot for that twist to make more sense. There’s a few inconsistencies that don’t really add up.
The second plot tiwst (after the main plot twist) was extremely predictable. Literally clocked it from the very beginning lol. The way penelope was behaving at the end had me literally laughing out loud from cringe im sorry she’s just too much. It was so bad I couldn’t keep a straight face. Atp, I just needed this book to be over. I couldn’t finish it fast enough.🤣😭😭😭
Objectively, this really isn’t like an absolutely horrible book or anything. I just could not stand the fmc and the romance was just not there so how was I supposed to enjoy this???
I only read this because I really want to read Loving the Tormentor, but I still was hoping this one would be at least 3 stars for me. I’m in a slump and also a bad mood so I doubt that’s helping this rating LOL but this was also just not good.
Penelope ruined the entire book for me. She was okay at first, but she quickly became insufferable lol. Everything about her was cliche and her being a “badass” felt so forced and cringe. I’m sorry I literally hated her🤣🤣🤣 She genuinely only got worse and worse.
Also, her and Wren supposedly being bestfriends to lovers made no sense? The only reason I would’ve ever known that was because we were told they were bestfriends. Half the time she was rude to him and acted like she hated him? Best friends whereeee???? It felt way more like enemies to lovers. She also just randomly decided she was in love with him and completely did a 180 in how she acted with him. The progression of their relationship was just not done well. Tbh, I only enjoyed their spice in the beginning. I didn’t even care to read it after that. The romance as a whole was completely lacking.
Believe it or not, the first 45% of this was a vibe and I planned on giving it 3-3.5 stars at that point. It got boring after that and I lost interest. Like wtf was the pacing in this?
I’ll admit that the plot twist had me gagged. I actually didn’t see it coming at all.
Howeverrrrr, I do think there needed to be more evidence woven into the plot for that twist to make more sense. There’s a few inconsistencies that don’t really add up.
The second plot tiwst (after the main plot twist) was extremely predictable. Literally clocked it from the very beginning lol. The way penelope was behaving at the end had me literally laughing out loud from cringe im sorry she’s just too much. It was so bad I couldn’t keep a straight face. Atp, I just needed this book to be over. I couldn’t finish it fast enough.🤣😭😭😭
Objectively, this really isn’t like an absolutely horrible book or anything. I just could not stand the fmc and the romance was just not there so how was I supposed to enjoy this???
I only read this because I really want to read Loving the Tormentor, but I still was hoping this one would be at least 3 stars for me. I’m in a slump and also a bad mood so I doubt that’s helping this rating LOL but this was also just not good.
April 22, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
I MISS THEM ALREADY
I MISS THEM ALREADY
December 7, 2025
Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 3/5
🧠 3/10
Cliffhanger: 1/10 (Open overarching storyline)
Noteworthy: Book 2 in a completed interconnected standalone trilogy. Check content warnings. Dual first-person POV. Available on KU.
GAH!!! I went into this with an open mind having only thought book 1 was just okay. Boy did this one elevate! I'm not a big fan of friends to lovers but Lola knocked this one out of the park. The push and pull between Peach and Wren had me feeling a lot of things. Frustration, sadness and anger at times. But, baby, when it hit it's crescendo..Chef's freaking kiss! Lola King you sneaky bitch! 😂 I love this book! If you are okay with the triggers, I am begging you to read this one.
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 3/5
🧠 3/10
Cliffhanger: 1/10 (Open overarching storyline)
Noteworthy: Book 2 in a completed interconnected standalone trilogy. Check content warnings. Dual first-person POV. Available on KU.
GAH!!! I went into this with an open mind having only thought book 1 was just okay. Boy did this one elevate! I'm not a big fan of friends to lovers but Lola knocked this one out of the park. The push and pull between Peach and Wren had me feeling a lot of things. Frustration, sadness and anger at times. But, baby, when it hit it's crescendo..Chef's freaking kiss! Lola King you sneaky bitch! 😂 I love this book! If you are okay with the triggers, I am begging you to read this one.
December 27, 2025
was going back and forth between a 2.5 and 3 for this, but the last 15-20% was really good, so that solidified the 3. plus, it’s christmas time and i’m feeling magnanimous - but this one kinda fell flat for me compared to loving the liar. some parts i really enjoyed and had a lot of fun, but there were also parts that i thought the book wasn’t giving much and things were mid.
while i enjoyed peach’s character at times, i felt a bit like i’d read a variation of this fmc one too many times before, even down to the physical description. she started feeling a touch unoriginal (more than usual) and like a cliché - and i couldn’t really connect or appreciate her fully mainly for this reason, amongst a few other things. i will say though that she was a badass and she did have some iconic lines and for that, i thank her for her service 🙂↕️
wren…errr. he had nowhere near the same level of rizz and aura that chris had! like he was just fine? i’ve read more compelling mmcs, and more compelling dominants at that. something about him felt like he was cosplaying - he felt like a cardboard cut-out sometimes. i never truly found that switched-up darker persona on him convincing, idk - and i felt this way even BEFORE the plot twist reveal (which i genuinely didn’t see coming). there were also some things about him that icked me out a bit. did he have some hot moments? sure. but overall, he was mid. i can already call him being my least favourite mmc of the series and i still have the last book to read. he did make me laugh at times though, but it was mostly from unintentional prompts 😂. i found him goofy sometimes, but not in a complimentary way.
the romance was just ok lol. some parts did something, and other parts didn’t really get much of a reaction from me. i mostly blame my feelings about wren on this because he wasn’t really engaging me as much as i would have liked (or as much as chris did), so that hurt my overall investment in the romance. he actually had me excited in the beginning, but the way his character developed and the way some things played out in the overall progression of the story afterwards didn’t work out as well for me as i’d hoped.
this book was also waaaaaaay too long. it didn’t need to be almost 570 pages, it just didn’t. there was lots of repetition, meandering storytelling and stagnation in points of the plot (even in the romance) - and in plot, i mean both within this book but also between the two books so far. i was expecting to learn more about the silent circle and hermes, even just the world overall, but for the vast majority of this book, any information about either or even the scope of the world was the same stuff we’d already learned from the first book. this second book only delivers some fresh takes towards the end. and in a 570-page second installment, i just expected more build on the plot. i get that these are interconnected standalones and that authors need to cater to readers who don’t read all the books or read out of order, but they also have to balance that with keeping readers who do stick to the order engaged with new material - and this book didn’t do that well enough. on a side note, those repetitive lists / “notes about peach” thingies started driving me nuts at one point as well - why was this a choice?
now, having said allathat…
there were parts that i was having a good time! this really wasn’t all doom and gloom. and i did have some laughs - i just didn’t love this as much as i enjoyed book 1.
A LOT OF MY FAVOURITE PARTS OF THIS THOUGH? of course it was whenever achilles was in the vicinity 🤭 - oooooef, i can’t wait for his book! need to dive into that (him) IMMEDIATELY and with an urgency like no other. this man had me giggling and kicking my feet everytime he appeared or was mentioned…and i learned he’s also a bisexual king and obsessed with true crime from this book? #needthat
and shoutout to the last 15% - this part through to the end definitely had me thrilled and entertained. didn’t see the big (first) twist coming. i loved the story here the most and the ending had me chomping at the bit.
—————————————————————————————————
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
i have to comment on something below but it’s a major spoiler, so if you’ve gotten this far and haven’t read the book (and intend to), LOOK AWAY NOW…
peach being the real grim reaper was a fun twist (and i really didn’t see it coming unlike the one about elijah being evil because that was obvious from the near beginning) - but it also kinda didn’t make sense. this twist would have been more effective if the book didn’t have her pov with all her inner thoughts on display to reader or if she also had memory problems connected to her kills. but for the vast majority of the book, her inner monologues did convey a genuine fear of / apprehension about wren and his murderous tendencies, but if the only person he really killed in this book before the stuff at the end was caleb and she was the one really putting all those other bodies down, what was she scared of??? also, the notes that wren would wake up with in his hand wouldn’t have then been in his handwriting…wouldn’t that have been something he should have noticed? and where was the blood on his clothes and person coming from? lmao. so this part niggles at me a bit because it doesn’t feel fully logical to me. but anyways 😀
while i enjoyed peach’s character at times, i felt a bit like i’d read a variation of this fmc one too many times before, even down to the physical description. she started feeling a touch unoriginal (more than usual) and like a cliché - and i couldn’t really connect or appreciate her fully mainly for this reason, amongst a few other things. i will say though that she was a badass and she did have some iconic lines and for that, i thank her for her service 🙂↕️
wren…errr. he had nowhere near the same level of rizz and aura that chris had! like he was just fine? i’ve read more compelling mmcs, and more compelling dominants at that. something about him felt like he was cosplaying - he felt like a cardboard cut-out sometimes. i never truly found that switched-up darker persona on him convincing, idk - and i felt this way even BEFORE the plot twist reveal (which i genuinely didn’t see coming). there were also some things about him that icked me out a bit. did he have some hot moments? sure. but overall, he was mid. i can already call him being my least favourite mmc of the series and i still have the last book to read. he did make me laugh at times though, but it was mostly from unintentional prompts 😂. i found him goofy sometimes, but not in a complimentary way.
the romance was just ok lol. some parts did something, and other parts didn’t really get much of a reaction from me. i mostly blame my feelings about wren on this because he wasn’t really engaging me as much as i would have liked (or as much as chris did), so that hurt my overall investment in the romance. he actually had me excited in the beginning, but the way his character developed and the way some things played out in the overall progression of the story afterwards didn’t work out as well for me as i’d hoped.
this book was also waaaaaaay too long. it didn’t need to be almost 570 pages, it just didn’t. there was lots of repetition, meandering storytelling and stagnation in points of the plot (even in the romance) - and in plot, i mean both within this book but also between the two books so far. i was expecting to learn more about the silent circle and hermes, even just the world overall, but for the vast majority of this book, any information about either or even the scope of the world was the same stuff we’d already learned from the first book. this second book only delivers some fresh takes towards the end. and in a 570-page second installment, i just expected more build on the plot. i get that these are interconnected standalones and that authors need to cater to readers who don’t read all the books or read out of order, but they also have to balance that with keeping readers who do stick to the order engaged with new material - and this book didn’t do that well enough. on a side note, those repetitive lists / “notes about peach” thingies started driving me nuts at one point as well - why was this a choice?
now, having said allathat…
there were parts that i was having a good time! this really wasn’t all doom and gloom. and i did have some laughs - i just didn’t love this as much as i enjoyed book 1.
A LOT OF MY FAVOURITE PARTS OF THIS THOUGH? of course it was whenever achilles was in the vicinity 🤭 - oooooef, i can’t wait for his book! need to dive into that (him) IMMEDIATELY and with an urgency like no other. this man had me giggling and kicking my feet everytime he appeared or was mentioned…and i learned he’s also a bisexual king and obsessed with true crime from this book? #needthat
and shoutout to the last 15% - this part through to the end definitely had me thrilled and entertained. didn’t see the big (first) twist coming. i loved the story here the most and the ending had me chomping at the bit.
—————————————————————————————————
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
i have to comment on something below but it’s a major spoiler, so if you’ve gotten this far and haven’t read the book (and intend to), LOOK AWAY NOW…
peach being the real grim reaper was a fun twist (and i really didn’t see it coming unlike the one about elijah being evil because that was obvious from the near beginning) - but it also kinda didn’t make sense. this twist would have been more effective if the book didn’t have her pov with all her inner thoughts on display to reader or if she also had memory problems connected to her kills. but for the vast majority of the book, her inner monologues did convey a genuine fear of / apprehension about wren and his murderous tendencies, but if the only person he really killed in this book before the stuff at the end was caleb and she was the one really putting all those other bodies down, what was she scared of??? also, the notes that wren would wake up with in his hand wouldn’t have then been in his handwriting…wouldn’t that have been something he should have noticed? and where was the blood on his clothes and person coming from? lmao. so this part niggles at me a bit because it doesn’t feel fully logical to me. but anyways 😀
May 21, 2025
Every book i read by Lola King got me feeling like i read it before somewhere and so the story goes with this one! i feel like this one is something like the ritual by shantel tessier meets sicko by amo jones.
The characters had given a different impression in the previous book ,so here they caught me by surprise. just to be clear my review isn't based on what I wanted/expected , is based on the writing and the characters themselves that for a fact didn't't know what they were and what stories they wanted to tell. Nothing was justified decently and the twists were based on the fact that for most of the book the characters blacked out and didn't know what was happening.I felt that the author wanted to give a different twist to a plot that already exists in other books and she didn't know how ,so for that reason all the time the characters were unconscious and didn't know along with the reader what exactly was happening to them. However, it is easy to guess some things in the book but after a point I was reading just to finish it.
The characters had given a different impression in the previous book ,so here they caught me by surprise. just to be clear my review isn't based on what I wanted/expected , is based on the writing and the characters themselves that for a fact didn't't know what they were and what stories they wanted to tell. Nothing was justified decently and the twists were based on the fact that for most of the book the characters blacked out and didn't know what was happening.I felt that the author wanted to give a different twist to a plot that already exists in other books and she didn't know how ,so for that reason all the time the characters were unconscious and didn't know along with the reader what exactly was happening to them. However, it is easy to guess some things in the book but after a point I was reading just to finish it.
April 30, 2026
2.5- I LOVE most of Lola King’s books (she reminds me of Rina Kent), but this book was not really what I expected. There wasn’t enough tension between the MMC and FMC for me.
I DID looove the plot twists and the ending 😍😍😍. The prologue had me questioning EVERYTHING! Even that weird girl who dyed her hair red.
However, I found myself quite bored.. the FMC felt overly stubborn and it was just irritating a lot of the time. The MMC was sooo perfect! Why is she so against this after sooo many years ugh make it make sense!
I loved book 1 of this series (gave it 5 stars) but this one fell a bit flat imo.
ALSO, I’m sooo sad about the potential for Elijah’s love story. Ever since Stoneview Stories I was so intrigued by Elijah and Cami’s love story. Lola teased them sooo hard 😡😡😡
I DID looove the plot twists and the ending 😍😍😍. The prologue had me questioning EVERYTHING! Even that weird girl who dyed her hair red.
However, I found myself quite bored.. the FMC felt overly stubborn and it was just irritating a lot of the time. The MMC was sooo perfect! Why is she so against this after sooo many years ugh make it make sense!
I loved book 1 of this series (gave it 5 stars) but this one fell a bit flat imo.
ALSO, I’m sooo sad about the potential for Elijah’s love story. Ever since Stoneview Stories I was so intrigued by Elijah and Cami’s love story. Lola teased them sooo hard 😡😡😡
April 25, 2025
2.5 stars rounding up to 3 for GR and ARC.
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Loving the Liar is the 2nd book in the Silver Falls University series. This is a dark romance with a shady secret society that continues to get more intense.
This follows best friends Wren and Penelope aka Peach and their toxic relationship. Wren has been obsessed with Peach since they were kids and wants to make her his. Peach denies his advances and their attraction because she thinks they would be incompatible, yet she leads him on and gets off on his obsession with her. His family is part of the secret society, and he has to initiate by bringing a woman who would be his Hera. He wants to talk Peach into it, but he is willing to force the issue if he has to. This boy will do whatever it takes to make her his woman.
This was a pretty big disappointment for me after how amazing the first book was. I honestly struggled to read this, and it took me 5 days, which is not usual for me. My main issue is the heroine. I hated her entire character and could not care about her throughout the entire book. I feel bad because I rated Loving the Liar 5 stars, and I loved that couple. This one just fell flat for me. I did enjoy Wren, but he was too much of a pushover for Peach. I probably should have DNF'D it, but I still want to read Achilles' book next, so I didn't want to miss out on all the plot in this one. I also felt like this was way too long for the story it told. It was dragging, and I think it could have been 150 pages shorter. This is probably because I hated Peach. I even hated her more when a big reveal happened.
Please make sure you check for triggers, as this is a dark romance.
Thank you to Valentine PR for providing the ARC.
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Loving the Liar is the 2nd book in the Silver Falls University series. This is a dark romance with a shady secret society that continues to get more intense.
This follows best friends Wren and Penelope aka Peach and their toxic relationship. Wren has been obsessed with Peach since they were kids and wants to make her his. Peach denies his advances and their attraction because she thinks they would be incompatible, yet she leads him on and gets off on his obsession with her. His family is part of the secret society, and he has to initiate by bringing a woman who would be his Hera. He wants to talk Peach into it, but he is willing to force the issue if he has to. This boy will do whatever it takes to make her his woman.
This was a pretty big disappointment for me after how amazing the first book was. I honestly struggled to read this, and it took me 5 days, which is not usual for me. My main issue is the heroine. I hated her entire character and could not care about her throughout the entire book. I feel bad because I rated Loving the Liar 5 stars, and I loved that couple. This one just fell flat for me. I did enjoy Wren, but he was too much of a pushover for Peach. I probably should have DNF'D it, but I still want to read Achilles' book next, so I didn't want to miss out on all the plot in this one. I also felt like this was way too long for the story it told. It was dragging, and I think it could have been 150 pages shorter. This is probably because I hated Peach. I even hated her more when a big reveal happened.
Please make sure you check for triggers, as this is a dark romance.
Thank you to Valentine PR for providing the ARC.
August 27, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Це було дуже добре 🫶
Це було дуже добре 🫶
May 8, 2025
4.5 I Promise Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I had asked myself a question about how you could do a dark romance with best friends to lovers, because my brain couldn’t wrap around it, and this gave me the answer. Imagine what happens if one of them wants a relationship and the other doesn’t. And the one that wants a relationship doesn’t take no for an answer. THIS WAS JUST SOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Penelope "Peach" Sanderson-Menacci and Wren Hunter have been friends since they were six years old. Wren, however, is explicitly and irrevocably in love with Peach. His entire world revolves around this woman, and he will do anything and everything for her. Peach, on the other hand, isn’t interested. She doesn’t want to affect their friendship. She doesn’t want to cross that boundary, even though everyone she meets and all her friends say that she and Wren have explosive chemistry. She knows there’s some toxicity in their dynamic, and even though he’s the one person she always goes to for comfort and support, she refuses to take that step into a relationship. Now Wren is part of a secret society, and he needs to initiate. This means he has to bring a woman with him. But the woman he was supposed to bring was murdered and Peach is under the impression that she’s the one who did it. So, when Peach mysteriously gets invited (and blackmailed) to join the women's initiations, she has no choice but to go. She ends up as Wren’s Hera, and now she has to deal with the fact that, in the eyes of this twisted version of the law, she belongs to him in every way possible. And he will kill anyone who gets in their way!
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Peach is a feisty little thing. She’s determined and smart and so driven to achieve what she wants that she often pushes herself beyond her limits. To cope, she’s developed a destructive personality. She turns to alcohol and drugs when she feels overwhelmed, and she frequently uses things like Adderall and Ritalin to help manage it all. She’s brash, in your face, explosive, and impulsive. She does not like to be controlled. That’s one of the biggest reasons she and Wren haven’t gotten together yet as she doesn’t want to feel dominated by him. There are so many layers to her. Understanding why she acts out, seeing what’s behind her behaviour, and getting a glimpse of her real motivation was so good and well written!
And then there’s Wren. He pushes, and he pulls, and he will stop at absolutely nothing to make Peach his. He’s deadly, and he has kept a lot of his real personality hidden so he wouldn’t scare Peach away. But now that she’s part of the Silent Circle, he's done hiding and is showing her exactly who and what he really is. He’s super possessive. He’s unhinged. He’s domineering, and it is addictive to watch how this man would literally burn the world down for Peach.
I loved this book. It was dramatic, angsty, dark, delicious, and spicy. It had such a great dynamic with the push and pull, and the struggle between Peach and Wren as they both tried to assert their power in the relationship. They were fighting their attraction, fighting their beliefs, but like moths to a flame, they kept getting pulled into each other’s orbit.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Dark College Romance
▶ Secret Society
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Best Friends to Lovers
▶ Takes Care of Her
▶ Possessive, Obsessive MMC
▶ It's Always Been You
▶ Tending to Injuries
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Childhood Best Friends
▶ Serial Killer
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Nicknames
▷ "Beg Me"
▷ Potato Sack over Shoulder
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ "Good Boy and Good Girl"
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Watches Her Sleep Ok Edward
𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:
➢ Fun with Toys
➢ Dubious Consent
➢ BDSM Elements
➢ Rope Play and Tied Up
➢ Squirting
➢ Degradation and Praise
➢ Edging
➢ Crawl to Me
This was exactly what I wanted in a book. It was exactly what I needed. I loved the challenge between them. I loved the emotional roller coaster. I loved watching this smart, independent, sassy girl finally let her guard down and allow Wren in. And while it might have been unconventional and TOXIC, it was just so good.
Thank you to Valentine PR for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
“Penelope Sanderson-Menacci. Who knew you could make me fall even deeper in love with you…by simply loving me back.”That's it!!! Lola King has officially cinched herself in as one of my favourite dark romance authors. This woman can do no wrong. I don't think she can write a bad book because, out of the three books that I have picked up, I am feral. I am feral for her writing. I am feral for her characters. I am feral for their depravity and their dominating personalities. And I just voraciously want more.
I had asked myself a question about how you could do a dark romance with best friends to lovers, because my brain couldn’t wrap around it, and this gave me the answer. Imagine what happens if one of them wants a relationship and the other doesn’t. And the one that wants a relationship doesn’t take no for an answer. THIS WAS JUST SOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Penelope "Peach" Sanderson-Menacci and Wren Hunter have been friends since they were six years old. Wren, however, is explicitly and irrevocably in love with Peach. His entire world revolves around this woman, and he will do anything and everything for her. Peach, on the other hand, isn’t interested. She doesn’t want to affect their friendship. She doesn’t want to cross that boundary, even though everyone she meets and all her friends say that she and Wren have explosive chemistry. She knows there’s some toxicity in their dynamic, and even though he’s the one person she always goes to for comfort and support, she refuses to take that step into a relationship. Now Wren is part of a secret society, and he needs to initiate. This means he has to bring a woman with him. But the woman he was supposed to bring was murdered and Peach is under the impression that she’s the one who did it. So, when Peach mysteriously gets invited (and blackmailed) to join the women's initiations, she has no choice but to go. She ends up as Wren’s Hera, and now she has to deal with the fact that, in the eyes of this twisted version of the law, she belongs to him in every way possible. And he will kill anyone who gets in their way!
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Peach is a feisty little thing. She’s determined and smart and so driven to achieve what she wants that she often pushes herself beyond her limits. To cope, she’s developed a destructive personality. She turns to alcohol and drugs when she feels overwhelmed, and she frequently uses things like Adderall and Ritalin to help manage it all. She’s brash, in your face, explosive, and impulsive. She does not like to be controlled. That’s one of the biggest reasons she and Wren haven’t gotten together yet as she doesn’t want to feel dominated by him. There are so many layers to her. Understanding why she acts out, seeing what’s behind her behaviour, and getting a glimpse of her real motivation was so good and well written!
And then there’s Wren. He pushes, and he pulls, and he will stop at absolutely nothing to make Peach his. He’s deadly, and he has kept a lot of his real personality hidden so he wouldn’t scare Peach away. But now that she’s part of the Silent Circle, he's done hiding and is showing her exactly who and what he really is. He’s super possessive. He’s unhinged. He’s domineering, and it is addictive to watch how this man would literally burn the world down for Peach.
I loved this book. It was dramatic, angsty, dark, delicious, and spicy. It had such a great dynamic with the push and pull, and the struggle between Peach and Wren as they both tried to assert their power in the relationship. They were fighting their attraction, fighting their beliefs, but like moths to a flame, they kept getting pulled into each other’s orbit.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Dark College Romance
▶ Secret Society
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Best Friends to Lovers
▶ Takes Care of Her
▶ Possessive, Obsessive MMC
▶ It's Always Been You
▶ Tending to Injuries
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Childhood Best Friends
▶ Serial Killer
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Nicknames
▷ "Beg Me"
▷ Potato Sack over Shoulder
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ "Good Boy and Good Girl"
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Watches Her Sleep Ok Edward
𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:
➢ Fun with Toys
➢ Dubious Consent
➢ BDSM Elements
➢ Rope Play and Tied Up
➢ Squirting
➢ Degradation and Praise
➢ Edging
➢ Crawl to Me
This was exactly what I wanted in a book. It was exactly what I needed. I loved the challenge between them. I loved the emotional roller coaster. I loved watching this smart, independent, sassy girl finally let her guard down and allow Wren in. And while it might have been unconventional and TOXIC, it was just so good.
Thank you to Valentine PR for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
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