Obligation

Alphaholes #2

by Gemma Weir

Obligation - an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally
bound; a duty or commitment.

As soon as I saw her, I knew exactly who she was. A snake, born with venom in
her blood and poison in her veins.

I’m Clay Jansen, a king among men. But wearing the crown means dealing with
the duty and expectation that’s been mine since birth.

January Burke is nothing more than an obligation; a business deal that was
sealed with vows not contracts.

But my poisonous new bride is a snake, bred from a den of vipers.

Family expectation might have forced me to entwine my life with hers, but I won’t
be taken in by the good girl façade she’s wearing.

So I watch her. Play with her until I know every move she makes, and every word
she says. But once I see her, it’s impossible to look away.

Freedom is all she craves and the only thing I can’t give her.

I should let her go, but I couldn’t if I tried.

Obligation has become obsession… and she’s all mine.

Genres: Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, College, Dark, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Forced Proximity

492 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2025

About the author

Gemma Weir is a half crazed stay at home mom to three kids, one man child and a hell hound. She has lived in the midlands, in the UK her whole life and has wanted to write a book since she was a child. Gemma has a ridiculously dirty mind and loves her book boyfriends to be big, tattooed alpha males. She's a reader first and foremost and she loves her romance to come with a happy ending and lots of sexy sex.

Reviews

[Kursed Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

After countless generations of boys, January breaks the streak and becomes the pariah of the Burke family. Her only use as a bargaining chip.

Victims of a modern day arranged marriage, there is no love lost between Clay Jansen and January Burke.

After becoming his wife, Clay infiltrates every aspect of January’s life in order to determine if she’s a snake like the rest of her family. What he finds is completely unexpected.

While Clay couldn’t top Bastian, he is his own brand of crazy and I ain’t mad about it.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🩶
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😩🤬🥺🥵😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}

📌 Genre: Dark Romance

✨ Tropes: Alphahole, Arranged Marriage, Band of Brothers/Found Family, College, Coming of Age, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Manipulation, MINE!, OTT Jealous/Possessive Rich AF, Sheltered h, Tracking/Spying, Virgin h

💋 Kinks: Finger Licking Good, Praise, Somnophilia

⚠️ Warning: This steamy read will leave your panties wet and reaching for BOB.

🚩 Safety Squad: Domestic Abuse (Past, Not by H), DubCon, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📣 Type: Obligation is part of the Alphaholes series, but can be read as a standalone. While no other books need to be read in order to follow the story, reading prior books will enhance the experience.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[blueberry]

DNF 34%

Me being negative once again



Tropes
✨ OTT J/P Hero
✨ Arranged marriage

Unfortunately, I have the same problem with this book that I had with the first in the series: I have trouble taking the hero seriously.

In my opinion, it's hard to write an OTT hero with such a young character, and while some authors do it well (Sam Mariano for example), it didn't work here.

When the hero proclaims himself a genius while continually suspecting the heroine for no good reason, I can't help but roll my eyes. Please, everyone could see that she was just a young woman traumatized by her family.

Also, don't get me wrong, I love heroes who become obsessed with their heroines, but I also need them to have other personality traits and interests.

After more than a third of the book, I'm still bored. I don't even have the patience to wait for their first "love scene."🤷‍♀️

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

We met Clay when he was in book one now its his turn, he's marrying someone who's family is twisted and backstabbing and blackmailers. And he hates his bride January for no reason thinking she's just like them but she's not she's silent, super thin always silent to her family. But he isn't buying it could be a trap so he treats her like crap, and makes sure she can't have her freedom. It's very tense between them. And there friends because Couple of them are done with there action and breaking woman.

Makes me wonder are they going to say the same thing when it comes to there woman?!? But anywho this goes on for few weeks until he finally gets proof that her family hates her. So he changes his ways he's alittle more nicer, the banter the games they play. But also the revenge that he wants on that family.

I'm glad January finally stood up for herself (wish it was with her family) but she got a choice on what she wants what she can wear. All that. And finally got some freedom.

I cant wait to read the other guys.


No ow/om drama, no cheating, secondary character, drama, sexy time, virgin gal and no mamwhore

Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶

Prologue
18h/21H
Push away from H
Seperation 1 month
Verbal/physical abuse
Dub-con
Somnophilia
Masturbation
Mentions of starvation
Drugged
Tiny Degradation
No condom
Hea
Epilogue

[abi]

DNF @ 22%.

I like dark romance, but this just really wasn’t working for me. I think it was because the writing was objectively very poor, so poor that I couldn’t even get to 25%, and the relationship was not building at all. If someone told me this was originally meant for wattpad, I would have believed you. Also Clay being as unhinged as he was for seemingly no reason was just fucking strange. Again, I’m fine with dark romance, which usually comes with a crazy MMC in tow, but this man had literally no reason to be crazy. He had a good family, he grew up in a mansion, he has money, he’s in school, and he has a group of friends who are also just insane for no reason. I get the point of this series is for red flag MMC’s, but I need a crazy ass man to have a reason to be crazy. Clay was just crazy Clay from the suburbs and I found the shit he was saying funny more than intimidating/sexy. Idk, just didn’t work me personally.

[Hey Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off great and ended great. So rounding up to a 4.

I didnt really remember clay that much from obsession but I remember Hunter and him wanting to cook all the time for them 😂 after reading this book, I still like sebastians psycho crazy more but clay definitely joins in the club 😂😂😂 I got an arc so I'm not going to spoil it that much (hopefully!).

Clay and January get married per an arrangement by their families. she literally just turned 18 and has been kinda secluded and sequestered away from everyone and everything. Shes basically Nell. Remember that movie with jodi foster where shes isolated in that cabin by herself? That's like january. She has no friends except a maid/housekeeper who helped her when her family was abusive, she's never had a cell phone, nothing. Nell. Her mother starved her and her three bros and dad physically abused her. When clay gets married to her, he doesn't know if she's like them and just as bad so he starts calling her poison, snake, etc and doesn't trust her until they go to a dinner with her family. They treat her like shit. So now clay knows that shes not like her family. Then he treats her nicely. After awhile, I was like poison is such a misnomer 😬🤔🤔🤔🙄 call her a bunny wabbit because this girl is basically a benign, fluffy nice rabbit 🤷🤷😂 she didn't have much personality and even clay describes her as robotic but I guess she was trying to protect herself?

Theres lots of stalkish behavior like tracking her via cameras, security detail, tracker under her skin, and her phone. Lots of hide and seek moments where he tells her to hide. Clay plays with her EMOTIONS and promises that if she wins, shell get her freedom from him (which is all she wants), but he always wins cuz science and technology bro!

There were some repeated, italicized flashbacks which I thought was not needed 🤔 and I wish it had more JP moments! Theyre in college and she's supposedly hawwwt? Yet no dudes come up to her, asking her out or anything? So many missed opportunities there 🤷🤷😈 but that's just me I guess 🤷

At the end, he leTs her go and she misses his ass and comes back to him, meanwhile he doesn't know if she ever will come back to him. 😈 she makes him chase her all over the world and that's the type of petty I LIKE. Waste that airplane fuel girl! 😂😂 anyhoo, I loved obsession. This one fell a little below obsession for me.

[Mia S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What????

The first book was a little much but still loved, so much so that I went into book 2 because I knew it would follow their story, not primarily but still get an update. Then meeting Clay and January, ugh looooooved it! This might actually compete with my mountain men….. it had so much with the rich privileged world, not as pretty as everyone believes and wow felt for January so badly. I loved that she didn’t give in, and that progression oh yes. Clay also a cutie pie psycho ugh loved this book and yes will go for 3 and 4 because Hunter seems like a golden retriever so can’t wait to see that snap and of course Evan- love the boys!

[Kate V · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 stars!

Obligation is the second book in the Alphaholes series and features Clay and January. Clay and January are forced into an arranged marriage and Clay is sure that January is just as poisionous as the rest of her blackmailing and backstabbing family.

Clay immediately nicknames her poison and treats her like trash. I mean seriously...he does. So if that's a trigger for you then I highly suggest you pick another book to read. When Clay meets January she is nothing like he thought. She is submissive, quiet, and sad but Clay thinks it's just a front. January gets little to no freedom from Clay...not that she isn't used to it from her horrible family.

It isn't until a family dinner that Clay realizes just how different January is to her family and that changes things for him. January isn't putting on an act and deserves so much more than the scraps Clay has given her. Will Clay, despite his psychotic and demanding personality, carve a place in his heart for January and let her rise from the ashes? Will January become a woman who is happy and content and let Clay be the shoulder to lean on?

"You started out as an obligation, but now you’re my obsession and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make you want me too.”

This was darker with bully elements and angst to make you want to pull your hair out. It was well written and I enjoyed Clay and his crazy. Because he was CRAY. January grew into a character I liked but her initial mousy disposition bothered me. This was steamy (kinky, dubcon) and I would have liked some more grovel time from Clay but I also know he's unapologetically just him. Overall, a solid dark romance. I look forward to the other men getting their girls.

“Because you’ve infected me. You slithered your way beneath my skin and now you’re part of me. You’re mine, January Jansen, and there’s no running, there’s no hiding. Because I own you and I’m incredibly fucking possessive of the things that belong to me. I knew almost immediately, but tonight sealed your fate. You’re mine, my perfect Sweet Venom.”

[Medollga · Rating 1 out of 5]

Words cannot describe how much this book sucked 🫶

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: arranged marriage
Angst: 😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥

So, I really loved the first book, but I kind of struggled with this one. It was kind of arranged marriage meets bully meets revenge, which I love, the writing was great, and the storyline interesting. It just really slowed down for me in the second half and it didn't help that I struggled a bit with the "why" for his need to bully her 🤷🏻‍♀️. Still love Gemma Weir and will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me: What kind of game did you have in mind?
Poison: You’ve always liked hide-and-seek.
Me: You’re in Italy, it’s going to take me more than an hour to find you.
Poison: I thought you liked a challenge. What if I gave you 48hrs instead?
Me: What are we playing for?
Poison: What do you want?
Me: You.
Poison: For how long?
Me: Forever.
Poison: We already played for forever, but you set me free.
Me: I was an idiot.
Poison: What do I get if you lose?
Me: If I lose, you get me.
Poison: For how long?
Me: Forever.

I don't care what you say; that's fucking adorable.

[Lammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Gemma absolutely nailed it calling this series alphaholes 🤣🤣. Therse boys are absolutely perfect!!

So glad this is a staycation week from work so i can finish reading this series … no need to come up for air 😏😈

[Sarah♡books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

🤍 Virgin heroine
🤍 Enemies to lovers
🤍 OTT craazzyy hero
🤍 Arranged marriage
🚩 Safety: no OW/OM, cheating or sharing


Loved this book even though it sometimes really was OTT 👀🙈🙌

I'm really excitd to read the first book and also the next books in this series !! 🫶✨️

[vivareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟
3.5/5 🌶
Clayyy is a star of the show for me 🌟♥️🤌
His hate was justified tbh, and it only lasted like probably 2 days and even during he wasn’t THAT bad. He was so niceee throughout. I absolutely loved his character like I suspected from the last one. He did no wrong honestly and he wasn’t an ounce of “crazy” as bastian (although he’s my favorite and I love him)
My favorite was when he brushes and braids her hair. 😭♥️🫶🏼

January, however I couldn’t feel the connection I’d like to feel with my fmc’s no matter how I tried hence the rating I gave the book. Everytime someone talks to her she’s like “I…..” that’s it. I was annoyeddd! And I didn’t really like her most of the times. So there’s that.

The extra .5 rating is for the scenes regarding Starling and Bastian, I’d have preferred way more bec I’m obsessed with me. But there were decent amount of them and I’m SO GLAD for that 😽💖💖 but I also wanted their wedding 😭 PLS GEMMA WRITE A BONUS SCENE FOR THEIR WEDDING PLSSS🥲

Also I love Sammy, Evan and Hunter and am looking forward for their books. 🥳

[Cristina]

DNF
The H was such an ass. He was judging the h based on her family without even giving her a chance first. The h is meek so she lets everyone walk all over her. I wasn’t a fan.

[V · Rating 2 out of 5]

★★☆☆☆

lackluster sadly

[Claudia, Cmarie927 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2, as crazy as the first

Whew!!
Such a great read!

Please, please heed the author's "warning" at the beginning of this story - and if you are a sensitive reader to OTT, controlling, possessive men, do not read this. Seriously, you won't like this one.

This said, I loved this couple! Clay is just as entertaining as Sebastian was in book one. Their craziness about their women and incessant need to dominate them is fun to read. I enjoyed his change of heart towards the situation and January. And Sammy and Starling are just so sweet to her.

It was fun to drop into this world and lose myself in the pages. Frustration, anger, empathy, and compassion for January were just some of the emotions that I held onto for most of the read, but the HEA and Clay's "gift" to her made it all worthwhile!!

This author consistently provides engaging and addictive reads that I enjoy. She is unapologetic when writing the deep, questionable depths her characters stoop to, in their efforts to control the situation. I absolutely love reading her series.
(And glad that these situations are not in my real life! 'Cause, really!! Soo wrong.)

I recommend this author and her numerous other creative works. I always enjoy reading them!!

[Emily]

How the fuck did I not know this was out?!?! I loved Obsession and I am so pumped for Obligation!

[Hazel Gower · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good.

I think this is better than the first, at least this didn’t leave huge things unresolved. I’m really looking forward to the next in the series.

[Tabatha Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the first book in this series and generally really like Gemma Weir’s books but I was wary of this one. While I did like the first book Sebastian was a lot to handle and he loved Starling. Clay hated January before he even met her because he was being blackmailed into marrying her by her family. Now we know January is not complicit in this and she’s a victim of her families abuse but H doesn’t and he’s very suspicious of her - even when all signs are pointing to her being innocent he can’t quite bring himself to believe it.

Still - based on Sebastian’s behavior in the first book, I expected Clay’s behavior to be a lot worse than it was. He treats her pretty callously for the first half of the book but he can’t ever truly be as cruel as his instincts are guiding him to be. Even when he’s being a dick and is aware of it and wishing he could reel back his behavior he still tries to make amends.

My issues here were small. 1. This is a slow burn. Sexual activity kicks up around 50% but no sex until 73%. I’d rather read a slow burn like *this* than one with no sexual activity at all until they finally bang but overall delaying the sex with a bunch of foreplay is deeply obnoxious and I hate it. 2. If you love someone set them free… the author painted herself into a corner here. The only way to resolve this for h was to let her go but I hate that so much. I really wish the author had chosen a different path here instead of the freedom bit. I want Julian Esguerra level obsession with my dark heroes(Twist Me trilogy by Anna Zaires). Anything less is disappointing. Of course, h comes back but I want a hero who will find another way to make h happy without letting her go.

Virgin h
Both H/h are wary of each other but no major push away - H is pretty much instantly obsessed against his will and h is resigned to her fate.
No cheating
No OW/OM drama
Several weeks of separation near the end after H sets h free hoping she’ll come back ( she does, of course)
HEA


Safety - this was completely safe to me. H is gone for h totally.

[Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 56%
No spice rating because no actual sex has happened yet.

I really wanted to like this. I’m giving it 2 stars vs my usual 1 ⭐️ DNF because i think this will be for some people. But I don’t think it’s good enough to say that it’s just a “not the right book for me” situation

Clay and January are paired in an arranged marriage and neither of them wants it. January doesn’t want it because she doesn’t want to be used as pawn/ brood mare. Clay doesn’t want it because January’s family are a bunch of aholes

I think the author was going for an enemies to lovers vibe…. But because January doesn’t actually hate him or his family, he just comes off as a petulant child half the time. None of his friends dislike her….. it’s literally just him and yea it was unattractive the way he handles it.

Before y’all come for me….. I’m not offended by alphaholes. I didn’t dislike Clay becuase he’s not a nice guy. I disliked Clay because his anger/ alphahole tendencies felt more like temper tantrums than big hot meany.

Next can we collectively normalize NOT giving the FMC a stupid nickname. “little Snake” “poison” “little poison” …… gag! It’s all so corny and completely took me out of the story. When is it ever sexy to be called little snake.

He actually says “Run, Little Snake” and i almost put the book down right there. It’s an awful nickname AND snakes have no legs. Just bad bad bad.

Lastly the spice was taking too long. Given that I didn’t like the plot, or the MMC, all that was left for me to possibly enjoy was the spice and from what little there was so far…. I wasn’t going to enjoy that either.

My dislikes had nothing to do with the TW. I just don’t think this was written particularly well. But some girlies will love Clay and it’s certainly not the worst book I’ve read.

[Majo Rrt · Rating 1 out of 5]

0🌟

[noor · Rating 1 out of 5]

you don’t deserve to call yourself an author if this is the shit you write *dnf*

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clay is furious after his family is blackmailed into him marrying January. He thinks she's just like her deceitful family and is determined to make her know how little he thinks of her. January has been ignored and abused by her family her entire life. After turning 18 her hopes of freedom is dashed when her family forces her to marry and signs her trust-fund away to her new husband. She intends to lay low until she can convince Clay to divorce and gain her freedom.

I inhaled this book so fast. GW's writing really gels with me for some reason and I couldn't set this story down. Even reading past midnight. I dug Clay's OTT intensity, obsession and dirty talk. I LOVED January. When Clay unleashes a torrent of cruelty, she stands up for herself and lets him know where they stand. Her indifference toward Clay drives him crazy. She makes no demands, is silent and has no interest in him. It made him lash out to get a reaction from her. Once he learns the truth, he changes his tune but January is still wary. I cackled when she thought he was having a mental break because he was being nice to her. He was practically desperate for her to want him back. I loved that his friends gave him a hard time over his treatment, especially Evan who was fierce in his defense of January. It was interesting to see how Starling and Bastian's relationship still had the occasional struggles. Everything he and the guys did wasn't swept under the rug and she was still angry about it. My only complaint was that I wanted another guy to pursue January. Plus I wanted a scene with her confronting her family.

[Serialbookstarter:Marla]

DNF
Note to author—-what’s with all the ott snake name calling? FYI It’s creepy and I hate snakes! I mean do any lovers of romance love snakes???? Doubtful….
Clay and January
This just got monotonous… I think I just got bored with the H telling us how smart and rich he is— then continually acting just plain stupid. …and all the snake/venom/viper/ poison/snake in mouse fur references. The author was fixated on snakes and snake synonyms. I mean how many times and ways can you call the h a snake?Also I don’t like high school/ college trope. It’s just makes for a very juvenile alpha wannabe a hero. Two words to describe this book—Repetitive snake! 🤣🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍

[Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't always clicked with Gemma Weir's brand of OTT obsessed heroes, but this worked for me. I love a wounded bird who meets an obsessed protector, and this book is like a textbook template for the "your damage dovetails perfectly with my damage" trope. Beyond OTT and fun in a totally deranged kinda way.

[Mary S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best read I had have. Love Clay with all his craziness. I thought that Sebastian was the one more possessive and obsessive but I think Clay beat him to it. Love this series so much and now I need Hunter’s and Evan’s story too.

[Tashina Fulbright · Rating 5 out of 5]

another hit

I didn’t want this book to end. If you thought Sebastian was bad wait until you meet Clay. All kinds of twisted stuff but amazing in all ways. Can’t wait to read about the rest of the brothers!

[Elyvia (eliv_bookstagram) · Rating 3 out of 5]

a bit too drawn out, I almost lose interest.
Clay is crazy, I'm not sure who is more fucked up, he or Bastian.
Poor January, she deserves the world, but Clay did kinda redeem himself

[Katyayini Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Massive upgrade from book 1- it is still Insta love and all that but structurally, from the perspective of character development, it’s much more coherent.

[Carrie Dozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was long but so much better than book 1!! Clay and January are arranged to marry. January’s family is AWFUL and Clay is not happy about the marriage at all. He feels since the family is blackmailing then to be married that January is just as awful as her family🙄Well SHE.IS.NOT. So Clay pissed me off in the beginning because he was so mean to her. January is so sweet and innocent, because she is use to the cruelty from her own family she just accepts her new life and Clays assholeness💔Well things change pretty quick after he sees how her family is with her and he realizes she is just a victim herself…he regrets treating her so badly when they got together and starts to try and fix things…January does not trust him but is attracted to him. Very slowly she allows herself to let Clay in but never 100% trust him. Clay is very OTT JP of her…stalking her…implants tracking device after sedating her…has a security team following her…cameras in the house…tracking app on his phone…this man is OBSESSED…who does this remind y’all of(Sebastian)😂I love how close all the guys are and seem to have learned from how they screwed up Starling in book 1, they don’t allow Clay to ruin January. There is so much more that happens, January’s freedom, Clay getting revenge on her family for her, friendships forming with all the girls, I see you Evan watching Sammy👀there is a separation but very short and love the way they reunite with their game of hide and seek🫣He will travel the world for his girl✈️Yep I loved this so much!! No OW drama🙌🏻