The Dark in Her Veins

by M.K. Lobb

From critically acclaimed, UK bestselling author M.K. Lobb comes a noir romantic fantasy set in a world in which sin is a fatal disease, and the rich hire the poor to carry out their basest instincts—until the forbidden romance between a sinner and a mysterious figure threatens to destroy everything.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Dark Romance, Adult, Fantasy Romance, Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 25, 2026

About the author

M. K. Lobb is a fantasy writer with a love of all things dark— be it literature, humour, or general aesthetic. She grew up in small-town Canada and now lives by the lake with her partner and their cats. When not reading or writing, she can be found at the gym or contemplating the harsh realities of existence.

Reviews

[Liana Gold]

Sin is literary a disease.
When someone sins, they develop Bloodclot, a corruption that begins in their veins that causes madness and death. The wealthy found a way around this: pay the poor to commit their sins and be free from Bloodclot. Our FMC is one of the hired sinners. As she works for the rich, her Bloodclot gets worse and she's short on time. One day she is given an assignment-in exchange for her freedom, she must kill The Warden. As she gets closer to him and gets closer to a connected conspiracy, her assignment grows increasingly attracted towards her.

*CONTENT WARNING*
This is dark. A religious system/cult trauma is one of the books main themes.

This cover is everything. Allurial really stepped up their game with cover jacket designs this month. Hope the story holds up as well.







If you're interested in limited/specialty edition romantasy, use this link to sign up for $10 (includes a morally gray hat!): https://www.allurial.com/refer/g7sai1...
Very easy to sign up & cancel at any time at no additional cost to you. Allurial is part of BOTM but for romantasy/fantasy books only.

[Maeghan 🦋 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I squealed when I got this in my mail a few months ago! HUGE thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc 🥹 you made a girl so happy!
« Fury is a second heartbeat within me, coiled against my ribs like a vital organ. »

Honestly, I’m in awe at how talented this author is with writing rageful women. I was angry with her. I felt every second of her anger in my core and I would give this aspect a million stars.

This dark fantasy (with dark romance) follows the fmc who had a traumatic upbringing in a cult. This world is extremely religious and even if she’s out of the cult now ; the world still felt like a cult. She has darkness in her veins because she sinned a lot… and it comes with a lot of consequences.
Now I don’t normally like dark romance but this one was really well written. I was rooting for the fmc from the start and I just wanted her to succeed and get out of that whole world.
The pacing was flowing at a good pace for the majority of the book but felt more rushed towards the ending. I sincerely wasn’t a fan of said ending but that’s only subjective. I’m really excited to see what happens in the sequel though!

The writing flows really well and I do think this author has a prose that’s emotional ; I could feel every emotion the characters had. I recommend this for dark fantasy & dark romance readers.

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I binged this book in a single sitting.

It is dark and sexy and the tension had me sweating!

The world & magic is interesting and well developed. While not a completely novel concept - I still thought the author put a unique spin on the sin/corrupt religious institutions situation.

The MMC definitely gives vampire vibes, but instead of blood he feeds on sins. 10/10 no notes on that disastrously sexy morally black mess of an mmc.

The fmc is just as messy, with lots of trauma, and just as sexy, again 10/10 no notes. love her.

I had a really good time reading this one.

Whats to love…
- everyone is bisexual & morally black & messy
- religious cults
- corrupt religious institution as a form of government
- vampire vibes, but also not vampires
- dark, sexy, spicy
- grade A tension and feral f-ing

What might not work for some…
- well obviously dont read this if youre not into dark romance. check your content warnings
- I did want the paint to move along a bit faster towards the mid-end but that could have been a me issue.

4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you Sourcebooks for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[M.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Braving this site to make an update now that ARCs are going out: Please be aware that there are numerous content warnings for this book, such as descriptions of murder, religious cults (and implied abuse associated with that), abusive parents, knife play, power play/BDSM dynamics, and general relentless violence. I wouldn’t say it’s super intense, but it’s definitely dark, so YMMV! If I missed anything you think I should’ve included, please let me know through my website form. AND YES THERE IS A SEQUEL so consider this your cliffhanger warning!! Thanks for being here xx

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is just slade and talin trying to one up each other but they keep going: wait i’m into this, wait im into this, wait im into this—and this is just: violence, blood, mass murder, arson

[Bookishness]

~Pre-read~ ARC copy, dark romance, forbidden romance, say no more! this one has my name on it... lol

[Nonfictionally Yours · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We were always going to end up like this: His knife in my back, and mine in his."

4.5 ☆

Ever since I applied for this ARC, I literally thought about it every single day, hoping I'd get accepted for it and my manifestation worked. The dark in her veins did not disappoint, in fact I am so blown away by the plot of this book, I will be thinking about it for very many days to come.

This read was definitely very plot forward, and it was such a compelling story line I kept wanting more. Talen is a sinner, employed by the prophet himself to kill on his behalf, however sinning leads to a condition called blood rot which Talen suffers from deeply. Knowing that her next kill could be her last, she's desperate to find a cure and have her freedom. The prose of this book were so distinctive, I truly don't think I've read anything like it. Every plot point was developed with so much depth, it felt like a movie playing in my head. The writing was one of my favorite parts, the vocabulary used and the style of writing fit so well with the story, it made me feel so immersed in the book and really brought out the emotions every prose was meant to evoke.


The romance is what was so different to me in this book. I wouldn't call it romance per se, both of the MCs deny having the capability to love and care. They find their attraction to each other being a primal need more so, and that's honestly what it felt like but it was woven together with impeccable yearning that I couldn't figure out whether it was hot or emotional but in the best way😭. Also I have to say the spice on this book 🥵 literally some of the best I've ever read. If you've read this there's that one scene I NEED TO SCREAM ABOUT IT!!

Talen, our FMC, is morally black. She was so confident but she had moments with her insecurities about the bloodrot that made her feel so realistic. She's one of those FMCs that are definitely a little difficult to understand and love but honestly if I had been through even a fraction of what she had I would be no different. Every action of hers felt deliberate and very self preserving and getting an insight to her thoughts explained it all so well. Slade, the MMC, is also very morally black. He's such a misunderstood character with a tragic past which made me feel for him. He's a very hard and moody man who believes he feels nothing yet you get those little moments where you see him being a softie for Talen and I was so there for that. The yearning by him literally had me throwing my kindle down😭. Both of the characters were developed incredibly well. I felt so connected to them both even though we only got one POV. I also really appreciated the past chapters because it helped me understand why Talen is the way she is and really connect with her on that deep level.

The reason this book didn't quite hit the 5 stars mark for me is because I found there to be a lack of world building. I wish we got more details to the setting of the book, it felt a bit drowned out as compared to the plot.

Thank you so much for this ARC M.K Lobb, sourcebooks Casa and netgalley 🩷

Release Date: August 25th, 2026

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

comment ça je dois attendre le tome 2 là omg Slade YOU'RE MY NEW MAN

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this e-ARC of this title releasing in August 2026.

This far exceeded my expectations, and if I didn’t have work and other adulting - I could have read it in one sitting. This is a darker gritty fantasy/dystopian story that has themes and topics of religion and the groups within it. Also some TWs for some content so be sure to look at those before reading.

In this world, Sin is deadly. As in, those who sin start to develop a rot that will in time be their demise. So to avoid that rot, the rich and powerful will hire Sinners to commit their crimes and take on the rot for them. Talin is a sinner to one of the most important people in their society - the prophet. The biggest religious figurehead in their society, but also secretly the most devious and controlling. Having taken on Talin after she lost everything and everyone, she is indebted to him. She hates him almost as much as she relies on him. So when he sends her to the dark side of town to gather information - she goes. Only to meet the much whispered about, mysterious Warden. The warden is known as the opposition to prophet. Encouraging sin and crime, shunning their religious beliefs. But he also gives Talin another choice - to betray the prophet and scheme against him and in exchange she will be free. But is Talin only exchanging one cage for another. And with her blood rot rapidly worsening, she has little time left - for someone so close to death, all she wants is to live, but how far will she go to stay alive.

A lot of great banter, spice, plot twists and double crosses. Written very well. Does end in a cliffhanger - so looking forward to a sequel!

[Bazia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean… girl, the concept is freaking amazing❤️‍🔥
beginning feels like a slay-born queen Celaena dropped into a dark urban fantasy world with strong Bryce vibes, but make it actually DARK
no parties, no glitter, no happy distractions

and then… somewhere along the way, that potential just doesn’t fully deliver. the world itself isn’t explored nearly as much as I hoped, which is a shame, because the idea behind it is genuinely interesting
the concept of sins manifesting like a visible illness? it’s intriguing me enough that I could overlook certain elements (like the BDSM dynamics or the age gap between the main characters🙅🏼‍♀️)

but tell me WHY is FMC always so annoyingly young?😩
her behavior and decisions often feel more like an impulsive teenager than someone we’re supposed to believe became a soulless ghost-killer in just three years
I just don’t buy it. do you?

in my opinion, the author spends too much time on unnecessary or slightly cringe moments (like drawn-out everyday scenes or repeatedly emphasizing that the MMC is ready for literally every possible “front”)

somewhere in the middle of the book, I realized I was getting lost in conversations that didn’t add much and actual plot started to feel barely there.

my rating is 2.75 ⭐️ (just because I love the concept!)

I received an ARC via NetGalley, many thanks for the opportunity! All opinions are my own💝

[Alix · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was entertaining, but it wasn’t anything amazing. My biggest issues were that it felt repetitive and I wanted more from the actual story. I also wouldn’t really call this a romance. To me, it was more about mutual desire and sexual tension. Or as the characters describe it, it’s more obsession than love.

What really annoyed me was how many times we had to hear the main character talk about how awful she is, how she feels no remorse for the people she’s killed, how she’s a sinner, and so on. We get it, you’ve done bad things and everyone in this book is morally questionable.

Also, every twist was predictable so nothing was particularly surprising. Despite my frustrations with the characters, I still found this entertaining enough, and I’ll probably pick up the next book in the series. I’ll just be going in with lower expectations.

[whatmarissareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

⚔️“You can’t breed a lamb for slaughter but raise it on flesh. If you do, it develops a taste for violence.”

3⭐️ 1🌶️

here's what I enjoyed:
+ love the gothic dark elements/vibe of this story!
+ their "sins" showing in their veins is such a unique plot line and I am very interested to see how the FMC handles this in the next book
+ the religious aspects are fantastic - I loved watching her question where her loyalty should lie
+ BDSM elements
+ I literally don't know who I can trust!!! keeps the suspense and mystery alive
+ her being an assassin is so cool
+ loved the little plot twists throughout that I did not see coming

here's where I struggled a bit:
- our FMC is quite young and it sometimes shows in her actions making it hard for me to believe she is such a skilled assassin as they say
- the events didn't naturally flow for me
- I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in the story

I am interested to see where the storyline will go next so I do plan on picking up the next book!

💕You will enjoy this if you are into:
+ noir and gothic elements
+ forbidden romance
+ assassin
+ BDSM
+ they are enemies on opposite sides of a "purity" war
+ religious world/government

[Yennefer]

Everyone being the villain and Sleep Token’s Chokehold as the theme?

Yeah, sign me the fuck up for this.

[Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

recieved an ARC of this from netgalley (sourcebooks)

I love love loved this book and cannot wait for the next one. The premise was amazing, but that CLIFFHANGER🥲

[Samantha Hardesty · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I can’t think of anything lovelier than your wrath. I can’t imagine anything more exquisite than bleeding for you.”

Well, I went into this book with zero expectations and had a blast.

The Dark In Her Veins is a fast-paced, addictive page-turner, and I ate it up. The concept was super interesting, the morally black characters were unapologetically devious, and I’m a sucker for a bit of a found family trope, or the potential beginning of one in this case 👀.

I really liked Talin, and her back & forth with Slade was dark, but had me giggling. Also Slade is just ✨ perfection ✨ - the spice in this book is delicious and I was just highlighting practically every quote from Slade’s mouth, both the filth & his sarcasm. Also imma leave this here:

“I am your god, little sinner. And don’t you fucking forget it.” 🥵🥵

The only reason I haven’t given this one five stars is that it was so fast-paced, it didn’t have the level of world building and lore that I usually go for. It also made the romance aspect seem incredibly fast, and I’m a sucker for a slow burn. I will say though, the tension is absolutely there. 😏

After THAT ending I now need book two immediately, and I can’t wait to find out what happens. I also just need more Slade and his slutty little nose ring.

Thank you so much to M.K Lobb, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and NetGalley for the eARC 😍

[Darkromancerobyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of this book.

In a world where the wealthy hire the less fortunate to commit their sins, leading to death due to “blood rod,” Talin has been Gabriel’s sinner for so long that her veins are dark, and her time is running out. Until she meets a mysterious man who might be able to help her.

The writing style wasn’t my favourite, and I needed more world-building and backstory about the trench and the various religions or groups. Phrases like “for some inconceivable reason” were used when events occurred, which wasn’t enough for me to fully believe in the story and the world the characters inhabited. However, after about 30%, I felt that the writing and story improved slightly. I really struggled to get into this book, making it a slow read for me.

I loved how mysterious Slade was, and the romance was ok, although it also seemed instant and rushed. I couldn’t connect with the FMC, which made the romance hard to believe for me. I really did love Slade, though. He was hot, and I enjoyed his sarcasm and mysterious demeanour. Sadly, this was a slow burn. I usually love a good slow burn, but this one just wasn’t giving me anything to keep me excited. To top it off, it ended on a cliffy 😑 I was not impressed. I really wanted to see a conclusion but to be honest I probably won’t read the second book.

Overall, it was a unique concept but fell a little flat in some areas for me. It was a “meh,” rating around 2.5 to 3 stars.

[Alyx Gough]

Thank you Sourcebooks Casa for the eARC!

I went into The Dark in Her Veins with really high expectations because the premise sounded incredible, and I was so excited to dive into its dark, gritty world. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the book for me.

While the setting and concept were interesting, I found the story felt both predictable and oddly unnecessary at times. I kept waiting for twists or emotional moments that would surprise me, but I was able to see most of the major developments coming. Because of that, I never fully connected with the characters or became invested in what was happening.

There are definitely readers who will enjoy the dark atmosphere and morally gray characters, but this one simply didn’t click with me. I’m disappointed because I wanted to love it, but in the end it just wasn’t the right fit for my reading taste.

[LYSS · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I want to thank Sourcebooks Casablanca for the Netgalley arc!!

I absolutely loved this book. It started off a little slow but it picked up & I had a hard time putting it down!

I found the story line to be super unique. I felt like this was one big metaphor for how some religion + churches are in real life. Especially the cult aspect of it all. Having hired sinners that get “blood rot” every time they commit sins for their “master” is crazy. & like I said, so unique.

I didn’t emotionally connect with any of the characters which is why it’s 4 stars but I still enjoyed the book so much!! The cliffhanger has left me spinning and sad lol can’t wait for book two!!!

[Grace -thewritebooks]

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

literally DEVOURED this!! Something about the set up of two mcs having to journey together to work on an evil plan AND THEY HATE EACH OTHER give me a ten book series right now. I read that this was going to be a cliffhanger and did in fact ignore all the warnings, so will be wiling away the hours until we get a book 2 because Lobb really said religious trauma for EVERYONE. Also just know the fanart for this will be divine. enjoyed everything about it <3

[Coco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instantly hooked to this action-packed dark fantasy with religious corruption and morally gray characters. It’s good vs evil… except the “good guys” might actually be worse? Trust no one, question everything, and buckle up for the twists that keep coming.

“We were always going to end up like this: His knife in my back, and mine in his.”

Such great banter between Talin and Slade, I was often blushing, rolling my eyes with my tongue in cheek, and giggling through every interaction. Meet Slade, our newest morally gray dom daddy. He’s a dangerous antihero who gives the most swoon-worthy praise and appreciates exactly how badass Talin is. The way I annotated all of his lines immediately after reading them….
Slade catches the tip of his tongue between his teeth. “I can’t think of anything lovelier than your wrath. I can’t imagine anything more exquisite than bleeding for you.”

This story jumps between Talin’s present and her childhood memories growing up in a religious fanatic cult, and every timeline chapter only made me more invested. Talin is the lone survivor of a fire that killed every member of the religious cult her family was a part of when she was a teenager. After her harrowing escape, the Prophet sought her out to work for him as a hired assassin. This is not an uncommon request, sinners are often manipulated into taking on sins for others, allowing the powerful and religious leaders to remain unmarked. Talin carries out murders so the Prophet can keep his own hands and skins clean from the Bloodrot. A disease that spreads across the body with every sin committed. With each kill the veins and skin on her body spread, at her young age her Bloodrot has advanced at an alarming rate. The entire Regiment is built on corruption, hypocrisy, and control.

“When it comes right down to it, I’m nothing but a dying sinner touched by the devil. A throwaway girl.”

While investigating her next assignment, Talin travels to a dangerous city where she encounters the mysterious Warden. Slade can taste a person’s sins and feeds on sinners’ confessions. Unlike everyone else, his own sins leave him unmarked. This discovery suddenly puts Talin in great risk and forces her to question everything she’s ever believed while deciding which path best serves her to prolong her life.

The ending is diabolical because it is left on major cliffhangers and I need the next book injected directly into my own sinner veins immediately.

Thank you MK Lobb for expanding my vocabulary, I had to look up a new word every few chapters.

Thank you MK Lobb, Sourcebooks Casablanca, & NetGalley for this ARC!


Notable Quotes:
“...fury spreading through my tainted veins. I’m ruining other people’s lives while simultaneously ruining my own. Every kill, every sin, ensures that death will come for me all the sooner, claws at the ready.”

“I think the Warden left me alive because he wants me alive. I think he saw me as a challenge, and he liked that. It’s just as you said—everything is a game to him.” Gabriel’s eyes flicker with something I didn’t expect: jealousy.
“And do you think he wants you, Talin? Did he draw you in, his handsome face making you forget yourself? Did he convince you he desires you? He may be a slave to the sin of carnality, but he’ll kill you all the same once he’s finished.”

His look of derision is cutting. “What do you mean, how? I’m a grown man. Even evil knows how to make a fucking piece of toast.”

“How did you know I was here?”
“I sensed you,” he says, a wicked tilt to his mouth. “Like I said before, you make my blood rush.”

“You’re too strong to let the Bloodrot have this much power over you. You’re too brave to shy away from the sight of it. The dark in your veins is just another part of who you are.”

He comes to a halt when we’re inches apart. “My lovely little liar. Do try a bit harder to control your expression, won’t you? I hate to think how you’ll react when I have to change trousers.”


“Your fury is a lovely thing to behold. I imagine death by your hand would feel something like salvation.”

“I know you don’t feel beautiful. I know you’re self-conscious about the effects of the Bloodrot, but that’s nonsense.” As he continues speaking, he traces the dark lines on my forearm. “It only shows you’re willing to do what others are not. There’s nothing sexier than a woman capable of terrible things.”


He undoes the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing his tattooed throat and the silver chain around it. “I wasn’t going to punish you and give you nothing in return, little liar. Once you’d done your time, I would have made sure it was worth it.” I swallow.
“How so?” Slade’s mouth tilts up smugly, his gaze hardening.
“I would have taken you to the shower, washed every inch of your body myself, then tied you to the bed and made you scream my name until it was the only thing that pretty mouth of yours could remember how to say.”

“You know, from the moment we first met, I suspected this might be the sort of thing you’re into.” I set my jaw as he pulls me roughly against his chest, resting his chin in the crook of my neck. It’s a horribly possessive gesture, but my eyes roll back as his fingers splay across one side of my rib cage.
“Why?” I ask between shallow breaths. “Because I’m all kinds of fucked-up?”
“No. Because it’s not uncommon for powerful women to enjoy handing over the reins, even if it’s just an act.”

“Ah, little sinner. You know, I like you best when you’re violent.”

I can hear the smile in his voice as he lowers his mouth to whisper in my ear. “I am your god, little sinner. And don’t you fucking forget it.”

I’ve taken so many lives, and yet Slade Markovich might be my greatest sin.

I don’t shy from death. I have an intimate relationship with it.

[Sebastian (bookish_millennial) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice 🌶️🌶️
Narrative: 1st Person
POV: Single

Call me a sinner because I am LUSTING over this book!! Omg what a trad debut for M.K. Lobb! Give me a vengeful FMC full of feminine rage, a smoking hot morally grey MMC and religious corruption ANY DAY. This was the gothic dark romance of my dreams. What I really loved was Lobb’s reimagining of vampires, in a sense, and I hope we get to see more of it in book 2. This book was so multifaceted and had twists and turns that kept me guessing. It has very dark themes, so please check the triggers.

In a world where there line between church and state has completely blurred, committing a sin literally manifests on your skin as bloodrot and sets the timer ticking on your life. Our strong willed FMC Talin is a hired sinner, essentially an assassin for the seemingly saintly and powerful Prophet, that doesn’t want to dirty his hands with the dark veins of his sins. Sent on an assignment she unknowingly meets the mysterious (and super sexy 😮‍💨) Warden of the sinning city, Talin finds herself doing what she does best — doing whatever it takes to stay alive. But when she’s faced with actions that will grant her what’s she’s been longing for, she finds herself stuck between two very powerful men, each promising her the freedom she’s been craving, who will she choose?

Thank you SO much to Net Galley, Sourcebooks & M.K. Lobb for the ARC!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He looks like a man who uses teeth, Which is, incidentally, the only kid of man I'm interested in."

Four stars - purely because I could have done with a deeper dive into the story but I'm hoping that it was setting us up for a sequel.

Sinning causes the bloodrot which will eventually kill the sinner, the more they sin the more it spreads. Talin is a sinner for hire with a real will to survive and this book shows her her story and how she became who she is and her journey of trying to outrun her bloodrot.
I absolutely adored the banter throughout this book and the unpredictability of just how brutal not only the sinners, but those who hire them could be.

Favourite character: Slade - he is morally not okay and I am all here for that.

My favourite part about this book is that there is no perfection here. All our characters have different flaws to some degree and it makes it easier to relate to them.

I'm incredibly hopeful after that little cliff we got left on that there will be a sequel on it's way to us!

"After all, when it comes right down to it, I was just a girl who didn't want to die. A girl willing to do anything to live. I never intended to be a murderer. Until, of course, I did."

[Emily Aldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC and the chance to read this early!

This one had a lot going for it on paper, with a dark noir atmosphere, cult elements, and heavier religious undertones, but it didn’t fully come together for me.

The character work is where I struggled most. The ages felt off for what these characters are supposed to be doing, and it made a lot of their choices hard to take seriously. The FMC especially is talked up as this legendary, untouchable assassin, but what we actually see doesn’t match that reputation at all.

Slade also didn’t quite hit. He’s framed as dangerous and morally grey, but we’re mostly told that rather than shown it. Because of that, the dynamic between him and Talin didn’t feel as natural or convincing as I wanted it to.

The setting had so much potential, but it felt pretty surface level. I kept waiting for more detail or atmosphere to really pull me in, and it never quite got there. The dialogue was hit or miss too, sometimes fun, but often a little awkward.

I will say, the pacing picked up a lot toward the end, and those final chapters were easily the most engaging part of the book. Overall, I was entertained enough and never felt like putting it down, but I do wish it had gone deeper.

[Stephanie Chiocchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and M.K. Lobb for this eARC!

In a world where sinning is writing your own death sentence, it’s meant literally and our FMC, Talin is no stranger to sinning.
I was hooked immediately with this unique plot and world. The world building and images I was able to create in my head made this book so immersive. We have religious trauma, cults, basically mini Satans, and morally grey everyone. The “Then” chapters sprinkled throughout were a great flashback as to learning why Talin is the way she is and does the things she does.
No one trusts anyone and the betrayal and plot twists were a given. Was some of it predictable? Yes but it was still so very worth it. But of course, the way the story unfolds and through Talin’s inner monologue you start to have hope and positive feelings at certain possibilities. Like a found family trope that never quite made it or that real feelings exist.
The problem with getting an ARC is I need to wait even longer for book two but also looking forward to this reread one day.
Please be advised that this book is DARK, especially religious trauma.

[bryanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

woah! me giving a review? more shocking than you think! but arc review incoming! so i don’t really write reviews on here and when i do it’s always something witty and sarcastic even when i love the book. but holy shit this book was so good! i want to thank sourcebooks and C2E2 for making this the book club book this year! and for letting me be lucky enough to get an arc of the book and being able to read this! the way that religious guilt and trauma are in this book is done in a way that feels original and not a repeat of any other book. the fact that sin slowly eats away and kills someone blows my mind. talin is so well written and depicts someone wanting to live despite the cultic and religious trauma she’s been. that she needs to sin to live yet sinning is killing her. the romance aspect of the book is perfect! it’s not an in your face type of romance that takes away from the plot. i for once feel like it adds to the plot and keeps the readers captivated! can’t wait to discuss this book further with other readers at c2e2! talin is my favorite little sinner.

[Marissa La Roche · Rating 3 out of 5]

The whole story’s approach to theology and making sinning actually deadly was fascinating. Although, I would have like to see the author expand further on the stages of “Bloodrot” and what that deterioration looks like.

The plot was good. I didn’t see a lot of the twists coming, but it did drag often. There were not a lot of moments of tension that I felt the need to keep going.

The biggest issue I had for this book was the FMC. At first, I found her a bit juvenile. She never thought first before acting. Constantly jumping to conclusions. But she does develop as the story progresses which I appreciate. She is a very self serving character. I don’t really like her but I understand her. Until about chapter 38. Whatever sympathy I had for her, fled from me. I need a character to root for to continue to read a series, and there isn’t a thing I like about the FMC to root to for.


Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

[Ashley Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never get over the fact that I received one of thirty copies of this bound manuscript. So beyond cool. Thank you again, @mk_lobb and @sourcebookscasa ❤️

I absolutely loved this book, and finished it so fast. I simply couldn’t put it down. This dark romantasy was so unique, but also easy to follow. Imagine a world where sinning causes a terminal illness called blood rot. The elite wouldn’t chance death, so they hire sinners to do their bidding.

Talin is a sinner, forced between the two most powerful men, to essentially save herself. Her background was tragic, and I loved the flashbacks to her family and the cult that they belonged to. The slow burn romance/spice in this one was so on point, but it didn’t overtake the story at all, which was so plot driven. Don’t worry, you’ll still be obsessed with Slade, though. 🔥

I feel so lucky to have read this one so early, BUT the cliffhanger has me wanting book two like right now. I’m already planning a reread in the future, because I loved this so much!

Romantasy fans, put The Dark in Her Veins on your calendar, because you will absolutely want to read this! Just a PSA- there are tons of trigger warnings, so be sure to check those out!

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got an arc through Edelweiss

Listen, I had fun with this. I thought the worldbuilding was neat and the antics to kill god* were intriguing enough that I looked forward to reading this a little bit each day. Also the mmc reminds me SO MUCH of Scien Brofiise from Virche Evermore, who I LOOOOOVE, which was just an added plus for MY enjoyment specifically.

I do feel the ending was a little abrupt and I think I wanted a little MORE from it, but not enough to feel like we spent the whole book waiting for something to happen.

So yeah, give me a Scien coded bastard man and that’s enough for me to have a good time.

[Hailey Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that we are getting so many romantasy books with religion woven into the worldbuilding these days! I love that this book was ACTUALLY dark, the characters were actually morally gray. The dom/sub dynamic was sooo juicy and well thought out! I couldn’t put this book down!

[Mandy]

Nope. Not feeling this one. Already feeling formulaic 🥴