The Prince of Power: A Dark College Romance

by Skyler Mason

He took me captive. Now I own his black heart.

Damian Cross, the most feared man at Ashford University, claimed me as his latest sacrifice.

There is no escape for a good girl like me. Not from the wealthy heir to Ashford’s most elite secret society–The Four Hundred.

"You’re mine now," he vows, his touch searing through every wall I try to build. "And I’ll destroy anyone who dares to touch what belongs to me."

I’m a pastor’s daughter who’s spent her life following every rule. Good. Pure. Perfect.

He’s the ruthless prince who bends the world to his will. Cruel. Cunning. Dark.

I should hate him. But there’s something in the way he watches me—like I’m the only thing holding him together—that shatters every defense I have.

When love is born in darkness, it doesn’t just burn. It consumes.

He may be a prince, but I have all the power.

Genres: Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, College, Forced Proximity, Secret Society, Dark

356 pages, Paperback

Published June 19, 2025

About the author

Skyler is a romance novel reader first and foremost. Her books feature strong heroines who sometimes make their heroes cry, but only because they deserve it. After all, if romance isn’t angsty, is it even worth it?

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Reviews

[Miki’s⚠️ Safety Reviews & Rants⚠️]

He has “consorts” so essentially a harem while she is a VIRGIN 🙄
No thank you

[Nerlie౨ৎ 🎧📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

⋆˚࿔review 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
3⭐️

I honestly don’t know if this was a good book, I just know I had a time.

I don’t think it was supposed to be funny, but I was cracking up the entire time. It was giving “so cringe it loops back around to iconic.”
⠀
⤷ Damien (the MMC) was unintentionally hilarious. His master plan was to torture her, make her fall for him fast and hard… just for him to fall even harder. This man was down bad, fully desperate to keep her, while she just kept living her chaotic life. She had him whipped without even trying.
⠀
⤷ Eva (the FMC)… for someone who’s supposed to be smart, she made some wild choices. Like, girl if you think it’s a cult, why are you enrolling? 😑

The plot? So predictable it almost felt intentional. Like the author said “you know what this is, let’s not pretend.” You could see every twist coming from miles away.

That ending, though? He said “go” and then immediately dropped to his knees begging her to stay, not even two minutes later 💀. Peak entertainment.

Honestly, I had fun. If there’s a sequel, I’m reading it with popcorn.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory editing for an ALC of this book!

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚
Corvin King is narrating this one, say less, I’m in. 🎧👀

[brittany:)]

Hopping over to this arc for a few✨🖤

[taz · Rating 1 out of 5]

the dumbest shit i have ever read

[karma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was horrid 💔

[Katherine M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was…….wow. I read a lot of dark academia with secret society tropes (because they’re my favorite) and nothing has ever come close to this. A story you haven’t heard before and it’s refreshing. This was so good and I couldn’t stop reading it. I was so enthralled and enchanted.
Damian is part of the fraternity named Thornecroft and comes from a rich, powerful family. Ava is a scholarship student. Yes, we’ve heard this story before, but that’s just the beginning. There is something dark, secret, and calculating going on and Ava gets caught in the middle of it. Usually I can guess what’s going to happen and this kept me on my toes the whole time. There has never been an mmc that even comes close to Damian. It’s not that he’s a ruthless, morally grey mmc, but his character and what he says is so different. And Ava is innocent and pure of heart, but not naive. This was almost “magically” dark in ways. I can’t say much more without giving away anything but I promise you haven’t read anything like this. It’s amazing! And I shed some tears.

[KL · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible horrible HORRIFIC

[Ellen Gtstwrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Let’s get one thing out of the way: Damian Cross is my new book boyfriend.
He’s dark, dangerous, morally questionable, and if loving him is wrong, I don’t want to be right. The man could ruin my life and I’d thank him. Twice.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the audiobook (thank you Skyler Mason, I owe you my sanity), and from the very first chapter, I knew I was in trouble the good kind. The “this book will live rent-free in my brain and I’ll talk about it at inappropriate times” kind.

🔥 Spice? Piping hot. There are scenes in this book that made me clutch my headphones like they were pearls.
💀 Drama? Petty, powerful, and delicious. Damian could stare someone into a breakdown and I’d happily watch.
🎧 Narrators? Corvin King and Rachel Leblang absolutely ate. Their chemistry? Crackling. Corvin’s voice as Damian? Illegal in at least three countries.

The plot? Juicy. The vibes? Dark academia meets enemies-to-lovers with extra bite. The sexual tension? Enough to fog up my phone screen. And the heroine? ICONIC. She doesn’t just challenge Damian she destroys his ego and makes him beg for more.

If you like your romance intense, spicy, and filled with power struggles, secrets, and sinful little smirks — this is your next obsession. The Prince of Power releases July 5th.

⸻

Final thoughts:
🔊 Listen with headphones
💋 Prepare for emotional damage
👑 Damian Cross owns me now

Send help. Or a sequel. Preferably both.

[Momo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to netgallery and the author for the ALC.

I love dark romance books, I love morally grey characters and even Corrupt characters. So this should have been right up my alley but. I can’t say it was great.

From the start a lot of this book reminded me of The Ritual but a more cringe version. A lot of the society stuff was hard to take seriously and if made me laugh. Damien was not as sexy as he’s meant to be he did come across as rude, terrible and not an mmc that I enjoyed.

And the main character for a very smart girl she was…making the dumbest decisions. All of the things she agreed to, joining the society etc made no sense lol it was kind of comical when those two got together.

Damien lacks the authority the author wants him to have when he commanded her it wasn’t hot as intended. It was icky.

But I really had to draw a line at him wanting to impregnate her against her will basically so she couldn’t leave him. So he could manipulate her into saying. He didn’t go through with it he suddenly realises that’s not okay. But I’m sorry no. The fact he even considered that is a no for me.

So yeah. This was a big miss. I didn’t enjoy the spicy scenes much either. I think there was potential but it just didn’t hit the mark.

[Amanda Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had gone into this ALC blind, having never read any of this authors books before, and I was pleasantly surprised.

The dark academia cult vibes always win my heart, and it was immediate. While the burn is slow, the power imbalance is strong and starts off from the very beginning.

The fmc, Ava, didn’t get annoying to me at all, like some captives can get. And Damien? Phew. Yes. Might not be some cup of tea, but he sure was mine!

The other characters were very balanced but we didn’t see much of them and that’s totally fine to me. The only two that stood out were Rhett and Kane, and I dislike them anyway, due to how they ended up being in the book.

I could’ve guess the plot twist 10% in but it still made for an amazing ending! Thank god there was no surprise pregnancy trope, or I would’ve lost it. The breeding trope was A+ though.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for allowing me access to this advanced listening copy!

[That Lady Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️🌶️

WOW! What an amazing performance by Rachel Leeland & Corvin King. This two are like sweet & salty, jam on toast, cookies with milk 😅 basically what I’m saying is that these 2 are the best combo.

Damien is a killer in the streets and a freak in the sheets. How many letters in the word devoured, oh that’s right 8 🥵. Damien is so much more complex than we first presume and his character arc is brilliant. Ava’s influence and patience in understanding Damien made me think in ways I haven’t before. The time she took to truly see the person underneath what Damien was moulded into was inspiring and thought provoking in ways I didn’t see coming.

Ava being the good Christian girl that she made out to be during the first portion of this book made me wonder why she was quick to change her mind and imped on her own preferences regarding marital relations was kind of annoying at first but after hearing her explain the steps she took in her journey to get to that place made me see her in a new light.

This book was agonisingly beautiful in the best and worst way. And that’s how I like my book 😅

The spice was spicing and I expected nothing less than Skylar Mason. That ending 🤯🤯🤯 I’m so excited for the next book.

Thank you for NetGalley for this ARC ❤️

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all huge thanks to the author for the ARC & ALC.

I went into this book completely blind and I have to admit Corvin King and Rachel Leblanc did a really good job bringing the characters to life, and I liked the idea of the secret society/ Cult.

I really really wanted to love this book and it had a lot of potential with the premise and the tropes but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me and I did not like the MCs. I wasn’t really invested in their relationship either as their chemistry didn’t work for me.

The plot was interesting though and I feel like some dark romance lovers could really enjoy this.

[Nayeli C · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

-Dual POV
-Secret Society
-Good Girl x Bad Boy
-Touch Her and 💀
-He Falls First

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy: 🌶️🌶️

This book was chef’s kiss👌🏻!! Once I started to listen to it I just couldn’t stop!
Totally recommend!!

I can’t wait for the next book to come out!!

[Loco Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know those pop-up, bottom-tier carnivals that are set up in grocery store parking lots? The ones with a "haunted house" made out of cheap plastic and aluminum that are full of dollar store props, a fog machine, and some over-weight middle aged man taking tickets who looks like he regrets all his life choices? That's this book. This isn't a dark romance any more than those cheap carnival monstrosities are haunted houses.

My absolute rage at this book has more to do with being the final straw in a long line of books *just* like this one that have made me want to stop trying any new dark romance as a whole. Books that are all talk and no show. They spend so much time trying to tell you how dark and dangerous the world is, yet never show you any of it. You can't take it seriously or feel any emotional pull even within the confines of its own world because the stakes are so low while claiming to be sky high!

You have this "dark scary society" that is supposed to be so incredibly dangerous, a self-righteous, idiot, heroine who comes in with her mouth non-stop spouting it's self-righteous drivel and a Hero that threatens to correct her all the time, but his biggest punishment is taking away her phone or making her strip down to her underwear. Nothing he does inspires any real fear or tension and the heroine is infuriating because she smuggly believes it's her intelligence and self-righteous sermonizing that's tamed the beast when it's real just all her plot armor getting her through what's supposed to be a dark society. The author BEATS you over the head with the plot twist from the very beginning so it's eye-rollingly obvious where it's all going. I've seen Scooby Doo episodes that built more suspense. I was promised a mastermind and yet was delivered a rich college boy with a superiority complex and Daddy issues. This wasn't even worth a hate-read, I skimmed a large portion of it once I realized this was once again going to be a cliche trope checklist with zero built tension and no real bite.

Until an author can break through this modern dumpster of dark romance and bring real tension and heat, I'm officially putting the Dark Romance genre to rest. It's dead and gone, maybe never to return.

[SAV · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given the opportunity to read this book and to listen to the audiobook and I have to say I really enjoyed it! I loved the narrators in the book and thought they did a brilliant job bringing this story to life. I also really enjoyed the plot, you can never go wrong with a university/ secret society romance book 😏

[marinaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 ⭐ughhhh...i wanted to like this i really did. i tried sooo fucking hard not to dnf. i manged to finish it. and i m relieved. i m sorry guys, it just wasn't for meee🥺🥺 perhaps you'll have a better time?

idk. i just don't know...😔❤️‍🩹

[Meagan Thornburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so where to start? This book was AMAZING!!!! I 10000% recommend reading this book. The FMC was so fierce and strong, but gave off the vibe of helplessness because she was a church girl growing up. There is a lot left unsaid in the book, but it is also not a cliffhanger, which I very much prefer. I really, really did not like Damian to start, but he redeemed himself in the end. Spice in this book was soooo good, I do not want to give spoilers, so I will try my best not to do that! The twists and turns in the end, I had so many questions and still do. Like who are these 400 and what is the purpose of them, it gives some insight into this, and I am sure more to come in the future books. When I was reading some parts when talking about The Sacred Life ( not sure if a spoiler ) I was starting to wonder if this was a book with other worldly beings but it was not. I questioned who it was and how they played a role but honestly did not guess until when the FMC found out. I was worried might be some cheating in the book ( Not my cup of tea ), but once Damian set his eyes on Ava she was all he saw and cared about. So all and all book was amazing I finished in it just about 24 hours and listed to the audio ( highly recommend that).
I was given this book as an ARC from the author and hope to be on her ARC teaming for future books.

[Athena 💗 · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ Thank you, NetGalley for an ALC of The Prince Of Power. As far as the production goes it was done really well. I loved the duet narration and both Corbin King and Rachel Leblang did an amazing job at narrating Damian and Ava.

The cover and title caught my eye immediately and the summary peaked my interest. I loved the storyline of a secret society/college cult with a good girl vs bad boy falling in love. Unfortunately I struggled to get into this story. It was pretty predictable so if you’re looking for a thrilling read I’d probably skip this one.

Ava, the FMC was not likable at all so she also kinda ruined the experience for me. I also wasn’t buying into the romance between Damian and Ava. There were parts that had me laughing out loud but I don’t think the author was actually trying to be funny. It was entertaining enough though. I probably won’t carry on with the series because something that really just rubbed me the wrong way was the constant attacks directed at Christianity. I went in knowing it was a cult story with dark rituals but I felt like the constant mockery of God and Christianity was just unnecessary. It wasn’t for me.

[Darkreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so much potential, but it didn't quite deliver on what it set out to be. I couldn't really connect with either character nor their romance. I did. however, enjoy the secret society aspect and the world the author created. Overall, while I was underwhelmed by the romance, I was still entertained.

[Lynnmarie542_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I got a surprise email from Skyla asking me if I’d be interested in ARC reading this book for her. I did a little stalking and then jumped on bored!
I didn’t know I’d also get the ALC too, but I’m not going to complain. I love to read and listen together.

I was not disappointed, I ate this book/audio up!

Damian is a new favorite book boyfriend. Dark, dangerously questionable! Obsessed with Ava and I love it. He surprised me in the end.
Ava is very strong and doesn’t take sh it!
She challenges Damian and leaves him begging for more. She’s a force he can’t dominate

Narrators Corvin King and Rachel Leblang absolutely rocked this! 🤌🏽💋 my asmr heart if full with Corvin kings voice 🤤

[Eliza_lovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Skylar Mason book, and it won’t be the last - because I’m clearly in my 400 era.

The Prince of Power is a dark college romance with a very secret society and lots is secrets & lies.

Ava is the eldest daughter of a Pastor and a virgina. She is attending a prestigious private university in California and unbeknownst to her captures the attention and interest in one of the deadliest and morally grey men on campus - Damien Cross. Who just happens to be a part of this secret society. He needs her to secure his position at the top and she needs him to learn more about this “cult” to help get her friend Rhett out.

But, that’s just the start and so much happens… I can spoil it for you but it’s wild and totally worth the read.

[Jada · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALC 🎧 Book Review 🤍

Once I saw Corvin mf King’s name… I already knew this was gonna be SWALLOWED UP!!

This right here? THIS WAS A TRIP- Literally finished this in one sitting ‘cause I could NOT pause this for anything whatsoever. I burnt my lasagna over this.
That’s how disconnected w/ the world I was ☠️
And I forgot to cook a side dish, but enough about my mishaps…

This was so soo sooo good, like I read this after Terror At The Gates- And I was still obsessed.
Banger after Banger fr.

Although, it did have questionable parts lmfaoo. Omfg, I love Damien, but the way he’s so possessive over her kinda gets outta pocket. Jaw was dropped, dislocated, and on the floooooooor ☠️☠️☠️
*When he THREATENED to get her ________ , so she wouldn’t be able to leave him???? JAIL. PRISON. HELL. Omfg, and she still stayed. A trooper fr. She said that’s my man and I’m gon’ stand beside him 🙂‍↕️ But same girl lmfaoo.

But other than that- This was HOT HOT HOT 🥵 Literally droooooooolin’ over Damien. It doesn’t help Corvin 👑’s voice alwaysssss does it for me. I’m so down bad, I hate it. It’s like anything he narrates can do no wrong in my eyes 😔

Anyways… Quotes to convince you to read this ‘cause pls. Do yourself a favor!!

“Let me worship you.”

“I’m keeping her. Even if it means igniting a war within the four hundred itself.”

“God help anyone who tries to take her from me.”
*I LOVE A POSSESSIVE MAN.

“There’s a handprint here. Mine. I do this because you’re mine. Mine to protect, mine to adore, and mine to punish.”

“PRECIOUS GIRL.”

“But you can take it & I’ll be so proud of you afterwards.” 💦💦💦 WET.
*Praise kink ACTIVATE.

Mans is just DOWN OUTRAGEOUSLY BAD FRFR ⤵️

“What is it about her? Why does my body ache for her like it’s starving, like it’s only just realized what it’s been missing this whole time.”

“She’s a weakness. Because it’s not just that I’d burn the whole world to the ground for her, but I’d burn myself w/ it if it meant keeping her safe.”

“Her words shatter something in me, not out of pain, but in reverent. I bury my face in her neck and breathe her in like she’s oxygen. Like she’s absolution. She doesn’t even know what she is… Not a sacrifice. Not a doll. A light in the dark, the world made of flesh. I never worshipped anything in my life, until now.”

“I’ll never recover from you and I don’t want to recover from you.”

Overall… Read this. Do me, yourself, the author, your mom, your ancestral lineage a favor & read this ☠️
Both narrator were so amazing & hot, love them!!
s/o to Rachel Leblang & Corvin 👑!!!!
*Also, the reveal?! GAGGED.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, this is proof that you should never judge a book by its cover!

Prince of Power by Skyler Mason is an action-packed, twist-filled rollercoaster that completely pulled me in. It’s set in an academic world with a bully romance front and center. The story unfolds in a college setting complete with an elite, cult-like fraternity hiding dangerous secrets.

The plot was gripping from the very beginning, and I found myself unable to put it down. Every chapter brought new layers of intrigue, tension, and just the right amount of mystery and steam. The pacing was excellent, and as the story progresses it has me more engaged and invested in the storyline.

I absolutely loved the FMC! She was strong, clever, and resilient. And the MMC? He is arrogant and has a complexity and multiple layers. As the story unfolds it was fun watching the female pull back these layers and crack the code that is Damian Cross. Watching their dynamic shift and evolve was one of the highlights of the book.

If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers, morally grey characters, and dark secrets, this one will absolutely be your next obsession.

[JuneMyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED THEIR BOOK 😭😭😭😭

[Madison · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

First off, thank you to Skyler Mason for an ARC copy of her book in exchange for a review, I’ll be as honest as I possibly can! 💕


⛔️I’ll try to be as spoiler free as possible, but fair warning, there may be minor spoilers ahead.⛔️




~We start at Ashford university, home to many of the world’s elite’s children, and Thornecroft, a fraternity that rumors fly about and hides a lot more than what it seems. We have our mmc, Damian, and our fmc, Ava. Damian is a main player in Thornecroft and the wicked things that linger within, which we quickly learn to be much more, and Ava is the typical nerdy bookworm who’s life if centered around studying and going to church. Well that was before she gets dragged into and plopped right down in the middle of all the chaos, but maybe she was always there to begin with.~




So, I decided to sound this book up to a 3 ⭐️ rating instead of down to 2 since I liked it well enough. I feel pretty in the middle on it, I had some things I enjoyed, and other things I enjoyed not so much.

Starting strong, Damian. He is such a complex character for me, and I personally really enjoyed him. First you start off disgusted by him, then you soften on him a little bit, then he makes you dislike him, then you love him, then you hate him, only to end on loving him again. One minute, he’s doing the sweetest things for her, taking care of and doting on her, and the next? He’s threatening her, manipulating her, then tossing her in a dungeon.. and yet somehow after he does that, it still makes you giggle and kick your feet because the whole time he does it, he’s still somehow spoiling her. He never let her suffer or hurt, even when he was mad at her, his punishments for her were always mild and never caused her any real distress at all.

He was confusing because the first half of the book, you question whether he’s still trying to manipulate and use her or if he’s actually falling in love with her, and you don’t figure out until exactly 50% in. I didn’t like his acceptance of the misogynistic world he was raised in, but I guess it was something I knew would be there from the beginning. Sometimes the way he spoke to and about Ava gave me the ick, but it was super minor and I was able to get past it. It made up for it when he showed what she meant to him, with both his words and actions. I loved that he was able to be vulnerable and open, especially with her. He was cold and deadly to most from the outside, but I like that he wasn’t just shoved down our throats as a cold unfeeling monster. No, we got to see his desire, his longing, his weakness, his uncertainty and fear. I think it made the story more real and relatable, approachable as well. And my god, the way he doted on her? I’m obsessed. The particular scene where he’s talking her down from a ledge, the fear and brokenness to him? I loved it the rawness of it.

Ava is a character that I actually didn’t mind, she didn’t annoy me terribly or anything and I was truthfully pretty objective about her, she was very unremarkable, not annoying but also not a character that sticks out. I can’t fathom the dumbass decision to join them, especially thinking they were a cult, even if it was out of concern for a friend. Though I honestly really admired that she wasn’t shy about telling people, especially men, what she thought, even if it was stupidly brave. She was good for Damian, and I liked seeing her let him in and break him open to see how he really was inside. She was a little too forgiving and naive for me, but it worked with the story. One other issue I did have with her character was the lack of details or explanation on a few things. Like her religion. It was brought up a bit, how she was raised as the pastors daughter and saving herself for marriage, but I felt like that was not explored or explained as it could’ve been. Maybe Mrs. Mason didn’t intend it to be a integral part of the story, but I think with the way it was set up and used as a crutch for the plot, it should’ve been more touched on. Like one page she goes from being a devout Christian that’s saving herself for marriage to just handing over her virginity like it’s nothing. In the few spicy scenes there were, there was no hesitation or doubt or anything to do with her intention to wait. If the story hadn’t been focused on her being a virgin, I don’t think her religion should’ve even been included, it felt pointless beyond how it played into the plot twist.

The other characters like Kane, Rhett, Hunter, Lucy, and Sienna were interesting, thought for me personally they weren’t involved enough to for me to have many real thoughts or feelings on them. I liked Sienna and Hunter from what I saw of them, Kane and Rhett not so much. I didn’t hate them, I just didn’t care about them to be honest.

As for the plot twist, I figured it out at about 18%. I think it was really obvious, but maybe that’s just me and my thriller loving brain. I believe that’s why I might’ve been really bored around 60% in, I already knew what was coming. But to be fair, even while knowing, I had a decent time reading it.

If you’re into super fast paced reads, this may definitely be for you, I finished it in less than a day and it was really quick and easy to breeze through. I do wish it was a little longer, a lot of it felt rushed, easily tied up, and a bit confusing to start with. The drama was resolved almost immediately, like 5-10 pages type of immediately, which isn’t a bad thing. I personally enjoy books that don’t always draw out the angst, and this one didn’t do that at all. As someone who’s never really read anything that revolves around a secret society before, I walked in confused and had a lot of things thrown at me that made no sense as far as who people were and the roles they played, but I picked it up fairly quickly, so it’s not a difficult read.

The whole concept of the society was pretty interesting and kind of reminded me of Scientology a little bit 😭. Those people involved were a bunch of freak shows, but entertaining nonetheless. I was glad that neither of the main characters actually believed in what this secret society was about, I liked their independent thinking and thoughts on the load of bs that was this group of people. I would’ve loved to have gotten a bit more on the history and foundation of this group, but it was only 345 pages, so i think it was pretty decent for the short span of the book.

To me, this book can be classified as ‘happy for now’. It was left pretty open ended, not on a cliffhanger though, but a lot was left to question. Maybe it was left open for the questions and story to be continued in Lucy and Hunter’s book, but who knows.

As for the audiobook that I was also fortunate enough to receive, I’d give it a 2 ⭐️. I LOVE Corvin King, he was perfect for Damian and he really brought the story to life for the chapters of his I did listen to. I sadly didn’t listen much to the audiobook beyond a few of Damian’s chapters, I was not really a fan of the fmc’s voice actor. I’ve never heard any of her other work and it’s probably lovely, but this one was unfortunately not it for me, it felt super choppy and emotionless. Hopefully others enjoy it more than I did.

It was a decent read overall. Short, predictable, easy, I enjoyed it well enough, even though I was quite bored at times. Thank you, Skyler Mason, for the ARC.

Rating- ⭐️⭐️.5/5
Spice level- 🌶️/ 5
Angst level- 😨😨/5
Recommend?- Maybe
Trigger Warnings⚠️?- Yes

[Stina Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at 8 p.m. last night and I. Did. Not. Stop. I was lucky enough to receive both the ARC of the book and the audiobook, and let me tell you, being immersed in a story like this is an experience you do not want to miss.
If you're into dark romance, this book was made for you. There's a whole menu of trigger warnings, yes, I read them like appetizers before the main course, and they only added to the delicious sense of danger. There’s something thrilling about opening a book and knowing it's going to leave you gasping. Skylar Mason’s writing is razor-sharp, her plotting absolutely top-tier. I love when a book lets me think I’ve got it all figured out, only to twist the knife in a way I never saw coming.
The story centers on a secret society where the entry price is… a virgin sacrifice. Of course, it’s men pulling the strings, and of course, our FMC, Ava, is caught in the middle. Ava is a smart, book-loving student who’s too clever for her own good. She has morals, boundaries, and a will of steel, until she meets Damian. He challenges everything she thought she knew about herself. Is she really as pure as he hopes? Or as she thinks?
Damian is controlling, cold, and calculating, but how could he not be? His life has been scripted by his powerful family and the twisted organization he's destined to lead. He’s determined to hold all the power in the world. Then Ava stumbles into his orbit, and he decides to pull her under. She doesn’t know his world, but he’s going to drag her into it, inch by inch, heartbeat by heartbeat.
And the audiobook? Phenomenal. I’ve liked a lot of voice actors, but Corvin King? I fell hard. His voice could make me love words I normally hate. Seriously, I would listen to him read a grocery list and swoon. The entire narration cast brought this story to life in a way that made it even more unforgettable.
Also, shoutout to the author for not making Ava some clueless damsel. She’s sharp. She knows something’s wrong. And she still walks into the fire.
So if you're craving danger, spice, forbidden love, and a dark secret society, grab this book immediately. It drops on July 5th and the best part? The audiobook releases the same day. Do yourself a favor: get both. You’ll thank me later.

[Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You don’t belong in their world, Ava. You belong in mine, and I’ll burn the rest to keep you safe.”

I have been on a Dark Romance kick, and when I tell you that I 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 this book—I mean unhinged levels of obsessed. From the very first line, I knew it’d be a wild ride.

🥀 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞? ✅
🥀 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? ✅✅
🥀 ‘𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫’? ✅✅✅

Damian is the ultimate morally gray alpha—ruthless, calculating, seductive—and Ava is our rule-following FMC who completely gives him a run for his money. The way this man craves her intelligence and defiance and is consumed by her allure is SO addictive. 👏🏻

My God, this woman is perfect. She’s not afraid to look me in the eye and draw a line with quiet, unwavering certainty. She knows who she is and expects me to rise to meet her there. She’s a force I can’t dominate, only earn. And I will. By God, I will.

The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between them has total cat-and-mouse vibes, but eventually, the mouse catches its predator. I also loved how the story drops breadcrumbs about their pasts that tie together in such an insane and satisfying ending.

And OMG the audiobook!! Damian’s voice actor had me SHIVERING with his delivery and Ava’s VO really made her feel like a classmate at Ashford University.—Also…𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒆…𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒐𝒍…I could go on but please, PLEASE just trust me on this. 😮‍💨🤌🏻

“Oh, my innocent girl. You have so much to learn.” He kisses my cheek. “Let me teach you.”

This book is not a fantasy but so many aspects of it felt fantastical. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒏-𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕, but so much darker and way steamier. I can’t wait for the next book since it focuses on other characters we’ve already met! 10/10 would sacrifice my sanity again for this one.

Thank you so much to the author for a copy of the ARC and ALC! And please be sure to check the trigger warnings. 🫶🏻

(4.75⭐s)

Read if you love:
❤️‍🔥 Dark College Romance
🥀 Jealous Possessive MMC
📚 Bookish Good Girl FMC
⛓️ Captor/Captive
🤫 Secret Society
🤌🏻 Dom/Sub Undertones
🔥 “I’ll keep you forever”

[Tropes_and_Taboo · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎧 ALC received from @netgalley, @skylermason, and @victoryediting in exchange for an honest review.

If you're an audiobook dark romance lover, you already know the power of Corvin King. That gravelly, sexy voice? Mmmmmm. I’d listen to him read a cereal box, honestly. But throw in a duet narration with Rachel Leblang and a dark academia plot? YES PLEASE. Their chemistry in audio was everything—it truly elevated the experience.

Now, I don’t know if the growls were in the original writing or just part of Corvin’s performance... but either way? Whew. Let's just say my panties may or may not have spontaneously combusted.

This is dark academia, but with a refreshing twist—different from the usual trope-heavy stuff. It could serve as a great intro to dark romance, especially for someone newer to the genre.

We get the classic dynamic: rich, secret-society alpha male vs. smart, scholarship girl—but Ava isn’t your typical “naive and overwhelmed” FMC. She’s smart, observant, and knows what she’s walking into. She draws lines, holds her own, and their intellectual conversations (yes! actual debates) kept things interesting and elevated the tension. The writing had me on edge in the best way, because I never fully knew where it was heading—and that unpredictability made it hard to pause.

The spice? Delicious. Well-written, smutty, and perfectly intense for the tone of the book.

That said, the virginity scene gave me pause. Ava had set up clear intentions about saving herself for marriage, and the pivot to giving it up didn’t feel emotionally conflicted enough. I got her choice, but I just wanted a bit more inner struggle there—it felt a little too easy for someone with such firm beliefs.

But ohhh chapter 35?
CHAPTER. 35.
I can’t say a thing without spoiling, but just... 😳 WHAT.
No. No. YES?? I’m still reeling. Read it. You’ll get it.

This feels like a standalone—there’s resolution and no harsh cliffhanger—but there are definitely things left unanswered in the world leaving you asking for more, and we already know future books will follow different characters from this world. And yes, I’ll be picking them up! I want more of this secret society and all its delicious drama.

[WSY · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC REVIEW*

=> Virgin sacrifice
=> Secret society
=> Bratty x brooding
=> Forced proximity
=> Power imbalance
=> Slow burn with spice

The Prince of Power surprised me. It starts with a setup that could have easily fallen into the usual dark romance black hole. A virgin girl handed off as a sacrifice to a dangerous man in a secretive fraternity. But Skyler Mason held the reins. The pacing was tight, the slow burn felt earned, and the romance was built on tension instead of just spice and trauma stacked on each other.

Damian Cross had that classic morally grey energy but with real development. He was emotionally locked down, power-hungry, and hard to look away from. Still, his trauma arc felt like a checkbox moment. One conversation and suddenly he is healed. It was the only part of his character that lacked weight. Everything else about him had teeth.

Ava Sinclair stole the show. She was bratty, bold, curious, and submissive without being weak. Her personality made the power play between them hit harder. She did not fall into the background or exist just to be controlled. She had her agency, even while surrendering control, and that complexity made her one of the better FMCs I have read in a while.

The world-building carried this story past the weaker points. There was a dark academic vibe layered with something cult-like and threatening, which made the setting feel alive. The only flaw that dragged it down was the obsession with her virginity. The repetition got stale fast. If the story had focused more on the inner workings of the fraternity instead of circling back to that same detail, the plot would have felt sharper.

Still, this book held my attention the entire time. The tension was real. The characters had a bite. The atmosphere did not let up. I expected a cliffhanger or something painful right at the end, but that final confession scene felt sweet and earned. It was a solid way to close off a story that knew how to flirt with darkness without drowning in it. I will be watching what Skyler Mason writes next.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. It was duet narration performed by Corvin King and Rachel Leblang.
Corvin King never disappoints. He has the ability to bring all the emotions and personality of a character to life. His voice was perfect for Damian and he done an amazing job.
This is the first I’ve listened to anything by Rachael Leblang. She did an amazing job as well. Her voice fit the character and she was able to capture the personality and emotions of Ava really well.
Both the narrators voices complemented each other and they were able to keep my attention the entire time.

This story had me from start to finish. I loved it! It was fast paced, smutty goodness, with an interesting secret society, dangerous situations and plot twists. I did find some things predictable but, it didn’t ruin the story for me. It had all the things I love about a dark academia romance. I found the MFC in this refreshing. An Innocent church girl, sometimes in need of saving, yes. BUT, she wasn’t clueless or helpless. She was smart, talented, determined and able to figure things out including what she wanted. Ava was a great character! The MMC, Damian, was dark, morally grey, demanding, hotness with a sweet side that had my heart 🫠 He was protective of his little doll and definitely had the whole touch her and die vibe going on ☠️ And he falls first 🖤 The chemistry and banter between them was so good. I loved the characters and the side characters. You get to know Hunter and Lucy a tiny bit in this book and I’m so looking forward to the next book and their story! Maybe we will get a bit on how Damian and Ava are doing as well since this had an open ended HEA 🤞🏻

Thank you NetGalley, Skyler Mason and Victory Editing for the opportunity to listen to this ALC!