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Cruel Angel
Not yet published
Expected 14 Apr 26There was a time I felt lost and alone…until I met them, and together our souls took My gentle Raoul and our deadly Angel of Music.
Haunted by the violent death of her parents, Christine Daaé longs to find solace in music, but debilitating stage fright keeps her firmly in the shadows. All she can hope for is a few stolen moments singing to herself in the mournful silence of the backstage stairwell…until one night, the shadows sing back.
In exchange for complete devotion, her mysterious Phantom promises to teach her everything he knows—and with his praise boosting her confidence, Christine is finally able to take center stage…catching the eye of her sweet childhood friend turned something more, Raoul.
But her mysterious mentor is as obsessive as he is demanding, and he will not share Christine with anyone—not unless he can have them both in a bargain that is as dangerous as it is seductive. Light and shadows, gentleness and raging passion, the three of them should not fit so perfectly together. Yet as a supernatural force looms, ready to tear them apart forever, Christine must decide if love can truly exist in the space between beauty and madness…and whether she's finally ready to fully embrace the music of the night.
An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Phantom of the Opera with a magical twist.
RICH BONUS FEATURES
Gorgeous b&w interior artAdditional scenesAnd more!
Haunted by the violent death of her parents, Christine Daaé longs to find solace in music, but debilitating stage fright keeps her firmly in the shadows. All she can hope for is a few stolen moments singing to herself in the mournful silence of the backstage stairwell…until one night, the shadows sing back.
In exchange for complete devotion, her mysterious Phantom promises to teach her everything he knows—and with his praise boosting her confidence, Christine is finally able to take center stage…catching the eye of her sweet childhood friend turned something more, Raoul.
But her mysterious mentor is as obsessive as he is demanding, and he will not share Christine with anyone—not unless he can have them both in a bargain that is as dangerous as it is seductive. Light and shadows, gentleness and raging passion, the three of them should not fit so perfectly together. Yet as a supernatural force looms, ready to tear them apart forever, Christine must decide if love can truly exist in the space between beauty and madness…and whether she's finally ready to fully embrace the music of the night.
An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Phantom of the Opera with a magical twist.
RICH BONUS FEATURES
Gorgeous b&w interior artAdditional scenesAnd more!
- GenresRomance
Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 14, 2026
14 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca F. Kenney
72 books2,871 followersRebecca F. Kenney writes spicy fantasy romance about sassy, strong women and hot guys with tragic backstories... pirates, warlords, demons, Fae, and royals. Her main series are the "Wicked Darlings" series (spicy Fae retellings of the Nutcracker, Wonderland, and Oz), the "Dark Rulers" series (standalones in a shared world), and the "For the Love of the Villain" series of genderbent fairytales. Other books include a post-apocalyptic vampire romance trilogy ("The Vampires Will Save You"), a demon romance "Interior Design for Demons," a dark mermaid fantasy duet, and other spicy retellings.
Rebecca is represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary. She lives in upstate South Carolina with her handsome blue-eyed husband and two smart, energetic kids.
For updates and information about upcoming novels, follow on Instagram @rebeccafkenneybooks, on Twitter @RebeccaFKenney1, and on TikTok @rebeccafkenney
Rebecca is represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary. She lives in upstate South Carolina with her handsome blue-eyed husband and two smart, energetic kids.
For updates and information about upcoming novels, follow on Instagram @rebeccafkenneybooks, on Twitter @RebeccaFKenney1, and on TikTok @rebeccafkenney
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 26, 2025
I really enjoy Rebecca Kenneys retellings and im super into phantom of the opera at the moment. I love how the author gives the characters a modern unique twist to their characters that sets them aside from their original stories. Definitely recommend if you’re a fan of retellings or the original plot
December 11, 2025
Phantom of the Opera retelling plus why choose with ⚔️?! What’s not to love!! This was such a smutty, enjoyable read!!
Christine lost her parents and left their cult and is now trying to survive on her own. Christine has a passion for singing and dancing but is too shy to share her singing passion with the world until an “Angel” hears her singing in the back stairwell of work one day. The Angel encourages Christine to perfect her voice and begins giving her vocal coaching, all without ever seeing one another. Christine tries out for a play as a singer and the Playwrite happens to be her childhood friend Raoul. Raoul begins pining but the dark, possessive angel must both protect Christine and help her flourish by slightly threatening Raoul to get her the lead role.
Raoul and the Angels chemistry is immediate and so delicious. The Angel aka the Phantom struggles with his jealousy and wanting to keep Christine all to himself. Neither knows that Christine is harboring a big secret. What other secrets are there?
This book kept me guessing constantly and some of those guesses were wrong 🤣 I was thoroughly entertained and I love a good, smutty standalone from Rebecca Kenney!
Read this if you like:
🎭 MMF why choose
🎭 Phantom of the Opera retelling
🎭 paranormal world with a multitude of creatures
🎭 mutual pining
🎭 spicy scenes
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Thank you to Rebecca Kenney for the giveaway copy! Thank you for letting me participate in the giveaway and letting me read this one early!
Cruel Angel releases on April 14, 2026!!
Christine lost her parents and left their cult and is now trying to survive on her own. Christine has a passion for singing and dancing but is too shy to share her singing passion with the world until an “Angel” hears her singing in the back stairwell of work one day. The Angel encourages Christine to perfect her voice and begins giving her vocal coaching, all without ever seeing one another. Christine tries out for a play as a singer and the Playwrite happens to be her childhood friend Raoul. Raoul begins pining but the dark, possessive angel must both protect Christine and help her flourish by slightly threatening Raoul to get her the lead role.
Raoul and the Angels chemistry is immediate and so delicious. The Angel aka the Phantom struggles with his jealousy and wanting to keep Christine all to himself. Neither knows that Christine is harboring a big secret. What other secrets are there?
This book kept me guessing constantly and some of those guesses were wrong 🤣 I was thoroughly entertained and I love a good, smutty standalone from Rebecca Kenney!
Read this if you like:
🎭 MMF why choose
🎭 Phantom of the Opera retelling
🎭 paranormal world with a multitude of creatures
🎭 mutual pining
🎭 spicy scenes
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Thank you to Rebecca Kenney for the giveaway copy! Thank you for letting me participate in the giveaway and letting me read this one early!
Cruel Angel releases on April 14, 2026!!
December 15, 2025
Review to follow
December 12, 2025
Thank you to Rebecca for the opportunity to read the ARC!
This was a really interesting, smutty fantasy take on The Phantom of the Opera. I only know the outline of the plot, so I did go into this fairly blind compared to fans of the musical and the book.
I definitely did not expect the revelation about Christine’s real nature, and I thought that was a great choice. As with a lot of Rebecca’s FMCs, it’s refreshing and different that she wasn’t an entirely innocent ingenue. She did a great job of writing her backstory (and all of the characters)
Angel is possessive in a way where I still found it exciting and darkly romantic, rather than tipping me over to a point where I felt put off. I think I enjoyed reading his POV the most, probably in part because that’s where you see the most character development, and there were some surprisingly beautiful lines in there.
Raoul’s POV was perhaps the least interesting for me to read, but he was very sweet and a perfect foil to Angel - kind of the glue that held the three MCs together. He and Christine share a similar background in some ways, but it shaped them very differently.
The dynamic between the three characters wasn’t what I expected but made complete sense to me. I thought Rebecca built the sexual tension between the characters really well, and the cute date chapter was a very pleasant surprise, such a nice change of pace from a book with fairly dark themes.
I’d anticipated the ending a bit earlier than it came, and I was surprised to realise I had 20% to go! That said, the ending did wrap up the story in a way that made you feel the characters could completely move on from their past.
This was a really interesting, smutty fantasy take on The Phantom of the Opera. I only know the outline of the plot, so I did go into this fairly blind compared to fans of the musical and the book.
I definitely did not expect the revelation about Christine’s real nature, and I thought that was a great choice. As with a lot of Rebecca’s FMCs, it’s refreshing and different that she wasn’t an entirely innocent ingenue. She did a great job of writing her backstory (and all of the characters)
Angel is possessive in a way where I still found it exciting and darkly romantic, rather than tipping me over to a point where I felt put off. I think I enjoyed reading his POV the most, probably in part because that’s where you see the most character development, and there were some surprisingly beautiful lines in there.
Raoul’s POV was perhaps the least interesting for me to read, but he was very sweet and a perfect foil to Angel - kind of the glue that held the three MCs together. He and Christine share a similar background in some ways, but it shaped them very differently.
The dynamic between the three characters wasn’t what I expected but made complete sense to me. I thought Rebecca built the sexual tension between the characters really well, and the cute date chapter was a very pleasant surprise, such a nice change of pace from a book with fairly dark themes.
I’d anticipated the ending a bit earlier than it came, and I was surprised to realise I had 20% to go! That said, the ending did wrap up the story in a way that made you feel the characters could completely move on from their past.
December 18, 2025
Thank you Netgalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Rebecca F. Kenney for providing this ARC copy in exchange for review.
I'm a fan of Rebecca F. Kenney and have read a good handful of her books. Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite stories, having been obsessed with the musical as a kid, and I was excited to read Kenney's spicy take on it.
Unfortunately, this is my least favorite out of all the books of hers I've read.
It felt immaturely written and like she was trying to shove all the fantasy lore into one book. The Phantom is a captured god, Christine is a vampire, and Raoul is a werewolf. She pulled a lot from Irish lore, which required me to Google a lot. I don't mind that so much because I enjoy learning new things, but it does take me out of the story when I have to do it a lot. It would have been better if she explained what everything was in the narrative or had a glossary.
The worst part about this, and the reason I said the writing felt immature, was the overuse of metaphors and adjectives. There were so many descriptors that the book was a SLOG to get through. Maybe Kenney added them trying to recreate the poetry and music that floats over the story of the Phantom of the Opera, but it fell flat and unnecessary in my opinion.
"I dream in cotton candy colors, but the reality is a sour gummy worm, dust coated and too hard to chew." This was the worst metaphor in my opinion. On its own, this sentence isn't too bad, but after reading things like this every other sentence, I was so fed up I wanted to quit reading.
The spicy parts were appropriately spicy, but there was a male on male spicy scene where she referenced body parts as "swords". "... 'It can shift into a different kind of hug. Maybe something called a sword fight.'... when I point out the swords in question..." I have never heard anyone seriously call it a sword fight. Again, the writing here felt immature. Maybe she wrote it that way on purpose since the characters are in their 20s, but it took me out of the world and made me think, " WHAT?! Who says that?!"
In conclusion, what made this book ok was that the spicy scenes were extra spicy and it was fun to hop out of the cishet romance tropes, but maybe skim the narrative and dive deeper into the spicy stuff if you read this book.
I'm a fan of Rebecca F. Kenney and have read a good handful of her books. Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite stories, having been obsessed with the musical as a kid, and I was excited to read Kenney's spicy take on it.
Unfortunately, this is my least favorite out of all the books of hers I've read.
It felt immaturely written and like she was trying to shove all the fantasy lore into one book. The Phantom is a captured god, Christine is a vampire, and Raoul is a werewolf. She pulled a lot from Irish lore, which required me to Google a lot. I don't mind that so much because I enjoy learning new things, but it does take me out of the story when I have to do it a lot. It would have been better if she explained what everything was in the narrative or had a glossary.
The worst part about this, and the reason I said the writing felt immature, was the overuse of metaphors and adjectives. There were so many descriptors that the book was a SLOG to get through. Maybe Kenney added them trying to recreate the poetry and music that floats over the story of the Phantom of the Opera, but it fell flat and unnecessary in my opinion.
"I dream in cotton candy colors, but the reality is a sour gummy worm, dust coated and too hard to chew." This was the worst metaphor in my opinion. On its own, this sentence isn't too bad, but after reading things like this every other sentence, I was so fed up I wanted to quit reading.
The spicy parts were appropriately spicy, but there was a male on male spicy scene where she referenced body parts as "swords". "... 'It can shift into a different kind of hug. Maybe something called a sword fight.'... when I point out the swords in question..." I have never heard anyone seriously call it a sword fight. Again, the writing here felt immature. Maybe she wrote it that way on purpose since the characters are in their 20s, but it took me out of the world and made me think, " WHAT?! Who says that?!"
In conclusion, what made this book ok was that the spicy scenes were extra spicy and it was fun to hop out of the cishet romance tropes, but maybe skim the narrative and dive deeper into the spicy stuff if you read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Honestly deserves 10 stars!)
I wish I could give this retelling of The Phantom of the Opera 10 stars—it was absolutely magnificent! Rebecca F. Kenney is a phenomenal writer, and what she has done with this classic tale is something I won’t soon forget.
The Phantom of the Opera is one of my all-time favorite classic novels. I’ve read many twisted retellings over the years, but this one felt completely fresh and original with its MMF why-choose spin. Deliciously dark, steamy, and primal, the chemistry crackles—from the intense one-on-one encounters to the full trio dynamic.
Here, the Phantom masterfully orchestrates a sensual love triangle between a werewolf Raoul and a vampire Christine, and together they create beautiful music—both in and out of the bedroom. The pacing is steady, the storytelling is excellent, and the atmosphere is rich and immersive. Kenney does an amazing job bringing the old theater to life, along with a compelling cast of characters, including the eerie ghosts bound to the god of death—the Phantom himself.
I don’t want to give too much away since the book doesn’t go live until April 2026, but I will say this:
If you’ve ever had a thing for the Phantom and the handsome Raoul and wondered why you couldn’t have both… this book answers that question. If the classic made your heart race and your toes curl, this version will absolutely set your panties on fire.
When people ask me from now on if I’ve read any good twisted classics lately, Cruel Angel will be one of my first recommendations. It’s an unforgettable story with complex main characters and some truly fantastic secondary ones as well. 😉❤️
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Rebecca F. Kenney for the pleasure of reviewing this amazing book! 💋
I wish I could give this retelling of The Phantom of the Opera 10 stars—it was absolutely magnificent! Rebecca F. Kenney is a phenomenal writer, and what she has done with this classic tale is something I won’t soon forget.
The Phantom of the Opera is one of my all-time favorite classic novels. I’ve read many twisted retellings over the years, but this one felt completely fresh and original with its MMF why-choose spin. Deliciously dark, steamy, and primal, the chemistry crackles—from the intense one-on-one encounters to the full trio dynamic.
Here, the Phantom masterfully orchestrates a sensual love triangle between a werewolf Raoul and a vampire Christine, and together they create beautiful music—both in and out of the bedroom. The pacing is steady, the storytelling is excellent, and the atmosphere is rich and immersive. Kenney does an amazing job bringing the old theater to life, along with a compelling cast of characters, including the eerie ghosts bound to the god of death—the Phantom himself.
I don’t want to give too much away since the book doesn’t go live until April 2026, but I will say this:
If you’ve ever had a thing for the Phantom and the handsome Raoul and wondered why you couldn’t have both… this book answers that question. If the classic made your heart race and your toes curl, this version will absolutely set your panties on fire.
When people ask me from now on if I’ve read any good twisted classics lately, Cruel Angel will be one of my first recommendations. It’s an unforgettable story with complex main characters and some truly fantastic secondary ones as well. 😉❤️
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Rebecca F. Kenney for the pleasure of reviewing this amazing book! 💋
December 27, 2025
Cruel Angel is dark paranormal romance at its finest. Rebecca Kenney delivers a captivating twist on the Phantom of the Opera that plunges readers into a twisted steamy world of monsters set in Nashville’s music and theatre scene. The writing is captivating and draws you into the depths of its morally gray characters and their intricate relationships. As a Nashville native, the setting adds an enchanting and familiar atmosphere to the story which I really enjoy. Despite being a retelling of a classic story, it still feels fresh and new in a way that keeps the reader guessing what will happen next.
The familiar characters of Raoul, Christine, and the enigmatic Phantom are layered and complex making it easy to become emotionally invested. Instead of having a clear hero and villain, each character has their own moral battles and backstory that adds weight to their choices. I particularly appreciate the multiple viewpoints, which provides deeper insight into their motivations and struggles and helps to make the ending far more meaningful.
The spice in this book is off the charts. The trio are electric together and the love scenes are just the right level of naughty but also have emotional depth making it feel like a true love story. This is definitely an adult story and I would enjoy it away from the prying eyes of anyone under 18.
I devoured this book in less than 24 hours because it is such a page-turner. Kenney has created a sexy haunting tale that lingers long after the last page is turned. For me, this book hit all the marks that I want from a dark spicy paranormal romance and earns it an easy 5 stars. Cruel Angel is an absolute must-read for fans of the genre.
The familiar characters of Raoul, Christine, and the enigmatic Phantom are layered and complex making it easy to become emotionally invested. Instead of having a clear hero and villain, each character has their own moral battles and backstory that adds weight to their choices. I particularly appreciate the multiple viewpoints, which provides deeper insight into their motivations and struggles and helps to make the ending far more meaningful.
The spice in this book is off the charts. The trio are electric together and the love scenes are just the right level of naughty but also have emotional depth making it feel like a true love story. This is definitely an adult story and I would enjoy it away from the prying eyes of anyone under 18.
I devoured this book in less than 24 hours because it is such a page-turner. Kenney has created a sexy haunting tale that lingers long after the last page is turned. For me, this book hit all the marks that I want from a dark spicy paranormal romance and earns it an easy 5 stars. Cruel Angel is an absolute must-read for fans of the genre.
December 25, 2025
I’m a huge fan of Rebecca Kenney’s work! I love her retellings, especially the way her mind takes stories and reimagines them into new stories that are well-crafted and yet faithful to the source material.
I am a huge fan of the story of the phantom of the opera so I had already pre-ordered this. When I saw it was available as an ARC, I immediately jumped on that.
I loved the way Christine was described in this - it is modern, set in Nashville and she lives at a theater and dances. She meets her Angel when she practices her singing and he coaches her and encourages her to audition for a new musical, which she finds out is written and directed by Raoul.
I loved the why choose addition - this is always preferable to me rather than a love triangle. The spice in this was well written, but I honestly wish there was a bit more.
The chemistry between the characters was amazing and their characters were developed well. I loved the supernatural element that was added.
It was a great story with well-developed plot and romance. I can’t wait to see what is next!
I am a huge fan of the story of the phantom of the opera so I had already pre-ordered this. When I saw it was available as an ARC, I immediately jumped on that.
I loved the way Christine was described in this - it is modern, set in Nashville and she lives at a theater and dances. She meets her Angel when she practices her singing and he coaches her and encourages her to audition for a new musical, which she finds out is written and directed by Raoul.
I loved the why choose addition - this is always preferable to me rather than a love triangle. The spice in this was well written, but I honestly wish there was a bit more.
The chemistry between the characters was amazing and their characters were developed well. I loved the supernatural element that was added.
It was a great story with well-developed plot and romance. I can’t wait to see what is next!
December 25, 2025
I lovedddd this. A unique experience even as it pulls from Phantom of the Opera.
I saw Phantom of the Opera in New York City once long ago and the vibes were hitting me all over again. It's so raw and dangerous and powerful. I love the mental health reps and the character dynamics. This was a total win. It did take me a little bit to understand what I was reading, but trust the process. It does include different supernatural entities.
It's addictive and seductive. I couldn't stop reading. It's my first MMF from this author and I loved how she incorporated the layered relationships between characters. It felt as dangerous as it was compelling. A huge wow from me.
1000% need this gorgeous edition
on my shelf. The cover is absolutely stunning. I'm all the way obsessed with everything about this book.
I saw Phantom of the Opera in New York City once long ago and the vibes were hitting me all over again. It's so raw and dangerous and powerful. I love the mental health reps and the character dynamics. This was a total win. It did take me a little bit to understand what I was reading, but trust the process. It does include different supernatural entities.
It's addictive and seductive. I couldn't stop reading. It's my first MMF from this author and I loved how she incorporated the layered relationships between characters. It felt as dangerous as it was compelling. A huge wow from me.
1000% need this gorgeous edition
on my shelf. The cover is absolutely stunning. I'm all the way obsessed with everything about this book.
December 17, 2025
What a way to wrap up to an AMAZING series.
I was so not expecting the identity of The Phantom when it was revealed. But I totally missed the mark on Raoul and I can't believe I didn't piece that one together.
So many things intertwined and references to the other book characters that it makes me want to go back and do a reread just to connect the dots.
If you like any of these themes this might be a book for you!
- morally grey mmc
- touch her and die
- why choose
- southern gothic Phantom of the Opera twist
- paranormal
Thank you NetGalley, Rebecca Kenney & Sourcebooks Casablanca for this arc opportunity.
I was so not expecting the identity of The Phantom when it was revealed. But I totally missed the mark on Raoul and I can't believe I didn't piece that one together.
So many things intertwined and references to the other book characters that it makes me want to go back and do a reread just to connect the dots.
If you like any of these themes this might be a book for you!
- morally grey mmc
- touch her and die
- why choose
- southern gothic Phantom of the Opera twist
- paranormal
Thank you NetGalley, Rebecca Kenney & Sourcebooks Casablanca for this arc opportunity.
December 18, 2025
The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite things in the world, so I when I knew Rebecca was doing a delicious spin on it, I needed to read it. I was thankful to get an ARC, and I am so happy to have gotten to read it. It was fun, with all the magic plot intricacies that come along with Rebecca’s work, spicy, and had a great ending. I believe we will see these characters again living their happy ever after while we meet new couples.. hopefully 🤞🏼💕
December 17, 2025
Wow! I won a giveaway and got to read this early and If you want a refreshing, fun smutty take on Phantom Of The Opera look no further. Christine is a badass in this retelling, but had these soft spots the angel and Raoul fill. I love how the Phantom is portrayed, and the references to the musical, box 5 at the level of your eyes, were excellent. A definite must read. Preorder now for sure.
December 21, 2025
Phantom of the opera in modern Nashville with wolf-shifters and vampires. Also ghosts!
I really liked the dynamics of the three characters. The had different voices and personality. I am a why choose girlie but mainly like triangle. When the boyfriends are also bfs.
These men loved each other and the fmc with a passion with a capitol P. It was a hot hot book !
Chili peppers three 🌶🌶🌶
I really liked the dynamics of the three characters. The had different voices and personality. I am a why choose girlie but mainly like triangle. When the boyfriends are also bfs.
These men loved each other and the fmc with a passion with a capitol P. It was a hot hot book !
Chili peppers three 🌶🌶🌶
December 24, 2025
I've been waiting on this retelling ever since Rebecca first hinted about it and this book didn't disappoint!
This book is a fun blend of the novel and musical, providing some of the unique details from each. There are a surprising number of quotes from the musical lyrics but the book is still able to deliver the right atmosphere.
This book is a fun blend of the novel and musical, providing some of the unique details from each. There are a surprising number of quotes from the musical lyrics but the book is still able to deliver the right atmosphere.
December 14, 2025
A cool twist on Phantom of the Opera! I love the paranormal twist and setting of Nashville to tie in the music side. Topping it off by making it a poly MMF romance was genius. This whole series is a fun time of you love gothic paranormal romance. A damn good time and an easy read.
December 23, 2025
I was excited. Love this author
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews