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Ashes of Submission: Marked by Ashes - Book 1
After the Collapse, the world didn't just end—it was reborn in chains.
The Syndicate rose from civilization's ashes, turning survival into a weapon. Alphas rule through force. Betas vanish into obscurity. And Omegas? They're harvested, numbered, and broken in sterile labs—reduced to nothing more than breeding stock for a dying world.
Elian was supposed to be next. Omega-1084. Another nameless boy trained to submit, conditioned to obey, destined to disappear into some Alpha's private collection.
But everything changes when two rogue Alphas steal him from a burning convoy.
Cassian is brutal, possessive, and utterly devoted—a soldier who's forgotten how to be gentle until Elian teaches him to remember.
Riven is steady, razor-sharp, and impossible to resist—a healer who's spent years loving Cassian from the shadows, only to discover his heart has room for more.
Together, they offer Elian something he never thought choice.
At their remote ranch, hidden from the Syndicate's reach, Elian tastes freedom for the first time. He learns his own name. Discovers his own desires. Finds a family in the ashes of everything he's lost.
But safety is fragile in a world built on control.
The Syndicate doesn't forget. They don't forgive. And they never stop hunting what belongs to them.
When Elian's past collides with his future—when love becomes both sanctuary and target—he must choose between the safety of hiding and the courage to fight.
Because sometimes the only way to heal is to burn everything down.
And sometimes love is worth the fire.
Trigger Warning
Ashes of Submission contains mature themes intended for adult audiences (18+).
This book sexual contentDub-con and non-con elementsViolencePTSDPregnancy and childbirth-related traumaPower dynamics between Alpha/Omega characters (including possessiveness, control, and breeding kink)Themes of captivity, recovery, and healing after abusePlease read with care.
This story is dark, emotional, and written with love for readers who enjoy morally complex characters and high-stakes devotion.
Consent is important.
Ashes of Submission is a dark, dystopian MMM Alpha/Omega romance featuring possessive Alphas, emotional healing after trauma, found family, mpreg, and an Omega who refuses to stay broken. This is the first book in the Marked by Ashes series.
The Syndicate rose from civilization's ashes, turning survival into a weapon. Alphas rule through force. Betas vanish into obscurity. And Omegas? They're harvested, numbered, and broken in sterile labs—reduced to nothing more than breeding stock for a dying world.
Elian was supposed to be next. Omega-1084. Another nameless boy trained to submit, conditioned to obey, destined to disappear into some Alpha's private collection.
But everything changes when two rogue Alphas steal him from a burning convoy.
Cassian is brutal, possessive, and utterly devoted—a soldier who's forgotten how to be gentle until Elian teaches him to remember.
Riven is steady, razor-sharp, and impossible to resist—a healer who's spent years loving Cassian from the shadows, only to discover his heart has room for more.
Together, they offer Elian something he never thought choice.
At their remote ranch, hidden from the Syndicate's reach, Elian tastes freedom for the first time. He learns his own name. Discovers his own desires. Finds a family in the ashes of everything he's lost.
But safety is fragile in a world built on control.
The Syndicate doesn't forget. They don't forgive. And they never stop hunting what belongs to them.
When Elian's past collides with his future—when love becomes both sanctuary and target—he must choose between the safety of hiding and the courage to fight.
Because sometimes the only way to heal is to burn everything down.
And sometimes love is worth the fire.
Trigger Warning
Ashes of Submission contains mature themes intended for adult audiences (18+).
This book sexual contentDub-con and non-con elementsViolencePTSDPregnancy and childbirth-related traumaPower dynamics between Alpha/Omega characters (including possessiveness, control, and breeding kink)Themes of captivity, recovery, and healing after abusePlease read with care.
This story is dark, emotional, and written with love for readers who enjoy morally complex characters and high-stakes devotion.
Consent is important.
Ashes of Submission is a dark, dystopian MMM Alpha/Omega romance featuring possessive Alphas, emotional healing after trauma, found family, mpreg, and an Omega who refuses to stay broken. This is the first book in the Marked by Ashes series.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2025
2 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 29, 2025
What an emotional rollercoaster!!!!
What first caught my attention was the cover (it was both intriguing and cute, how is that possible?🥺) and the MMM aspect of the story, since I’d been looking for a book about a throuple for a while. I had heard of the Omegaverse subgenre and knew a little about its dynamics, but this was my first time actually reading a book set in it. And wow, what a ride!!!!!
I loved the dystopian atmosphere and the characters. The writing painted such a vivid picture of their world that made it so easy to understand from the very beginning. Cassian and Riven's bond was beautiful. Cassian’s strength and leadership were such a cute contrast to Riven's loyalty and gentler nature. I loved reading about them. Then Elian came into the picture and completely rocked their world (and mine 🤣). Even though they didn’t always voice their emotions, you could feel through the pages just how much his presence was affecting them. I also adored the domestic vibes and how this fragile little omega managed to bring to life what all three of them were feeling for one another :')
The one thing I really wished we’d gotten more of was Elian’s first few days with the Alphas, instead of the time jump. I get that it might have been too drawn-out, but seeing him slowly grow more comfortable around them would’ve been so cute...
But anyway!!! 😂
The Syndicate parts were insane! I was literally on the edge of my seat, picturing a full-on battle. I might have freaked out some people with my continuous gasping lol it was soooo good!!!!!
Also, if anyone’s into 🌶️, there’s plenty 😏
I can’t thank the author enough for sending me this wonderful book. I know it’s her debut novel and she did everything on her own. She absolutely KILLED IT!!!!!!!
What first caught my attention was the cover (it was both intriguing and cute, how is that possible?🥺) and the MMM aspect of the story, since I’d been looking for a book about a throuple for a while. I had heard of the Omegaverse subgenre and knew a little about its dynamics, but this was my first time actually reading a book set in it. And wow, what a ride!!!!!
I loved the dystopian atmosphere and the characters. The writing painted such a vivid picture of their world that made it so easy to understand from the very beginning. Cassian and Riven's bond was beautiful. Cassian’s strength and leadership were such a cute contrast to Riven's loyalty and gentler nature. I loved reading about them. Then Elian came into the picture and completely rocked their world (and mine 🤣). Even though they didn’t always voice their emotions, you could feel through the pages just how much his presence was affecting them. I also adored the domestic vibes and how this fragile little omega managed to bring to life what all three of them were feeling for one another :')
The one thing I really wished we’d gotten more of was Elian’s first few days with the Alphas, instead of the time jump. I get that it might have been too drawn-out, but seeing him slowly grow more comfortable around them would’ve been so cute...
But anyway!!! 😂
The Syndicate parts were insane! I was literally on the edge of my seat, picturing a full-on battle. I might have freaked out some people with my continuous gasping lol it was soooo good!!!!!
Also, if anyone’s into 🌶️, there’s plenty 😏
I can’t thank the author enough for sending me this wonderful book. I know it’s her debut novel and she did everything on her own. She absolutely KILLED IT!!!!!!!
September 3, 2025
this is a debut book and it was really good! the setting is dystopian in an omegaverse. i loved how despite the trauma Elian went through, Cassian and Riven are patient and pour so much love into him and are patient and protective. this book ended in a cliffhanger!
September 1, 2025
This book was so much more than I thought it would be! Ashes of submission is the first book in a trilogy. Even though the overall story ends on a cliffhanger it's still a HFN for Elian and his Alphas.
Ashes of submission is the debut book of H.R. Bloom, and what a debut!! This is a dark dystopian omega verse, with found family and a lot of healing after trauma.
Omega-1084 (Elian) was supposed to be just another nameless omega in a breeding program by the Syndicate. He's rescued (stolen) from a burning convoy by two rogue Alphas; Cassian and Riven. They bring Elian back to their hidden ranch and takes care of him. They help him heal both his body and his mind. With Cassian and Riven he discovers things he thought was impossible. That he has a choice, a family and love with his two Alphas. But the Syndicate doesn't forget what it owns.
There's tension and hidden feelings between Cassian and Riven, and as they both discover that they have a bond with Elian, they have to figure out how they all fit together.
Ashes of submission has a lot of healing from trauma, strong connections between the three main characters, spice, submission and so much love!
Ashes of submission is the debut book of H.R. Bloom, and what a debut!! This is a dark dystopian omega verse, with found family and a lot of healing after trauma.
Omega-1084 (Elian) was supposed to be just another nameless omega in a breeding program by the Syndicate. He's rescued (stolen) from a burning convoy by two rogue Alphas; Cassian and Riven. They bring Elian back to their hidden ranch and takes care of him. They help him heal both his body and his mind. With Cassian and Riven he discovers things he thought was impossible. That he has a choice, a family and love with his two Alphas. But the Syndicate doesn't forget what it owns.
There's tension and hidden feelings between Cassian and Riven, and as they both discover that they have a bond with Elian, they have to figure out how they all fit together.
Ashes of submission has a lot of healing from trauma, strong connections between the three main characters, spice, submission and so much love!
November 29, 2025
"Ashes of Submission” is a dark, dystopian MMM omegaverse that balances brutality and tenderness with surprising delicacy. Set after the Collapse, in a world rebuilt by the Syndicate where survival is currency and bodies are property, the novel delivers a fresh and strikingly original take on dystopia. It is not simply an omegaverse with a dystopian coat of paint - it is a fully realised world shaped by conditioning, scarcity and control, where every rule has consequences and every breath costs something.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is the writing. The prose is poetic, vivid and emotionally charged, often reading like the echo of a wound rather than a straightforward narration. It's consistently lyrical and evocative, full of striking images and emotional nuance that never feel accidental.
Knowing that the author is not a native English speaker makes the achievement even more impressive: the rhythm, the metaphor, the emotional subtext and the lyrical weight of certain lines are things many native writers never quite master. There is a beautifully poetic quality to the way the story is told - the descriptions of the wasteland, the bodies, the quiet moments of care all feel carefully chosen and weighted. The language is often soft and brutal at the same time, which fits perfectly with a story built on trauma, conditioning and the slow rediscovery of autonomy.
The worldbuilding is extraordinary and genuinely unique - one of the book’s biggest strengths. This isn’t just “another omegaverse” with generic dynamics slapped on top; it feels like a fully realised dystopian system.
From the Syndicate laboratories where Omegas are trained, conditioned and catalogued, to the black market databases, numbered barcodes, the heat cycles handled as medical and political mechanisms, rebel raids through deadlands, scavenged outposts and radio surveillance - the details build a world that is both terrifying and hauntingly believable. The novel explores the implications of obedience training, purity as currency, and the way trauma rewires instinct, without reducing any of it to aesthetic suffering. The cost of survival is everywhere.
Where the book becomes most compelling is in its exploration of power, devotion, protection and possession. Cassian and Riven are Alphas with authority and instinct, but the narrative constantly interrogates what power means: are they protecting Elian, controlling him, or trying to claim him under the guise of safety? The relationship dynamics walk a razor-thin line between tenderness and dominance, want and fear, autonomy and conditioning. It’s a dom/sub relationship that refuses to ignore its ethical complexity - love here is shaped by trauma, not independent from it.
The author handles this with surprising nuance: there is devotion, yes, but there is also fear, guilt and the uncomfortable awareness that love in this world is never entirely free of power imbalances. It feels like a romance that refuses to ignore the ethical messiness of a dom/sub relationship under a regime that literally commodifies Omegas.
The character work is exceptional. All three main characters are very well drawn. Elian, Riven and Cassian each carry their own trauma, loyalty and fear, and the book gives them enough internal space for those differences to breathe.
Elian is fragile and conditioned, but never flat – we understand his fear, his longing, and the small, stubborn moments where he still tries to claim pieces of himself back.
Riven is the quietly devastating one: the medic, the observer, the man who loves and stays, even when it hurts. His mix of competence, jealousy and tenderness makes him incredibly compelling.
Cassian is all fortress and fire – the hero who moves like he owns the ground, but also the one who struggles the most with what it means to keep someone safe without turning them into property.
Together, they form more than a romantic configuration; they feel like gravity shifting.
If the book falters, it’s in repetition. The constant reinforcement of devotion, protection, submission and control can feel cyclical at times, especially in the central chapters. For some readers, that may deepen the emotional echo of trauma - for others, it may slow momentum.
And, personally, the pregnancy trope is not my favourite. It’s a convention of the genre I usually avoid. That said, within this specific world it makes sense. Given how the Syndicate works and how Omegas are literally bred and trained, pregnancy feels like a natural consequence of the worldbuilding rather than something tacked on for drama. In this case, it fits - even if it’s not a trope I usually seek out.
A powerful, poetic, emotionally resonant dystopia that stands out for its original worldbuilding, lyrical prose and nuanced exploration of power, trauma and devotion. It is brutal and tender in equal measure, and it lingers long after the final page.
This is the kind of dystopian omegaverse that hurts in all the right places: bleak world, broken men, and a story that insists on finding softness in the middle of ruin.
If you’re looking for a dark dystopian MMM omegaverse that actually cares about trauma, power and the cost of survival – and that is written in unexpectedly beautiful, layered prose – this one is absolutely worth your time.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is the writing. The prose is poetic, vivid and emotionally charged, often reading like the echo of a wound rather than a straightforward narration. It's consistently lyrical and evocative, full of striking images and emotional nuance that never feel accidental.
Knowing that the author is not a native English speaker makes the achievement even more impressive: the rhythm, the metaphor, the emotional subtext and the lyrical weight of certain lines are things many native writers never quite master. There is a beautifully poetic quality to the way the story is told - the descriptions of the wasteland, the bodies, the quiet moments of care all feel carefully chosen and weighted. The language is often soft and brutal at the same time, which fits perfectly with a story built on trauma, conditioning and the slow rediscovery of autonomy.
The worldbuilding is extraordinary and genuinely unique - one of the book’s biggest strengths. This isn’t just “another omegaverse” with generic dynamics slapped on top; it feels like a fully realised dystopian system.
From the Syndicate laboratories where Omegas are trained, conditioned and catalogued, to the black market databases, numbered barcodes, the heat cycles handled as medical and political mechanisms, rebel raids through deadlands, scavenged outposts and radio surveillance - the details build a world that is both terrifying and hauntingly believable. The novel explores the implications of obedience training, purity as currency, and the way trauma rewires instinct, without reducing any of it to aesthetic suffering. The cost of survival is everywhere.
Where the book becomes most compelling is in its exploration of power, devotion, protection and possession. Cassian and Riven are Alphas with authority and instinct, but the narrative constantly interrogates what power means: are they protecting Elian, controlling him, or trying to claim him under the guise of safety? The relationship dynamics walk a razor-thin line between tenderness and dominance, want and fear, autonomy and conditioning. It’s a dom/sub relationship that refuses to ignore its ethical complexity - love here is shaped by trauma, not independent from it.
The author handles this with surprising nuance: there is devotion, yes, but there is also fear, guilt and the uncomfortable awareness that love in this world is never entirely free of power imbalances. It feels like a romance that refuses to ignore the ethical messiness of a dom/sub relationship under a regime that literally commodifies Omegas.
The character work is exceptional. All three main characters are very well drawn. Elian, Riven and Cassian each carry their own trauma, loyalty and fear, and the book gives them enough internal space for those differences to breathe.
Elian is fragile and conditioned, but never flat – we understand his fear, his longing, and the small, stubborn moments where he still tries to claim pieces of himself back.
Riven is the quietly devastating one: the medic, the observer, the man who loves and stays, even when it hurts. His mix of competence, jealousy and tenderness makes him incredibly compelling.
Cassian is all fortress and fire – the hero who moves like he owns the ground, but also the one who struggles the most with what it means to keep someone safe without turning them into property.
Together, they form more than a romantic configuration; they feel like gravity shifting.
If the book falters, it’s in repetition. The constant reinforcement of devotion, protection, submission and control can feel cyclical at times, especially in the central chapters. For some readers, that may deepen the emotional echo of trauma - for others, it may slow momentum.
And, personally, the pregnancy trope is not my favourite. It’s a convention of the genre I usually avoid. That said, within this specific world it makes sense. Given how the Syndicate works and how Omegas are literally bred and trained, pregnancy feels like a natural consequence of the worldbuilding rather than something tacked on for drama. In this case, it fits - even if it’s not a trope I usually seek out.
A powerful, poetic, emotionally resonant dystopia that stands out for its original worldbuilding, lyrical prose and nuanced exploration of power, trauma and devotion. It is brutal and tender in equal measure, and it lingers long after the final page.
This is the kind of dystopian omegaverse that hurts in all the right places: bleak world, broken men, and a story that insists on finding softness in the middle of ruin.
If you’re looking for a dark dystopian MMM omegaverse that actually cares about trauma, power and the cost of survival – and that is written in unexpectedly beautiful, layered prose – this one is absolutely worth your time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2025
This was a FANTASTIC read for me! I was in love with this book and its characters by the 20% point. This is an MMM Omegaverse and the Omega Elian is a perfect balance of strength and submission. He is delicate and beautiful. He is rescued by two Alphas- Cassian and Riven. Cassian is the textbook definition of Strength and courage. Riven highlights values of patience and commitment. He stands by Cassian even while the relationship was that of two soldiers.
As the relationships strengthen between our three MMCs we see the beauty of allowing trust and love to take hold. I found this book to be wonderfully written. Very descriptive, the connections were clearly described, and I bought into the empathy between characters from the start. I felt everything that each of the characters felt, as the relationships deepened.
I find MM works to be inherently beautiful, and I love to read them with an appreciative eye. When I read this book I actively found myself sliding into Elian’s (our omega’s) perspective. I felt his fear, trust, love, and strength. As his pregnancy progressed, I identified with those descriptions as well.
It was a very unique experience for me to read as I was able to envision myself as a character while still appreciating the MM space. This was so huge for me!! HR Blook is a newer author, and if this is what she is writing at the beginning of her journey??? - GET READY for some outstanding future reading!!!
I am so excited for the second book in the series. Our family grew as the story unfolds and we will now get to see Ren, Orion and Luka in the next book- and I am 100% all in for that. This book does end on a cliffhanger of sorts, with a HFN for our main characters.
As the relationships strengthen between our three MMCs we see the beauty of allowing trust and love to take hold. I found this book to be wonderfully written. Very descriptive, the connections were clearly described, and I bought into the empathy between characters from the start. I felt everything that each of the characters felt, as the relationships deepened.
I find MM works to be inherently beautiful, and I love to read them with an appreciative eye. When I read this book I actively found myself sliding into Elian’s (our omega’s) perspective. I felt his fear, trust, love, and strength. As his pregnancy progressed, I identified with those descriptions as well.
It was a very unique experience for me to read as I was able to envision myself as a character while still appreciating the MM space. This was so huge for me!! HR Blook is a newer author, and if this is what she is writing at the beginning of her journey??? - GET READY for some outstanding future reading!!!
I am so excited for the second book in the series. Our family grew as the story unfolds and we will now get to see Ren, Orion and Luka in the next book- and I am 100% all in for that. This book does end on a cliffhanger of sorts, with a HFN for our main characters.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews