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What Whispers in the Dark: A Promises of the Marked Bonus Collection
Throne of Glass meets the Witcher and Once Upon a Time in this heart-wrenching, high fantasy romance packed with trauma healing, epic magic, and high-stakes rebellion.
Where all he could see was ruin, she saw beauty.
The battle for Blood is over—but the shadows never told you everything.
From the manor halls that caged her to the dungeon that nearly claimed his soul, this is Alora and Garrik like you haven’t seen them before. Step back into The Promises of the Marked series with a collection of bonus chapters that explore never-before-seen perspectives, intimate confessions, and what lingers after blood is spilled and masks are dropped.
Revealing buried trauma, these scenes unveil the softer agonies and brutal hopes of not only members of the Shadow Order, but Alora and Garrik as they navigate love forged through starfire and darkness—and the price of surviving for the sake of an entire realm.
For fans of finding beauty within broken things, descend into a world of shadows and whispered promises beneath star-soaked skies.
You know their story. Now read what they fight to forget—and the parts they cling to in the darkest of nights.
Fans of What Lies Within Masks & Shadows and What Lies Within Blood & Heirs , these are the untold secrets you’ve been waiting for. Return to the realm where love defied suffering and fate yielded to hope. Step beyond the final page, and enjoy the scenes too swoony, too spoilery, or too scandalous to make it in . . . until now.
These bonus chapters reach into the spaces between agony and affection—where Alora still flinches from remembered roses, and Garrik still dreams in screams. Explore the fantasy realm of Elysian once more with this collection of bonus battles against trauma, alternate POVs, deleted kisses, laughter, steamy aftermaths, and the answers to questions you didn’t dare ask.
Author's This is a bonus collection to be consumed after reading Book Two. Readers are encouraged to check the trigger warnings inside.
Where all he could see was ruin, she saw beauty.
The battle for Blood is over—but the shadows never told you everything.
From the manor halls that caged her to the dungeon that nearly claimed his soul, this is Alora and Garrik like you haven’t seen them before. Step back into The Promises of the Marked series with a collection of bonus chapters that explore never-before-seen perspectives, intimate confessions, and what lingers after blood is spilled and masks are dropped.
Revealing buried trauma, these scenes unveil the softer agonies and brutal hopes of not only members of the Shadow Order, but Alora and Garrik as they navigate love forged through starfire and darkness—and the price of surviving for the sake of an entire realm.
For fans of finding beauty within broken things, descend into a world of shadows and whispered promises beneath star-soaked skies.
You know their story. Now read what they fight to forget—and the parts they cling to in the darkest of nights.
Fans of What Lies Within Masks & Shadows and What Lies Within Blood & Heirs , these are the untold secrets you’ve been waiting for. Return to the realm where love defied suffering and fate yielded to hope. Step beyond the final page, and enjoy the scenes too swoony, too spoilery, or too scandalous to make it in . . . until now.
These bonus chapters reach into the spaces between agony and affection—where Alora still flinches from remembered roses, and Garrik still dreams in screams. Explore the fantasy realm of Elysian once more with this collection of bonus battles against trauma, alternate POVs, deleted kisses, laughter, steamy aftermaths, and the answers to questions you didn’t dare ask.
Author's This is a bonus collection to be consumed after reading Book Two. Readers are encouraged to check the trigger warnings inside.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 7, 2025
24 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Nicolle May
4 books210 followersNicolle is an ADHD Fantasy “Traumance” author. When she isn’t living in a fantasy world or writing, she’s ruthlessly annoying those she loves with her outbursts of song, TV show quotes, and the occasional blonde moment. If you cannot find her snuggled up with her cats watching any fantasy movie or show known to man, you can find her at the gym becoming her own hero, sewing, reading, or vividly hallucinating new scene ideas for her books. She lives in Alberta, Canada, but was born and raised in Pennsylvania. And if you put anything peach, potato, or peanut butter with chocolate related in front of her ... prepare to be best friends.
“If Henry Cavill & Ian Somerhalder ever star in a movie together, I will spontaneously combust.”
Stay in touch, sign up for teasers, & updates by joining Nicolle's mailing list: bio.site/NicolleMay
For exclusive content and more, join Nicolle's reader group and socials: bio.site/NicolleMay
“If Henry Cavill & Ian Somerhalder ever star in a movie together, I will spontaneously combust.”
Stay in touch, sign up for teasers, & updates by joining Nicolle's mailing list: bio.site/NicolleMay
For exclusive content and more, join Nicolle's reader group and socials: bio.site/NicolleMay
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
September 2, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this. It was a fun little addition to the series! This book has several different POVs from several different characters. I love how we were given a separate book for the POVs. I also love how there are several POVs not just the MMC Garrik’s, which isn’t common. That really gave me a different, and more in depth feeling to the story and characters. I have read plenty of POVs books from the MMC, and ate them up, and now I kind of wish they were all like this. If you haven’t read books 1-3 I wouldn’t read this book until then, it will spoil everything. So just wait until after you read those! The books are darker so the different POVs are obviously going to reflect that. Checking TWs are important with this entire series, and the author really tells you that frequently. So, heed the warnings FFS! The series does have some spice, so there is a little bit in this book as well just a heads up (My spice rating is going to reflect the descriptiveness and quality of the spice. Not really the frequency FYI). Overall I absolutely enjoyed this book!
This Fantasy Romance is a Bonus POV book in the Promises of the Marked series. Do not read this book unless you have read books 1-3 first. This book does have some darker topics and scenes. Make sure to check all trigger warnings. There is some spice, and it is open door spice. This book offers us several different POVs from some of our favorite characters from books 1-3. This book is entertaining and gives a new perspective on the books.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🚫Check Trigger Warnings
📱Ebook
This Fantasy Romance is a Bonus POV book in the Promises of the Marked series. Do not read this book unless you have read books 1-3 first. This book does have some darker topics and scenes. Make sure to check all trigger warnings. There is some spice, and it is open door spice. This book offers us several different POVs from some of our favorite characters from books 1-3. This book is entertaining and gives a new perspective on the books.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🚫Check Trigger Warnings
📱Ebook
September 17, 2025
I would just like to say I'm personally a HUGE fan of getting the main male's POV of previous scenes that weren't in his POV in previous books.
I loved all the extras in this book with switched POVs and just the extra scenes I didn't know I needed.......the spooning scene had to be my absolute favorite and it took a long time to get through the chapter because I just kept laughing 🤣
You get a deeper look into the minds of some characters and really get a stronger dive into how their trauma or the trauma of those they love affects them internally.
I very much loved all these insights and cannot wait for the full story to continue in book 3 of the main storyline.
I loved all the extras in this book with switched POVs and just the extra scenes I didn't know I needed.......the spooning scene had to be my absolute favorite and it took a long time to get through the chapter because I just kept laughing 🤣
You get a deeper look into the minds of some characters and really get a stronger dive into how their trauma or the trauma of those they love affects them internally.
I very much loved all these insights and cannot wait for the full story to continue in book 3 of the main storyline.
September 7, 2025
This is a great addition to the series! Loved the different POVs and getting more insight into the characters. Parts broke my heart, made me laugh out loud (the spooning scene 😂) and this finishes with a delicious ending. If it’s even possible, I love the characters even more now.
August 27, 2025
What Whispers in the Dark is the perfect bonus novella to the Promises of the Marked series—a true glimpse into the minds of Alora and Garrik during pivotal moments of ‘What Lies Within Shadows & Masks’ and ‘What Lies Within Blood & Heirs’. It’s deeply emotional, layered with complexity, and threaded through with trauma and dark memories.
Right off the bat……Garrik 😭😭. Garrik is Rowan-level book husband for me. He is EVERYTHING. And I don’t say this lightly. I am begging, PLEASE, can we protect Garrik at all costs.
“The Garrik that escaped the dungeons was not a creature born of the world. He was Made”. It was bone shivering to read the extent of what the Serpent Darkness does to Garrik; and how it makes him lose complete control. Does Garrik sound extremely hot when he becomes smoky death incarnate? YES. But, seeing his internal struggle; the depths of his darkness and the multifaceted layers of the trauma he has suffered, was truly another blow to my already fragile heart. 💔💔
I absolutely loved getting POVs from our beloved Shadow Order. Aiden’s lovable yet scattered mind, Jade’s anger and haunting nightmares that only her found family can quiet, and then…Thalon’s POV.
Thalon’s POV destroyed me. The tears streaming down my face as he recalled what happened to Garrik—how he is Garrik’s Guardian but can’t protect him from the unthinkable—absolutely broke me. And then Nicolle twists the knife even deeper: we glimpse Garrik before, “Garrik rolled onto his back, his entire body shaking with laughter as he held Thalon in a headlock on top of him. “Me? Selfish? I’m deeply insulted”. Honestly, the most diabolical scene of the entire novella. I sobbed for Garrik - for who he was before everything happened.
And just when I thought I couldn’t handle more, Thalon is begging at Garrik’s bedside—to the stars, to the gods, to his beloved Eve—to save Garrik. Then Alora walks into Garrik’s tent, and Thalon knows (insert my sanity going straight out the window.)
If I put aside the emotional damage Nicolle put me through with Thalon’s POV, it is really interesting to see Alora through the eyes of Garrik’s Shadow Order and adds another layer of depth to the series.
The writing style is very lyrical; and we definitely linger on some scenes - but I soaked up every word.
I am genuinely scared for what the next book in this series will do to me.
Tropes
🖤Shadow daddy
🩶Moral gray MMC
💕Forbidden love
💤Comfort during nightmares
😰Comfort during panic attack
❤️🔥‘You’re mine’
My favourite quotes:
“I wonder what the Stars Eternal look like”. Like you. “Entirely perfect in every way”, he answered. - insert my screeching.
“from the one eye he could see; the number of her eyelashes. One hundred and forty-two.” - insert my screaming because what do you mean Garrik counted
every.single.eye.lash.on.Alora’s.eyelid.
“I am hopeless against you. Fucking addicted for another sip”. (Ugh)
“He never realised colours would mean so much to him” - Garrik talking about Alora’s eyes 🥹🥹
Right off the bat……Garrik 😭😭. Garrik is Rowan-level book husband for me. He is EVERYTHING. And I don’t say this lightly. I am begging, PLEASE, can we protect Garrik at all costs.
“The Garrik that escaped the dungeons was not a creature born of the world. He was Made”. It was bone shivering to read the extent of what the Serpent Darkness does to Garrik; and how it makes him lose complete control. Does Garrik sound extremely hot when he becomes smoky death incarnate? YES. But, seeing his internal struggle; the depths of his darkness and the multifaceted layers of the trauma he has suffered, was truly another blow to my already fragile heart. 💔💔
I absolutely loved getting POVs from our beloved Shadow Order. Aiden’s lovable yet scattered mind, Jade’s anger and haunting nightmares that only her found family can quiet, and then…Thalon’s POV.
Thalon’s POV destroyed me. The tears streaming down my face as he recalled what happened to Garrik—how he is Garrik’s Guardian but can’t protect him from the unthinkable—absolutely broke me. And then Nicolle twists the knife even deeper: we glimpse Garrik before, “Garrik rolled onto his back, his entire body shaking with laughter as he held Thalon in a headlock on top of him. “Me? Selfish? I’m deeply insulted”. Honestly, the most diabolical scene of the entire novella. I sobbed for Garrik - for who he was before everything happened.
And just when I thought I couldn’t handle more, Thalon is begging at Garrik’s bedside—to the stars, to the gods, to his beloved Eve—to save Garrik. Then Alora walks into Garrik’s tent, and Thalon knows (insert my sanity going straight out the window.)
If I put aside the emotional damage Nicolle put me through with Thalon’s POV, it is really interesting to see Alora through the eyes of Garrik’s Shadow Order and adds another layer of depth to the series.
The writing style is very lyrical; and we definitely linger on some scenes - but I soaked up every word.
I am genuinely scared for what the next book in this series will do to me.
Tropes
🖤Shadow daddy
🩶Moral gray MMC
💕Forbidden love
💤Comfort during nightmares
😰Comfort during panic attack
❤️🔥‘You’re mine’
My favourite quotes:
“I wonder what the Stars Eternal look like”. Like you. “Entirely perfect in every way”, he answered. - insert my screeching.
“from the one eye he could see; the number of her eyelashes. One hundred and forty-two.” - insert my screaming because what do you mean Garrik counted
every.single.eye.lash.on.Alora’s.eyelid.
“I am hopeless against you. Fucking addicted for another sip”. (Ugh)
“He never realised colours would mean so much to him” - Garrik talking about Alora’s eyes 🥹🥹
August 25, 2025
Nicolle May has taken the remnants of my already broken heart and shattered it with 𝔚𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔚𝔥𝔦𝔰𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨. How can something destroy & be totally gut wrenching yet be so beautiful & heal you at the same time? Nicolle, this was everything I didn’t know I needed. You continuously honour the space of healing, and the journey that comes with it.
“Beloved High Prince of Elysian. You are good. Strong. Selfless. Our protector. Not a mindless killer. My brother held captive. You are Garrik…”
“Thalon would always carry him home in the hope that someday… the Garrik they all knew would return. That…that he would smile again. Live again…”
Can we pleeeasseee just bubble wrap Garrik & keep him safe? I had a well of tears threating to break when we entered Thalon’s POV, my heart absolutely ached for both him & Garrik, his brother. Meeting Garrik who laughed & tickled was not on my Bingo card and seeing how much Life he had & Warmth he gifted before being Made absolutely had my well of tears breaking through.
Throughout “Masks & Shadows”, Garrik’s Serpent Darkness was more prominent then in “Blood & Heirs”, this darkness he is overcome by reminds me of the veil we enter in times of our own despair & darkness. A raging inferno of hate and impenetrable walls built with fear, it feels like nothing can get through or will ever work… until one head strong Female lights the path, and his Family refuses to let him walk it alone. It was so beautiful to see the growth from Garrik’s milestones after his setbacks, and to see where his mindset truly begun to shift & allow space to heal.
“In his arms. Bringing colour and meaning and life back to his eyes to where he could almost imagine them returned to green. For Alora… he wished they would.”
“Who would have known that a number could mean so much, too? From the one eye he could see; the number of her eye-lashes. One hundred and forty-two.”
Ultimately, this story truly felt like a love letter, a retelling of a past narrative shrouded in cold darkness, to one filled with love, hope & warmth. To our Found family, I just absolutely adore you! Thalon & Aiden are the big brothers who would do anything to defend their younger sibling. Jade is fierce & filled with hurt, but she has a softness I just wish she would see as a strength. It makes me so excited to see more of their stories in Nicolle’s future books, this felt like the perfect stepping stone into getting to know our characters more.
Anyway, I should probably release my kindle from my chest & stop staring up at the ceiling sobbing. Let me gift you with some Sassy Garrik x
“You taste like starsdamned temptation, clever girl,”
“ I am hopeless against you, Fucking addicted for another sip.”
“Hello, clever girl.”
screams
“Beloved High Prince of Elysian. You are good. Strong. Selfless. Our protector. Not a mindless killer. My brother held captive. You are Garrik…”
“Thalon would always carry him home in the hope that someday… the Garrik they all knew would return. That…that he would smile again. Live again…”
Can we pleeeasseee just bubble wrap Garrik & keep him safe? I had a well of tears threating to break when we entered Thalon’s POV, my heart absolutely ached for both him & Garrik, his brother. Meeting Garrik who laughed & tickled was not on my Bingo card and seeing how much Life he had & Warmth he gifted before being Made absolutely had my well of tears breaking through.
Throughout “Masks & Shadows”, Garrik’s Serpent Darkness was more prominent then in “Blood & Heirs”, this darkness he is overcome by reminds me of the veil we enter in times of our own despair & darkness. A raging inferno of hate and impenetrable walls built with fear, it feels like nothing can get through or will ever work… until one head strong Female lights the path, and his Family refuses to let him walk it alone. It was so beautiful to see the growth from Garrik’s milestones after his setbacks, and to see where his mindset truly begun to shift & allow space to heal.
“In his arms. Bringing colour and meaning and life back to his eyes to where he could almost imagine them returned to green. For Alora… he wished they would.”
“Who would have known that a number could mean so much, too? From the one eye he could see; the number of her eye-lashes. One hundred and forty-two.”
Ultimately, this story truly felt like a love letter, a retelling of a past narrative shrouded in cold darkness, to one filled with love, hope & warmth. To our Found family, I just absolutely adore you! Thalon & Aiden are the big brothers who would do anything to defend their younger sibling. Jade is fierce & filled with hurt, but she has a softness I just wish she would see as a strength. It makes me so excited to see more of their stories in Nicolle’s future books, this felt like the perfect stepping stone into getting to know our characters more.
Anyway, I should probably release my kindle from my chest & stop staring up at the ceiling sobbing. Let me gift you with some Sassy Garrik x
“You taste like starsdamned temptation, clever girl,”
“ I am hopeless against you, Fucking addicted for another sip.”
“Hello, clever girl.”
screams
September 7, 2025
This book should only be read after finishing the first 2 books in the Promises of the Marked series 🖤
Have you ever read a book and wished you got the other characters POV? Or wondered what the side characters were doing during a certain timeframe? That’s exactly what this is!
This was fun and short while sticking to Nicolle Mays traumance writing style. We get insights from Garrik, learn more about Jade and Thalon and Aiden, and if anything this will make book 3 even better knowing some of the information you get in this book.
If you’ve enjoyed What Lies Within Masks & Shadows and What Lies Within Blood & Heirs then you will enjoy this one!
Have you ever read a book and wished you got the other characters POV? Or wondered what the side characters were doing during a certain timeframe? That’s exactly what this is!
This was fun and short while sticking to Nicolle Mays traumance writing style. We get insights from Garrik, learn more about Jade and Thalon and Aiden, and if anything this will make book 3 even better knowing some of the information you get in this book.
If you’ve enjoyed What Lies Within Masks & Shadows and What Lies Within Blood & Heirs then you will enjoy this one!
September 7, 2025
What Whispers in the Dark
I love this bonus book!! Filled with never before scenes and different character POVs we were able to peek into the minds of not only Garrik and Alora but also Aiden, Jade, and Thalon!
I enjoyed every moment of this! There were a lot of dark moments but also light fun filled ones and of course some steamy ones as well!
Without giving away anything I would say that this does give some insight into some the past and more peeks into the Shadow Order dynamics as well.
If you love the series then you’re going to need this one.
I love this bonus book!! Filled with never before scenes and different character POVs we were able to peek into the minds of not only Garrik and Alora but also Aiden, Jade, and Thalon!
I enjoyed every moment of this! There were a lot of dark moments but also light fun filled ones and of course some steamy ones as well!
Without giving away anything I would say that this does give some insight into some the past and more peeks into the Shadow Order dynamics as well.
If you love the series then you’re going to need this one.
November 26, 2025
This installment was a fantastic addition to the series! I adore the sneak peeks into different perspectives, especially Garrik’s. I love when we get the MMCs side of the story! This was quite the treat! it is heavy with emotional content but also brings some laughs.
August 24, 2025
I enjoyed this book so much I started it and then couldnt out it down getting to dive back into this world was such a great break from the world currently. Additionally, getting to see all the other parts that were happening during some of the most memorable parts of the books was such an enjoyable time for me. Highly recommend!!
September 9, 2025
I AM OBSESSED. I AM IN LOVE. I AM DESTROYED. 💔🔥
What Whispers in the Dark was EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED. I devoured it, cried through it, laughed until I couldn’t breathe—and now I’m a COMPLETE MESS. 😭📚💖 I am IN LOVE with this book. I am IN LOVE with this SERIES. I would DIE for ANY content about these characters. ANYTHING. PLEASE GIVE ME MORE. 🙏🔥
From the very first page, I FELT IT. I missed these characters like my soul ached for them 😩💔. Going back into their world was like coming home to a place where the air itself held magic, pain, and love. Every single character made me LOVE them even more—and I CAN’T HANDLE IT. Every chapter felt like a gift wrapped in heartache and beauty, and I just couldn’t stop reading.
And THEN… GARRIK. 🔥💀
HE IS EVERYTHING. He is RHYSAND-LEVEL BOOK HUSBAND and I am SCREAMING. I kept begging myself, “PLEASE PROTECT HIM! WRAP HIM IN A BLANKET! HOLD HIM CLOSE!” The scenes where his trauma consumed him, where the Darkness clawed at his soul—it SHOOK ME to my core. His internal struggle, his pain, his fight just to hold himself together—it tore me apart. Even when he turned into smoky, deadly darkness, I was like… YES. THIS. THIS IS HOT. 😍💙🔥
But the HEARTBREAK didn’t stop there. The POVs from the Shadow Order DESTROYED ME 💔😭. Aiden’s lovable chaos, Jade’s rage-filled nightmares 😱, and THEN—THALON. His POV was BRUTAL and BEAUTIFUL at the same time. Watching him helplessly try to protect Garrik, unable to shield him from the horrors… I SOBBED. When he begged the stars, the gods, even his beloved Eve to save him—I COULDN’T TAKE IT. 💫😭
And THEN there’s the spooning scene 🤣🥄—I LAUGHED SO HARD. It took me AGES to finish the chapter because I kept giggling! It was ridiculous and adorable and perfectly placed amidst all the heartbreak. I LOVED IT.
Seeing Alora through the eyes of the Shadow Order added SO MUCH DEPTH 😍🌙💜. Her strength, fragility, fierce love—it made me adore her more than ever before.
This bonus collection didn’t just add more scenes—it gave me the INTIMATE, RAW, NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN moments I craved. I GOT TO SEE THEM STRUGGLE, LOVE, LAUGH, AND HEAL in ways I NEVER thought possible. The way trauma shapes them—the way they lean on each other in the darkest hours—it felt painfully real. 💔🌌
The writing was lyrical, haunting, and beautifully paced. I LINGERED on every word, every glance, every breath. I WANTED TO SOAK UP EVERY MOMENT. And the ending… OH THE ENDING. It was EVERYTHING. I AM STILL SOBBING. 😭💖🔥
Thank you, THANK YOU SO MUCH, Nicolle, for the ARC opportunity 💖🙏📚! I love this series with my whole heart and soul. I would die for ANY extra scene, ANY deleted kiss, ANY whispered secret from these characters. GIVE ME ALL OF THEM. PLEASE.
Tropes I ADORED:
🌑 Shadow daddy
⚫️ Moral gray MMC
💔 Forbidden love
😴 Comfort during nightmares
💙 Comfort during panic attacks
👑 “You’re mine”
🔥 Deep trauma healing
💋 Deleted kisses & steamy aftermaths
🖤 Finding beauty within broken things
If you haven’t read this yet… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! It’s heartbreaking, swoony, and absolutely DEVASTATING—in the best way possible. I’m already counting the days until Book 3 DESTROYS me all over again. 💀💖📚
What Whispers in the Dark was EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED. I devoured it, cried through it, laughed until I couldn’t breathe—and now I’m a COMPLETE MESS. 😭📚💖 I am IN LOVE with this book. I am IN LOVE with this SERIES. I would DIE for ANY content about these characters. ANYTHING. PLEASE GIVE ME MORE. 🙏🔥
From the very first page, I FELT IT. I missed these characters like my soul ached for them 😩💔. Going back into their world was like coming home to a place where the air itself held magic, pain, and love. Every single character made me LOVE them even more—and I CAN’T HANDLE IT. Every chapter felt like a gift wrapped in heartache and beauty, and I just couldn’t stop reading.
And THEN… GARRIK. 🔥💀
HE IS EVERYTHING. He is RHYSAND-LEVEL BOOK HUSBAND and I am SCREAMING. I kept begging myself, “PLEASE PROTECT HIM! WRAP HIM IN A BLANKET! HOLD HIM CLOSE!” The scenes where his trauma consumed him, where the Darkness clawed at his soul—it SHOOK ME to my core. His internal struggle, his pain, his fight just to hold himself together—it tore me apart. Even when he turned into smoky, deadly darkness, I was like… YES. THIS. THIS IS HOT. 😍💙🔥
But the HEARTBREAK didn’t stop there. The POVs from the Shadow Order DESTROYED ME 💔😭. Aiden’s lovable chaos, Jade’s rage-filled nightmares 😱, and THEN—THALON. His POV was BRUTAL and BEAUTIFUL at the same time. Watching him helplessly try to protect Garrik, unable to shield him from the horrors… I SOBBED. When he begged the stars, the gods, even his beloved Eve to save him—I COULDN’T TAKE IT. 💫😭
And THEN there’s the spooning scene 🤣🥄—I LAUGHED SO HARD. It took me AGES to finish the chapter because I kept giggling! It was ridiculous and adorable and perfectly placed amidst all the heartbreak. I LOVED IT.
Seeing Alora through the eyes of the Shadow Order added SO MUCH DEPTH 😍🌙💜. Her strength, fragility, fierce love—it made me adore her more than ever before.
This bonus collection didn’t just add more scenes—it gave me the INTIMATE, RAW, NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN moments I craved. I GOT TO SEE THEM STRUGGLE, LOVE, LAUGH, AND HEAL in ways I NEVER thought possible. The way trauma shapes them—the way they lean on each other in the darkest hours—it felt painfully real. 💔🌌
The writing was lyrical, haunting, and beautifully paced. I LINGERED on every word, every glance, every breath. I WANTED TO SOAK UP EVERY MOMENT. And the ending… OH THE ENDING. It was EVERYTHING. I AM STILL SOBBING. 😭💖🔥
Thank you, THANK YOU SO MUCH, Nicolle, for the ARC opportunity 💖🙏📚! I love this series with my whole heart and soul. I would die for ANY extra scene, ANY deleted kiss, ANY whispered secret from these characters. GIVE ME ALL OF THEM. PLEASE.
Tropes I ADORED:
🌑 Shadow daddy
⚫️ Moral gray MMC
💔 Forbidden love
😴 Comfort during nightmares
💙 Comfort during panic attacks
👑 “You’re mine”
🔥 Deep trauma healing
💋 Deleted kisses & steamy aftermaths
🖤 Finding beauty within broken things
If you haven’t read this yet… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! It’s heartbreaking, swoony, and absolutely DEVASTATING—in the best way possible. I’m already counting the days until Book 3 DESTROYS me all over again. 💀💖📚
September 18, 2025
What Whispers in the Dark: A Promises of the Marked Bonus
Collection
By Nicolle May
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Always remember to check your trigger warnings!
Tropes
🖤Bonus Collection
🖤Fantasy Traumance
🖤Morally Gray MMC
🖤Shadow Daddy
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Spicy Hugh Heat Slow Burn
🖤High-stakes Rebellion
🖤Feminine Rage
🖤Hurt/ Comfort
🖤Kneeling
🖤Touch her and become his personal piñata
🖤Who did this to HIM
What Whispers in the Dark is purely a collection of bonus scenes from the Promises of the Marked series book 1 & 2.
A fantastic and deeper look into scenes and characters that is exactly what we’ve been waiting for!
This is a fully immersive experience… pulling you into the storyline and characters POVs you didn’t even know you were missing! Especially Garrik’s POV on a few pivotal moments
Were absolutely incredible.
And, Aiden, Thalon and Jade’s POVs are somewhat essential to their overall narrative and give you a fantastic feel of these characters personalities and their unique, deeply emotional and monumental backgrounds. And never before seen moments that will have you feeling all the feels.
An absolute masterpiece… I would love to read these books as a whole and hope that someday the bonus scenes will be integrated in these beautiful novels. Otherwise this should really be read in tandem with books 1 & 2 for the best and most immersive experience.
In any case this superb added edition is exceptional and a much needed and beautifully crafted journey into this incredible world that has been meticulously crafted by the incredible Nicolle May!
This incredible collection should not only inspire but heal your heart!
A must for all Promises of the Marked Fans…
*
Quotes:
"I wonder what the Stars Eternal look like". Like you. "Entirely perfect in every way", he answered.
"Hello, clever girl."
"You taste like starsdamned temptation, clever girl,"
"In his arms. Bringing colour and meaning and life back to his eyes to where he could almost imagine them returned to green. For Alora... he wished they would."
"Who would have known that a number could mean so much, too? From the one eye he could see; the number of her eye-lashes. One hundred and forty-two."
Collection
By Nicolle May
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Always remember to check your trigger warnings!
Tropes
🖤Bonus Collection
🖤Fantasy Traumance
🖤Morally Gray MMC
🖤Shadow Daddy
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Spicy Hugh Heat Slow Burn
🖤High-stakes Rebellion
🖤Feminine Rage
🖤Hurt/ Comfort
🖤Kneeling
🖤Touch her and become his personal piñata
🖤Who did this to HIM
What Whispers in the Dark is purely a collection of bonus scenes from the Promises of the Marked series book 1 & 2.
A fantastic and deeper look into scenes and characters that is exactly what we’ve been waiting for!
This is a fully immersive experience… pulling you into the storyline and characters POVs you didn’t even know you were missing! Especially Garrik’s POV on a few pivotal moments
Were absolutely incredible.
And, Aiden, Thalon and Jade’s POVs are somewhat essential to their overall narrative and give you a fantastic feel of these characters personalities and their unique, deeply emotional and monumental backgrounds. And never before seen moments that will have you feeling all the feels.
An absolute masterpiece… I would love to read these books as a whole and hope that someday the bonus scenes will be integrated in these beautiful novels. Otherwise this should really be read in tandem with books 1 & 2 for the best and most immersive experience.
In any case this superb added edition is exceptional and a much needed and beautifully crafted journey into this incredible world that has been meticulously crafted by the incredible Nicolle May!
This incredible collection should not only inspire but heal your heart!
A must for all Promises of the Marked Fans…
*
Quotes:
"I wonder what the Stars Eternal look like". Like you. "Entirely perfect in every way", he answered.
"Hello, clever girl."
"You taste like starsdamned temptation, clever girl,"
"In his arms. Bringing colour and meaning and life back to his eyes to where he could almost imagine them returned to green. For Alora... he wished they would."
"Who would have known that a number could mean so much, too? From the one eye he could see; the number of her eye-lashes. One hundred and forty-two."
September 25, 2025
“Don’t forget. You survived every nightmare so far, real and those that still torment you. Don’t let them win.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
What you’ll find in this book:
- 15+ Full Bonus Chapters
- Honeymoon Chapter
- 5 Character POV’s
- Epic Magic
- Heart Wrenching
- High Fantasy Romance
- High-Stakes Rebellion
- Trauma & Healing
This book forms a collection of bonus stories from the current books within the Promises of the Dark series. Told from multiple POV, some we have never experienced before these tales allow us to dive deeper into the secrets of the characters we have grown to know and love during this series from various situations from different perspectives providing us with a fresh take. I loved diving back into this series with these hidden stories, we get to return to the start of Garrick and Alora’s story, reading as they both work to heal from their trauma. In this book we explore tender moments of love, friendship, laughter and desperation.
The value of being able to explore different points of time that we have already visited within this series from a different point of view or within a different place cannot be understated. This collection allows us to continue to understand the different characters within the core found family group of the series, what they are willing to do for one another, and how they feel about each other. Nicolle provided us with those moments that we’ve been craving, those extra stories that we didn’t know we were missing until you read this collection. Being able to read these stories reminds me of the powerhouse of emotions that Nicolle employs within this series to demonstrate how the characters have been hurt in the past and the journey of healing they are all on in their own little way. This collection of bonus stories is definitely not to be missed if you are a fan of the series, I would recommend reading them in tandem with the first two books in the series, but at a minimum reading the series in order so that it all makes sense and is allowed to be as impactful as it is meant to be.
Thank you so much to Nicolle May for sending me an e-ARC to read and review early.
Author: Nicolle May
Series: Promises of the Dark
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: September 7th, 2025
Pages: 218
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
What you’ll find in this book:
- 15+ Full Bonus Chapters
- Honeymoon Chapter
- 5 Character POV’s
- Epic Magic
- Heart Wrenching
- High Fantasy Romance
- High-Stakes Rebellion
- Trauma & Healing
This book forms a collection of bonus stories from the current books within the Promises of the Dark series. Told from multiple POV, some we have never experienced before these tales allow us to dive deeper into the secrets of the characters we have grown to know and love during this series from various situations from different perspectives providing us with a fresh take. I loved diving back into this series with these hidden stories, we get to return to the start of Garrick and Alora’s story, reading as they both work to heal from their trauma. In this book we explore tender moments of love, friendship, laughter and desperation.
The value of being able to explore different points of time that we have already visited within this series from a different point of view or within a different place cannot be understated. This collection allows us to continue to understand the different characters within the core found family group of the series, what they are willing to do for one another, and how they feel about each other. Nicolle provided us with those moments that we’ve been craving, those extra stories that we didn’t know we were missing until you read this collection. Being able to read these stories reminds me of the powerhouse of emotions that Nicolle employs within this series to demonstrate how the characters have been hurt in the past and the journey of healing they are all on in their own little way. This collection of bonus stories is definitely not to be missed if you are a fan of the series, I would recommend reading them in tandem with the first two books in the series, but at a minimum reading the series in order so that it all makes sense and is allowed to be as impactful as it is meant to be.
Thank you so much to Nicolle May for sending me an e-ARC to read and review early.
Author: Nicolle May
Series: Promises of the Dark
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: September 7th, 2025
Pages: 218
September 7, 2025
✨ARC Review✨
What Whispers in the Dark || A Promises of the Marked Bonus Novel by Nicolle May
⭐️5 || 2 🌶️ || 🗣️ Multi POV, 3rd Person || 🧗🏼 Cliffy Rating: 0/3 (this doesn't mean your feelings are safe though 😅)
Read this if you like:
▪️Bonus Chapters
▪️Fresh Perspectives on a Series You Love
▪️Slow Burn
▪️Enemies to Lovers
▪️Traumance
▪️Feminine Rage
▪️Shadow Daddy
▪️Forced Proximity
▪️Touch Her and Die
▪️Morally Grey MMC
▪️Stabby Female Characters
▪️Healing from Trauma Together
If you’ve been here awhile, you know my deep love for this series. This time I had the supreme honor of alpha-reading it chapter by chapter and seeing it all stitch together in the end makes my heart so happy.
Nicolle May has poured her heart and soul into this series, and this bonus novel is further evidence of that. It requires a thorough immersion into the characters and plot for one to see it from so many perspectives and fill in spaces where you didn't even see a gap before. It beautifully (and sometimes heartbreakingly) weaves into books 1 and 2. We get more back information, new POVs (helloooo Aiden), and a look at events from an alternative perspective.
Did you find yourself wishing you knew what was going on inside Garrik’s head during the post-training dagger-to-throat scene with Alora? Nicolle delivers that and so much more. I was so happy to revisit these characters, and it made me love them and this series even more. If you really want the immersive experience, read it in tandem with books 1 and 2!
What Whispers in the Dark || A Promises of the Marked Bonus Novel by Nicolle May
⭐️5 || 2 🌶️ || 🗣️ Multi POV, 3rd Person || 🧗🏼 Cliffy Rating: 0/3 (this doesn't mean your feelings are safe though 😅)
Read this if you like:
▪️Bonus Chapters
▪️Fresh Perspectives on a Series You Love
▪️Slow Burn
▪️Enemies to Lovers
▪️Traumance
▪️Feminine Rage
▪️Shadow Daddy
▪️Forced Proximity
▪️Touch Her and Die
▪️Morally Grey MMC
▪️Stabby Female Characters
▪️Healing from Trauma Together
If you’ve been here awhile, you know my deep love for this series. This time I had the supreme honor of alpha-reading it chapter by chapter and seeing it all stitch together in the end makes my heart so happy.
Nicolle May has poured her heart and soul into this series, and this bonus novel is further evidence of that. It requires a thorough immersion into the characters and plot for one to see it from so many perspectives and fill in spaces where you didn't even see a gap before. It beautifully (and sometimes heartbreakingly) weaves into books 1 and 2. We get more back information, new POVs (helloooo Aiden), and a look at events from an alternative perspective.
Did you find yourself wishing you knew what was going on inside Garrik’s head during the post-training dagger-to-throat scene with Alora? Nicolle delivers that and so much more. I was so happy to revisit these characters, and it made me love them and this series even more. If you really want the immersive experience, read it in tandem with books 1 and 2!
September 19, 2025
This collection is everything my heart didn’t know it needed. Nicolle May has gifted us not just bonus content, but a raw and tender extension of Alora and Garrik’s journey—with chapters that slip between the cracks of the main story and show us what lingers in the aftermath of war, trauma, and survival.
What struck me most was the intimacy of it all. These aren’t just cut scenes or extras—they’re revelations. We see Alora’s haunted fragility, Garrik’s inner torment, and the ways they stitch each other back together with every look, touch, and whispered promise. The prose balances agony and tenderness so beautifully that I often found myself both aching and smiling in the same breath.
I loved the alternate POVs, the glimpses into other Shadow Order members, the kisses and confessions that may have been too sharp or too sweet for the main novels. It felt like May had opened a locked box and was letting us peek at the secret, stolen moments—the laughter that blooms in the dark, the steamy aftermaths, and the scars that will never fully fade.
Most of all, it reminded me why I fell in love with the Promises of the Marked series in the first place: the way beauty grows out of ruin, how love can be both brutal and healing, and how characters so broken can still feel utterly unbreakable together.
Verdict: A gorgeously painful, deeply satisfying return to Elysian. What Whispers in the Dark isn’t just an addition—it’s a gift to fans. Keep the tissues handy, because Nicolle May knows exactly how to break your heart and piece it back together, all in the space of a page.
What struck me most was the intimacy of it all. These aren’t just cut scenes or extras—they’re revelations. We see Alora’s haunted fragility, Garrik’s inner torment, and the ways they stitch each other back together with every look, touch, and whispered promise. The prose balances agony and tenderness so beautifully that I often found myself both aching and smiling in the same breath.
I loved the alternate POVs, the glimpses into other Shadow Order members, the kisses and confessions that may have been too sharp or too sweet for the main novels. It felt like May had opened a locked box and was letting us peek at the secret, stolen moments—the laughter that blooms in the dark, the steamy aftermaths, and the scars that will never fully fade.
Most of all, it reminded me why I fell in love with the Promises of the Marked series in the first place: the way beauty grows out of ruin, how love can be both brutal and healing, and how characters so broken can still feel utterly unbreakable together.
Verdict: A gorgeously painful, deeply satisfying return to Elysian. What Whispers in the Dark isn’t just an addition—it’s a gift to fans. Keep the tissues handy, because Nicolle May knows exactly how to break your heart and piece it back together, all in the space of a page.
September 7, 2025
The Shadow Order is back! Sorta…I mean, they never went anywhere actually…we’re just getting their different POVs and side stories in this absolutely awesome “novella” Nicolle has created for us! Before you proceed any further, make sure you’ve read What Lies Within Masks & Shadows and What Lies Within Blood & Heirs - otherwise none of the material in this novella will make a lick of sense to you. Also check your trigger warnings if you’re a trigger warnings type of person.
This book really gives us some heartbreaking insights into our favorite characters and some more lighthearted looks at others. I don’t want to give too much away, but we get to see just how much Garrik suffered at the hands of the Serpent and how that translates to his guardian feeling like he failed him. We figure out why my favorite character (Jade) is such a snarky, stand-offish person (sleep deprivation byway of nightmares will turn even the nicest person in to a raging bitch)…and then we have our resident hot, comic relief (Aiden) to break up the heart wrenching POVs. We also get to see how other characters view Alora.
Overall, this is another fantastic book by Nicolle. The material feels new and packs the same - if not maybe even a bit more emotional responses from me now that I know the full story. I loved getting the different POVs and learning all the new little details of our eclectic Shadow Order. It was a perfect literary snack to tide me over while I patiently wait for book 3!
This book really gives us some heartbreaking insights into our favorite characters and some more lighthearted looks at others. I don’t want to give too much away, but we get to see just how much Garrik suffered at the hands of the Serpent and how that translates to his guardian feeling like he failed him. We figure out why my favorite character (Jade) is such a snarky, stand-offish person (sleep deprivation byway of nightmares will turn even the nicest person in to a raging bitch)…and then we have our resident hot, comic relief (Aiden) to break up the heart wrenching POVs. We also get to see how other characters view Alora.
Overall, this is another fantastic book by Nicolle. The material feels new and packs the same - if not maybe even a bit more emotional responses from me now that I know the full story. I loved getting the different POVs and learning all the new little details of our eclectic Shadow Order. It was a perfect literary snack to tide me over while I patiently wait for book 3!
September 2, 2025
🖤✨ 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓡𝓔𝓥𝓘𝓔𝓦 ✨🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Where all he could see was ruin, she saw beauty…” 🌹
And where I saw “bonus collection,” Nicolle May delivered a soul-wrecking gift box of shadow-kissed secrets, steamy aftermaths, and POVs that had me grinning like a feral reader gremlin. 🦇📖
This collection isn’t just whispers—it’s confessions. Dark, tender, brutally honest confessions from Alora, Garrik, and the Shadow Order that tore me apart and stitched me back together with starfire threads. ⚔️✨
💔 Trauma healing? Check.
🔥 Deleted kisses & swoony scenes? Double check.
🌌 Magic + rebellion + scandalous moments? Triple threat.
If Throne of Glass crashed into The Witcher with a dash of Once Upon a Time, this is what their beautifully broken offspring would look like.
And can we talk about Garrik’s POV?? 😭🔥 The man dreams in screams and still makes me weak. Alora’s softness and strength? Chef’s kiss. 👑
This is not just a collection—it’s the love letter we didn’t know we needed but will now guard in the dark like a dragon hoarding rubies. 🐉❤️
✨ Verdict: 5 stars, 5 tears, 5 swoons. ✨
The shadows spoke, and I’ll be re-reading every word.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Where all he could see was ruin, she saw beauty…” 🌹
And where I saw “bonus collection,” Nicolle May delivered a soul-wrecking gift box of shadow-kissed secrets, steamy aftermaths, and POVs that had me grinning like a feral reader gremlin. 🦇📖
This collection isn’t just whispers—it’s confessions. Dark, tender, brutally honest confessions from Alora, Garrik, and the Shadow Order that tore me apart and stitched me back together with starfire threads. ⚔️✨
💔 Trauma healing? Check.
🔥 Deleted kisses & swoony scenes? Double check.
🌌 Magic + rebellion + scandalous moments? Triple threat.
If Throne of Glass crashed into The Witcher with a dash of Once Upon a Time, this is what their beautifully broken offspring would look like.
And can we talk about Garrik’s POV?? 😭🔥 The man dreams in screams and still makes me weak. Alora’s softness and strength? Chef’s kiss. 👑
This is not just a collection—it’s the love letter we didn’t know we needed but will now guard in the dark like a dragon hoarding rubies. 🐉❤️
✨ Verdict: 5 stars, 5 tears, 5 swoons. ✨
The shadows spoke, and I’ll be re-reading every word.
September 7, 2025
First of all I would like to thanks @authonicollemay for creating this wonderful masterpiece of a book. This book destroyed me in the best way possible.
Nicolle May doesn’t just write fantasy she writes pain, survival AND love in a way that seeps into your bones.
"What Whispers in the Dark" is a breathtakingly beautiful book and anyone who is reading this review, I would suggest you to go and definitely give this entire series a chance. It's definitely worth it. What I loved the most is that this book does not shy away from showing how ugly survival can be...it is not just a romance but also about finding slivers of love and loyalty in the middle of chaos about broken people who still manage to fight for each other even when they’re drowning in darkness. The characters and their emotions felt so very real, the book is worth it for the raw emotion, the vivid world AND the way HOPE still pushes through all the darkness.
Lastly I would like to say is that, "What Whispers in the Dark" by Nicolle May will leave cracks in you and you’ll be grateful for every one. (✿◡‿◡)
P.S- Read Book 1 and 2 first
Nicolle May doesn’t just write fantasy she writes pain, survival AND love in a way that seeps into your bones.
"What Whispers in the Dark" is a breathtakingly beautiful book and anyone who is reading this review, I would suggest you to go and definitely give this entire series a chance. It's definitely worth it. What I loved the most is that this book does not shy away from showing how ugly survival can be...it is not just a romance but also about finding slivers of love and loyalty in the middle of chaos about broken people who still manage to fight for each other even when they’re drowning in darkness. The characters and their emotions felt so very real, the book is worth it for the raw emotion, the vivid world AND the way HOPE still pushes through all the darkness.
Lastly I would like to say is that, "What Whispers in the Dark" by Nicolle May will leave cracks in you and you’ll be grateful for every one. (✿◡‿◡)
P.S- Read Book 1 and 2 first
September 8, 2025
Ugh I needed this, even if it's not technically book three. I'm going to have to read this book now with book one into for each of these chapters after they happen. Because majority of them are Garrik POV, And I needed that in book one. Just reading these right now and seeing what he was thinking during all those scenes just makes me want to scream. Because I freaking love it!!!! You do get other POV, which I feel like makes the books so much better. I feel like if you read book one cuz she breaks it off into sections and if you read each chapter after the designated chapter in book one and two I feel like you feel more connected to each character. I honestly just loved everyone so much more. It gave more personality to them that you didn't know you needed. I definitely think this book was needed, even if it was made later the different point of views and the different things you see that you didn't even notice before. There is a lot of trigger warning so please be careful on that but these books are heavily on abuse. Still love this book, cannot wait for book three and wondering if there's going to be extra chapters after that!!!
September 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
This novella was EVERYTHING I didn’t know I needed and more. What Whispers in the Dark is such a beautiful and heartbreaking bonus installment in the Promises of the Marked series, giving us multiple POVs and a much deeper look inside the hearts and minds of some of our beloved (and tortured) characters. I laughed, I cried, and I walked away loving these characters even more than I already did.
What I especially adored was Nicolle May’s choice to expand beyond Garrik’s perspective. Most bonus POV books focus only on the MMC, but here we’re treated to several voices, each with their own struggles, resilience, and reflections on trauma. It added such richness to the series and gave me even more appreciation for how interconnected their journeys truly are.
Like the rest of the series, this novella doesn’t shy away from darker themes. But even amidst the shadows, Nicolle threads in hope, love, humour, and intimacy. The spice is here too (just a taste, but chef’s kiss in quality).
Important note: this is absolutely not a standalone.
This series basically owns me at this point, and What Whispers in the Dark just cemented that further. Nicolle May, you genius ✨
🌶️🌶️
This novella was EVERYTHING I didn’t know I needed and more. What Whispers in the Dark is such a beautiful and heartbreaking bonus installment in the Promises of the Marked series, giving us multiple POVs and a much deeper look inside the hearts and minds of some of our beloved (and tortured) characters. I laughed, I cried, and I walked away loving these characters even more than I already did.
What I especially adored was Nicolle May’s choice to expand beyond Garrik’s perspective. Most bonus POV books focus only on the MMC, but here we’re treated to several voices, each with their own struggles, resilience, and reflections on trauma. It added such richness to the series and gave me even more appreciation for how interconnected their journeys truly are.
Like the rest of the series, this novella doesn’t shy away from darker themes. But even amidst the shadows, Nicolle threads in hope, love, humour, and intimacy. The spice is here too (just a taste, but chef’s kiss in quality).
Important note: this is absolutely not a standalone.
This series basically owns me at this point, and What Whispers in the Dark just cemented that further. Nicolle May, you genius ✨
September 24, 2025
So, WLWM&S and WLWB&H are 2 of my absolute favourite books, and dual/multi POV is one of my absolute favourite things in the books I read because it helps you connect to characters other than just the MC which makes you care so much more when you're living their story 🖤 so of course, I was absolutely ECSTATIC that Nicolle was releasing WWITD 🖤 and it's so amazing that not only do we step inside Garrik's shoes, but so many of our other beloved characters, too 🖤
Obviously if you haven't read 1&2, don't read Whispers until you have 🖤
This book is an absolutely incredible book 🖤 what an amazing experience to see not only things we haven't before, but go back with different POVs to events we've already seen 🖤 I absolutely adore Nicolle's incredible writing and also how she's made me love these characters so much, but having this extra content in a whole book?! It's GENIUS! It makes you feel even more connected to these incredible characters who already held a huge place in my heart 😍
Nicolle - I absolutely cannot wait for what comes next 😍 and I will continue to recommend this series to anyone and everyone who'll listen 🖤
Obviously if you haven't read 1&2, don't read Whispers until you have 🖤
This book is an absolutely incredible book 🖤 what an amazing experience to see not only things we haven't before, but go back with different POVs to events we've already seen 🖤 I absolutely adore Nicolle's incredible writing and also how she's made me love these characters so much, but having this extra content in a whole book?! It's GENIUS! It makes you feel even more connected to these incredible characters who already held a huge place in my heart 😍
Nicolle - I absolutely cannot wait for what comes next 😍 and I will continue to recommend this series to anyone and everyone who'll listen 🖤
September 2, 2025
Welcome Back to Elysian with the untold Chapters of What Lies Within Masks and Shadows and What Lies Within Blood and Heirs. I enjoyed being back within the ranks of the shadow order. It was interesting to read the perspectives/point of views of Thalon, Aiden, and Jade. My two favorite chapters from What Whispers in the Dark are part I chapter 46 and part II chapter 48. These two chapters made me fall even more in love with Thalon and Aiden. My heart tore apart for Thalon, the strength that his character has is definitely of a guardian.
Just like the original two books in this series this one comes with a grocery shopping list, so do you due diligence before opening the pages of What Whispers in the Dark. Don’t say you were not warned. Be prepared to have your heart disseminated.
Before picking up What Whispers in the Dark you must read What Lies Within Masks & Shadows and What Lies Within Blood & Heirs, or reap the consequences. Oh the spoilers you will face, as this is not a standalone.
I am already anticipating my return to my favorite realm and shadow order.
Just like the original two books in this series this one comes with a grocery shopping list, so do you due diligence before opening the pages of What Whispers in the Dark. Don’t say you were not warned. Be prepared to have your heart disseminated.
Before picking up What Whispers in the Dark you must read What Lies Within Masks & Shadows and What Lies Within Blood & Heirs, or reap the consequences. Oh the spoilers you will face, as this is not a standalone.
I am already anticipating my return to my favorite realm and shadow order.
September 7, 2025
📱Review📱
What Whispers in the Dark by Nicolle May
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: September 7, 2025
Series: Promises of the Marked- Bonus Novel
Pages: 306
✨Tropes✨
⭐️Multiple POV’s
⭐️Touch Her & ☠️
⭐️Trigger Warnings
⭐️Epic Magic
⭐️Trauma & Healing
⭐️Deeply Emotional
How do I describe this in anything less than a massive bunch of paragraphs for there is almost no way.
This was everything, I am emotionally destroyed and rebuilt and if every other book I read does not match this level I’m going to be disappointed.
Getting not only Alora and Garrik’s POV but multiple from so many pivotal characters… it is simply unmatched and I wish more authors did this. I’m sorry but Thalon’s POV was indescribable and you simply have to read it, I am not ok after this.
And when he said:
"He never realised colours would mean so much to him" I was sold. Garrik is not Book Boyfriend he is Book Husband.
Note: Must read books 1 & 2 before this bonus novel as there are spoilers.
What Whispers in the Dark by Nicolle May
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: September 7, 2025
Series: Promises of the Marked- Bonus Novel
Pages: 306
✨Tropes✨
⭐️Multiple POV’s
⭐️Touch Her & ☠️
⭐️Trigger Warnings
⭐️Epic Magic
⭐️Trauma & Healing
⭐️Deeply Emotional
How do I describe this in anything less than a massive bunch of paragraphs for there is almost no way.
This was everything, I am emotionally destroyed and rebuilt and if every other book I read does not match this level I’m going to be disappointed.
Getting not only Alora and Garrik’s POV but multiple from so many pivotal characters… it is simply unmatched and I wish more authors did this. I’m sorry but Thalon’s POV was indescribable and you simply have to read it, I am not ok after this.
And when he said:
"He never realised colours would mean so much to him" I was sold. Garrik is not Book Boyfriend he is Book Husband.
Note: Must read books 1 & 2 before this bonus novel as there are spoilers.
September 9, 2025
It should come as no surprise to anyone that What Whispers in the Dark was another 5 star read for me, given my ratings of the first two books in this series. Of course I’ll love the bonus collection of chapters/deleted scenes from the previous two books!
Garrik and Alora are delicious as always. The Shadow Order remains a wonderful found family even behind the scenes. It was great to revisit these characters I already know and love. The Promises of the Marked series is seriously one of my favorite series, and I keep wanting to shout about it from the rooftops!
Keep in mind that, as with the first two books, this book can be dark. There is a massive list of all of the triggers, so make sure to check that if you have any you may be concerned about. This is a fantasy traumance book. The characters experience some heavy trauma, so make sure you take care of yourself.
That being said, I will always recommend the Promises of the Marked series, and that remains true with this bonus collection.
Thank you Nicolle May for the early review copy of What Whispers in the Dark! All opinions are my own.
Garrik and Alora are delicious as always. The Shadow Order remains a wonderful found family even behind the scenes. It was great to revisit these characters I already know and love. The Promises of the Marked series is seriously one of my favorite series, and I keep wanting to shout about it from the rooftops!
Keep in mind that, as with the first two books, this book can be dark. There is a massive list of all of the triggers, so make sure to check that if you have any you may be concerned about. This is a fantasy traumance book. The characters experience some heavy trauma, so make sure you take care of yourself.
That being said, I will always recommend the Promises of the Marked series, and that remains true with this bonus collection.
Thank you Nicolle May for the early review copy of What Whispers in the Dark! All opinions are my own.
September 7, 2025
Ahhhh! I LOVED getting these bonus chapters for this series and being able to get the untold POV's from our Shadow Order. I absolutely loved getting a deeper look into these characters that we have come to adore so much. Get your tissues ready because reading scenes from Alora, Garrik, Jade, Aiden, and Thalon's perspectives made me fall more in love with these characters and seeing their own battles that we didn't get to dive too deep into with the first two books.
Reading this has made me so much more excited for the next book in the series. I am obsessed with garrik and Alora's relationship but Nicolle definitely has a way with making you emotionally attached to all of her characters.
Obsessed, all the stars. I am so ready to see what comes next in this series!
If you want to read What Whispers in The Dark, make sure you read the first two books in the series first. And as always, check your trigger warnings!
Thank you Nicolle for the arc!
Reading this has made me so much more excited for the next book in the series. I am obsessed with garrik and Alora's relationship but Nicolle definitely has a way with making you emotionally attached to all of her characters.
Obsessed, all the stars. I am so ready to see what comes next in this series!
If you want to read What Whispers in The Dark, make sure you read the first two books in the series first. And as always, check your trigger warnings!
Thank you Nicolle for the arc!
August 28, 2025
What Whispers in the Dark
By Nicolle May
An exquisite compilation of bonus chapters and deleted scenes, this book will leave you heartbroken, healed and gasping for air all at once. I adore the Promises of the Marked series anyway but this was just superb, Nicolle has a way of world building that always seems to leave me breathless and the character development is second to none. If you enjoy having your heart ripped out and stomped on I can highly recommend you pick up Nicolle’s work!
“Alora wanted him—him. And he yearned for her.”
“Who would have known that a number could mean so much, too? From the one eye he could see; the number of her eyelashes. One hundred and forty-two.”
“And she couldn’t help but think… Where all he could see was ruin, she saw beauty.”
“I have lost who I was because of you. I swear to every damned star in the sky, don’t you ever fucking stop.”
By Nicolle May
An exquisite compilation of bonus chapters and deleted scenes, this book will leave you heartbroken, healed and gasping for air all at once. I adore the Promises of the Marked series anyway but this was just superb, Nicolle has a way of world building that always seems to leave me breathless and the character development is second to none. If you enjoy having your heart ripped out and stomped on I can highly recommend you pick up Nicolle’s work!
“Alora wanted him—him. And he yearned for her.”
“Who would have known that a number could mean so much, too? From the one eye he could see; the number of her eyelashes. One hundred and forty-two.”
“And she couldn’t help but think… Where all he could see was ruin, she saw beauty.”
“I have lost who I was because of you. I swear to every damned star in the sky, don’t you ever fucking stop.”
August 28, 2025
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via the author)
4.5 stars
This bonus collection was very much the emotional roller coaster I've come to expect from Nicolle lol. I loved the alternative POVs and getting to know more about how the characters felt in scenes. Garrik's birthday chapter? 🥹 The "warmth" chapter made me giggle. Loooved Jade and Aiden's chapter and getting to see Thalon's ride or die for Garrik.
Favorite quotes:
‘Don’t forget. You survived every nightmare so far, real and those that still torment you. Don’t let them win.’
And knowing he would hate himself come dawn, his mind growled fuck it as the monster he was begged the stars, Maker of the Skies, begged Alora, “Forgive me,” and crashed his lips to hers.
4.5 stars
This bonus collection was very much the emotional roller coaster I've come to expect from Nicolle lol. I loved the alternative POVs and getting to know more about how the characters felt in scenes. Garrik's birthday chapter? 🥹 The "warmth" chapter made me giggle. Loooved Jade and Aiden's chapter and getting to see Thalon's ride or die for Garrik.
Favorite quotes:
‘Don’t forget. You survived every nightmare so far, real and those that still torment you. Don’t let them win.’
And knowing he would hate himself come dawn, his mind growled fuck it as the monster he was begged the stars, Maker of the Skies, begged Alora, “Forgive me,” and crashed his lips to hers.
September 17, 2025
ARC Review - This novella was the perfect addition to the first two books of this series! It gave a deeper view into the main character's POVs during some big scenes from the first two books, and eventually when the whole series is finished I would love to do a re-read in tandem with the novella during those moments. It's raw, complex, traumatic, and of course beautifully romantic throughout all that.
I also really enjoyed the POV's from the Shadow Order!! Each one sheds a unique light on the series and makes it all the better. Thalon's especially! Really puts a lot into perspective of Garricks life and why he is the way he is. Very worth the read if you are interested in the found family characters of your books. I am so excited for the next book and to see what happens next with these characters.
I also really enjoyed the POV's from the Shadow Order!! Each one sheds a unique light on the series and makes it all the better. Thalon's especially! Really puts a lot into perspective of Garricks life and why he is the way he is. Very worth the read if you are interested in the found family characters of your books. I am so excited for the next book and to see what happens next with these characters.
September 19, 2025
If your invested in the promises of the marked series you HAVE to read this!
I didn’t think a bonus collection could punch me in the feels the way this did! It’s exactly what you hope for in a bonus collection, the things you didn’t know you needed, plus the things you already loved made clearer. It’s like being handed pieces of the puzzle that make the whole picture even better!
I loved getting all the scenes from everyone’s POVs… Alora, Garrik, Thalia, Jade, Aiden. Sudden insights, unspoken thoughts, subtle moments that change how I viewed earlier events and it has made me really eager to reread the whole series!
But there is also real weight here, lots of revisited trauma, guilt and ultimately healing! This just deepened my love for the characters. But I stress you need to read book 1 and 2 first else you will spoil it!
But it’s a must read addition to the series
I didn’t think a bonus collection could punch me in the feels the way this did! It’s exactly what you hope for in a bonus collection, the things you didn’t know you needed, plus the things you already loved made clearer. It’s like being handed pieces of the puzzle that make the whole picture even better!
I loved getting all the scenes from everyone’s POVs… Alora, Garrik, Thalia, Jade, Aiden. Sudden insights, unspoken thoughts, subtle moments that change how I viewed earlier events and it has made me really eager to reread the whole series!
But there is also real weight here, lots of revisited trauma, guilt and ultimately healing! This just deepened my love for the characters. But I stress you need to read book 1 and 2 first else you will spoil it!
But it’s a must read addition to the series
September 22, 2025
This collection was everything I didn’t know I needed but absolutely wanted.
Stepping back into Alora and Garrik’s world through these bonus chapters felt like being given stolen moments—raw, intimate, and sometimes heartbreakingly vulnerable. Seeing them in new perspectives, with glimpses into both the darkest corners of their trauma and the tenderest pieces of their love, just made me fall for them all over again.
I loved how these scenes filled in the spaces between the battles, showing us what survival really looks like when the dust settles. Some moments had me swooning, others had me clutching my chest, and more than a few made me tear up. The balance of anguish and affection is so perfectly done.
If you’ve already devoured Masks & Shadows and Blood & Heirs, this collection is the bonus dessert you’ll want to savor. It’s beautiful, haunting, and so worth the read.
Stepping back into Alora and Garrik’s world through these bonus chapters felt like being given stolen moments—raw, intimate, and sometimes heartbreakingly vulnerable. Seeing them in new perspectives, with glimpses into both the darkest corners of their trauma and the tenderest pieces of their love, just made me fall for them all over again.
I loved how these scenes filled in the spaces between the battles, showing us what survival really looks like when the dust settles. Some moments had me swooning, others had me clutching my chest, and more than a few made me tear up. The balance of anguish and affection is so perfectly done.
If you’ve already devoured Masks & Shadows and Blood & Heirs, this collection is the bonus dessert you’ll want to savor. It’s beautiful, haunting, and so worth the read.
September 4, 2025
*Do not read this unless you have read the first two books in the Promises of the Marked series* This is a collection of bonus content for the first two books and you will be spoiled… and not understand what’s going on if you haven’t read them yet.
With that said, this was such a fun bonus book! I really enjoyed getting the different POVs (not just the main characters but others as well!) and bonus content. It really gave the over arching storyline more depth. Some of the bonus content was hilarious, some super serious and heart wrenching, and some spicy 🌶️ so a little bit of everything.
Overall I think this is such a fun and creative idea, and I really enjoyed the read.. Go read the series then pick this up as well!
With that said, this was such a fun bonus book! I really enjoyed getting the different POVs (not just the main characters but others as well!) and bonus content. It really gave the over arching storyline more depth. Some of the bonus content was hilarious, some super serious and heart wrenching, and some spicy 🌶️ so a little bit of everything.
Overall I think this is such a fun and creative idea, and I really enjoyed the read.. Go read the series then pick this up as well!
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