The Order of Disorder: A Dark Reverse Harem Romance

by Astra Rose

Dragged back to hell.
Maxwell Finch thought she’d left the chaos of her past behind when she found refuge with Ryder, Wyatt, Jake, and Damian. But her freedom shatters the night Billy’s men drag her back to the Order of Disorder—the O.D.—where she’s collared, degraded, and pulled into a spiral of humiliation, control, and paranoia.

To survive, Max retreats into silence. She lets the club use her body while she disappears inside herself. When two intoxicating strangers offer her a taste of escape, she clings to it...until pleasure blurs with poison, and their refuge drags her deeper into ruin.

And then, in the unlikeliest of places, she discovers a tether to the sanctuary she lost—bound inside this nightmare with her. What begins as shock and suspicion transforms into intimacy, and the promise of comfort in the middle of hell.

But inside the O.D. clubhouse, surveillance is constant and power is shifting. As Max spirals deeper into darkness, she must cling to the one connection strong enough to pull her through—if she doesn’t break first.

Important This is Book Two in the Snakes & Daggers trilogy. It is not a standalone. Begin with Book One, Hellbent, to experience Max’s journey from the beginning.

The Snakes & Daggers
Book One – Hellbent
Book Two – The Order of Disorder
Book Three – Dead Man's Hand (January 31 2026)

Genres: Why Choose, Dark Romance

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2025

About the author

Astra Rose writes spicy forbidden-love, age-gap, and why-choose romance featuring complicated relationships, irresistible chemistry, and people making extremely questionable decisions.

Based in Toronto, Canada, Astra is an INFJ and a Scorpio. Her D&D alignment is True Neutral. She’s interested in graphic design, simulation theory, the multiverse, and non-local consciousness theories. When she’s not writing smut, she’s worrying about her dog’s emotional well-being, trying to walk her cat on a leash, or drinking wine and talking storytelling craft with the wise Mr. Rose.

Join Astra’s newsletter for new-release news, exclusive giveaways, book recommendations, and the occasional glimpse behind the curtain → Join Astra’s newsletter

Reviews

[Bibliophile · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know how from me loving and anticipating the series plus this book to this.

I knew that this book going to be traumatizing and hard to read, it will be messy and I predict it. Yet i didn’t expect it to be this messy 🫠 it was a mess until I don’t know what the hell is happening, the whole book is like “making Max as traumatized as we can” which i hate it.

I was waiting hoping praying for the guy to quickly come and save Max… i was with Max filled with hope of them coming yet the moment she bump into Wyatt it was all broke into disappointment 😭 the level of disappointment i feel in this book make me instantly turn off with it and i even nearly DNF it but i still push myself to finish it.

Ok from another perspective, from Wyatt perspective —— I understand that he didn’t know what happen. He didn’t realize that Max get kidnapped & gone missing… he thought Max “choose” to be there and he just unexpectedly stumbled upon her during his ongoing mission. But HELLOOO!!! How can’t you know 😭😭😭 it feel like monthhh Max have been kidnapped and face tons of shit there —— and you are doing “mission” while in contact with the other guyss … they must have realized Max is missing + Ryder is MIA too and inform you????? I was baffled at that point + sad for Max too. She was so happy and thought they finally found her and come to rescue her but end up realizing they didn’t even know she “missing” + aren’t even preparing to save her 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I am just feel distraught with this book —— finishing this just make me feel empty, disappointed and sad. I don’t think i will be continuing the series even if i want to see Max happy…. I just don’t think anyone in the book deserve her at this point. She been through so much from the beginning up till now and adding that “betrayal” didn’t help.


⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

“I’m telling you this,” he says quietly, “because I need you to understand something. I don’t know why you’re here. If you left the others. If you chose this. If Billy got to you somehow. I don’t know.”

The words land like punches. If I chose this? Why the hell would anyone choose this?

[Lemon Loser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot: 4/5 • Spice: 3/5 ➡️➡️➡️ Read the trigger warning There are lot more in this one than there were in the first book.

Maxwell is taken back by her ex boyfriend, Billy, and taken to the OD clubhouse. He abuses, mentally and physically tortures her, assaults her, rapes her. All of the above. He forces her to dress provocatively, and lets club men handle her. There’s substance abuse brought on by a fellow club girl and her boyfriend. The club girl, Rox, plays a big part in this book.

Wyatt makes an appearance at the club. But he isn’t Wyatt. He’s Ryan. And he’s undercover. He’s infiltrated the club to even become third in line. Wyatt tries to protect Max as best as he can from Billy and Silas (the second in command), but he can’t blow his cover.

Billy is still up to his same tricks with Max. She’s just a pawn in his game. Wyatt’s cover has been blown and now he’s being tortured. Max feeling defeated goes under the influence of pills once more. Broken by the thought that she did this to Wyatt and there’s nothing she can do.

High AF, she’s recused by her knights in shining armor. Wyatt and Max are taken somewhere where they can heal. Damian and Jake and some others saved the day. but they’re not out of the woods yet.


Obviously ends on a cliffy setting you up for book three.

I understand Max has been through the wringer, but i’m on the fence about how I feel about her as a character. Wyatt has grown on me as his character was the main focus of this one.

[Alicia | kindleandmagic · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨.”

-dark
-MC romance
-captive fmc
-trauma & substance abuse
-degradation
-fake dating
-he protects her
-age gap

If book 1 was spicy and fun, book 2 was dark and gritty. And as Astra said, it’s not the fun kind of dark.

After the cliffhanger in Hellbent, Max gets trapped by the very same situation she was running from, only now things are worse for her. We see her shut down and dissociate from her dark reality and spiral into different numbing tactics, and while you just want to shake her and tell her to hang on, you can’t blame her for her actions.

But during this, we get a surprise and a little ray of hope. And that plot point had me so sat. I had been waiting for this story to come and it delivered. No spoilers here.

“𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚—𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙝𝙤𝙬, 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙨, 𝙄 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚, 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩.”

The building suspense had me on the edge of my seat until the very end, just waiting for everything to descend into chaos. And that ending was so worth it.

There was one minor story that I had to skim over but overlooking that, I loved the dark and suspenseful turn this series took. Imagine the grittier parts of Sons of Anarchy and put it in this book. Now I’m so so curious how this is all going to wrap up in book 3.

Hellbent (book 1) and The Order of Disorder are out now and on available to read on KU.

[Chelsea Moline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot get enough of these men!!

This is my fav dark romance series. BUT BE WARNED!!! Book 2 is very dark.

You have to go through actual hell with these characters but I promise you, the ending is 100% worth it. Max, you poor soul. And WYATT, sheesh 🥵

Motorcycle gang, ex military men, why choose, they save her. All the things that make an amazing dark romance. Don’t forget about the dark part!!! Can’t wait for book 3!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book and cant wait for book 3 to come out. If Astra Rose is writing it, Im reading it. So glad a friend introduced me to Astra's books!

[Taylor Balkema · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is without a doubt one of the best books I’ve read this year

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one, thank yeeew

[Kerrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this series.

This is definitely darker than book 1, check those triggers.

[Diana Martins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time stops mattering.

Am I okay? Seriously, I don’t know. Just… WOW!
The storm of emotions — most of them dark — that I experienced while reading this book is still raging inside me.

The author warns us that this book is darker than the first, and she’s not lying.
I highly recommend reading the content warnings beforehand to make sure you’re prepared. I thought I was… I wasn’t.

One of the things that bothered me at the end of the first book was how much of the pain and suffering came from the characters’ lack of honesty.

The story starts off rough — and then gets worse before it even things get better (sort of?). Not because the book is bad — it’s not! But the situations are brutal.
There were several moments where I thought, “That’s it, I need a break. This anger is going to eat me alive!”
And then, a minute later, “I can’t stop. I have to know what happens next. Something good has to happen!”. And just when I thought, “Okay, now it’s going to turn around,” the answer was… nope!

It’s a heavy, powerful read. I could feel the helplessness, the pain, and the suffering of our FMC. It’s her story being told, and if anyone deserves a vacation in paradise after everything… it’s her.

Despite all the emotional turmoil, there are still some very steamy moments — including FF, FMF, and FFM scenes. I think that was the author’s way of giving us room to breathe… to brace ourselves for what was coming next.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, but somehow, it feels more like a breath of fresh air after everything we’ve just been through.

[Kayla Johnson (KJ Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the *Snakes and Daggers* trilogy, so make sure to read *Hellbent* first.

This installment is significantly darker than the first and takes the emotional intensity to another level. Maxwell has been captured and is back in the motorcycle club she was trying to escape—only now, everything is worse. She’s trapped in a cycle of despair and begins disassociating at times just to survive what she’s enduring.

I’ve read this book twice. The first time, I’ll admit I felt frustrated with Max at certain points during her captivity and found myself yelling at her choices. But on a second read—after finishing the full trilogy—I was able to appreciate her character arc so much more. There really are no easy choices for her, and the story does an incredible job of showing how impossible her situation truly is.

In the middle of all this chaos, Wyatt enters the picture as part of the MC, but nothing is quite what it seems at first. I’ve seen comments from the author, Astra Rose, that Ryder is her favorite of the men—but for me, it’s Wyatt all the way, no question.

He is strong, honorable, capable, protective, and level-headed—pure “Big Daddy Energy,” and he absolutely dominates this book in the best way. The connection between Max and Wyatt is intense, emotional, and deeply caring, with undeniable heat between them.

The balance of plot, spice, and emotion is really well done, and the pacing keeps everything engaging throughout. And I’ll say it again—Wyatt is everything.

**5⭐️ out of 5**

**5🌶️ spice out of 5**

The book ends on another cliffhanger, but it’s still an emotionally satisfying read overall, and the entire trilogy is absolutely stellar.

[SBee Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

★”This is my life now. And they’re never going to let me go.”★

Following the rippling effects of the cliffhanger from the first installment, we now have to delve deep into Maxwell’s mind as she is thrown back into everything she had run from, namely, The MC The Order of Disorder. It is not an easy journey, as it is fraught with danger, metered by her ex who is heads up the club. Please see the content warnings below to check your triggers, as her journey while being held at their mercy causes her to make choices she normally would not have, alone and without the protection as safety of her four men. But all is not lost, as she finally sees a familiar pair of eyes, ones she never expected to see. Looking forward to reading the rest of her story!

CONTENT WARNING from Author: “This book contains dark and intense themes including sexual violence, coercion, drug use, captivity, psychological trauma, and explicit sexual content with power imbalances. Reader discretion is advised. A full list of content warnings can be found at: www.astraroseromance.com/books/snakes...”

[lost.amongst.the.pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eeeeeeekkkk!! I cannot cope with this. It had me hooked. Honestly I don’t know what sort of something something is in the writing but I am heavily invested.

I loved how the whole energy shifted in this. With Hellbent we got an insight into Maxwell, the person she wants to be and the four knight in shining armours that save her from the darkness.

Fast forward to The Order of Disorder and we have almost done a 360 and gone back to the basics of where Maxwell has come from. We see her go down an even darker path and it was so hard to read! 😭 Billy is just something else. A right piece of work. The twist at the end! 😳 I didn’t know which way the whole thing was going to go. Love @astrarose_author as an author she never fails. I don’t want to spoil anything so can’t say too much but I LOVED Ryan! Eeeek! Can’t wait to get back to all the boys next time because I missed them.

Already salivating at getting my hands on the next one but will have to wait so see what Maxwell gets up to next! 😭

If you haven’t read anything by Astra add her to your to be read list. Any of her books are guaranteed perfection! 🥰 👌🏻 The fact I get to ARC read this series is a dream! 😍

⭐⭐⭐️⭐🌟/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

[Whispered Secrets · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of the Snakes and Daggers series was unexpected. I won’t say I didn’t like it, but it’s intense. I love how strong Max is though. She’s endured so much and she still never gives up. She fights for her life in one way or another. Even knowing all she knows, knowing what she will have to go through. Even if sometimes her escape is the drugs they ply her with, sometimes accepting others forced upon her. After watching Ryder bleed out she has a hard time wanting to live but deep down something pushes her further. The others were upset with her when she was drug away, they may think she just left…then a familiar face appears and everything she thought she knew…blew right out the window…As stated above this read is intense…read the trigger warnings if you have triggers because I don’t have triggers and at times it was hard for me to continue. Mostly because I knew Billy was doing it because he could and he felt like she was his to share or not and She got no say. It had nothing to do with fighting his feelings or wanting revenge. It was just brutal treatment.

[Julz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️|3🌶️ What is life anymore? How am I supposed to function while waiting for book 3? I literally took a day off work just to devour this one—and no regrets. Astra Rose, you’ve done it again girl! 👑

This book is dark. Max is dragged back into hell—shattered, broken, and stripped of everything. Collared, drugged, humiliated… it’s brutal. But then, in the middle of all that darkness, a familiar face shows up and keeps her tethered—at least for a while. And can we talk about “Ryan”? I knew he had it in him!!!🥵

Compared to the first book, there’s not as much spice—at least not the kind we were craving. But honestly, it didn’t even matter. The suspense and buildup were excruciating in the best way, and it was still every bit as gripping as book one.

The CLIFFHANGER!! Now I’m counting down the days until I’m reunited with the boys, because wow, did I miss them. And when they’re back? Oh, it’s payback time. Burn. It. Down. 🔥

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the ending of the first book, I could not wait to continue this series. Unlike the first book that introduced us to Ryder, Wyatt, Jake, and Damian, this book mainly focuses on Max and Wyatt.

In this book, we see more of Billy. The guy that Max had escaped from in book one. Billy is horrible and I can't wait for him to meet his end. He gives off "big d!ck energy" but he is really just a "little man". Most of the other women in the club are just slaves. So, it was refreshing to see Rox and Maze, especially Rox not be intimidated by Billy.

I did like that this book allowed me to get to know Wyatt better. You could feel the emotional and physical connection that Wyatt and Max shared. The spice in this book was on a different level then from the first book without the why choose. I am ready for book three.

[MizFig · Rating 5 out of 5]

You did it again!! You had me so glued to the book that when I got to the end and looked at the next page I may have cursed you a few times!!Now I have to wait until January for the next one!

This book picked up right where the first one ended. You MUST read the first book.

I kept expecting and hoping for a knight in shining armor but I realized that she was truly in hell. Then SO much happenend that I can not talk about because it will spoil the book. Hurry up and read this so we can talk about it!!

Loved this book. The characters old and new were perfect and added so much to this story. I cringed, cried, got so angry , swooned and truly thought I had it all figured out until I didn’t!!

Great job!!!

[Chris Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense from the beginning, questions left in book 1, Hellbent, are not answered until the very end!
Astra Rose plunges readers deeper into the harrowing world of Maxwell Finch.
Max is dragged back into the brutal grip of the Order of Disorder—a place where control, degradation, and surveillance reign. The story explores themes of survival, trauma, and the fragile hope found in unexpected connections.
A dark romance, with emotional intensity and psychological depth. Max’s journey is raw and painful, yet threaded with moments of intimacy and resilience. You are pulled into Max’s internal struggle and the shifting dynamics around her.

Can't wait for Book 3

This is not a standalone—reading Book 1 (Hellbent) is essential to fully understand Max’s story.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

We pick up where the last book ended. Max is trying to survive the devastation of being taking away from the one place that made her feel safe. She's living her nightmare and does what it takes to live. Wyatt is there and Max feels like its a dream but he treats her like they never met and he's calling himself Ryan. Wyatt/Ryan is shocked to find Max there and vows to do whatever it takes to get them both out.

This intense book finds you deep in the jowls of the club with Max and Wyatt doing what it takes to free themselves. This is not for the faint at heart so be prepared for a wild ride.

[Lisa Bing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite the gripping and intense continuation of Maxwell's story and it was a dark read. Definitely check the TWs before diving in. I was so hoping that the guys would ride in and save Maxwell, but she has so much to endure/survive with Billy big on doing what he wants with her. The author did a fab job making me feel what Max was experiencing and my heart broke for her. We definitely get to know a lot more about Wyatt in this installment, though, and the spice is still there - and spicing ;P Expect to be dragged through the wringer when you crack this one open and then be desperate for the next book to see how things continue to unfold for her. I can't wait!

[Brooklyn Henley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You’ve meant the world to me since you worked your first shift at Leathernecks.”

I’m only gonna warn y’all once… this book is DARK. Much much darker than the first one, but as a certifiable lover of all things dark and f*cked up, I absolutely loved this book!

After the cliffhanger on book 1, I was so glad I could jump into book 2. And our poor FMC is going throughhhhh it. This book definitely addresses some heavy themes, so please proceed with caution.

I didn’t think I could love the MMCs anymore than I did in the first book, but let me tell y’all we hit that “you touch her again, you die for it” moment, and I squealed like a little girl. Definitely recommend!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dont think I get the disappointment with Wyatt from the other reviews for this, I understand why he had to do what he had to do to keep them both safe while they were in there. He was doing what he could to protect and take care of her.

That being said, this one was great in its own way, it gave us a lot more insight into what shes running from why Max felt the need to hide where she had come from, and it cleared up what the boys are doing.

That being said, I cannot wait till the 3rd book comes out 🥺. At least it was a good cliffhanger but I was literally screaming NO when the book ended 😅

[Tinuke Ajose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always loved Astra's writing and this series is no exception.
I feel like book 2 went off the rails a bit and the way the guys' "special ops" abilities was portrayed in book 1 didn't really translate into book 2 because it took too long for them to find her. I would have loved to read the guys' perspectives too so that's probably why I feel like their "special ops" abilities was not really in play because we were not able to read about it.
All in all I loved it. Can't wait for book 3 in January.
I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest review. Thanks Astra Rose!!!

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

I honestly don't know. I finished it but felt like a lot was bothering me about the story and characters and well everything. It is easy to read and has all sorts of drama going on. I don't mind dark and it does get dark, but like it just felt off and I was not hugely connected to anything. The one thing I did enjoy was Wyatt, mostly. Maybe the writing style is just not for me, but I can see how it is addicting and the need to know what happens next is what saved it from being a dnf for me.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
OMG, I absolutely loved Book 2, but again, the cliffhanger! I need book 3, please!! I need the final installment of the story.

This book was devastating and so emotional. I devoured it in literally a day! I really loved that this part focused on different relationships for Max.
Check your triggers as always, as there is some shady stuff going on, but I definitely recommend this.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What another amazing novel from Astra, as well as book 2 in the series. You really get to see what life was like for Max before she met her 4 amazing men. This one has all the emotions you could possibly think about and feel them while reading. You find out a lot in this novel as well as giving some background on Max. Again, it's left on a cliff however, not the heart-wrenching cliff book 1 left me in. I'm so excited for book 3.

[Jess Parkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! In this book, Max is now with Billy in the O.D. clubhouse. He is not happy with her running away and lets her know with humiliating punishments. Max finds two club members whom she falls into a relationship with. She is trapped at the clubhouse but she will do anything to escape if only for a while. Max finally finds an old friend and starts to feel like herself again until her choices catch up to her. This book was darker than the last. I really enjoyed it!

[Cindy Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, wow. This is dark, very dark, and you can't help but feel intensely for the FMC. She's not going through hell she is in hell. Make sure you read the trigger warnings and that you're 100% with it. I thought that I was and this one still took me by surprise. Be aware as well that the book ends in a cliffhanger. What will happen in book 3. At this point I'm committed so I've gotta find out how it ends. Very powerful book.

[Smut S Sisters]

This book is delinitely darker than book one but given where the first book ended, that wasn't a surprise for me. The FMC really went through it in this one, both physically and mentally. It's rough and raw. Plenty of spice was sprinkled along the journey and the ending gave me the answers from book one I was wanting. Can't wait for book three, expected in January.

Read this for:

-dark romance
-why choose
-FMC is a captive
-trauma/ degradation
-age gap
-FF spice

[Jane Who Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.00/5.00 star rating
3.50/5.00 spice rating (lots of scenes but didn’t enjoy most)

Tropes: motorcycle club, mf, mff, ff

Triggers: repeated sexual assault, repeated rape, drugging, domestic abuse, drug abuse, overdose, humiliation, caged

Kinks: oral, threesome, praise kink

Thoughts:

This book was honestly hard to rate. I try not to read sequels blurbs to prevent spoilers but maybe I should have peeked at this one. This is dark dark dark.

I binged it in a day and couldn’t stop so that says something. Yet the trauma and humiliation the FMC goes through is horrific. Most of the sex scenes were 100% rape or were drug-induced non-consent. There was hope then no hope then hope again for the FMC. It was crazy ride, to be honest. I need to know how their story ends.

[Shelby Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST ONE YET!! This is my fave Astra book ever, I absolutely devoured it! It was so emotional and raw and real. I love that she doesn’t sugar coat anything, and what Max goes through is hard but it’s not fake and it feels like we’re going through it all with her. Also, Wyatt? WORTH👏THE👏WAIT👏🥵
I read this over two days and could not put it down.