DISCORDANT CULTIVATION: A Dark MM Captive Musician Romance

by Gale Ian Tate

Romance that rhymes with ruin;
obsession's a song they're both fluent in.

Vale tastes potential like other men taste wine—notes of desperation, hints of untapped brilliance, the full-bodied flavor of someone ripe for unmaking. Kieran plays for spare change in subway filth, that stuttering voice transforming into something holy only when he sings. Sick. Abandoned. Already intimate with the architecture of suffering.

Exquisite.

In Vale's remote studio, lessons in music become lessons in metamorphosis. The basement grows familiar with the symphony of Kieran's breaking—canvas bags and careful suffocation, fingers that teach through calculated trauma, the wet percussion of tears against concrete.

Each session strips another layer. Each perfectly placed touch rewrites the boundaries between salvation and damnation.

In the space between breaths, between the hand that holds the throat and the mouth that gasps for air, something hungry awakens. Kieran writes "Poison Saviors" with blood under his fingernails, not knowing he's penning their wedding vows. Not understanding that when he finally kisses back, he's teaching Vale a new kind of suffocation.

And Vale, collector of broken beautiful things, discovers too late that some possessions hollow you out from the inside—leaving you desperate for the very poison you've been feeding.

{So sleep now in my burning bed;
dream of chains that feel like silk;
I'll feed you poison honey;
and bitter, burning milk.
And when you wake,
you'll understand what I have always known
Love isn't meant to set you free—
love claims you as its own. }



18+ ONLY. captivity, psychological manipulation, medical control, violence, dubious consent, and explicit sexual content within an abusive power dynamic. This is a dark romance that may disturb. Please read responsibly.

Genres: M M Romance, Dark

593 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2025

About the author

Gale writes the kind of mm dark/gray romance that makes you question your life choices in the best possible way. When not crafting morally questionable characters doing questionable things, she can be found buried in a book, rolling dice in yet another D&D campaign, or frantically crocheting while binge-watching whatever series has stolen her soul.
​

She is a gaming enthusiast, horror movie aficionado, and BL manhwa collector who believes the best stories live in those deliciously gray areas. Between wrangling her four kids and making elaborate to-do lists (that will definitely be ignored), she is always down to geek out over a good book rec or debate which problematic character deserves more love.

Reviews

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely check your triggers. Even if you have read any of Gale's previous works, this is not like them. It is even darker and more fucked than Immersed. Seriously, be careful.

Besides all that, I LOVED this one! It is emotional and intense, sometimes heartbreaking, but with it comes this love between Vale and Thorn that everyone around them just can't understand. And it doesn't matter if they can't, because what those two have transcends any "normal" type of relationship.

Vale is manipulative, at times strict and unyielding, but behind it all he does everything with care and love.
I felt for Thorn. This broken young man just trying to survive. You see his progression of coming into his authentic self.

Some of y'all might not like it.

I am definitely not like y'all 😂

There will be tears, and by the end, if you are not bawling from the culmination of everything that has happened, then I don't know what to say.

AND there are original songs in here that I don't know how Gale came up with, but damn are they powerful and work so well.

Gale, your writing is magnificent. Keep doing it. If you ever need me again, you know where to find me.



I received a beta copy from the author as well as an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 4 out of 5]

DISCORDANT CULTIVATION is the story of Vale and Kieran. First and foremost, please Read the trigger warnings as this is a very dark story. This is my first book by Gale Ian Tate and I don't think it will be my last. I have always enjoyed dark morally gray characters but I haven't seen this level in a while. This book was filled with emotional rollercoaster ride. The characters were interesting and I would think Vale is a bit crazy or a psycho/sociopath. It was interesting watching sweet Kieran be changed and molded into the person Vale wanted him to be. It was also interesting seeing Stockholm Syndrome beginning and changing the relationship. This is not your typical love story, it is so much more toxic but still believable. I'm looking forward to reading more books by Gale Ian Tate. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Shrike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tate aptly calls this book "psychological horror masquerading as romance." I tend to go into books as blind as possible...but this piece warrants a more careful approach. Please make sure you're in an okay headspace to tackle that CW list.

With that warning out of the way, let me tell you how beautiful this book is.

Discordant Cultivation stands out in its nuanced portrayal of abuse and survival. There are no pretenses about what kind of relationship this is: the evidence is written in blood. Yet I had to keep reminding myself that Vale is a terrible person and, even now, part of me aches to forgive him. In a world where kind words cut and Kieran cannot trust his own body, there's safety in honest, predictable violence.

I've seen firsthand how well-intentioned people turn their backs on someone experiencing abuse for not responding "properly." For standing with their abuser, loving them, grieving them. This isn't a black and white issue and I really, really appreciate how this book leans into these grey areas.

I also loved seeing the grimy underbelly of the music industry laid bare. These predatory producers reminded me of conservators who disguise exploitation as looking out for an artist's best interests.

The writing blew me away. I heard each song in my head, saw every step of Kieran's choreography. I'm a big fan of chapter titles with the eloquence of prog rock song names. Even the length of the book felt intentional, drawing me into Kieran's head where time distorts and disorients.

In sum, this book unlocked whole new levels of emotional devastation and left me grateful for it. Thanks for reading my essay, this book deserves every word.

Thanks so so much to the author for sending an advance copy my way. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.

[Jessica Swan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to GRR and the author for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I had originally DNF'd this book at 30% because some of the content was affecting my mental health. However, I woke up today feeling mentally good so I decided to try again. I then read the book in one sitting. I was too curious to know how Kieran's story would end. Something about his character really stuck with me.
This is an incredibly dark romance but the payoff ended up being worth it. Also the author is one of the loveliest individuals I've ever had the fortune of speaking to, so I truly hope you all support her and give her books a chance.

Previous review: Okay let me start this off by saying that I have read and LOVED other works by this author so I truly think this was a one-off for me. I read the triggers and prepared myself but I guess it was darker than I thought I could truly handle. That is not the book or authors fault, that is strictly my own fault. I was deeply uncomfortable during certain scenes. I can definitely see where the character development would have came into play and how the story could have ended with a HEA. I just don't think I have the mental capacity right now to get there, and that's okay. But yeah if you love dark romance, and the trigger warnings don't scare you, definitely give this a shot. Gale's writing is superb and the original songs she wrote in this book were so good and added another layer to the story!

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark and intriguing read, and, as much as you may need to keep the trigger warnings in mind, the main pairing of a tortured musician and his agent who carries out the torture is a compelling one.

The progression of Kieran’s character is shown throughout, the gain in confidence at Vane’s behest and the subsequent reshaping of himself because of Vane’s wishes; it’s an intense character choice and one that leans well with the overall plot. It’s very much a dark romance that sweeps the reader along with it, from the coercion to the Stockholm syndrome and unreliable narrator of it all. The dual POV highlights all the best bits as both characters view the world entirely differently and neither emerge fully unscathed.

For the plot, there’s a good amount of foreshadowing for the turns it takes, but the main focus is very much the relationship unfolding and the music on display. It’s not something I know a lot about so can’t speak to the accuracy, but the technical knowledge displayed was very interesting and felt natural to the story as a whole.

There’s the potential for more within this universe, but the story functions well as a standalone. Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC!

[❥ Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

”I can’t de-decide,” Kieran whispered, “if I should r-run as fast as I c-can while screaming for help, or if I should n-never leave your side again.”

5++ 🌟!!
This was like a psychological thriller + dark romance. Vale is a music producer with unconventional methods and Kieran is a struggling street musician. Vale becomes obsessed with the potential he sees in Kieran. He scoops him off the street and away to his home, where he keeps him captive so he can break him down and make him better.

Vale is surprised by his attraction to Kieran; usually his projects are strictly professional. He becomes obsessively devoted in a dark, romantic way. He does terrible things to Kieran but then he’s sweet and attentive. I love it when the powerful, controlled character is so overcome with desire that they lose control and get all pathetic and begging.

”Vale felt like he was becoming Kieran’s as much as Kieran was his. It terrified him. It thrilled him. Mutual possession.”

The slow mind break of Kieran’s character was done exceptionally well. Pacing can be a problem in these types of stories but this was gradual. You know the author did a good job when you feel conflicted at the end. Yes the HEA is sweet and the characters seem happy and in love.. but at what cost???

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives new meaning to the phrase “tortured artist”. This is a truly dark book and should be avoided if you have any triggers. To the rest of you - read it! I read it all in one day, which is rare for me for not-audio books. It was emotional, raw, gripping, compelling, twisted, and toxic. I loved every minute of it. Had some Phantom of the Opera vibes, and parts reminded me of Sweet by Howl Avery and the Fallocaust series by Quil Carter.

[anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

arc review

This was my first psychological dark romance and my first book from Gale, and I was really impressed. I'm going to admit I was a little bit scared lmao but I enjoyed it pretty much. The characaters and the world building were very interesting to read. Even though I found some parts repetitive, Gale’s writing is beautiful, and I loved the little song snippets included throughout.

Please, do check the trigger warnings! Your mental health is more important than anything ❤️‍🩹

"He wanted to devour him. Worship him. Remake him from the inside out until Kieran couldn't tell where Vale's desired ended and his own began."

[Cassie Dippold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gale describes this as psychological horror masquerading as romance, and all I can say is she’s right. This book made me uncomfortable in the best ways, which is exactly what I want from a dark romance! It’s so hard to find good dark romances with a focus on slow, mind break.

Also, Gale is the master of writing sad boys! Poor Kieran. I guess he thinks he’s happy, so we’ll take that as a win.

[ash[hearts]angst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hauntingly beautiful! Full RTC

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was dark, and painful, and horrible, and traumatic, and extremely satisfying. Their sick love, their toxic, twisted relationship is like a train wreck you cannot tear your eyes away from, and you have to watch them suffer in pain, scream, and nearly die, and you just sit there and watch. I wouldn’t qualify this as a HEA, maybe a MHEA (mental hospital ever after). Kieran is hurt, and broken, and Vale swoops in to destroy him even more, and in destroying him, makes him dependent on him. It’s a sickly twisted relationship, but strangely beautiful. It was interesting to see a horrible person destroy a hopeless one, and they both come out worse for the wear, but sickeningly close. It’s fascinating. And the TW at the beginning of the book make so much sense, so please, beware and tread carefully. I tend to identify with characters, and this book wasn’t any different, and it was great to see how different choices made us different people. I loved it. Fascinating read. Dark, very dark, but somehow healing in a way that makes you think “I’m so glad that’s not me”. Totally recommend it, but be careful and heed the TW, they’re there for very good reasons. And if you can read it… yeah, it’s that good.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Poison and cure, salvation and damnation, all wrapped up in one perfect performance. You're mine now Kieran, and I'm yours. Even the music says so."
.
.
First and foremost, please check the trigger warnings. This is an incredibly dark read. You and your mental health matter.

As with all Ian Tate books, I ask myself, "What in the h*ll did I just read?" And I mean that in the best way. Dark. Twisted. A Masterclass in Morally Gray. That's how I would define Discordant Cultivation.

Vale is a notorious music producer who sets his sights on a busker named Keiran. Keiran is a singer/songwriter with epilepsy who's just trying to survive when he encounters Vale Rose. Without spoilers, Vale kidnaps Keiran, and what ensues is a total mind f*ck. His methods of producing musical greatness are less than conventional, and let's just say for 594 pages you'll never know what to expect.

As always, I will give praise to Gale for crafting stories that are unique and unconventional. When she says she's crafting something dark and heavy, she does just that. Discordant Cultivation is a prime example.

If you're in the mood for something morally gray, nearly pitch black. Something slightly depraved with heat, and a spectrum of emotions, this is the book for you.

[Kylie Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was definitely the most dark and depraved book I've read so far. Definitely check the trigger warnings because its DARK!
I've never been so confused on whether i liked or hated a character so much as I was with Vale because for one he's another level of psychotic but also the "sweethearts" got me just a teensie eensie bit 👀 like i mean the tiniest bit ok...dont judge me he's not real!
And Keiran, I love him and wish I could give him the biggest hug, poor manipulated angel.
The Stockholm syndrome and manipulation in the book was extreme and A LOT of what Vale does to Keiran is immensely upsetting to read. But Keiran's music and the pain he expressed through it was heartachingly beautiful and tragic. Reading it was equal amounts of being proud of Keiran for what he created but also feeling distraught for what he went through to get there at Vale's hands.
If you are looking for character redemption you will not find it here. If you love extremly dark romance with a side of beautifully tragic lyrics and music this is definitely for you!

[Danni Crass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Reader Copy.

Gale was not joking. This was a complete Psychological mindf*ck. Vale was unapologetic with the things he did and a complete psycho; but I do believe he is also a product of his environment. We get a small glimpse of how he was raised. He is still a psycho, though. Kieran, oh sweet Kieran was already a sad broken boy before he was caught in Vale's sight. He was easy to manipulate and my heart went out for him. He just wanted to be loved and not be a burden on those around him. The story shows the effects of what conditioning does to the mind and body. The way Stockholm Syndrome develops and effects you wholly. This is not a lovey dovey love story. This a very dark psychological love story. There is no redemption and Vale truly breaks and molds Kieran into the man he wants him to be while ultimately falling in love. It's beautiful and sweet in a dark, twisted kind of way.

[Cait · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay i really enjoyed this book. it was long, yes, but it didn’t feel overly so and i thought the pacing worked really well for the total destruction and rebuilding of keiran’s being.

i’m also kind of obsessed with vale’s metaphors and how he just wants to be fused to keiran in every way possible. unhinged obsession will always earn points with me.

of course darkness is subjective, but this book deals with very dark themes and situations that could be extremely triggering. please read the trigger warnings before starting and if you’re good to go, enjoy because you’re in for a hell of a ride.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Discordant Cultivation,” by Gale Ian Tate

Wild ride. This book was a twist of toxic relationships, abuse, and psychological trauma. Lots of things in the book that would be a spoiler lol. I liked this dark romance being about rock stars, which was a unique plot than other dark romances I’ve seen. I absolutely adored that the main character has epilepsy, I love the disability rep that was pretty significant in the book. All in all, I really enjoyed the book and will give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

-M/M
-Rock Star
-Psychological
-Captivity/ Kidnapping/ Abuse/ Toxic
-Epilepsy
-Rich X Poor

Thank you for the ARC, Booksirens.

[Sarah☀️ Somerville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this relationship was toxic and awful and messed up and yet somehow managed to avoid my triggers and deal-breakers and I absolutely loved it. That ending? I have no words.

A real breath of fresh air (toxic, polluted air?) after all the sweet books I've been reading lately. Thank you, Gale!

Read the content warnings, kids.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pitch-black fucked-up toxic romance. I’m obsessed.