His Pretty Poison

by C. Hebert

You are worth everything.

After years of untreated trauma and self destructive choices, one tragic mistake shattered Lucille’s family and sent her fleeing from the only home she’d ever known. She ran to the city and rebuilt herself piece by piece, learning how to live with the darkness instead of letting it consume her. But when her adopted brother is injured in a bull-riding accident, she’s forced to return to the ranch she swore she’d never see again and to the guilt she never escaped.

Forsythe—a guarded, sharp-edged cowboy with a past as dangerous as her own—is now running the ranch. They clash from the start, sparks flying between resentment and something far more reckless. What begins as stolen nights and mutual denial slowly turns into something neither of them planned.


His Pretty Poison is a dark cowboy romance which contains sensitive themes and topics. Please check triggers prior to reading as your mental health matters.

Genres: Dark Romance, Cowboy Romance, Romance, Novella, Westerns

172 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2026

About the author

Commonly known as Cyn, C. Hebert is a multi-genre author who loves to paint a pretty, yet horrific, picture woven together with absolute chaos. True gravevard reads.
While most authors like to write happily ever afters, C. Hebert prefers to take her stories in the opposite direction, delivering darker tales with a hint of madness, tugging at your heartstrings.
She is a self proclaimed manic write who loves to constantly push herself to do more.

C. Hebert is a published poet and writes darker, more unique works under a secondary pen name, which is an International Best Seller. It is listed on her social media.

Reviews

[Ruth♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

Durante años Lucille ha estado luchando contra los fantasmas del pasado, tiene miedo de regresar a su hogar pero se arma de valor y regresa, ahí vivió momentos bonitos pero también que la hicieron salir huyendo, ahora que está de regreso trata de tomarlo con calma pero Forsythe no se la pondrá fácil, ellos dos siempre han chocado y convivir será la pesadilla para ambos.

Quiero empezar diciendo que me gustó pero a la vez no 🤣

Es un libro muy corto lo terminas muy rápido pero también se sintió que le faltaron páginas, hay algunas (varias) cosas que deja al aire, también casi no vemos a estos dos siendo pareja, creo que cuando por fin dan el paso luego luego pasamos al epílogo, entonces no vemos mucho.

La protagonista también puede ser que a muchos no les agrade, tiene una personalidad que va de 0 a 100 rápido, hay cosas que no me gusta como manejo, por lo mismo de el enojo lo hace todo de forma impulsiva, ahora viendo como la tratan algunos en el pueblo y su propio familia pues veo un poco de dónde viene todo esto pero igual algunas cosas se pudieron manejar mejor.

La verdad siento que le hubiera puesto menos clasificación pero la historia si me gustó, la de ambos y también me mantuvo muy pegada entonces por eso le subí.

Se los recomiendo si quieren algo corto y adictivo.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast, dark, emotionally rough novella that leans heavily into grief, obsession, and the kind of connection that’s born from shared wounds rather than comfort.

This story carries strong dark cowboy and gothic vibes, and that atmosphere works incredibly well with the themes of loss and unresolved trauma.
From the very beginning, the emotional tone is tense, raw, and unapologetic, there’s no softness here, only sharp edges and unhealed scars.

Forsythe was easily my favorite character.
He is patient to an almost saint-like degree, steady, persistent, and emotionally grounded in a way that contrasts sharply with Lucille.
No matter how many times she lashes out, pushes him away, or behaves impulsively and irresponsibly, he doesn’t give up on them.
His perseverance is what holds this story together.
He feels like the quiet center in a storm he willingly chooses to stand in.

Lucille, on the other hand, is the storm, volatile, damaged, defensive, and often frustrating.
While her behavior makes sense given her grief and trauma, there were moments where her emotional immaturity pulled me slightly out of the story.
I understood her, but I didn’t always like her, and I think that’s intentional.

The age gap dynamic works well here, especially because Forsythe’s feelings have always been certain, while time, tragedy, and resentment kept them apart.
The enemies-to-lovers tension is thick, the slowburn chemistry is intense, and when it finally combusts, it does so in a way that feels earned and emotionally charged rather than gratuitous.

That said, this book did leave me wanting just a bit more depth.
Because it’s a novella, the emotional development sometimes feels rushed, and I think the story would have benefited from more space to fully explore the characters healing and growth especially Lucille’s.
The foundation is strong, but the emotional arc could have been more mature and fully realized.

Overall, this is a compelling, dark, and emotionally heavy read with strong atmosphere, solid twists, and a male lead who truly shines.
It is not a perfect story, but it is an engaging one, especially for readers who enjoy chaotic, trauma-driven romances with gothic undertones and morally messy characters.

[Sebastian (bookish_millennial) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice 🌶️🌶️.5
Narrative: 1st Person
POV: Dual

One thing I really loved about this book was the mental health representation and the crushing weight of loss and guilt. This dark cowboy romance definitely has some dark themes in the mental capacity, so definitely check the triggers and enter with caution. That being said, I enjoyed the relationship between Lucille & Forsythe, kinda gave me Beth & Rip vibes from Yellowstone (which Beth is hands down my fav character). This book was packed with banter and yearning, and of course release 😉 Cyn wouldn’t leave us hanging like that lol both MCs did have a lot of internal dialogue and I think that’s where this one fell a little short for me, it made the characters seem a bit more immature than their ages. But overall it was an enjoyable book, however I’m not sure why the big reveal about Forsythe and the fire was such a big deal? Maybe because Lucille was still struggling so much with the events of the fire? There was really no large conflict, aside from both MCs overcoming their internal struggles and past lives. But we do get a HEA with this one, and not like Cyn’s signature unconventional HEAs so I will say that was nice. All in all if you’re a cowboy romance fan, but are looking for something a bit on the darker side give this one a try!

Thank you so much to Cyn & team for the opportunity to ARC read this one, I love to see what her mind conjures up next!!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This is a dark, gothic, cowboy romance…”

Just from that I knew I was going to be obsessed with this book, and as always, C Hebert doesn’t disappoint!

I loved the instant chemistry Lucille and Forsythe had and how they could both help each other heal from traumatic experiences in their pasts.

This is a fast paced book full of emotional moments, banter and catharsis.

Easily one of my favourite ARCs as it just encapsulated everything I love.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

🖤 Cowboy Romance
🤠 Dark, Gothic Romance
🖤 Age Gap
🤠 Dark Secrets/Past
🖤 Mental Health Rep
🤠 Trauma/Healing
🖤 “Little Viper”

[Anna Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this!!

[Darkling Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

C. HERBERT – His Pretty Poison

🤠 Age Gap
🤠 Dark Cowboy Romance
🤠Forced Proximity
🤠 Traumatic Past
🤠 Mental Health rep

His Pretty Poison is a story of two rivals, Lucille and Forsythe. It is a very short but gripping story that takes the cowboy romance genre and spins it on its head. Giving you a cow boy romance with a dark story that will leave you weeping. It certainly did me. I was hugely invested. 😭

Lucille has struggled her whole life with her mental health, adopted as a child, she found her home at Stone Ridge with an inspiring family that wanted to make a difference. After the accident the ranch wasn’t safe for her anymore and she left in search for anywhere that didn’t remind her of her faults and failures. When her brother, Boone, gets into a Bull riding accident she returns home years later to a different ranch.

It’s here she reconnects with her old rival, of sorts...Forsythe. Forsythe is older than Lucille but they practically grew up together and Lucille hates everything about him... especially as she feels her family favour him over her... but it’s when things start to change, that they truly connect. Forsythe wants nothing more than Lucille and her family to be happy and when that moment of connection happens, man its beautiful. 🤤🤤 This book is all about dark secrets, dark pasts, and uncovering hidden family secrets. It will make you ache, and you will no doubt fall in love just like I did!

His Pretty Poison is out now and available on Amazon. Thank you to Cyn for the arc, and always being a total badass writer! 🤌❤️

[Emily (emilysdarkcorner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

His Pretty Poison by C Herbert

I'm going to start this by saying that I just finished this morning and wow it didn't disappoint. Once I started reading this I couldn't put it down because it had me so hooked. This book focuses on mental health struggles and trauma.

Lucille went through something very traumatic years ago and she will never forget it. That is the day she lost someone she loved and that's when her world shifted. She is dealing with a lot of grief, sadness and feeling like she isn't good enough for anything. She is coming back to her hometown after being gone for a decade. She doesn't know how to handle coming back because all of her emotions are coming forward. When she sees Forsythe the very cowboy who she has hated, she doesn't understand why he's there still.

Forsythe sees that Lucille is back and helps her get into her house. It's been 10 years since he last saw her. All he wants to do is help her but she just pushes him away any chance she can get. When his feelings for her that he's kept pushed down come to the surface secrets he's been keeping are on the verge of being let out.

The banter and the push and pull between Lucille and Forsythe is EVERYTHING. I couldn't get enough, she just pushes him away and he just tries to push her buttons. I didn't expect to get so emotional while reading this but I definitely found myself crying. The way this book is written is so beautiful and dives into mental health struggles and how you can get through them.

""Lucille "

"I'm done running, Forsythe. Because the only thing worth running to is starting back at me."

[s.shadereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He cupped my face, and I watched as he used his teeth to flip the cigarette over onto his tongue and into his mouth, allowing him to kiss me freely. He tasted surprisingly sweet, like a smoky piece of caramel that melted in my mouth. I felt dizzy, so swept up in the moment that I almost forgot myself. And where I was. I ripped my body back and wiped my mouth. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I asked, looking around to make sure we were still alone. Forsythe popped his cigarette back between his lips with a giant smile. “What’s wrong? Scared someone might see us?” I glared at him. “Let them see. I got nothing to be ashamed of, Lucille.”

Am I crazy or was that like...hot, HOT?! 🥵🥵 Who knew a cigarette flip in the mouth would be a new favorite of mine.
.
.
Read if you like:

* Cowboy Romance
* Nickname - Little Viper
* Trauma/Healing
* Mental Health Rep
* Age Gap
* Troubled/Dark Past

There was just something about Forsythe that I loved from the very beginning. His character just had such BDE, however his softer side always came out with Lucille.

Lucille had so much trauma and heartbreak that she felt broken inside. She worked so hard on herself but still carried that anger and self hatred. And Forsythe ate up her anger and venom. He didn't see a broken woman, but strength. He loved her stubbornness. Her anger. And every venomous word thrown his way. Lucille loved to run. And Forsythe loved to chase her.

“You might be a mess, but I like getting my hands dirty.”

[Nini]

I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!

review coming soon...

dedication:
••
𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓰𝓰𝓵𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮, 𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝓭𝓪𝔂 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓯 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓲𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓷𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓱𝔂.
••

quotes:
••
“𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍? 𝕱𝖎𝖓𝖊. 𝕴’𝖑𝖑 𝖘𝖍𝖔𝖜 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍.”
“𝖂𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖓. 𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖉𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖘𝖆𝖞, 𝖈𝖔𝖜𝖇𝖔𝖞?”
“𝕺𝖍 𝖓𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖉𝖔𝖓’𝖙.”
“𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖘𝖆𝖎𝖉 𝕴 𝖜𝖆𝖘 𝖎𝖓 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖑, 𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙?
𝕲𝖔𝖔𝖉. 𝕹𝖔𝖜. 𝕭𝖊 𝖆 𝖌𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖇𝖔𝖞 𝖆𝖓𝖉 ��𝖊𝖙 𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖊𝖎𝖓𝖘.”
“𝕷𝖚𝖈𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖊,”
“𝖄𝖊𝖘,”
“𝕺𝖍 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐.”
“𝕱𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖞 𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖘 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖒𝖔𝖆𝖓𝖘, 𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝖛𝖎𝖕𝖊𝖗. 𝕸𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖒 𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖍𝖔𝖜 𝖑𝖔𝖚𝖉 𝕴’𝖒 𝖒𝖆𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖘𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒.”
“𝕹𝖔, 𝖔𝖍 𝖌𝖔𝖉. 𝕱𝖚𝖈𝖐.”
••
“𝓘𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓪 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽? 𝓞𝓻 𝓪 𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮?
𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷'𝓽 𝓭𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓶𝓮,”
“𝓓𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓻𝔂, 𝓘’𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓭𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾.
𝓞𝓱, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓼𝓸 𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵.”
“𝓓𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹. 𝓟𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮."
“𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓰𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰?
“𝓞𝓹𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓲𝓭𝓮. 𝓝𝓸𝔀 𝓼𝔀𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀.
𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓼𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓵, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓸 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓪 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵.
𝓐𝓭𝓶𝓲𝓽 𝓲𝓽. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓭𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓮𝓭.”
••


tropes:
☆🍁dark gothic
☆🍁cowboy romance
☆🍁dark secrets
☆🍁age gap
☆🍁trauma x healing
☆🍁little viper🥰
☆🍁mental health rep.
☆🍁hea

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into His Pretty Poison expecting just a dark and spicy story but walked away with something that hit a lot deeper.
Lucille is messy, guarded, and carrying grief and emotional weight in a way that felt painfully real. Her journey isn't pretty or easy, and that made her so easy to connect with. Forsythe had my heart almost immediately. Every interaction between them felt like pure gold. As a Beth and Rip loving girl, this was filled with those vibes and I was 100% here for it.
Their dynamic is full of push and pull, tension, and all the feelings. There's comfort and resistance tangled together in a way that kept pulling me in. If you want a romance with angst, tear your heart out moments, and cowboy vibes then this is worth the read.

[Onyx Reads Smut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two characters, that are both so insanely stubborn and hardheaded. What a better match? I loved the banter between Forsythe and Lucille throughout the book. The constant pull between them really helped build the enemies-to-lovers aspect of the story. Its mentioned that they've rivaled each other since they were children and it really shows.

[Farrah Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick, emotional read that I really enjoyed. Forsythe and the rest of the cowboys felt grounded and real, exactly how I imagine actual cowboys would be. I liked Lucille too and felt the weight of the guilt she carried throughout the story. I loved the mental health representation and thought it was handled well. Overall, it’s a dark gothic cowboy romance with solid spice and banter, and yes, he calls her “little viper.”

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Les juro que intenté leer este libro, pero no pude con las malcriadeces de la protagonista así que es un NO rotundo para mí; en otra oportunidad será.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

His Pretty Poison
Forsythe & Lucille

AVAILABLE NOW

My Rating: 3.5☆
Dark Gothic Cowboy Romance
Novella - 172 Pages
14-15 Years Age Gap
Mental Health Rep
Close Proximity
Trauma Healing
Dark Secrets
Dark & Troubled Past
HEA
My Spicy Rating: 2/5

One thing I hate as an ARC reader is giving low ratings and honest reviews. I don't know what it's like to be an author, and I can only imagine how hard it is to put your work out there and it be bashed. But also, I read all the time how author's prefer readers to give their honest reviews so here is mine.

Sometimes, I'm very particular about certain books and I tend to have certain expectations by certain authors. With this novella, I had high expectations and I need to stop doing that. I've only read the authors books by her other pen name, AB Cynthe and I've loved her other dark books. I did like this book. I liked the plot. But for me, age was my problem this time. For me, it's super important to know age. It just helps me imagine the story better. But unfortunately, the FMC's age was never really mentioned and age was not mentioned in some scenes which threw me off. It was hard for me to imagine said scenes. Because I thought one thing and yet it was another. I just couldn't picture the story correctly and it would be nice to know at what age certain events happened. Otherwise, it gets confusing. I also feel this novella had so much potential. I have so many questions that felt unanswered and also would have liked more depth of the characters. More background information, etc. Just more.

Just a few things that bothered me (spoilers):
-How old was Lucille when the fire happened. Because I had assumed she was a kid or a teen until the end where it sort of clarified how old she was.
-How old was Lucille when Forsythe fell in love with her.
-I feel the switch from enemies to lovers was too quick and not believable.
-I wasn't a fan of the talking out loud to yourself.
-I don't know what it's like to be a 45yo man but Forsythe sounded like a teen.
-The 3 adults bullying Lucille is very high school and does not fit into an adult book.
-I would have have liked more of her story. Where she lived in the city. Were she worked. What she did, etc.
-I would have liked to know exactly which mental health issues she has.
-Would have liked to know what Forsythe's love life had been the past 9 years or was he just waiting for Lucille to come back? Celibate?

Probably petty questions but when I read a book, I like to become very invested and those are a few things that I, as a reader, just needed. Regardless, what wasn't for me, will definitely be for someone else. So, give it a try.

[Emily Knaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolute emotional rollercoaster in under 200 pages!

Filled with grit, grief, and hate that turns to love; His Pretty Poison is the perfect dark cowboy romance that balances the darkness with love and hope.

Lucille is a FMC that your heart hurts for. She’s endured a traumatic experience, of which she blames herself. Life hasn’t been easy for her, she’s fallen down but always picks herself back up. When she finds herself back home after 9 years, she’s forced to face her past and all the hurt that goes with it. She sees herself as broken and a mess. But Forsythe says other wise.

“You might be a mess, but you’re my mess. And I like getting my hands dirty.”

A person Lucille loathes and causes her immense frustration is Forsythe, the man her father loved like a son and who inherited the family ranch, Bone Ridge. The absolute venom she spews at him is no match for how he really feels, hence why he calls her “little viper”. These two circle each other until they come to a crossroads and need to make a choice. Forsythe has always cared for Lucille. He doesn’t see her as broken, he thinks she’s perfect as is, scars and all.

“Who said I wanted to fix you? I think you’re just fine the way you are.”

Seeing the hate morph into love and understanding between Lucille and Forsythe was cathartic as heck. Behind the quick wit and sharp banter was just two broke people hurting running from their pasts. As they become closer their pasts are brought to light, and events they tried to bury resurface. This only makes their relationship stronger and feel more like fate. Forsythe is relentless in his pursuit of Lucille; he’s there for her regardless. Lucille is finally able to find comfort and safety in Forsythe’s arm; they are drawn to one another in their shared grief.

“And the woman you are, the woman I see before me, who has survived all this pain and carried it alone for so long, deserves to be loved. You deserve to be loved, Lucille. I just hope that one day I can be worthy of your love. Because you are worth everything.”

A huge thank you to C. Herbert for the early copy! Obsessed with Lucille & Forsythe. Loved the tough tenderness between the two and seeing them get their much deserved HEA.

[Cheyenne Branham · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ — His Little Poison by C. Herbert

This story lives in the quiet spaces where pain lingers and healing comes with teeth.

Lucille is shaped by what she’s survived — guarded, resilient, and carrying a strength that feels more like endurance than confidence. But she isn’t fragile. She’s sharp. Quick-tongued. A little venomous when she needs to be. “Little viper” fits her perfectly — all bite, all fire, and absolutely not afraid to make people uncomfortable if it means protecting herself.

Watching her navigate truth, family, and the weight of her past felt deeply intimate. She doesn’t soften for the world, she learns how to exist inside it — claws, temper, and all.

Forsythe carries his darkness differently. Stoic, protective, and heavy with things left unsaid, he isn’t trying to fix her — he simply stands beside her. Gruff cowboy energy with a soft center will get me every time, and the quiet way he cares felt more powerful than grand gestures. The yearning between them is slow, tense, and almost painful in the best way.

What stood out most was the honesty. Healing is messy. Growth isn’t pretty. Sometimes love looks like two damaged people choosing patience anyway… and occasionally trading sharp remarks while they do it.

This was tender in a bruised sort of way — emotional, intense, and balanced perfectly by Lucille’s attitude and refusal to be anything less than unapologetically herself.

If you love romances where the characters are a little broken, a little feral, and still somehow soft with each other, this one will stay with you.

Favorite Quote:
“You might be a mess, but you’re my mess. And I like getting my hands dirty.” 🖤🤠

[Kata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short and fast-paced dark cowboy romance with age gap, forced proximity, mental & physical scars and traumatic past.

I loved this book! I really felt for the characters and especially the end (and the reveal towards the end) made me emotional.

Both Lucille and Forsythe had traumatic pasts and they tried to run away from what happened. Loved how at the end Lucille was able to finally remember what happened that night and how she and Forsythe were able to heal together.

The chemistry between Lucille and Forsythe was great and I always love me some funny banter.

Please check the TW/CW before reading!


“Strange how memory can make things seem different than they really are.”
“I wonder if he’s mad at me for leaving. Or maybe he’s mad I came back?”
“You should be more careful with your words. Striking with such raw venom can really hurt someone, little Lucille.”
“You might be a mess, but I like getting my hands dirty.”
“You can keep lying, telling yourself that you can move on and pretend nothing happened, but this wasn’t a fluke. Let’s see how long it takes before you come knocking down my door, begging for more.”
“I don’t want to fix you, because that means there’s something wrong with you. But you, Lucille, are anything but broken. And there’s nothing wrong with you.”


I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review. Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book.

[Laura Books_0 · Rating 3 out of 5]

🍂🐍His Pretty Poison🐍🍂
✍🏼: C. Hebert
(ARC)

📍Ratings

3⭐️
1.5🌶️
1.5🖤

📍ARC Review

Hello, hello, my girly girls.

It's review day once again. I was hoping to finish this book the same day I started it, but sometimes life has other plans and doesn’t always turn out the way you expect. 🤭

I was really looking forward to starting this book; my expectations were super high. I have to say that it's been a long time since I've read a cowboy romance, let alone one with touches of dark romance. However, I didn't find it to be that dark. I don't mean to say that it was a bad book. Quite the contrary. I feel like it was a more emotional and human read. It captured the grey areas of dark romance and portrayed the difficulties of mental health.

The characters are very similar; carrying traumatic pasts but at the same time we see how the decision to start facing the trauma can be different for each person. Healing takes time and patience. Often, it requires talking about it and having someone listen to you and understand what you've been through.

📍Do I recommend it?

It's a book I would recommend, of course. I wish it had been a little longer, but it's an excellent read for a day when you want something lighter and more human.

So don't forget to grab your copy of "His Pretty Poison" and when you have it, come back and tell me about it.

What's a quote from the book that has stayed with you?

[Kristen (IG: books.n.snakes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🐂 ℍ𝕚𝕤 ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕟 🐂

“ 𝙊𝙝, 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙪𝙥, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣. 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚—𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚—𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩. 𝙄𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙚. 𝙄𝙩 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡, 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙. 𝙉𝙖𝙝, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩, 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙞𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.”

📖 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻
✍🏼 𝗖. 𝗛𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁
#️⃣ 𝟭𝟳𝟯 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙙𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮.”

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦
🌵 Gothic cowboy romance
🌵 Enemies to lovers
🌵“Good boy”
🌵 Age gap
🌵 Dark secrets
🌵 Mental health rep

𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙥𝙚𝙧. 𝙄 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬.

📖𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗙𝗠𝗖: Lucille
𝗠𝗠𝗖: Forsyth

“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙭 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

First of all. This dedication 🥺 I loved it so much.

Lucille & Forsyth’s story was a great quick read, with such an emotional impact. I didn’t expect my eyes to leak only 10 pages in, but here we are.

Lucille is stubborn almost to a fault, and Forsyth is the calm that evens her out. She really did lash out at him often, and he just takes it in stride. Bless heart 🖤

I loved the openness in this story about mental health. It was an open topic, and at times heavy. We also not only see the struggles with Lucile, but also with her brother Boone’s healing after is almost life threatening injury from bull riding.

If you want a short read that will pack an emotional punch and toss in some spice out in an open field, or maybe even a barn stall… then this is your cup of tea!

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗘
📖 ᴘʜʏꜱɪᴄᴀʟ
🎧 ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ
📱 ᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ ✔️

[Natalia Ashida · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Thank you to C. Hebert for the opportunity to read an eARC of His Pretty Poison. 🐍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
🌶️🌶️/ 5

His Pretty Poison may be a short novella, but it delivers a surprisingly emotional punch 🤍 Despite its length, the story dives deep into trauma, healing, and mental health in a way that feels genuine and impactful.❤️‍🩹

Lucille’s return to Bone Ridge Ranch means confronting a past she’s been running from for nearly a decade 🖤 Her struggle with depression is portrayed in a raw and honest way, making her journey both relatable and heartbreaking. The mental health representation is easily one of the strongest elements of this story.

The chemistry between Lucille and Forsythe is intense and undeniable 🔥 Their shared history creates so much tension, and watching them slowly find their way back to each other felt incredibly natural. Forsythe’s protective nature and quiet devotion added real emotional depth to their relationship.

Overall, this was a fast-paced, emotional, and comforting read with strong found family vibes 🤎 and a romance that unfolds organically.

If you’re looking for a cowboy romance packed with feelings, dark pasts, and healing, this one is well worth your time 🐎✨

Things you can expect:
🖤 Mental health representation
🐎 Cowboy romance
🖤 Dark pasts & emotional healing
🔥 Undeniable chemistry
🤎 Found family
🏍️ Protective cowboy energy

[kall.isreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝐁𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬.”

- 𝔸ℝℂ 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 -
rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
spice : 🌶🌶🌶.5

Lucille. Oh, I really couldnt get enough of this FMC. With a fiery attitude, a kind soul and venom that'll burn most people, she returns to her family ranch after almost 10 years. Little Lucille blows in like a storm, wearing black like an armour to protect her against her past and her insecurities buried deep in the dirt. She was all chaos and baggage – spitting venom wherever Forsythe was involved.

Forsythe was her reckoning, and her salvation all wrapped up in the most delicious package.
That man is an absolute cowboy. Down to his bones. He was a gentleman with rough edges; the cowboy of your dreams. Smooth as butter and a hard worker, Lucille never stood a chance against his charm charm. The tension was thick and juicy between them, but I was so emotional when they're dark pasts and secrets started coming to light.

There was so much healing in such a short read. it always makes my heart happy when the dark pasts find the healing light, and that's exactly what happened in 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘗𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯. It left me reeling a little bit.

Thank you @authorc.hebert for the opportunity to ARC read this one, im always in aw by your stories but this was really beautiful

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨𝐻𝑖𝑠 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑦 𝐶. 𝐻𝑒𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑡✨

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚.”

ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴍʏ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴡʙᴏʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ. ɪᴛ ɪs ʀᴀɴᴄʜ ʟɪғᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴛᴏᴡɴ ᴠɪʙᴇs, ᴄᴏᴡʙᴏʏ ʜᴀᴛs, ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜʟʟ ʀɪᴅɪɴɢ. ɪᴛ ɪs ᴀʟsᴏ ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀ, ᴘᴀɪɴ, sᴀᴅɴᴇss, ɢᴜɪʟᴛ, ᴀɴɢᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ᴘᴀsᴛs. ᴛʜɪs ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜᴇᴅ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪɴsɪᴅᴇ ᴏғ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ’ᴛ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs, ʟᴜᴄɪʟʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏʀsʏᴛʜᴇ, ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜ sᴏ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟʟʏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ. ɪ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢs ʟᴜᴄɪʟʟᴇ ʜᴀᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀɪᴇғ, ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜɪʟᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴɢᴇʀ sʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴏғ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴀsʜɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ. sʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ sʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴅᴀᴍɴᴇᴅᴇsᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀʟ ᴀs ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴀs ᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ. ғᴏʀsʏᴛʜᴇ’s ᴘᴀᴛɪᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ “ғɪx” ʟᴜᴄɪʟʟᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʟ ᴡᴀs ᴀʙsᴏʟᴜᴛᴇʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ. ᴀʟʟ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴡᴀs ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩. 𝙒𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨, 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

✨ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴄᴏᴡʙᴏʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
✨ᴀɢᴇ ɢᴀᴘ
✨ᴅᴀʀᴋ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs
✨ᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ʀᴇᴘ
✨ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
✨ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴏᴜʙʟᴇᴅ ᴘᴀsᴛs
✨ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ/ᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟ sᴄᴀʀs
✨“ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ”

[sinfullittleshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝕳𝖎𝖘 𝕻𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖙𝖞 𝕻𝖔𝖎𝖘𝖔𝖓

“𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘶𝘯, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘐 𝘨𝘰, 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘰, 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘦.”

“𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘰, 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦.”

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓
🖤ɢᴏᴛʜɪᴄ ᴄᴏᴡʙᴏʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
🐮ᴀɢᴇ ɢᴀᴘ
🖤ᴅᴀʀᴋ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs
🐮ᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ʀᴇᴘ
🖤ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴠɪᴘᴇʀ
🐮ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
🖤“ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ”
🐮ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴏᴜʙʟᴇᴅ ᴘᴀsᴛ
🖤ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ/ᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟ sᴄᴀʀs
🐮ᴍᴇᴄʜᴀɴɪᴄᴀʟ ʙᴜʟʟ ʀɪᴅɪɴɢ

“𝖿ᥲіrᥡ𝗍ᥲᥣᥱs mіgһ𝗍 ᥒ᥆𝗍 ᑲᥱ rᥱᥲᥣ, ᑲᥙ𝗍 𝗍һіs іs ᥴᥣ᥆sᥱ ᥱᥒ᥆ᥙgһ 𝖿᥆r mᥱ.”

★ ★ ★ ★
🌶️🌶️🌶️

this was so freaking amazing. I devoured this book so fast I barely came up for air. I’m not usually a cowboy romance type of reader but this book was different. this one was just unbelievable and I couldn’t put it down. the twist, the turns, the entire story was just something I will always come back to. this author has me by the heart and I will devour anything she writes.

“𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙖 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨｡ 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩 𝙢𝙚｡ 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙞’𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡｡”

[Kari Tidwell (karisbookstodevour) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous must read from C. Hebert! It’s unapologetically raw, real, and rough in the emotional department, the dark cowboy vibes lend an ominous feel that works so ridiculously well with the loss and grief in this book and heighten the feel of anticipation through the whole read, and Forsythe and Lucille are phenomenal characters that draw you right in.
This is a hot age gap where Lucille was always it for Forsythe, tragedy, time, and bitter feelings kept them apart, circumstance, family, and a connection that she’s unsure of and he’s never been more certain about, bring them together, with enemies to lovers tension, slow burning chemistry that combusts in the sexiest way, and honesty that breaks your heart, shatters your soul, and has you empathizing so hard with them both. Forsythe is the breath you’re holding just before the storm, Lucille IS the storm, the relationship and love they find together is the hard-earned peaceful stillness that comes after weathering it together, and the whole thing is just a stunning, don’t skip this one, romance.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the idea of this story, a dark cowboy and lots of mental health struggles between both characters, but unfortunately it was mostly a miss for me. I really wanted to love it and I really tried but it just didn't work for me.The good was the dark cowboy. Forsyth was the bright spot of the story. He was growly and uber protective. I really liked his energy and personality.

The miss for me was Lucille. I just didn't like her, like at all. She was all over the place and basically a b****. She had moments where I thought she was turning a corner and I could see warming up to her but then she would fly off over something trivial and after a while I just couldn't stand her.

Another good spot was the dog. I think she ended up having more personality than Lucille. I liked the bulls but there were some inaccuracies there that took me out of the story. I loved the ranch setting and how the writing portrayed it. I think this story will find its audience but it's just not me so take this review as a grain of salt and decide for yourself.

[Rachel bookin.withrach · Rating 4 out of 5]

“For those who struggle with choosing to live, spending each day with the feeling of being less, this is for you. Because no matter what, you are worthy.”

His Pretty Poison has it all. A broody cowboy, a fiery FMC, pain, sorrow, loss trauma, and healing. So much healing. HPP follows Lucille and Forsythe.

Lucille has just returned to her families ranch, Bone Ridge after almost a decade away and facing her past proves to be a challenge for her. And who better to help her make her way through all the rough patches than the man she seemingly hates, Forsythe.

“You might be a mess, but I like getting my hands dirty.”

Fucking swoon. A cowboy that can rangle even the most stubborn redhead on the ranch. Forsythe and Lucille had all the chemistry sprinkled with a little age gap and the fact that they were kinda raised together making it feel deliciously taboo.

“For someone who says she likes being in control, you sure do listen like a good girl.”

And the mouth on that man 🫦 do yourself a favor and take His Pretty Poison for a ride asap. Available now on KU.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

His Pretty Poison is a dark cowboy romance written by C. Hebert. This novella is fast-paced with a focus on mental health. It does include a delicious age gap. I am a big fan of C. Hebert's books, and I couldn’t wait to dive into this one.

The focus of this book is Lucille as she returns to the home she left nine years earlier after a very traumatic incident that changed her life. The constant struggle with mental health has led her down a path of bad decisions and addiction. When she returns home, she is reunited with her mother, badly injured brother, and Forsythe.

Forsythe and Lucille have undeniable chemistry that had me in a chokehold. Their attraction was instant, like two magnets. Forsythe wanted nothing more than to protect Lucille from herself and her past. Well worth the read!

Thanks to C. Hebert for gifting me an eARC of His Pretty Poison. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Brittany Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a little bit of an emotional read for me. The mental health rep in this might just be my favorite piece of this story.

You have Lucielle who struggles with depression. She’s always struggled throughout her life with it but when a tragedy struck 9 years ago she’s spent nearly the last decade running from her past but also trying to heal.

When tragedy strikes again she’s brought back to Bone Rige Ranch the place she’s been running from all along. When the cowboy who always pushes her buttons come back into her life as well will her secrets stay hidden or will she finally stop running from her past?

This was just a feel good emotional read and I loved this so much. If you’re looking for a cowboy romance that has all the feelings, secrets, dark pasts and a dislike to lovers feel this is the one

Things you can expect:

🖤Mental Health Rep
🐍 Little Viper
🖤 Dark Pasts
🐍 Sp!tting
🖤 You’re worth everything
🐍 Cowboy who rides a motorcycle
🖤 Found Family

[MorallyGreyMuse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always so surprised when I fall into a cowboy romance. It's not my usual go to but somehow C. Hebert knows what she's doing (which you should never doubt) and had me loving every second of reading this book. Lucille and Forsythe’s chemistry is instant and so intense, like every conversation crackles, and their banter mixed with all that emotional baggage just works so well. They both come in carrying some heavy trauma and scars, and I loved how their relationship felt less like fixing each other and more like learning how to breathe again together. Forsythe gives off that gruff, don’t mess with me energy, but then he’s ridiculously soft with her and I melted every single time. Also, some of the little moments had no business being that hot, I was genuinely fanning myself. It’s short, fast and full of feelings, healing, and tension that kept me flipping pages. Definitely check the trigger warnings, but if you want a dark, angsty, kinda feral cowboy romance with heart, this one’s such a fun ride.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥 His Pretty Poison by C. Hebert 🔥

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 || 🌶️🌶️🌶️

“I want to taste that pretty poison as it drips from your mouth and covers my tongue.”

Let me sayyyy, my first cowboy dark romance was a 🔥 W I N 🔥 I love C Hebert’s writing and when i saw dark cowboy and gothic vibes, i immediately knew I’d love it! 🤌🏻🔥🥵

We have Lucille, who’s spent the last 9 years running from her past and her traumas, but when an accident calls her back home - to the place she’s been running from - how will she handle facing her past? She runs into Forsythe, who she clearly despises & has since childhood, and tensions FLY! 🤌🏻 And i really mean they TAKE OFF. She’s fiesty, foul-mouthed, and dealing with her grief & traumas in an unhealthy way - and he’s 10+ years older than her and trying to make her see that she’s not broken. Will they be able to face the secrets of both of their dark and troubled pasts? Or will the sparks between them literally combust? 🤌🏻🔥