Sweetly Unhinged

Devoted In Darkness

by Kira Cole

Violet
I sent an anonymous email to The Ghost—a hacker who destroys scumbags for fun—detailing my darkest fantasy.
He replied.
With a phone number.
Now he's texting me, saying he can make it real. That he's watching me. That he knows exactly what I need.
I should run.
Instead, I'm saying yes.
The question driving me Who is he?
The question that's going to ruin Do I really want to find out?
CADE
Violet Carter is my brother's ex-girlfriend.
She's also the girl who just sent me the filthiest email of my life.
She thinks she's texting a dangerous stranger. I'm the guy who brings her coffee and fixes her laptop—and the man planning to fulfill every twisted fantasy she's ever had.
The closer we get, the deeper I fall.
But when she discovers who's been pulling her strings?
She's either going to kill me or kiss me.
Honestly, I'm hoping for both.


Sweetly Unhinged is Book 1 of the Devoted in the Darkness duet one, featuring a golden-retriever hacker, forbidden tension, and dangerously sweet obsession. Their story continues and concludes in Beautifully Ruined.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Contemporary Romance, BDSM, Rom Com, Contemporary

418 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2025

Reviews

[Kursed Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Working on an up-and-coming councilman’s campaign as an intern, Violet is repeatedly sexually harassed by her boss. When Cade overhears Vi telling her then-boyfriend - his brother - about the latest incident, he takes things into his own hands.

A few drinks in and fed up with the state of her love life and disinterested boyfriend, Vi sends a risqué message to Ghost, the notorious vigilante hacker. When he replies and feeds into her dark desires, things escalate quickly.

Holy mother of… I literally devoured this book as fast as my fingers could flip pages!! I liked the characters, the storyline, the not-too-angsty angst, the spice and kink, the … everything! I was sooooo not ready for the “To be continued” or that WTAF of the last few chapters! I’m relieved we don’t have long to wait for book two!

Long story short, if you’ve been sleeping on Kira Cole like I was, rectify that problem right TF now!!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😤😊🥵😳🤯
Ending: 🧗🏻‍♀️ {Cliffy}

POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}

🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark-ish, New Adult,

✨ Tropes: Age Gap (10), Forbidden, Forced Proximity, Friends-to-Lovers, Heroine in Danger, Hidden Identity, Kidnapped/Captive, Stalker
 
💫 Microtropes: Caretaker MMC, Golden Retriever

🔆 Character: Hacker, Vigilante

💋 Kinks: 🍑, Anonymous Smex, Blindfold, Bondage/Restraints, CNC, Degradation, Domination, Edging, Masked MMC, Power Exchange, Primal, Public Play, Toys as Teammates

🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a

🚩 Red Flags: Alphahole, Bulldozer MMC, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, Manipulation, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying

⛔️ Safety Squad: Attempted Assault (Not by MMC), Kidnapping/Captive (Not by MMC), Stalker (Not MMC), Violence, Unaliving, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📍 Setting: New York City

⚠️ Warning: This smutty read will have you DoorDashing batteries for BOB.

📣 Type: Sweetly Unhinged is the first book in the Devoted in Darkness duet and ends on a cliffhanger. This series must be read in order.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

Editorially, this book is rough. Missing words, wrong letters, repeated sentences, inconsistent settings, unclear timelines....its a mess.
The story is okay, nothing extraordinary. I feel like we went from quirky dark romance to a mafia thriller at the end, so that was a bit of a harsh transition.
The chemistry between Vi and Cade was great, though. I loved their dynamic. Cade lost me a bit at the end, seemed like a completely different character than he's been built up as. Violet was consistent all the way through, and I appreciated that. I also appreciate that the author took the time to really drive home the difference between kink and unwanted advances.

I haven't decided yet if I'm going to read the second book. I wouldn't recommend for the story, but the smut is fun.

[Kaitlyn Weeks (Guidry) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did you read Lights Out and think “I could use a Temu version of this book”? If so, I have a book for you

Spoilers ahead!!

Complete with stalker, masked IT hero in the shadows and murder

Zade Meadows? You mean Cade Maddox - who breaks in and leaves gifts for our FMC

Many editing errors and repetitive statements
No plot with Jack
Enzo went all weird at the end
Isaac is just….dead?
“Fuck meat” …. Just NO
FMC is daft

Few good one liners:
- The girl’s got some ovaries on her, that’s for sure.
- My imagination is good. My libido better.
- “You know, Cade? Most guys buy flowers as a romantic gesture. They don’t murder their girlfriend’s stalkers.”

Not a good one yall. I read it so you don’t have to

[Emms-hiatus(ish) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This really isn't a dark anything. This is poorly edited, repetitive, and lacks any trust in the reader to understand the difference between CNC and assault. A hammer to the head would've been less irritating than repeating that theme over and over and over and over and over and over.

Two things missing in the description/trigger warnings that would've stopped me from picking it up - Age Gap 🤮 and Mafia nonsense. There is absolutely ZERO reason this story needed to continue, especially with the whole hardcore mafia ridiculousness that comes out of left field at the end.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what it is about me but I'm really good at picking books with stupid FMCs.

Like I wanted to like Violet, I really did. I tried so hard to like Violet but I just could not find it in myself in the end. She had no character development and for the lack of a better description, the survival instincts of a fart. I think she's one of the main reasons why this book fell so flat to me. Not to say the MMCs were any better but this was supposed to be about Violet talking to a creepy cyber stalker and living out fantasies and yet....it just seemed like a lot of filler for the book.

Spicy level was...eh. For someone who was supposed to be so "kinky", most of Cade's fantasies took place in his head or written out in text.

And don't get me started on the ending of the book. Somehow we went from weird stalker fetish to...mafia? I don't think I'll be reading more.

[Jenny•●♡●• · Rating 2 out of 5]

•○● Fantasie und echtes Leben sind nicht dasselbe. ●○• S. 299

MEINUNG:
Bin bei diesem Buch nach dem Genre gegangen. Wollte wieder einmal lauthals lachen und mich köstlich amüsieren.
Nun, das war es leider nicht. Viele Aussagen und Gedanken wurden wahnsinnig oft wiederholt und das sogar auf einer verdammten Seite 🤨
Bei den Protagonisten war es leider nicht anders. Ich konnte keine Bindung zu ihnen aufbauen, da sie sehr oberflächlich blieben. Warum dieses Buch unter RomCom läuft, kann ich auch nicht verstehen. Entweder es war überhaupt nicht mein Humor, oder dieses Buch besitzt wirklich keinen. Richtig loslachen ... Leider Fehlanzeige 🫣

Ich muss zugeben, dass ich eine Geschichte mit Charaktere suchte, die ich in 'Lights out' gefunden habe. In diesem Buch hab ich definitiv umsonst gesucht.
Gegen Ende wurde es dann doch spannend, aber ansonsten plätscherte alles so dahin.😒 Bin sehr enttäuscht.

KLAPPENTEXT:
Violet
Ich schickte eine anonyme E-Mail an den Geist—einen Hacker, der Abschaum aus purer Laune heraus zerstört—und verriet ihm meine dunkelste Fantasie.
Er antwortete.
Mit einer Telefonnummer.
Jetzt schreibt er mir, sagt, er könne es wahr machen. Dass er mich beobachtet. Dass er genau weiß, was ich brauche.
Ich sollte weglaufen.
Stattdessen sage ich Ja.
Die Frage, die mich wahnsinnig macht: Wer ist er?
Die Frage, die mich ruinieren wird: Will ich es überhaupt wissen?

Cade
Violet Carter ist die Ex-Freundin meines Bruders.
Und sie ist das Mädchen, das mir gerade die schmutzigste E-Mail meines Lebens geschickt hat.
Sie glaubt, sie schreibt einem gefährlichen Fremden. Ich bin der Typ, der ihr Kaffee bringt, ihren Laptop repariert—und der Mann, der plant, jede ihrer verdrehten Fantasien wahr werden zu lassen.
Je näher wir uns kommen, desto tiefer falle ich.
Aber wenn sie herausfindet, wer ihre Fäden gezogen hat?
Sie wird mich entweder töten oder küssen.
Ehrlich gesagt hoffe ich auf beides.

[Sarah♡books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 ⭐️

Violet x Cade🤍

📚 Hidden Identity
📚 Stalking
📚 Age gap (21 I 30)
📚 ex boyfriend brother
📚 dark rom com
🚩no cheating or sharing, no OW/OM

[Laur · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like I’m worse off for having read this. Not my cup of tea (but to each their own I guess).

Outside of the very questionable plot, the writing also felt a little juvenile. Short paragraphs, single sentences only in some chapters.

It ends in a cliffhanger, but I won’t be reading the sequel.

[Maya Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yawn. 🥱🥱


Would've liked for the story to get to the important parts quicker, but the sudden turn of events was totally unnecessary and didn't feel believable- and yet it went on longer than needed.

[Kendra Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️3 🌶️2.75


I’m not gonna lie it took me way too long to get through this and at times I wanted to dnf; I just needed to read the reveal for myself.

The plot itself wasn’t bad and I did love the connection between Violet and Cade, but Violet was such a weak/dumb fmc in my opinion. Yes she was sassy/fiery and portrayed to be book smart, but she wasn’t life smart. I was more intrigued with her best friend Lia tbh.

I wanted to make it to the reveal just for Violet to piss me off the entire way through😒🙄. I was with Enzo like girl why are we defending Isaac that has tried to basically rape you multiple times? Like how dumb can you be smh. Quite literally Cade, Enzo and Lia were what kept me from dnf’ing this book.

Just read at your own risk.

[V · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off be sure to check trigger warnings. I can see there may be a few that bothers people a lot. Anyways this is a great story fast paced and ended on a cliffhanger. Thankfully the next book is out finishing the series. Dark twisted fantasy romance. Some mafia moves in the plot as well.

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

[Melissa L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinky, dark, stalker, spicyyyy, twisted, and a little touch of sweet teehee. However, it leaves you hanging so you have to read the next book to find out what happens….

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★✬✩ ₃.₅

Sweetly Unhinged was entertaining in a "this is kind of ridiculous but I’m still turning the pages" way. I laughed, I rolled my eyes, and I definitely questioned how calmly everyone handled situations that should have involved way more panic (and a lot less dirt in places dirt should never be). The setup is fun, the dynamic between Violet and Cade mostly works, and the kink exploration is handled with a clear emphasis on consent, which I appreciated.

That said, it's messy. Some character choices felt wildly stupid, the tone swerves hard near the end, and the cliffhanger comes out of nowhere. It's not amazing, but it's decent, and that ending was just intriguing enough that I'll probably grab the second book at some point this year.

[Lauren Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 / 3 stars

Sweetly Unhinged is certainly dark, but it is absolutely not a romcom. That’s fine, but the title is misleading. The story itself and the dynamic between Cade and Violet was definitely interesting and showed a mostly positive view of their kink preferences, which I appreciated. However, the editing and formatting throughout the book was rough, and it took me out of the story often enough that I was incredibly frustrated as a reader. There were simply too many typos and too many weird formatting issues for me to stay fully engaged. On top of that, I felt like too much time was spent on their internal narration defining the differences between consensual encounters and abuse, and the circular justification of their desire (in their own heads) was honestly just too much. Overall, I did like this darker exploration of politics, hacking, and desire, I just wish some significant editing had gone into it.

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweetly Unhinged was my first Kira Cole book, but I’ll be reading more because I enjoy her writing style.

Things I loved about the book:

⁀➴ Violet was tuned into Cade from the very beginning, before they were anything more than platonic.
⁀➴ She’s driven, going for a Ph.D and going after a career in a male-dominated field, despite repeated obstacles
⁀➴ The author uses a great range of vocabulary; there were a few words I had to look up, which was unusual for me
⁀➴ Cade’s younger brother was a total freeloader, but he still had remarkable patience for the little jerk, which gave depth to Cade’s character outside of his relationship with Violet
⁀➴ Cade is a vigilante style hacker and he goes after creeps, which was fun to witness

Definitely check content warnings before you dive in, but I do recommend this book!

Romantic chemistry: 🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 💀💀
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I received a free copy of this book and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review 😊

[VickieLovesBooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf@65%
This book was a drag! Repetative and far too long. The internal monologues were exhausting. Idk how many times we had to read about the differemce between consensual sex and fantasies. Ok, we get it! Also, the fmc Violet was definitely tstl. And don't get me started on the ex boyfriend who she dated for 3yrs. The girl was a fool.

[Migeldy Mauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5⭐️

I wanted to like this, but it ended up being more frustrating than darkly addictive.

The story started strong, but it quickly became repetitive. The same thoughts, fears, and fantasies are recycled over and over without much plot progression, which made the pacing drag.

Violet was my biggest issue. She constantly makes awful decisions and then doubles down on them. She would rather tolerate blatant workplace harassment and abuse of power than report her boss because she doesn’t want to be labeled a snitch in politics, which was honestly ridiculous.

Then there’s the drunk email situation. She sends explicit fantasies to a known hacker she doesn’t know, hasn’t met, and doesn’t even know the gender of. Because the website has a “male aesthetic,” she assumes it must be a hot man. That choice alone had me ready to strangle her.

The book leans heavily into dark kink themes including CNC, 🍇 play, primal play, manipulation, sexual assault, violence, and gaslighting. Violet’s obsession with 🍇 play was especially annoying because it was repeated constantly without adding depth or nuance. It felt more like shock value than meaningful character exploration.

Cade, the MMC and her ex’s older brother, becomes obsessed with Violet, and the obsession felt unearned. I never fully understood why he was so fixated on her, especially given how naive and careless she comes across. There is also little to no groveling, which didn’t help.

[Deidre Smallwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed Lights Out by Navessa Allen, you’ll enjoy this book. It’s got the same vibe—kinky dark rom com with some light stalking and a bit of primal play. Violet wounds up in a love triangle with her ex-boyfriend’s brother, Cade, and a vigilante hacker, The Ghost. Unbeknownst to her, they are one in the same. The banter was so good, and the smut was spicy. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this book! It ends on a cliffhanger, and I’ll be immediately moving on to the sequel. This was such a fun read!

[Elizabeth Mars · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like it was fine I guess up until the ending. Kind of like a knock off of lights out but with more plot holes. Like the ending plot to drag it into needing another book just came out of nowhere really.

[Lyha Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this take on showing both fetish and realism. it shows the difference between a rape scene vs real rape and to know kinks are ok.

[Randi Biggar · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Stars is generous… a few things made me laugh but mostly cringe. It’s like Lights Out, 50 Shades, & Haunting/Hunting Adeline all mixed into one book but in the worst ways😂😂

[Zen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The only reason this is not five is because I'm a little salty that Violet ditched Cade for himself. She didn't know it at the time, so intent matters.

[Chris Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

When fantasy answers back… it comes with demands.

Fans of non-consensual consensual dynamics and shadow-tinged fantasies will sink right into this story of discovering limits, boundaries, and the darker edges of desire. After receiving explicit photos of her boyfriend partying in Vegas with a stripper—on their anniversary—Violet makes one emotionally charged choice. Bolstered by alcohol and her best friend’s encouragement, she writes to “The Ghost,” confessing her fantasies. By morning, she can’t quite remember the details… but the Ghost absolutely can. And now, the game has begun.

As Violet tries to navigate a handsy, predatory boss in her PhD internship and a dying laptop full of school and business files, she finds herself turning to Cade—her ex’s older brother. Cade has always liked Violet, but she was his brother’s girl, and that line was never meant to be crossed. But now that she’s single… why does wanting her feel so wrong and so right at the same time?

And oh, what tangled webs we weave—because Violet, Cade, and the Ghost all have secrets, each darker and more dangerous than the last.

With truth, desire, and obsession twisting tighter around them, a seductive love triangle of hunger, fantasy, and peril forms. And when dark desires collide, someone is bound to get burned.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tinaj Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Violet and Cade. She is an intelligent woman who is going through life without making waves. To the public, Cade is an IT guy who leads a quiet life. Privately, he seek vengeance for those who are done wrong as The Ghost. They both have needs/desires that are not being met. Together they are a perfect match. This book ends on a cliffhanger. I am so grateful book 2 of this duet is available!

[Jetscarbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realize when I started this that it was a duet. So…it ends on a major cliffhanger. (Possible spoilers ahead)

Both MCs were likable. I thought Vi was a little dense 😬 but she was still likable. Cade was just…..🔥
There’s an age gap. VI is 21 and Cade is 31.
This book quickly goes from being a brother’s girlfriend to a brother’s ex- hacking, kink play, then mafia.

So…Vi is dating Jack. Jack is a dud. Jack has an older brother, Cade. Well, Cade “notices” Vi and he overhears where Vi is complaining about her politician boss sexually harassing her. Cade is a hacker….kind of like a Robin Hood of the digital world. Does a lot of work for the mafia, but also does side work as THE GHOST (but he’s anonymous)
Vi has the hots for Ghost

Jack cheats on Vi and Vi drunkenly messages Ghost one night telling him all her kinks. Around the same time, her computer messes up, so she gives it to Cade to fix- which he then sees way more kink she’s into. He’s also into the same things. HE’S ALL IN 🙃

Naturally, as Cade- he starts a kind of friendship with Vi
As Ghost- he starts a smexual relationship with Vi.
As you can imagine, it’s cOmPlIcATeD….and it gets messy asf. The spice is spicing. 🔥🔥🔥
Of course, Vi starts having conflicted feelings because she likes both guys. Cade starts to get jealous of Ghost 🤪 even though he is Ghost.

Most of the plot will focus on the issue with Vi’s scummy boss and taking him down.

Thankfully, there is no 3rd act breakup when Vi figures it all out. They don’t really have time to celebrate because Cade’s work with the mafia comes back to bite them in the arse. They are both taken and held prisoner at the end.

[Reading is escaping reality · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omgggg!!! I’m still reeling after finishing Sweetly Unhinged! This book grabbed me from the very first email and refused to let go. Vi and the mysterious ghost had me hooked, the tension, the secrets, and the way she opens up about her deepest desires were absolute perfection. And Cade, the hacker who thinks he knows everything, is in way over his head, and I loved every second of it.

Kira Cole completely nailed the mix of humor, heat, and heart. The BDSM and primal play elements were spicy and intense, yet still felt safe, respectful, and full of trust, which made it even hotter.

By the end I was screaming. The twist, the danger, the emotional chaos, I need the next book now. Kira Cole has truly outdone herself. Sweetly Unhinged is a rollercoaster of desire, secrets, and laughter that I didn’t want to end.

[Book Keeper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I am not a big fan of dark romance novels. Even without reading a ton of them, I would say this is on the "lighter" side, all things considered (you know what I mean, if you read that dark dark romance). So I have a bias, obviously.

With that being said, this book wasn't horrible, ultimately. I think it could have been edited a bit more, the overall writing wasn't too bad. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters. I was intrigued by the softer male lead. Maybe that doesn't make sense, if you have read it, but compared to other dark romance, he was sweet and mature. I can appreciate a man that knows when to turn on the kink and when to leave it be.

Violet... *sigh* I struggled with her. She would have me in her corner and then start spouting some stupid shit and I could not do it. It was further proven to me when she followed Cade. I tried to be charitable. I did! But she is going to be one of those too stupid to live chicks. Call it a "Spidey sense".

This book should have been wrapped up in one go. If it was, I may have given it 3.5 stars? After the "I love you's" an epilogue would have been better. Because the rest was unnecessary and I can only see her being a Trainwreck, in this next book, with Cade being led around by his d***.

I really liked their chemistry and banter, but I'm out.

┐⁠(⁠´⁠ー⁠｀⁠)⁠┌

[Kassey J]

Tried to read the sample but the writing just wasnt for me.

[Sabrina A · Rating 1 out of 5]

No thank you

This was not my cup of tea. Characters were kinda annoying, storyline was all over the place, and ending doesn't make we want to continue reading.