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An angsty, best-friends-to-lovers, dark romance from bestselling author Lola King.

He waited years for her to choose him. His patience has run out.

Welcome back to Silver Falls University. There is a murderer among us.

I've been best friends with Wren Hunter for sixteen years. The boy who chased me in our schoolyard, kissed my scraped knees, and always swore to protect me grew into the god of Silver Falls admired by his peers, desired by every woman on campus, and feared by anyone who gets in his way.

Wren knows me better than anyone. He sees through every wall I build. He can handle my fire and my stubbornness. Sometimes I believe he can even tame it. This is why I thought we would never cross the line between friendship and more, no matter how many times we teetered on the edge of it.

I was wrong.

The mask he wore around me is gone, and what's underneath is dangerous, unrelenting, and obsessive.

Wren doesn't just want me—he decided I'm his.

And in his world, no one says no.

There's a secret society behind him, powerful enough to cover up anything—or anyone—standing in their way. Now, I'm trapped in his game, bound to a man I don't recognize, in a world where nothing is what it seems.

Bodies are piling up.

Trust is a luxury.

And Wren Hunter might be the one thing that destroys me.

Loving the Reaper is a dark romance intended for mature listeners.

This is the second book in a series of three interconnected standalones.

Audible Audio

Published December 9, 2025

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9218 people want to read

About the author

Lola King

19 books2,616 followers
Lola King is a dark, steamy romance author who loves giving happy ever after’s to antiheroes. She writes about flawed and deeply broken characters and the women who bring them down to their knees. Her books are sometimes cute, sometimes angsty, but always sexy!
Lola lives in London and if she isn’t writing, she is most likely keeping her mind busy putting together a play or making music.

Let’s keep in touch on IG @lolaking_author or on FB readers’ group Lola’s Kings !

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 914 reviews
Profile Image for Larissa Cambusano.
643 reviews54.6k followers
June 18, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ GUYSSSS HOLYYYY


“penelope baby” 😭😭😭
Profile Image for Marianna Moore.
470 reviews64.5k followers
June 11, 2025
4.5⭐️ GAHHHHHH THIS WAS SO GOOD AND INSANE AND UNHINGED I INHALEDDDDD IT!! If you want truly sick and twisted and extremely dark romance… Lola king is your girl. Don’t say I don’t warn you. I went into this with high expectations seeing as Lola is one of my favorite dark romance authors and my god WERE THEY MET!!

Don’t even get me started on Wren Hunter. THE PSYCOPATH THAT YOU ARE!!!!!! Guys no when I say he’s absolutely INSANE take what you think I mean and times that by 10. I’m in love with him. But the way he is around PENELOPE!!! No I can’t he’s so baby girl with her, he’s been in love with her for 16 YEARS!! And never gave up on having her. This man literally climbs up her balcony at night and watches her sleep and threatened to unalive all the men on campus if they so much as go near her… HOW SWEET!!! He also keeps a list of all her likes and dislikes and all the tiny details about her down to the shampoo and perfume she uses. No like this is the obsession I NEED!! He may or may not “snap” sometimes to the point where he loses all sense of himself and unalives people but like that’s besides the point… HES PROTECTING HER!!!! He’s so pathetic I can’t. But also being in his head was so funny because he’s just so nonchalant about the most OUT OF POCKET SHIT and I couldn’t stop laughing.

AND PENELOPEEEEEE no like I also have a crush on her. Another thing you can ALWAYS count on Lola King for is bad ass FMCs who put men in their place! Which is so refreshing in dark romance books. She was also absolutely crazy in her own way and I lived for that!! But I loved how she let her guard down with Wren and he was always that safe place for her to go back to.

"Crawl to the woman who owns you, Wren."
I MEANNNN?!!!

Ugh and the PLOT!! Dark romance with plot?! What a concept. The secret society and mystery aspect of the story had me GLUED to the pages! In this series you also get a gossip girl vibe in the sense that like there’s this unknown person who goes by the name of Hermes who spills everyone’s Tea on campus and I simply love that.

Again this is dark dark dark dark darkkkk pleaseeee check triggers. This will not be for everyone but oh my was it for me!

- friends to lovers
- Secret society
- College setting
- Morally black obsessed psychopath MMC
- morally grey FMC who puts men on their KNEES

“I would crawl all the way to hell to save her, only to realize she's the one ruling the darkest depths of it.”

“When I'm with Peach, I'm capable of quantifying and feeling infinity. It's the love I have for her. Infinite.“

“No one makes my heart beat. And I don't mean they make my heart skip a beat, or make my heart palpitate. I mean that when I'm not around you, I don't feel my fucking pulse, do you understand that?”
Profile Image for Brittany Ferraro.
238 reviews1,323 followers
April 21, 2025
WOMEN!!!!! AM I RIGHT?!?? 🔥❤️‍🔥

Lola does it again. Every single time I pick up one of her books, I know I’m in for a five star read but this one completely took me by surprise. Not because I didn’t expect to love it (I always do), but because of the wild direction the story went. It was twisty, intense, and full of jaw-on-the-floor moments that had me SHOOK.

Peach is easily one of my favorite FMCs, not just in the Lola-verse, but period. She’s fierce, unapologetic, commands a room, and never backs down, even when she’s going head-to-head with someone twice her size. But underneath all that fire is someone who’s broken, insecure, and hiding so much of herself from the world. She’s layered, raw, and so complex. I’m genuinely obsessed with her🍑

The push and pull between her and Wren for dominance? Absolutely addictive. This is childhood friends to lovers (but make it unhinged) This man has been silently watching her for years and somehow, that obsessive devotion came off as romantic in the most unhinged, Lola-core way. And the list?! I’m still screaming. The sweetest stalker you’ll ever meet(well he is also crazy but that’s fine) 😂 Wren may CRAVE dominance but that man is such a simp.

What I love most about Lola’s books is how layered the plots always are. There’s the secret society, the tangled college dynamics, the returning faces from earlier books and somehow it all weaves together so seamlessly. The back half of this book was total fucking chaos (in the best way) I was on the edge of my seat, heart racing, palms sweating, just trying to keep up. Absolute madness and I loved every second of it.

I genuinely loved every second of this book. The characters, the drama, it was a full on rollercoaster in the best way. And the spice? Absolutely delivers every single time 🥵🥵 The balance between plot and spice is always so on point in all of her books.

But what really stuck with me was how empowering this story felt for women. It wasn’t just about strong characters it was the way the entire narrative celebrated female strength, resilience, and the power women hold. It gave the book so much more weight, and made me love it even more.

Lola knows exactly what she’s doing, and I already need the next one in my hands.


I can not WAIT to find out who Hermes is👀
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,622 reviews10.9k followers
April 30, 2025
Peaches is one of Ella's best friend's from the previous book.

The push and pull of tug of war she unleashed on Wren was all the angst I needed, this man had the patience of a man in love, and that love goes back to when he was 8 years old and created a soft landing when she fell out of a tree.

But thrown into the friendship zone had his hands tied behind his back, he was losing hope. He needed her to open her eyes and see how good they could be.

But after one no turns into many and the circle's society initiations drawing in he doesn’t know what else he can do to convince her to be his.

Until she receives a letter, maybe the circle can help her get the information about her birth parents.

After being warned by Chris and Ella not to go against her better judgement that's exactly what she does. After Chris helps her warning her about the wine before going into the maze her urges her to run to Wren, otherwise she'll be in the clutches of the men within the circle and there will be no saving her.

Party girl Peaches took me by surprise, the drinking and drugs numbs that pain in her heart and quiets those questions she’s begging to get answered. Why she was abandoned and put up for adoption when she was a child? What did she do wrong? Why couldn’t they love her? Even though both her father's love her unconditionally she feels that emptiness deep within.

And when students start popping up dead fingers start pointing in one direction.

This one believe it or not had more twists and turns than the previous book, so many revelations, I can't wait for the next book.
Profile Image for purlpur.
263 reviews50 followers
June 21, 2025
4.5⭐️
оооу май, ще один тоталі ред флег, перед яким я не змогла встояти. повелася, як цуцик, на рена. але ох.. що цей хлопець робить 🫠

друга книга сподобалась мені більше своїми персонажами, інтригою та сюжетною розв'язкою в цілому. обожнюю, коли неочікуваний поворот під кінець справді дивує і змушує дивитись на персонажа зовсім інакше. вийшов трошки шік шак шок, але приємний шок 😏

рен та пенелопа (піч) просто закохали в себе. полюбляю цікаво розписаний троп від друзів до закоханих, а тут ще й в трохи дарк сетингу. ідеально на мій смак 😎 абсолютно розумію, чому ці двоє друзі з дитинства. насправді, вони дуже схожі. обидва розумні, захоплюються наукою, спортом, люблять із запалом конкурувати один з одним 😈

ми з самого початку знаємо, що рен давно по вуха в пенелопу. і дівчино, в тебе не було жодного шансу встояти, як би ти не намагалася. бо цей мен 🤌 він по-доброму одержимий і закоханий в піч з дитинства. і я не можу не танути від його любові, як він нотує і підмічає усі деталі, які подобаються піч, як він оповитий тільки нею. його турбота, піклування, а які слова він говорить.. рен чисто спіймав хвилю магії наді мною і я не пручаюсь 😌
подумаєш маленький нюанс - член таємного товариства, вбиває людей. і тут чисто "he was the best guy around! what about the people he murdered? what murdaaaaa?!" 😁🌚

з реном мій фемінізм, як і пенелопи, моментами вилітав в стратосферу, і я не жалкую 🤭 просто хотілось тихенько стати на коліна, аби рен також погладив по голівці, і бути його слухняною дівчинкою. я кайфувала від його домінування, контролю і під яким соусом він це підносив. сорі нот сорі 😝

окей, вже зрозуміло, що я повелася на рена, але і без цього сюжет мене порадував. ближче до кінця, як завжди, усе динамічно понеслося. неочікувані повороти, зняття масок, дрібка екшену, хвилювання та драми. після фіналу я ще більше полюбила пенелопу, ця дівчина 😮‍💨
і за традицією інтригу з гермесом залишили на фінальну книгу. сподіваюсь лола зможе цікаво завернути викриття цього персонажу, бо вже знатно підігріла інтерес до нього 🙌

p.s. не можу дочекатись наступної книги про ахіллеса. його записала в улюбленці ще з першої частини 🥵🔥
Profile Image for benevolent bastard.
528 reviews304 followers
April 24, 2025
This just isn’t it. Peaches was so insufferable. I had to end my misery.
Profile Image for Kseniia ✨️.
287 reviews26 followers
December 10, 2025
Ну, це було краще за 1 книгу. Цю я принаймні дочитала.
Нижче враження більшою мірою від 85% книги, останні 15 наче інша людина писала.

Жгг — сучка-алкашка-наркоманка. Іноді можна побачити миті адекватності, але загалом елітна бидлота. Трохи краще за Еллочку з попередньої книги, але мені здається, що авторка ненавидить жінок. Всі її героїні хєрові та огидні. Піч мала шанси на успіх, але у стосунках дуже швидко перетворилась на ганчірку другу Еллочку.
В останні 15% її персоналія різко перевернулась і виявилось вона супер феміністка 100lvl, борчиня за сп��аведливість і просто героїня, яка потрібна цьому місту.
Чгг — милий пиріжок, ботанік-домінант. Totally obsessed своєю подругою дитинства. Іноді настільки, що це прям жалюгідно. В другій половині книги показав свою вавку в голові.

Їхні стосунки мені трохи нагадали серію сестер Річчі, де алкаш постійно рятував свою кохану шалашовку.
А сюжет, якого тут від сили 15%, схожий на Sicko by Amo Jones (теж той ще треш, але більш цікавий та запам'ятовується на все життя)
Сексуальні стосунки ммм знов мимо мене. На початку було прикольно, але потім контролюючі замашки Рена почали бісити. В сенсі не рухайся і будеш їсти тільки, коли я дозволю? Йди нахуй!
А коли згадуєш, що героям по 20 рочків, то хочеться сміятись з цього великого містера домінатора.

Таємне товариство... просто обійняти і плакати, авторка навіть не намагалась щось прописати.

Мені не подобається стиль авторки. Багато води, 200 сторінок можна спокійно викинути. Мова примітивна. Розвитку лл і персонажів немає, всі події відбуваються в рандомний момент. Темп розповіді теж дивний. 85% відбуваються підліткові піздостраждання, а в останні 15% авторка вирішила перевернути все догори дригом, додала екшену і вийшло все дуже сумбурно.

АЛЕ можливо я десь вдарилась головою, бо мені хочеться ще щось прочитати з її книг.
Profile Image for nadine.
234 reviews120 followers
June 25, 2025
Ate this up and left no crumbs behind

"Penelope baby."
Profile Image for dee☁️.
137 reviews18 followers
April 23, 2025
This is my first time reading from this author and I gobbled this UP🙂‍↕️.

Wren is the definition of an OBSESSED hero☝🏾 like he unalavied people for her.. he was so obsessed and in love I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time .

“I'm not a good guy. You know that. I'm good to you. Only you, Peach, can be my weakness and my strength. In sixteen years, you've put the biggest smiles on my face, and were the cause of the little tears I shed.”

“Home is a small place. It's the tiniest place. It fits in my heart. It's you. I hope I can be that for you someday too”🥹💗

Now Peach on the other hand I didn’t like that much🖐🏾 which is so disappointing cause I really was rooting for her but I just couldn’t connect with her . It’s rare to see the heroine pushing the H away so I really wanted to love her but I just didn’t :(.

And I really didn’t like how the plot of this whole book revolved around her getting herself in trouble & wren saving her :/ wren tells her to not do something—>she does this something—> she gets herself in trouble—> wren comes and saves her … like it was cute at first but I grew TIRED of it.

I’m not going to lie , I didn’t care about the secret society plot line , I was skimming I just didn’t care . And this book was dark yes but I couldn’t take it seriously like they were just unaliving ANYBODY😭.

Anyways I loved the writing and I’m really intrigued by Achilles👀 can’t wait for his book.
Profile Image for Book_O_Holic.
284 reviews33 followers
April 22, 2025
♾️ STARS
5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️


Tropes:
Best friends to lovers
Academia
Secret society
OTT obsessed MMC
He falls first
Dom/Sub
Stabby MMC
Touch her and ☠️
Feisty FMC

LOLA KING YOU ARE THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

Some of you may know my Lola King obsession. She is motha! Up until now, Lawless God has been my number 1 book of hers…however…it’s been bumped to second. I can’t express my love for this book! It was absolutely phenomenal. I laughed and cried. I loved having some old faces pop up. Oh and the twists…holy hell! When you think you know…you don’t.

Wren and Peach have my freaking heart and soul. Their friendship and their love is EVERYTHING. I’m sitting here writing this and trying not to get choked up again. I’m so happy I had friends read this ARC with me because if I had no one to talk to I probably would have died…dramatic I know.

Wren has shown his obsession and tidbits of his darker side in Loving the Liar, but you truly have no idea how actually psychotic this man is until you read Loving the Reaper. Peach never stood a chance at escaping him. She was his wayyyyyyy before she even knew. Their dynamic and the push and pull of their struggle for dominance in their relationship is so much fun. Their unwavering loyalty to one another is just EVERYTHINGGGG! This book is EVERYTHING!!!! I knew last year when I read Lawless God, that it was going to be one of my top 5 books, and now I can officially say Lola King is taking up two of my top 5 spots. This was absolute perfection.

Usually, in my reviews I’d give a breakdown on the plot without giving spoilers…not this time. I want everyone who reads this to just dive in head first and experience it all as you go because that’s what this book is…an experience. The way I related with Peach and her internal struggles really consumed me. Did I DM Lola crying? I might have…but ya know what? No shame in my crying game lol that’s how much this character touched me. Speaking of touching…Wren…SHEESH. This man is a dom through and through. Don’t worry Nathan White…his book may have bumped yours to number 2 but you’re still my number 1 book husband.

Ps - Lola…I love you…I don’t want you to burn yourself out but I’m like….totally okay with you locking yourself away to write book 3…I’ll send you snacks.
Profile Image for Chiara^•^.
436 reviews117 followers
April 22, 2025
Loving The Reaper by Lola King
5/5⭐
3/5🌶️

This is my first book by this author, and I’m officially a huge fan! I was completely blown away by this story. From the first page, I felt like I was pulled into a captivating world, and the plot kept getting more interesting with every turn. Even though the book has over 500 pages, it flew by because I was so immersed in it. The mystery, suspense, and action kept me hooked from start to finish. My heart was still racing long after I turned the last page!

Wren is obsessed with Penelope or Peach, and it’s been that way since childhood. His obsession knows no bounds, and he makes sure everyone is aware of how he feels. Wren has this dark side—he’s unhinged, psychotic, manipulative, and loves being in control. People are afraid of him, and when he speaks, it’s like law. He wouldn’t hesitate to end anyone who hurts and disrespects Peach. He’s a walking red flag, but I can’t help but think he’s perfect. I loved how deeply he cared for her, remembering all the little things. Even though he exudes power and control, he never dims her light or takes away her choices. He constantly reminds her that she’s loved, smart, and capable of achieving anything she wants.

As for Peach, she’s an absolute badass! She’s smart, independent, sassy, and loves challenging Wren. She knows he has feelings for her, and she’s attracted to him too, but she’s not about to give up her independence. I loved her determination and admired her courage. The more I read, the more I was in awe of her character. I also appreciated how she gradually opened up to Wren and showed her vulnerable side. She feels safe with him and not afraid of him because she knows he’d never hurt her.

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster! One moment I was on the edge of my seat, my heart racing from the suspense, then I’d feel a wave of sadness and find tears in my eyes, only to burst out laughing a moment later. And that plot twist? Wow, I didn’t see it coming at all! I was completely taken aback, but then I was grinning from ear to ear because I loved it so much. That twist earned me a five-star rating for this book—it was brilliant, and I’m still giddy just thinking about it!

Overall, this book was incredible, and I loved everything about it. I can't wait to dive into the rest of the author’s works! And that little sneak peek for the next book? I can already tell it’s going to be amazing, and I’m so excited to read it. If you enjoy dark college romances, pick this one up—you won’t regret it!
Profile Image for Sabrina.
261 reviews113 followers
December 20, 2025
"𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘐?" 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘦."

That book. THAT. BOOK. I was obsessed with it from the beginning and it just kept getting better and better ! The obsession Wren has for Peach ? In love. The strong fmc vibe Peach’s got ? In. Love. I love these two so much! They had me giggling and kicking my feet at nearly every scene. And the plot ? All the things we find out ? I was suspecting some of them but I was still shocked when I got to it. Btw, that plot reminded of the one in heartless beloved and I remember it was one of the reasons why I loved Alex sooo much hehe. And the emotions ? I read the last 70ish pages at work and I was trying really hard not to let my tears fall lmao

Also, that nervous tick Peach has, the one when she chews on her hair. I used to have it when I was little. I would chew on it A LOT and I take Ritalin for my adhd which is what she took but to stay focused, but those things made her character feel familiar to me.

And that sneak peek of Nyx (I think that’s her name ?) and Achilles ?? ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. I can’t wait to start their book ! I already love Achilles and I have no doubt I’ll love her too!

One last thing about that plot, it definitely has one of my favorite moments of the book! Especially the one the quote I added at the beginning of my review comes from !

Anyway, I definitely recommend it ! (check TWs)
Profile Image for Ceacea.
213 reviews24 followers
December 7, 2025
Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 3/5
🧠 3/10
Cliffhanger: 1/10 (Open overarching storyline)
Noteworthy: Book 2 in a completed interconnected standalone trilogy. Check content warnings. Dual first-person POV. Available on KU.

GAH!!! I went into this with an open mind having only thought book 1 was just okay. Boy did this one elevate! I'm not a big fan of friends to lovers but Lola knocked this one out of the park. The push and pull between Peach and Wren had me feeling a lot of things. Frustration, sadness and anger at times. But, baby, when it hit it's crescendo..Chef's freaking kiss! Lola King you sneaky bitch! 😂 I love this book! If you are okay with the triggers, I am begging you to read this one.
Profile Image for bookluvr.
212 reviews8 followers
December 27, 2025
was going back and forth between a 2.5 and 3 for this, but the last 15-20% was really good, so that solidified the 3. plus, it’s christmas time and i’m feeling magnanimous - but this one kinda fell flat for me compared to loving the liar. some parts i really enjoyed and had a lot of fun, but there were also parts that i thought the book wasn’t giving much and things were mid.

while i enjoyed peach’s character at times, i felt a bit like i’d read a variation of this fmc one too many times before, even down to the physical description. she started feeling a touch unoriginal (more than usual) and like a cliché - and i couldn’t really connect or appreciate her fully mainly for this reason, amongst a few other things. i will say though that she was a badass and she did have some iconic lines and for that, i thank her for her service 🙂‍↕️

wren…errr. he had nowhere near the same level of rizz and aura that chris had! like he was just fine? i’ve read more compelling mmcs, and more compelling dominants at that. something about him felt like he was cosplaying - he felt like a cardboard cut-out sometimes. i never truly found that switched-up darker persona on him convincing, idk - and i felt this way even BEFORE the plot twist reveal (which i genuinely didn’t see coming). there were also some things about him that icked me out a bit. did he have some hot moments? sure. but overall, he was mid. i can already call him being my least favourite mmc of the series and i still have the last book to read. he did make me laugh at times though, but it was mostly from unintentional prompts 😂. i found him goofy sometimes, but not in a complimentary way.

the romance was just ok lol. some parts did something, and other parts didn’t really get much of a reaction from me. i mostly blame my feelings about wren on this because he wasn’t really engaging me as much as i would have liked (or as much as chris did), so that hurt my overall investment in the romance. he actually had me excited in the beginning, but the way his character developed and the way some things played out in the overall progression of the story afterwards didn’t work out as well for me as i’d hoped.

this book was also waaaaaaay too long. it didn’t need to be almost 570 pages, it just didn’t. there was lots of repetition, meandering storytelling and stagnation in points of the plot (even in the romance) - and in plot, i mean both within this book but also between the two books so far. i was expecting to learn more about the silent circle and hermes, even just the world overall, but for the vast majority of this book, any information about either or even the scope of the world was the same stuff we’d already learned from the first book. this second book only delivers some fresh takes towards the end. and in a 570-page second installment, i just expected more build on the plot. i get that these are interconnected standalones and that authors need to cater to readers who don’t read all the books or read out of order, but they also have to balance that with keeping readers who do stick to the order engaged with new material - and this book didn’t do that well enough. on a side note, those repetitive lists / “notes about peach” thingies started driving me nuts at one point as well - why was this a choice?

now, having said allathat…

there were parts that i was having a good time! this really wasn’t all doom and gloom. and i did have some laughs - i just didn’t love this as much as i enjoyed book 1.

A LOT OF MY FAVOURITE PARTS OF THIS THOUGH? of course it was whenever achilles was in the vicinity 🤭 - oooooef, i can’t wait for his book! need to dive into that (him) IMMEDIATELY and with an urgency like no other. this man had me giggling and kicking my feet everytime he appeared or was mentioned…and i learned he’s also a bisexual king and obsessed with true crime from this book? #needthat

and shoutout to the last 15% - this part through to the end definitely had me thrilled and entertained. didn’t see the big (first) twist coming. i loved the story here the most and the ending had me chomping at the bit.

—————————————————————————————————

⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
i have to comment on something below but it’s a major spoiler, so if you’ve gotten this far and haven’t read the book (and intend to), LOOK AWAY NOW…








peach being the real grim reaper was a fun twist (and i really didn’t see it coming unlike the one about elijah being evil because that was obvious from the near beginning) - but it also kinda didn’t make sense. this twist would have been more effective if the book didn’t have her pov with all her inner thoughts on display to reader or if she also had memory problems connected to her kills. but for the vast majority of the book, her inner monologues did convey a genuine fear of / apprehension about wren and his murderous tendencies, but if the only person he really killed in this book before the stuff at the end was caleb and she was the one really putting all those other bodies down, what was she scared of??? also, the notes that wren would wake up with in his hand wouldn’t have then been in his handwriting…wouldn’t that have been something he should have noticed? and where was the blood on his clothes and person coming from? lmao. so this part niggles at me a bit because it doesn’t feel fully logical to me. but anyways 😀
Profile Image for Leca Baaross.
52 reviews
April 25, 2025
When it comes to dark romance, I never really expect realism, because I feel that the greatest appeal of this genre lies precisely in its ability to address countless themes that, despite their dark content, still make a book feel appealing rather than repulsive. However, being realistic does not equate to a lack of narrative consistency, and when an author chooses to explore such gray plots, she needs to face this fact—especially when the story presents a hero who wants to be respectful to the woman he loves but is also willing to go as far as killing someone just because they bothered her.

Just as being a strong heroine is not the same as disobeying every order simply to avoid appearing submissive. It is this lack of consistency from both protagonists that made me abandon the book.

First, I will admit that I was disappointed with the dynamics of this couple in this book, especially since in the first one, they were the ones that caught my attention the most—unlike the main couple. Peach is an annoying character, and there is nothing strong about her. She is immature, stubborn, impulsive, hypocritical, and a real brat. I even question whether I can consider her intelligent, considering many of her actions bring more harm than good—like snorting cocaine while on medication or picking a fight with a guy much bigger than her while she has an injured arm.

She is also incredibly moralistic about things she herself does and enjoys, like criticizing Wren for being too domineering when she behaves the same way. Wren, on the other hand, is very contradictory, and I believe that the lack of consistency in his character prevents me from even understanding his essence. On one hand, he has no problem telling all the men at the university to stay away from her and hurting anyone who gets close, but at the same time, he wants her to make the first move in their relationship and always backs off when she runs away. He is obsessed with her and has no problem getting his hands dirty, but the line is drawn when it comes to her will and what she allows their relationship to be. It's all very contradictory for my taste. 🙃

The heroine is hailed as an independent and intelligent woman, while she takes drugs until she passes out and then waits for the hero to take care of her and fix all the mess she's made. He confesses his feelings and makes it clear that he wants something serious with her, but she runs away—and then gets jealous when he interacts with other women. Because that's their dynamic.

My biggest problem, besides Peach's foolish resistance, is her emotional involvement with Wren and how little she takes responsibility for it. He does everything for her, and she likes it. But she never has the courage to cut him off, even though she says she never wants anything serious with him. Just as she doesn’t mind having an orgasm just because he wanted to calm her down, while later she actively seeks out his brother, even though she knows how bad their relationship is. It all seems like an attempt to create an intense and quarrelsome relationship when, in the end, it just feels like a man with no self-respect, chained to a woman who refuses to take responsibility for her own actions and will fight like a spoiled child just to appear right.

Note for anyone who wants to read: I genuinely find it fascinating how these spoiled characters who grew up in luxury are suddenly full of class consciousness. I wonder if it's a prerequisite for balancing a protagonist who takes pleasure in enjoying the privileges that a sexist and misogynistic society offers, but refuses to consider residents of a criminal region as inferior. 🤔


(also: For a couple whose biggest undefined boundary was having sex with each other, their first time was pretty anticlimactic. It was a really quick and emotionless scene, which made me wonder why there was so much tension and drama in this relationship in the first place.)
Profile Image for Jessica Shaw.
596 reviews22 followers
April 28, 2025
I LOVE most of Lola King’s books (she reminds me of Rina Kent), but this book was not really what I expected. There wasn’t enough tension between the MMC and FMC for me. They obviously were in love w each other.

I DID looove the plot twists and the ending 😍😍😍. The prologue had me questioning EVERYTHING! Even that weird girl who dyed her hair red.

However, I found myself a bit bored.. the FMC felt overly stubborn and it was just irritating a lot of the time. The MMC was sooo perfect! Why is she so against this after sooo many years ugh make it make sense!

I loved book 1 of this series (gave it 5 stars) but this one fell a bit flat imo.

ALSO, I’m sooo sad about the potential for Elijah’s love story. Ever since Stoneview Stories I was so intrigued by Elijah and Cami’s love story. Lola teased them sooo hard 😡😡😡
Profile Image for Amber (Amber Reads Romance).
1,264 reviews192 followers
April 25, 2025
2.5 stars rounding up to 3 for GR and ARC.
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

Loving the Liar is the 2nd book in the Silver Falls University series. This is a dark romance with a shady secret society that continues to get more intense.

This follows best friends Wren and Penelope aka Peach and their toxic relationship. Wren has been obsessed with Peach since they were kids and wants to make her his. Peach denies his advances and their attraction because she thinks they would be incompatible, yet she leads him on and gets off on his obsession with her. His family is part of the secret society, and he has to initiate by bringing a woman who would be his Hera. He wants to talk Peach into it, but he is willing to force the issue if he has to. This boy will do whatever it takes to make her his woman.

This was a pretty big disappointment for me after how amazing the first book was. I honestly struggled to read this, and it took me 5 days, which is not usual for me. My main issue is the heroine. I hated her entire character and could not care about her throughout the entire book. I feel bad because I rated Loving the Liar 5 stars, and I loved that couple. This one just fell flat for me. I did enjoy Wren, but he was too much of a pushover for Peach. I probably should have DNF'D it, but I still want to read Achilles' book next, so I didn't want to miss out on all the plot in this one. I also felt like this was way too long for the story it told. It was dragging, and I think it could have been 150 pages shorter. This is probably because I hated Peach. I even hated her more when a big reveal happened.

Please make sure you check for triggers, as this is a dark romance.

Thank you to Valentine PR for providing the ARC.
Profile Image for Koisty.
446 reviews1,122 followers
May 8, 2025
4.5 I Promise Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
“Penelope Sanderson-Menacci. Who knew you could make me fall even deeper in love with you…by simply loving me back.”
That's it!!! Lola King has officially cinched herself in as one of my favourite dark romance authors. This woman can do no wrong. I don't think she can write a bad book because, out of the three books that I have picked up, I am feral. I am feral for her writing. I am feral for her characters. I am feral for their depravity and their dominating personalities. And I just voraciously want more.

I had asked myself a question about how you could do a dark romance with best friends to lovers, because my brain couldn’t wrap around it, and this gave me the answer. Imagine what happens if one of them wants a relationship and the other doesn’t. And the one that wants a relationship doesn’t take no for an answer. THIS WAS JUST SOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Penelope "Peach" Sanderson-Menacci and Wren Hunter have been friends since they were six years old. Wren, however, is explicitly and irrevocably in love with Peach. His entire world revolves around this woman, and he will do anything and everything for her. Peach, on the other hand, isn’t interested. She doesn’t want to affect their friendship. She doesn’t want to cross that boundary, even though everyone she meets and all her friends say that she and Wren have explosive chemistry. She knows there’s some toxicity in their dynamic, and even though he’s the one person she always goes to for comfort and support, she refuses to take that step into a relationship. Now Wren is part of a secret society, and he needs to initiate. This means he has to bring a woman with him. But the woman he was supposed to bring was murdered and Peach is under the impression that she’s the one who did it. So, when Peach mysteriously gets invited (and blackmailed) to join the women's initiations, she has no choice but to go. She ends up as Wren’s Hera, and now she has to deal with the fact that, in the eyes of this twisted version of the law, she belongs to him in every way possible. And he will kill anyone who gets in their way!

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Peach is a feisty little thing. She’s determined and smart and so driven to achieve what she wants that she often pushes herself beyond her limits. To cope, she’s developed a destructive personality. She turns to alcohol and drugs when she feels overwhelmed, and she frequently uses things like Adderall and Ritalin to help manage it all. She’s brash, in your face, explosive, and impulsive. She does not like to be controlled. That’s one of the biggest reasons she and Wren haven’t gotten together yet as she doesn’t want to feel dominated by him. There are so many layers to her. Understanding why she acts out, seeing what’s behind her behaviour, and getting a glimpse of her real motivation was so good and well written!

And then there’s Wren. He pushes, and he pulls, and he will stop at absolutely nothing to make Peach his. He’s deadly, and he has kept a lot of his real personality hidden so he wouldn’t scare Peach away. But now that she’s part of the Silent Circle, he's done hiding and is showing her exactly who and what he really is. He’s super possessive. He’s unhinged. He’s domineering, and it is addictive to watch how this man would literally burn the world down for Peach.

I loved this book. It was dramatic, angsty, dark, delicious, and spicy. It had such a great dynamic with the push and pull, and the struggle between Peach and Wren as they both tried to assert their power in the relationship. They were fighting their attraction, fighting their beliefs, but like moths to a flame, they kept getting pulled into each other’s orbit.

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Dark College Romance
�� Secret Society
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Best Friends to Lovers
▶ Takes Care of Her
▶ Possessive, Obsessive MMC
▶ It's Always Been You
▶ Tending to Injuries
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Childhood Best Friends
▶ Serial Killer

and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Nicknames
▷ "Beg Me"
▷ Potato Sack over Shoulder
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ "Good Boy and Good Girl"
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Watches Her Sleep Ok Edward

𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:
➢ Fun with Toys
➢ Dubious Consent
➢ BDSM Elements
➢ Rope Play and Tied Up
➢ Squirting
➢ Degradation and Praise
➢ Edging
➢ Crawl to Me

This was exactly what I wanted in a book. It was exactly what I needed. I loved the challenge between them. I loved the emotional roller coaster. I loved watching this smart, independent, sassy girl finally let her guard down and allow Wren in. And while it might have been unconventional and TOXIC, it was just so good.

Thank you to Valentine PR for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Profile Image for Giorgina.
215 reviews
May 21, 2025
Every book i read by Lola King got me feeling like i read it before somewhere and so the story goes with this one! i feel like this one is something like the ritual by shantel tessier meets sicko by amo jones.
The characters had given a different impression in the previous book ,so here they caught me by surprise. just to be clear my review isn't based on what I wanted/expected , is based on the writing and the characters themselves that for a fact didn't't know what they were and what stories they wanted to tell. Nothing was justified decently and the twists were based on the fact that for most of the book the characters blacked out and didn't know what was happening.I felt that the author wanted to give a different twist to a plot that already exists in other books and she didn't know how ,so for that reason all the time the characters were unconscious and didn't know along with the reader what exactly was happening to them. However, it is easy to guess some things in the book but after a point I was reading just to finish it.
Profile Image for Lia.
155 reviews7 followers
June 20, 2025
4.7 ⭐️
“Loving the Reaper” doesn’t wait for permission—it devours, seduces, and conquers. This kind of love is forever sharp with temptation and heavy with inevitability. And what begins with tension thick as smoke erupts into a firestorm of obsession, secrets, and dangerous chemistry. Once they burn, you don’t just watch—you burn with them
Profile Image for erin | sinfulshelves.
171 reviews206 followers
April 17, 2025
I think I just found my new favorite book of all time…🖤🥀 6/5 stars - review below 👇

I usually start with one quote, but I couldn’t choose just one so here’s two. 🖤

1️⃣ "𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮," 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲. "𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭."

2️⃣ “𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑯𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆.”

🥀🖤 || 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆
⚠︎ check TWs | 18+ content ⚠︎

📖 Loving the Reaper by Lola King
Star Rating: 6/5 ★★★★★★ (yes, 6/5 stars. it’s that good)
Spice Rating: 5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Spice Frequency: 4/5 🔥🔥🔥🔥
POV: Multi/1st
Will be available on KU ✅ - eARC review

⚠️ TROPES BELOW ⚠️

• childhood best friends to lovers
• secret society
• obsessive, possessive & dominant AF MMC who makes you kick your freaking feet and swoon ridiculously hard
• touch her and 💀
• døm/sub dynamics
• so. much. hot. spice. (I blushed and had my jaw drop so many times)

• Spoiler - Free Review (incl. out of context quotes) •

LOLA. MY QUEEN. YOU DID IT AGAIN BESTIE. YOU WROTE ANOTHER BOOK THAT IS MY FAVORITE BOOK EVER. I mean, all your books are on my favorites list but somehow Loving the Reaper has become numero uno. Flawless character development, ridiculously perfect spice and angst, and a plot that will keep you on your toes; Loving the Reaper is THE dark romance book of the year. I’m giving it that title. I would go as far as to say this may be my top read of 2025, and we aren’t even halfway through the year yet. I said what I said. 🤷‍♀️

Wren, oh Wren…the man that you are. I would do absolutely anything to be Peach because holy f—- 🥵
If you think you love Lola’s men, wait until you meet Wren edg!ng king døm daddy Hunter. He’s perfect, he’s unhinged, he’s everything to me and I will be thinking about him forever and how I wish he was real. Allow me to display an example of how absolutely DELICIOUS this man is:

"𝘍*𝘤𝘬," 𝘐 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳. "𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱..."
"𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞. 𝐒𝐨𝐚𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐝!𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥."

Yeah so…he’s basically the s3xiest MMC on this Earth. That is literally a tiny, MILD taste of Wren Hunter. I’m claiming him. He’s mine now y’all. Back off 🤺🤺

Peach, bestie your stubbornness really made me upset with you sometimes girl BUT you won my heart in the end. I honestly think Peach’s fight and her independence actually made her such an incredible FMC, and let me tell you she is SO MUCH MORE than what you think so if you start reading this and you’re like “ahhh she’s so stubborn” just keep pushing. She’s one of the coolest FMCs and we love a woman in STEM. 🧪

This story was explosive and fun and HOT and filled with so many twists and it just is everything I ever needed. I’ll never get over it. Lola is my favorite author of all time.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘓𝘰𝘭𝘢 & 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘙 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺.

Pre-Release + Update:
Update: 4/16/25 - Starting the ARC RIGHT MEOW!! thank you VPR 😍

Loving the Liar was FLIPPING AMAZING so you already know Loving the Reaper is going to be *chef kiss* 💋 I cannot wait. I need this book like I need air to breathe.
Profile Image for Smutty Little Books.
325 reviews205 followers
April 24, 2025
The last 100 pages of this book had me screaming at my kindle! Ahhh! What a freaking ride this book was.

I’ll be the first to admit that my inner brat struggled with the power play that happens in this book. Wren is a special kind of obsessed and unhinged and Peach is the FMC you truly didn’t see coming.

I am LITERALLY chomping at the bit to read the last book and FINALLY know who Hermes is (although I have a #1 suspect). That being said… 5 freaking stars, Lola! I need the next book like yesterday!
Profile Image for Megan Benne.
175 reviews1 follower
July 20, 2025
4.5⭐️ Well at first I was worried I was going to be irritated with Peach the entire book..but boy was I wrong! I’m now a Penelope Stan! 👏I thought this book was well paced, exciting and had such a fun twist. I’m a Lola King fan after reading the two books in this series. She makes me fall in love with the most complex characters that have some inexcusable actions!
Profile Image for She Reads.
22 reviews2 followers
December 1, 2025
When he waited 16 years being your best friend, writing notes about what you love and don’t love, when he hurts anyone who touches you or makes you sad, when he burns down the world for you, when he writes I promise on his arm in sharpie so he has to do what you promised, when he loves you more than he loves him self… Wren Hunter the man you are. Peach is a bad ass bitch in this one. Probably my favorite FMC in all of Lola’s series after Kayla King. Such a smart, ruthless, feminist. God love her!
Profile Image for Sav | SavtheBookish.
438 reviews57 followers
April 22, 2025
I literally went into this book blind and WOW I am literally unwell. Let me warn you by saying this is a DARK romance. Make sure to read the trigger warning list before diving in.

Now, to the good stuff. Peach and Wren have been best friends since they were children. She is a spitfire and he has a dark side to him that some people are finding a little more about. These two are in college together and he is literally obsessed with her, like the man is IN LOVE, keeps a list of everything about her kinda love, but she continues to tell him that they would never work and he needs to forget about it. That is… until she finds herself at the secret society he warned her to stay away from and is being initiated into it… Lemme just say. The suspense plot line goes hard on this one. I literally was flabbergasted by the twists and turns and I literally finished this 510 page book in 24 hours.

If you are looking for a dark romance, best friends to lovers, s*rial k*ller, secret society, morally black book. Get this one on your TBR.

Releasing 4.22.25
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