Stolen Dove

The Sinclairs #0.5

by Dahlia Vale

A widowed Dove on the run from a secret society auction. A Talon enforcer sent to drag her back. One road trip that turns hunter into something far more dangerous — obsessed.

Briar

I ran the morning after my husband's funeral with thirty thousand dollars and the clothes on my back. Because in our world — the world of the Ravens — widowed Doves don't grieve. They get auctioned off to the next man willing to pay.

I survived eight years of Roland's fists. I won't survive another marriage like that.

But the Ravens don't let their property disappear. They sent a Talon to find me — a dangerous, lethal man named Cain who tracked me down in less than a day. He's supposed to drag me back to Boston. Back to the auction block.

So why does my body come alive under his hands when it was dead for eight years?


Cain

Briar Whitmore is a mission. Retrieve the runaway Dove. Deliver her to auction. Earn my place with the Ravens.

She's not supposed to get under my skin. Not supposed to make me want to burn down everything I've built to keep her.

But she's mine now. And anyone who tries to take her from me is going to die.


Tropes: captive to protector · possessive morally gray hero · on the run · forced proximity · touch her and die · only soft for her · secret society · widow auction

Heat Level: Scorching Tone: Dark, Raw, Intense Series Type: Standalone Prequel (The Raven Society) Ending: HEA POV: Dual POV, First Person Content Notes: Past domestic abuse (off-page), on-page violence, breath play, possessive hero Comp Authors: Shantel Tessier, Penelope Douglas

Genres: Dark Romance, Novella, Dark, Romance, Audiobook, Amazon, M F Romance

171 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2025

About the author

Dahlia Vale writes addictive, dark secret society romances in the world of The Ravens, where alpha-holes seduce, power corrupts, and love always comes with a price.

If you’re into obsession, dominance, betrayal, and just the right amount of emotional ruin… you’re in the right place.

Reviews

[Carolina]

𝑫𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒈𝒖𝒏𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒚𝒐, 𝑪𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒓, 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒐 𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂. 𝒀 𝒅𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒓í𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒃é𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒐 𝒋𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒓.

[Cécile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this little gem as a freebie in a newsletter,didn’t know the author,but am glad i took a chance.
It’s the story of Briar,who survived 8 years with her late abusive husband,but will be auctioned to the next man that will have her.
But she’s not waiting for a lifetime of more abuse,so she runs.
Only the cult she lived in,The Ravens,isn’t going to let her go and sends their best enforcer Cain after her.
Once he’s got her,he starts to have his doubts about bringing her back,though….
And when he hears her late husband wants her dead,all of his orders fly out the window.
Will they be able to find their happy after,or will The Ravens enforcers find them??

[୨୧○• Erin •○୨୧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

What to expect
🖤 Captor/ captive
🤍 Forced proximity
🖤 touch her and ☠️
🤍 Possessive/ obsessive
🖤 Morally gray MMC
🤍 Widowed FMC
🖤 Enemies to lovers
🤍 Secret society
🖤 High spice
🤍 He falls first


He’s her captor, her hell, and the only man who makes her feel alive.

She’s short and unapologetically spicy! Read this in about 1 hour. I was locked in!

This is my first book by this Author and boy oh boy it did not disappoint.

Our FMC Briar is a widow on the run from the Ravens. Her husband has just died and they expect her to be auctioned off. So she does the only thing she can think of she runs!

I enjoyed Briar she starts off very timid and doesn’t say what she wants but by the end this woman is screaming it from the roof top! 👏🏽

Cain our MMC is a total hottie 🔥 he is sent to retrieve Briar and deliver her to the auction. But this man goes and falls for her. And he falls hard!

“Because I fu@king love you, little dove.”

“ Yeah I do. You’re mine. I love you. Deal with it.”

The forced proximity and yearning 🤌🏽

When he learns he has to kill her all bets are off. They go on the run together. And escaping the Ravens is unheard of!

This was action packed with high stakes.

Had me hooked the entire time.

Cannot wait to continue with more books from this Author.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark captor/captive quick read. Briar ran from The Ravens when her husband died, she wanted to be free and not auctioned off to the next highest bidder. Unfortunately this is a society that doesn’t let you escape. So they send Cain to bring her back. Cain wasn’t expecting the fire and defiance that comes with Briar. And when they send him an order to kill her he decides to keep her for himself. Be prepared for some high heat in this novella! 🔥 🥵

[Kerri-louise Whitham Your_bookish_fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

**𝓝𝓞 𝓢𝓟𝓞𝓘𝓛𝓔𝓡𝓢**
⚜️𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕠𝕗- Stolen Dove

𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀LC 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰, 𝐢𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.

⚜️ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤-
* 🗣 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (out of 5 stars, my rating scale is at the end)
* 📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
* 🌡️ 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲🌶🌶🌶🫑 / 5 -𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠
* Which books have I also given this same rating? (𝑠𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛)
5⭐️ Fourth wing / Bound by inked flame / Anathama / The Lies of Lena / Of silver and Curses
4.5⭐️ Bitten / The Female / Quicksilver / Bride / Lights Out / A Bargain so Bloody
4⭐️ Spellcaster / One Dark Window / From Blood and Ash / Phantasma / Butcher & Blackbird
3⭐️We Who Will Die / The Wolf King / Daughter of No Worlds / The Ex Hex


⚜️𝕂𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕟𝕗𝕠:
* Genre- Dark Romance
* 🎧 2𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀  33𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 (I 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚗 1.45 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚎𝚍)
* 📖 167 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
* dual 𝗣𝗢𝗩 / # 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚢𝚕𝚎 𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗
* 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲- Nov 2025
* 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 or 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 driven? 𝒫𝓁ℴ𝓉 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒜 ℳ𝒾𝓍
* 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 & 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗻𝗼-
* 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 on 𝗞𝗨? ❌𝒩ℴ.
* 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲- ℱ𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝓈𝓁ℴ𝓌 𝓂ℯ𝒹𝒾𝓊𝓂 𝓊𝓅 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹ℴ𝓌𝓃 𝓌ℯ𝓁𝓁 𝓅𝒶𝒸ℯ𝒹 𝒻ℴ𝓇 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓈𝓉ℴ𝓇𝓎
* 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? ✅ ℐ 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓇ℯ𝓂ℯ𝓂𝒷ℯ𝓇 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓋𝒾𝒷ℯ𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒻ℯℯ𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓁ℯ𝒻𝓉 𝓂ℯ 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽!
* 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? (Disability, plus size, mental health etc...)❌
* ℳℴℴ𝒹𝓈; 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒚, 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝑖𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍, 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒚, 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒇𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑯𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌, 𝑻𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆, 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈
* 𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝒾 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈?✅
* 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓃ℯ𝓍𝓉 𝒷ℴℴ𝓀 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈?✅
* 𝒲ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 ℯ𝓁𝓈ℯ 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓇?✅
* 𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖎 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖔? Anyone wanting. Fast paced, secret society, dark romance with lots of heat and a morally grey bad guy with a heart of gold.



🚨🅲︎🅷︎🅴︎🅲︎🅺︎ 🆃︎🅷︎🅴︎ 🆃︎🆆︎!🚨


⚜️𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤:
💦𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬/ 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬
🥵𝒟𝒾𝓇𝓉𝓎 𝒯𝒶𝓁𝓀
😍IᑎՏTᗩ ᒪOᐯᗴ ᒪᑌᔕT
🙏𝐻𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡
🛏𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝
🫦Oᴘᴘᴏsɪᴛᴇs Aᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ
🗡 𝙃𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨
💀𝔉𝔬𝔯𝔟𝔦𝔡𝔡𝔢𝔫 𝔯𝔬𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢
🌡𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝔸𝕟𝕘𝕤𝕥, 𝕋𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟
⚔️𝔅𝔲𝔩𝔩𝔶 𝔯𝔬𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢
😇𝗦𝘂𝗯 ᵃⁿᵈ/ᵒʳ 𝗗𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

⚜️𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
😈𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕥 society
🪧Pᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ Iɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇ
🪦𝕳𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖔𝖗 𝕰𝖑𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖘
🧩𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒚
💈 ᗷᗩᑎTᗴᖇ
☠️𝕋𝕠𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕...
🧨𝕊𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕪 𝔽𝕄ℂ
⏳𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬
⌚𝔸-𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕖


⚜️𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓, 𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑵 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕?⚜️
(𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡- 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑟 𝐴𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑜?)
I would say it’s an eyeball read however the audio was enjoyable so maybe just grab your usual format.

⚜️𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: The narrator did an ok job, on the plus side his voice was made for the MMC, but he couldn’t do character changes or vocalise a different internal thought and spoken word- meaning I often got lost with what was only thought about and what was actually being said.
However his accent worked well, his tone of voice and inflection were good and you could feel the emotion coming through, especially in the big dramatic scenes and of course the spicy scenes- which let’s face it- is the most important part of the story! So a mixed bag here, lovely speaking voice, I’d listen to him again, but he’s not the right man for solo narration, put him in a dual or duet and you’ve got the making of a damn good audiobook.


🌍 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
I will hold my hands up and say I went into this blind and expected just a smut story, what I got was far different!
I got danger, emotion, hauntingly dark moments, detailed plot and layered characters! I am happy to say I was surprised and hooked on the story right away! The pacing was excellent, fst paced and detailed enough to keep you hanging on every word, the writing style was smooth and easy and for such a dark undertone I found it beautiful to read/listen to.

🧝‍♂️ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤:
Again, it’s a short read so I wasn’t expecting too much, but again- wrong!
The characters were not only layered, but had past trauma, issues, layers and kept growing throughout the story. The chemistry was perfection and the emotion they each expressed about their own lives and the current situation was off the chart.


🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
If you want dark and steamy, a menu of Tw and a heavy dose of bad guy turned good then pick this up right now!


𝐹𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠;

𝕋𝕚𝕜𝕋𝕠𝕜
https://www.tiktok.com/@your_bookish_...

IᑎՏTᗩ
https://www.instagram.com/your_bookis...

 

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𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕤:
⭐️ DNF

⭐️⭐️
I managed to finish it but it was rubbish. I won't keep a physical copy and won't recommend it, but  it's a shame as the plot could have made a good book in another author's hands

⭐️⭐️.5
It was OK. I wish I didn't start this one as it didn't do it for me as I struggled to read it. It had an interesting premise that fell flat but I had to see what happened in the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don't regret reading it, and I will read the next one, but this one did have a few flaws. [These could be repetitive writing, gaps or plot holes, better character growth or world building, areas needing more detail]
Generally, the book lacked depth and became confusing. The plot resonated with me even though it annoyed me on the whole.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I'm glad I read it. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the right people, but I wanted more! Sadly, it's easily forgettable with a few issues I just couldn't overlook/get past.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good book! I loved it, but... I needed more! I really did enjoy it, but it had a few parts that needed more detail or added history/background or lore. But that's because the story or characters were memorable, and the plot was strong with brilliant twists. I would re-read if I needed to catch up for the next book and would recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Great book! I truly wish the story had been thought about more, or the author had been given more time as this book is so close to brilliance! I will likely read again and will definitely be recommending it to all!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOW! Absolutely amazing book! Well written with great characters and a plot so memorable that it will stay with me. I will definitely read this again, I will be recommending it and sharing it with the whole world! Also- I NEED A PHYSICAL COPY!

🔥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥
This is my God level tier. The book must be perfectly memorable. Even after reading 50+ more books, I will remember character names and emotions along with the plot. If there is a special edition, then I need to own it! If there is a conversation on books- I'm talking about this!

 SPICE SCALE:
🌶️– segsual language and a little on-page action

🌶️🌶️– a lot of segsual language and some on-page open door action, may be occurring a couple of times

🌶️🌶️🌶️– a lot of explicit action and dirty talk, occurring frequently with 2/3 lurvers

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – super graphic and explicit, occurring 4 or more times, can be more grey and taboo themed.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Kinks and Fet!shism, explicit and super graphic. It is likely to be tushy play, toys, playrooms, and more dark / taboo fantasies and realities.

[Debra Reads What · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio and I need everyone to understand that I was just… existing… doing normal life things… while a man was growling unspeakable things directly into my ears... In public… With headphones on! A dangerous game, but one I do regularly!

Cain is a possessive and ruthless antihero. He is not interested in redemption, therapy or self reflection and honestly accepts what he is.
Briar, meanwhile is stronger than she first appears (observant, quietly defiant) and very aware of how dangerous her situation is.
In short, Cain is a walking red flag factory and Briar makes choices that had me yelling “GIRL???” out loud and the power dynamics are so unbalanced they definitely need their warning label and a hard hat on top. Their dynamic is intense, unbalanced and deliberately messy with attraction and power colliding long before trust ever enters the room. In this world rules are made by rich men who have never once been told “no.” and need a good slap upside the head to bring them out the dark ages!

Craig Richards deserves both praise and jail time because the delivery made everything worse (that’s complimentary) and he really brought Cain’s inner thoughts out. Craig Richards narration was beautifully paced throughout and the spicy scenes between the plot (yes I actually pay attention to that!) well I did not need that level of emotional and vocal commitment before noon. Every line hit harder, every threat sounded hotter (yes I have issues) and every moment of tension felt deeply personal.
Is this healthy? No.
Is this realistic? Absolutely not.
Did I have a good time? 100%, yes! I like narrators and authors feeding my book induced darkness! These two made me want to be captured by Cain myself!

Read the content warnings. This book is doing laps in the dark romance Olympics and wants to be placed. If you like your fiction messy, feral and deeply unconcerned with morality, then congrats, you’ve found your people. I am looking forward to more unhinged men from Dahlia Vale..

[DanniOnThePages · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to be a job. Retrieve and deliver."

Oh my! This book was dark, hot, and spicy. I am part of the author's ARC team. She is so super sweet too and really engages with her team, so I was able to get the audiobook...I caution you about listening to this in public; you will react. People will look and wonder. No, I was not in public when I listened to this; I was in the comfort of my apartment. The only looks I got were from my four-legged menace...though she could've just been looking at me all judgy so that I can give her a second breakfast lol.

Back to the review! This was a short listen that held my attention the ENTIRE time. There was not a single pause, all calls and messages were ignored until I finished. Briar is not your usual FMC, and Cain is definitely not your average true morally grey MMC. Forced proximity has these two yearning for each other. Briar is a recent widow...but she is not your average widow. She was sold at an auction to her husband by a society known as The Ravens. The caveat to her situation? The Ravens require her to be placed in another auction. Cain is the man charged with retrieving and delivering her to the very place. Her very dead husband has other plans for her, though, and now Cain has to choose between his job and his yearning.

When I listen to audiobooks, I tend to like two voices: one male and one female. Craig Richards voice did not have me missing that at all. His smooth voice did an excellent job of switching between Briar and Cain.

[Nickole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rcvd an ARC from the author.

We meet Briar, a dove and widow and now on the run. Her abusive husband is now dead and she's running for her freedom. We the meet Cain, a talon for the organization who is sent to bring the missing dove back. But there is smtg about her that has Cain on edge. She's just a woman and a woman who will be reauctioned off. That doesn't sit well with him. Briar is in lust with Cain and she wants him to know it. Cain desides he must have her anf when he does she is his but he didn't count on new orders coming in...her death.

[The_first_last_page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced enemies lovers
Touch her and die
Forced proximity
Morally grey
HEA

He was sent to bring her back, she was determined to be free. This book had spice, dominate MMC, submissive FMC and danger on the horizon. Good quick read that didnt disappoint.

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this was SO good!
I have been in the worst book slump for MONTHS & I received this book from Dahlia as I am part of her ARC team & this did NOT disappoint. This was my first read book in her dark secret society series & I think Cain is my favorite all ready! 🖤

[Jessica Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a quick spicy read, this is it! Plot more focused on smut, but there was a story there. Captor/captive, 6 chili pepper, male dom, secret society. Fun little read and worth it if you want a lil smut in your day.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I don't hand over what belongs to me just because someone sends a fucking text message."

"If Cain wants to burn down the entire world, then I'm the one who's going to light the fucking match"

I LOVE a good secret society trope! Stolen Dove was a great intro into this world. Don't blink! Because this moves FAST! 🏃‍♀️💨 the only thing I wished for was more on the characters. And the spice....🤌🤌🤌 Immediately you are thrown into Briars world after her husband died. Thanks to Cain and his skillful hunting methods, we get a tiny bit of her backstory. But what about Cain? I digress, this is a prequel to the world and I am still ready to dive in!

[Cecilia Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was fast-paced and exciting! The spice was great! It did help me get out of a reading slump. I look forward to reading more of this series!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, spicy, fast paced, action packed!

[Kiegan Millard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, spicy, straight to the point kind of book. I love a short story. I was warned that it's super fast paced and a quick burn read but I didn't expect that sort of quick. These are perfect if you need a quick read.

Thanks for the ARC Dahlia and letting me be a part of your crew 🥰

[Lau · Rating 1 out of 5]

this only gets 1 star because i can’t score it any lower

[Robin Reads a Ton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right from the start, this book just throws you into its dark and dangerous world. Even the dedication gives you a hint of what you’re in for. It’s bold, a little wild in a good way, and you can tell right away this story isn’t going to play it safe.

This is one of those dark romances that’s all about control, survival, and obsession. The setup pulled me in right away: a woman running from a rough past and an even scarier future, and the guy who’s supposed to bring her back. Of course, things get way more complicated than that. The road trip part just adds to the tension, and honestly, I flew through the pages because I needed to know what would happen next.

Briar really stood out to me because of everything she’s been through. You can feel her desperation, but it makes sense, she just refuses to go back to a life where she has no say. The struggle between who she was and who she wants to be is what makes her choices feel so real.

Then there’s Cain. He’s got that dangerous, morally gray vibe that you just know if you’ve read darker romances before. If you like the whole ‘hunter turns into obsessed protector’ thing, you’ll get it here. Watching him go from seeing Briar as just a job to someone he’d risk it all for is where so much of the tension comes from.

The whole vibe is gritty and possessive, with that secret-society feel. If you’ve read Shantel Tessier, you’ll probably pick up on the same kind of energy here. This book isn’t trying to be gentle or super deep. It’s sharp, addictive, and a little bit wild, and honestly, it works.

I also liked the bigger world with the Ravens, Doves, and Talons. You can tell there’s a lot happening behind the scenes, even though this book is really about Briar and Cain. It feels like there’s more to come, and I’m actually excited to see how the next books might tie everything together or bring back some familiar faces.

This one is definitely not a light or fluffy read, but if you’re into intense stories with complicated characters and a plot that doesn’t slow down, I think you’ll like this one.

[Tas · Rating 4 out of 5]

🔥🖤 **BOOKTOK REVIEW | 4.5 ⭐️ | SPICY & DARK**

Okayyyy… if you love the **Lords** from Shantel Tessier, BABY… you may have just found your next obsession. 😮‍💨🖤

This is the **prequel novella** to the upcoming series, and it gives us a delicious little glimpse into the twisted society surrounding the **Sinclairs, Ravens, and Talons**. And let me tell you… this society is NOT playing by normal rules. 👀

Cain is a **Talon**, and his job is simple: find Blair and bring her back.

Blair is a recently widowed **Dove**—the name given to the women in these families—and she's supposed to be auctioned off so another Raven can claim her. Except Blair said **HELL NO** and ran. 😂

Enter Cain.

He's supposed to retrieve her… but there's just one tiny problem: he can't stop being attracted to her. And once things between them finally snap into place, Cain realizes he doesn't want to give her back.

Actually… he would **DIE before he lets the society take her from him.** 🥵

And Blair? This man has her experiencing feelings and pleasure she's never experienced before, leaving her completely overwhelmed. 👀🔥

The biggest thing to know going in: **THIS IS INSTA-LOVE.**

Not the cute, fluffy kind either.

I'm talking **touch her and die. Claim her. Protect her. Burn the whole damn society down if necessary.** 😮‍💨

Cain is OBSESSED, possessive, protective, and completely gone for Blair—and honestly? I ate it UP.

This novella definitely feels like an appetizer for what's coming next, and after getting this little peek into the Sinclair/Raven/Talon world…

**I NEED THE REST OF THIS SERIES. NOW.** 🖤🔥

If your bookish weakness is **dark romance + morally questionable men + secret societies + obsession + possessiveness + insta-love + “she's MINE” energy**…

🚨 **ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR.** 🚨

#BookTok #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #DarkRomance #SpicyBooks #DarkRomanceBooks #RomanceBooks #BookReview #SpicyRomance #MorallyGreyMen #PossessiveMMC #InstaLove #DarkAndSpicy #BookRecommendations #Romantasy #TBR

[Suzi McWhinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Briar Whitmore is a broken Dove. She flees the Society her family is embroiled in to escape another auction to a new husband. Having survived her first marriage which cultivated in injury and bruises, she decides she would rather be dead than go through that again. So once her husband dies she steals his money from his safe and runs.
But nobody escapes the Ravens. They send a Talon to find her, Cain Mercer. He is an enforcer and killer for the Society. He never fails and it only takes 1 day for him to find Briar.
Cain is ruthless in his approach to Briar, but seeing her for the first time does something to him.
He likes what he sees!
He decides if she asks nicely he will f*ck her....for his self gratification as well as her complete submission and as many orgasms as he can gift her.
Yeh, he is a morally grey bad guy!!
But then whilst returning her to Boston, they both feel the chemistry. Briar, being married to Roland for 8 years, was kept from sexual gratification by an evil man. He had her convinced she was broken and did not know how to feel pleasure.
But after only minutes in Cain's company her body comes alive with feelings....inappropriate feelings....ones she did not know how to control.
As they head back to Boston, Cain gets given a kill order for Briar.
All bets are off!!
He decides he will chance going on the run with the one thing that has begun to mean something to him.....and leave The Ravens and his family behind.
Is Cain able to give Briar the freedom she so desperately needs?
And how does one escape multiple mercenaries that trail after them?
I love dark romance stories and especially with the morally grey MMC that turns out to be the hero!!
Yep sign me up!!

[Emotionally Booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Stolen Dove expecting a quick read… and that’s exactly what I got. Blink and you’re halfway through, blink again and it’s over. This is not a slow burn, it’s more like someone threw petrol on a match and said “good luck.”

The pacing is fast. Like, really fast. Plot politely steps aside so the spice can take centre stage, and honestly, that seems very intentional. If you’re here for deep world-building and a slow unravel, you might feel a bit whiplashed. If you’re here for tension, heat, and morally questionable decisions being made at speed… welcome home.

The dynamic between Briar and Cain leans heavily into that dark, push-pull, “I should run but I won’t” energy. It definitely flirts with those Stockholm-syndrome-adjacent vibes, but there’s also a thread of growth in Briar that stops her from feeling completely swallowed by it. Cain is very much the dominant, dangerous type you expect, but not without moments that make you pause and go… hmm, alright then.

The connection between them happens quickly, but in a way that fits the tone of the book. This isn’t about if they’ll collide, it’s about how hard.

Scene setting does the job, nothing overly heavy, but enough to keep you grounded while everything else is… escalating. The open-door scenes are well written, unapologetic, and frequent. Definitely more smut than plot, but again, that’s the deal you’re signing up for.

I read it in one sitting, which feels like the correct way to consume this kind of story, like a shot rather than a slow sip.

Overall: fast, intense, a little chaotic, and very aware of what it wants to be. If you like your dark romance quick, heated, and slightly unhinged, this will land exactly where it’s meant to.

[Sheri Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely hooked me within the first few pages and never let go. The pacing was fast, intense, and addictive from start to finish. If you enjoy dark romance with possessive energy, high tension, and an action-packed storyline, this is definitely one to add to your TBR.

Cain was easily my favorite character. He had that perfect balance of cold, business-focused energy mixed with the “touch her and die” vibe that dark romance readers love. The chemistry between the characters was immediate, intense, and believable within the world of the story. While some aspects lean into fictional dark romance tropes, the relationship still felt emotionally real because both characters were willing participants.

Briar definitely frustrated me at times because of how naive she could be, especially when things started going wrong, but it honestly added to the tension and made me even more invested in what would happen next.

The writing style was easy to read while still feeling emotional and intense, and the dialogue flowed naturally. The dark romance scenes were top-notch, and the ending delivered both action and satisfaction while still leaving room for more in the future.

This gave me similar vibes to the L.O.R.D.S. Series, so fans of that style will probably love this. Spice level for me was around a 3/5, and readers should definitely check the trigger warnings beforehand.

Overall, this exceeded my expectations, and I’ll absolutely be reading more from this author.

[Michelle Kehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey Besties! Where are all my spicy chili peppers??? This little gem is a glimpse into Dahlia Vale’s Ravens ( thanks Dahlia 😉) - just a little taste of their universe.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I’m here for the spice , not for the plot, and this one hits it. I started my journey into the Raven-verse with Briar and Cain- but I think maybe a dive into The Sinclair Series is in order? Either way- I suggest reading the little notes at the beginning so you have a little insight into the world of the Ravens. Usually I go in blind, but I’m glad a took that moment.
The Ravens are a secret society of rich and powerful families who make their own rules. One rule? Women are promised to their future husbands by their family, and upon the early demise of said hubby, are auctioned off to the next approved society member. Not a fan of this plan?? That’s where Briar finds herself - on the run with a handful of dresses, determination , and the money she could grab from her dead husband’s stash - trying to stay a step ahead of an inevitable future she would never choose. Enter Cain. His job is to bring her back so she can take her place on the auction block. A chilling text message and one steamy night leads to a change of plans- and now they both have everything to lose.
There’s just enough of their story to have me rooting for Cain and Briar, just enough spice to keep the windows fogged up , and just enough clues to leave me wanting to know more about the Ravens. I’m off to New England to meet the Sinclairs next.. see you there!

[Karlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have I just started my Roman Empire? This was the novella that starts the Sinclair Billionaire series! I really enjoyed every bit of this novella! I can’t wait to read more of the series!


A widowed Dove on the run from a secret society auction. A Talon enforcer sent to drag her back. One road trip that turns hunter into something far more dangerous — obsessed.

Briar

I ran the morning after my husband's funeral with thirty thousand dollars and the clothes on my back. Because in our world — the world of the Ravens — widowed Doves don't grieve. They get auctioned off to the next man willing to pay.

I survived eight years of Roland's fists. I won't survive another marriage like that.

But the Ravens don't let their property disappear. They sent a Talon to find me — a dangerous, lethal man named Cain who tracked me down in less than a day. He's supposed to drag me back to Boston. Back to the auction block.

So why does my body come alive under his hands when it was dead for eight years?


Cain

Briar Whitmore is a mission. Retrieve the runaway Dove. Deliver her to auction. Earn my place with the Ravens.

She's not supposed to get under my skin. Not supposed to make me want to burn down everything I've built to keep her.

But she's mine now. And anyone who tries to take her from me is going to die.


Tropes: captive to protector · possessive morally gray hero · on the run · forced proximity · touch her and die · only soft for her · secret society · widow auction

[RissaReadsBooks91 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m kind of out of order with the books since Stolen Dove should have been first but HOLY MOLY!!!! Cain and Briar’s story was hot and full of suspense. Briar is a widowed Dove that ran from the Ravens. The one thing you don’t do is run from the society. Cain is the Talon that is sent to retrieve her and bring her back for the auction. But after getting her in the suv then eventually stopping at a cabin, things happen between them that changes everything. Very 🥵🥵🥵 things happen. And when Cain gets a text with an order from the Council, he makes the decision to throw his whole life away to run away with her. Doing so puts a target on their backs and now they are the prey being hunted. They are good for a while til they stop at a gas station and Cain feels completely off about it. Then an SUV shows up and there’s a fight between can and 3 Talons. Briar sees Cain struggling, jumps out and grabs the crowbar to hit one of them saving Cains life with some serious feminine rage. They get away and find a truck that that’s they the rest of the way north to somewhat safety. After running for a while, Cain contacts Dane Sinclair and agrees to hand over impertinent information in exchange for them coming off the watch list and able to live the rest of their lives in peace.
Stolen Dove had me hooked. It’s a fast read but it’s mighty and spicy!!!! This whole series has been so good and well worth the read.

[Karoline White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dark novella!

What happens when rich, powerful men create a society where they arrange marriages, buy / auction off the widows or outright kill those who try to escape their society.....men make the rules, women have to abide by them, otherwise they face the consequences.....for once you're in, you can never leave.....or so one thinks....

Briar escapes The Ravens after her much older husband's funeral, knowing if she's caught she will be dragged back to Boston to be auctioned off to another powerful man.

Cain is the Talon who has been tasked with bringing her back.

Somewhere on the way back, Briar begs Cain to take her and he can't help himself......so when he then receives a message that his job has changed from one of retrieval to one of murder, he refuses to destroy what he now has claimed.

Through a life or death chase which sees several other Talons die, Cain & Briar eventually succeed and once they turn over information from her deceased husband's activities to the head of The Ravens, the couple are given their total freedom from the society.

This is not for the faint of heart....this is a dark, spicy, life or death novella! Be sure to check the trigger warnings!

I have received a copy of this book for free from Dahlia Vale and am voluntarily giving my honest review of this novella.

[Beckreadz25 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author, and I'm so glad that I did. This book was a dark romance perfection! Everything I love about the genre- enemies to lovers, morally grey MMC who's a walking black flag, forced proximity, possessiveness, touch her and die, burn the world down for her......all crammed into a short, seductive novella.

Briar was running from the Ravens, an archaic, secret society that makes men rich and women little more than commodities. What she didn't count on was running into Cain, an enforcer for the society who was tasked to bring her back at any cost.

What comes next is a series of events that has Cain questioning everything he thought he believed in. He claimed Briar as his, and no one takes away what belongs to him.

I absolutely loved how Cain and Briar were ready to go to war for one another. Their connection was off the charts, and the spice was next level. My cheeks were flushed. What I wouldn't give to have a man want me like that heart, mind, body, and soul. Their story was everything with a satisfying ending. Even the epilogue added more to an already perfect story. As happpy as I was about the ending, I was sorry to see Briar and Cain' story end. I could read about them all day.

There's no surprise that I rated this 5+ stars. As sad I was to let Briar and Cain go, I was ecstatic that there are more Ravens books! I will he diving right back in to this amazing world!

[Bitzreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

 Short, Tense & Spicy! 

My biggest concern with short books is that it will feel rushed and the story won’t have time to breath. This didn’t suffer from that, it flowed well, while fast paced it didn’t feel rushed. We got to know the characters well, though I feel we got to know Briar more and in the short time we had I felt sad for her and what she was subjected to as well as anger about what was continuing to happen.I loved how she developed through the story and held her own. I don’t think we got to know as much about Cains thoughts on his upbringing just a few bits, but it didn’t take away from anything, at first I was weary of him and what he would do and how it would develop as the story went on he became as lovable as Briar. 

Their chemistry and spice was very spicy, with about the right amount for the length of the story. It was defiantly not rushed anyway. I really liked their tension and banter. 

The outside plot, is interesting. I have read many books with this sort of story and feels like a condensed version with the potential to be just as good. I choose not to read about The Ravens at the beginning and to learn as I go. I am very interested to see how that progresses and where the overall story goes if there is one. 

[gena · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for something intense, fast, and unapologetically bold, Stolen Dove by Dahlia Vale absolutely delivers.
This book wastes no time easing you in—it’s bam, right in your face from the start. The pacing is relentless in the best way, pulling you straight into the chaos, tension, and heat without a second to breathe. If you’re someone who gets impatient with slow burns, this is your kind of story. There’s no drawn-out build—just instant stakes, high emotion, and a storyline that keeps escalating.
The spice level? Definitely there, and it fits the tone of the book perfectly. It’s not just thrown in for shock value—it matches the intensity of the characters and the world they’re navigating. Everything feels heightened, dramatic, and consuming.
One of my favorite parts, though, was the playlist—it perfectly sums up the vibe of the book. Every song feels like it was chosen to mirror the energy, the angst, and the passion woven throughout the story. It honestly adds another layer to the reading experience.
Overall, if you want a fast-paced, in-your-face, spicy read that hooks you immediately and doesn’t let go, this one’s for you. No slow burn here—just pure, addictive chaos.

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the world of the Ravens and the doves. A society of secrets, sex, money and power….and those who dare to challenge that hierarchy.

Cain and Briar are the main characters featured in this story and I have to say- what a powerhouse of a couple to start of this incredible series. The pacing is excellent! It’s to the point but still immersive in a way that paints a vivid and comprehensive understanding of the world we’re reading about, not to mention the dialogue and character development are fantastic for the story being on the shorter side. Absolutely loved!

I have to add a huge round of applause for the author who does something very important in the dark romance space that I love to see as a reader.


Although it’s a dark romance at its core Cain and Briars relationship centers around love, connection, freedom and empowerment. I applaud Dahlia for being able to weave such strong undertones into a romance, it speaks to the complexity of her writing to be able to share encouragement and empowerment around intimacy and sexuality while also keeping the spice and romance alive in her story!

So, step into the world of the ravens and their doves, if you dare…you may just want to stay.

[Aria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stolen Dove by Dahlia Vale is a high-heat dark romance capitor/captive novella that delivers on intensity but didn't fully resonate with me. The story centers on Briar, a widow who thought her nightmare ended when her husband died, only to discover that in The Ravens' world, widows don't get freedom—they get auctioned. She runs to save herself, but Cain is sent to drag her back.
Cain's mission is straightforward: return a runaway Dove. But Briar is unlike what he expected—fire instead of fear, defiance instead of obedience. When orders come to kill her, he decides never to give her back. Now he can't decide whether to break her or make her beg for more. Either way, he's determined she'll know exactly who she belongs to.
The captor/captive dynamic is present and the heat level is high. Vale creates tension between Briar and Cain, and there are moments where their conflicting desires feel compelling. The dark romance elements are there and the stakes feel real.
However, the novella format feels rushed at times, and the character development doesn't have enough room to reach the depth I was looking for. The pacing moves quickly but some transitions feel abrupt. The writing is solid but didn't stand out enough to make this a standout dark romance for me.