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North Point Penalty Gods #1
Vicious Butterfly
Only a Monster can Protect You From Other Monsters.
Ryan
Tate VanCourt decided I belonged to him, and nothing will stop him from making me his. He thinks he’s giving me the deal of a lifetime—anything and everything I want, in exchange for my freedom.
On the surface, Tate’s your friendly neighborhood hockey coach, the demon hiding in plain sight. He has the world eating out of the palm of his hand.
I know what he is, though. He’s darkness. A beautiful kind of dangerous. King of the hockey underworld.
But I already live in my father’s gilded cage, and I want out.
No matter what I do, I can’t seem to escape Tate. And his cage might be the only one that’s safe.
Vicious Butterfly is the first book in a NEW dark MM college hockey series. A spin-off from its prequel, Off-Ice Misconduct, which does not have to be read to enjoy this one!
Ryan
Tate VanCourt decided I belonged to him, and nothing will stop him from making me his. He thinks he’s giving me the deal of a lifetime—anything and everything I want, in exchange for my freedom.
On the surface, Tate’s your friendly neighborhood hockey coach, the demon hiding in plain sight. He has the world eating out of the palm of his hand.
I know what he is, though. He’s darkness. A beautiful kind of dangerous. King of the hockey underworld.
But I already live in my father’s gilded cage, and I want out.
No matter what I do, I can’t seem to escape Tate. And his cage might be the only one that’s safe.
Vicious Butterfly is the first book in a NEW dark MM college hockey series. A spin-off from its prequel, Off-Ice Misconduct, which does not have to be read to enjoy this one!
500 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2026
About the author
S. Legend
32 books539 followersSome of you know her as Mock, others as S. Legend, or Miss S. She welcomes all names but will often go by Mock, a name given to her by her readers.
Mock is an ambitious creative, weaving the most precious aspects of her soul into stories. She is an architect, building fascinating worlds, designed from inquiry, rooted in worldly wonderings. It’s an intuitive process where she is the scribe, the translator, the conduit.
It helped that storytelling was the language spoken at home. One simply didn’t say, “We have an ant infestation,” in Mock’s family it was, “I was on my way to the living room, when a peculiar ant crossed my path. I looked to my right, a suspicious line of them marched toward the pantry. In that moment I knew; my kitchen was under siege.” The natural flow of conversation always took this form.
And so.
When Mock wrote her first novel, she didn’t plan it chapter by chapter, there was no outline, no “plotting” to speak of. But she didn’t “pants” it either, she didn’t make it up as she went along. She knew how the story felt, where it curved in places and hollowed in others; she knew the destination it rushed toward. Instead of orchestrating, she let the world inspire her, and held space for the words to come, trusting the characters knew what they were doing. All she had to do was tell a story, as she always had done; like breathing.
This is her peace, her healing and solace: Gifts better shared.
Mock’s works are the comfort you seek when you need to come home. Her unique writing style will take you, wayfaring reader, to unexpected destinations.
She always says, “I’m not in the business of making up stories, I couldn’t if I tired. I’m lucky enough to get picked to share someone else’s story when I ask a question to the universe. Someone answers; I write it down.”
Mock is an ambitious creative, weaving the most precious aspects of her soul into stories. She is an architect, building fascinating worlds, designed from inquiry, rooted in worldly wonderings. It’s an intuitive process where she is the scribe, the translator, the conduit.
It helped that storytelling was the language spoken at home. One simply didn’t say, “We have an ant infestation,” in Mock’s family it was, “I was on my way to the living room, when a peculiar ant crossed my path. I looked to my right, a suspicious line of them marched toward the pantry. In that moment I knew; my kitchen was under siege.” The natural flow of conversation always took this form.
And so.
When Mock wrote her first novel, she didn’t plan it chapter by chapter, there was no outline, no “plotting” to speak of. But she didn’t “pants” it either, she didn’t make it up as she went along. She knew how the story felt, where it curved in places and hollowed in others; she knew the destination it rushed toward. Instead of orchestrating, she let the world inspire her, and held space for the words to come, trusting the characters knew what they were doing. All she had to do was tell a story, as she always had done; like breathing.
This is her peace, her healing and solace: Gifts better shared.
Mock’s works are the comfort you seek when you need to come home. Her unique writing style will take you, wayfaring reader, to unexpected destinations.
She always says, “I’m not in the business of making up stories, I couldn’t if I tired. I’m lucky enough to get picked to share someone else’s story when I ask a question to the universe. Someone answers; I write it down.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
September 24, 2026
4.5***** stars
Ryan & Tate
Quite honestly, this book depicts everything that is wrong with the world because of money, power and men. Reading this was actually pretty daunting and draining at times.
but god, it followed the recipe i die for in my romances. super intense on the feels, an edge of danger and violence at all times and a gripping plot. could this have been a little shorter? probably. but for once, i didn’t mind.
This level of obsession and possessiveness does not always work for me but here it certainly did. it def deserves the label of dark romance so check TWs if you need to.
I don’t really want to give the book 5 stars but i was so damn captivated this whole time, that i kinda have to. i hope the release date for book #2 is only a suggestion bc i’m already dying to read on. (this was my first time reading this author, but she def knows how to set up a whole series you wished was already released in full.)
*************
North Point Penalty Gods
Book 1 - Vicious Butterfly - 4.5 stars
Book 2 - Broken Butterfly - release 07/27
Book 3 - Rival Butterfly - tbd
Book 4 - Furious Butterfly - tbd
Book 5 - Vengeful Butterfly - tbd
Ryan & Tate
Quite honestly, this book depicts everything that is wrong with the world because of money, power and men. Reading this was actually pretty daunting and draining at times.
but god, it followed the recipe i die for in my romances. super intense on the feels, an edge of danger and violence at all times and a gripping plot. could this have been a little shorter? probably. but for once, i didn’t mind.
“Let’s agree we were too young for what happened to either of us.”
“We were too young,” I agree.“Fucking you isn’t enough. I want you to feel me in your bones. I want you so entangled with me, leaving would feel like death.”
This level of obsession and possessiveness does not always work for me but here it certainly did. it def deserves the label of dark romance so check TWs if you need to.
I don’t really want to give the book 5 stars but i was so damn captivated this whole time, that i kinda have to. i hope the release date for book #2 is only a suggestion bc i’m already dying to read on. (this was my first time reading this author, but she def knows how to set up a whole series you wished was already released in full.)
*************
North Point Penalty Gods
Book 1 - Vicious Butterfly - 4.5 stars
Book 2 - Broken Butterfly - release 07/27
Book 3 - Rival Butterfly - tbd
Book 4 - Furious Butterfly - tbd
Book 5 - Vengeful Butterfly - tbd
August 6, 2026
I thought I had read this author before, but I think I got this author mixed up with another, so this was my first read and overall I enjoyed it.
For me I think you have to suspend a lot of disbelief for this story. Like...they go to a military college that is highly focused on hockey to a terrifying degree? Who cares about hockey *that* much and mix it with the fucking military? That's just kind of ridiculous to me. And how seriously these people take hockey.
Not that people don't take it seriously in real life, but these people live and die by it, almost. It's like life and death for these people. I get how people can treat sports, but...holy shit, it's just a game. And hockey isn't even the biggest sport in America, where you'd think maybe it'd be American Football or Basketball that *perhaps* one could see a college going so far over. Especially in the Pacific Northwest, which, as someone who lives there, hockey is not that huge here.
So anyway, that whole aspect felt a bit silly to me at times.
Ryan though, goes through hell via his awful father. He's part of the Savage family, a big rich family who has a "reputation to maintain" and he does awful things, literally torturing Ryan, all in the name of keeping up appearances and if Ryan doesn't fit that image he tortures him. He keeps Ryan in a prison and treats him like a puppet on a string, and it's awful. And he uses Ryan's younger brother, Griffon, to keep him on that string indefinitely.
But one thing that confused me - Ryan is 23, turns 24 later on this and this book makes it seem like he still has years left at the college they're at? Or that he's choosing to stay longer for Griffon? Like okay, we know he was in the NHL for a year before his father pulled him out. So he would have been, what, 19 when that happened? 4 years later he'd be done by 23, no? Or if he has to stay an extra year or two, okay, but it seemed like he'd stay at least 3 more for Griffon, who is just starting there at the start of this book. Is he really going to be 27 when he finishes college, all to play hockey and look over Griffon? Can that be done at this special military college? (Which, are their military colleges out there? I always here about military academies for like high school and below, but never college - because these are legal adults at this point, so...idk.)
Anyway, that confused me a bit, but aside from that, I really liked Ryan and what he sacrificed and went through for his brother was amazing. I think he could have left his father's reach and prison if it wasn't for Griffon.
But as it is, he can't, and so his only hope arrives in the form of Tate, a psychopath who has an obsession with Ryan but also cares about his brother Luke and needs to marry before he's 40 to get his sadistic, evil uncle's inheritance to go to Luke, and Ryan is the perfect solution.
I personally don't get why it took so long for Ryan to say yes. Like yeah he had misgivings and shit, but he was just as into Tate as Tate was into him, and I don't get why knowing that he wasn't jumping at the first opportunity to escape his father as soon as possible. It really didn't make sense to me that he prolonged that for so long. Even after his father was threatening to force him to marry this asshole, Kline, in just like two month's time. Like okay *especially* now is the time to say yes yes yes, let's rush down that aisle! I'm sorry but who cares if there's no love there? Do what you can to escape and save your brother too! Christ.
Like in an ideal world Ryan can marry for love but not here, not in this circumstance where you're in a prison made by your father and will further be in one when he marries you this Kline. Think with your head, man! I don't care if it's a big decision and you're worried you're exchanging one prison for another, do it!
Tate was so obviously obsessed with Ryan too from the jump, it should have been a no brainer.
I did really enjoy these two together and their chemistry, although them just right away jumping into sex the *moment* they meet was like "woah hello" because it was so damn fast. But the feelings, at least, took it's time and were well developed.
Tate's psychopathy, at times, made it hard to feel feelings from him, but eventually it was like - he kept saying he could never love, but he was so clearly in love with Ryan. So it took him awhile to get there, but once he accepted it, it was great. I loved once Tate realized his feelings and gave into them. It was so stupid to me when he was trying to ignore Ryan so he could have 'control' like if you need to ignore him so much to maintain control, I don't think you just have an 'obsession' i think you're in love, man.
So yeah, I had some niggles and this extremism around hockey was just a bit too much for me, a bit too much on the silly side, but I still enjoyed this overall and had a fun time with it. The sex was very good and fun to read.
I'm already looking forward to reading Rhys and Griffon's story next, it'll be fun to get that dynamic.
So, as a first read for me with this author, I quite enjoyed it and will be reading more. Until then! 😘
For me I think you have to suspend a lot of disbelief for this story. Like...they go to a military college that is highly focused on hockey to a terrifying degree? Who cares about hockey *that* much and mix it with the fucking military? That's just kind of ridiculous to me. And how seriously these people take hockey.
Not that people don't take it seriously in real life, but these people live and die by it, almost. It's like life and death for these people. I get how people can treat sports, but...holy shit, it's just a game. And hockey isn't even the biggest sport in America, where you'd think maybe it'd be American Football or Basketball that *perhaps* one could see a college going so far over. Especially in the Pacific Northwest, which, as someone who lives there, hockey is not that huge here.
So anyway, that whole aspect felt a bit silly to me at times.
Ryan though, goes through hell via his awful father. He's part of the Savage family, a big rich family who has a "reputation to maintain" and he does awful things, literally torturing Ryan, all in the name of keeping up appearances and if Ryan doesn't fit that image he tortures him. He keeps Ryan in a prison and treats him like a puppet on a string, and it's awful. And he uses Ryan's younger brother, Griffon, to keep him on that string indefinitely.
But one thing that confused me - Ryan is 23, turns 24 later on this and this book makes it seem like he still has years left at the college they're at? Or that he's choosing to stay longer for Griffon? Like okay, we know he was in the NHL for a year before his father pulled him out. So he would have been, what, 19 when that happened? 4 years later he'd be done by 23, no? Or if he has to stay an extra year or two, okay, but it seemed like he'd stay at least 3 more for Griffon, who is just starting there at the start of this book. Is he really going to be 27 when he finishes college, all to play hockey and look over Griffon? Can that be done at this special military college? (Which, are their military colleges out there? I always here about military academies for like high school and below, but never college - because these are legal adults at this point, so...idk.)
Anyway, that confused me a bit, but aside from that, I really liked Ryan and what he sacrificed and went through for his brother was amazing. I think he could have left his father's reach and prison if it wasn't for Griffon.
But as it is, he can't, and so his only hope arrives in the form of Tate, a psychopath who has an obsession with Ryan but also cares about his brother Luke and needs to marry before he's 40 to get his sadistic, evil uncle's inheritance to go to Luke, and Ryan is the perfect solution.
I personally don't get why it took so long for Ryan to say yes. Like yeah he had misgivings and shit, but he was just as into Tate as Tate was into him, and I don't get why knowing that he wasn't jumping at the first opportunity to escape his father as soon as possible. It really didn't make sense to me that he prolonged that for so long. Even after his father was threatening to force him to marry this asshole, Kline, in just like two month's time. Like okay *especially* now is the time to say yes yes yes, let's rush down that aisle! I'm sorry but who cares if there's no love there? Do what you can to escape and save your brother too! Christ.
Like in an ideal world Ryan can marry for love but not here, not in this circumstance where you're in a prison made by your father and will further be in one when he marries you this Kline. Think with your head, man! I don't care if it's a big decision and you're worried you're exchanging one prison for another, do it!
Tate was so obviously obsessed with Ryan too from the jump, it should have been a no brainer.
I did really enjoy these two together and their chemistry, although them just right away jumping into sex the *moment* they meet was like "woah hello" because it was so damn fast. But the feelings, at least, took it's time and were well developed.
Tate's psychopathy, at times, made it hard to feel feelings from him, but eventually it was like - he kept saying he could never love, but he was so clearly in love with Ryan. So it took him awhile to get there, but once he accepted it, it was great. I loved once Tate realized his feelings and gave into them. It was so stupid to me when he was trying to ignore Ryan so he could have 'control' like if you need to ignore him so much to maintain control, I don't think you just have an 'obsession' i think you're in love, man.
So yeah, I had some niggles and this extremism around hockey was just a bit too much for me, a bit too much on the silly side, but I still enjoyed this overall and had a fun time with it. The sex was very good and fun to read.
I'm already looking forward to reading Rhys and Griffon's story next, it'll be fun to get that dynamic.
So, as a first read for me with this author, I quite enjoyed it and will be reading more. Until then! 😘
August 3, 2026
Messy, filthy, dark deliciousness.
A totally imperfect book with totally imperfect characters. Oozing with madness, obsession, rage and loads of erotic interludes.
I seriously wanted to nuke everyone in the book in the first extremely difficult chapters. And to be honest, I wanted more revenge...but still, this was a great read with all my favorite ingredients.
A totally imperfect book with totally imperfect characters. Oozing with madness, obsession, rage and loads of erotic interludes.
I seriously wanted to nuke everyone in the book in the first extremely difficult chapters. And to be honest, I wanted more revenge...but still, this was a great read with all my favorite ingredients.
Did Not Finish
August 15, 2026DNF at 25%
I think it's just me and my current reading mood. I think I'm in the mood for a more slow burn emotional read, and here the spice started at 3% which I'm not craving right now. So, I didn't want to continue reading without being invested. I might come back to it in the future.
I think it's just me and my current reading mood. I think I'm in the mood for a more slow burn emotional read, and here the spice started at 3% which I'm not craving right now. So, I didn't want to continue reading without being invested. I might come back to it in the future.
August 8, 2026
I’ve been looking forward to this book ever since it was announced, so I had high hopes for it… Sadly, my expectations weren’t quite met. I actually thought it was off to a promising start, but as I got further into the story, little things started to bother me more and more, and eventually, they began to add up.
One of my favorite things was getting inside Tate’s head. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him try so hard to convince himself that he didn’t have feelings for Ryan when it was painfully obvious that he did 😂
And these two genuinely could not seem to stay away from each other. Every time they were in the same room, the tension was there, and I enjoyed that part of their dynamic! Their relationship was definitely messy and complicated, but I think that was part of what made me so invested in them.
I also felt a lot of sympathy for both of them. They’ve been through so much, both in their pasts and throughout the events of the book 😔
Where I struggled most was with the overall plot. At times, it felt a little all over the place, and there were quite a few moments when I found myself questioning certain decisions or wondering why the characters were making choices that didn’t seem to make much sense. I think that was probably my biggest issue with it because it pulled me out of the story more than once.
The spice was another area where I was hoping for a little more… I found most of it too quick and, unfortunately, somewhat lacking in substance. Given the build-up, I expected it to have more impact, so that was a bit disappointing for me.
That being said, it was still entertaining, and there were enough scenes that kept me turning the pages. Even with everything that didn’t quite click for me, I still cared about these two and wanted to see where things would take them.
I’m not sure the conclusion completely worked for me either, but I was still happy to see Tate and Ryan finally get the ending they had been fighting for.
3.50 ⭐️
2.75 🌶️
One of my favorite things was getting inside Tate’s head. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him try so hard to convince himself that he didn’t have feelings for Ryan when it was painfully obvious that he did 😂
And these two genuinely could not seem to stay away from each other. Every time they were in the same room, the tension was there, and I enjoyed that part of their dynamic! Their relationship was definitely messy and complicated, but I think that was part of what made me so invested in them.
I also felt a lot of sympathy for both of them. They’ve been through so much, both in their pasts and throughout the events of the book 😔
Where I struggled most was with the overall plot. At times, it felt a little all over the place, and there were quite a few moments when I found myself questioning certain decisions or wondering why the characters were making choices that didn’t seem to make much sense. I think that was probably my biggest issue with it because it pulled me out of the story more than once.
The spice was another area where I was hoping for a little more… I found most of it too quick and, unfortunately, somewhat lacking in substance. Given the build-up, I expected it to have more impact, so that was a bit disappointing for me.
That being said, it was still entertaining, and there were enough scenes that kept me turning the pages. Even with everything that didn’t quite click for me, I still cared about these two and wanted to see where things would take them.
I’m not sure the conclusion completely worked for me either, but I was still happy to see Tate and Ryan finally get the ending they had been fighting for.
3.50 ⭐️
2.75 🌶️
July 31, 2026
This was dark, unhinged and a story that I really enjoyed! Ryan and Tate are drawn to each other through every dark moment and every secret. Their connection is primal and palpable and I loved seeing them circle each other. They both have their own trauma that they need to live with. Ryan has gone through so much and he's basically a prisoner in his dad's house or at North Point. My heart went out to him for all of the things he's needed to endure at the hands of his father. Tate didn't have a great childhood either. Tate is so obsessed with Ryan! I loved the obsession, possessiveness and protectiveness in this book! And loved how mouthy and bratty Ryan could be. Sadly that was one of the only traits that wasn't beat out of him by his father. I loved how Ryan took care of his brother, Griff. Protecting Griff was one thing Ryan did not want to give up, and it was something that he could try to do until a point. I loved the dynamic between Ryan and Tate.
This book was a wild ride and I loved every momwnt of it! I really enjoyed this whole world and I'm excited to see where this series goes.
If you want to read a dark story about a hockey coach and the captain of a rival hockey team, with heaps of trauma and a bunch of red flags then this is the book for you.
This book was a wild ride and I loved every momwnt of it! I really enjoyed this whole world and I'm excited to see where this series goes.
If you want to read a dark story about a hockey coach and the captain of a rival hockey team, with heaps of trauma and a bunch of red flags then this is the book for you.
August 16, 2026
4.5 stars! ⭐️
This book is a dark college hockey romance featuring a hockey coach with a secret life as the king of the underworld and a talented hockey player from a rival military college. When their worlds collide, they strike a deal: a marriage of convenience. It’s the first book in a brand-new series, but it’s also a spin-off of Off-Ice Misconduct.
There is unhinged. There is obsessed. And then there is Tate van Court. 😂 This man is the absolute epitome of an over-the-top antihero, and I loved every ridiculous, terrifying second of him. His obsession with Ryan was so intense that, honestly, it scared me. Ryan, however? Completely unfazed.
Ryan stood his ground from the very beginning. He refused to become a possession locked away in Tate’s metaphorical—and sometimes not-so-metaphorical—glass cage. He fought for his independence and equality, and I loved watching him challenge Tate at every turn. At the same time, he couldn’t help but appreciate just how completely, utterly, irrevocably Tate was gone for him.
The beginning of this book was tough. Watching Ryan endure abuse and blackmail was heartbreaking, and the chapters delving into Tate’s abusive past were equally difficult to read. But they were necessary to understand this dark story about two broken souls who, in their own twisted way, save each other.
Ryan needs protection from his father. Tate needs Ryan to secure his inheritance—and, perhaps most importantly, to satisfy his all-consuming obsession. So they make a deal to marry. But naturally, getting to that happily-ever-after is anything but easy.
Some obstacles come from outside forces, with villains who are very much determined to see them suffer. But the biggest hurdles are the ones they face within their own relationship. Tate has to learn that loving and worshipping Ryan doesn’t mean owning him, while Ryan has to navigate the boundaries Tate has built around himself because of his trauma.
And somehow, amidst all the darkness, this book is absolutely hilarious.
Being inside Tate’s psychopathic, completely unhinged mind was brilliant. The things he says and does, his complete lack of politeness, social etiquette, or even the faintest awareness of what a normal person should do in a situation had me giggling constantly. 😂 He is ridiculous. And I loved it.
One of my favorite things is that the author never suddenly turns Tate into a completely different man. His level of psychopathy remains gloriously intact. Ryan doesn’t magically “fix” him—he simply helps Tate rediscover parts of his humanity that had been buried beneath all that darkness.
And finally, a HUGE shout-out to Ethan, who deserves an Oscar for Best Performance in a Supporting Role. 😂 He was absolutely fantastic, and I desperately need him to get his own book.
Highly recommend, although I would have love to see a little more revenge for Henry……
This book is a dark college hockey romance featuring a hockey coach with a secret life as the king of the underworld and a talented hockey player from a rival military college. When their worlds collide, they strike a deal: a marriage of convenience. It’s the first book in a brand-new series, but it’s also a spin-off of Off-Ice Misconduct.
There is unhinged. There is obsessed. And then there is Tate van Court. 😂 This man is the absolute epitome of an over-the-top antihero, and I loved every ridiculous, terrifying second of him. His obsession with Ryan was so intense that, honestly, it scared me. Ryan, however? Completely unfazed.
Ryan stood his ground from the very beginning. He refused to become a possession locked away in Tate’s metaphorical—and sometimes not-so-metaphorical—glass cage. He fought for his independence and equality, and I loved watching him challenge Tate at every turn. At the same time, he couldn’t help but appreciate just how completely, utterly, irrevocably Tate was gone for him.
The beginning of this book was tough. Watching Ryan endure abuse and blackmail was heartbreaking, and the chapters delving into Tate’s abusive past were equally difficult to read. But they were necessary to understand this dark story about two broken souls who, in their own twisted way, save each other.
Ryan needs protection from his father. Tate needs Ryan to secure his inheritance—and, perhaps most importantly, to satisfy his all-consuming obsession. So they make a deal to marry. But naturally, getting to that happily-ever-after is anything but easy.
Some obstacles come from outside forces, with villains who are very much determined to see them suffer. But the biggest hurdles are the ones they face within their own relationship. Tate has to learn that loving and worshipping Ryan doesn’t mean owning him, while Ryan has to navigate the boundaries Tate has built around himself because of his trauma.
And somehow, amidst all the darkness, this book is absolutely hilarious.
Being inside Tate’s psychopathic, completely unhinged mind was brilliant. The things he says and does, his complete lack of politeness, social etiquette, or even the faintest awareness of what a normal person should do in a situation had me giggling constantly. 😂 He is ridiculous. And I loved it.
One of my favorite things is that the author never suddenly turns Tate into a completely different man. His level of psychopathy remains gloriously intact. Ryan doesn’t magically “fix” him—he simply helps Tate rediscover parts of his humanity that had been buried beneath all that darkness.
And finally, a HUGE shout-out to Ethan, who deserves an Oscar for Best Performance in a Supporting Role. 😂 He was absolutely fantastic, and I desperately need him to get his own book.
Highly recommend, although I would have love to see a little more revenge for Henry……
July 21, 2026
‼️SPOILERS‼️
I seriously don’t know what S. Legend puts in her books because ohmygod! Her books always have some sort of darkness in it but this one was on a whole other level and man, was I here for it?!
Ryan - sweet baby Ryan. This man right here has been through it and it’s because of his crappy father. His father does so many horrible things that I don’t know how he survives half the stuff he does to him. I love how he puts people first, especially his brother, but Tate hates that with a passion. Heck, he almost got shot trying to protect people.
What baffled me the most was the whole Kline issue. Was his father for real?
And Tate. The way that he fell so hard and fast for Ryan was everything I didn’t know I needed. Tate went through his own trauma with his uncle. It’s crazy. My favorite scene with Tate was when he was high as a kite. I was giggling because poor baby. Tate will do absolutely everything to make sure Ryan is safe and sound.
Both of these guys are broken boys and I love how they lean on each other, especially Ryan.
There were so many cute moments. I love it when Tate was like you get sick so will I! Or even when you die, I will chase you to the afterlife. Like creepy but so sweet!
If you’re looking for an unhinged dark romance, two obsessed broken boys, and just all the feels, this book is for you. I have to say that this book might be one of my top favorites.
I cannot wait for the brother’s book because I have a feeling that one is going to have me hooked just like this one did. The way you left us hanging…
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
I seriously don’t know what S. Legend puts in her books because ohmygod! Her books always have some sort of darkness in it but this one was on a whole other level and man, was I here for it?!
Ryan - sweet baby Ryan. This man right here has been through it and it’s because of his crappy father. His father does so many horrible things that I don’t know how he survives half the stuff he does to him. I love how he puts people first, especially his brother, but Tate hates that with a passion. Heck, he almost got shot trying to protect people.
What baffled me the most was the whole Kline issue. Was his father for real?
And Tate. The way that he fell so hard and fast for Ryan was everything I didn’t know I needed. Tate went through his own trauma with his uncle. It’s crazy. My favorite scene with Tate was when he was high as a kite. I was giggling because poor baby. Tate will do absolutely everything to make sure Ryan is safe and sound.
Both of these guys are broken boys and I love how they lean on each other, especially Ryan.
There were so many cute moments. I love it when Tate was like you get sick so will I! Or even when you die, I will chase you to the afterlife. Like creepy but so sweet!
If you’re looking for an unhinged dark romance, two obsessed broken boys, and just all the feels, this book is for you. I have to say that this book might be one of my top favorites.
I cannot wait for the brother’s book because I have a feeling that one is going to have me hooked just like this one did. The way you left us hanging…
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
July 31, 2026
4.5 Stars
Utterly unhinged. From the very first chapter until the very end. I wouldn't have it any other way.
We met Tate and Ryan in Off Ice Misconduct. Off Ice Misconduct revolved around Luke, Tate's brother, and Ace, a rival hockey captain to Ryan's team. There is certainly some overlap between the two books, so I would highly recommend reading Off Ice Misconduct first to gain a better understanding of the world and the side characters that are going to crop up in this book. Be aware though that the tones of the two books are completely different. Off Ice Misconduct is a lot lighter than this one, given that Ace is a bright ray of sunshine, whereas Tate and Ryan are both very complex, moody characters with dark pasts etc.
As with all S Legend books, be prepared to run the gauntlet of emotions. I was so completely enraged by some of the villains in this book that I genuinely wished for the ability to reach into books and physically strangle characters. I may have issues.
Tate and Ryan's relationship dynamic is very possessive, obsessive, toxic and I ate it up like a nutella donut. There's an age gap dynamic at play. Theres a coach/player dynamic at play (although Ryan is on a different team). There's an axe. Although it's unfortunately not used to end Henry...
Ryan's has a tight knit group of friends that are up to all sorts of mischief in this book. All of the characters are packing secrets galore, and I was absolutely feral by the end over a certain red headed twin brother and a best friend... gimme. His cousin, Kane, was certainly interesting and rocking a similar sort of unhinged vibe to Tate so I also can't wait to see whose crazy enough to take him on. lol. His father is ugh. A piece of brown excrement on legs. The literal worst.
Tate has complicated relationships galore. His brother was the only person he cared about, before meeting Ryan, but the secrets these two are keeping from one another would be enough to fill a book. He also has the bestest assistant in the form of Ethan, a walking, talking, sassy onion with plenty of layers. I have all my fingers and toes crossed that Ethan either - a) shows up in other books or b) gets a novel or I'll even take a novella of his own.
Anyway, if you're familiar with S Legends other work, you'll have a general idea of what to expect in this book, but like I mentioned above, this one is a little more chaotic than the previous books. I was here for it. I loved it. Can't wait for more.
Utterly unhinged. From the very first chapter until the very end. I wouldn't have it any other way.
We met Tate and Ryan in Off Ice Misconduct. Off Ice Misconduct revolved around Luke, Tate's brother, and Ace, a rival hockey captain to Ryan's team. There is certainly some overlap between the two books, so I would highly recommend reading Off Ice Misconduct first to gain a better understanding of the world and the side characters that are going to crop up in this book. Be aware though that the tones of the two books are completely different. Off Ice Misconduct is a lot lighter than this one, given that Ace is a bright ray of sunshine, whereas Tate and Ryan are both very complex, moody characters with dark pasts etc.
As with all S Legend books, be prepared to run the gauntlet of emotions. I was so completely enraged by some of the villains in this book that I genuinely wished for the ability to reach into books and physically strangle characters. I may have issues.
Tate and Ryan's relationship dynamic is very possessive, obsessive, toxic and I ate it up like a nutella donut. There's an age gap dynamic at play. Theres a coach/player dynamic at play (although Ryan is on a different team). There's an axe. Although it's unfortunately not used to end Henry...
Ryan's has a tight knit group of friends that are up to all sorts of mischief in this book. All of the characters are packing secrets galore, and I was absolutely feral by the end over a certain red headed twin brother and a best friend... gimme. His cousin, Kane, was certainly interesting and rocking a similar sort of unhinged vibe to Tate so I also can't wait to see whose crazy enough to take him on. lol. His father is ugh. A piece of brown excrement on legs. The literal worst.
Tate has complicated relationships galore. His brother was the only person he cared about, before meeting Ryan, but the secrets these two are keeping from one another would be enough to fill a book. He also has the bestest assistant in the form of Ethan, a walking, talking, sassy onion with plenty of layers. I have all my fingers and toes crossed that Ethan either - a) shows up in other books or b) gets a novel or I'll even take a novella of his own.
Anyway, if you're familiar with S Legends other work, you'll have a general idea of what to expect in this book, but like I mentioned above, this one is a little more chaotic than the previous books. I was here for it. I loved it. Can't wait for more.
October 1, 2026
4.5⭐️
“Ryan is the house I’ve built with my bare hands that’s caught fire. I don’t go in because it’s smart; I go in because he’s mine.”
SWOON, im a sucker for long and at times agonizingly descriptive books. so this HIT the spot for me 🤤
“ ‘I’m a person, Tate.’ But he slides those sensual lips of his over the spot on my neck, and maybe I don’t care about being a person anymore.”
Hockey player x Rival coach 🏒🥅
Both hotheads, both have traumatic and abusive upbringings, both are dirty motherfuckers 🛎️ *ding ding ding* 🛎️ you’ve hit the jackpot
“If you die—which, let’s agree to talk about that never again—I’m fucking out of here. I’m racing so fast to the white light, I’ll show up in time to carry you the rest of the way. I’m not living a minute without you.”
i love himmmmm, Tate is so unapologetically unhinged it’s no wonder Ryan finds a safe space in him (safe is used incredibly liberally).
—-
My ONLY grievance is THE GUN SCENE 🔫
“Watching Pearl slide in and out of Ryan’s greedy fuckhole was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. I made him kiss her. Lick her. Beg her to fuck him.”
YOURE TELLING ME IVE BEEN ROBBED OF THIS PLAY BY PLAY THAT WE’VE BEEN TEASED WITH FROM THE BEGINNING 😩
actually, i lied, i have another grievance, the strait jacket 🧥 and Ryan’s panic attacks. I feel like we see a lot about Tate and his trauma and we witness Ryan calming him down a lot but not vice versa. If i was forced into a strait jacket and ALSO into a dark ass cupboard i would have a MONUMENTAL crash out and being restrained in any form so i thought it would come up at least once but its only surfaces in hindsight for Ryan.
I know it would’ve been 800 pages but i would’ve devoured every single oneeee, i held onto the last 4% so hard my knuckles went white. I refused to believe it was over but lucky for me, im going straight to Ash and Luke’s book. You say Daddy kink and I’ll be there 🏃♀️💨
“Ryan is the house I’ve built with my bare hands that’s caught fire. I don’t go in because it’s smart; I go in because he’s mine.”
SWOON, im a sucker for long and at times agonizingly descriptive books. so this HIT the spot for me 🤤
“ ‘I’m a person, Tate.’ But he slides those sensual lips of his over the spot on my neck, and maybe I don’t care about being a person anymore.”
Hockey player x Rival coach 🏒🥅
Both hotheads, both have traumatic and abusive upbringings, both are dirty motherfuckers 🛎️ *ding ding ding* 🛎️ you’ve hit the jackpot
“If you die—which, let’s agree to talk about that never again—I’m fucking out of here. I’m racing so fast to the white light, I’ll show up in time to carry you the rest of the way. I’m not living a minute without you.”
i love himmmmm, Tate is so unapologetically unhinged it’s no wonder Ryan finds a safe space in him (safe is used incredibly liberally).
—-
My ONLY grievance is THE GUN SCENE 🔫
“Watching Pearl slide in and out of Ryan’s greedy fuckhole was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. I made him kiss her. Lick her. Beg her to fuck him.”
YOURE TELLING ME IVE BEEN ROBBED OF THIS PLAY BY PLAY THAT WE’VE BEEN TEASED WITH FROM THE BEGINNING 😩
actually, i lied, i have another grievance, the strait jacket 🧥 and Ryan’s panic attacks. I feel like we see a lot about Tate and his trauma and we witness Ryan calming him down a lot but not vice versa. If i was forced into a strait jacket and ALSO into a dark ass cupboard i would have a MONUMENTAL crash out and being restrained in any form so i thought it would come up at least once but its only surfaces in hindsight for Ryan.
I know it would’ve been 800 pages but i would’ve devoured every single oneeee, i held onto the last 4% so hard my knuckles went white. I refused to believe it was over but lucky for me, im going straight to Ash and Luke’s book. You say Daddy kink and I’ll be there 🏃♀️💨
October 4, 2026
4.75 ⭐️ 2.5 🌶️ 2 🖤
I hate my life…STOP MAKING ME HAVE TO SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT YOU! It’s my least favorite activity 👹👹
Holy shit..S Legend was not playing around with her dark romance writing. I was so absorbed into the world and how the writing captivated me so thoroughly. I love the parallels between Ryan and Tate being shackled to their abusive caregivers and how that effected them differently and made them equally perfect for the other. FUCK OFFFFFF! 🤬
Tate being perfectly obsessive, like MADLY possessive about Ryan was classic S Legend writing and the push and pull between will Ryan accept the proposal or not had me on pins and needles and how she effortlessly tied together various plot points that made the entire experience a wild ride that I didn’t want to stop and am in desperate NEED for book two..HELL EVERYONE WHOS GETTING A BOOK I NEED IT NOW! LORD RELEASE ME FROM THE CLUTCH OF S LEGEND!!!!! I begggggggg!
Their toxic love could not have been more beautifully toxic, their spice was delicious between their intimate moments to the full blown shabang was PHENOMENAL, the plot was intriguing especially not being a traditional fake marriage story, and the darkness was PERFECT, EXQUISITE, and DELICIOUSLY DARK 🖤🖤🖤
Allll around amazing book and talk about a fucking way to start a series!!! I HATE IT!!!🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Is it so much to ask to NOT have to say nice things 😭
FUCKING READ THIS!
I hate my life…STOP MAKING ME HAVE TO SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT YOU! It’s my least favorite activity 👹👹
Holy shit..S Legend was not playing around with her dark romance writing. I was so absorbed into the world and how the writing captivated me so thoroughly. I love the parallels between Ryan and Tate being shackled to their abusive caregivers and how that effected them differently and made them equally perfect for the other. FUCK OFFFFFF! 🤬
Tate being perfectly obsessive, like MADLY possessive about Ryan was classic S Legend writing and the push and pull between will Ryan accept the proposal or not had me on pins and needles and how she effortlessly tied together various plot points that made the entire experience a wild ride that I didn’t want to stop and am in desperate NEED for book two..HELL EVERYONE WHOS GETTING A BOOK I NEED IT NOW! LORD RELEASE ME FROM THE CLUTCH OF S LEGEND!!!!! I begggggggg!
Their toxic love could not have been more beautifully toxic, their spice was delicious between their intimate moments to the full blown shabang was PHENOMENAL, the plot was intriguing especially not being a traditional fake marriage story, and the darkness was PERFECT, EXQUISITE, and DELICIOUSLY DARK 🖤🖤🖤
Allll around amazing book and talk about a fucking way to start a series!!! I HATE IT!!!🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Is it so much to ask to NOT have to say nice things 😭
FUCKING READ THIS!
September 13, 2026
Honestly, if I wasn’t so fucking tired, I would’ve written a whole ass long review lol 😭 But anyway, I absolutely loved this book 🤭💕
August 5, 2026
Firstly thank you to the author S Legend and also Nisha’s books and coffees for sending me this arc. I give this a 2.5 unfortunately. I so wanted to like it, I was so excited because the concept of this book makes great bones for a story but it wasn’t executed good.
Did I read the full story? Yes. Do I regret it? No! I feel like every chapter had something I wanted to keep reading for but it was so disjointed, which affected the story immensely. Also the repetition was irritating, like I understand Tate doesn’t feel everything, but does he have to talk about it every single chapter.
Again this has so much potential and o highly suggest getting a second opinion or an editor to bounce your ideas to and from because this could be amazing!💚
Did I read the full story? Yes. Do I regret it? No! I feel like every chapter had something I wanted to keep reading for but it was so disjointed, which affected the story immensely. Also the repetition was irritating, like I understand Tate doesn’t feel everything, but does he have to talk about it every single chapter.
Again this has so much potential and o highly suggest getting a second opinion or an editor to bounce your ideas to and from because this could be amazing!💚
July 31, 2026
ARC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-book copy of this title as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this one a lot, but whew… there is a LOT happening in this b*tch.
We’ve got a military academy that somehow treats its college students like Green Beret trainees and incarcerated criminals at the same time. Secret societies operating under archaic rules and deeply unsettling philosophies about power. A rival hockey coach who doubles as an underground kingpin and runs hockey “death” tournaments. Torture at the hands of parental figures. Family secrets. Violence. Trauma. More violence.
And somehow, that still doesn’t cover everything.
It honestly felt like S. Legend wanted to throw every possible idea into the first book to establish the world and prepare us for the larger series. The result was an interesting and ambitious plot, but also one that felt overcrowded at times. The book ran a little longer than I think it needed to, and certain threads didn’t receive enough space to land with the impact they deserved.
The father, in particular, was built up like Hannibal Lecter reincarnated—terrifying, calculating, and nearly impossible to escape—only to be removed from the equation with surprising ease. After everything leading up to that moment, the resolution felt a little anticlimactic.
Still, S. Legend’s writing is beautiful, and their ability to inject humor and levity into even the darkest circumstances remains one of my favorite things about their work. No matter how twisted the situation becomes, there’s always a moment of wit or absurdity that gives the reader room to breathe.
And despite my issues with the length and sheer amount of plot, I was never bored. The world is fascinating, the ideas are bold, and the story left me genuinely curious about where everything is headed.
Verdict:
Dark, ambitious, beautifully written, and perhaps a little too determined to do everything at once. It may have overwhelmed me occasionally, but it absolutely succeeded in getting me invested in this world—and I’ll be seated for whatever S. Legend does next.
I enjoyed this one a lot, but whew… there is a LOT happening in this b*tch.
We’ve got a military academy that somehow treats its college students like Green Beret trainees and incarcerated criminals at the same time. Secret societies operating under archaic rules and deeply unsettling philosophies about power. A rival hockey coach who doubles as an underground kingpin and runs hockey “death” tournaments. Torture at the hands of parental figures. Family secrets. Violence. Trauma. More violence.
And somehow, that still doesn’t cover everything.
It honestly felt like S. Legend wanted to throw every possible idea into the first book to establish the world and prepare us for the larger series. The result was an interesting and ambitious plot, but also one that felt overcrowded at times. The book ran a little longer than I think it needed to, and certain threads didn’t receive enough space to land with the impact they deserved.
The father, in particular, was built up like Hannibal Lecter reincarnated—terrifying, calculating, and nearly impossible to escape—only to be removed from the equation with surprising ease. After everything leading up to that moment, the resolution felt a little anticlimactic.
Still, S. Legend’s writing is beautiful, and their ability to inject humor and levity into even the darkest circumstances remains one of my favorite things about their work. No matter how twisted the situation becomes, there’s always a moment of wit or absurdity that gives the reader room to breathe.
And despite my issues with the length and sheer amount of plot, I was never bored. The world is fascinating, the ideas are bold, and the story left me genuinely curious about where everything is headed.
Verdict:
Dark, ambitious, beautifully written, and perhaps a little too determined to do everything at once. It may have overwhelmed me occasionally, but it absolutely succeeded in getting me invested in this world—and I’ll be seated for whatever S. Legend does next.
October 11, 2026
“I’m never done with you, Ryan. Fucking never. Not even death can save you, because should you die, I’ll follow you into the next life, too.”
^ Page 346.
I thought I enjoyed this book or at least I had hoped I would. The first 20% seemed interesting at least. Then the more I read, the more I despised the book and was forcing myself not to DNF this thing.
I probably should've DNFd this one. I didn't because I actually lied on reading apps to keep my streak going and read the entire thing today so I felt forced to read it.
My reasons?
1. The writing style killed my spirits. For example, Tate is supposed to be some psychopath (because it tells you a million times) but he "bops" to Taylor Swift repeatedly and says corny/cutesy shit like "no takesie backsies" - like you want me to actually believe this is a grown ass 36 year old man?? Then he says:
“A spanking for disobedience is too fucking cutesy for me, dollface. I'm the lock-you-in-my-dungeon-where-I-can-make-sure-you-stay-safe kind of guy.” (Page 270)
And I mean that's just one example. Another would be:
He told this Gen Z girlie pop he was waiting for his husband? (Page 338)
And you wouldn't even need to check the publication date because I'd be willing to bet this book came out within the last year because of some of the words they used throughout the book. I just can't stand certain things like that.
2. The plot?
Look Ryan was either being tortured mentally or physically by something or the men were having sex. I'm not sure what more to tell you.
It was just the same thing over and over again.
And Tate is supposed to be some psychopath who keeps threatening to murder people or go on killing sprees, tell me where he does this? I'll wait. The worst he does is kidnap Kline for a few days after he forces himself on Ryan.
On the topic of the plot, Griff and Kline are completely forgotten about half the time. For example, Griff is being tested to go into the military or something? Then it says he'll get tested again soon but then it skips a month or so and we don't actually end up seeing Griff until he's leaving with Kline and whoever else was in that large scene? Kline being locked up and "tortured" in Tate's dungeon was just the occasional beating before he's forgotten about pretty much. I mean even Tate says that he forgot the last time he went down to visit him and then suddenly he's out and about?
Off the top of my head, I think that sums up how I felt about this book? I want my entire day back because I regret reading this.
^ Page 346.
I thought I enjoyed this book or at least I had hoped I would. The first 20% seemed interesting at least. Then the more I read, the more I despised the book and was forcing myself not to DNF this thing.
I probably should've DNFd this one. I didn't because I actually lied on reading apps to keep my streak going and read the entire thing today so I felt forced to read it.
My reasons?
1. The writing style killed my spirits. For example, Tate is supposed to be some psychopath (because it tells you a million times) but he "bops" to Taylor Swift repeatedly and says corny/cutesy shit like "no takesie backsies" - like you want me to actually believe this is a grown ass 36 year old man?? Then he says:
“A spanking for disobedience is too fucking cutesy for me, dollface. I'm the lock-you-in-my-dungeon-where-I-can-make-sure-you-stay-safe kind of guy.” (Page 270)
And I mean that's just one example. Another would be:
He told this Gen Z girlie pop he was waiting for his husband? (Page 338)
And you wouldn't even need to check the publication date because I'd be willing to bet this book came out within the last year because of some of the words they used throughout the book. I just can't stand certain things like that.
2. The plot?
Look Ryan was either being tortured mentally or physically by something or the men were having sex. I'm not sure what more to tell you.
It was just the same thing over and over again.
And Tate is supposed to be some psychopath who keeps threatening to murder people or go on killing sprees, tell me where he does this? I'll wait. The worst he does is kidnap Kline for a few days after he forces himself on Ryan.
On the topic of the plot, Griff and Kline are completely forgotten about half the time. For example, Griff is being tested to go into the military or something? Then it says he'll get tested again soon but then it skips a month or so and we don't actually end up seeing Griff until he's leaving with Kline and whoever else was in that large scene? Kline being locked up and "tortured" in Tate's dungeon was just the occasional beating before he's forgotten about pretty much. I mean even Tate says that he forgot the last time he went down to visit him and then suddenly he's out and about?
Off the top of my head, I think that sums up how I felt about this book? I want my entire day back because I regret reading this.
August 10, 2026
Havnt read a dark romance in ages and this one was awesome! Tate’s character and for that matter even Ryan’s is extreamly morally grey - not to mention Ryan’s father who is probably the darkest grey? So do not go in expecting a tortured hero you will not find one here. You will have a blast reading this tho, they are unhinged and sweet at same time like Ryan’s insistence on protecting his brother at even a huge cost to himself (sort of same with Tate)
It isn’t swoony in the typical sense but it is deliciously fixated and who doesn’t want to read that 🙌🏻🙌🏻
Expect:
Age gap
Secret relationship
Morally grey
Touch of the daddy dynamic
Bit of kink
Hockey
Possesive protective
Bit obsessed
It isn’t swoony in the typical sense but it is deliciously fixated and who doesn’t want to read that 🙌🏻🙌🏻
Expect:
Age gap
Secret relationship
Morally grey
Touch of the daddy dynamic
Bit of kink
Hockey
Possesive protective
Bit obsessed
August 3, 2026
OMG THE WAY I DEVOURED THIS BOOK! Responsibilities be damned! This was everything I’ve been craving in a book and more. This was recommended to me several times because I was looking for an unhinged, possessive, obsessive MC and Tate delivered! He is the best possessive murder puppy ever! Ryan may not be as unhinged as Tate, but he is pretty damn possessive too. I LOVE them together so much, and they are so HOT! This book is balls to the wall from the first page to the last. I would have read 200 more pages. I need books for every single side character STAT! I’m coming for you next, Griff 👀👀👀👀
July 21, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars
Vicious Butterfly by S. Legend is another unforgettable read that had me hooked from beginning to end.
Ryan is such a strong, resilient character. Everything he endures at the hands of his father is absolutely heartbreaking, and his father is pure evil. Despite everything, Ryan never stops fighting to protect his younger brother, Griff. The lengths he’s willing to go for him are a true testament to what unconditional love looks like.
Then there’s Tate. His possessiveness toward Ryan is completely off the charts, and he’s a walking, talking red flag. He insists he doesn’t know how to love, but his actions tell a very different story. The way he cares for both his brother and Ryan speaks louder than any words ever could.
S. Legend has a way of creating flawed, complex characters that pull you in and refuse to let go. If you haven’t picked up one of their books yet, what are you waiting for? Grab one…or two…or honestly, all of them. You won’t regret it.
Vicious Butterfly by S. Legend is another unforgettable read that had me hooked from beginning to end.
Ryan is such a strong, resilient character. Everything he endures at the hands of his father is absolutely heartbreaking, and his father is pure evil. Despite everything, Ryan never stops fighting to protect his younger brother, Griff. The lengths he’s willing to go for him are a true testament to what unconditional love looks like.
Then there’s Tate. His possessiveness toward Ryan is completely off the charts, and he’s a walking, talking red flag. He insists he doesn’t know how to love, but his actions tell a very different story. The way he cares for both his brother and Ryan speaks louder than any words ever could.
S. Legend has a way of creating flawed, complex characters that pull you in and refuse to let go. If you haven’t picked up one of their books yet, what are you waiting for? Grab one…or two…or honestly, all of them. You won’t regret it.
August 9, 2026
The story's pacing is too rushed. There was no buildup, no character depth. Just
Bam!
The two characters meet (I think it was at 2% in), and they're already hooking up. And I am not trying to be mean here, but in some ways this author reads like they are trying to be the next Rina Kent. But where Rina Kent's dark romances add a ton of backstory and character development, this story didn't work for me. 1 star.
August 14, 2026
Okay, I just finished this book and… I’m honestly pretty disappointed. 😭 It was not really what I expected, and I found myself forcing my way through it more and more as I got further in.
The beginning was actually pretty good and had me HYPED, especially because of the whole main plot of saving Griff. Although, looking back, I probably should have realized things weren’t going to work for me when Tate and Ryan first met because… what the hell was that interaction? 😭 The whole scene was so weird and made absolutely no sense to me. But at the time I was like, okay, whatever, let’s see where this goes.
And unfortunately, it just got harder to enjoy as I continued.
My biggest problem was definitely the main plot, because it went absolutely EVERYWHERE and was dragged out for so freaking long that I eventually just got frustrated and annoyed.
So, originally, Tate and Ryan are supposed to get married so Ryan can get the money and power he needs to escape his father, save his brother, and get him away from North Point. Okay, cool. I was genuinely interested in that.
But then… nothing happens the way you’d expect.
They hide the marriage. Tate is a coach at Shadowridge and wants to transfer both brothers. BUT NOPE, apparently Tate has absolutely no power over Ryan’s father. Then Tate is supposed to become a commissioner for… I honestly don’t even know what anymore because at some point I stopped trying to understand what the plan was. Then he decides he doesn’t want to be a commissioner anymore because he married a student and that’s not going to work, so instead he wants to coach at North Point.
So then, somehow, he ends up joining Ryan exactly where Ryan doesn’t want to be, and where his brother has been getting severely bullied and abused the ENTIRE time. FOR MONTHS. Meanwhile, these two idiots keep changing their minds about what they’re going to do every five minutes, and I was just sitting there like:
PLEASE. JUST DO SOMETHING.
But nooooooo. Of course not.
Bref, they’re all back at North Point, right back to square one. And GENIUS, then eventually the father just… disappears from the radar. 😭
Like, what was the point???
The whole plot felt like it was constantly moving in completely different directions without actually going anywhere, and it frustrated me SO MUCH. It genuinely ended up ruining a huge part of my reading experience because I was constantly waiting for something to actually happen.
And then we have the relationship between the two MMCs…
I’m honestly struggling to understand their connection.
At the beginning, I could kind of see it because there was a lot happening between them. But then Tate decides to distance himself for MONTHS, and we spend a HUGE portion of the book with the two of them barely speaking and basically nothing happening between them.
And I’m sorry but… WHY???
These are the exact months where I expected their relationship to actually develop, for them to get closer, understand each other, build something, etc.
Instead: ✨distance✨
And it created such a huge disconnect for me. Ryan says absolutely nothing, and then they just get back together acting like everything is completely normal with zero resentment or anything.
LOOOOOOL.
By the time they were actually together again, I genuinely struggled to understand what they even saw in each other. I was sitting there thinking, what exactly is keeping these two together besides obsession and lust?
Because for me, there was just no real depth or development to their relationship.
And speaking of that… the smut disappointed me too. 😭
I genuinely don’t mind books with little or no smut. That’s totally fine. But here, we got these random little two-line summaries of sexual encounters where it was basically yeah, we did this, this and this, and he came. Anyway.
Again…WHY ?
If you’re going to include it, why not actually develop the scene? It felt like everything was being told instead of shown, and if you know me, you KNOW how much I hate that.
So once again, I ended up feeling like I never really understood what was happening between these two beyond obsession + lust.
And Tate’s possessiveness also started to get on my nerves because some of the ways he tried to control Ryan and take away his freedom just weren’t things I particularly enjoyed.
The whole Clarence plot? I don’t even want to talk about it. 😭 Completely unnecessary and frustrating to me.
I also wasn’t particularly surprised by some of the reveals because I had figured them out pretty early, so there wasn’t even that much payoff there.
Honestly, this review makes it sound like I hated absolutely everything, and I’m genuinely trying to think of something positive to say here… but I’m struggling. 💀
If there’s one thing this book managed to make me feel, it was FRUSTRATION. Like, an unreasonable amount of frustration.
That being said, I am intrigued by some of the side characters, so I might still continue with the series. We’ll see.
The beginning was actually pretty good and had me HYPED, especially because of the whole main plot of saving Griff. Although, looking back, I probably should have realized things weren’t going to work for me when Tate and Ryan first met because… what the hell was that interaction? 😭 The whole scene was so weird and made absolutely no sense to me. But at the time I was like, okay, whatever, let’s see where this goes.
And unfortunately, it just got harder to enjoy as I continued.
My biggest problem was definitely the main plot, because it went absolutely EVERYWHERE and was dragged out for so freaking long that I eventually just got frustrated and annoyed.
So, originally, Tate and Ryan are supposed to get married so Ryan can get the money and power he needs to escape his father, save his brother, and get him away from North Point. Okay, cool. I was genuinely interested in that.
But then… nothing happens the way you’d expect.
They hide the marriage. Tate is a coach at Shadowridge and wants to transfer both brothers. BUT NOPE, apparently Tate has absolutely no power over Ryan’s father. Then Tate is supposed to become a commissioner for… I honestly don’t even know what anymore because at some point I stopped trying to understand what the plan was. Then he decides he doesn’t want to be a commissioner anymore because he married a student and that’s not going to work, so instead he wants to coach at North Point.
So then, somehow, he ends up joining Ryan exactly where Ryan doesn’t want to be, and where his brother has been getting severely bullied and abused the ENTIRE time. FOR MONTHS. Meanwhile, these two idiots keep changing their minds about what they’re going to do every five minutes, and I was just sitting there like:
PLEASE. JUST DO SOMETHING.
But nooooooo. Of course not.
Bref, they’re all back at North Point, right back to square one. And GENIUS, then eventually the father just… disappears from the radar. 😭
Like, what was the point???
The whole plot felt like it was constantly moving in completely different directions without actually going anywhere, and it frustrated me SO MUCH. It genuinely ended up ruining a huge part of my reading experience because I was constantly waiting for something to actually happen.
And then we have the relationship between the two MMCs…
I’m honestly struggling to understand their connection.
At the beginning, I could kind of see it because there was a lot happening between them. But then Tate decides to distance himself for MONTHS, and we spend a HUGE portion of the book with the two of them barely speaking and basically nothing happening between them.
And I’m sorry but… WHY???
These are the exact months where I expected their relationship to actually develop, for them to get closer, understand each other, build something, etc.
Instead: ✨distance✨
And it created such a huge disconnect for me. Ryan says absolutely nothing, and then they just get back together acting like everything is completely normal with zero resentment or anything.
LOOOOOOL.
By the time they were actually together again, I genuinely struggled to understand what they even saw in each other. I was sitting there thinking, what exactly is keeping these two together besides obsession and lust?
Because for me, there was just no real depth or development to their relationship.
And speaking of that… the smut disappointed me too. 😭
I genuinely don’t mind books with little or no smut. That’s totally fine. But here, we got these random little two-line summaries of sexual encounters where it was basically yeah, we did this, this and this, and he came. Anyway.
Again…WHY ?
If you’re going to include it, why not actually develop the scene? It felt like everything was being told instead of shown, and if you know me, you KNOW how much I hate that.
So once again, I ended up feeling like I never really understood what was happening between these two beyond obsession + lust.
And Tate’s possessiveness also started to get on my nerves because some of the ways he tried to control Ryan and take away his freedom just weren’t things I particularly enjoyed.
The whole Clarence plot? I don’t even want to talk about it. 😭 Completely unnecessary and frustrating to me.
I also wasn’t particularly surprised by some of the reveals because I had figured them out pretty early, so there wasn’t even that much payoff there.
Honestly, this review makes it sound like I hated absolutely everything, and I’m genuinely trying to think of something positive to say here… but I’m struggling. 💀
If there’s one thing this book managed to make me feel, it was FRUSTRATION. Like, an unreasonable amount of frustration.
That being said, I am intrigued by some of the side characters, so I might still continue with the series. We’ll see.
August 5, 2026
This was my first S. Legend book. Ooo, was this book so good 😍😍?
I absolutely loved Ryan. He seriously deserved so much more than the cards he was dealt with. His father forcing him into “retraining” and breaking him down to nothing but a shell of who he was, but Ryan never let it happen. He was a fighter. He just wanted to protect his baby brother Griff any way he could, no matter the circumstances.
Tate was absolutely insane. So many red flags, but god was he hilarious. The chemistry between Ryan and Tate was hawtttt. I couldn’t get enough.
The side characters in this book had me so heated. I never wanted to jump into a book so fast, especially when it came to Griff. He was going through hell the whole book. I can’t wait to see his book. I’m ready for it 😍
I absolutely loved Ryan. He seriously deserved so much more than the cards he was dealt with. His father forcing him into “retraining” and breaking him down to nothing but a shell of who he was, but Ryan never let it happen. He was a fighter. He just wanted to protect his baby brother Griff any way he could, no matter the circumstances.
Tate was absolutely insane. So many red flags, but god was he hilarious. The chemistry between Ryan and Tate was hawtttt. I couldn’t get enough.
The side characters in this book had me so heated. I never wanted to jump into a book so fast, especially when it came to Griff. He was going through hell the whole book. I can’t wait to see his book. I’m ready for it 😍
August 18, 2026
I was so excited for this one! The tropes were troping, the character art was amazing!!
Unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet my expectations.
Whilst I loved the MMCs, and certain parts had me giggling, emotional or ready to punch someone, the story itself was too all over the place.
I struggled to keep up with the large amount of characters, the extremely long chapters that felt dragged out, and the storyline that had so much going on, at the same time as nothing going on… the ending also fell short, I’m still not sure I even know what happened…
However I do want to learn more about Ryan’s brother though! I fell in love with him and he broke my heart with the parts we got of him 💔
Unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet my expectations.
Whilst I loved the MMCs, and certain parts had me giggling, emotional or ready to punch someone, the story itself was too all over the place.
I struggled to keep up with the large amount of characters, the extremely long chapters that felt dragged out, and the storyline that had so much going on, at the same time as nothing going on… the ending also fell short, I’m still not sure I even know what happened…
However I do want to learn more about Ryan’s brother though! I fell in love with him and he broke my heart with the parts we got of him 💔
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed this book. It was dark and devastating, which is exactly what I love. Tate and Ryan definitely had their issues, and honestly, most of them were completely justified. Somehow, though, they found a way to make it work, and together they helped each other become so much better. Watching Tate change as a person, along with Ryan, was one of my favorite parts. Especially Tate That poor man had so much to overcome, and the two of them made such an explosive but perfect couple. My only criticism is that the ending felt a tad rushed. I didn’t hate it at all I just wish we had gotten a little more before it ended. Overall, I adored these two and can’t wait to read Griffon’s story.
August 2, 2026
Gosh, I love the walking red flag - Tate Vancourt and I love Ryan. I was in a middle of another book and coincidentally that book has the word butterfly in the title too. But after reading the blurb on this one, I paused and switched to this and devoured this and it is now almost 5am and I haven’t slept yet and I’m supposed to wake up at 6am 😩😂. Who needs sleep when the story was this riveting, heartbreaking, sexy, funny at times and actually romantic in an unhinged way.
Can’t wait for Grif’s book!
And yes i hated HATED Henry!!!!
Can’t wait for Grif’s book!
And yes i hated HATED Henry!!!!
August 9, 2026
So this was such an interesting concept to me, a hockey collage that runs like a military boot camp? And with a psychopathic hockey coach? Sign me uuuup!
My favorite moments were with Tate and Ryan together, they had some funny bits 😂 Sure, there were moments where I wasn't Tate's biggest fan, but when he took good care of Ryan? Instantly loved him for that. Ryan's father is on my list of the worst dads in books ever, I wished he suffered more.
I'm excited to read the next book about Ryan's brother and best friend!
My favorite moments were with Tate and Ryan together, they had some funny bits 😂 Sure, there were moments where I wasn't Tate's biggest fan, but when he took good care of Ryan? Instantly loved him for that. Ryan's father is on my list of the worst dads in books ever, I wished he suffered more.
I'm excited to read the next book about Ryan's brother and best friend!
August 23, 2026
Darkly delicious.
Red flags and humour are my favourite combination and this story is full of both.
Wowee, I love dark romance and I read a LOT of it, but this is probably the most visual view of a parent that I've read. S Legend did AMAZINGLY with this, the back stories, upbringings and reasons why red flags aren't just ignorable but adorable. (In fiction).
LOVED this couple. Protective, possessive, yessss.
Red flags and humour are my favourite combination and this story is full of both.
Wowee, I love dark romance and I read a LOT of it, but this is probably the most visual view of a parent that I've read. S Legend did AMAZINGLY with this, the back stories, upbringings and reasons why red flags aren't just ignorable but adorable. (In fiction).
LOVED this couple. Protective, possessive, yessss.
August 3, 2026
Ok, so this book has me in a chokehold. The title, the cover, the MCs, the story. EVERYTHING!
I loved every single thing about this book. I started it, finished it, couldn't stop thinking about it, so I read it again and I am still not over it. I need the audiobook like yesterday!!
I have read several of S. Legend's books and have loved every one of them, but Vicious Butterfly knocked my freaking socks off! Seriously Ryan and Tate are in my top 5 best dark mm romance couples. Tate is so fecking unhinged and Ryan is so beautifully broken, and together PERFECTION!
This is the deliciously messed-up couple I crave, the dynamic that I look for when reading dark romance. These are the characters that every dark romance reader dreams about and S. Legend wrote them so beautifully.
Vicious Butterfly is a spin-off of Off-Ice Misconduct, which I am going to go back and re-read to catch all of the Easter eggs! Butterfly can be read as a standalone but if you haven’t read Off-Ice consider this your sign!
So, while I am waiting for the audiobook and/or the next book in this series I will be respectfully stalking S. Legend. Just kidding… kinda. Haha
I loved every single thing about this book. I started it, finished it, couldn't stop thinking about it, so I read it again and I am still not over it. I need the audiobook like yesterday!!
I have read several of S. Legend's books and have loved every one of them, but Vicious Butterfly knocked my freaking socks off! Seriously Ryan and Tate are in my top 5 best dark mm romance couples. Tate is so fecking unhinged and Ryan is so beautifully broken, and together PERFECTION!
This is the deliciously messed-up couple I crave, the dynamic that I look for when reading dark romance. These are the characters that every dark romance reader dreams about and S. Legend wrote them so beautifully.
Vicious Butterfly is a spin-off of Off-Ice Misconduct, which I am going to go back and re-read to catch all of the Easter eggs! Butterfly can be read as a standalone but if you haven’t read Off-Ice consider this your sign!
So, while I am waiting for the audiobook and/or the next book in this series I will be respectfully stalking S. Legend. Just kidding… kinda. Haha
August 1, 2026
Tate + Ryan
-mm dark romance
-military hockey academy
-coach x player
-fake marriage, real claim
-bug guy x even bigger guy
-marking
tehehehe *giddyyyyy blushing kicking my feetiesss* 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭 damnnn tate is a daddyyyy & these two are SOOOO possessive it had me BLUSHINGGGG!!
-mm dark romance
-military hockey academy
-coach x player
-fake marriage, real claim
-bug guy x even bigger guy
-marking
tehehehe *giddyyyyy blushing kicking my feetiesss* 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭 damnnn tate is a daddyyyy & these two are SOOOO possessive it had me BLUSHINGGGG!!
Did Not Finish
October 28, 2026Fan art on profile is AI.
August 2, 2026
Sorry, could not get on with this. The writing was so disjointed and just not enjoyable to read at all. DNF at 16%
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