Corrupted

by Marie Umbra

...To Be Announced.

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 14, 2026

About the author

Marie Umbra writes dark, character-driven romance and romantic suspense featuring morally gray characters, obsessive devotion, messy emotions, and the occasional questionable decision.

A nurse by profession and writer by obsession, Marie has been creating stories since she was sixteen. Her Barred Hearts series draws inspiration from her experiences working as a prison nurse, blending pieces of real-world atmosphere with fictional danger, suspense, and romance.

Marie loves writing characters who feel human and relationships built on devotion, vulnerability, darkness, and the occasional crossed boundary. Her stories are layered with mystery, dark humor, emotional intensity, and the kind of chemistry that makes perfectly reasonable people question their taste in fictional men.

When she isn’t writing, Marie can usually be found reading, disappearing down research rabbit holes, overthinking a single paragraph for several hours, or trying to convince herself she absolutely does not need to start another book before finishing the one already open on her laptop.

She does anyway.

Reviews

[Sabrina Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOT a happy ending!!!!! This book took damaged people to a new level for me. Made me hate them, made me love them and made me hope for more for them. The author made me feel (really feel) what they felt and embrace it even though it wasn’t how I would feel at all. The world of fiction has taught me to believe that a happy ending is always in the works and hope is always there but, did I mention this ending was gut wrenching?

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for my arc! If you haven't read this series its a must. Its an incredible series and this one holy smokes I am on a book withdrawal right now. Its dark with morally Grey characters that you'll fall in love with and the surprises in the book will make you crave for another book. I hope that there is another book coming. I disappeared in this prison smut so fast that I didn't come up for air until it was over.

[Tammy Bradberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC

This third book in the series was fantastic—I really enjoyed it! Since it’s set in a prison environment, the morally gray characters fit perfectly and added so much depth to the story. The twist was incredible and completely caught me off guard. Even though it’s part of a series, it works great as a standalone read.

[Devin DeBorde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prison psychologist Lainey finds herself playing a dangerous game with the inmates at the prison.

I love a wild, unhinged FMC, and Lainey delivers. The spice was spicy - I mean.. YES. And I was not expecting that ending.

If you like dark stories that blur the line between right and wrong, then this might just be for you.

[Morgan Wootten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC. Let me tell you, this book will keep you on your toes in the best way. SO spicy, dangerously dark, and full of the unexpected. You won’t want to put it down and trust me… the ending will shock you.

[Sarah Mickus · Rating 5 out of 5]

never will look at a therapist the same

This third installment in Marie’s series was so heavy. A therapist that uses her training for evil. An inmate with nothing to live for and a secretary with a kind soul. These books are so addicting

[Brianne Hersey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rage and triumph this book made me feel is ridiculous. This book is definitely the darkest of the 3 books in the series and it does not have a happy ending, but so worth reading.