By Any Means

by Eva Marks

My brother’s best friend was never someone I was supposed to want…but I did anyway.

And by the time I found the courage to act on it, he was already gone.


Ten years later, he’s back.
Just not as the boy I remember.

Duncan is The Restorer, a powerful and reclusive man bent on revenge.
And for some reason, that revenge starts with me.

He blackmails me into moving into his mansion, where every night I’m at his mercy, a twisted art project he shapes however he wants.

It should terrify me, the way he’s become so cruel, cold, and unforgiving. But I know better.
I see through him. The man he used to be is still there, buried underneath it all.

That’s why, despite everything, I stay.
He doesn’t get to erase me from his life again.
I’m here to take what’s mine, and that’s him.

By any means.

Genres: Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Second Chance

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2026

About the author

Writing spicy books about dirty talkers and the women who love them.


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Reviews

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotional Rollercoaster when you have these two! Duncan and Elowyn they are a perfect pair. It took them a minute to get together since Duncan had his mind set on revenge. And was a jerk most of the book.

And miscommunication is what happened when they (Elowyn) listened to ppls who she shouldn't listen to but then again it was her own flesh and blood.
But anywho let's back up. After what happened these two haven't spoken to eachother in ages. In that time Duncan made sure he grew more powerful and richer for his plan to work. He also grew colder and calculated. When he sets the trap. Elowyn dealing with her own drama and life gets an invite from The Restorer who wants her to work for him. It's a push/pull when she agrees, emotions between the 2 when they see eachother again. The things Duncan does to her lines are crossed boundaries are pushed. They fight eachother each step of the way. Then things become alittle clearer when they talk about the past. But they still have to deal with the past.

And its a dosey. So be warned. 🥰


Low angst, No ow/om drama, no cheating, drama, sexy times, virgin gal no manwhore

Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5

Prologue
Slowinsta
Age gap
Rags to riches/Riches to rags
Somnophilia
Dubcon
Drugging the fmc by the mmc
Bondage
Minupulation
Humiliation
Breeding kink
Revenge plot
Object for pleasure
Masturbation
Murder
Praise kink
Degradation
Mentions of SA to the fmc not by the mmc
Force orgasms
No condom
Sex next to a dead body
Orgasms denial
Hea
Epilogue

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

EVA YOU DID IT AGAINNN. THE FORBIDDEN. THE PUSH N PULL. .THE DEEP YEARNING. THE PASSIONATE LOVE.

This was truly everything I needed and I can’t wait for the next🙂‍↕️

[Ariday Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more than I expected—and I was not ready for this book to pull me in the way it did! 🖤😮‍💨
A dark romance + best friend’s brother isn’t something I ever thought about, but it was definitely everything I needed 💌

🌶️/4.5
🌟/4.5
💧/0.5

——————
Thank you so much to the author for the ARC paperback 🥹✨

Tropes:
• best friend’s brother
• dark romance
• kidnap / captive
• age gap
• forced proximity

Elowyn 🤍:
She’s the daughter of wealthy parents and has always been in love with her brother’s best friend. She just never had the courage to confess her feelings. Since they lived together, she was always trying to be as close to him as possible 🥹

Duncan 🎭:
After becoming an orphan following his parents’ death, Duncan moves in with his best friend’s family. He’s in love with Elowyn, but with everything going on in his life, he doesn’t dare act on it. That is, until the night he decides to say “to hell with it” and kisses her…

Story 📝:
The night Elowyn finally decides to confess her feelings to Duncan doesn’t go as planned, because her brother catches them in the middle of it. Duncan sends her to her room and tells her he’ll see her the next day without fail—but he breaks his promise. The next morning, he’s gone… and stays gone for the next 10 years.

All those years later, Duncan is back—and he wants revenge for something Elowyn did. Even though she has no idea what she could have done to make him so angry, she doesn’t care… she’s just happy to have him back 🖤

Thoughts 💭:
I love Eva’s books, and I love the way she writes dark romance—this one was no exception 🥹✨
Elowyn and Duncan’s story is full of obstacles from the very beginning. Even though they loved each other since they were young, they couldn’t be together until 10 years later. That’s why it was such a relief to see them finally talk things out and resolve the misunderstandings that kept them apart 🙌🏼

What I loved the most was that they both stayed celibate, waiting for each other 😮‍💨


Español:

Mucho más de lo que esperaba y no estaba lista para que este libro me atrapara tanto!🖤😮‍💨 un dark romance + best friend’s brother no es algo en lo que haya pensado pero definitivamente era todo lo que necesitaba💌
🌶️/4.5
🌟/4.5
💧/ 0.5
——————
Thank you so much to the author for the ARC paperback 🥹✨

Tropes:
•best friend’s brother
•dark romance
•Kidnap / Captive
•age gap
•forced proximity

Elowyn🤍:
Ella es una chica hija de padres ricos y que siempre ha estado enamorada del mejor amigo de su hermano. Solo que nunca había teniendo el valor de confesarlo. Aunque como vivían juntos, siempre estaba tratando de estar cerca de él lo más que podía🥹

Duncan🎭:
Debido a que él quedó huérfano después de la muerte de sus padres Duncan se fue a vivir con los padres de su mejor amigo. El está enamorado de elowyn pero con todo lo que está pasando en su vida no se atreve hacer nada al respecto. Eso es hasta la noche que decide decir ‘a la mierda’ y la besa…

Historia 📝:
La noche en la que Elowyn decide por fin confesarle sus sentimientos a Duncan, no termina como ella esperaba, ya que su hermano los encontró en medio de su confesión. Duncan la envía a su habitación y le dice que mañana la verá sin falta. Pero no cumple su promesa porque a la mañana siguiente, él no está por ningún lado y así continúa por los siguientes 10 años…
Todos estos años después Duncan está de vuelta y quiere venganza por algo que Elowyn le hizo. Y aunque ella no sabe que hizo que tiene a Duncan tan enojado, no le importa porque ella solo está feliz de tenerlo de vuelta 🖤

Pensamientos 💭:
Amo los libros de Eva y me encanta como ella escribe el dark romance. Este no fue la excepción🥹✨ la historia entre Elowyn y Duncan está llena de obstáculos desde un principio, aunque se querían desde niños no pudieron estar juntos hasta 10 años después. Y por eso fue un completo alivio verlos hablar sus problemas y resolver esos malentendidos que los habían manteniendo separados 🙌🏼 lo que más amé de la historia fue que ambos se hayan manteniendo célibes esperando el uno por el otro 😮‍💨


Safety warnings ⚠️:
-no drama oh (otro hombre)
-no drama om (otra mujer)

-célibes? Ella es virgen/ él tiene 11 años célibe
-spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (no condon)
-breeding kink / dub-con

-separación? 10 años
-final feliz

[itsjustjasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duncan Rourke. You one fine specimen of a man. Imagine having someone that has the kind of love that burns even after a decade of waiting. It just keeps burning even when hope becomes absent. That’s the kind of love there is in this book.

She was his bestfriends’s sister, off limits, forbidden. But the heart wants what it wants. But no great love story goes without a tragedy.

A good boy turned bad boy x good girl.

Their connection is intense, their love and need for each other is borderline desperate, like lungs needing air to work. It’s 🌶️🥵 and hot and it makes you clutch the invisible pearls around your neck.

[Vivien R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this super spicy, very well done dark romance. I loved the “brother’s best friend” trope…but make it dark! Elowoyn and Duncan are the main couple. This is an opposites attract, good boy who reinvented himself into a bad boy kind of storyline. He had disappeared for a decade and came back as a revenge seeker known as The Restorer. I loved how desperate Duncan was to make her his, I doubt he would have needed to blackmail her into moving in with him. She was as hot for him as he was for her. Great spicy times and a good plot. Pic this one up as your next book.

[zenyra · Rating 2 out of 5]

skimmed after 65%…. way too long for such small plot. if youre looking for sex almost every chapter, go read this. plot progression was slow because of all those sex scenes. so annoying bc the conflict is literally just lack of communication. i wouldve understood all that if elowyn showed negative reaction after duncan confessed his deepest sin, but when he did, she literally just accepted it right away. the plot was just dragged through sex. bitch if u guys just TALK!!!!

literally elowyn every chapter: lets talk pls
duncan: lets talk LATER

[Mya Dsouza · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 — 🅡🅐🅥🅔 🅐🅛🅔🅡🅣
I need everyone to understand something very clearly before I start:
This book did not just live in my head.
THIS BOOK RUINED ME (and I’m not recovering anytime soon)

I went into By Any Means expecting just another cutesy dark romance, as I do with Eva's books.
[yes I'm aware I said cutesy-dark-romance]
What I got instead was an ALL CONSUMING, psychologically addictive, morally unhinged experience that I genuinely don’t think I will recover from anytime soon.

BOY. OH. BOY.

From that very first prologue, I was DONE for.

A murder.
A kiss that should’ve never happened.
A moment that changed EVERYTHING!

And then—ripped apart by manipulation, threats, and years of lies.

That entire opening sequence? Permanently branded into my brain!

As we jump ten years ahead, suddenly, everything is reversed.

Duncan is no longer the boy who once felt too much.
He is cold. Calculated. Powerful. Untouchable.

Elowyn? Stripped of everything.
Conditioned to believe she was never enough. Reduced to surviving instead of living.

[oh also f-ck you Barclay, you misogynistic, good-for-nothing, gambling-addicted ba$ta*d. How dare you tear our FMC down!!]

Duncan is back. But it’s not for love. It’s for REVENGE.
And somehow… Elowyn becomes both his target AND his weakness.

Now! Let’s talk about THEM. Because Duncan and Elowyn are not just characters, they're souls who've etched themselves into my heart.

𝓓𝓾𝓷𝓬𝓪𝓷:
Duncan is the kind of MMC that will mess with your head in the best and worst ways. He’s cruel, controlled, and terrifyingly intentional—but underneath all of that? There’s something broken. Something unresolved. Something that still belongs to Elowyn whether he wants it to or not.

𝓔𝓵𝓸𝔀𝔂𝓷:
She is NOT weak. I don’t care what anyone says.
This girl has been manipulated, belittled, and emotionally cornered for years—and yet she still sees HIM. She still pushes back. She stays, not because she’s helpless, but because she refuses to let her sorry excuse for a brother erase what THEY had. She chooses HIM even though her brother has told her not to.

And their dynamic??? INSANE.
This is not a soft romance. This is obsession, control, emotional warfare and revenge tangled up with desire wrapped in the pretty bow that is dark romance!
It’s toxic. It’s intense. It’s uncomfortable.
And I ate up every single second of it.
What ruined me the most is how this book makes you FEEL everything at once.
You’re frustrated.
You’re addicted.
You’re questioning your own morals.
And somehow… you’re still rooting for them.

Because beneath all the damage, all the cruelty, all the power plays—
There is something real there.
Something that never died!

THAT ANGST??? THE TENSION??? THE PAYOFF???
I HATE miscommunication. But THIS???
I will fold for Eva Marks every single time.

Because when the truth finally comes out…
when Duncan realizes he was wrong…
IT HITS LIKE A TRUCK.

The emotional payoff is insane.
The kind that hurts, heals, and leaves you staring at a wall after.

Vibe/Feelers — Think:
* Dark Beauty and the Beast
* Revenge disguised as desire
* “I hate you” → “you were always mine”
* Pain that turns into devotion

Also sidebar...
Elowyn felt SO REAL to me it was almost scary.

Her personality? Her stubbornness? Her softness underneath strength?
I connected with her on a level I did NOT expect.

And that just made everything hit harder.

10/10! LOVED IT! WORSHIPPED IT! DEVOURED IT!

[Sara-Catalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review (I know, it's way past the release date, but hey, here it is :D )

I love Eva's books, and once I start I'm going through them like crazy. The characters feel so real, and the tension, angst and smut hit the spot perfectly. And with By Any Means she continues to serve. I honestly liked this book. It's exactly what I would have expected from her really and she did not disappoint.

I have to say, Duncan and Elowyn story was all consuming. I could actually feel the chemistry through my kindle, and I don't say that lightly. Seriously, it's going to take me a while to find a book that will match the feels I got.

First, the opening scene? Insane. I had to stop and re-read it because I liked it so much. It gets your attention from the very start, high tension and high stakes, and it makes you turn each page faster. Did I enjoy the mystery, the morally unhinged experience? Yes. I did. Because that's exactly what I'm looking for when I'm reading dark romance.

Second, can I just say how much I love Duncan? Because I do. We love characters that save themselves for each other, because really, it makes their romance story that much more special to me. But going back to my new book boyfriend, he's cruel, controlled and intentional. But inside? There's something vulnerable about him, and hey, I loved it. Who doesn't like a misunderstood character? Villanous and misunderstood and you've got my attention for as long as I need to finish the book. And that vulnerability only comes out around Elowyn whether he wants it or not. Can you hear me giggling and kicking my feet at that?

Third, Elowyn. I simply loved her. She's not weak. She's been manipulated, controlled and belittled for years, and I mean years, and yet she kept believing, kept waiting for him, because deep down she knew Duncan was the one who moved her.

Four, I always say I hate miscommunication, because you know, worst trope ever, but sometimes it can be done tastefully. And Eva Marks did it. Was a part of me still a little ticked by it? Yes, just a tad, but the payoff was amazing. It was emotional, it hurt, it healed and put me back together after reading it.

I simply loved this book.

Sidenote: Was it just me or Barclay actually reminded me a lot of Quilan's brother from the book Quilan? And Elowyn reminded me of Quilan? Or maybe it's just me...

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know how to start talking about By Any Means by Eva Marks without sounding completely unhinged in the best way, because this book absolutely owns me now. From the moment Eva hinted at the tropes, I was already hooked, and when I finally got my greedy little hands on it, it consumed me whole. This is the kind of story that sinks into your chest and refuses to let go—5 stars… infinity stars… honestly, just give Eva all the damn stars because she earned every single one. Elowyn and Duncan were everything I didn’t know I needed, perfectly messy, emotional, and devastatingly intense in a way that made me feel every moment. You can feel the history between them in every interaction, and that second-chance, brother’s-best-friend tension mixed with something darker had me completely wrecked. Good Lord, is there anything this woman can’t write?
What got me the most is how this story balances darkness with this aching, undeniable connection that never truly broke, no matter how much time or pain tried to tear them apart. Duncan, as The Restorer, should have pushed me away, but instead, I found myself leaning in, desperate to understand him the same way Elowyn does. And Elowyn? She’s not just surviving this story—she’s claiming it, and I loved watching her refuse to be erased, even when everything around her said she should run. Their dynamic is intense, consuming, and at times uncomfortable, but that’s what made it feel so real and addictive to me. This book has my heart and soul, and I already know it’s not giving them back anytime soon. If you’re part of the romance community and crave something bold, emotional, and a little bit dangerous, trust me—you’re going to feel this one long after you turn the last page.

[Diatee Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Any Means is a dark romance (please check your trigger warnings !!) that follows Elowyn , a rich girl now down on her luck and Duncan , a cold and calculating man who's out for revenge against his first and only love.

A tale that is full of morally and psychologically unhinged moments .We follow our main characters who had been ripped apart by (SPOILER ALERT) Elowyn's manipulative and lying brother. However ,they are now brought together by Duncan's revenge .

This was definitely a wild ride and I loved our characters.
Elowyn has been conditioned by her parents and her brother to put her brother as her main priority however that does not mean she is weak.
My girl is out here fighting for her man , believing that they have a chance at HEA.
She knows that they need to communicate and that they both have been manipulated by her POS brother.

Duncan who believes that he no longer loves Elowyn and is only torturing (🌶️🥵) her out of hate . Yes, he is cruel . However, we can see how conflicted he is when he is trying to exact his revenge on Elowyn.
Essentially,my man is just scared that he is not Elowyn's number one. That she is just humouring him and will leave him for her brother.

Their dynamic is hot , the tension between them is high and their emotions run wild . Yes, the spice is HOOOTTT!!

I was totally hooked , the story flowed consistently and everything tied up perfectly. Yes, we have a very cute epilogue.

The chemistry between our main characters is electric and they're the stereotype of "right person , wrong time " and "it's always been you".

Thank you so much Eva, for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. I absolutely loved it!

[Donna reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS A BOOK YOU CANNOT MISS… AND IT WILL THRILL YOU TO YOUR CORE

By Any Means didn’t just pull me in, it dragged me under, consumed me and had me begging for more.

The brother’s best friend trope? Filthy perfection.
The he came back darker energy? UNHINGED.
And Duncan…

Duncan is a force you don’t survive, only surrender to.
Cold, obsessive and dangerously in control. The way he pulls Elowyn into his world and reshapes it to his will is toxic, twisted and completely addictive. He doesn’t love softly…he consumes.

And Elowyn? She burns back.
She sees through him, challenges him and refuses to be erased. Watching her unravel him piece by piece? EVERYTHING.

What makes it even darker?
They’ve both suffered at the hands of her brother and that shared pain twists their connection into something sharp, raw and dangerously addictive.

The tension is feral. The chemistry? Explosive. And the emotional chaos? NEXT LEVEL. One moment you’re clenching your jaw, the next your chest is tight because these two are constantly tearing each other open while still pulling closer. It’s anger, grief, obsession and need all colliding until nothing feels stable except the pull between them.

And the spice? HOT!
Dark, dominant and intense… woven with control, surrender, and psychological tension that keeps you completely unravelling with every page.

If you love morally grey/black, obsessive anti-heroes, fierce heroines and dark, twisted romance that pushes every boundary…
READ THIS.

Massive praise to Eva Marks for delivering something bold, addictive and entertaining .

This book didn’t just cross the line… it burned it to ash and I followed willingly!!

[Spicy BookNook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved every single page of this book. It wasn't super long, but it also wasn't super short either, but I ate it up really fast because that's how much I just loved it. The storyline was beautiful. And normally Eva goes in pretty brutally when it comes to the darkness, and while this one obviously is still dark, it's not as unhinged and wild as her other books, and it was really nice seeing this side of her writing! Like I really really loved it! Did I mention that yet? Lol.

Duncan...my heart broke for him from the very first time we met him. I just want some kind of happiness to surface and nothing was going his way. It was crushing and so freaking sad. But the man he turns into, I totally understand why he did and where all of his anger stemmed from.

Elowoyn...she is such a sweet and innocent girl. I mean, until she isn't...but I will NOT spoil that! When her and Duncan finally realize "no more lies," I thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest!

Gahhh I just absolutely adored this one. And if you know anything about Eva's books, you know her epilogues are always the best. And this one is an absolute bomb! Incredible. Amazing. Beautiful. Heartwarming!!!

[Samantha Flory · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Read

“My brother’s best friend was never someone I was supposed to want… but I did anyway.”
yeah… this book had me from that line 😩

Ten years later and Duncan is NOT the same person. He’s darker, colder, lowkey unhinged—and fully out for revenge. And somehow Elowyn is right in the middle of it.

I’m not even gonna lie, this was messy in the best way. The tension?? insane. The dynamic?? toxic but addictive. Like I knew I should be questioning everything happening… but I literally couldn’t stop reading.

Duncan is one of those characters where you’re like “I should hate you” but then you see glimpses of who he used to be and suddenly I’m invested again 🫠

I also loved Elowyn—she’s not weak, even when she’s put in impossible situations, and that made everything hit harder.

It’s dark, it pushes boundaries, and it’s definitely not for everyone—but if you like your romance a little chaotic and a lot intense… you’ll eat this up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 spice

Another great read by Eva Marks honestly—she just doesn’t miss

[Laura Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Any Means By Eva Marks ARC Review

I was really fascinated at how this book started and it turned into something angsty and how the obsession turned into something more perfect and meaningful their obsession turned into love was amazing.

Duncan was the best main character written by Eva Marks yet his character was so broken but it was so healing to see him find Elowyn and have the deepest rage that goes from that to love.

I adored Elowyn she was strong and brave and stood by Duncan’s side every time and how he was so protective of her was so important but most importantly how they went from enemies to lovers was adorable and worked out their issues to be together.

This was an amazing read and I adored the angst and the way Elowyn was so strong and had a backbone she was my favourite character and they both made mistakes and repaired themselves at the end. This was a 5 star read!

[Nicole Zarut · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You were off-limits. Forbidden. And still the only thing keeping me steady.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️.4


Like every Eva’s book, amazing!
She has a way of writing that I can’t never describe. This books suprised me because is not as dark as Eva’s books are usually but that doesn’t mean is not lol I’m just use to dark dark darrrk from this author.

I loved both characters in this book, you can feel for them so much, for everything they went through while growing in a house were all they care was money. Ducan fought for the love of Elowyn every minute of his days. Their love is so pure and real.

Thank God the a$$hole brother got a lesson cuz ma’am he wad pissing me off already, intitle a$$hat. Lol

Please check your trigger warning when reading this books, it does have a couple that you might no like.

[BobbiJo · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Any Means was a great dark romance read.

This friends to enemies to lovers kept me on my toes and also frustrated. It was an emotional rollercoaster for sure.

Both MCs making assumptions or listening to people they shouldn't has led them to believing lies about one another. That miscommunication trope will get them every time. The frustration came in when neither would just spill the truth.

Elowyn has been left in the hands of her no-good brother who emotionally abuses her and has ruined them financially. But Duncan is ready to begin his revenge. This book is emotional, so spicy and hot, but also sweet. It is a dark romance so don't expect to sweet the entire book, because it certainly doesn't start that way.

[Meg Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duncan and Elowyn might be my absolute favourite dark romance couple. I’m obsessed.

First of all, elowyn, yes girl. She is taking care of ✨things✨ and I love that she’s so headstrong and adamant. The angst in this book altered my dna. SO so good I have been refuelled, revived. I could not get enough.

Duncan? His POV wrecked me every single time. He’s so complex but as soon as he realised he’s effed up he is ON IT. we love a man who fixes and I don’t just mean his screw ups. Duncan is a restorer and I am a sucker for anything art related/ classical gothic vibes ok.

The spice was something else. Good lord I don’t have the words. 10/10.

Thankyou so much to Eva for the opportunity for an ARC 💕.

[Věra Škodová · Rating 2 out of 5]

White room syndrome at its peek, seriously. I remember approx three smut scenes and some cotton pressed round that, the rest is history.

Was really looking forward to reading this one, the start was very promising but it went downhill almost instantly. MMC is a monster due to a single reason that is genuinely laughable when he flaunts it in the FMC's face constantly, tension is nonexistent when they clear their grudge (I hate misunderstanding trope and am all for solving it asap but this isn't how you do it).

The worst is that the book has what? 400 pages? Never ever is here explained how the mmc became an artist/artist lover, what he had to do to crawl to the top, he just IS. The style itself isn't even bad so that makes it genuinely heart-breaking for me but it is what it is.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝓗𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓮𝓼𝓷’𝓽 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓪𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷. 𝓘’𝓶 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽’𝓼 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽’𝓼 𝓱𝓲𝓶. 𝓑𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝔂 𝓶𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼.

ANOTHER 5 STARS ⭐️ FOR EVA MARKS.
I’m not even gonna wait til the end to tell y’all how much I loved this book.
I’M LIVING FOR ELOWYN AND DUNCAN.
I actually cried real tears in this book. REAL TEARS ASK EVA LMAOOOO I literally was giving her live updates as I was reading😂

This entire read was an emotional rollercoaster.
It kept me on my toes, made me frustrated.
This book is emotional, it’s spicy, it’s sweet, it’s sexy. And OH MY GOSH IT’S HOT.
The tension, the history, the dynamic between Elowyn and Duncan??
IN LOVEEEEEEEEE

[Brit 🤘🏻🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Any Means by Eva Marks

🖤Dark romance
⛓️Forbidden
🖤Brothers best friend
⛓️Revenge
🖤Touch her & d!e

I’m a little bit late on uploading my review as the book is now released 🫣

To start off with I was very lucky to receive an Advanced copy of this book, thank you so much @evamarks for letting me get my hands on this 😍🖤

Now this is not my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be the last I have been very lucky in the past to get ARCs by the author and Eva’s books eat… EVERY DAM TIME 👏🏻
When I say I devoured this book I definitely neglected sleep to read this 🤭🤣
When I say Eva can write spice 🥵
If you haven’t read a book by Eva Marks then you are definitely missing out!!

[tiana ⏾⋆.˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

SWOON!

Duncan oh how I just love him.
This is a very spicy revenge romance. I love the second chance vibes & the “it’s always been you” trope.

"𝖨 𝗐𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗅𝖾𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗀𝗈. 𝖭𝗈𝗍 𝗇𝗈𝗐, 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋."

I have to say I love that Elowyn was it for him. No ow drama, or any thoughts. My kind of romance! He’s obsessed. Elowyn is amazing too. She’s super sweet and has really been through a lot.

I really love these two. Their connection is hot! Another amazing read from Eva! Can’t recommend enough.

♥︎ dark billionaire
♥︎ forced proximity
♥︎ revenge plot
♥︎ so spicy
♥︎ brother’s best friend
♥︎ br33d!ng

[Erin Pasket · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Mine. My woman. My everything. You belong to me.”

Eva knows how to write a book that has you hooked from the beginning. Elowyn and Duncan’s story is heartbreaking in the beginning, but once the misunderstanding gets cleared up, these two get the second chance they deserve.

Elowyn and Duncan had an instant connection and when they get their second chance, things get spicy quickly. The twists were a little predictable for me, but I loved how it played out.

[Readwithmelis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back with a new book by Eva! This is the second book I've read from her, and I’m officially a fan. She writes the perfect steamy dark romance. If you love the brother’s best friend trope, you should definitely give this one a chance!
The story starts with a massive misunderstanding between the main characters. I couldn't put it down until it was resolved... honestly, I couldn't put it down even after that. Their love for each other helped them overcome everything. Just as I thought it was over, the expected chaos arrived and stressed me out, but Eva knows exactly how to write those scenes, so it was resolved quickly. I can’t wait to read her next books! Duncan❤️🔥 You’ll always have a place in my heart!

[Smutasaurus Rex · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Any Means

So, so good!!! The tension, the sweetness, the angst, and ohhhhh the spice!!!
Loved the characters! Elowyn being a doormat halfway through was so frustrating and annoying! Thankfully, with Duncan's help, she started to gain her confidence and self-worth.
Elated over the justice served and the ending was a little rushed, but very sweet!
Even though there are a handful of various errors, I loved this book enough to give it 5 stars.

[Kimberly Rahr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down my favorite read of the year! Eva Marks knocked it out of the park with this one. It was freaking amazing. That last little bit had me hanging on the edge of my seat! Elowyn and Duncan are so broken, all they needed was each other and they healed each other in the best way. This is a must read!!

[Stephanie Rhamstine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Eva for the eARC!!

I genuinely don’t think I blinked while reading this. The tension, the history, the way everything felt so personal and a little bit unhinged… I was completely locked in from the first page.

You already know I’m weak for a brother’s best friend situation, but add in second chance and a revenge plot?? It had me from the start. I loved that it didn’t feel like your typical version of this trope. It was darker, more emotional, and honestly a little twisted in a way that just worked so well.

Duncan as The Restorer?? Completely different man from who he used to be....cold, controlled, and very much running the show. But she never backs down from him, and that dynamic between them… the push and pull, the tension, the way she sees him even when he’s trying to bury himself....it was addictive to read.

And the revenge aspect actually mattered. It wasn’t just thrown in for drama, it shaped everything about who he became and how they interact. These are two people who will absolutely burn everything down for what they want, and I was here for every second of it.

Also at this point I’ve accepted that every time I think I’ve found my favorite Eva Marks book, she proves me wrong and drops another one I’m obsessed with. She’s permanently on my auto-buy list, no questions asked.

And yes, she still gave us that HEA, and it felt earned after everything they went through.

[Felicia · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise doesn’t make sense. The way he hates her because she never reached out to him after he left. Miscommunication aside, they shared their first kiss the very night he left! How is that any kind of betrayal when they never even started? Or the way a grown woman thinks she needs her brother’s permission to take a job. And it just devolves from there. These people are melodramatic weirdos, none of them resembling actual people.

[The Feminine Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

When true love doesn’t give up

Most of us have felt this. That first love. That desire to be seen and cherished. But it is rare when a love like Duncan and Elowyns flourishes into the obsessive and devoted kindling these have. Absolutely a page turner that will keep you wanting to find out what is happening next.

[Risshan Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and steamy 🖤 the forbidden brother’s best friend turned enemy. Touch her and die. Eva has such a way with words, it makes you hunger for the next chapter. She’s my go to palette cleanser for all the extreme horror I read.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eva Marks does not disappoint! This is definitely my new favorite from her.

Elowyn and Duncan have the best love story. And to make it even sweeter, there's a dog!

Eva takes the brother's best friend trope to a new level. Please do yourself a favor and read this book.