What do you think?
Rate this book
Inked by Pride
Every debt demands payment.
An ancient, sentient ledger exists outside time—The Black Ledger.
It does not judge good or evil.
It records imbalance.
Men whose lives have tipped too far—through excess, denial, cruelty, obsession, or neglect—find their names written inside. Once marked, they are collected.
Their punishment isn’t death.
It’s confrontation.
Each man is forced into a supernatural reckoning centered on the very flaw that defined him—made worse by the one thing he never planned love.
Caleb Hart doesn’t believe in redemption.
In a town that keeps its secrets quiet, Caleb lives by one keep his head down, pay what’s owed, and never let anyone close enough to see the mark burned into his skin. The Ledger doesn’t forgive—it records. Every choice. Every failure. Every life crossed in the process.
Desiree was never supposed to matter.
She’s the bartender everyone underestimates, the woman holding herself together after her father’s death, the last person Caleb should want anything from. But one conversation turns into another. One look turns into a pull he can’t explain. And the Ledger notices.
As Caleb is dragged deeper into a system older than sin—one that demands penance instead of mercy—Desiree becomes both his anchor and his greatest risk. Because the Ledger always collects. And loving her might be the most unforgivable debt of all.
Dark, emotionally charged, and unapologetically raw, The Black Ledger is a small-town, dark paranormal romance about guilt, survival, and what it costs to choose love when absolution was never an option.
An ancient, sentient ledger exists outside time—The Black Ledger.
It does not judge good or evil.
It records imbalance.
Men whose lives have tipped too far—through excess, denial, cruelty, obsession, or neglect—find their names written inside. Once marked, they are collected.
Their punishment isn’t death.
It’s confrontation.
Each man is forced into a supernatural reckoning centered on the very flaw that defined him—made worse by the one thing he never planned love.
Caleb Hart doesn’t believe in redemption.
In a town that keeps its secrets quiet, Caleb lives by one keep his head down, pay what’s owed, and never let anyone close enough to see the mark burned into his skin. The Ledger doesn’t forgive—it records. Every choice. Every failure. Every life crossed in the process.
Desiree was never supposed to matter.
She’s the bartender everyone underestimates, the woman holding herself together after her father’s death, the last person Caleb should want anything from. But one conversation turns into another. One look turns into a pull he can’t explain. And the Ledger notices.
As Caleb is dragged deeper into a system older than sin—one that demands penance instead of mercy—Desiree becomes both his anchor and his greatest risk. Because the Ledger always collects. And loving her might be the most unforgivable debt of all.
Dark, emotionally charged, and unapologetically raw, The Black Ledger is a small-town, dark paranormal romance about guilt, survival, and what it costs to choose love when absolution was never an option.
217 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 3, 2026
Arc review
Thank you for letting me arc read. I did find this interesting and I do like the way it was written with the take on the 7 deadly sins.
For a dark romance story it was adequate but enjoyable at times. I do think this author has more to give and drive deep with other characters so I’m interested to see where the series goes.
Thank you for letting me arc read. I did find this interesting and I do like the way it was written with the take on the 7 deadly sins.
For a dark romance story it was adequate but enjoyable at times. I do think this author has more to give and drive deep with other characters so I’m interested to see where the series goes.
July 3, 2026
Proof readers did this author dirty.
Story has GREAT potential. Unfortunately, I felt like I was reading from an app that you have to unlock chapters in and the new chapter says the same thing that the ending of the old one did, but completely different to where you feel like the Author forgot what they wrote but is trying to get them to walk down the hall. In one scene it describes her taking off his pants 3 different times and in 3 different ways, and sadly thats not the first or last time that type or story telling happens. I had to check multiple times to make sure this was book 1 (it is), thinking maybe I needed to read the first one to understand. There is so much missing information and lack of explaining about things that would tie the story together, that I am proud of myself for finishing the book, because I almost did not at multiple points. There is supposed to be 7 books total and I will not be reading any more after this one in the series and maybe not frim the writer. Author, I hope you go back through this and tighten it. You have a story that could be so great but how this book is put together currently with the lack of important information, the lax explaining of what actually is happening in the moment and what the pulse/tattoo wants, the lack of flow/world building, and explaining one thing in the scene multiple ways (she rushes into his arms, he says something, she goes to him, ect.) makes no sense and very hard to stick to and read.
Story has GREAT potential. Unfortunately, I felt like I was reading from an app that you have to unlock chapters in and the new chapter says the same thing that the ending of the old one did, but completely different to where you feel like the Author forgot what they wrote but is trying to get them to walk down the hall. In one scene it describes her taking off his pants 3 different times and in 3 different ways, and sadly thats not the first or last time that type or story telling happens. I had to check multiple times to make sure this was book 1 (it is), thinking maybe I needed to read the first one to understand. There is so much missing information and lack of explaining about things that would tie the story together, that I am proud of myself for finishing the book, because I almost did not at multiple points. There is supposed to be 7 books total and I will not be reading any more after this one in the series and maybe not frim the writer. Author, I hope you go back through this and tighten it. You have a story that could be so great but how this book is put together currently with the lack of important information, the lax explaining of what actually is happening in the moment and what the pulse/tattoo wants, the lack of flow/world building, and explaining one thing in the scene multiple ways (she rushes into his arms, he says something, she goes to him, ect.) makes no sense and very hard to stick to and read.
July 25, 2026
Had to DNF this one.
This book had so much potential. The concept genuinely hooked me, and I wanted to love it, but the execution just wasn't there.
The writing became repetitive almost immediately. Every few pages there was another variation of "not this... just that," along with the same dramatic phrasing and over-explained emotions. It reached the point where it felt less like an author and more like reading AI-generated or heavily AI-assisted stories. I have no way of knowing if AI was actually involved, but that's honestly how it read to me.
What finally made me give up was the first spicy scene. The characters were suddenly against the door frame, then the couch, then the mattress, with no transition between any of it. It didn't read as though they intentionally moved, it felt like the scene had forgotten where they were, or the author did. I actually had to go back and reread it because I thought I'd missed something, but no, the movement just wasn't there.
There was a great story buried somewhere in this concept, which is what makes it so disappointing. With stronger editing and more polished writing, I think this could have been a fantastic read. Instead, I found myself focusing on the writing mistakes and repetitive style more than the characters or the plot. Sad :(
This book had so much potential. The concept genuinely hooked me, and I wanted to love it, but the execution just wasn't there.
The writing became repetitive almost immediately. Every few pages there was another variation of "not this... just that," along with the same dramatic phrasing and over-explained emotions. It reached the point where it felt less like an author and more like reading AI-generated or heavily AI-assisted stories. I have no way of knowing if AI was actually involved, but that's honestly how it read to me.
What finally made me give up was the first spicy scene. The characters were suddenly against the door frame, then the couch, then the mattress, with no transition between any of it. It didn't read as though they intentionally moved, it felt like the scene had forgotten where they were, or the author did. I actually had to go back and reread it because I thought I'd missed something, but no, the movement just wasn't there.
There was a great story buried somewhere in this concept, which is what makes it so disappointing. With stronger editing and more polished writing, I think this could have been a fantastic read. Instead, I found myself focusing on the writing mistakes and repetitive style more than the characters or the plot. Sad :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2026
This was a fun take on The Seven Deadly Sins and a being named The Ledger holding people accountable for their sin. I liked Caleb & Desiree, particularly how they each have things about themselves they have to give up throughout the course of the book.
We have Caleb, marked by the Ledger for pride. He is working at a mine local to our FMC bartender, Desiree.
Caleb's pridefullness has kept him in control of almost every situation. He has definitely preferred that, he's used to it & knows how to react to typical situations.
But meeting Desiree & being thrown together quickly with her is absolutely not something Caleb could have predicted.
Neither was his Mark choosing Desiree and marking her as well, a fate-chosen coupling.
Both of them have to determine the correct road forward, and it is not an easy one at first.
We have Caleb, marked by the Ledger for pride. He is working at a mine local to our FMC bartender, Desiree.
Caleb's pridefullness has kept him in control of almost every situation. He has definitely preferred that, he's used to it & knows how to react to typical situations.
But meeting Desiree & being thrown together quickly with her is absolutely not something Caleb could have predicted.
Neither was his Mark choosing Desiree and marking her as well, a fate-chosen coupling.
Both of them have to determine the correct road forward, and it is not an easy one at first.
June 19, 2026
Review from Book Siren
Inked by Pride was an enjoyable read with an interesting storyline and enough drama to keep me turning the pages. I liked the overall concept and found the characters engaging, but there were times when I wanted a bit more depth and development in certain parts of the story.
The chemistry between the main characters kept me invested, and the book was easy to get through. While it wasn’t a new favorite for me, it was still a solid read and a great start to the series. I would be interested in continuing with future books to see where the story goes.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Inked by Pride was an enjoyable read with an interesting storyline and enough drama to keep me turning the pages. I liked the overall concept and found the characters engaging, but there were times when I wanted a bit more depth and development in certain parts of the story.
The chemistry between the main characters kept me invested, and the book was easy to get through. While it wasn’t a new favorite for me, it was still a solid read and a great start to the series. I would be interested in continuing with future books to see where the story goes.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 22, 2026
To be honest, I thought this book had an interesting premise! However, it isn’t fully fleshed out enough to make a lot of sense. There are inconsistencies with location sometimes as well as point of view. At one point it was in Desiree’s perspective but then mentioned “the lady that cursed him” as if it was Caleb speaking. There was once it said fell onto the bed and then suddenly they were on the couch. I think with some time and redrafting this story could be really good. I also think the idea for the story itself like the “tattoo” need some rethought for it to make good sense. My head really couldn’t make sense of the conflict, nor the interaction between characters throughout the book either. Just “mho”anyways.
July 26, 2026
Good read
The story line was great. I absolutely loved the story. My issue is with the consistency in several areas of the story. Example is when Caleb first ends up at Desiree's house and is trying to leave. He ends up on the floor near the door and makes a call. When he drops the phone it says he drops it on a cushion then goes to him crawling back to the couch. Another is Caleb goes into the bar for lunch he leaves and they send Desiree home right after and she talks about how is dark out. Those types of inconsistencies make it hard to follow the story fully without being knocked out of your flow of reading.
I absolutely love Caleb and Desiree though. You can really see how they help each other grow.
The story line was great. I absolutely loved the story. My issue is with the consistency in several areas of the story. Example is when Caleb first ends up at Desiree's house and is trying to leave. He ends up on the floor near the door and makes a call. When he drops the phone it says he drops it on a cushion then goes to him crawling back to the couch. Another is Caleb goes into the bar for lunch he leaves and they send Desiree home right after and she talks about how is dark out. Those types of inconsistencies make it hard to follow the story fully without being knocked out of your flow of reading.
I absolutely love Caleb and Desiree though. You can really see how they help each other grow.
July 9, 2026
I loved the idea of this book, but I feel like the authors alpha readers/ editor let her down.
I love the concept and how the mark works I think its awesome but sadly let down by moments of unrealistic levels of miscommunication and a smutty scene that I read twice and I still cant work out if they were having sex or just hand stuff. And also part way through mentions a mattress before stating they are on the sofa.
It was a quick read but I dont think ill be continuing this series
I love the concept and how the mark works I think its awesome but sadly let down by moments of unrealistic levels of miscommunication and a smutty scene that I read twice and I still cant work out if they were having sex or just hand stuff. And also part way through mentions a mattress before stating they are on the sofa.
It was a quick read but I dont think ill be continuing this series
July 22, 2026
I was able to get this on BookSirens. This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the take off the deadly sins and the authors telling of Pride within the MMC but also the FMC. I feel like the mark aspect was different and unique which I quite enjoyed. It took me a second to get into it but once I did, I kept reading. I'm definitely interested in reading the second book to see Riots story
June 27, 2026
ARC Review
I liked this book. It was a good storyline and I liked the characters. Really liked Desiree’s bar family. Nate was always looking out for her. There were some parts than were a bit confusing to me though. I did not like that the MMC chose to go to the FMC instead of to an emergency catastrophic event where he knew people were in danger. Overall it was good.
I liked this book. It was a good storyline and I liked the characters. Really liked Desiree’s bar family. Nate was always looking out for her. There were some parts than were a bit confusing to me though. I did not like that the MMC chose to go to the FMC instead of to an emergency catastrophic event where he knew people were in danger. Overall it was good.
July 1, 2026
I struggle hard with easy details
The characters were good, the Mark left me very curious but how hard is it to read, re-read and have someone else read and re-read for errors? So many mistakes with seemingly important details not just spelling errors. That takes away from the enjoyment of the story
The characters were good, the Mark left me very curious but how hard is it to read, re-read and have someone else read and re-read for errors? So many mistakes with seemingly important details not just spelling errors. That takes away from the enjoyment of the story
July 17, 2026
Meh
It was fair, in my opinion it didn’t live up to the hype though. There was a lot of wishy washy back and forth, should we/we can’t/I regret it/I don’t regret it.
It has a great premise and several more books in the series. Maybe the subsequent books get better. I might return to it in a few months but it was only so/so
Storyline 3/5
Smut 2.5/5
It was fair, in my opinion it didn’t live up to the hype though. There was a lot of wishy washy back and forth, should we/we can’t/I regret it/I don’t regret it.
It has a great premise and several more books in the series. Maybe the subsequent books get better. I might return to it in a few months but it was only so/so
Storyline 3/5
Smut 2.5/5
July 20, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Fun way to spend a couple hours, good story-line and well written. I wouldn't mind finding out what comes next.
Fun way to spend a couple hours, good story-line and well written. I wouldn't mind finding out what comes next.
July 13, 2026
An interesting story that hooks you from the beginning and keeps you engaged to the very end. The characters are well developed and come across as very relatable. A great read.
July 14, 2026
A cool idea, but poorly executed.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews