Splintered Desire: Fighting Temptation

by Sara Hinds

The secret to staying alive? Never show your face and never miss a strike.

In the blood-soaked underground of The Pit, I'm a masked ghost, an undefeated shadow.

The Vixen.

Every move I make is a tribute to the boy who taught me how to fight—the only person I ever loved, right up until the day he vanished into thin air.

When my father remarries into the elite, predatory DuPont family, I'm not just gaining a new name—I'm gaining three stepbrothers who look like dark angels and watch me like they've already won.
Kolson, Isaac, and Jace are dangerous, possessive, and they have a penchant for breaking beautiful things.

The worst part? I don't just live in their house. They own The Pit.

They say they hate me, demanding my obedience. They swear they'll break me, make me learn my place now that I belong to them.
But in the dark, the lines between hatred and obsession are blurring, and the pull toward them is a fire that's going to leave us all in the ashes.

The harder I fight them, the more I see the hunger in their eyes. They wanted the Vixen, but they're starting to realize the girl living down the hall is the one who's truly untamable.

In their world, I'm the prize. But they're about to learn that even a caged animal has claws.

Splinted Desire is book one in my new Fighting Temptation series.
This series features multiple love interests and does end on a CLIFFHANGER.
This is by far one of my darkest books, so please check the Trigger Warnings.

243 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2026

About the author

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Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another Sara special and yet again an amazing book.

Splintered Desire is a fantastic book, I absolutely loved it and can’t wait for the sequel. I’ll be sitting waiting right here for the next like a starved individual begging for another bowl of porridge.

I was gripped from the outset, obsessed more like and spent many of night past my bedtime saying ‘one more chapter’

Do I plan to read the continuation of this series? Hell yes.
Would I recommend this series? Again, yes!
Do I love Sara? Also yes.

[Booksbystarlightandshadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zela finds herself with a new step family who her father neglected to mention when he moves them both into his new fiancée’s house. Zela is keeping her own secrets though as lives a double life as her alter ego Vixen, masked fight club queen. Her worlds well and truly collide after finding out her new brothers are her bosses at The Pit…and they don’t know who she is.

It’s always nice to see parents who seem normal and I loved Diane and Patrick. Patrick and Zela’s connection was really sweet and I was gutted he didn’t trust her enough and sided with the boys. I love how the guys respect their mum too - although the contrast made those last chapters particularly hard to swallow. I struggled with the specific way the brothers decided to teach Zela a lesson when she hadn’t really done anything. I appreciate this is dark romance and while this isn’t a trigger for me, the fact they were all on board with what they asked for seems like a real line in the sand and I don’t think they seem the type to grovel. I am 100% Team Reed at this point!

I am intrigued to see where this will go though and I was enjoying the push and pull until then. There is no real big bad yet and it feels like this is setting the stage. I hope Zela becomes confident enough to step out from Vixen’s shadow. There are going to be some real repercussions from that ending!

My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely until I finished it and it is one I will re-read

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vixen was fierce. I loved how confident she was despite her past trauma. And when she moved in with her morally black stepbrothers, she wasn’t about to let them interfere in her life. I loved The Pit, the fights, how tough she was. This was an amazing dark romance. The guys were hot, but they seriously underestimated Vixen. The twists and turns in this were awesome. I devoured this one.

[Isabella Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂 $&?!𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑲𝒐𝒍 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅. 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐. 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒏'𝒕.𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝒁𝒆𝒍𝒂, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰'𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔, 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓."

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

Okay…when Sarah Hinds said this was one of her darkest books, apparently she took that as a personal f*cking challenge. 😳🖤

Because Splintered Desires was DARK.

And you guys KNOW me.

I am a HUGE dark romance girl. Give me the morally gray men. Give me the red flags. Give me the obsessive psychopath who would burn down an entire city because someone looked at his girl for 2.7 seconds too long.

But apparently Sarah said…

Morally gray?

Cute.

LET’S MAKE THEM MORALLY BLACK. 😂🖤🚩

And then she gave us THREE OF THEM.

Ma’am.

What exactly were you trying to do to me?! 😩🧎🏻‍♀️

I gave this one 4 ⭐️, and before I say anything else: CHECK. YOUR. TRIGGERS.

I’m serious.

This isn’t “he’s a little possessive and occasionally makes questionable decisions” dark romance.

We have dub-con, st*lking, manipulation, v!olence, primal chase, psycho stepbrothers, extreme jealousy/possessiveness and men whose moral compasses apparently got thrown in the trash years ago. 😂

So PLEASE know your limits going into this one.

Now that we’ve established that…

THE VIXEN. 👀

Our FMC fights in this underground fight club called The Pit, where she’s basically a masked ghost. Undefeated. Untouchable. Nobody knows who she actually is.

And I LOVED that.

Because give me a dark romance FMC who can actually throw a punch and isn’t just waiting around for some psychotic man to save her. 😩👏🏻

Everything she knows about fighting comes from the boy she loved—the one person who meant everything to her before he suddenly disappeared.

Then her father remarries and she finds herself living with the DuPont family.

And her THREE new stepbrothers.

Kolson.

Isaac.

Jace.

🚩🚩🚩

Three dark, possessive, completely f*cking unhinged men who look at this woman like they’re simultaneously trying to decide whether they want to destroy her, own her or devour her.

Probably all three.

And unfortunately…

I was seated. 🧎🏻‍♀️

Then we find out THEY OWN THE PIT.

Oh.

OH.

👀👀👀

These men think she belongs to them. They want obedience. They want control. They want to break her.

Meanwhile, our girl is basically standing there like…

Good f*cking luck. 😂

And THAT dynamic was what kept me hooked.

Because she fights them.

She pushes back.

She has claws.

And instead of making them back off, every bit of defiance just seems to make these psychopaths MORE obsessed with her. 😩

Is that healthy?

Absolutely the f*ck not.

Did I pick up a book featuring “psycho stepbrothers” because I was looking for examples of healthy communication?

Also no. 😂😂😂

The possessiveness in this book is on another LEVEL.

The jealousy???

Unhinged.

The obsession???

Concerning.

The primal chase??? 👀

Your Honour, I’m going to exercise my right to remain silent. 🧎🏻‍♀️😂

And because this is multiple love interests, you don’t just have ONE morally bankrupt man obsessing over her.

You have THREE.

Each one has his own flavor of “I probably need extensive psychiatric intervention but instead I’ve decided to make this woman’s life my entire personality.”

And you guys…

I ate that sh*t up. 😩🖤

What I also really liked was that beneath all the darkness, there’s clearly something much bigger happening. Her past, the boy who taught her to fight, The Pit, the DuPont family…there are secrets everywhere, and this first book feels like we’re only scratching the surface.

Which brings me to my complaint.

THE F*CKING CLIFFHANGER.

SARAH.

😐

Ma’am.

We need to talk.

Because I reached the end and genuinely had one of those “surely my Kindle forgot to download another chapter” moments. 😂😭

This is book one, so obviously there are questions left unanswered and relationships that still have a LOT of developing to do. And I think that’s ultimately what kept this at a 4 instead of pushing it into 5-star territory for me.

I need MORE.

More answers. More emotional development. More backstory. More of these relationships.

And apparently more opportunities to question my own taste in fictional men. 😂

But if you’re a dark romance reader who likes your books ACTUALLY DARK, this one needs to be on your radar.

We’re talking underground fighting, masked FMC, psycho stepbrothers, multiple love interests, morally BLACK MMCs, enemies-to-obsession energy, dub-con, primal chase, st*lking, manipulation, extreme possessiveness and enough red flags to cover a small country. 🚩🚩🚩

Again…

CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS.

This book isn’t going to be for everyone.

But me?

I’m a dark romance girl.

You put three obsessive, morally bankrupt fictional men in front of me and apparently my last remaining brain cell just whispers…

“I can fix them.”

Actually, no.

F*ck that.

I don’t WANT to fix them. 😩🧎🏻‍♀️🖤

Now give me book two because I have QUESTIONS and these psychopaths have unfinished business. 👀

[Gwyn Gable · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast, fun, and dark read, right up my alley. I loved the unhinged, dysfunctional point of view each character brought to the table.

Zela, our FMC, might seem like the most stable person in the cast, but she still has her own internal demons she constantly battles. My favorite aspect of her character is the dichotomy between her two personas. On one side, she is “Vixen” the fighter, a capable, commanding presence who always appears in control. On the other side is Zela, uncertain, biding her time, while anxiously wanting to escape into the next chapter of her life. I felt like she was still anchored to her past, and it really played a big role in her story. It felt like she viewed herself trapped, but failed to see that she held more power over her destiny than she realized. Even though she fights her reality I think that she might secretly desire what is right in front of her. She is such a rich, well-developed character, and I cannot wait for book two to see her embrace the badass she is. 

​Then we have the three new stepbrothers: Kolson, Isaac, and Jace. The trio are a menace both together and apart. Kolson is the self-proclaimed leader of the three. He’s the one who always appears in control, the most put together and "centered” in the group. However, he doesn’t fool me, because it’s always the ones who seem the most put-together who hide the darkest secrets.  I did love watching Zela push against those boundaries he tries so hard to maintain. Isaac comes off as the quiet, calm presence amongst the three. But it's the quietest ones that you need to keep the closest eye on. I’m still trying to figure him out. He seems to have a soft spot for Zela, and I’m not sure what that really means, or where it will lead. Jace is the visibly unhinged wild card. What you see is what you get with him, though he definitely has plenty more crazy left to unleash. All three share an unhealthy obsession with their new stepsister and want to possess her in every possible way.

Finally, there’s Reed, the security guard at the fighting ring. He’s been Zela’s silent protector ever since she started fighting years ago. We don’t know much about him yet, but I have a strong feeling he’s going to play a major role in the next book.

​Overall, this book completely hooked me, and I’m impatiently waiting for the sequel. It will be fascinating to see if my initial impressions of these characters hold true in book two.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zela grew up in desperate circumstances and our girl clearly has some things to work through because of this. We get hints of some very bad memories, but Zela has overcome it all and come out strong. She fights at the Pit as her secret alter ego, Vixen. Vixen is everything that Zela feels she is not. She’s confident, brave and strong. Zela tries to fly under the radar, which is mostly working… until her father introduces her to her new future step brothers, Kolson, Isaac and Jace DuPont. These guys are unhinged, morally black and happen to own the Pit. Since Vixen is a secret, Zela is put into the impossible position of the brothers trying to involve her into DuPont business, while she struggles to maintain her secret identity. Not helping is the attraction the brothers feel for this quiet, meek and so-uninterested to-be step sister of theirs. They set about making her theirs, while also juggling their attraction to Vixen. What a conundrum.

Ok, so. This is DARK. Probably the darkest of the Sara Hinds series. Definitely check your triggers with this one. These guys aren’t morally grey. They’re total assholes and do not apologize about it. They’ve pushed and pulled situations to make Zela and Vixen feel helpless and that being a DuPont is inevitable. They take what they want and do not ask. They betray her trust again and again, but in their own way, they also are trying to force her to love them I think. This is not going to be for everyone. Turns out it was for me though. I do feel like with some changes of heart and more respect for Zela, these guys will be slightly redeemable and maybe shed their morally black personas and be more OTT/JO and touch her and be unalived. Team Zela/Vixen. Also, we catch hints of others that will be potentially be added to the harem, which is a signature Sara move (I love this and all these later additions, I always eyeball any new introduction as a potential future member). All these guys have some explaining, grovelling and MAJOR apologizing to do in the future and hopefully Zela ends up feeling ok with how it all turns out. Zela is strong and will definitely make them pay I think. I enjoyed this story and am waiting desperately for the next book as it ended on a cliffhanger. Again, please check triggers before reading as there is some sensitive situations and they’re from members of the harem.

I received an advance copy of this book in return for my honest review.

[Charlene's Bookish Archives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay… this book is DARK. And from the very beginning, it pulls you straight into a world of secrets, danger, fighting and characters who definitely aren't playing by the rules.

The Vixen was such an intriguing heroine. I loved that she isn't written as someone who simply waits for other people to rescue her. She's a fighter, she's determined, and she's carrying a huge amount of history with her. The mystery surrounding the boy who taught her to fight added another layer that kept me wanting to know what had really happened.

Then there are the DuPont brothers. Kolson, Isaac and Jace each bring their own brand of danger, and the dynamic between them and the heroine creates a constant sense of tension. You never quite know who is going to make the next move, which made the story incredibly difficult to put down.

The Pit was another element I really enjoyed. The underground fighting world gave the book a gritty atmosphere and made the heroine's secret identity especially interesting. I loved the contrast between the girl everyone thinks they know and the masked fighter she becomes in the shadows.

There are plenty of secrets, power struggles, obsession and twists throughout the story, and the author definitely isn't afraid to push the characters into some seriously dark situations. The tension keeps building as the boundaries between enemies, family and something far more complicated begin to blur.

And that ending?! 😳

Of course, this is Book 1, and yes, it ends on a cliffhanger. Let's just say I absolutely need to know what happens next because there are far too many unanswered questions!

A dark, intense and addictive start to the Fighting Temptation series. If you enjoy dangerous characters, underground fighting, secret identities, complicated relationships, family secrets and cliffhangers that leave you demanding the next book, this one will definitely keep you turning those pages.

Definitely check the trigger warnings before starting, because this is one seriously dark story. 🖤

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splintered Desire if the first book in Hinds' new Fighting Temptation series. This enemies-to-lovers, step siblings, why choose, dark romance features Zela Davis, and brothers Jace, Isaac and Kolson DuPont.

Zela was raised by her father, Patrick. For years they survived on the bare minimum. When she was older, Patrick, who had since trained to become a veterinarian, met Diane DuPont through his job. The two grew closer and Diane invited them to move into her estate. Zela was reluctant, but in order to appease her father, ultimately agrees. She did not know that Diane's adult sons would also be living there.

Zela has a secret. She has an alter ego: Vixen. Vixen has been fighting at The Pit, a fight club, for three years. Zela uses her skills as an outlet to combat her panic attacks. She was taught to fight by a man named Ozy. After she fell for him, and spilled all her secrets, he disappeared, breaking her heart.

Zela needs to keep her secret, not only from her father, but also from her three new stepbrothers who are powerful, controlling, and jealous men. Jace is clearly unhinged. Isaac is quiet but very smart and sees everything. Kolson thrives on control. She's not sure how she's going to keep her activities from them when they refuse to let her out of their sights, but she's determined to maintain her success and continue to fight as Vixen. She could never have anticipated that the DuPont brothers were the masterminds behind The Pit. Fortunately, she does have one person in her corner. The club's bouncer, Reed, has a soft spot for Zela, and has known her since her first fight. He has seen how far she's come and is always in her corner.

Once again, Hinds has delivered a brilliant story. It took just a few moments for her to capture my attention and keep me fully engrossed in Zela's story. I love that Zela came from nothing and built herself up. I love her confidence, strength and determination. As for her stepbrothers, they are deliciously wicked and clearly unbalanced. I'm keen to see how their relationships evolve.

Readers are left with a cliffhanger ending meaning I'm counting the days until I can get my hands on the second book in this series. If you enjoy dark romance, with morally charcoal characters, then I would recommend this one for you. Just be sure to read the trigger warnings as this book is not for everyone.

[TomiAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a darker book than Sara Hinds writes and I did enjoy it.
We follow Zela who comes from extreme poverty and learning how to survive the cruel world. She ends up taking up fighting to help with her mental health and deal with stuff that has happened to her in the past. Her father ends up getting into a relationship with a rich woman after she had an emergency that brought her to the Vet and her dad was there. Because her father is gonna marry this woman they move into her mansion during Zela's last year of college. There she meets her new "stepbrothers" who are all crazy and unhinged in their own right. Kolson is the oldest, then you have Issac and then Jace. Kolson has to be in control at all times, Issac has the need to constantly watch everything and everyone, and then Jace is kinda batshit crazy/super unhinged. They take a liking to Zela and she can't stand them. The boys own The Pit where she fights under an alias, and NO ONE knows it's her that is fighting... she has kept this a secret for many years. They have been trying to figure out who Vixen is not only because she's their female fighter champion but because they all want her. A lot of darker stuff goes on in this book especially the more they can't control Zela. All she wants to do is finish college, fight and get away from her "brothers". If you pick this book up check your triggers. It's a good book overall.

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splintered Desire is the first book of Sara's new series Fighting Temptation. See, she did give us a forewarning that this book would be dark, but yet I didn't expect it to be as depraved as some parts ended up being. Sometimes, the darker, the better, and with these characters, I would have to agree.

Our FMC is a secret fighter called Zela, whose dad is about to marry into a wealthy ladies family who just so happens to have 3 sons who run said underground fight club. These three are as crazy as they get altogether. We have Kolson who thinks himself the boss of everyone and has a hell of an ego to go with it, Issac who is our more logical brother and then Jace who is just an utter psycho to be honest but happens to be one of my favourites. Let's also just say that these boys don't want a sibling bond with Zela.

Zela has to battle with 3 overbearing psychotic new brothers who will do anything to get what they want. All while sneaking out to be their best unknown fighter, but that could not stay secret for long.

There are also a lot of hints of other characters who may come into the fold or end up as significant twists in the story, like the cliffhanger Sara leaves us on for this first book. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

[De Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book…oh man. I am absolutely addicted to the world created in its pages. I was hooked from the start and stayed (way too) invested until long after I finished. I’m completely feral. And need the rest of this series immediately. I don’t know what to do with myself while I wait. Zela is an absolute force and a complete bad@ss. Especially when she’s adopted her persona of The Vixen. She went through so much in the story and grew as a character, which made me like her even more and relate to her on a deep level. Kolson, Isaac, and Jace were utter menaces and chaos incarnate. But I liked it. Maybe a little too much. Their determination to possess Zela in every form of the word had me feeling a lot. I really appreciated how the trio were grouped together but still remained unique individuals. It was an interesting dynamic. And only got more so when interacting with Zela. Plus add in the protective Reed and things get complicated. I constantly went back and forth on who I liked or didn’t, and who I wanted with whom. I need the next book to figure things out and see what happens to my favorite unhinged family and company.

[Devinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG WHAT WAS THAT!!!

I don’t understand how every series you write seems to top the last. I mean with how great ur books are i don’t even know how it was possible but dang I’m blown away by this one! I didn’t expect that Tank was going to be Ozy and how didn’t he know she was vixen I’m mind blown right now!! I really hope she ends up with reed first then after some groveling Ozy. That would teach the spoiled brats they don’t get everything they want when they want it make them work for it for a while while they watch her happy with 2 other people they seem to think are beneath them. Then once they pull their head out of there @sses and stop using that monster against Ozy then add them to the mix. I cant wait to see what happens next i really really hope we don’t have to wait long for a second book!!! I also really like your other new series too these are ones I’ll definitely read a few times for sure!! I knew this was going to be good just based on reading what it was going to be about but you definitely blew it out the water. Amazing truly you have an amazing gift and i look forward to reading many more of your series in the future!!

[Aliza Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is intense, raw, and unforgiving from the very first page. It drags you headlong into a world raw with secrets, danger lurking at every turn, fierce fighting, and characters who refuse to play by the rules—because sometimes, there’s no other way.

Every page crackles with secrets and power struggles that grip your heart, obsession that consumes your soul, and twists that leave your mind reeling. The author’s not afraid to drag these characters into the darkest corners of their souls, igniting a fire of tension that refuses to let go. As the story unfolds, the line between enemies, kin, and something far more tangled starts to blur, pulling you deeper into this chaotic, gritty universe.

This is the dark, visceral, and utterly addictive start to the Fighting Temptation series. If you’re drawn to dangerous characters, underground fights that push boundaries, secret lives, complex relationships, family secrets buried deep, and cliffhangers that leave you desperate for the next instalment—then this story will grip your soul and refuse to let go.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really suprising dark DARK stepbrother bully (understatement) romance.
Couldn't put it down was an addictive read to invest in and cant wait for book2.
Zela grows up in hardships until her dad meets a wealthy woman and falls in love, bringing Zela to live in his fiancé's large home with, unbeknownst to her the 3 grown up Stepbrothers shes receiving.
Instant sick fascination between levels of screw loose ar.seh.les and completely missing the screws insane Zela has her new life cut out for her if shes ever to escape.
Leaving their parents blissfully unaware all wanting them to finally get their happily ever after, with Zela we navigate what it is to be trapped with Kolson, Isaac and Jace.
Theres fight club, there is alter egos, there is lust and at times its a lot rough and stabby.
Book 2 cant come quick enough but heed the trigger list warning as it is not for a sensitive reader with on page S/A and grapes.

[sycokittykat - Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is fighting temptations alright 

Zela grew up poor but her father loved her very much. She struggled with making friends.  Now she is an adult and in college. She also moonlights as a fighter known as Vixen who is undefeated. 

Now her Dad is marrying and with that comes a stepmother she doesn't mind and three unhinged stepbrothers. 

I will say that this book felt like it was mostly just setting the stage. There are so many questions and unknowns. 

I love some unhinged stepbrothers. Each of the guys is very different. We have the quiet one, the calculating one and the straight up crazy one. They also own the fighting organization that Vixen uses. 

That ending was very interesting and of course added to the questions. I'm definitely curious if these will just be her and the brothers or if we will have more. 

I want to know more about what led her to fighting in the first place. There is definitely a story there and I need it. I was not ready for this to end. 

[Shelby Woodruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Please read the triggers! There are very intense scenes and language in this book. Take care of yourself first! **

Listen. Are you looking for a strong and cunning FMC? How about a rags to riches story where the FMC learns how to fight and becomes the star? Oh and last question. How about three super hot, rich, unhinged brothers that FMC’s dad is getting married to their mother and they own this underground illegal fighting ring that the FMC’s the star in but they don’t know it’s her and they all have a huge dark crush on her, but also have a crush on their future step-sister who is also catching their eye? Yeah you need to read this book.

I read this book in five days. Five. This took me on a roller coaster of emotions and had me questioning myself because I could not stop reading and I need book 2 yesterday! Sara wrote these characters so well that I can’t help but root for their crazy, unhinged shenanigans. The way that this book ends has me begging for book 2!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed read this story of the start of a new series. Is is very interesting and intriguing and very dark. I can’t wait to read the second book.
The secret to staying alive? Never show your face and never miss a strike.
In the blood-soaked underground of The Pit, I'm a masked ghost, an undefeated shadow.
Every move I make is a tribute to the boy who taught me how to fight—the only person I ever loved, right up until the day he vanished into thin air.

The worst part? I don't just live in their house. They own The Pit.
In their world, I'm the prize. But they're about to learn that even a caged animal has claws.

Splinted Desire is book one in my new Fighting Temptation series.
This series features multiple love interests and does end on a cliffhanger.
This is by far one of my darkest books, so please check the Trigger Warnings.

[Alimay Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

NEW SERIES, NEW DESIRES!

Sara Hinds has become one of my favourite dark romance authors. With a new series, I was excited to meet all the new characters and see what heartbreak was in store for me. As always, a strong FMC in Zela despite the obvious hurt and pain she continues to fight through. The step-brothers, well they are on another level of depraved and completely off the charts for emotional baggage that definitely leaves a lot of questions to be answered. Splintered Desire sets the scene for what is going to be an amazing series, with the world building just beginning, twists and turns already leaving my head spinning and amazing writing that has me wanting more. This book is dark but reading in the dark is one of my favourite things and is what keeps me coming back for more.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy moly what a read!!


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️

Thank you to Sara Hinds for trusting me in my first ever ARC read, this book did not disappoint

This book follows Zela our FMC who is such a strong character who doesn’t tolerate anyones crap including the 3 unhinged stepbrothers.

I really enjoyed how Zela never backed down and cowered, she is resilient even after her rough past, there is some reference to her possibly being sexually assaulted so definitely check the trigger warnings as it is a dark book. But if you love morally grey MMC who are very obsessive and dangerous then this book is definitely for you!

At less then 300 pages I ate this book up in just a few hours and now reeling from that ending, I am seriously going to struggle to wait for book 2 to come out!

[Susana Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zela was going to be the stepsister to Jace, Kolson, and Isaac Dupont. She and her dad had only each other for a very long time until he met a nice woman and fell in love. So they fell in love and were going to get married. Zela and her dad moved into the woman's mansion with her three sons. Zela would fight at the Pit, hiding her identity with a wig and a mask so nobody would recognize her. She just wanted to finish school and live on her own. Something happened to her when she was young, and she is closed off. The boys own the Pit and feel entitled to do whatever they want. Tank was the boy she loved, known as Ozy, but he hurt her badly; there's no fixing their relationship. The only one who hasn't betrayed her was Reed.

[Samantha Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like a strong FMC who takes no one’s 💩 and has built herself as one of the best fighters. But then is forced into the constant proximity of 3 unhinged step brothers. Dive into this book and see how Zela navigates this new normal.

Zela can hold her own more than most. Especially when she fights as Vixen. Being forced to share space and time with her new step brothers creates a different kind of challenge for Zela.

The men are each their own type of crazy. I feel like we are just touching the surface with the men in this book. The tension and banter is high and I really enjoyed that.

There is a cliffhanger as this is the first book.

This book is dark so please read the trigger warnings before reading. I can’t wait to dive into book 2!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Sara Hinds, her books are so easy to get lost in, with tough fmc’s and an unhinged mmc or two, all morally grey at the very least.
Zela is no exception, love her, her fighting attitude. She is so uncomfortable with the wealth of the DuPonts. And the DuPont brothers, their mother seems to have absolutely no idea of their true nature. They are obsessed with both Zela and her alter ego Vixen. This will not end well! 🙄😉😅
Reed was interesting, liked him, hot and mysterious 🤔🥵
The ending was such an omfg moment! Thought I’d guessed who Tank was, but what he was forced into?!?
I have no idea where this is going, but I can’t wait to find out
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fight this story has! I found it extremely hard to put this one down. I just kept flipping that pages and kept enjoying the story.

This is a dark story, not everything is revealed. It’s still unfolding and we do end in a little cliffhanger - it’s not toooo bad.

Characters:
FMC: Zela/Vixen
MMCs: Kolson, Isaac, Jace
Side characters: Ozy, Reed, Diane, Patrick

Triggers: Fight Club Rules, Psycho Stepbrothers, Morally Black MMCs, Dub-Con, Primal Chase, over the top Jealous/Posessive, St*lking, V!olence and Manipulation…

I honestly can’t wait for the next instalment in the Fighting Temptation series

[Rachel Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book! I might even had put off a few things to finish it! Then when I got to the end!! What??? I had so many feelings. Shock, anger, betrayal, and a small amount of relief. That twist at the end! I have so many questions!!
I'm going to try my hardest to survive, until I get book 2!!!

I loved Zela. Of course she was a fighter. She was also resilient, determined, and strong.
Kolson, Isaac, and Jace, I'm have mixed feelings at this point.
I'm crossing my fingers we get more from Reed.

I think this was a fantastic beginning to Zela's story! This has also been one of my favorite series to start, by Sara.

[Payton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fighting Temptation for sure

I love the underground fighting aspect of this story. I love that Zela in the ring doesn’t let anybody walk all over her. I just need her to embrace that side of her a bit more. Granted I know her world’s been unexpectedly changed. Going from not having much to having more than is an adjustment. Her name for a bagel slicer is my favorite. I’ve adopted into my everyday usage.

I just know things are going to be explosive between her and her lovely new stepbrothers… even more so now. The twist at the end was something I didn’t see coming. My jaw dropped. I’m dying to get to know Zela even more now.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️😬

I don’t… I don’t know what to say. I mean… wow.
I’ll start with, Sara wasn’t wrong this story is DARK. It’s filled with red flags and really heavy content warnings. So please for the love of the goddess read them.

I wanted so many things for Zela. Almost none of them came true. This girl has gone THROUGH it. She’s strong and willing to take on anything to keep herself safe. It’s just that the Dupants are a much bigger monster than she thought. I will admit I have a VERY soft spot for Reed and I hope he pulls through the way I am hoping he does.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This is the start of a new series from Sara Hinds. There are several trigger warnings make sure you read them. This is a dark step-sibling RH. This story will suck you in and leave you hanging. You will want to punch the step brothers multiple times but I have faith that Zela will start kicking their a$-es. I can't wait until the second book comes out.

👇🏼Tropes👇🏼
📓Whychoose w/Building Harem
🔮Pierced MMC 🍆
📓Student/Teacher
🔮Academic Rivals
📓Abused FMC
🔮Virgin FMC
📓Forced Proximity
🔮Academy
📓Grovel
🔮Fated Mates

Length: 231 pgs
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶

[Jacqulin Gipson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy darkness! This is book one in the fighting temptation series so it does end on a cliffy and Im over here waiting for the next book. Zela is a fmc that on the surface seems meek and mild but has a secret identity that allows her real personality to shine (imo). The guys are...Kolson, Isaac and Jace (her step bros) are not even slightly morally gray. There is betrayal, ott/jp mmc's, step siblings, secret identities, an underground/gritty world and so much more. It is a slow burn and world building, makebsire to check the CWs. Can't wait for book two!

[Nadia Hinojosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is part of the Fighting Temptation series. Sara Hinds is amazing! I love her books and her characters. Her books are a guilty pleasure to read.
This FMC is truly an inspiration. She is strong, tough and independent but loyal to family. That is her one true weakness. The MMCs are walking, smoking hot red flags. They are dark, twisted, and crazy. So of course they make awesome book boyfriends. Especially the psychotic one. I need more of these characters asap!!
Thank you, Sara Hinds, for another amazing story. You always blow me away with your characters.

[Allison Comis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zela grew up with just her and her dad. They didn’t have much but they made do. She took care of herself most days while he was working to pay bills and take care of her. A number of years later her father Patrick met a woman and fell in love with her they ended up moving into her place. Turns out it was a huge mansion and her 3 sons lived with her as well. Zela wasn’t happy about it but she had no choice at the moment. The boys took a liking to her which she tried to avoid. She was a fighter and that was how she took care of herself.