Silk & Sirens

by Taylor Aston White

A deliciously dark and twisted contemporary romance inspired by The Little Mermaid.

She was sent to steal his secrets… but now her freedom belongs to him.

Aeris Merrin is as beautiful as she is dangerous. Trained to be the seductress everyone craves at club Atlantis, she lives a double life as a weapon for Selene Blackwater.

So when she's ordered to help secure a marriage alliance with the Beast's empire through his enforcer, she sees her chance. She just has to betray the woman that holds her family's life over her head, or risk everything by giving herself to the one man who refuses to fall for her games. Because blackmailing one of the most notoriously dangerous men in the city was a risk, but so was playing both sides.

Caden Ackworth is feared for a reason. Ruthless, calculating, and untouchable, he helped build a drug empire on violence and loyalty. But when the beautiful, sharp-tongued Aeris tries to blackmail him into helping her, he should destroy her for it. Instead, he takes her life as payment.
Because Aeris isn’t just a pretty face or a disposable pawn. She’s a threat. And the more she fights him, the more he wants to break her… and keep her.

Tropes:

Mafia
Stalker
Bad Boy x Bad Girl
Enemies to lovers
Power Imbalance
Masked MMC
Morally grey
Inspired by The Little Mermaid
Silk and Sirens contains explicit content, graphic violence, profanity, and topics that may be sensitive to some readers. Full details can be found listed inside the book. Recommended for 18+.

This novel is written in British English including spelling and grammar.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Retellings

411 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 4, 2026

About the author

Taylor Aston White writes deliciously dark fantasy & romance, where tension burns, secrets break, and love always wins. Based in the UK with her childhood sweetheart and their two children, she's the author of several bestselling series and loves to explore mythology and European faerie tales to create her own, modern twists.

Follow her on Instagram - @taylorastonwhite, and join her newsletter on www.taylorastonwhite.com

Be sure to follow Taylor on BookBub for the latest on sales https://bit.ly/3rNVVlm

Reviews

[Darkest Bellé]

5 ⭐️ — dark, dangerous, seductive, and completely addictive.

WELL… I DIDN’T EXPECT THE MERMAID TO BITE BACK. 🧜‍♀️🔪

Silk & Sirens by Taylor Aston White had me somewhere between “this is fucking insane” and “okay, one more chapter” for the entire book.

And by one more chapter, I mean I accidentally disappeared from society.

This story is the kind of dark romance that doesn't gently pull you into the story—it grabs you by the throat and drags you underneath the surface.

Aeris immediately had my attention.

She isn't written to be effortlessly fearless or conveniently badass. She's complicated, damaged, intelligent, and incredibly determined to survive on her own terms. She's learned how to turn secrets into currency and her own allure into a weapon, but underneath all of that confidence is a woman carrying far more than anyone realizes.

Watching her navigate everything thrown at her was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book.

And then Caden enters the equation.

That man is a fucking PROBLEM. The kind of problem I would absolutely recommend. 😏

He's cold, strategic, dangerous, and completely impossible to read—which makes the fact that Aeris manages to get under his skin SO much more entertaining.

Their dynamic is basically two people standing across from each other thinking: I could destroy you. And unfortunately for both of them…neither one wants to walk away.

The tension between these two was ridiculous. Their attraction doesn't erase the hostility between them, either. If anything, it makes everything messier. There is distrust, manipulation, revenge, secrets, and that delicious push-and-pull where you're constantly wondering who is actually in control.

Spoiler: probably neither of them.

What really surprised me, though, was how much depth this story had beneath all the darkness.

The secrets aren't there just for shock value. The characters' histories actually matter. Their trauma influences their choices, their relationships, and the people they've become. Once those pieces start falling into place, so many of their actions hit differently.

And the fairytale inspiration?

GENIUS.

Taking something as nostalgic as The Little Mermaid and turning it into something sinister, seductive, and dangerous was such a fun concept. There are familiar little touches scattered throughout the story, but everything feels darker once you realize what's hiding beneath the surface.

Because this isn't a fairytale about finding your happily ever after.

It's about survival, power, revenge, and what happens when two dangerous people become obsessed with each other.

Also, Fletcher deserves his flowers because that friendship was EVERYTHING. Give me a fiercely loyal best friend who will stand beside you while the entire world burns and I am sold.

And Langdon…I'm just going to leave his name here.👀

Taylor Aston White somehow managed to give me:

🖤 A dangerously complicated FMC
🖤 An absolutely unhinged level of obsession
🖤 Enemies with REAL reasons to hate each other
🖤 Mafia & underworld secrets
🖤 Revenge
🖤 Morally questionable decisions
🖤 A masked MMC
🖤 Trauma and hidden pasts
🖤 Power struggles
🖤 A ride-or-die friendship
🖤 Fairytale nostalgia with a VERY dark twist
🖤 And enough sexual tension to make me question my life choices 🥵

Silk & Sirens isn't a book I simply read. It was one of those books I devoured.

And now I'm sitting here staring at my TBR wondering how the hell I'm supposed to emotionally recover from Aeris and Caden.

The moral of the story? Never trust the pretty girl in the water. 🧜‍♀️🖤

Thank you Taylor and Team for the ARC opportunity, this review is not paid for and my own thoughts and opinions.

[Denna]

After Locks & Lies, I was really impatiently waiting for this book.

Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be EVEN BETTER than I expected (and my expectations were already really high!).

Silk & Sirens was such a pleasant surprise for me.

This story had EVERYTHING. It was emotional, it was dark, the main characters had insane chemistry, and the spicy scenes were great too.

But what I especially have to highlight is the depth of the characters. Their backstories were incredibly well written, their personalities had so much depth... I fell in love with both of them, Caden and Aeris.

You will genuinely HATE the villain in this story (and honestly, she deserves it).

I also loved the little details, like the references to The Little Mermaid.

This was the kind of book I couldn't put down and ended up reading almost in one sitting. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!

[Anna Bacon]

ARC Review: Thank you Taylor and Luna Literary for sending me Silk and Sirens! This couple and story is definitely rivaling Sebastian and Arabella for the top fav in the series for me!

I love that Taylor keeps you on your toes for these stories. I never truly knew what was going to happen and how it was going to end. This book is great for those who LOVE tension and hate between the MCs. It almost feels like they could never work out but somehow they do!

Aeris is such a badass FMC and while she was super strong, she pulled at my heartstrings with all she had gone through. My favorite part of the dynamic was how Caden helped her work through her traumas. Also without giving things away, THE PIANO SCENE! Iykyk.

This was a great a great addition to the Twisted Ever After series and I can’t wait for the next installment!!

[Jessica]

Aeries is a force to be reckoned with. From an early age, she's had to do what she needed to survive and enact her revenge. Caden is the first person to truly see her and respect her for it.

These morally grey characters have you rooting for them from the beginning. Aeries and Caden constantly have eachother on edge and as the reader you are constantly guessing their intentions.

Make sure to read the trigger warnings before reading, this book contains heavy and cery dark topics.

Thank you to Flying Pig PR and Taylor Anston White for an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Faiza]

Taylor Aston White has officially convinced me that I need to read whatever she puts out because I have been having WAY too much fun with this series. 😭🖤 After meeting Caden in Blood and Thorns, I was already excited to get his story, and somehow I ended up loving him even more than I expected.

Caden is such an interesting MMC because he has this intimidating, dangerous presence, but underneath all of that, he is incredibly steady and dependable. 🖤🔨 He’s calm, controlled, and almost impossible to rattle… until Aeris comes along. Watching her get under his skin was honestly one of my favourite things. 😂 Their chemistry was absolutely insane, especially because there’s so much tension between them. They’re constantly questioning each other, hiding their intentions, and trying to stay one step ahead, which made every interaction feel unpredictable. 🔥

And Aeris? That woman is a FORCE. 👑🔥 She has survived things that would have broken most people, and yet she keeps pushing forward because she refuses to let anyone take her power away from her. I loved how determined and morally grey she was. She isn’t waiting around for someone to save her—she has her own plans, her own revenge, and she knows exactly what she wants.

What made their relationship even better was that Caden never tried to turn Aeris into someone softer or easier to handle. He saw the darkness in her and respected it. 😮‍💨🖤 They challenged each other constantly, and there was something so satisfying about watching two people who are equally dangerous finally meet someone who understands them.

Their romance has plenty of possessiveness and intensity, but there are also these unexpectedly tender moments that completely melted me. 🥹❤️ Caden may look like the kind of man who could destroy someone with a sledgehammer, but seeing his softer side with Aeris was EVERYTHING.

And I absolutely have to talk about Caden, Langdon, and Sebastian. 🥹🖤 Their bond is genuinely one of my favourite parts of this series. They may not share blood, but the loyalty and brotherhood between them runs so much deeper than that. After everything they've survived, watching them find family in each other honestly got me emotional. 😭

The story itself is packed with twists, danger, secrets, revenge, and plenty of moments that had me staring at the page like WHAT?! 😳💀 I never felt completely sure where things were going, which made the book incredibly addictive.

Aeris and Caden are both complicated, morally grey characters, but somehow I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning. Their dynamic is messy, intense, and completely addictive, and I loved watching Aeris slowly realize that she doesn't always have to carry everything alone. 🥺❤️

This was another wild ride from Taylor Aston White, and I’m officially invested in this world and these characters. 🖤🔥

Definitely check the trigger warnings before starting this one. There are some very dark and heavy subjects throughout the book, so please take care of yourself while reading. ⚠️🖤

[Mikayla]

I am quickly learning that I have such a fun time reading Taylor Aston White's books! After learning that Silk and Sirens would star Caden as the MMC, one of my favorite characters from Blood and Thorns, I was beyond excited, and this book honestly made me love that man more. Caden is for sure near and dear to my heart, right beside his cousin Sebastian, and I found him so attractive (I was swooning and giggling at every word that man said). I adored how reliable and stable he was and how he's everything that Aeris needed. He was so level-headed and unnervingly calm in Blood and Thorns, it was really cool to see someone get under his skin so much and light him up. His and Aeris's chemistry was off the charts; the attraction disguised as hatred, the way that they worked together yet Aeris was determined to put herself first, and the way that Aeris was actively plotting against Caden while playing nice to his face all made their romance so rough yet equally explosive. I really appreciated how turned on they were by each other's darker sides; I haven't read a lot of books where that happens and they quite literally match each other's freak. While their relationship was rough and possessive, there were also so many sweet and gentle moments; you would think that the man who is known for carrying a huge sledgehammer would not be capable of "sweet and gentle" but Caden proved all of us wrong. He was the complete opposite of every man that Aeris has had the displeasure of coming into contact with, and like I said before, he was and is exactly what she needs. Speaking of my girl Aeris... she is SUCH a baddie! I was constantly in awe of her strength and resilience, despite her horrendous past and all she has endured. She was so easy to empathize with, and I loved her character arc and how she learns to lean on someone else (his name may begin with a C...) instead of only relying on herself. She also holds a special little place in my heart. <3 Like the other two books I have read in this series, this one was just as wild and full of twists and jaw-dropping moments. Also, I would be remiss to not mention one of my absolute favorite parts of this book: Caden, Langdon, and Sebastian's brotherly bond. They may not all be related by blood but by golly are they brothers in spirit. Their bond was special to me in Blood and Thorns, and it's even more so now. Taylor Aston White writes their relationship so beautifully, it makes me tear up to think how much all three of them have been through yet they gained each other and such a close bond from it all. Overall, this book was a wild yet very enjoyable rollercoaster ride, and thanks go to Luna Literary Management and Taylor Aston White for allowing me to arc-read yet another one of her books!
*Please check the trigger warnings for this book before reading! It can get pretty intense at times so please check and take care of your mental well-being first and foremost!*
I received an arc copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Ozzie Garcia]

They say the first book in a series is usually the best, and sometimes the books that follow struggle to keep the momentum going.

Silk & Sirens proves that is absolutely not always the case.

The second book in this series sucked me in immediately, and honestly, I could not put it down. From Aeris being a survivor to Caden’s obsession, this book delivered the perfect balance of action, tension, danger, obsession, and chemistry. Aeris and Caden had me completely hooked from beginning to end.

One name: Aeris!

She is officially one of my favorite FMCs. She’s beautiful, seductive, dangerous, strong-willed, and fiercely protective. Most importantly, she refuses to simply sit back and let things happen to her.
Although she had a rough introduction to her profession (and I will NOT be spoiling that for you) there is also a softer side to her. But make no mistake, this woman will fight, scheme, survive, and, most importantly, conquer it all. I was rooting for her to come out on top the entire time.
And we cannot forget her best friend, Fletcher! Talk about a true ride-or-die. He was such an amazing character, and I absolutely loved the loyalty and friendship between them.
Now, let's talk about the MMC... Caden.

What can I even say? He is ruthless, feared, calculating, and everything you would expect from a dangerously addictive MMC. Add in the mask, the power imbalance, his obsession, and the fact that this man is absolutely not willing to back down even when it comes to his Tempest and I was DONE.
Also, can we please talk about Langdon, our Firestarter? Because I am officially hoping he gets his own book! What is an MMC without his trusted and most valued brother?

This book has everything:
• mafia
• stalking
• obsession
• morally gray characters
• masked MMC
• bad boy x bad girl,
• enemies to lovers
• FMC who refuses to let anyone pull her strings or take her voice away

I also loved that this story was inspired by The Little Mermaid. The way the author took something familiar and twisted it into something dark, dangerous, addictive, and impossible to look away from was so well done. It brought us back to familiar waters but these waters were far more dangerous.
If you loved the first book, don't go into this one expecting the series to lose momentum, because Silk & Sirens only raises the stakes.

Aeris is my hero, and I will absolutely be thinking about her and Caden for a long time.

[Christa]

ᎪᏒС Ꮢᥱѵὶᥱ𝘸

If I told you that this book is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, would you read it? 🤭

If you read the first book in the series, then you definitely remember Caden and Aeris. Caden is the Beast’s cousin, while Aeris is the woman who seems to have all the information and runs the Atlantis Club.

In the first, and even the second book, we see Aeris as this powerful woman, her own boss, someone who doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. Well... we were wrong.

Because, as we all know from The Little Mermaid, there is an evil witch, Ursula. And something similar is happening in this book, with Selene.

She has been controlling Aeris since she was young, telling her what to do, what to wear, and even who to kill, all because of her sister Mira, who has gone missing and whom she is desperately trying to find. The reason why Selene controls her and why Mira is missing is something you'll discover when you read the book. 👀

Tired of following Selene's orders, Aeris has finally gathered enough information about her, and the perfect time has come to put her plan into motion and escape her. And who better to help destroy Selene than the Beast himself?

Now, we already know that Caden is extremely protective of his cousins, Sebastian and Langdon. But when he becomes protective of Aeris too, and starts claiming that she's his? Chef's kiss. 🤌🏻

The relationship, the tension between them... it made me want to eat this book. 😂 I simply loved them!

I have a feeling I gave you way too much insight into the story, so if I made you even a little curious about this book, you DEFINITELY need to read it. ❤️

𝟻★


Ⴍս𝗈𝗍ᥱѕ׃
✨️ “No, you’re more like a storm. Beautiful, destructive, and seemingly impossible to stop once you fcking start.”

✨️ Because the more I touched her, the harder it became to stop. I wanted to punish her for fcking me over. For getting under my skin in a way no one else ever had. For fcking existing.

✨️ I laughed, actually laughed. “You really shouldn’t have become a problem, Tempest.” Leaning in, I pressed my lips against the shell of her ear, voice dropping into a low, velvet growl. “Because now you’re mine.”

✨️ “I told you— every breath, every thought, every fcking heartbeat— your life is now mine.”

✨️ I watched her walk away, already counting down the hours until she was back where she belonged. In my hands. In our world. Completely fcking mine.

[Nova McCormack]

Can we discuss how freakin’ good this book was?! Listen, I have been obsessively following this series for a reason, and it continues to prove itself as a dark fairytale retelling masterpiece. This series doesn’t shy away from the darkness or the violence. It embraces the morally grey and then kicks it up a notch. Aeris has had to become strong. Her innocence was lost along with her sister, and she has learned how to use her body as a weapon, even when it isn’t hers to wield. Every part of her life is controlled, but she is smart, and she knows how to play the game. She fights for every tiny piece of control she can get, finding small slivers of opportunity to gain a foothold, even if that means blackmailing the Beast and his enforcers. They are deadly, merciless men, but they may be her only way out.

Every inch of Aeris was his undoing, and he fucking hated her for it. No one had ever affected Caden the way she did. His attraction to her was infuriating, and he couldn’t stand how easily she got under his skin. She never backed down. She stood toe to toe with him, and he wanted nothing more than to break her. Caden is not a good man. He is the stoic one with all that bottled up rage, and that’s exactly how we like ’em. He is violent, vicious, and relentlessly vengeful. But Aeris slowly becomes a drug that seeps so deep into him that there is no coming back. He doesn’t just want Aeris, he wants to fight for her. Her demons become his, and he will slay every single one of them. Anyone who has ever touched her? Their life is now forfeit.

Their push and pull is deadly and completely addictive. Aeris finds an unexpected comfort in Caden’s darkness and dominance. It’s when he is soft that truly terrifies her. Giving up control to him allows her to finally release the breath she has been holding, to loosen the tightness that has kept her captive for so long. She allows herself to soften, to surrender, finding safety, maybe even trust. His claim is obsessive and unhinged. Hers is desperate and consuming. But it was those small moments where Caden cares for her as though she is something impossibly precious that completely broke me.

This is a world where everyone is evil. No one can be trusted. Everyone is dealing in death, deception, and manipulation. And honestly? The heroes are just as monstrous as the villains, which is exactly what makes Aeris and Caden’s connection so damn impactful. This series is truly something special, and I am insanely ready for book 4. Langdon, we’re coming for you!

Thank you so much to Taylor Aston White and Luna Literary for this gifted ecopy.

[Sami]

Five stars.

Deliciously dark and perfectly twisted. There are so many lies, secrets and deceptions that go deep under the surface. You can see the Little Mermaid references sprinkled throughout the book and it’s kind of nostalgic in a way. Taylor Aston White has a way with words and writing an overall unique, well-structured book with witty banter and super descriptive. I never felt left in the dark about anything. In fact, the darkness is where all things came to life.

I loved this story from start to finish. I received this as an ARC copy and requested it because

1. I already had read and enjoyed previous stories
2. It’s the Little Mermaid. Like I’m not going to pick this up?

Is there a measurement for something above and beyond the spice scale? Because this was it. It did not feel like it was almost 60 chapters. I just kept reading and devouring page after page. The details she puts into this story is insane.

In some books, you get an idea of tragic backstories, authors allude to it, very vague. But Silk & Sirens shows deep and traumatic experiences between Aeris and Caden, and what shaped them into the people they grew up to be. Their need for violence and revenge is explained once you hear their stories. I will always be an enemies to lovers girl, and this delivers. True hatred, burning deep, enemies to lovers. They don’t say I hate you and kiss after a few pages. These are two characters who should be pitted against each other, should hate each other and do everything they can to take each other down.

Aeris is a trained seductress, building her empire on secrets as her weapon of choice. Caden is calculating and untouchable. Their yearning and tension is captivating throughout every page and every chapter. I cannot begin to explain how much I loved this book.

What shapes this book:
Inspired by The Little Mermaid
Mafia
Stalker
Bad Boy x Bad Girl
Enemies to Lovers
Power Imbalance
Masked MMC
Obsession
Morally Grey

[Rachel Walter]

Ariel will forever be my girl🤘, but grown-up-me is ALL ABOUT Aeris🙌🖤🙌

This read is DELICIOUSLY dark and ABSOLUTELY delivers what the cover describes as a “TWISTED Ever After.” Even if someone is unfamiliar with the classic story of “The Little Mermaid,” Taylor Aston White (author) has written a super steamy, “Who-can-you-even-trust?” Film noir-esque, story that has so much (exciting shenanigans) happening at every turn, it’s one that is tough to put a bookmark in and set down. The twists and turns and morally grey characters -literally everyone has dirty hands…buuuut, we (dark romance readers, collectively) love them anyways 🙃😅- take place within the seedy, illicit universe known as the “Underworld.”

While I can freely express my excitement, I definitely want to make it EXTRA clear that the author is BLATANTLY CLEAR and CONCISE about the content you are about to encounter. Having just read it, I can confirm (with as much frantic gusto as possible through written text): 👏TAKE 👏IT👏SERIOUSLY 👏
Did I read the content warning page, and ::by deciding to continue with reading it:: consent?
Yes 👍
Did I enjoy this book? 100,000,000% YES 🙌
Was the content still ::AT TIMES:: surprisingly graphic and borderline uncomfortable?
Well…yeah!💁🏻‍♀️
It’s no spoiler that the FMC has a heartbreaking backstory. The way the characters (heads up: not ONLY our FMC…) have their personalities/backstories gradually peeled back to reveal their unguarded truths is done without ANY threat of sugarcoating or censorship (or I lovingly refer to it as “Disney-fying”, or “Disney-fication”).

This book was dark, sexy, brutally violent, and I loved it. 5⭐️ -No question.

[Shortly after I started this book, I added the other “Twisted Ever After” (interconnected standalones) books 😅]

•Thank you to Taylor Astor White and Luna Literary for the eARC! All thoughts are my own•

[Courtney]

I went into Silk & Sirens expecting a dark Little Mermaid retelling.

I was NOT prepared for how much I would love these two. 🧜‍♀️

At its heart, this is a story about two people who absolutely should not fall for each other and spend so much time trying to resist the fact that they are.

Aeris is a woman out for revenge. She’s survived unimaginable things, her moral compass is basically nonexistent, and she’s determined to take back the pieces of herself that were stolen from her.

And then there’s Caden.

A drug lord. A dangerous man. A man she absolutely should NOT need.

Except somewhere along the way, while Aeris is trying to make herself whole again, Caden becomes the piece she didn’t know was missing.

And I ate. it. up.

Neither of them is good. Neither of them needs to be saved. They’re damaged, dangerous, morally questionable people who recognize something in each other and watching them fight their growing feelings while very obviously falling harder and harder was EVERYTHING.

This book is dark, twisted, sexy, violent, and at times can difficult to read. Please check the trigger warnings before going in. There are some extremely heavy themes, including kidnapping, s**ual assault/r*pe involving a minor, torture, and violence.

But underneath all that darkness is this unexpected love story between two people who probably shouldn’t belong together…but somehow make perfect sense.

And after ALL OF THAT, Taylor Aston White really had the audacity to end this dark Little Mermaid retelling with:

🧜‍♀️ “Well what are you waiting for, aren’t you going to kiss the girl?”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

Perfect. No notes. 😭🖤

[Kelsi]

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

So before I start my review let me say this book is a dark fairytale retelling, and deals with a lot of heavy topics so be sure to check out the trigger warnings before jumping into this one.

Taylor Aston White has absolutely done such amazing work with these dark, fairytale, mafia retellings! I love every second of them from start to finish! And Silk & Siren was no different. This book is a true enemies to lovers romance where there may be instant attraction but there’s also instant hatred and neither Aeris or Caden is afraid to hold back about just how much they can’t stand each other. Aeris has a mission though one she refuses to let go of no matter how often she feels it may be stealing pieces of her soul. And Caden, well Caden has a select few people he cares about and he’s not afraid to take care of anyone who threatens that family. But when the siren he once saw as a nuisance and an enemy comes looking to make a deal well… he’s intrigued to say the least. And well Aeris… she just wants a normal life one she’s positive she’ll never have but ones she’s willing to make sure those she loves will have. And if these two just so happen to fall in love along the way… well maybe fate exists after all then. If you’re looking for a dark little mermaid retelling, filled with banter, spice, slow burn tension, romantic moments, twists and turns, lies and betrayals, and an ending that’ll have you reading till the early morning hours than I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Silk & Siren today!

Thank you so much to the author, and publisher for the chance to read this ARC!

[Angie]

"Let me be very fucking clear, Tempest. I want everything... I want you jealous. I want you possessive. I want you so goddamn obsessed with me that the thought of anyone else having me drives you insane. Because that's exactly how I feel about you."

4.25 stars

This was such an easy and engaging read for me! Book 3 in this series centers around one of Sebastian's brooding enforcers, Caden. He was immediately entranced with Aeris, the woman who used her beauty and her body to gather secrets about the Underworld and who got under his skin like no one else. Their interactions were consumed by their undeniable attraction and unwanted sense of awareness around each other that only intensified as the story moved on. The scenes between them were so fucking HOTT (seriously that g u n scene made me sweat in new places🥵), but I loved to watch Caden's obsession slowly morph into a softness towards Aeris. My one complaint is that the pacing was a little awkward at times, with scenes jumping forward from chapter to chapter, but overall I loved this addition to this series and cannot wait for Langdon's book!!🖤

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, dark forbidden consuming love, he's a mafia enforcer who's obsessed with his siren, she's a black widow who trusts no one and is sent to unalive him, touch her and die, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, morally black MMC, she tries to unalive him/he makes her 💦 on his g u n, dark Little Mermaid retelling, found family, graphic violence & gore, dubcon, CNC, STEAMY🔥🔥

[whatmrsdobbsreads]

Silk & Sirens is the story of Aeris and Caden, and WOW… this one is definitely the darkest book in the series so far! 🖤🔥

After reading Locks & Lies and Blood & Thorns, I was already excited to dive into this one, but knowing it was inspired by The Little Mermaid had me even more intrigued. And honestly? Right from the very beginning, I LOVED it! 🧜‍♀️🌊

Caden is hot, but the spice in this book is somehow even hotter! 🔥🌶️ And Aeris? She is an absolutely kick-ass FMC! I love a defiant female character, and when she said “Make me”… well, you already know I was here for it! 😮‍💨🔥

✨ Tropes:
🖤 Bad Boy x Bad Girl — when the bad boy finally meets his match
🔥 Enemies to Lovers — one of my absolute favourites!
👑 Power Imbalance — another favourite
🎭 Masked MMC — because I LOVE a mask!
🖤 Morally Grey — honestly, is there anything else we even want to read?!

And once again, my poker face was in full use while reading this at work today… because some of those scenes definitely required me to act like I was reading something completely innocent! 😳🔥😂

I also loved the crossover with characters from the previous books in the series. It was such a welcome surprise, and I was SO here for it! Seeing those connections between the books added another layer to the story and made the whole reading experience even better.

Dark, spicy, twisted and inspired by a classic tale we all know and love, Silk & Sirens completely pulled me in. If you love dark romance, morally grey characters, defiant FMCs and a deliciously dark retelling, then this one needs to be on your TBR! 🖤🧜‍♀️🔥

[Emily Knaus]

This book is a deliciously dark, twisted echo of The Little Mermaid, but instead of ocean kingdoms, we’re dropped straight into the neon lit danger of club Atlantis and the brutal empire surrounding it. Aeris Merrin isn’t just a seductress, she’s a weapon. Trained to be irresistible, lethal, and loyal to Selene Blackwater, she lives a double life that’s already eating her alive. Silk & Sirens promises deception, double identities, and dangerous alliances, and the story delivers all of it and more.

Aeris is magnetic in that way only morally grey FMCs can be. She’s beautiful, sharp tongued, and constantly calculating. She’s caught between the woman who owns her family’s fate and the man she’s supposed to manipulate. Watching her try to play both sides, knowing every choice could cost her freedom, gives the entire book a simmering tension. She’s dangerous, but she’s also trapped, and that vulnerability makes her impossible not to ache for.

And then we have Caden Ackworth. The masked enforcer. The Beast’s right hand. A man feared for a reason. He’s ruthless, controlled, and absolutely not the type to fall for a pretty face… which is exactly why their dynamic works so freaking well. When Aeris tries to blackmail him, he doesn’t break, he takes her life as payment. Their chemistry is volatile from the start, built on power imbalance, threats, and the kind of desire that feels like a mistake you make twice anyway.

The enemies to lovers tension between them is constant. Every scene between them feels like a negotiation of danger and want. He wants to break her. She wants to outplay him. And somewhere in the middle, something real starts to spark; something neither of them can afford.

The mafia world is gritty and violent, but it never overshadows the emotional core. Secrets unravel, loyalties fracture, and every betrayal hits. It’s not a soft romance; it’s a story about two people who should destroy each other but keep choosing the fire instead.

If you’re anything like me and love morally grey characters, power imbalances, seduction as weapon energy, and romances where trust is earned through blood and defiance, this one is absolutely it!!

It’s not just a fairytale retelling, it’s more like a siren song dragged through the underworld and that’s exactly why it works so freaking well!!

A huge thank you to Taylor Aston White & Luna Litaersy for the early copy! I’m obsessed with the Twisted Ever After series!!

[Mikayla Jordan]

💙🧜🏼‍♀️ARC Review🧜🏼‍♀️💙

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This book had me in a chokehold. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down! This book will make you not want to put it down because this story is so captivating! I was always curious about Aeris, and holy hell, learning her story broke my heart! Also, seeing how she was able to make an empire of secrets was amazing. Aries is complicated, intelligent, damaged, fearless, and a badass!! I loved her and watching her fall for Caden! Now, Caden, this man is a red flag with a capital R, but this man is sooo hot. The things this man does, swoon. He’s cold, strategic, and dangerous. This man was everything, and I loved watching him fall for Aries. These two loved to poke each other’s buttons, and it was hilarious!! The tension these two had was hot!! This book was so amazing and is so heartbreaking learning what these two characters have gone through. The secrets that they keep are crazy, and you understand how these secrets affected the characters. Now about the Little Mermaid elements! Holy Hell, I don’t know how Taylor does it, but holy hell, she is able to intertwine the fairytale so perfectly in the book that when you catch a reference to the fairytale, you’re mind blown!! Like the tongues!! This book is everything, and I will always highly recommend this series!! If you want a fairytale retelling done perfectly with mafia/underworld, revenge, and masked mmc, this book/ series is for you!!

💙🧜🏼‍♀️Thank you so much for the ARC! This review is my opinion.🧜🏼‍♀️💙

[Cheyanne Lee]

The gun scene 🥵🥵🥵- I’m sure this sentence alone as already interested a few off you, you’re my type of people 😉❤️‍🔥

I love love loved this book! What an incredible story, when I heard it was an inspired by the little mermaid I couldn’t wait to read it and it did not disappointment.

Aeris and Caden are true enemies to lovers, their chemistry was off the charts and god did I love how possessive of Aeris Caden was but also how he fully believed in her and supported her strength for the things she has survived and endured, top tier quote “I’m going to hunt every single one of them down,” he said, voice ringing with promise, “and make them beg for mercy at your feet.”

Let’s also discuss The gun scene 🥵🥵🥵 and the mirror playroom scene, these were spicyyyyyy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I did not see that ending coming I’m so happy they got a HEA!!!

Little Easter eggs for comparisons to the little mermaid:
Aeris collecting ‘trinkets’
The way Selene’s power is described as ‘ tentacles’ hinting at her being the sea witch 🐙
The use of ‘dingle hopper’ and ‘thingamabob’ and ‘poor unfortunate soul’

If your looking for a dark romance, with enemies to lovers, that’s sex positive, depicts disabilities in such a beautiful way and is inspired by the little mermaid then you’ve just found your next read! 📚

[Mel]

This twisted tale inspired by The Little Mermaid was so damn good! 🖤 Aeris and Caden were deliciously hot with their whole love/hate thing they had going on.

Aeris is playing a dangerous game in an attempt to finally get her freedom and falling for Caden was definitely NOT part of the plan. Caden is a dangerous, not so nice man who just can’t seem to stay away from Aeris and I absolutely loved these two together.

They make one hell of a duo, teaming up to take down the person determined to destroy Caden’s empire and the person who owns Aeris. It’s a high stakes game that had me instantly hooked and determined to find answers to all the mysteries.

Aeris and Caden have insane chemistry that leads to some seriously hot and steamy moments! 🔥 But it was their vulnerable moments that really had me melting. Underneath all that hate and tension, there was definitely something more growing between them.

Poor Aeris has been through A LOT, but nothing is stopping this woman from achieving her goals. She’s a strong, seductive badass who isn’t afraid to eliminate anyone who gets in her way or has wronged her. 👏

I really enjoyed this dark, twisted tale! The danger, mystery, chemistry and romance had me hooked!

✨ What to expect:

🖤 Mafia Romance
👀 Stalker
😈 Bad Boy x Bad Girl
⚔️ Enemies to Lovers
🏠 Forced Proximity
🩶 Morally Grey Characters

Spice Rating: 5/5 🌶️

[Natalie]

Tropes:
little mermaid inspired, mafia romance, bad boy x bad girl, enemies to lovers, power imbalance, masked mmc

Also has flashbacks from the past + a mirror scene ✨

Thoughts:
The blurb caught my attention and I wanted something a little different than what I’ve been reading recently. This story sucked me in and I didn’t want to put it down! It was dark, spicy, and packed with action(fights/murd3r).
I recommend to those who love a mafia romance but also a power imbalance, both the mc’s love to have power. Aeris does everything in her power to make individuals pay to what they did to her and her sister. Her main goal is to get revenge and to free herself from being someone’s “puppet”. I loved her character and thought she was such a badass.
Caden is strategic and a person who is hard to read. Most people don’t get under his skin, but Aeris is one who kinda does. Reading about these two definitely had me laughing at some point because of how she kinda tests him. There’s also the tension that is between them and trying to resist one another. 🤭
If you like a story that is filled with secrets, manipulation, revenge, and so much more, definitely check this one out!


* check tw!!

Thank you to Taylor Aston White & Luna Literary for the opportunity to arc read silk & sirens!

[Miya readz]

ARC review 🧜‍♀️


This was my first beta read and I can’t explain how incredibly grateful I am that it was THIS book. As a kid I became obsessed with The little mermaid and all things mermaid/merman for that matter. This dark mafia inspired book is what my adult, dark and smutty reading self needed!

Aeris and Caden were such a power couple and their chemistry was wickedly delicious. A true enemies to lovers that had me in a vice grip. From the very first chapter I knew I would be staying up late at night lying to myself saying “just one more chapter”. I was not expecting Aeris to be such a bad ass woman! She just oozes sexually, confidence and power. Caden is our morally gray, grumpy and VERY HOTT MMC. Caden has a troubled childhood as well and finds it hard to love someone.

When these two collide, the chaos goes crazy! The tension, the yearning and the slow burn just work out so perfectly! There is a VERY SPICY scene that involves a piano and a g*n (pew pew)🥵😮‍💨😮‍💨 that scene had me sweating you guys, whew! I loved how Taylor made references here and there to The little mermaid until the end. I will definitely be reading the rest of the Twisted ever after books in the series!

[Georgina]

I ate this book up!! I seriously need to read more by Taylor Aston White because WOW. This book was so incredibly well structured, and I was completely obsessed with the story and the Little Mermaid inspiration! Disney is one of my favourite things, and so is dark romance, so having the two combined in a book is absolutely right up my alley🖤✨

I loved the depth and detail in the descriptions, and the flashback scenes hit HARD. My heart absolutely broke for Caden💔 The story was action-packed from start to finish, with so many dark twists, secrets, and shocks along the way that kept me completely hooked and constantly wanting more.

Aeris and Caden’s relationship was explosive🔥 The way Caden fell for her and was always there to support her, ready to burn the whole world down for her, while still respecting her independence and letting her take control and fight her own battles… I was here for it!! He was protective without ever taking away her power (in the end), and that dynamic was everything.

I already NEED Langdon’s book!! He was one of my favourite characters in Silk and Sirens, so I absolutely cannot wait to see what’s in store for him👀

[Sarah]

ARC REVIEW

Silk & Sirens by @taylorastonwhite

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

The Twisted Ever After series has already bought us Beauty and Rapunzel and the thought of a Little Mermaid re-telling in Silk & Sirens had me giddy.

Silk and Sirens takes on the Little Mermaid but makes it modern with dark romance themes. Aeria as the FMC was absolutely brilliant. I adored her. She is strong, she is an absolute queen and she is fearless. She is unwilling to give away any power she holds and she challenges Caden at every opportunity.

We met Caden in the previous books and he was clearly going to be awesome. Yep he absolutely was; fearless and protective those he cares about means that Aeris pushes all his buttons. He knows he can’t trust her and so refuses to let her in at all. Until he can’t stop obsessing about her.

There is plenty of tension, tonnes of banter between Aeris and Caden, some stalking behaviour and plenty of possessive growling from Caden - he really is delicious.

Thank you so much for the ARC @taylorastonwhite and @lunaliterary.management - I have loved this series so far. Is it too early to start a count down for Shadows & Sin?

[Shannon]

Another great story!!

Aeris is known as the Mistress of Whispers for good reason. She owns a club where you can have your heart’s desires…for an exorbitant price. She’s also on a mission to get revenge for herself and her sister. And she won’t let anyone with a pretty face get in her way. I admired her strength and perseverance in the face of horrible situations. She always manages to make an escape plan even when it seems impossible, though sometimes it is nice to have some help in that regard.

Caden doesn’t have time for a red haired siren. He especially doesn’t have time to be blackmailed into helping said red haired siren. He does, however, what to see what makes Aeris tick (and discover her secrets, but one thing at a time). Their chemistry together is AMAZING!! Their scenes are always on fire with the perfect(ly unhinged) banter!

There’s a laundry list of content in this book that might be upsetting to people. Some big ones are: profanity, steamy scenes, and graphic mafia-type behavior (lots, detailed).

This is the third book in the series and can be read as a standalone, though I do recommend reading the other two first for maximum enjoyment of the story.

[kall]

I absolutely love this series and honestly it just keeps getting better.

I thought Locks & Lies was my favourite but Silk & Sirens has completely surpassed that.

This is a dark and twisted Little Mermaid retelling and I loved all the little nods to the original throughout the story. I love a retelling anyway but this one does it right.

The story follows Aeris who is dangerous, sharp tongued and being used as a weapon in a game much bigger than herself. When she tries to blackmail Caden Ackworth one of the most dangerous men in the city things quickly spiral into something neither of them can ignore.

I loved the back and forth between Aeris and Caden. The tension, the banter and the chemistry between them was 🔥

Caden was fearless, protective and honestly just delicious. And Aeris? She was amazing. Such a strong FMC and an absolute badass.

This had mafia, enemies to lovers, bad boy x bad girl, power imbalance, stalking, danger and all the dark retelling vibes I wanted.

I loved this one and I cannot wait for more from this series.

[Pink_Candy]

Silk & Sirens completely surprised me in the best way

Aeris is exactly the kind of FMC I love—dangerous, strategic, seductive, morally gray, deeply traumatized, but never stripped of her agency—and Caden is the perfect contrast to her chaos: calm, controlled, steady, and completely undone by the one woman who knows exactly how to get under his skin. What I loved most is that this romance never asks Aeris to become softer, cleaner, or less complicated in order to be loved; instead, Caden sees every dark, damaged, defiant part of her and chooses her anyway. Their chemistry is intense, the push-and-pull is addictive, and underneath all the mafia violence and Little Mermaid inspiration is a surprisingly emotional story about freedom, trust, reclaiming your voice, and realizing you may still deserve tenderness even after surviving things that changed you. I tore through this in basically a day, and the ending gave me exactly the kind of emotional payoff I wanted. Five stars.

[Amanda Richard]

Silk and Sirens by Taylor Aston White

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I love reading books inspired by fairy tales, especially ones I love!

Aeris is a strong, empowered woman fighting for control of her life and trying to find her sister after unforgivable things were done to them. She’s known for her work at Club Atlantis, but she’s Selene’s lethal weapon, among other job titles.
Over the years, Caden is no stranger to the Mistress of Whispers. Caden works for the Beast and is just as deadly as Aeris, though a little messier. After meeting a few times in quick succession, it becomes clear the pull they feel towards one another. Watching them both realize the games they’re playing with each other and how the lines blur into something more was written perfectly. It was fun finding sprinkles of little things from The Little Mermaid.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series. One of my favourite quiet characters and my favourite fairy tale.

[Alicia Bradley]

With tropes like the ones used in this book there is zero chance you won’t love it!
Tropes include:
-Fairy Tale inspired- The Little Mermaid
-mafia
-stalker
-masked mmc
-bad boy X bad girl
- enemies to lovers 🥵
-power imbalance
-morally grey

For me this was a dangerously addictive read. I was completely sucked in and couldn’t put it down!

I loved how this is fairy tale inspired! This was dark and twisted in the best ways. The Little Mermaid references through out were perfect and twisting them darkly was amazing!

Cadens obsession with Aeris is hot! But watching him soften for only her made me swoon! They have a wildly undeniable chemistry and their relationship dynamic was chefs kiss!So much tension and yearning that I could feel it in my bones!

All the dark twists, deception & lies, and secrets keep you on the edge and wanting more! Literally keeps you turning pages!

This was an easy 5⭐️ read. I was sad for it to end but I am so excited for what’s next!

[Brittany Furnish]

****ARC READER REVIEW****

This book grabbed me by the throat and said “run.” Caden is out here brooding like the world personally offended him, and Aeris is slinking around collecting secrets like she’s building a scrapbook of everyone’s worst decisions. Every time they shared a scene, I felt like I was watching two thunderstorms flirt.

Their chemistry?
Absolutely illegal.
I had to set the book down and reevaluate my life choices.

Caden’s obsession melting into softness had me ascending like a Victorian man seeing ankles for the first time. Aeris staying feral and untrusting? I respect her. I fear her. I want her to step on my soul.

Yes, the pacing occasionally jumped like the author hit the fast‑forward button with enthusiasm, but honestly? I didn’t care. I was too busy being emotionally waterboarded by these two disasters.

Now I’m perched on the edge of my seat waiting for Langdon’s book like a raccoon waiting for someone to drop a rotisserie chicken.

[Tasha]

Silk and Sirens by Taylor Aston White was such a deliciously dark retelling of The Little Mermaid fairytale. Taylor took the familiar fairytale elements and turned them into something dangerous, seductive, and seriously entertaining. I loved the chemistry between the characters. There was so much tension, obsession, and that delicious push-and-pull that kept me wanting to read “just one more chapter.” The characters are definitely flawed and morally gray, but that’s part of what made the story so enjoyable for me. I also really liked seeing familiar elements from The Little Mermaid woven into a much darker world. It felt familiar without being predictable, and there were plenty of moments that surprised me. Overall, Silk and Sirens is a great choice if you enjoy dark romances with a fairytale twist!

I received an ARC copy from Luna Literacy. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this novel and share my honest review of the novel