Londyn didn’t ask to be abandoned by her mother. But she grew up to be a strong, fiercely independent woman, making a name for herself as a dancer in Las Vegas at the Devil’s Den Strip Club.
So when history repeats itself, Londyn finds herself the guardian of her younger half-sister, Lilly. Determined to provide what their mother couldn’t.
The Devil’s Den owner, Rome, and her boss, has had his eye on Londyn since she started dancing for him at eighteen; their twenty-one-year age gap always holding him back from making a move. But when Denver, the owner of Sinners & Saints, a new club, tries to poach Londyn for himself, Rome must decide if he can see past their differing ages while also navigating some surprising feelings toward his business rival.
New relationships will be tested when people around Londyn start dying…
Can Rome and Denver keep the sisters safe? Or will they lose Londyn in a dangerous game of cat and mouse?
L. Clara is an award winning amazon international best selling author who lives in south central PA with her husband and their son. When she's not writing she's trying to convince her husband to adopt every animal - because who doesn't want a house cow, right? Her love of Gilmore Girls transcends into her day to day life in the form of a fast talking, coffee obsessed daisy lover. Although daises have been her favorite flower since she was a kid. You can catch her listening to audiobooks on the daily or when she has time to sit down and enjoy a book on her kindle she's reading all things romance.
ARC review - Dnf at 50%. This book just wasn’t for me, it was very rushed and sex, sex, sex. Now, don’t get me wrong, i love a book that’s all smut BUT the story line has to be really strong to counter all the smut.
Thank you so much to Love Notes PR for the ARC opportunity💌
This book is very short, only 255 pages and so I read it quite quickly. The thing is, it wasn’t boring, it was just…objectively not good.
If there is anything I am known for, my best friend can vouch it’s for my straight up bluntness. I have very many descriptive words that express my negative feelings towards this book and whilst I want to express them, I think it’s best to do it in a more constructively criticising way.
First of all, I could SEE the potential. The vision was there. In a way it just felt like the author had a really short time to write this and jumbled a bunch of tropes and themes and decided it was good enough. With enough writing development and time I think this could have potentially been an amazing mystery romance, triad book! However, that wasn’t the case.
The plot felt like it was just dumped into the story, the characters stories felt rushed and there was just SO much bad written spice in this book that it made their story feel cheap, when it could’ve been EVERYTHING. And a 10 year old in this book seemed like she was one minute acting her age then all of a sudden being involved in conversations that a 10 year old shouldn’t be involved in normally even with her trauma it seemed very unrealistic. I thought the dynamic between Rome, Denver and Londyn could’ve been really passionately rather than lustfully driven and then random love confessions dumped in. I also found the untouched and almost unspoken story of Londyn’s previous and first lover (a character in this book) had a huge impact on the plot and honestly it just felt like it wasn’t explored in enough detail. This book needed more depth, more character driven backgrounds and development and better writing in my opinion.
As this is an ARC, I am trying to keep spoiler free as well and do my best to constructively review this in a respectful manner. However, it wouldn’t be one of my review’s without some harshness in it and quite honestly, this book, the whole time had me thinking it was a debut for the quality of the writing…only to find out the author has indeed written multiple books before.
Londyn was such a badass FMC who refused to take shit from anyone, and I absolutely loved that about her. I also admired how she stepped up and embraced her role in Lilly's life, not everyone would have done that. They truly needed each other, and I loved how honest Londyn was with Lilly about her lifestyle while making sure she always knew how deeply she was loved. The chemistry between Rome and Londyn was obvious from the start, and I couldn't wait to see where it went. I was actually surprised Denver got a taste before Rome did! I also loved the age gap romance, and the connection that developed between all three of them completely caught me off guard, in the best way. I expected jealousy to become a major issue, but "old man" Rome wanted to include Denver instead, and I definitely counted that as a win. I was genuinely surprised by who the stalker turned out to be. That reveal was not what I was expecting at all. The ending was everything I wanted. I'm a sucker for a happily ever after, and this one left me completely satisfied.
ARC review: I unfortunately decided to DNF at 40% This book is set up for a good plot, but I feel like it wasn’t executed well. It was insta-fuck, no build up or connection between the characters. Honestly lost me at whack-a-wiener 😅
This book was 255 pages of smut with a mystery romance plot which is my favorite type of book. There relationship I guess someone can say it was a little fast paced I just think the world was waiting for Devin to meet the two. I would and am recommending this book to anyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
*ARC review* This book was easy to read and very descriptive without overdoing it. I did struggle with things feeling disjointed and rushed, including some spice scenes, at times. I did enjoy the found family aspect and how fast-paced the book was.
Londyn didn’t ask to be abandoned by her mother. But she grew up to be a strong, fiercely independent woman, making a name for herself as a dancer in Las Vegas at the Devil’s Den Strip Club.
So when history repeats itself, Londyn finds herself the guardian of her younger half-sister, Lilly. Determined to provide what their mother couldn’t.
The Devil’s Den owner, Rome, and her boss, has had his eye on Londyn since she started dancing for him at eighteen; their twenty-one-year age gap always holding him back from making a move. But when Denver, the owner of Sinners & Saints, a new club, tries to poach Londyn for himself, Rome must decide if he can see past their differing ages while also navigating some surprising feelings toward his business rival.
New relationships will be tested when people around Londyn start dying…
Can Rome and Denver keep the sisters safe? Or will they lose Londyn in a dangerous game of cat and mouse?
YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that may not be suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first. Reader discretion is advised.
Tropes: Age Gap, Boss x Employee, Strip Club Setting, Slow-Burn, Protective MMC, Love Triangle, Romantic Rivalry, Business Rivals, Found Family, Forced Guardian, Unexpected Parenthood, Strong Independent FMC, Family Trauma, Abandonment Issues, Protective Family Dynamic, Romantic Suspense, Serial Killer/Murder Mystery, Cat-and-Mouse Chase, Touch Her and Unalive, Possessive/Protective Alpha MMC, Healing from Childhood Trauma, Breaking Generational Cycles, Family Loyalty, Survival, Trust, Jealousy, Sacrifice, High Spice/Explicit Romance, Dark Romance Elements, Emotional Angst, Protective MMCs, Club/Nightlife Atmosphere.
The Devil’s Saint by L. Clara. This is L. Clara’s debut novel, and in a genre, that’s packed with standout and outstanding authors, L. Clara’s name can be added to that list and is a name to watch out for.
L. Clara explores a new twist on betrayal in her debut novel, The Devil's Saint, plunging readers into a gritty world where loyalty, danger, and forbidden romance are intertwined. This coming-of-age contemporary romance-meets-suspense thriller follows Londyn, an independent Las Vegas dancer, as she uses her wit and fingers to keep herself, and more importantly, her little sister, alive after finding herself at the heart of someone's deadly vendetta. In a genre already packed with outstanding authors, L. Clara stands out, offering fans of the Mafia genre something new and grittier than the standard Mafia love story.
At its heart, The Devil's Saint is about endurance and the pitfalls of a chosen family. We have a strong heroine in Londyn, who never comes off as a mockery. Clara aligns Londyn's shielding of Lilly with her motherly nature in matters of love and danger, creating a three-dimensional heroine worthy of love and compassion.
The club backdrop, from the Devil's Den to Sinners & Saints, is a neon hum that still carries a hush while feeling genuine. The gentle utterances enhance your immersion, helping you become lost in the ambiance of the dancers and their surroundings.
The romantic tension is another area where L. Clara excels. The obvious age gap between Londyn and her mysterious boss, Rome, is handled with nuance, recognizing the barriers without sacrificing chemistry. The addition of rival club mogul Denver, while subtly showing the reasons for the conflicting behaviour, gives the action distinct flavours. We get to see Rome and Denver pitted against each other as subtle layers of an alliance begin to form. As deaths and threats increase, the novel's suspense builds skillfully, prompting readers to question who is trustworthy.
With events escalating so fast at times, and even the final scene stretching reality, more in-depth exploration of minor characters is sacrificed; most are left floating as two-dimensional foils rather than rounded-out characters. Finally, while the narration is breezy with occasional flourishes, some segments of dialogue and description rely on standard conventions of the romantic suspense genre and may seem overly familiar to readers with more experience in this arena. However, the pleasantly direct writing and the strong atmosphere make up for that.
What I personally found sets The Devil's Saint apart from other books in this genre is its balance of grit and heart. The Devil’s Saint was written with a raw emotional tone and the harsh realities that can be a woman's fate; it is threaded through with hope and a glimpse of trust amid the turmoil. Rome's relationship with his family, in contrast to the romance, carries the action from beginning to end.
The Devil’s Saint is a compelling and emotionally charged book that blends romance with peril. This will especially appeal to readers who love tough female characters in complicated relationships with a suspenseful backdrop. Add this one to your shelf if you're in the mood for a story with heat, heart, and darkness.
The Devil’s Saint inspires thought on what it means to protect the ones you love, as well as whether love itself can be a saving grace in an otherwise shadowy world.
EN: First of all, I’d like to thank the author and Lovenotes for giving me the chance to read this book as an ARC.
Honestly, I was drawn in by the cover and the MMF and bi-awakening tropes (I can't help it; I love it when characters discover what they like and broaden their horizons).
In this book, we follow Londyn’s story: a stripper abandoned by her mother at age 12 who learned to be independent. What she never expected? That years later, she’d be contacted because her mother had done the exact same thing again—this time abandoning 10-year-old Lily.
Lon gains custody of Lily and does everything she can to give the child a good life. But life throws two men into her path: Rome, her 45-year-old boss at the club where she works, and Denver, a man who appears out of nowhere to open a new club.
Sparks fly between them. The spicy scenes are great, but—guys—the best ones are undoubtedly between Rome and Denver (our "Daddy" and "Baby Boy").
However, this book isn't just about sex. It’s about giving love a chance when you’ve never had a positive experience with it. It’s about finding family in the people you least expect. Plus, there’s a whole mystery woven into the story.
At a certain point, we realize that strippers are being murdered, and they all share one thing: they had an argument with Londyn before they died.
It might not be the most brilliantly written book ever, but it hooks you right from the start, and honestly, the plot is incredibly interesting and addictive.
PT: Primeiramente, agradeço à autora e ao lovenotes por me terem dado a oportunidade de ler este livro ainda em arc.
Vim, honestamente, pela capa e pelas tropes de MMF e de Bi-Awakening (não consigo evitar, adoro quando eles descobrem do que gostam e abrem os seus horizontes).
Neste livro, acompanhamos a história de Londyn: uma stripper que foi abandonada pela mãe aos 12 anos, e que aprendeu a ser independente. O que ela nunca esperou? É que, anos mais tarde, seria contactada pois a mãe voltou a fazer a mesma coisa: Desta vez, abandonou Lily, de 10 anos.
Lon então ganha a guarda de Lily e faz de tudo para dar uma boa vida à criança. Só que a vida mete no seu caminho 2 homens: o seu chefe de 45 anos do clube onde trabalha, Rome; e um homem que aparece um pouco do nada, pois irá abrir um outro clube, Denver.
Tudo explode entre eles. As partes spicy são boas mas, malta, as melhores são sem dúvida entre Rome e Denver (o nosso "Daddy" e o nosso "Baby Boy").
Porém, este livro não é apenas sobre sexo. É sobre darmos uma oportunidade ao amor, quando não tivemos nenhuma experiência positiva. É sobre encontrar família nas pessoas que menos esperamos. E, além disso, é um livro que tem todo um mistério pelo meio.
A partir duma parte da história percebemos que há strippers a serem assassinadas, e todas têm uma coisa em comum: tiveram alguma discussão com Londyn antes de morrerem.
Não é o livro melhor escrito da vida, no entanto agarra-nos de início, e honestamente tem todo um plot muito interessante e viciante.
First Impressions: Londyn, a talented exotic dancer, finds herself the guardian of her half-sister, Lilly, after their mother abandons another child. A tragic series of murders brings the sisters closer together, while Londyn forges an unconventional romance with rival club owners, Rome and Denver.
Pacing: The story takes place over a few months, and the pacing feels authentic for the passage of time. The challenges of raising a sibling after abandonment has genuine good days and bad day, and makes the healing process feel very real.
Character development: Londyn, despite her rough Stargate in life, is hardworking, clever, and deeply devoted to her found family. However, that rough start also means she's untrusting and independent to a fault. Rome and Denver, while rivals, find familiar ground while each begin courting Londyn, developing their respective businesses, and forge a romantic bond together. Lilly is a sweet, emotionally intelligent, and charming little girl who, despite the sudden abandonment by her mother, endures the transition into her sister's care as well as can be expected. Through vulnerability, sacrifice, and mutual support, the ensemble cast create a new foundation family that heals old wounds and invites a more hopeful future for everyone.
World Building: Las Vegas is a nice change of pace from NYC, LA, and London for a romance book. There's a lot of variety in the landscape: the competitive business world of adult entertainment, peaceful suburbs, and scenic natural spaces. Just as the cast of characters are multi-faceted, so it the background upon which the story is told.
Romance: The romance is sweet and patient, but hard won. Londyn, Rome, and Denver are each quite reticent to pursue deeper connections beyond the casual. However, they learn to love each other through patience, vulnerability, and small leaps of faith.
Spice: This is a pretty spicy book, and it drives the connections between Londyn, Rome, and Denver. However, it does also act as a catalyst for the romantic bonds that form along the way.
Errors and Consistency: Other than some odd capitalization choices, this was clean draft.
Overall experience: I loved this! The spicy romance was great, the bond between Londyn and Lilly is so well-written, and I was so excited to be wrong about the killer, too! This is definitely one of the top 5 best ARCs I've read this year. I look forward to reading more by L. Clara in the future. ⭐️ 5 🌶 4
And the horses are okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of ARC received from Love Notes PR and Author
This book had a lot of the tropes that I liked and I was really interested in the blurb for this so I predicted that it would be something that I loved…. That being said I found it alright.
This story follows Londyn (a midnight ballerina and newly unexpected single mother to an unknown younger sister) Rome (her 45 yo boss at the club) and Denver (who’s opening a new club and is there to scope out the competition).
The majority of this story is sex, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but to me it felt like the plot was more thrown in at the last minute (beginning past the 50% mark and then ramped quickly at the last 15% to the end). It had a great set up that had me interested but somewhere along the way I wasn’t as invested and was more so reading to finish because I really wanted it to get better and I didn’t think it did. Part of that was the nicknames used in the book which is a me thing (I’m really not a fan of Daddy or Baby Boy) but mainly it was because of how the couple was essentially constantly having or thinking about sex, even during parts when it likely shouldn’t have been a thing.
One thing that really rubbed me the wrong way was Lily (Londyn’s 10 yo sister who she’s now taking care of). The group had LOUD sex while in the apartment with her with no care that she’s next door and also Lily is apart of conversations that she shouldn’t have been apart of for someone her age and would one minute act like a child and other like an adult. I understand making her more mature due to the trauma of her mother leaving her but that only goes so far. I think if she was a closer to 15/16, it would have been a better choice.
I wish we got more of the mystery aspect of things. Again it didn’t really start until after 50% but I had been looking forward to how that storyline would affect our MCs…. Unfortunately it didn’t affect them much. Rome and Denver just becoming more overprotective and Londyn wants to keep working like nothing is wrong. And they all still have constant sex.
I can see other people liking this one if you go in with different expectations. I think if maybe I went in knowing it was more smut heavy I may have had slightly differing opinions but likely not by much.
TROPES✨ 🔥MMF 🔥Age Gap 🔥Dark RomCom 🔥Midnight Ballerina 🔥Unexpected Single 'Parent' 🔥Workplace Romance 🔥Touch Her and ☠️ 🔥Bi-Awakening 🔥Found Family 🔥Stalker (not MC)
Received a copy of this as an advanced reader copy and finally got around to reading it.
From the very first chapter, I was hooked. What Londyn goes through at just 12 years old is heartbreaking, and no child should ever have to experience that. Then she learns she has a little sister who suffered at the hands of their mother too, and she basically has to become a parent while still trying to process her own trauma. My heart really went out to both of them.
I had a feeling who her love interests were going to be almost immediately. Rome gave off that protective, possessive energy from the start, while Denver was the flirty, confident owner of a rival club. I actually loved the dynamic between the three of them, and one of my favorite parts was seeing how much they cared for Londyn’s little sister. Those found family moments were easily some of the strongest in the book.
Now…I’m being VERY generous with my rating, and that’s honestly because I loved the overall vibes. Give me angst, a murder mystery, found family, and the fact that the FMC’s boyfriends are also together? I’m interested every single time. It made for a fun, bingeable read.
That said, this book felt like stepping back into a 2012 Wattpad story (in both the best and worst ways).
The pacing was incredibly fast. Events happened one after another with almost no time to breathe. We’d get a major plot point, then suddenly a spicy scene, then another “big reveal” that was over almost as soon as it started. Even the final reveal surrounding the murder mystery felt surprisingly underwhelming after all the buildup, with everything wrapping up in just a couple of paragraphs.
The romance and chemistry carried the story more than the plot did. While I enjoyed the dialogue during the intimate scenes, the scenes themselves started to feel repetitive, almost like the same formula was being used over and over. I also wish there had been more depth overall…more world-building, more emotional development, and stronger characterization. Outside of Londyn, most of the characters felt pretty one-dimensional.
Overall, I still had fun reading this. It worked as a quick, smutty palate cleanser that didn’t require much brainpower, and sometimes that’s exactly what I’m in the mood for. But if you’re looking for a richly developed story with layered characters and a well-crafted mystery, this one may leave you wanting more.
🖤 Dark RomCom 🥰 MMF 🕰️ Age Gap 🍼 Unexpected Single “Parent” 🧡 Found Family 💀 Touch Her And 💜 Bi-Awakening 👀 Midnight Ballerina
Release date - July 7th 📆
The Devils Saint is perfect for beginners into dark romance. This is a fun story and not very dark, but is a nice easy read! There is great humor, also just need to put it out there the Dean Winchester digs, as a supernatural fan girlie, these made me smile😆 It is fast paced and a fast burn between the characters, but it is quite a short book with 200 odd pages🖤
There is a different range between the characters which is always interesting, we have a feisty and independent FMC, we have one dominant MMC and one who can be both dominant and submissive depending on who with, I’ll let you find out which one is which👀
So we have our FMC Londyn who is an independent dancer in Las Vegas having to fend for herself after being abandoned by her mother at a young age, and years later history is repeating itself and this ends up with Londyn having custody of her younger sister who up until now she didn’t know existed!
Londyn is working for her older boss Rome who is one of our MMCs and he has been obsessed with her since he set eyes on her, but never persued anything due to their age gap (come on now Rome, who doesn’t love an age gap trope😉) well lucky for us now that Londyn is a bit older and he’s got some competition, he can’t control his feelings for her any longer😈
There’s a new dance club opening to set up competition and it’s by none other than our other MMC Denver, and let’s just say he wants to mix business and pleasure🤪
This is where our why choose story begins and let’s say it gets spicy🌶️
Not everything is all happy though, and Londyn has a past that is set up to destroy everything in her life and wanting revenge👀
Their new relationship will be tested so can Rome and Denver help to save and protect Londyn and her little sister or will it end up with no HEA for anyone involved?
Received this ARC from Love Notes PR, the following review is my unbiased opinion.
I really wanted to love this book. Actually, scratch that. I was convinced I was going to love it! The blurb had me hooked from the start. MFM? Check. A badass FMC? Check. A bi-awakening? Sign me the hell up. This book had everything it needed to become a four (or even five-star) read for me. And somehow… I was just bored. My biggest issue wasn’t event the amount of spice, it was what the spice kept replacing. Every time the story introduced something that made me sit up and think “oh, now we’re getting somewhere” we’d immediately move on without exploring it.
Londyn is introduced as this woman who doesn’t need anyone and takes no shit from anybody. I was READY for that energy. Then Denver looks at her a little differently, and before I could even blink we’re already in bed. I don’t mind insta-lust — I read plenty of books where the characters sleep together early on. My issue is that the emotional side never caught up. I needed more time watching these three actually fall for each other. Rome might have been the biggest missed opportunity for me. A man in his forties who’s never been attracted to another man suddenly realizing that maybe… this one is different? That could have been such a beautiful bi-awakening story. Instead, it barely gets any room to breathe. There’s attraction. There’s lust. But emotionally? I never felt like Rome and Denver’s relationship became anything deeper than physical, and that’s such a shame because there was so much potential there. Then there’s the ten-year-old. Sometimes she sounded exactly like a child who’s been forced to grow up too quickly because of trauma. Other times she sounded like she was twenty-five giving life advice. It pulled me out of the story more than once.
What frustrates me the most is that I can see the book this could have been. There are genuinely great ideas here. Interesting characters. Boundaries I wish had been explored more. Relationship dynamics that had so much emotional potential. I just never felt like the story slowed down long enough to let any of them breathe.
📖 The Devils Saint by L. Clara (ARC Copy) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5) 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵 📕: Received from Love Notes PR
I signed up to be an ARC reader for this book because of the cover alone. It immediately caught my eye—it was beautiful and stood out from the rest. But let me tell you… what was behind that cover completely surprised me.
We follow Londyn, a stripper who was abandoned by her mother at just 12 years old and forced to grow up far too quickly. Twelve years later, she receives a phone call that changes everything: her mother has abandoned her baby sister, and Londyn is now responsible for raising her. Determined to give her sister the loving, stable childhood they never had, Londyn does everything she can to break the cycle.
Londyn has two very different men in her life—Rome, her boss at the club where she works, and Denver, who meets her while scouting clubs for inspiration to open one of his own. Watching these relationships develop while Londyn struggles to trust and accept love made for an emotional and addictive read.
As if the romance and chemistry weren’t enough, there’s also a suspenseful mystery running throughout the story. Strippers are being murdered, and every victim has one thing in common—they all had an argument with Londyn before they died. That mystery kept me turning the pages just as much as the romance did. (I mean “yes Daddy. And “baby boy” and Princess, had me turning the pages just as fast don’t get me wrong)
What really stayed with me, though, was the story beneath all the spice. At its heart, The Devils Saint is about family, responsibility, healing, and a woman who refuses to let history repeat itself. Sometimes the strongest people are the ones who have every reason to give up but choose to keep fighting anyway.
If you’re looking for a dark, spicy romance with found family, emotional depth, suspense, and plenty of twists, I’d definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR.
I went into this book really excited, but unfortunately it didn't quite work for me.
My biggest issue was that everything felt too easy. I went into it expecting so much more. The characters rarely seemed to struggle, and solutions often fell into their laps instead of feeling earned. Because of that, I never felt fully invested in what was happening.
The spice was definitely there, and don't get me wrong—I love a spicy romance. But it felt like every other chapter was another sex scene, and after a while it started to replace the character development, plot progression, and world-building. Spice works best when it enhances the story, and for me, it ended up overshadowing it.
I also think this book had the potential for a really interesting mystery, but that aspect never felt fully developed. The murders seemed to happen because something bad needed to happen rather than because they were part of a well-crafted mystery. There wasn't much suspense or investigation, and most of the conflict felt implied instead of actually explored. I kept waiting for the stakes to get higher, but they never really did.
That said, I did enjoy the relationship between Rome, Denver, and Londyn. Who doesn't love a good throuple? Their chemistry was probably was definitely there, and I found myself wishing the same level of care had been put into the rest of the story.
Overall, I just needed more—more character development, more emotional depth, more tension, and a stronger plot. This one just didn't come together the way I'd hoped. I can definitely see why readers who are looking for a spice-heavy romance might enjoy it more than I did, but I was hoping for a story with a little more substance.
Can we talk about the wild ride that The Devil's Saint was? L. Clara had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, and my mind was blown more than once by the twists and turns.
Londyn has spent most of her life on her own. Working as a night dancer, she's convinced herself that she's better off relying on no one but herself. Everything changes when her half-sister, Lilly, unexpectedly enters her life, forcing Londyn to open her heart in ways she never imagined.
One of my favorite parts of the story was watching the bond between Londyn and Lilly grow. Londyn's protective instincts kicked in immediately, and she was determined to prove to Lilly that she would never abandon her. Their relationship added so much emotion and healing to the story and balanced the darker elements perfectly.
Then Rome and Denver enter the picture, and that's when things really heat up. Rome has secretly wanted Londyn for years but never acted on his feelings. When Denver, the new owner of the club, arrives, everything changes. The chemistry between the three of them is undeniable, and the dynamic that develops is both intense. While the romance is packed with sizzling tension and plenty of spice, it isn't an easy journey. Londyn has never wanted a relationship or believed she deserved a family, so Rome and Denver have to prove through their actions just how far they're willing to go to protect both her and Lilly.
This book had everything I love…emotion, suspense, danger lurking around every corner, a beautiful found family element, and plenty of spice. The perfect balance of romance, action, and heartfelt moments to keep you hooked until the end.
The potential of this book was so high. You want an age-gap romance? Got it. You want a MMF romance? Right here. Love a “touch her and die” trope. Look no further. Unfortunately though it just didn’t build the characters up enough both as individuals and as partners.
Londyn is portrayed as a woman who has issues with relationships because of her mother. She had to raise herself and is now learning how to raise her half-sister. She supposed to be this strong woman who didn’t want to be in a relationship and yet the instant she meet Denver and Rome comes busting in she completely forgets all her past troubles and her boundaries.
Denver is just plain. Like yeah he adds to the relationships spice and protecting Londyn but just found him to be a soggy piece of lettuce at times.
Rome was meant to be the daddy of the book not just cause of his age but the portrayal too and it gave that. There was just times that I wanted more for him. Like his rival is going after the woman he was pinning for and was going to confront him but instead he ended up getting a fancy for men that he’s never had before. Is this new sexual awakening explored? Not really unless you count the countless amount of sex they all have.
As a whole I would of liked more of a plot as I did find it heavy on the spice which I normally don’t mind but there was no need for 5+ chapters of back to back sex scene. Also there were some spelling mistakes whilst reading this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
4🌟 3🌶, Holy smokes! The spice was spicing, all scenes were great! The suspense that kicked in with the murders was written extremely well. Love how Londyn immediately took in Lilly when their absent mother left Lilly alone. Londyn is a dancer at The Devil's Den, and has been approached by the owner of the new club, Sinners & Saints. Londyn was not aware that Rome, the owner of Devil's Den, has had his eyes and thoughts on her since she became a dancer at the club. Denver, the owner of Sinners also has his eyes on Londyn. Both men have met and sparks begin to fly between them, as well as both having sparks fly with Londyn. All in all, we get a nice polycule of Londyn, Rome, and Denver. Lilly is also ok with this, although she did not like Denver at their first encounter. Londyn reaches out to an old friend, who she had once lived with while she was in the foster system, Bailey, so that Lilly can ride horses. There's mention of exploratory activities during their youth when Londyn & Bailey talk, and Londyn tells Bailey why she left when she did. Bailey's father was the reason. The ending was not predictable in my opinon and I was highly surprised at the culprit of murders that were plaguing the two clubs.
Can't wait to see what else L. Clara releases next!
This was a book provided by LoveNotes PR with approval from author L. Clara. Thank you! This reveiw was of my own opinions.
First of all, a huge thank you to Love Notes PR and the author for the eARC.
Now, I flew through this book because it was short and fast paced. But unfortunately it wasn't the best book I've ever read. It lacked in so many ways, and the insta-fuck trope was the main thing that really dragged down this rating. Don't get me wrong, I read just smut books, and I enjoy them from time to time, but the premise promised a lot more and it lacked in what it gave us. Was the smut enjoyable? Yes, to a certain degree, it was (even though it could have been improved a lot more), but what really attracted me to this book was the whole premise, the synopsis, the story. But nothing, nada, zilch. The characters were not developed enough for me to care for them. I needed to know their background story and how that impacted them, how their past shaped them and their present. It just was not there.
Even the so called "chemistry" between the characters coud have been improved with some emotional depth, rather than just fucking. And the love confessions were just thrown in as if the author forgot they actually need to confess their feelings in some way.
Anyways, this book was promising, and the story can be saved if the author would add more story to each character and more emotional depth.
🖤🔥 Two powerful men. One fiercely independent woman. And a danger that refuses to stay in the shadows. Londyn has spent her entire life learning how to survive.
When her mother abandons her younger half-sister, Lilly, Londyn steps up without hesitation, determined to give her the stability she never had. She’s strong, protective, and fiercely independent—but carrying the weight of the world alone comes at a cost.
Enter Rome and Denver.
One has wanted her for years but kept his distance.
The other isn’t afraid to make his interest known.
And somewhere between loyalty, rivalry, and undeniable attraction, the lines begin to blur.
But love isn’t the only thing threatening to change Londyn’s life.
People around her are dying.
And suddenly, keeping her heart safe may be easier than keeping herself alive.
🖤 Workplace romance 🔥 Love triangle/MMF romance ✨ Age-gap romance ⚔️ Rivals-to-lovers vibes 🛡️ Protective heroes 🌹 Strong heroine 💣 Suspense and danger ❤️🔥 High emotional stakes
What immediately caught my attention is that beneath the romance is a story about family, responsibility, and a woman who refuses to let history repeat itself.
Because sometimes the strongest people are the ones carrying the heaviest burdens.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.
I was so excited to read this book. The blurb drew me in and the lists of tropes the author provided was right up my alley. I forced myself to finish it.
🔥MMF 🔥Age Gap 🔥Dark RomCom 🔥Midnight Ballerina 🔥Unexpected Single 'Parent' 🔥Workplace Romance 🔥Touch Her and ☠️ 🔥Bi-Awakening 🔥Found Family 🔥St/-\lker (not MC)
This book had the potential to be an amazing dark romance book, but it fell way short. The writing didn’t flow. It was very choppy. The words used to describe sęx scenes were crude at times and made it all sound cheap. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good spicy book, but there needs to be some plot to go along with the spice. There was way too much sęx for the amount of plot. It was completely underdeveloped. The whole first 2/3s of the book was sęx, the last 1/3 of the book closed up the “mystery” very fast. I skipped a lot of the sex.
Then she added in a 12 year old girl who is already traumatized being exposed to adult situations. Characters could have been given more depth. It seems like she just threw some things in to check off a box. This was a completely disappointing read.
The book also needs a good editor. There were sentence fragments and missing punctuation.
Right off the bat, I was livid. I messaged L Clara enraged! (In a good way!) 😂🫣
It hit home and really had me in the feels. I LOVE L Clara's way of writing. The way she ALWAYS gets it RIGHT. I can't fault her. I love Rome, how he becomes protective over London.
Denny! 🥵 Oh my. That first scene with them. Wow.
Oh Denny, Rome? Hot as f*ck. Like wow.
the dynamics of them is just wow. I have no words. This is definitely my absolute favourite of L Clara's books that I've read. I can't wait for it to be out properly. Honestly, you NEED to read it.
"Okay, but can we get a horse?" Yes, yes you can, this had me cackling! The twists and turns in this book had my head spinning, in the best way possible! I have never read a book so fast in my life.
Haha, the squeal I scrumpt, yes Lills! 🙌 Nailed it. Oh this books was everything and more. The dynamics, the characters, the growth, the descriptions, the feels. I was all in. A perfect amount of plot and smut, what more could a girl ask for?
I need more. That was absolutely incredible. Like seriously. My favourite book. Phenomenal. I am on love with Denver and Rome. I love Lilly, and I absolutely LOVE Londyn. The way the story ended, there can definitely be a book two... Right? Please? 🙏🏽🥺😂
Londyn was such a strong FMC who refused to take anything she didn’t want, which I absolutely loved about her. She’d had a rough childhood which clearly shaped her as an adult.
Londyn didn’t think twice when faced with her 10 year old sister Lily, there was no way on earth she was going to let her into the social care system and it was lovely to see their relationship grow.
The chemistry between Rome and Londyn and Denver and Londyn from the very beginning was obvious and enjoyable, however it became much more enjoyable when Rome and Denver’s attraction happened and it was hot and heavy from the instant Rome walked in the club.
I was actually really surprised Denver got a taste of Londyn before Rome did! I also loved the age gap and ‘daddy’ vibes as a throuple, it absolutely worked. No jealousy, mature adults knowing and going after what they want.
The stalker aspect of the story was really good, and I kind of guessed nearer the end before the reveal, but this certainly added to the story.
This isn’t a 5 star review as I felt a 10 year old wouldn’t typically have been aware or have access to some of the things she saw and it highlighted Londyn’s age and inexperience in how to manage a parenting role.
I love a HEA and this one ticked the boxes for me.
Tropes: MMF Age gap Dark Romcom Midnight dancer Unexpected Single ‘Parent’ Workplace Romance Touch Her and ☠️ Bi-Awakening Found Family Stalker (not MC)
This book was a short read and a fun time. You have your bi throuple, one of the men has a bi-awakening. You also have a bit of a mystery that gets tangled in here and solved. Your FMC (Londyn) is a dancer at a club for MMC number 1 (Rome) where she meets MMC number 2 (Denver) and also starts working pt at his club that is about to open. Both men are SUPER possessive of their girl and would do anything for her. She is learning to live life through trauma from her mother that also was done again to her sister whom she finds out about through child services and takes custody of. The spice in this between the three MCs is worth reading, but the plot is also pretty good and fun to follow along with, especially with that little bit of a mystery thrown in. I had a privilege of reading this one early, but these are all my thoughts and I recommend anyone looking for a dark MMF read to check this out especially if you want a nice quick read :)
I was really drawn in by the cover and the tropes for this one.
There was lots to love about the book and it definitely had the makings of an amazing story. I loved the chemistry between the characters and the element of suspense. Londyn was a strong FMC and I really liked seeing how determined she was to protect her sister and build a life for herself.
I did enjoy the dynamic between Londyn, Rome and Denver and I could see the potential in the plot.
Unfortunately, there was just something missing for me and that may just be a me thing. I think I wanted a little more background on Lily and Londyn, especially them as a family unit. The story also felt a little rushed in places and I would have liked the mystery to be built up for a bit longer rather than coming in more during the second half.
I also personally couldn’t fully connect with Lily as a character. There was just something about her personality that didn’t fully click for me.
That being said, there was still plenty I did enjoy. The chemistry and overall idea of the story were both there and I can definitely see other readers loving this one.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot: This one had the perfect mix of chaos, danger, and comedy that kept me turning the pages. I loved the suspense mixed with the dark rom-com vibes. There was always something happening, whether it was the drama, the danger, or the unexpected moments that had me laughing.
Characters: Londyn was such a strong FMC. After everything she went through, I loved seeing her step up and become the person Lilly needed. The found family aspect was one of my favorite parts. Rome and Denver were both interesting in their own ways, and watching their dynamic unfold was definitely something I didn't expect but absolutely enjoyed.
Spice: The spice was spicy, but I loved that it came with emotions and chemistry instead of feeling thrown in just for the sake of it. The MMF dynamic was done really well, and the bi-awakening was such a fun part of the story.
Ending: The ending wrapped everything up nicely and gave me the satisfying conclusion I wanted. Between the danger, the romance, and the found family, this book was such a fun ride from beginning to end.
From the first page of The Devil's Saint, I was in! I really got into the reading, and it was a quick read!
Londyn had to grow up fast. Her mother abandoned her at a young age, and with that, she became self-reliant , strong-willed, and doesn't crap from anyone. Then, someone, a sister she didn't know about unexpectedly, comes into her life and changes her outlook on love.
Rome, owner of Devil's Den, boss of Londyn and someone who's loved Londyn from afar, but when he sees another man take interest in her, he's gonna take what's always been his. Denver, owner of Sinners and Saints, and who sees Londyn performing at The Devil's Den, takes an interest and offers her a contract to Sinners and Saints that she can't refuse.
“You beautiful, exasperating, stubborn pain in my ass–you've earned every opportunity you've received from both of us. Maybe I was a bit slow on the uptake, but you've earned this.”
ARC provided from the author and LoveNotes PR for an honest review.
I was provided this book as an ARC, there were a lot of things I enjoyed about the book. The characters were well developed, I enjoyed the fact that this was a Why Choose with plenty of sword crossing and the relationship between the characters was good. However, there were a few issues with the story itself. The cover promised a much darker story than it delivered. I felt like the relationships themselves were a bit rushed. It needed another 150–200 pages to allow a little bit of tension. However, if you enoy insta love this would be perfect. Rome's character arc felt rushed and a little too unrealistic given that the world itself mirrors our own. I wish more characters were fleshed out so that the crimes had more emotional weight. The romance often felt too fairytale-perfect for a book marketed as dark romance.
The Devil’s Saint was a fun read with a concept that immediately pulled me in. I really enjoyed Londyn’s strength and determination to give Lilly the life they both deserved after everything they’d been through. Rome and Denver were such an interesting pairing, and I loved the MMF dynamic between them. The age-gap romance, protective vibes, and suspense surrounding the murders kept me turning the pages.
I do wish there had been a little more time spent developing the relationships because I wasn’t ready for this story to end. The characters had so much chemistry, and I would have happily read another hundred pages of Rome, Denver, and Londyn together.
Overall, this was an entertaining read with great characters, romance, and just enough mystery to keep me invested. If you enjoy protective MMCs, an MMF romance, and a touch of suspense, this one is definitely worth picking up.
This story feels rushed, like I want to know more about Lilly and Londyn and how they navigate being a new family. I wanted to know more about their past and how they could work together to be a family. I think a lot of the sex scenes were too random. Rome just happening to find Denver and him being the only guy he wants to sleep with just after 'claiming' Londyn as his (after shes already slept with Denver literally that same day) just feels unrealistic and too much I love a good sex scene but I do also love a good plot Also, Londyn very quickly goes from telling her sister how shes never kissed a guy/girl, only likes to hook up with people (which the kid was too young to be hearing about) to having a guy literally move in with her - and not even just one guy
Despite this, I think the idea for the base plot was good, and the sex scenes were definitely well written, I just think if anything was looked into deeper and we got some more of the story id have rated this higher
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.