Hellish Ruin

Sins of Aurora #2

by Julie Mayen

I LED HER STRAIGHT INTO THE FIRE. NOW, I’M THE ONE WILLING TO BURN WITH HER.

I came into her life to close a file, but I ended up starting a war.
She reached for me as her salvation, never realizing I was the one pulling her under.

Sophia Moreau is a masterpiece of ruin I helped create.

She was the one woman I was supposed to stay away from. Now, she is my everything.

I showed her the monster inside me, and somehow, she still looked at me like a man worth saving.

I’ll bleed for her. I’ll kill for her. I’ll burn every rule I ever swore to uphold just to see her breathe.

I am giving up my life to prove my devotion.
But what if my everything is still not enough?

This book follows Sophia and Thomas's story from Book 1: Cold Mercy

525 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 28, 2026

Reviews

[Crystal Sellers]

I am sitting here staring at the wall because WHAT DID I JUST READ?! This book took me on an emotional roller coaster I absolutely was not prepared for. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another bomb dropped, and by the time I reached the ending, I was completely speechless.

This series just keeps proving why I’m so obsessed with it. The story gets darker, the characters get messier, and the plot twists had me questioning EVERYTHING. And then we get Zayn?! Sir, who gave you permission to become one of my favorites?! I was absolutely not expecting to love him as much as I did.

Thomas completely stole my heart. His determination to get Sophia back and his willingness to fight for her, even when she made it incredibly difficult, had me melting. He didn’t just say he loved her, he showed her, over and over again. The groveling and devotion were exactly what I needed from this man.

Sophia, on the other hand, is absolutely feral and I mean that as the highest compliment possible. 😂 She is strong, unpredictable, impulsive, and completely capable of taking care of herself. I never knew what she was going to do next, and honestly, that made her even more entertaining to read.

These two are a walking disaster together, but somehow their relationship makes perfect sense. They understand each other in a way no one else can, and watching them find their way back to each other had me completely invested.

And that ending?! I NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
I need the next book. I need answers. I need everyone to stop keeping secrets. 😂🖤

[enchantedmelreads]

🖤Book 2 in the Sins of Aurora series
🔪Dark romance
🖤Second chance
🔪Groveling hero
🖤Dark past
🔪Found family

My brain is still trying to catch up to what I just read. This book grabbed me by the throat and DID NOT let go. The twists, the chaos, the emotions… I was hanging on for dear life, and then that ending?! EXCUSE ME?!

This is hands down my favorite dark romance series, and somehow it just keeps getting BETTER. The stakes are higher, the twists are wilder, and the new characters?! I need to talk about Zayn because OMG. What an absolute surprise. I LOVE HIM.

Thomas had me completely swooning. The love he has for Sophia was everything. Even when she pushed him away and threw everything she could at him, he refused to give up on her. The groveling, the devotion, the second chance romance… I ate it UP.

And Sophia? HOLY UNHINGED. She is the ultimate stabby FMC, and I am absolutely here for it. She’s fierce, unpredictable, and completely badass.

Thomas and Sophia are both unhinged in the best possible way, and somehow they are PERFECT for each other.

And that ending?! It absolutely ROCKED me. I have approximately 1000 thoughts, a ton of theories, and approximately ZERO answers. I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW.

[Caroline L]

4 stars!

I flew through Cold Mercy, and after that devastating cliffhanger, I was chomping at the bit for Hellish Ruin. As soon as it hit my inbox, I started reading immediately and couldn't put it down. I hoped there might be less heartache in this sequel, but I was wrong. True to its title, finishing this second book was absolute hellish ruin—especially with another heart-wrenching cliffhanger!

My heart broke for Thomas, and I loved his tenacity in fighting for Sophia and winning her heart back. Not only did his words prove his love, but his actions spoke volumes too, and I completely ate it up. Thomas's groveling and devotion were unmatched, and I was so here for it. Sophia is a tough nut to crack, but the depth of her love for Thomas shines through just as clearly.

I don't think my poor heart can take much more. I need them to be together and finally be okay! <3 I’m still reeling from that ending.

Thank you, Julie Mayen, for the eARC, but not so much for the emotional damage... (lol)

[Book Obsessed Susanna]

Wow! I absolutely loved this book 🖤!! Hellish Ruin, by Julie Mayen is book two of the Sins of Aurora trilogy. I was already so lucky to receive book one, Cold Mercy, from the author earlier this year.. which I devoured 😍 and I devoured book two even faster! This Dark Romance hooks you from the very first page and doesn't let you go anymore! It's very well written, it's delicious, it hurts, it betrays, it shocks (The cliffhanger! How dare you do that to me Julie 🤯?!)... It has all the banter, so much tension, so much yearning and the spice is spicing 🔥!! The characters are amazing.. Sophia and Thomas are just ❤️‍🔥 and I absolutely loved Zayn 😍!! The scene with the butt call and Dino nuggets made me laugh out loud 😂.. I don't know what you are putting in these books Julie, but I can't get enough! I need book three 🥹!!!

[✧ Lee ✧]

4/5

this book so good. the way it’s written is unique, and it gives you a more in depth look at what their relationship looks like. typically in a lot of books boy meets girl, they break up, they get back together, the end. the book felt like it was a slow burn, iykyk, and i do wish the ending was more but i’m hoping for a third??

would i recommend this book? yes, maybe, no
-yes

spoiler/questions?
__________________________________________________

the ending left me still wondering a few things like,

-obviously he remembers but if that were the case then he would never be apart from her, so the question is, where is he at? is he really back in the military ‘-‘

[Chrissy S]

* I received my ARC copy from the Author*


This is book 2 in the Sins of Aurora trilogy!

You will be drawn in and hooked within the very first page!!!!!!

We all already love Sophia and Thomas and even fall in love with Zayn!!!!

The whole story is written to perfection!!!!! and I am soooo ready for book 3 please and thank you!!!!
The spice in this book is 10/10!!!!!!

Everything about this story I fell in love with!

[bvvq]

That was INSANE!! Everything that was missing in book one was delivered here. I absolutely love Sophia and Thomas together, and Zayn????? I need to talk about him because I LOVE HIM.

And that ending??? EXCUSE ME??? I NEED BOOK THREE 😭

Thank you so much, Julie, for letting me be part of this ARC read.