His Faith: A No-Spice Dark Romance

by Kess Avalon, Bree Livingston

She was his calculated move. Until she became his only weakness.
Faith
I never planned to become anyone’s wife.
Definitely not his.
But when my father tries to sell me off to clear his debts, I'm left with one choice… choose my own husband.
Ethan Blackwood is ruthless, controlled, and dangerous in ways I don’t fully understand.
Our marriage is supposed to last one year.
I never planned on him being someone I’d never want to leave.

Ethan
Marrying Faith Dalton was a calculated move. Nothing more.
Then she looked past the name, the power, and the reputation—and saw something I couldn’t afford to let matter.
Now nothing is going according to plan.
Because I’m learning the most dangerous thing to enter my world…
Is her.

Genres: Dark Romance, Clean Romance, Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

441 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 23, 2026

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars ✨

No Spice Adult Romance

“She was his calculated move. Until she became his only weakness.”

📚 Book Source 📚
Kindle Unlimited

Faith Dalton is backed into a corner when her father tries to force her into an arranged marriage to clear his own debts. To escape, she tracks down Ethan Blackwood, a billionaire whose life she saved one night. He owes her a favor, and she’s ready to call it in. She asks for a one year marriage contract so that she can get from underneath her dads demands. Moving into Ethans world, Faith expects a business arrangement, but she gets to see the real person under the cold reputation.

💸Marriage of Convenience
💸Forced Proximity
💸Grumpy Sunshine
💸Strangers to More
💸Mystery Suspense
💸No Spice

I picked this one looking for a solid “edgy” romance without the fluff and ended up REALLY enjoying it. His Faith surprised me so much because it gives the high stakes vibes in a darker plot, while remaining clean without the spice. It was SO nice to read a romance where the focus was entirely on the tension and connection between the characters without the explicit content.

The chemistry between the MCs is the best part of the book. Ethan is a classic “Grumpy Protector” who isn’t fooling anyone but himself. Faith is a sweet FMC who doesn’t just backdown, but speaks her truth. I was immediately drawn into the story from the start. I thought the author did a great job of building trust between the characters and really growing each of their arcs. It felt sincere and even though it had heavier themes, it all balanced out perfectly. There were also some great side characters that you fall in love with- Grandma, 👀 Im talking to you!!

Overall, I really am glad I gave this one a shot. I didn’t know what to expect, but I had a great time with it and hope it will continue as a series that hopefully follows some of the other characters from the book. If you like strong emotional stories and character depth without all the spice- I would recommend this one!

Content ⚠️

* Language: None.
* Closed Door: No Spice- kisses only.
* Violence: gun violence, kidnapping, shooting injuries, murder in a criminal underworld

[BookishVibesClub · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for your TBR 🙌🏻 This is everything I want in a romantic suspense with billionaires and questionable societies. This has all the feels of an amazing mafia romance, but it’s high society and dangerous rivalries.

A clear cut business-like arrange marriage but they can’t help but falling 🫠 The frustrated tension and the playful banter brings some steamy tension that is REALLY fun to read 🥵🫠 but don’t worry, it’s all completely closed door 🙌🏻

♥️ Meddling Grandma (the best trope ever)
♥️ Marriage of Convenience
♥️ One Bed
♥️ Age Gap (24 x 34)
♥️ Morally Gray MMC
♥️ Suspense
♥️ Betrayal
♥️ Broken to Healing
♥️ Slow Burn
♥️ Caretaking
♥️ Sweet Protective Romance
♥️ Morally Gray
♥️ Romantic Suspense

Standalone - or, at least ended with closure

I couldn’t have loved this book more 😍 It’s a sweet romance in a dark world.

Do you ever read a book where a side character steals the show in the best way? That’s Grandmother 🤭 I love a meddling grandma and I think she may be my favorite I’ve met so far.

🫑🫑 kisses only, no spice (hard earned kisses 🥹)
No Language

[Sian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is clean dark romance done right! It's a very emotional romance as well, and honestly it's a beautiful story. The writing often felt like I was reading free verse poetry, the raw emotions of these characters were captured so well.

The romance in the first half felt flirty and dangerous but then in the second half it deepens immensely and is pure emotion and healing. Marriage of convenience and age gap done perfectly. I absolutely loved both Ethan and Faith. Their stories were definitely made for one another. I actually cannot remember the last book I read this year that made me cry, but this did. I finished my read with tears drying on my face. This is the kind of book you just sit with staring at the wall or ceiling after finishing it.

It's worth noting I went into this completely blind. I did not read the summary and I barely glanced at the tropes ahead of time.

I loved how this was paced. When big things happen in the story the author makes you sit with it just like the characters do and would have to if this was reality. The transitions were the most subtle I have ever read. It made my reading experience as smooth as water. Don't even get me started on the plot and how that tied up...are you kidding? I was stunned. I seriously loved the plot. The book takes place over one year. It couldn't have felt more complete to me or tied up together more by the end. If I could complain about anything, it's wishing all the side characters had gotten physical descriptions but of course I just pictured the ones that didn't how I wanted to, and that did not affect my rating, clearly!

This is the first book I've read by this author and I want more.

In this book:
-marriage of convenience
-age gap (10 years)
-grumpy x sunshine
-strangers to more
-touch her and die
-wealthy CEO MMC
-medical student FMC
-dual POV (first person)

Content Guide:
romance - clean
language - clean
violence - semi-frequent & not too graphic

Potential Content Warnings:
-intense grief
-deep sense of worthlessness
-emotional abuse/manipulation
-drunkenness
-gambling
-gun violence
-murder
-stabbing
-stalking/blackmail
-and others that are spoilers

[Michaela (Reading in the Heartland) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and I absolutely devoured it. This no spice dark romance was the best I’ve read. I loved how it didn’t glorify or put a ton of focus on the MC or his friends doing illegal acts. I adored this marriage of convenience between sweet Faith and tough as nails Ethan. Except, his heart! The moments between these two as the suspense creeps around and hearts are walled off melted me.

This book holds so much, and is thorough, but I absolutely adored it all. There is an age gap but it doesn’t play a big role in this book. I loved the addition of Faith’s healthcare background and their “meet cute.” I cannot wait to read more from this author. The romance is just kisses, intimacy level 2.

TW: Injuries, Death, Mentions of Drunkenness, Gambling, Infidelity, and Divorce

I received an eARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Danielle | TheReadingDanielleMcBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

6⭐️

First of all, can someone help me find my socks because this book knocked them all the way off! Second of all, how does one move on from a book like this?!

I’m not sure I can put into words my love for this story & these characters. From page one I was ten toes down in His Faith. Immovable. Couldn’t pry me out of there with the world’s strongest crowbar.

I loved absolutely everything about it. The twists. They turns. The suspense. The romance. The family (even the ones I wanted to throat punch brought so much to the story). My heart was throughly broken & then nicely put back together. Wouldn’t change a thing. Brilliant. One of my tops reads of the year so far!

[Readingmytbrlist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethan and Faith are one of those couples you root for from page 1. Their story is full of unexpected twists, tragedy, growth, healing, love….guys. Yes, Ethan is morally gray and the emotions in this book dig deep and go dark, but Faith and Ethan don’t give up on each other. And THAT is what makes this book so good. Also, you’ve been warned you will probably yell at some points…cry too. In the best ways! Ha. Give Ethan and Faith a chance. You won’t be disappointed!

[Morgan Giesbrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I cried. 😭 This was a beautiful story about forgiveness, letting go of trying to earn love, and choosing the “staying kind” of love.

The twist in the middle yank my heart to shreds, but it was worth the pain. Ethan and Faith go on such dynamic journey from marriage of convenience to reluctantly falling in love to combatting grief and breaking down lies and replacing them with truth.

A no spice, gritty romance that’ll tear your heart out, but put you back together. ❤️‍🩹💔

[Sammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Kess Avalon for trusting me with this free Advanced Reader Copy (ARC)! All opinions are my own.

⭐ Enjoyment – 5.1/5
🌙 Moon – 🌖 Kisses Only: some lingering, but nothing detailed
🫢 Language – 🤍 No Language
✝️ Faith – None
⚠️ CW – Alcohol consumption, violence, kidnapping, shooting, death, gambling, parental death, betrayal, murder, infidelity
🌟 Tropes – Dark Romance, Marriage of Convenience, Forced Proximity, Age Gap, Grumpy x Sunshine
🎧 Song – Turning Page by Sleeping at Last

Words can’t describe how hooked I was on every single page of this story. From the opening line (where we’re introduced to Faith and Ethan as he literally is bleeding out against a tree) to the very last sentence, this book is an emotional rollercoaster full of unexpected twists, turns, and full swoony moments. Coming in at 400 pages it’s a bit on the longer side, and it honestly feels like it’s kinda split into two parts. It almost reads like a duology wrapped up in one book. You’ll just have to read it and tell me if you agree. All good things, I didn’t want it to end!
Ethan and Faith’s story starts with a classic one year contract, a mutually beneficial agreement that explicitly rules out catching feelings. (And we all know how *that* rule usually goes). The grumpy x sunshine dynamic is beautifully written, and the tension and playful banter are absolute top tier. My favorite highly specific micro-trope is also present: “I’m only doing this for her, and I’m gonna be grumpy about it, but secretly I like it because she likes it”
This gave me all the high-stakes, dangerous tension of the classic mafia romances I used to read, but with zero spice and zero language! Which is so hard to find in dark romance! Because it is an adult dark romance, it does deal with heavier topics and deep emotional healing, so definitely check the content warnings before diving in. But if you’re looking for high suspense, deep swoon, and intense chemistry with kisses only then you definitely need to add this your TBR immediately.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a well-written story with good character development. I got a little frustrated with "Grandmother" and, at times, with Faith, but overall I enjoyed the story and felt the feelings were real and sincere.
I enjoyed the "cleanliness" of it. It was nice to read something that wasn't filled with lustful thoughts, bad language, and actions. I thought Ethan and Faith made a great couple. A little dark (as mentioned in the title) but tastefully done.

Rating: PG-13 -physical violence
Language: clean read
Recommend: yes

[Cheyenne Rachelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve read other books by this author and enjoyed them. However this book felted like it potentially was edited by AI. Consistently using the same sentence structure. Flashy sentences and comparisons that felt out of place.
I may be wrong but I couldn’t unsee it and it just wasn’t for me.

[Kathy Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ Stars!

What happens when you're dying to read His Faith, but you're behind on your 2026 reading goal? I don't know about you, but I lock myself in my room, spend an entire day reading nothing but novellas and eating just enough so my body will stop demanding sustenance. That's it. Absolutely nothing else got done. That's how invested I was to dive into this book.

And y'all. I'm SOOOO glad that I did! How many ways can you say perfection? That's exactly what this book was for me! I was kidnapped and held hostage from beginning to end. And even then, I didn't want to leave Ethan and Faith.

The journey towards their happily ever after is a long and grueling one but oh so heartachingly beautiful. The emotions enveloping me the entire time were palpable. I felt every little thing that they felt, and my heart kept breaking into a million little pieces for both of them.

I absolutely loved the self-discovery journey they both went through. Each choosing the other. Each of them helping to strengthen the other in the way they needed it the most. The love was there before they put a voice to it. They were there for each other when it mattered most and refused to give up on each other. They were fiercely loyal to each other and did everything in their power to be there through the darkest times. They were the light that each other needed to get them through whatever life threw at them.

They chose each other. In their own time, at their own pace. They chose what forever looked like to them.

Y'all. Be prepared for the rollercoaster of your life. This story has so many twists and turns that you'll never see coming. My suggestion? Sit down, buckle up, and enjoy the ride. It will NOT disappoint!

*dreamy sigh*

This. Book. Is. AMAZING!

Ms. Avalon has officially made it to the top of my favorites list. The moment I open one of her books, the world around me ceases to exist and I'm immersed into whatever world she has created. I absolutely love every moment I spend devouring her books. They are just that good!

I wasn't going to do a casting... but I couldn't resist. These two are seriously perfect in my opinion. *dreamy sigh*

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨️Not that long ago, I was on my knees in Battery Park, covered in a stranger's blood. Now I'm about to sit down to dinner with my father like nothing happened. This is my life.✨️

~

✨️I'm about to ask a dangerous stranger for help because my father sold me to pay off a debt. The bar for my life has officially hit the floor.✨️

~

✨️“I protect what’s mine, Faith.”✨️

~

Summary: Faith never planned on becoming anyone’s wife, especially Ethan Blackwood’s. When her father tries to sell her off to clear his debts, she chooses Ethan—a ruthless, powerful man who sees their one-year marriage as nothing more than a calculated move.
But as their fake marriage becomes real, Faith becomes the one weakness Ethan never planned for.

My thoughts: 🖊📖

THE BANTER. THE TEASING. THE CHEMISTRY. YUMMMMM. 😭💘 Faith and Ethan Blackwood had me kicking my feet because their dynamic was EVERYTHING. But this book was so much more than just a romance. There was heartbreak, betrayal from loved ones, and the struggles they each faced within their families. Watching them fight for each other—even when their marriage started as a fake one—was EVERYTHING. The care, loyalty, and love were always there underneath it all, and I ate up every single moment. Faith & Ethan really said the bare minimum is loving each other through everything. UGH, I loved them so much.

[sam | the bookish soul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ARC review.

The first chapter of this book was so unexpected and I loved it. I flew through the first half of this book. The descriptions were great. The tension was perfect. It’s got the beloved marriage of convenience trope, and forced proximity. One bed. Then the second half of the book hit and my emotions cycled through heartbreak and heaviness. The story became very complex. It was almost too much to keep track of. There’s a lot these characters go through. But the HEA put a smile on my face. Also, I loved the Grandmother. Perfectly meddling and doting.

[Reading with Rhema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um…I love it! 😊 The first chapter pulled me in so fast. The chemistry the main characters have is amazing.

I love the dual POV’s. It really makes the book that much better to see into both Ethan and Faith’s thoughts. The way they both help each other through things and how they are there each other, was so sweet to read. 🥹

I enjoyed this book a lot and will definitely be looking into more books by Kess Avalon

🌶️NO SPICE (but I would personally recommend to 16+)
🤬 NO LANGUAGE
📚 NO lgbt representation

[Brittney (booksta.britt) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that there were a few times during this story that I was confused and had to re-read parts. I don’t know if it was just so fast paced or what. But once I would catch up and figure out what was going on I really enjoyed it.
This is a marriage of convenience between Ethan & Faith.
Ethan is a straight up brick wall, not letting anyone in. This marriage is a contract, a favor. Nothing more.
Faith is trying to run from what her dad is orchestrating for her life. It was a really great story full of a few twists that I didn’t see coming!


Quotes I loved -

“I protect what’s mine, Faith.”

She started as a contract, a favor, a solution to a problem. Somewhere along the way, she became the person I look for when the room goes quiet.

Faith is sunlight crossing a horizon I thought would stay dark.

*No spice, no language. Kissing only.

[Shades || hiatus until Monday · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so freaking amazing! It is one of my new favorites and I would seriously recommend it to almost anyone (even if you don't typically like dark romance or morally gray characters). The redemption was so great and the characters were just amazing!
No language, no spice, there is violence but not really graphic.
Like, seriously, please read!!!

[Tiffany Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was totally impressed with this book. It’s hard to find a clean, dark romance that is actually well written, but this one hit all the marks.

Suspense
Overcoming past hurts
Meddling Grandma
Violence
Powerful business men

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Niva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good!! I loved reading it - it felt less like having danger in the romance and more like a fake marriage trope. BUT LET ME TELL YA IT WAS SUCH A GOOD ROMANCE. I thought it was gonna be super it’s love and it wasn’t!💗🙏

[Marlene Protzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had some definite highs and lows for me.

I really liked the overall premise and there were parts of the story that worked extremely well, especially when it came to Faith and Ethan’s relationship. But some of the drama surrounding them got a little muddled along the way. Most of the pieces eventually come together, but I was still left with questions that felt like they needed answers.

The biggest one being Takoa’s motive.

That relationship was WAY too significant, and everything that happened because of it was way too important, for us to basically end on, “Well, I guess we’ll never know why he did what he did.” 😑 I needed more there. Even if the answer was complicated or ugly, I wanted an answer.

The romance, though? That was probably the strongest part of the book for me.

And when I say slow burn, I mean SLOW. BURN. 😂 There is so much back and forth between Faith and Ethan. So much “I want this, but I can’t have this” energy that at times I wanted to shake both of them. Thankfully, the random kisses sprinkled throughout helped hold me over. 😂 Just when I was about to lose patience, the book would throw me a crumb.

I also really liked Faith as a character. She embodies so much hope and love, but not in a way that makes her seem completely untouched by everything happening around her. She has a very human moment in the middle of the story where some of that gets shaken, and I actually appreciated seeing that side of her. What mattered was watching her eventually find her way back to herself.

Ethan is a strong male lead as well. He’s deeply guarded and certainly has his faults, but there’s a genuine kindness underneath the harder parts of him. He’s fiercely protective and takes care of the people he loves, even when he has absolutely no idea how to let them take care of him.

In a lot of ways, Faith and Ethan’s lives mirror one another. Their circumstances are different, but they both carry this deep need for love, safety, acceptance, and belonging. I think that’s what made watching them find each other and slowly become a place of healing for one another work so well.

😔 And then there was the beach scene.

I can’t even fully explain why this scene hit me as hard as it did, but when Ethan tried to push Faith away and used her need for love and acceptance against her…

GOSH.
I started ugly crying.

And y’all, I do not cry easily while reading. I think I’ve cried over maybe three books in my entire life. 😂 But something about that particular relationship dynamic and the way he hurt her in that moment hit somewhere unexpectedly personal for me. I’m sure it poked at something from my own past, because I actually had to put the book down for a minute, compose myself, and then go back in.

So kudos, because that scene alone managed to hit me emotionally in a way very few books ever have.

Moving on, my biggest issue outside of the unanswered plot questions was the writing itself. There was a LOT of repetitive sentence construction along the lines of, “It wasn’t this. It was this.” And when I say a lot…I mean a lot. 😂 Once I noticed it, I couldn’t stop noticing it, and eventually it became pretty distracting.

So overall, this was a mixed bag for me. The writing wasn’t particularly strong and I wanted more clarity from certain parts of the plot, but the central concept was good, I genuinely liked Faith and Ethan, and their relationship managed to pull a very rare emotional reaction out of me.

For that, I’m landing at 3.5 stars. ⭐️

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

His Faith by Kess Avalon - ⭐️⭐️

I picked this up because I’ve enjoyed Bree Livingston’s billionaire romance series, so finding out she also writes as Kess Avalon? I was excited. Dark romance, closed door, clean… sounded perfect for escapism. But honestly, I was disappointed. 😔

Here’s the thing: this book has serious plot holes. Early on we learn Faith has been watched by one of the antagonists for over a year. That sounds like a major plot point, right? It’s mentioned constantly. But it goes absolutely nowhere. There are SO many moments like this where the author sets something up, dangles it in front of you, and then just… drops it. It’s like she needed it to happen for character development but didn’t actually weave it into the story. 😬

The convenience factor killed the immersion for me. There’s a fake death subplot that doesn’t make sense. A board meeting that’s looming but never really matters. A recovery period where we’re told something major is coming, and then the resolution is just… too easy. Too clean. For a dark romance, the ending felt like a Hallmark movie, and that’s not what I anticipated. 😫

The romance itself started strong. Faith and Ethan have this intense tension, this attraction they’re fighting. But then once they’re together? The spark fizzles. They went from enemies-to-lovers tension to basically roommates who are comfortable with each other. And we never even understand what the Blackwood family actually does or why they’re so powerful. Why is Ethan always working? What’s generating his wealth? It’s never explained. 🧐

This book had real potential. The bones are there. But the execution wasn’t great, the pacing felt off, and I found myself frustrated more than invested. If you love closed-door dark romance for pure escapism, you might enjoy it. But I needed more. 🙃

Would genuinely love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it. Did you love it? Did you hate it? Let me know what you think. 💭

[Jo|Ruth Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at Marriage of Convenience! And this did not disappoint! Okay, I have to laugh when I see a 400+ page book and mentally plan that it will take days to read… and then I binge read it practically in one sitting! THIS was that kind of book!

Faith has her future set on college and her studies… not a forced marriage arranged by her father. Ethan has his own plans for his life, certainly not a bride. But when Faith comes to his rescue, he owes her a favor, and little did he know what she had in mind. A marriage of convenience? It is mutually beneficial. She gets to choose her husband instead of her father choosing for her, and Ethan gets to show his business partners that he is a stable married man. It is only meant to be on paper, and with both their walls up, neither expects the other to break through… but break through they do! And this temporary arrangement starts to turn into lasting feelings. Add in unknown threats neither were expecting, requiring them to truly rely on each other, and things may not go as planned!

You all, I loved this. The way these two met was unique, and I loved their arrangement and the rules that, as we know... end up becoming pretty flexible as the walls come down. And the way these two supported the other, and showed love for the other through their actions... Gosh, I loved this. I also did not see the suspense and mystery behind everything coming. There were SO many layers! And no, I will not be spoiling it for you.

Curious if this is a standalone or if some favorite side characters are going to get romances too?

I recieved a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.

Content Info: Closed door romance, violence on the page, and discussions of past violent events.

[LineaEchos · Rating 5 out of 5]

💭 FIRST ECHOS

🌶️ Spice Level: Clean Romance

📚 Tropes: Grumpy x Sunshine, Marriage of Convenience, Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract

🗣️ POV: Dual POV

🤍 Vibe: Grumpy Man, Sunshine Girl, Emotional Healing, Unexpected Love 🖤☀️

I really loved this book! It pulled me in from the very beginning, and I honestly had a hard time putting it down. The story was interesting, emotional, and beautifully written, and I especially loved the dynamic between Ethan and Faith.

The **grumpy x sunshine** dynamic was done so well. I loved watching their relationship develop naturally, especially the little moments between them, their jokes, the teasing, and the way Ethan would actually listen to all of Faith’s little “orders.” 😂 I also really loved seeing the way he slowly fell in love with her. It felt genuine and believable.

But my absolute favorite moments were their scenes on the beach, especially when Faith surprised Ethan and took him to another beach. Those moments felt so real and natural, and honestly, they were what made this a **5-star read** for me. I loved how their relationship wasn’t just about the romance, but also about those small, funny, everyday moments that made them feel like a real couple.

I loved how their relationship wasn’t just about the romance, but also about the difficult moments, their individual struggles, and the way they supported each other through them, which made their relationship feel so much more real and meaningful.

Overall, this was such a beautiful and enjoyable read. I loved the characters, their relationship, the humor, and the way their love story developed. Definitely a book I would happily recommend! 🤍

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝙎𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧.

This book was so good!! I opened it to sneakily read the first page & proceeded to devour the entire thing. It seriously has it ALL.

Starting with the marriage of convenience romance… wow. This is how it’s done. I don’t usually like marriage of convenience, especially when it’s for visas to stay in the country (which most are it seems). THIS BOOK IS NOT THAT! Yes, it’s a contract. However… the way they protect one another is just perfection. I couldn’t get enough.

Next, the twist I LITERALLY DID NOT SEE COMING. Yes, there were hints. I did not pick up on them. That was more well-done than some thrillers. Seriously, perfectly executed. My jaw greeted the floor like an old friend. It was devastating and wonderful.

Then, the no-spice aspect. This wasn’t even technically a closed-door because **that** was not referenced at all. If they canoodle, it’s in the privacy of their off-page romance. Yes, they share a bed—they’re married. However, the most readers are clued in on is the cuddling. Very sweet and precious snuggles.

Finally, this is an age gap, close proximity, grumpy x sunshine, strangers to lovers masterpiece. It is also a dark romance. I love that us no-spice girlies get to enjoy all the perks of dark romance with none of the explicit material. There is plenty of swoon and angst to keep us going.

I highly recommend this book, and it can be read on Kindle Unlimited!!

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neither Ethan nor Faith have noticeable personalities. The villains are cartoonishly evil at times. The dialogue is bland. There's no wit or engagement. The plot feels shallow. The story feels slow, not slow-burn, just slow, like it's dragging instead of moving forward in an expected way.

And unfortunately, you barely feel any passion between Ethan and Faith, probably because it's not trying to have any spice. A contemporary or YA romance might not focus on passion, because it's going for wholesome, but that's literally the opposite of whatever a dark romance is. So there's a kiss and it doesn't mention how her lips are trembling or that kissing in front of someone they hate felt good or that she became aroused or felt him become aroused. It read like a young adult romance book. Like Too Kill A Kingdom or Belladonna.

Dark romances are trying to portray taboo subjects, possession, power plays, intense themes, and morally gray characters. And it's difficult to do that when you can't write about psychological issues or power play.

There is one book that comes to mind - Milo by EL Lewis - where the dark parts are interesting and the spice isn't insane. This book might be better as a contemporary, but I have a feeling it was chosen to be "dark," because of the available reader base.

[diaryofacleanreader · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.50/5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️3 star: solid book, there was things to improve but they didn’t overshadow the plot.

SPICE: none! clean!
LANGUAGE: none at all.

This was my first ever spice free dark romance and I really enjoyed it? I was very skeptical on how story between Ethan and Faith would pan out, but i felt like this novel sung the tune of Francine Rivers “Masterpiece”. This book is long, it is angsty, it is full of family drama and twists, but ultimately this book is about two imperfect people with incredibly big hearts.

I started this book for Faith, and intrigue in her character and finished the book for Ethan. I loved how the author took her time developing both characters.

Critiques:
Some parts felt super dramatic ngl, but the stakes in this book are supposed to be super high so it makes sense! The only thing about this book is for a dark romance, there is very mild violence, yes we have casualties but they are done in a very PG way. So stakes are high, but stakes are so not overly intense and graphic, so keep that in mind.

There is also a plot twist that i guessed from literally 20 pages in, BUTTT there are even more twists after that I didn’t see coming! So the book is predictable but not too predictable.

Overall enjoyed this book and would read another dark romance from this author if i ever was in the mood for one!

[Katie Stewart · Rating 2.25 out of 5]

Alright.... I wanted to love this, but it just isn't for me.
I love me a clean, no-spice romance, but this just didn't cut it on the plot side for me.

Contractual marriage of convenience. It was really hung up on the contract at some points and then completely dropped at other moments. The boundaries would shift unexpectedly.
I felt like there was a lot left unanswered; backgrounds, conclusions to certain relationships, etc.
Also, why was 30% of the book purely focused on his sloowwww healing!? Made me want to pull my hair out!
What little action there was was only a few pages long. I NEED more action! Give me a good damsel in distress!

While Ethan and Faith's relationship was "deep" by the end of the book, it took SOOO long to finally get there! I'm talking like 95% of the way in...I need little tidbits along the way, and I got very few crumbs. So by the end, I felt like their love for one another felt very forced to basically end the book on a good note.

BUT, there were also some great redeeming qualities!
The path of genuine grief, pain, and ongoing healing was top-notch! Very true to what most people would struggle with!!
I LOVED Eylse! She was my favorite character in the whole book. Steady, mature, and forgiving when she had every right to turn away. I want a granny like her.

[Tyler Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book had me SO locked in! There were so many moving pieces that I found really interesting—the money debts, the marriage of convenience, and ALL the secrets. I really liked the overall plot, and there were several moments where I literally bolted upright because of the twists! 😳

But honestly… I’m not sure a mafia romance is the genre for me. 🙃 I felt like things moved so fast between the FMC and MMC, and I kept thinking, “You two literally JUST met… there’s no way you already feel this safe and comfortable with each other.” 😂

That being said, I actually really liked them as a couple towards the end! They balance each other out in such sweet ways, and I loved seeing that side of their relationship. I think I’m just more of a slow-burn girl at heart.

I’ll also be honest and say I struggled a little to get through the storyline while Ethan was healing. 🙃 I can definitely see how that part of the story could feel cozy, sweet, and like an important progression for the couple, but for me, it felt like it dragged a little.

Overall, this definitely wasn’t a bad book! There were parts I really enjoyed and moments where I felt super invested in the story. I just think mafia romance might not be my genre. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Nicole | Nicole's Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by Kess Avalon and let me just say, I’m a fan! She had me at morally gray MMC and marriage of convenience. But this book was so much more than I was expecting!

I loved Faith and Ethan! I think one of my favorite parts was the way they kept surprising each other. Ethan is thoughtful, observant, and takes care of those in his circle. There is so much more to him than he lets people see. Faith is intelligent, tenacious, and resourceful. She doesn’t scare easily and meets challenges head-on. I loved the way these two noticed what wasn’t being said and showed up for each other.

This book had me laughing out loud, holding my breath, reeling from surprise, aching with heaviness, and sighing with contentment. There were plot twists I didn’t see coming and more depth than I anticipated. The story was beautiful and complex—I absolutely loved it!

If you like relationships that grow over time, guarded but protective MMCs, determined FMCs, danger, and suspense, add this one to your TBR.

✨Includes:✨
Billionaire x Medical Student
Strangers to More
Marriage of Convenience
Forced Proximity
Morally Gray MMC
Slow Burn
Light Suspense
Age Gap (10 Years)
Only One Bed
Protective MMC
Grumpy x Sunshine
They Take Care of Each Other
Mafia Romance Vibes
Dangerous High Society
Dual POV
Closed Door

💕Favorites:💕
Their unique meeting
Ethan’s meddling grandmother
Courthouse kiss
Pillow fort fail
“I’ve got you.”
Protective Ethan
The “my wife” moments
Faith bringing out her claws
He dries and brushes her hair
The island


Thank you Kess Avalon for the gifted ARC!! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Gabriela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review:
His Faith – Kess Avalon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kess Avalon has done it again! After reading the Bound by Vows series, I knew I'd read anything she writes. It takes a special kind of talent to craft a dark romance that keeps you completely captivated while making you feel every emotion along the way.
His Faith delivers everything I love in a romance: a marriage of convenience, an age gap, one bed, and a beautifully clean romance with all the emotional tension and none of the spice. From the very first page to the last, I couldn't put it down. The pacing was flawless, the plot twists kept me hooked, and the swoon-worthy banter between Faith and Ethan had me smiling the entire time. Every chapter left me wanting more, more, more!
Thank you, Kess Avalon, for another unforgettable read. I can't wait to see what you write next! 🖤📖🩷📖
Blurb: Faith chooses to marry ruthless Ethan Blackwood to escape her father's debts, but their carefully arranged one-year marriage becomes far more complicated when real feelings begin to grow.