Venom Sweeter Than Honey

by Chiara Forestieri

Violette is a goddess in exile.
After a bizarre twist of fate that leads to discovering her soulbound, Levi, an ex-military recluse, she impulsively decides to capture him.

When her plans go awry, Violette seeks out the help of Azrael, the infamous God of Death and Endings - who agrees on one condition...

Tropes:
Fated Mates
Femdom
Why Choose
Trauma Healing
Utterly unhinged & in their 30s MCs
One highly aggrieved God of Death
Emotional Depth
Found Family
LOL banter
K|nky Spice
Redrum
A road trip w/ Levi, Violette, & the god of death
MMF (MMFM if you count Az’s shadow who is developing his own personality)
Courtship Rituals
Traversing multiple realms
Side questing
A bar brawl
A beheading
A brothel of dominatrixes
Second chances x2
Murder plots
She’s in heat (uh-oh)
Hidden identities
15 years of longing

Trigger Warnings:
Bondage
Sub-Awakening (MMC)
N|pple clamps
He is collared & leashed
She’s his dom
He punishes her when she gets out of hand
He punishes her when she gets out of hand
On page SA that ends in rescue
Trauma & trauma healing
Death of parents
Degradation
Impact play
Redrum

Genres: Why Choose, BDSM, Ebooks

eBook, Paperback

About the author

Mother | Author | Lover of Quantum Physics, Health & Wellness, & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Reviews

[neurotic.bookdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Chiara for making me one of your ARC readers & happy release day 🥹♥️

This was such a wonderfully heartfelt, hilarious and emotionally devastating story 😭❤️‍🩹

I’ll be back with a full review in the coming days as I am still reeling from this to put it into words…

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW -

I am absolutely in awe. I’ve read all of Chiara’s titles and this woman has essentially Marvel Universed us. What an insanely amazing read. It took her 14 months and it was so fucking worth it. I cannot even begin to explain the excitement I felt to finally get FFTC2 in my hands.

Starting off Violette is not what I expected her to be. I had not liked her in BSTH thinking she was snooty and entitled. I was so off the mark. Violette is a survivor and what we saw in BSTH was only the hard exterior she built in order to survive. Levi’s story too. We see him quiet in BSTH but he has so many layers to him and is such a soft beautiful soul. They both faced grief and trauma early on and constantly during their lives but even with all of that - man do they LOVE. Their relationship has its ups and downs but then you throw in Azrael and you’re gutted even further. Imagine being immortal and being rejected. Azrael in all his versions is tired. What ensues after is a heart wrenching love story - one where broken souls mend each other and finally come to terms with being worthy of LOVE. The emotional depth is insane.

The story is full of the metaphysical, full of cackle out loud banter, trust, learning and the best fucking spice of your life. Holy shit dude. Violette and Levi / Levi and Azrael / Lazarus and Violette / Lazarus and Levi. When I tell you I needed to fan my face. Delicious. The roadtrip was so full of sexual tension - the journey itself was such an adventure for the three of them.

The marvel universe mindgasm Chiara created was nothing short of epic. We obviously have Gideon and Winnow from BSTH, but we get to see more of Beau and Gertie! As you know Azrael first makes an appearance in the Hallowed Fates Series - but it’s his more dangerous and blood thirsty side - we get a look into the victims of his wrath and their POV specifically Mareina. Who by the way is shadowed by her 3 mates as well: Nakoa, Malekai and Ataraxus! Which we find out Az had saved twice before. Not only that, Lazarus, makes an appearance in Moth & Flame! I know! The mind fuck was sooooo good!

Everything is connecting and I cannot wait to see what in means in the future. Will we get MF2? Will we get a third hallowed fates book where we get Ataraxus’ POV? Is FTTC3 going to cover Beau, or do we get to see the other 2 teammates make an appearance?

I am so fucking hyped that Chiara gave us VSTH. It’s such a wonderful adventure to dive into if you really enjoy romance with a fantasy base. The world building, the attention to detail, the wording, the prose. Everything was so fucking good. If I could give it 10 stars I would.

[Rebecka Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5✨

I have no words… and yet I have so many.

This book was absolutely incredible..and good lord was it thigh-clenchingly hot.

I didn’t see most of the twists coming, and every single one hit perfectly. I also never expected the romance to take the turn it did, but I was obsessed with every second of it.

The characters were all so well done, and I loved the MCs with my whole heart. They felt real, messy, and completely unforgettable.

The subtitle couldn’t be more accurate: unhinged smut with emotional depth. It’s chaotic, emotional, ridiculously spicy, and somehow still packs an incredible story. I devoured this one and already wish I could read it again for the first time.

Thank you to the author for this beauty of cliterature and for the ARC!

[Fedythereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never be able to fully express to this author how thankful I am every time I receive an ARC copy of one of her books. But I’ll try nonetheless !

“My hunger is never sated.
My heart is never full.
Solitude is my destiny.
Who am I?
Death”

“Violette is the technicolor dream I’d never dared to hope for”

“I don’t want to be tamed. I want to be free. Free of this pain, this grief, this disappointment and heartbreak. Free form the burdens of this world”

I am OBSESSED. This brand new series is addictive. I thought Gideon and Winnow were top tier … but damn me if I had any idea the level of obsession Violette, Levi and Azrael would have put me through !!! Wow !!! It started as a complicated, dark, and revenge driven story about a young goddess woman who deserves the world and feels like she needs to take it for herself. With a young mortal man who promised himself he would have never opened himself to love because he saw what happens if you do. And a God who’s curious about a powerful and addictive female and would stop at nothing to help her reach her goal. What starts are a fated mates becomes so much more in this multiverse of madness that links everything this author has created. This book is pure emotion. It’s instinct. It’s feeling. It’s love. It’s lust. It’s spiciness. It’s adventure. It’s pain. It’s betrayal. It’s healing. It’s realising your worth. It’s taking the world for yourself because it’s yours to take. And it’s finding yourself meeting your other halfs (literally) where you least expect it. Check your trigger warnings before diving into this book but when you do … reach for that part in your soul that needs companionship … because then, you’ll find this book. And you’ll fall in love with it !!

“You’re pathetic”
“For you? Yes. Pathetic. Deranged. Desperate. Always”

“Do you realise how perfect you are, little seraphim?”

“Darling, even when you draw blood, your venom is sweeter than honey”

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

**SPOILERS AHEAD**
I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC, my first time receiving one as well as reviewing a book, so please bear with me.

“Woman, I would carve a hole in my chest if it meant you’d call me your home. Feed you my innards if it meant sustaining you. Give you my eyes if it meant you being able to see you the way I see you. Rip my fucking heart out if it meant that you’d be able to feel just how much I love you.” YEAH… I KNOW… CUE THE FREAKOUT 🤭

✨Tropes✨:
🩵utterly unhinged & in their 30s mcs
🦋fmc captures mmc
🩵one highly aggrieved god of death
🦋kinky af
🩵MMFM why choose
🦋Trauma & healing
🩵Emotional depth
🦋Found family
🩵Banterrrr

‼️Triggers‼️:
🖤 parental suicide
⚔️the romanticization of death
🖤mental illness
⚔️sexual assault
🖤domestic violence
⚔️dubious consent (FMC to MMC—yes, her to him)
🖤a peppering of gore

“It is a curse I will gratefully bear if it means that, no matter our fate, my soul will always return to yours” SWOONNNNN 🥵

😈 To begin, I want to thank Chiara and her team for letting me be a part of this opportunity, truly a dream come true. The team is an amazing community and incredibly supportive. I don’t know how to adequately describe this experience, no words could ever scratch the surface of my love for this community. That being said this was a beautiful story, with complex characters, world-building, romance, and so much more. This is a fantasy, why choose, second chance, found family romance that has you hooked for every page. I personally am a fast reader and I wolfed this down in less than 24 hours. This has such emotional depth and really allowed you to connect to the MCs. I found myself wishing I could hug Levi and Azrael on many occasions.

😈 Some things that stuck out for me was the world building, the character arcs, and the budding romances between mcs. The world building was a cacophony of gods, goddesses, kings, queens, and mortals. Something that was quite impressive was the fact that the names for the gods were creative and stuck to Greek or Roman mythology but a mix of many meanings. As for the character arcs, Levi came A LONG WAY, for a man that went through so much in his younger years, being able to turn his life around and accept the love in his life was beautiful. I really liked that even if he was hard to love, there was no lack of patience for him. I loved seeing the development of Azraels character and being on the journey with him. Violette is a goddess, literally and figuratively, she was such a complex character who was impulsive. That isn’t something I feel like I see very often and there is a direct result of it being on the page. I thought that was so interesting to see. Finally the romances, Violette and Levi were amazing. Levi and Azrael were beautiful. Azrael and Violette was serenity. Violette and Laz was pure unadulterated chemistry. Levi and Laz were SO SEXY. I loved the build of Levi and Azrael, I am so happy that Levi was so unbelievably down bad for Az and there wasn’t much hesitation there.

😈There isn’t a soul that I wouldn’t recommend this book to, well maybe family members lol. I really truly loved this book and I hope that EVERYONE does. Chiara has some amazing works already published that I would implore you to read. Especially the first book of the series. You can tell in all of her books that there is a great amount of thought that goes into every detail. So if you’re reading this, I do hope that you check out any of her works.


😈 Lastly, HAVE SO MUCH FUN READING THIS AS I DID!!!!!

[Oona Loontjens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I will edit this review multiple times because the more I think about this book, the less it had an impact on me.

I was lucky enough to read the ARC for this book. I knew what to expect from Chiara’s writing style, plus some of the characters were known to me as I was able to read the ARC for book 1 in this series.
However the inconsistency in the book annoyed me. What I thought would be a book around 400 pages turned out to be an 835 page book.

I loved the background story for both Violette and Levi, but then for Azrael, it was not necessary? Why couldn’t we have some background story on his life? Because he was already the villain in another series by her? (that’s what I read)
The FMC probably cried enough to fill a whole lake. I loved her background story the most because there was a lot of growth on her part.

The why choose trope was a nice touch to the story but you could see that it was added afterwards. It didn’t flow together properly and it was just chaotic. And Azrael’s shadow turning human and becoming the fourth person in the relationship? It was a bit too much.

There were too many storylines in the story and it was just messy in my opinion. Sometimes is unhinged in a good way, but it fizzled out for me around the 500 page mark. My brain got into anxiety mode because the author kept adding more and more to the story. I just wanted it to end.

As an ARC reader I wanted to give my input and opinion on the book in the ARC reader group we have for the book. To only hear from the admin we’re not allowed to say anything negative in the group or tag her in posts because the author doesn’t need to hear that? Tbh, that’s why you have ARC readers. We are the ones that give imput about your book. I know a lot of time, sweat and tears go into writing a book, but as a reader I will give 100% my opinion on the book.
The more I think about that post from one of the admin, the more it sets me off. Or did I misunderstand the message?

Anyway, I can say that book one was much better. I really wanted to love this book because like I said I enjoyed book one. But it wasn’t for me. Sad…

[rasheeda forde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone kept summoning balls of spit and crying. It started out fun and liked where it was going but somewhere along the way ( nearer to the end) we began to lose the plot.
Honestly the plot twist with her dad almost made me cry but after that I could wait till the book was finished.
Levi's additional powers left me majorly confused and I read over that page twice and still can't understand it.
I honestly think it went on longer than it should have and if it had stopped a couple chapters before and Azrael wasnt so adamant he had to die it would have been a great book right now its was just good.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for allowing me to ARC read this book.

I stayed up til 2am to finish this so my thoughts are fully tired and scrambled but I’ll try

Where to start… Chiara has an amazing way of mixing humour, smut and tenderness.

My absolutely favourites were Levi geeking out internally over the “small” things Violet and Azrael knew as every day beings/occurrences. And then the fact he got all that power. Wow.

Our girl Violet was a big cryer 😂 she had such a strong exterior and kept everything in for so long that any emotional moment ended in tears. She deserved her HEA.

I struggled to connect with Laz as much as the others, but he did come in later.

I love how Chiara can write such alpha strong men and then make them putty for the right people.

I love the Dad moment… and who he’d been the whole time to her 🐦‍⬛

So much happens it feels like you’ve read a full series. Yes it was long but God it went quick. If I didn’t have to adult it would have been read in one sitting I wouldn’t have put it down 😂. The small chapters and cohesive writing made it so easy to follow and even with the multiple POV there was never confusion.

I’m unsure whether there will be more within this world but I do hope so!

[mel. · Rating 5 out of 5]

QUEEN OF SMUT & HEALING

4.5⭐️

granted i've only read two of chiara's books so far, but my god, going into venom sweeter than honey, i knew i was going to get a massive helping of healing and smut. and chiara did not disappoint this time 🤭

one major thing i loved about this book was how thorough and in-depth chiara told each character's back story. with violette and levi, we experience that trauma with them in the first few chapters, and with azreal, we learned about his struggles through his relationship developments with violette and levi.

i'm so glad this book was this chunky! the short chatpers and loveable characters had me flying through it, and the length was perfect to cover all the complexities that come with relationships, healing, self-love, trauma and revenge.

i did thorough love and enjoy this book and these characters, but i felt there was just something missing that would have made it a 5 star read for me. i'm not sure what it is that i would have wanted, but maybe that feeling with dissipate over time.

[Migeldy Mauri · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

I’m not even going to attempt to explain this book because I refuse to spoil it for anyone. This is definitely one of those stories you need to experience for yourself.

Violette’s story is beautiful, but it’s also heartbreaking. My girl did not have an easy life, and watching everything she had to endure honestly made me want to wrap her up in a blanket and protect her from the entire universe.

But what really got me was the idea of finding someone who feels so completely connected to your soul that no matter what happens, no matter how many lifetimes pass, you will always find your way back to each other.

I know this is fantasy, but the love between Violette and her soulbound felt so rare and effortless that I couldn’t help but sit there wishing love like that existed in real life. The kind of connection where you meet someone and somehow it feels like you’ve known them forever. Where two people or more... can have completely different lives and backgrounds, yet still understand each other in a way no one else can.

There were definitely moments where I felt like the story was doing way too much and I probably would have enjoyed it more if the epilogue or even the last few chapters would've been more detailed or just longer. But even with that, I couldn’t deny how much I cared about Violette and her story.

This book made me emotional, made me frustrated, and had me sitting there thinking about the whole concept of love, fate, and finding someone again and again across lifetimes.

I went into this knowing absolutely nothing and I’m so glad I did because this is one of those books where the less you know, the better.


They really said "My soul will always return to yours. "

😭😭😭😭

[Elixabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 6/5
🌶 5/5
💧 5/5

Thank you Chiara Forestieri for the Pre-release Copy. My honest review below is posted voluntarily.

This book was superb, 6 stars overall and 5s for everything else! The depth of the storytelling, the spicy just wow! It hit all the feels, Happy, Sad, Funny, Devaistaion, Hope, Heartbreak, & Love.

I didn't think I would read it as fast as I did, but I couldn't put it down. It's a thick book, written well. I didn't feel like things were added just to add filler to make it longer.

Now the Characters. I fell in love with them all. Just. Wow. Their chemistry together was amazing. I'm not going to explain any further because I don't want to spoil anything.

Just to note, I did go into this without reading the first book in the series, I had no problem following along with who's who and such, as everything is slightly explained within the pages. I'll be reading it ASAP.

[Knyquol Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars isn’t enough.

Venom Sweeter Than Honey was utterly fantastic.

Yes, it's spicy—but reducing this book to "just smut" as far too many books of this nature are does it a tremendous disservice. The characters are richly developed, the plot is captivating, and every emotional beat feels earned.

I laughed. I cried. I sat on the edge of my seat with equal parts dread and hope. It was deliciously dark, beautifully written, and completely immersive. I'm honestly blown away by Chiara Forestieri's imagination.

If spice or why choose romance isn't your thing, this may not be the right fit—and that's okay. But if you're open to stepping outside your comfort zone, I'd genuinely encourage you to give it a chance. Beneath the steam is a fresh, compelling fantasy with gorgeous prose, memorable characters, and an emotional depth that stayed with me long after I finished.

The  characters are so vividly crafted that you can't help but celebrate their victories, mourn their losses, and feel every ounce of their grief. This story isn't afraid to explore dark, heavy themes, so be sure to check the content warnings before diving in.

This one completely exceeded my expectations, and I won't be forgetting it anytime soon.

[Vanessa Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Review ✨
***
Venom Sweeter than Honey was so good! I loved Violette, Levi, and Azrael so much. The writing was so good a d easy to read. I enjoyed the world building and all the characters. The spice was hot and the romance was swoony. The devotion the males had for Violette was amazing. The action and emotions were so good. The ending was perfect and so sweet.
***
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Romance: 🩷🩷🩷🩷
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
***

[AislinSian · Rating 3 out of 5]

mixed bag of feelings rn

[Becca :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Imagine my surprise when I find you, a brilliant little beacon of light sharing dinner with a male that I cannot, for the life of me, find more appropriate words to describe him other than a steaming pile of excrement with pretty blue eyes.”

Let me tell YOU GUYS this book was equal parts devastating, beautiful, hot, and funny. It has everything and MOREEEE.

A dark romance with fated mateS- yeah big S on mates, yearning, plotting, murderrrrr, and a whole lot of beautiful moments depicting love and pain in their rawest forms.

Chiara you have outdone yourself. PER USUAL you talented beautiful soul!!!!

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has everything, over 800 pages of magic, heartache,  fear, strength,  mystical beasts, other worlds, gods, portals, soulbonds, rituals, spice... everything

This is book 2 in the fated to cowboy series and we learn so much more about Violette and Levi, who both are in book 1 but not main characters

We go through so much on this journey,  fighting personal beliefs, righting wrongs, healing themselves and each other

I loved the character growth throughout the book and I was so invested in the HEA and all that entailed


As always, check triggers as there are a few, the author also has warnings on said chapters

[♡Angelique♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy mother of mercy was this one thick and an emotional roller-coaster.

I went through every emotion one could feel reading this. Pain, sorrow, grief, joy, arousal, happiness, despair, then peace.

Violette, Levi, Azrael and Lazarus had me going through it! All their pain and trauma. Their losses and sorrow. It all lead to their wins, joy and happiness.

This story shows you it all. Even when I thought I had an idea of where it was going, I was proven wrong. I really did enjoy that about this.

I loved the thought and care that went into this story and I'm glad we were made to wait as long as we have. It was worth the wait.

Im excited for what's to come next. Hopefully, we see Beau finally get his story told.

[Bonnie Sikes · Rating 5 out of 5]

love love love this

I have waited soooo very long for this book. I absolutely loved it. There was defiantly parts that made mad and I had to put it down but in the end it all worked beautifully together..

[Hannah Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honored to be an ARC reader for VSTH, and beyond excited for the next release by Chiara Forestieri. The following is my voluntary honest review (and praises for Chiara!) I've marked where spoilers begin further in the review.

Reading Venom Sweeter than Honey ran me through the emotional gamut in the best way possible. From the warm, fuzzy feeling of characters you’re rooting for finally having their moment, to sorrow and hopelessness that are described so well that it brings tears to your eye, Chiara has put in the work to make you feel exactly what the characters feel. At over 800 pages, there is not a point in the book that does not contribute to the overall story. Characters are given time to have their backstories built, and each detail ties into the next. The further along you get, the more you start to consider how various things will affect the characters before you read it, as if they were close, personal friends.

While Chiara does an excellent job of portraying raw emotions like nervousness, vulnerability, and despair, she also manages to weave in plenty of humor that had me genuinely laughing throughout. I found the mix to add to the realistic portrayals of each character and the circumstances that they found themselves in. It is not uncommon in fantasy writing, and all fictional writing, for typical thought processes and actions to be forgoed for the sake of moving the story along. While this suspension of disbelief is always necessary to varying degrees, it is not needed here to relate to the characters and to understand the decisions that they make. This not only increases the overall enjoyment of the book, but it leads to the quick devouring of its pages. Add in the twists, turns, and moments of complete shock, and you'll find yourself obsessed and craving more.

✨️Spoilers below✨️

Throughout reading Venom Sweeter than Honey, I found myself having an internal dialogue about the happenings of each page. From reading Chiara’s other books, I knew very well to be hesitant of Lucen, especially because of the character building that had been done for Viollete and her level of naivety and desire to feel loved. In looking back at my notes from reading, I couldn’t help but laugh at how sucked into the story I became, with one reading “I don’t like this at all” to one 5 pages later that said “Okay fine, I like that.” There were several tidbits thrown in throughout for those that have read Chiara’s other works, which I thoroughly enjoyed and led to my excitement to see just how interconnected they have become. Leading into Azrael’s introduction with describing clothing as being “immaculately tailored, albeit strangely fashioned” made me feel like I was in on the surprise, and having the prior knowledge about several characters led me to more moments of deep buy-in and visceral reactions.

While there are plenty of dark and heavy moments throughout this book, all of which are important and make you wonder if you’ve become a masochist for wanting more and more of what the book offers, there are plenty of happy tears to shed and moments that leave you giddy and all but kicking your feet (or actually doing it if I’m being honest.) Multiple of my reading notes ended up simply saying “cackling” or referenced different giant cartoon character grins, and “perfection” was jotted down several times. Then, as for the spice, I believe there to be some hidden spell written into the book that turned me feral. From the completely unhinged actions of Viollete and Levi, to the development and dynamics of the relationships between each of the different main characters, I found myself wanting to gnaw on something constantly. Boyfriends being boyfriends is always a dream come true, but with the way Chiara builds up each intimate scene, I felt like I was in a chair in the corner salivating, having the time of my life.

Do yourself a favor, pick up this well endowed book and unashamedly gobble it up!

[Chelsea Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Chiara Forestieri for an eARC. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

I hate to say it, but this almost felt like it should have been 2, maybe even 3, different books. This book was over 800 pages and it just felt like the author couldn't quite decide what path she wanted to take Violette, Levi, and Azrael on, so we were all over the place.

Don't get me wrong, I liked(?) getting to see Levi and Violette's pasts, because it showed how they became the people they were when they found each other. But then we had to deal with all the past, to get to the present, where we then had to deal with both of them still being broken and running away. Give me a story about that. Give me the story of the two of them thinking they were too broken to love the person fate had put in their path, only to figure out that they weren't too broken. And yes, we did get that, but the overall timeframe was really rushed, all things considered. And we had to deal with Violette being so impulsive and idiotic. At least she admitted it eventually, but we still had to deal with the ridiculous. While it would have been a lot, it would have also been interesting to at least get some past for Azrael too; maybe a title card type sequence going through a handful of years/centuries and showing him coming to the realization on things.

But then we had Violette and Levi and Azrael going on their little road trip of revenge and it felt like the "revenge" portion of things got shoved to the background a bit. They spent more time trying to complete the syrith courtship rituals and the revenge was only brought up when it was relevant to the plot. And while I get Violette's reasons with her father, that whole thing kind of felt anti-climatic, especially with all the reveals he was throwing in her face. The whole thing with Horus was a small surprise I'll admit to thinking he'd been someone in disguise, but I was leaning towards Azrael instead.. The thing with Levi's powers was interesting but also felt kind of plot-armory/deus ex-machina because there wasn't really any reason given for why he got the powers he did, but there also wasn't really any sort of testing phase, he just got everything and suddenly he was all powerful.

The end with Azrael's choice was...I can see his reasons. I am glad(?) that Persephone did what she did because Mareina (I think I spelled that wrong...) was definitely far more excited about her choice. I would have liked to see a little more of Azrael figuring things out, but I did like Violette, Levi and Lazarus riding at dawn. And the way she handled Tempus (although I am curious what she finds in regards to their bargain). The two epilogues were sort of bittersweet, although again, make Azrael's choice make sense.

**Book does deal with some tough things; check TWs on summary if needed!

[The Millennial Mood Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was as thick as Azreal’s d*ck and I absolutely devoured it… the book.. that is🥵😆 but seriously it’s like 800 pages so prepare yourself, your about to go on a journey!

I almost have no words. I loved the first book Blood Sweeter than Honey and highly recommend reading it first to understand the world building and the characters. This was so much more emotional that I thought it would be and I loved it. This is paranormal romance has a lot of depth and really gets into the characters past traumas and struggles. The banter was hilarious and brought levity to the book.

Violette is such an interesting characters. She gives femdom vibes but also has such a tragic past and just wants to be loved and cared for. I absolutely teared up a few times of her. She also the had me cracking up at times.. especially when she steals a certain toy from Levi’s drawer I was literally cackling at that. Her character can swing from feminine rage to tearful and vulnerable.
Levi human and her soulbond has such a big transformation as well. His past was devastating and it broke my heart for him. Seeing his character grow through the book was beautiful.
Azreal… Az.. God of Death … my gosh.. he was my favorite. I literally wanted to jump in the book and hug that man. He has LIVED through so much heartbreak my little heart just couldn’t take it. Knowing how he feels and what he truly wants broke me in the best way.

“𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣, 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙂𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪—𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚. 𝙍𝙞𝙥 𝙢𝙮 𝙛-𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

Now the spice was SPICIN! These three together were hot AF. Oh and the MM plus Az’s shadow heck yes! I was here for every bit of it. The group play and individual scenes were so good and balanced.

Honestly, between all the spitting and crying I don’t know how any of these characters had any secretions left by the end of the book. 😆😆

I still feel I cannot process how I truly feel about this book but this was my attempt. I still feel like I’m staring at the wall. This was such a great journey. Yes it is long but I really enjoyed it!

4.5⭐️
4🌶️

Tropes:
Fated Mates
Femdom
Why Choose
Trauma Healing
Utterly unhinged & in their 30s MCs
One highly aggrieved God of Death
Emotional Depth
Found Family
LOL banter
K|nky Spice
MMF (MMFM if you count Az’s shadow who is developing his own personality)
Courtship Rituals
Traversing multiple realms
Second chances
Hidden identities
Feminine Rage
Pining and Yearning for years
Sub-Awakening (MMC)
Trauma & trauma healing
Impact play
Spit Play

Please check full list of TW.

Thank you to Chiara Forestieri and team for the eARC of Venom Sweeter Than Honey in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Anouk · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Darling, even when you draw blood, your venom is sweeter than honey."

800+ pages of heartache, spice, enchanting magic, rituals, and so much pure love - this unique romantasy is a must-read for anyone who loves a romance that tracends space, time, and worlds 💫

First of all, a huge thank you to the author for sending me an early copy of her book. BStH was one of my favourite reads of last year, so when I heard there was going to be a sequel, I couldn't have been more excited 🍯 And if you thought the first book was good, then you're in for a real treat with this one.

This was an emotional rollercoaster if I've ever seen one. WHAT was put in this book? I all but inhaled those 800+ pages - plus, it didn't even feel that long. I know I'm gonna sound crazy (and maybe a bit greedy), but I genuinely wouldn't have minded another couple hundred pages 👀

The length of the story gave its characters so much more depth and elevated the whole reading experience. Spending more time in these worlds was so much fun 🪸 I loved learning more about the rituals, the potions, and their properties, and generally seeing the world expand made the story that much more immersive.

The character arcs were incredible, and the backstories were absolutely necessary to fully understand them. Azrael, Lazarus, Levi and Violette have all been through so much, but Violette's story was especially touching ❤️‍🩹 Watching her heal from her trauma was beautiful, and she deserves every speck of love that her men give her 🥹 There was so much vulnerability woven throughout these pages, which made me become attached to our characters so quickly.

I genuinely liked all three of Vi's love interests equally, although at times I found myself favouring one over the others. Each of them brings something unique to their relationship, and together they fit like pieces of a puzzle. Their first spicy scene together couldn't have been more perfect 🔥 AND the boyfriends are boyfriends… as they should be 💅🏼 Azrael and Levi's relationship was especially tender and sweet. Watching them go from being rivals who wanted to kill each other to slowly caring for one another felt just right.

By the time I reached the end, I was all but emotionally distraught 😭 It was bittersweet in the best way, and I already can't wait to see what's next in this universe.

5 ⭐️ ARC Review

[Kay✨🩵 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you like your why choose romance with a little side of the boyfriends are also boyfriends who kiss and do other stuff together?!?! Well then you are going to LOVE THIS ONE!!!!!! First off the spice was fantastic I literally couldn’t get enough it had a little bit of everything and was perfection!!!

This book is significantly darker than book one so PLEASE Read the TRIGGER WARNINGS!!! That being said I do love a little DC trope and the other tropes that were in this book!!!

We get to see a completely different side to Vi than we do in book 1 and we get to see some of her backstory! That part broke my heart and put her in a whole different perspective for me!! I enjoyed reading about Levi and his story as well before we jump into all of the action!!!

The world building in this book is so much more than it was in book 1!!!! We get to see the magically world that Vi lives in and different kingdoms as well and my little fantasy loving soul ate that RIGHT UP!!!!! I throughly enjoyed reading the world building and I felt like I was just plopped right into the world watching everything happening in my mind!!!

Meeting Az was both amazing and heart breaking. I understand where he was coming from in the choices he made but boyyyyyyyyyy did he make me mad especially for my poor baby Levi and the trauma that he went through. But I literally couldn’t imagine all of the things that Az went through so in the end I forgave him.

Overall I enjoyed this book way more than book 1!!! I’m not sure if that was because it was why choose (which is one of my favorite tropes) or if it was the more world building aspect but this is my favorite out of the series for sure!!!! Yall have to give this one a try even if you didn’t enjoy book 1 as much I PROMISEEEEEEEEE this one is so much better!!!!!!!

Overall rating: 🌟5/5🌟 and 4/5🌶️

[Katherine Gisleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️3/4 - nearly heavy spice, a whole lot of explicit content but still very plot heavy
1st person, multi POV

“True strength and power lies in one’s willingness to find joy despite all that threatens to break you.”

Chiara’s writing is like no other. She put a warning at the beginning that this book would not be structurally the same as a typical book and that was very much true, but I ate it up. She made an 800 page book feel like the opposite of a slog. I was surprised at every turn! This book has dark themes and a very complicated world, but it never felt overwhelming and there are still plenty of comedic moments throughout that make it incredibly easy to read. She’s also the queen of spice—dirty, nasty scenes packed with so much love and care ❤️‍🔥

My heart broke for these characters, but I came to love them so quickly. They’d all been through so much—most of which I cried right along side them for—but they helped each other heal and confront their demons. There was so much beauty amongst the hardships, loneliness, anger, and desire for revenge. Love was so rejuvenating and the found family they ended up cultivating made my heart squeeze 💓

What an ending. Wow. The love these characters had for each other knew no bounds.

“Woman, I would carve a hole in my chest if it meant you’d call me your home. Feed you my innards if it meant sustaining you. Give you my eyes if it meant you being able to see you the way I see you—how perfect you are. Rip my fucking heart out if it meant that you’d be able to feel just how much I love you.”

Thank you to the author for the advance copy 💝 Releases July 30th!

[Karlee Holcomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really made me wish that fated mates or soul bounds were actually real. Yes you can click with your person, but to see how and why you could click with your forever person would be pretty nice haha…

Venom Sweeter Than Honey is book two in the Fated to the Cowboy series. For a book that was 835 pages roughly it went by pretty fast. VSTH hooks you in from then very beginning as we get introduced to some of our characters and their past. VSTH is a spicy paranormal romance with fated mates, why choose, trauma, healing, second chance, found family, kinky spice, and so much emotional depth with side quests along the way. VSTH has some dark themes throughout the book so make sure to check your trigger warnings. Only you can control what you read and. what you can handle… never force yourself to push through any type of dark themes.

If your looking for a story that is as dark as it is sweet then this is definitely something that you will enjoy. There was heartbreak, chaos, romance, trauma ( trust me it needs its own listing haha), darkness ( in multiple forms), and of course spice. These characters have been through it and are still recovering from their traumatic pasts. They know how to take care of each other in their own special ways… especially when everyone is a so stubborn. As you read you’re able to learn about our FMC and one of our main MMC’s troubling pasts and how their pasts made them into who they are now. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I received an advance reader copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily! Thanks Chiara for the eARC!

[Kasey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for a gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Venom Sweeter Than Honey is book 2 in the Fated to the Cowboy series and is filled with all the emotion, trauma healing, and SPICE! This book is just as amazing as book 1, but with way more profound emotion (in the best of ways). This book contains more character background and the healing and growth they each need to go through. This book contains ALL the chaos (again in the best of ways) and I loved the ride! This is around an 800ish page book, but I was so invested in the story, and I was flying through it so fast it didn’t even seem like it. I love the characters and I have to say that I connected to Azrael the most. He was like one big sad puppy I wanted to comfort (lol). I love the connections to book 1, but I didn’t realize there were other connections from other series, so now I have to go back and read them all! There are some dark themes here so make sure to check your TWs. There are twists and turns, some I was not expecting. I enjoyed the banter and the humor, and there were some parts I was chuckling out loud. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and all the emotion and chaos.

If you love spicy paranormal romance, fated mates, why choose, trauma healing, second chance, emotional depth, found family, kinky spice, hidden identity, unhinged in their 302 MCs, and side quests then this is for you!

[Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Violette is a goddess who has gone through so much trauma, but once she sets her eyes on Levi, she knows she’ll do anything to make him hers. But when things don’t turn out the way she wanted, she turns to Azrael - the God of Death and Endings. He agrees on one condition, and that condition changes not only hers, but Azrael’s and Levi’s life forever.

Starting with Violette, she is such a strong character. You get the emotions and background to her life, and a lot of her traumas she had to go through, I was actually able to relate. I have never related more to a character, even if just a fictional character, and reading how she overcomes her past and becomes such a strong character was such a healing experience. Some people would break down and not move on but she does. She shows so much emotion, and even though she still had to deal with a lot of insecurities, she sees her worth, and both Levi and Azrael helps her with that.

Levi’s character was another I loved being able to see his background story and his traumas showing a glimpse of why he puts up such a brick wall. But that was doesn’t only get torn down by Violette, and it’s such a fun experience how he opens himself up. He shows so much love and compassion, despite all the darkness he had to endure.

Azrael is a character full of confidence, spirit, and amazing dominance, who would willingly crawl for Violette. And I can’t tell you how good it is to read about a man on his knees giving in when he’s never done so in his life.

I loved every aspect of this book. From the dark traumas, to the healing, the passionate love and the spiiiiice was so good. This had so many different twists I was not expecting, but was executed so perfectly. This hands down was one of my favorite reads by far, and you can just tell how much love Chiara put into this.
Overall, I’m going to be recommending everyone to read this. And thank you Chiara for letting me read in advance! Truly chef’s kiss!

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monster Romance 🦋

Book: Venom Sweeter than Honey
Author: CHIARA FORESTIERI
Pages: 834
Series: Yes {Fated to the Cowboy} book 2
Rating: 5/5
Spice: 5/5

[13, 29, 32, 34, 41, 42, 48, 54, 62, 74, 75, 81, 82, 87, 89, 90, 94, 101, 108, 111, 131, 132, 143, 146]

🦋 MC are possessive/obsessed
🦋 She collars him
🦋 Trauma Bonding … so much trauma
🦋 Why Choose
🦋 Second Chance
🦋 Fated Mates
🦋 Bondage

This is the second book in ‘Fated to the Cowboy’ series.

I don’t even know where to begin! This book will make you laugh and cry. It will gut you then put you back together.

The characters are so well written that I literally felt everything they felt. From their happiest moments to their grief and all their trauma. Their love for one another was soul deep. How much these men loved and committed to her … ugh!! It was everything 🩷

Violette meets her soul bound but as they are both going through their own demons and hard pasts they make some bad choices. When things don’t go her way she makes a deal with Azrael.

Favorite Quotes:

“Even without the soulbond, your soul calls to mine. Everything about you... from the tilt of your lips to your dry wit, your cleverness, your magic, kindness and generosity; the radiant soul within that was a beacon in the dark when I first laid eyes on you. I do not say these things lightly, Violette. I would be honored for you to wear this crown beside me. One day. When I’ve earned my own place by your side.”

“There is no force in this realm or the next that could part us. Akash would not give us this sacred gift just to take it away.”

“Darling, even when you draw blood, your venom is sweeter than honey.”

[Carolyn Shields · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aagghhh I'm soorrryyyyy 😭 but I just couldn't see it through. It's a DNF at 81% for me.

This started off strong, the characters were interesting, the plot seemed pretty streamlined, there was enough tension & conflict to keep it interesting...

And then.. idk what happened. Too damn much honestly. One dude turned into 2. Literally. The FMC was a shifter mermaid + winged demon with horns.. A whole character's subplot completely disappeared. The concept of soulbounds became convoluted, the mention of gods and lands lacked any pretext, and the story went from straightforward to splitting in 10 different directions. Are you overwhelmed yet?

The spice was excellent but c'mon, you can't make the God of Death a crybaby bottom. I feel terrible but I couldn't wait it out to see if he ever tops. I hope so. He deserves it after all the times his lower lip trembled & his eyes welled with tears 🙄

[Emily Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start off by saying that I was so incredibly hyped about this book. I so enjoyed the first one in this interconnected standalone series. And rightfully so, this one (while much darker and with some heavier themes) was an incredible addition.

The first third of the book starts off in the past and I think it’s really effective way to understand why our characters make the decisions they make later on in the book. Our characters backgrounds also provide us with the frame of mind that the author is trying to get across for each one. I’ll probably mention this again but definitely read your trigger warnings. There are some pretty heavy topics, including suicide, depression, abuse, and sex work (out of necessity, not pleasure) to name a few. Honestly, as I was reading it I was thinking why won’t this author give these characters a break? It seems like it’s one traumatic event after the other. But that only makes their romance sweeter.

While their lives have been tragic up to this point, this story is about healing that trauma through personal growth and finally having the support that you should’ve had the whole time. Each character is broken in their own way, but I think they all find healing. And the love story truly is beautiful.

Each one of our characters has such a defined personality that the author has fit well with the other characters in this book. And you can really see how each one grows as they deal with concepts of fate and soulmates and immortal living.

My one critique of the book is that it was very long and while I don’t think that anything can be skipped, Like there’s nothing in the book that I would consider cutting, I would have preferred it to have been two separate books. I wanted some more explanation on certain things that there just wasn’t time or room for. It felt like too much information for one book but not enough information for two. I'm also a sucker for a epilogue so I did enjoy that there were a few. I just would have enjoyed if the author had expanded upon certain things.

I would say that overall I highly enjoyed this book and I would absolutely recommend it. And one last time, please check your trigger warnings. This story is MM(M)F.