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Book one in the Chastain Castle trilogy.

When Julian moves to rural Oregon to become the new attendant of a rich family, he's under the impression that life will get easier. But as he meets Atlas, the young master of the estate, he realizes that instead of the simple, he will now be facing an unprecedented lust and attraction too great to bear, as well as the man's cryptic condition that he must ignore.

As Atlas dutifully awaits the cure that was prophesied months after his eighteenth birthday, his family hires a few new employees---one of whom is a man so beautiful that his condition can't help but react to him. And if battling the guilt of his desires wasn't already hard enough, now he's being forced to encounter Julian and the way he craves him so intensely almost daily.

Will the two men survive one another and their unstoppable attraction? If they allow their walls to lower and their hearts to reach out, will Julian still want Atlas after learning the truth?

After all, who could love a condemned man?

A mature, paranormal M/M romance with an HEA guaranteed.

TW's: mentions of death and drowning, supernatural and religious themes, attempted sacrifice/suicide, dark magic, and explicit content such as graphic depictions of intercourse between two men, rough sex, non-consensual (non-con) paranormal sexual activity with enjoyment (not between the two male leads), forced pleasure, and mild choking.

444 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 10, 2026

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Hunter Bailey

6 books46 followers

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5 stars
94 (29%)
4 stars
126 (40%)
3 stars
73 (23%)
2 stars
17 (5%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Rachael Hamilton.
154 reviews12 followers
July 11, 2026
Did I ever think I'd be this obsessed with a paranormal MM romance featuring demon orgasms? Absolutely not. And yet, here we are, completely consumed.

The pacing is perfection. The spice? 🥵 The tension and angst? I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time.

From the very first page, the tension is immediate. You know something sinister is lurking in that ominous, mysterious castle on the cliff. The writing is so smooth that I felt like I was walking onto this estate myself. The world building is so immersive.

Atlas is such an intriguing, mysterious character. I was coming up with a hundred different theories about what was really going on. Every reveal deepened the mystery and left me with more questions, pulling me further into the book.

And the dynamic between Atlas and Julian was everything. Julian's devotion to Atlas knows no bounds, and his strong need to protect his little bunny had me feeling just as protective over Atlas.

I literally could not put this book down. I had to know how this unhinged mess would resolve itself.

This was my first book I read by this author, and it was absolutely not my last. This book deserves to get all of the hype.
Profile Image for AnnaKitt.
251 reviews26 followers
July 14, 2026
Okaaaaaaay so that was a hell of a ride!! 🫨
I wasn’t joking, I really couldn’t stop up until 2(3?)am, I somehow read through both the ballistic missile strike AND an annoying mosquito buzzing around my ear 🫠

I don’t even know how to review this without spoiling anything, because honestly - do yourself a favour and go in blind! I was all over the place the first half guessing what the hell was happening with Atlas and how it’s going to unfold! And Julien managed to be both surprisingly dirty and sweet 🤭

“You’re all mine. You’re my sweet little bunny, my darling boy to love on and hold. No one else. Nothing else gets to have you. You hear me?”


It was soooo intriguing, unusual and completely unexpected. Then the pace kicked into another gear near the end, and it turned into a wild emotional rollercoaster. The tension was absolutely insane!



You're in for great spice, an unconventional plot, an incredible atmosphere, powerful characters, and one hell of a grand gesture ❤‍🔥 

And now I'm off to book two💃
27 reviews
August 2, 2026
I’m clearly an outlier here. Although the plot was interesting, how am I supposed to believe in this relationship? Julian and Atlas have literally zero conversations where they get to know one another on a deeper level. This relationship is completely based on “I want to fuck you” vibes and Atlas’ condition. That’s it.

Do either of them having any interests? No clue. Does Julian ever mention hopes and dreams for his future? Nope. Are there any interesting conversations where Atlas talks about any of his family members? No. Do we find out anything about Julian’s mom, why she’s not around? Of course not. Do we know about any hardships or past hurts Julian has had in his life? How dare you ask, we must keep him one note at all costs. How do we get through 440 pages with neither MC having any sort of personality or any interesting characteristics, beyond Atlas’ sheer tops and his condition? There’s literally nothing holding these two together outside of sexual preferences. That’s it.

And the interesting plot? It became so repetitive! The lore could have been so much more interesting and in depth. What were those muttered Latin words? And did the solution have to be the most cliché, obvious one? I was hoping the plot would carry this story through to the end, so I could ignore how the relationship was lacking. But nope. That was lacking too.
Profile Image for Jen.
62 reviews16 followers
August 12, 2026
This was not as good as I thought it would be... It was an interesting concept, but I don't think it was particularly well executed. The behavior of the characters often didn't make sense, and it was SO weird how Julian sudden went from shy, sensible cinnamon roll to enthusiastic, kinky dom... It didn't really feel like him anymore.

It wasn't terrible, but I have no desire to read anymore of the series, and I almost wish I hadn't read this one. I had initially given it a 4, but I think it's closer to a 3, actually.
Profile Image for Abigail Villanueva.
30 reviews
July 14, 2026
5 ⭐️ I could not put this book down!! When I did inevitably have to pause for a few hours to return to life, I thought there’s no way I’m this obsessed with this story centered around a demon giving one of the MMCs orgasms. Between the castle, Julian, and the beautifully soft descriptions of Atlas, I felt so immersed in this book. Although this book is done, I still have SO MANY questions and can’t wait to read books 2 & 3. Such as - WTF is up with Atticus, and even more so, WTF is up with Landon - my theory is that Landon is a paranormal being but I’m so intrigued of how all their own story lines will play out. I hope we get to see more of Julian and Atlas ❤️‍🔥
45 reviews
July 12, 2026
THE WAY I STAYED UP ALLLL NIGHT FOR THIS ONE. Started and finished the same day. Stayed up till 2 am to finish. I work at 5 am. Putting this one down was just not an option. So much smut, but imo, was good smut that was super well written and didn’t completely overshadow the plot. It was very dark and DEFINITELY read the triggers, this one most certainly put the dub in dub con.
4 reviews
July 21, 2026
I cant continue this shit. All the characters are dumb and the dumbest of them all is julian. DNF
DONT READ IT
Profile Image for Felicia Videla.
21 reviews
July 16, 2026
Wait, so the guy kills himself for their son and in return they give him his job back? What the actual fuck.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for 369Pages.
879 reviews68 followers
August 9, 2026
4.25⭐️
A mysterious and dark paranormal romance! Julian and his father moved to a remote town in order to fulfil a new job, which is to be workers at the enormous and guarded Chastain Castle. There, Julian meets Atlas, a strange young man around his age. When Julian and his father arrive, they’re informed of their duties and told that they are not allowed in the wing, where Atlas resides at night, due to his mysterious illness. As you might imagine, Julian has a hard time staying away, especially because Atlas is beautiful and flirty, and he just needs to know what’s going on with him.

I genuinely think that it’s best to go into this book blind, as it keeps the mysterious air for longer. But if you love, mysterious paranormal MM romance, then you are going to enjoy this one I’m sure.

Overall, I really liked this book, and it did keep me engaged the entire time. I do wish that there was more emotional development between the characters in terms of their relationship, and I do wish that we got to have a little bit more background on the characters.

I found that premise of this book to be the most interesting part, and I’m really curious to read the other books in the series. This book definitely caught my attention and I am definitely jumping right into the next book.

I suggest not reading any further if you don’t want any spoilers, but I would like to share some of my thoughts, and I will add some content warnings for those who feel that they need them before jumping into a darker paranormal story.

~~~~

(Spoilers! + thoughts about the plot)

This book has:
-a mysterious castle with an even more mysterious young man locked away in his wing
-paranormal elements (incubus demon who is attached to and feeds off of MC non-consensually)
-religious themes
-sacrifice and unconditional love
-sneaking around and forbidden relationship
(Young master / basically his servant)
-TW for suicide

I think that the whole idea of having an evil sex demon that is attached to one of the main characters in a creepy castle is honestly such a cool idea. I feel like the execution could’ve been a little bit more polished, and some of the themes could’ve been explored a little bit more deeply. However, I think the overall plot was very successful, and I was entertained the entire time.

Of course, the whole “love is the answer” vibe that we had at the end was a little bit corny but still interesting. I also found that having the parents around all the time and also the little sister was a little bit weird and made the characters seem like they were younger than they were, even though they were supposed to be in their 20s.

I did also notice a couple of times where it seemed like words were used that were slightly incorrect and sounded like words that would have been more correct in that context, which makes me believe that maybe this book could’ve used one more editor to look at it. For example obsessive/excessive and fears/tears. It was still not that bad, but it was noticeable as a reader.

This book also had great set up for the other two books in the series, and I’m really curious to see what’s going to happen in book 2 with Atlas‘s brother. We’ve already kind of established that he knows the love interest and has some animosity towards him. I think this will be refreshing since Julian and Atlas definitely just immediately loved each other, even without really getting to know each other in this book.

OK, I didn’t mean for this to be so long but obviously I enjoyed this book and loved yapping about it so I do recommend it for sure and I hope that you go in blind!
Profile Image for Carissa .
260 reviews3 followers
July 18, 2026
I saw a recommendation for this series on IG and the paranormal aspect really grabbed my attention so thought I'd give this a chance. The first one was my least fave. I couldn't quite get with the couple and the paranormal aspect in this one was just a tad uncomfortable to me but I mean I finished all 3 so don't know what that says about me lol the pet name was also an ick for me and pair that with overuse was a bit much for me and that occurs with all 3.
Profile Image for Adrian Gallardo.
5 reviews
July 28, 2026
Julian and Atlas, the desperation and tension between you two had me wanting a cold shower, a cigarette, and snickers bar. What a ride the last 5 days it’s been! It was scary, it was loving, it was intense! 10s across the board! I could have sworn I felt something touch my leg in the middle of the night anddddd other parts of me. 🤭
249 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2026
I liked it

Different take on demon and incubus storylines… I enjoyed it. I do think it got a little bit drawn out in some sections, but I kept reading it so it obviously was not enough to deter me

Editing was good and I didn’t find any typos or anything. Overall, it was well written.

I do wish the heat and spice was higher… But that’s a personal preference. I thought that both Atlas and Julian were well developed characters with very different personalities. Of course they fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

I definitely will be reading the next book in the series.
16 reviews
August 3, 2026
Def a smooth brain book😂 not bad but also not good
Profile Image for Tara Gillin.
263 reviews3 followers
July 22, 2026
Just. OK. This was hyped up..and it didn't deliver. For me*..
Profile Image for Jay T.
23 reviews
July 22, 2026
Hunter Bailey's writing is wonderfully descriptive, making every hallway, every room, and every corner of Chastain Castle easy to picture. The gothic atmosphere is immersive, mysterious, and beautifully crafted.

Condemned is the first book in the interconnected Chastain Castle Trilogy and what an incredible way to begin the series.

From the moment Julian meets Atlas, the attraction is immediate. Julian has never seen anyone as beautiful as him, and Atlas, despite his reserved nature, can't seem to stop staring at Julian either.

Their connection is undeniable from the very beginning.

One relationship I especially loved was the bond between Atlas and his brother, Atticus. His protectiveness and devotion to Atlas added another emotional layer to the story and showed just how much this family had already endured.

The mystery surrounding Atlas' condition kept me completely invested. We know early on that no one is allowed near the West Tower after dark, but Hunter Bailey carefully withholds the truth, building suspense until the reveal finally arrives.

That slow unraveling made the payoff even more satisfying. Atlas is such a tease. Every chance he gets, he finds a way to fluster Julian, but beneath all that confidence is someone quietly waiting and hoping for a cure.

His condition has convinced him that he isn't worthy of love, that he's been permanently tainted by the monster haunting him. That broke my heart.

The yearning between Julian and Atlas is incredible. Every interaction is filled with longing, restraint, and undeniable chemistry. Their romance unfolds at exactly the right pace, allowing every emotional moment to feel earned.

What impressed me most was Julian's reaction after discovering Atlas' secret.
He doesn't run. He stays. He chooses Atlas.

He risks everything to help protect him from the incubus that has tormented him for so long, proving just how kind, brave, and selfless he truly is.

Together, they begin searching for a way to finally break the curse.

Landon, however...

He annoyed me throughout Book One 😭

Still, everything else about this novel completely won me over.

The storyline was captivating, the mystery surrounding the curse kept me hooked and the eventual reveal was absolutely worth the wait.

I also loved spotting the interconnected references to the main characters from the later books in the trilogy.

Hunter Bailey crafted an unforgettable gothic romance filled with mystery, longing, dark magic, family, and hope.

The happy ending felt completely deserved.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Honestly...

Infinity stars from me.
Profile Image for Rose.
29 reviews
July 13, 2026
4.5/5, such a good read!

I loved the characters, especially Atlas and Abigail. She is such a sweet presence in the book, and it allows us to see Julian get comfortable pretty quickly, considering he is in such a new environment. Atlas is such an angel. His internal turmoil is so good but also hard to read because he doesn’t treat himself the way he deserves to be treated. Thank god for Julian! And the description of Atlas’s outfits from Julian’s point of view? So good. I also loved the dynamic that the whole family had, with Atticus being such a good brother, and Theodora being such a sweet mom. I like that their family dynamic wasn’t difunctional, so the other parts of the plot could take the spotlight. The plot was very good, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and I had a hard time putting the book down. I also appreciate that there were still a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding, I felt like I could really see Atlas walking around the castle in his cute outfits. And just in general, the vibes of the book were so spooky and vivid. Everything was cloudy and foggy, and the descriptions of the temperature changes made it feel like I was there in the castle. I also really liked how strange everything seemed at the beginning of the book, and then it slowly fell into place. Like why was Atlas acting so weird? Why was he so hot? Why did he spend his days looking out at the water? Lastly, a detail that I really appreciated (that I also LOVED from MDG/MSA), was the pet names! Unfortunately, everything reminds me of MDG, and I don’t think I will ever recover.
Profile Image for _mykee_b.
188 reviews6 followers
Read
August 12, 2026
I am so upset by this one. It started out so strong but by 40% I was irritated & over the miscommunication. Grown men doing the “does he really? No, he couldn’t possibly?!” thing is infuriating. 😠 If you’re grown enough to be having sex then you should be able to USE YOUR WORDS & have an adult conversation about your feelings. 🤷‍♀️

But, I think a lot of my issue with this story is in the plot itself. Something about knowingly, letting your (adult) child be abused by a demon for years and not truly doing anything to cure it, just did not sit well with me. 🙅‍♀️

And for as much information as you’re given, there’s a lot that we’re not given. WTF is up with this family?!? 🫪🧐 They remind me of the vampire family from The Little Vampire except they’re not cool in a strange way. They’re just fucking strange in a bad way. It’s like they’re trapped in Victorian era while the rest of the world is modern so it’s just really odd.

And when someone finally comes along wanting to help save their son from being graped by a demon, they’re all morally against it and rather wait for a cure to just fall in their lap while praying it away 🤨🙄 so I just it’s a NO for me.

I was gonna DNF at 60%, but I just ended up skimming through and nothing was really missed. Then, of course, the ending was just as ridiculous.

So if you like over the top dramatics then this is for you. If you like any logic whatsoever, then just pass cause it’s gonna annoy you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Cristina.
41 reviews2 followers
July 26, 2026
I'll start by saying I didn't have high expectations for this book, but oh my goodness, how wrong I was! I've read many books with paranormal themes, but none have impacted me like this one. From the very beginning, the story unfolds with small revelations that keep you hooked and eager to discover how Julian and Atlas's story develops.

My heart ached for Atlas, seeing him suffer because of his past and present, longing for something he can't have. But then Julian comes in, who knows what he wants and won't stop until he saves the person he longs for. These two are perfect for each other, and I'm eager to read Atticus and Cameron's story.

This is the first book I've read by this author, and I loved her refreshing writing style and how she manages to immerse you in the story without you even realizing it.
Profile Image for Nicole.
230 reviews2 followers
July 18, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up. This has a cool setting, a mystery, forbidden desires & tension. And spice too! Interesting side characters as well, which I think some will end up with their own book, since this is a trilogy of sorts. I love MM romance, but so much is the same. This was a great romance, but different than everything I’ve read. It does have a HEA for the main couple, but leaves many unanswered questions for the next books. Can’t wait to move on to book 2, which is already out! (I love that I don’t have to wait months or years for the next book!)
Profile Image for Sandra Stauffer.
413 reviews2 followers
August 12, 2026
2 ⭐️

Yall.... we cannot be serious. 😭 wtf did i just read. I kind of feel bad for Julian that he literally killed himself and to repay him the Chastains gave him back his job 💀💀💀 like wtf. He literally broke a whole entire curse, sacrificed himself and thats the thanks he gets???? He literally went head to head with the incubus and still got no recognition 💀💀💀💀 i do feel like there is obviously so many secrets still to be revealed so im going to read the next book just to find them out but hopefully its better than this one 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Eliza.
69 reviews
August 9, 2026
I'm not sure if what Julian felt was love or lust, and I'm also not sure if Atlas' feelings were genuine or more about his need for human affection.

It was also kind of weird that Atlas was being assaulted and his family just had to accept it...Also, you're telling me that his family had that book the entire time and no one translated it? Guess they didn't try very hard to help him.

The storyline was good though, albeit it felt a bit long.
30 reviews
August 9, 2026
🖤Atlas & Julian🖤

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was so good! Julian was such an incredible character and is absolutely perfect for Atlas with his unwavering loyalty and understanding of Atlas’ mind. The way he understood the complex wanting and hatred Atlas feels towards his curse is everything Atlas needed to heal. Atlas was clearly blind thinking that all of this was just physical for Julian, but he is socially inexperienced so it worked for him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
110 reviews
July 25, 2026
What family sleeps at night while their middle son gets raped almost every night by a demon? Yeah, I’m not buying that…
Could have easily been 80-100 pages shorter. It’s well written though 👍🏼 I did considered dnf’ing, but I had to know what was happening 😂
(Won’t be reading the rest of the series)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Danyelle Williams.
1,002 reviews9 followers
July 26, 2026
New home full of mysteries

This was definitely a wild ride. There was a big secret kept and big sacrifices.

I enjoyed the journey of figuring it out and watching the relationship develop between them. I'm definitely curious about the history behind this family.
242 reviews1 follower
July 30, 2026
can’t wait for the 2nd book.

Love this world, the imagination, the plot. I will knock it down 0.5 stars as I expected more out of the mystery revolving around Atlas. The spice was perfect notch.
Profile Image for Leda Inirio .
52 reviews
August 3, 2026
This book had me on edge there for a bit. Dragged on a bit, but overall good! Great writing. I enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. Julian and Atticus ♥️🥹. On to the second book and will complete the series. A good paranormal MM story.
Profile Image for R.
54 reviews2 followers
August 5, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
عاجبتني بس احس ماتستاهل اكثر على الاستفزاز الي صار بالأخير، مو طبيعي حرقوا اعصابي ولا مرة تنرفزت وانا اقرأ لهدرجة،
القصة نفسها حلوة وغريبة ومامليت وانا اقرأ لأن شيء جديد علي والسرد مررة ممتع
بس ما احس بتخطى قد ايش الباقي مستفزييييننن
Profile Image for Xoa78.
113 reviews
July 22, 2026
4.5⭐️
3🌶️

This was a beautifully written MM PNR. Haunting setting with sweet romance.. Atlas & Julian are super sweet ❤️❤️

MM Romance
PNR
Workplace Romance
Hurt/Comfort
Mysterious Family
Hot Spice
Profile Image for Jessica.
386 reviews1 follower
July 23, 2026
This was interesting….

I don’t really know what i was expecting, this is definitely quite unique and I did enjoy overall!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Titi calhoun.
34 reviews
July 30, 2026
I was enamored. I love this book, about to start the next one now!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews