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God's Mercy: The Descent Duet Book One
Not yet published
Expected 19 Nov 26“I am still just flesh and bone. Not a God. I am breakable. But was I easy to break, Jeffiniah?”
“No.” He’s closer now, and she can see the lines around his eyes, deeper than they have ever been. “No, you were the hardest.”
In an alternative 2026 where the witch trials didn’t stop - they just paused for a while - there is only one law that matters. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. When that law is broken, the consequences will shake the foundation of the world, and shatter the couple at the centre of it all.
Under the shadow of the Witchcraft Act ‘77 and the drastic Emergency Measures that followed, Chastity Kramer hides in plain sight, knowing that if anyone knew the truth then her life would be over. She knows better than to take risks, but a chance encounter with a handsome stranger makes her want to let someone in - no matter the cost.
Jeffiniah Pendleton was called by God to serve in the most righteous role of all, and as a witchfinder he learned that his urges for violence and depravity were God-given and that the ends would always justify the means. But when he discovers Chastity’s sins, he must confront the truth of how far he has fallen, and how far he still has to fall. Is he breaking her, or is she breaking him?
God’s Mercy is a pitch black dystopian romance with explicit, violent, and disturbing content throughout. Expect extreme enemies-to-lovers, captor/captive, and a morally near-black MMC. The Descent Duet has a HEA overall, but God’s Mercy is part one and ends on a cliffhanger.
“No.” He’s closer now, and she can see the lines around his eyes, deeper than they have ever been. “No, you were the hardest.”
In an alternative 2026 where the witch trials didn’t stop - they just paused for a while - there is only one law that matters. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. When that law is broken, the consequences will shake the foundation of the world, and shatter the couple at the centre of it all.
Under the shadow of the Witchcraft Act ‘77 and the drastic Emergency Measures that followed, Chastity Kramer hides in plain sight, knowing that if anyone knew the truth then her life would be over. She knows better than to take risks, but a chance encounter with a handsome stranger makes her want to let someone in - no matter the cost.
Jeffiniah Pendleton was called by God to serve in the most righteous role of all, and as a witchfinder he learned that his urges for violence and depravity were God-given and that the ends would always justify the means. But when he discovers Chastity’s sins, he must confront the truth of how far he has fallen, and how far he still has to fall. Is he breaking her, or is she breaking him?
God’s Mercy is a pitch black dystopian romance with explicit, violent, and disturbing content throughout. Expect extreme enemies-to-lovers, captor/captive, and a morally near-black MMC. The Descent Duet has a HEA overall, but God’s Mercy is part one and ends on a cliffhanger.
441 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 19, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 6, 2026
I have read countless dark and pitch black romances and I can honestly say that this is one of the absolute best. The plot is incredible, the character depth and development is top quality, and the cliffhanger is gut wrenching in the best way! I devoured it in half a day and could not put it down. Note: if you have triggers, take the trigger warnings seriously and proceed with caution. If you treat trigger warning lists like a menu, you will be thrilled 😂 Super grateful to be an ARC recipient of this book and already desperate for the second half of the duet (releasing a few months after the first, so don't worry if you need a resolution fast!)
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got to be a hype reader! Which is kinda like a beta reader but I forgot to give comments about how it could be improved because it read like the finished version delicious pitch black romance they’ve polished it into. Oh it’s so worth the hype! The pain, the heartache, the romance, the darkness, the torture, the religion, the beautifully crafted characters. I love them all and I’m incredibly pleased this book and I exist on the same timeline.
Unlike some readers who sound to have gotten their teeth in and devoured it, I had to keep pausing to feel my feels. Many moments of wanting to throw my phone across the room because the emotions were just too intense not to savour or scream about.
The trigger warning list was a delicious menu and absolutely dead dove do not eat. They’re there for a reason so heed them if they aren’t good for you. They’re there for a reason so revel in them if you are a fellow lover of the darkness.
I don’t want to spoil a thing for you so I’m careful with my words. This book ripped my heart out like all my other favourites have.
Unlike some readers who sound to have gotten their teeth in and devoured it, I had to keep pausing to feel my feels. Many moments of wanting to throw my phone across the room because the emotions were just too intense not to savour or scream about.
The trigger warning list was a delicious menu and absolutely dead dove do not eat. They’re there for a reason so heed them if they aren’t good for you. They’re there for a reason so revel in them if you are a fellow lover of the darkness.
I don’t want to spoil a thing for you so I’m careful with my words. This book ripped my heart out like all my other favourites have.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!
I love religious themes in my smut and this ABSOLUTELY delivered!! For a debut novel this is beautifully written and pulled me in that I finished it in one sitting, I could really feel both characters and the scenes where Chastity is engaging in her practice hit so close to home as a fellow pagan!
Thanks Kirizal for the early copy I'm so excited for the second book
I love religious themes in my smut and this ABSOLUTELY delivered!! For a debut novel this is beautifully written and pulled me in that I finished it in one sitting, I could really feel both characters and the scenes where Chastity is engaging in her practice hit so close to home as a fellow pagan!
Thanks Kirizal for the early copy I'm so excited for the second book
Review of advance copy received from Author
I will attempt to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, as I quite literally couldn’t put this book down to an extent that I’ve never experienced before.
It’s so rare to find a kink-heavy dark romance novel which balances explicit scenes, moments of violence and carefully written narrative storytelling. Often it feels as though these elements are separate entities of filler and framework - but I was absolutely blown away by how well these components intertwined to drive the plot forward here. At no point did any sexual moment feel gratuitous, and each were clearly written to contribute towards the narrative and our understanding of the characters’ motivations and emotions. I mention this as this is always a difficult thing to get right in any fictional work containing sex and romance, and I was happy to see that these scenes weren’t just thrown in for the sake of it.
Kirizal truly has an intricate and thoughtful way with words. They take such intangible feelings and make them tangible through their writing. There’s an incredibly freeing scene towards the end that could almost move you to tears, the lexicon is so elegant and does a great job of tackling the weighted theme of spirituality from all angles.
I feel as though the two main characters and the world around them are built so effortlessly, defined and clear to picture, and yet the pacing is never compromised.
I can’t wait to read the 2nd instalment! I have no doubt I will absolutely speed through it like I did with this.
It’s so rare to find a kink-heavy dark romance novel which balances explicit scenes, moments of violence and carefully written narrative storytelling. Often it feels as though these elements are separate entities of filler and framework - but I was absolutely blown away by how well these components intertwined to drive the plot forward here. At no point did any sexual moment feel gratuitous, and each were clearly written to contribute towards the narrative and our understanding of the characters’ motivations and emotions. I mention this as this is always a difficult thing to get right in any fictional work containing sex and romance, and I was happy to see that these scenes weren’t just thrown in for the sake of it.
Kirizal truly has an intricate and thoughtful way with words. They take such intangible feelings and make them tangible through their writing. There’s an incredibly freeing scene towards the end that could almost move you to tears, the lexicon is so elegant and does a great job of tackling the weighted theme of spirituality from all angles.
I feel as though the two main characters and the world around them are built so effortlessly, defined and clear to picture, and yet the pacing is never compromised.
I can’t wait to read the 2nd instalment! I have no doubt I will absolutely speed through it like I did with this.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Set in an alternate timeline to this, a timeline where witch trials restarted in the 1970s and continue to this day. Chastity Kramer goes to drink burnt, bitter coffee and notices a striking man dressed in all black. That man is a witchfinder Jeffiniah Pendleton.
What comes next is a tale of loyalty, love, betrayal and violence, think 1984, but with the romantic roles reversed and much spicer!
This book will have you recoiling at violence, feeling the helplessness of both of the characters, despising the WFD, smiling at their interplay & broken by the end.
I loved every second of this book, devouring it I'm around 8 hours and already needing more.
A fantastic debut and the authors in-depth knowledge of the BDSM world help flesh those scenes out more than your average "spicy" novel.
The world kerizal creates is it's own living, breathing, encapsulating ecosystem and every setting feels like somewhere you've been, but also somewhere you haven't.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and remember "We are all Witches"
What comes next is a tale of loyalty, love, betrayal and violence, think 1984, but with the romantic roles reversed and much spicer!
This book will have you recoiling at violence, feeling the helplessness of both of the characters, despising the WFD, smiling at their interplay & broken by the end.
I loved every second of this book, devouring it I'm around 8 hours and already needing more.
A fantastic debut and the authors in-depth knowledge of the BDSM world help flesh those scenes out more than your average "spicy" novel.
The world kerizal creates is it's own living, breathing, encapsulating ecosystem and every setting feels like somewhere you've been, but also somewhere you haven't.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and remember "We are all Witches"
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow. For a debut novel, this was totally off the charts. This had me hooked from the moment I started. I found myself pulling out my phone to read this whenever I got a free moment.
The author develops the characters so well that you start to feel what they feel in certain moments. I felt soooo many emotions while reading this. And like another reader said, their knowledge of the BDSM world made this top tier in my opinion. You REALLY get to see those scenes come to life.
I’m too afraid of spoiling anything, but if you are into pitch black romance, then this is a MUST read. I will say, do read the trigger warnings first to see if you can handle it. But if you read it and go yep, I’m in, then my god I think you’ll be just as hooked as I was. I can NOT WAIT to read the second book that follows this!
The author develops the characters so well that you start to feel what they feel in certain moments. I felt soooo many emotions while reading this. And like another reader said, their knowledge of the BDSM world made this top tier in my opinion. You REALLY get to see those scenes come to life.
I’m too afraid of spoiling anything, but if you are into pitch black romance, then this is a MUST read. I will say, do read the trigger warnings first to see if you can handle it. But if you read it and go yep, I’m in, then my god I think you’ll be just as hooked as I was. I can NOT WAIT to read the second book that follows this!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is everything I have ever wanted in a pitch black romance.
First and foremost, thank you to Kirizal for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this amazing story.
This story, the characters (the “good” and the bad 👀 Liam 👀), the world, the smut - everything about it I thoroughly enjoyed.
I have never once read a book that’s made me want to simultaneously read until my eyes fall out and also throw my phone at a wall. I have read many pitch-black/dark romance books, and have ploughed through the Dead Dove Do Not Eat tag on AO3 and nothing has satisfied the itch quite like this book has. The characters and world both feel amazingly fleshed out, and I truly felt connected to both Chastity and Jeffiniah page after page. I absolutely cannot wait to purchase a physical copy, and get book 2 in my basket!!!
🖤
First and foremost, thank you to Kirizal for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this amazing story.
This story, the characters (the “good” and the bad 👀 Liam 👀), the world, the smut - everything about it I thoroughly enjoyed.
I have never once read a book that’s made me want to simultaneously read until my eyes fall out and also throw my phone at a wall. I have read many pitch-black/dark romance books, and have ploughed through the Dead Dove Do Not Eat tag on AO3 and nothing has satisfied the itch quite like this book has. The characters and world both feel amazingly fleshed out, and I truly felt connected to both Chastity and Jeffiniah page after page. I absolutely cannot wait to purchase a physical copy, and get book 2 in my basket!!!
🖤
Review of advance copy received from Author
After only coming across pitch black romance a few months ago, God’s Mercy is by far my favourite, and the only one that brought me to tears. From the restaurant type menu, sorry trigger warnings, to the afterword, it is beautifully written. The language often takes you back in time to the witch trials era even though the story is set in the present.
I fell in love with the characters, especially as I was listening to the witch trials podcast episode at the same time, this gave the characters voices and made them see more real. The story also builds a great background to the characters, this gave me more depth to Chastity and Jeffiniah.
I feel honoured to have been an ARC reader and wait, in anticipation, for book 2. Hopefully 1 side character gets his comeuppance!
I fell in love with the characters, especially as I was listening to the witch trials podcast episode at the same time, this gave the characters voices and made them see more real. The story also builds a great background to the characters, this gave me more depth to Chastity and Jeffiniah.
I feel honoured to have been an ARC reader and wait, in anticipation, for book 2. Hopefully 1 side character gets his comeuppance!
Review of advance copy received from Author
God's Mercy
Where do I start!! To me it is a delisous blend of emotional, physical and mental pain. It begins with a slow build up of emotional turmoil,and shows the risk we place ourselves at when we feel a connection, we can't let go of. I found myself so conflicted in my thoughts about what I wanted for Chastity and Jeffieiah. This is what kept me enchanted and eagerly flipping page after page. The book is filled with the darkest parts of the human soul, however entwines love and trust and how easily this can be broken. It left me questioning, it left me wanting, it left me with a need for more.
Where do I start!! To me it is a delisous blend of emotional, physical and mental pain. It begins with a slow build up of emotional turmoil,and shows the risk we place ourselves at when we feel a connection, we can't let go of. I found myself so conflicted in my thoughts about what I wanted for Chastity and Jeffieiah. This is what kept me enchanted and eagerly flipping page after page. The book is filled with the darkest parts of the human soul, however entwines love and trust and how easily this can be broken. It left me questioning, it left me wanting, it left me with a need for more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow.
Honestly not my usual read, it was my first ever dark romance and honestly blew me away.
I may be potentially biased as I got a free ARC copy but genuinely by the end i was sobbing😭
The joy of seeing the leads finally actually understanding eachother and experiencing their dreadful journey was just beautiful to read.
The devastation when you realise how it’s going to end is unmatched, it really pulls you through every single emotion.
Every night i came home eager to unravel more of their story and now it’s over i am left gagging for more and feeling slightly empty without Jeffiniah and Chastity in my life.
Would/am recommending to anyone that comes near me tbh.
Brilliant book.
Honestly not my usual read, it was my first ever dark romance and honestly blew me away.
I may be potentially biased as I got a free ARC copy but genuinely by the end i was sobbing😭
The joy of seeing the leads finally actually understanding eachother and experiencing their dreadful journey was just beautiful to read.
The devastation when you realise how it’s going to end is unmatched, it really pulls you through every single emotion.
Every night i came home eager to unravel more of their story and now it’s over i am left gagging for more and feeling slightly empty without Jeffiniah and Chastity in my life.
Would/am recommending to anyone that comes near me tbh.
Brilliant book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow I loved this book a lot more than I thought I would! I usually read horror/ thriller, never anything spicy or dark romance adjacent. I was intrigued by the concept of the book, and kind of expected to skip over the spice scenes. However I was sooooo engrossed by the story and my eyes were glued to the page! Devoured this book in a couple days. It does a great job at really getting you immersed in the world, as well as the headspace of the two main characters. Highly, highly recommend, even if you think dark romance isn’t for you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow! I was lucky to receive this as an ARC reader. I like a plot alongside any kink / smut and the plot was definitely giving! I loved that the story took time to develop, there was no rushing. I felt like I got to know the characters and followed their journey. I thought it was well written, well paced, great character development and I cannot wait for the second book!
Please do read the trigger warnings before proceeding! This is a pitch black book.
Please do read the trigger warnings before proceeding! This is a pitch black book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What. A. Book. So well written, I loved the characters and their development. The longer the trigger list and the darker the story line the better in my option!
I was hooked from the start and absolutely demolished the book in a day. And after that cliff hanger, I cannot wait for book 2 in a few months!
Thank you so much Kirizal for the opportunity to be an ARC reader 💫
I was hooked from the start and absolutely demolished the book in a day. And after that cliff hanger, I cannot wait for book 2 in a few months!
Thank you so much Kirizal for the opportunity to be an ARC reader 💫
Review of advance copy
This was the first ever pitch black romance I’ve read and just to say I was left speechless. I love the characters in this and I feel it’s such a unique setting for a book (in an amazing way). I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the second.
Review of advance copy
Fantastic book, I am a person who can’t read an actual book it’s audio or nothing but I couldn’t put this down. Kept dipping into it whenever I got a free moment. Can’t wait for the next book.
October 15, 2026
kirizal’s writing draws you in and keeps you chained by your ankle.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews