What do you think?
Rate this book
Slave for Revenge #1
The Deal
London, 1851. Guy Spencer, the fourth Earl of Ashbourne, deeply hates Jane Hartwell, the girl with whom he shared his childhood. And as the economic problems of the Hartwell family push Jane to ask for his help, Guy offers her a wicked deal: he will save her father from prison, in return she will become his sex slave for six months.
Forced to submit to his every desire, in a scandalous alternation of ecstasy and humiliation, Jane gets more and more confused.
Is it just hate what she feels for her cruel master?
And Guy, why is he doing this to her? What happened between them years before, to make him seek such a shocking revenge?
[Author's Note: the story of Slave for Revenge unfolds over five books:
Slave for Revenge 1: The Deal
Slave for Revenge 2: Ashbourne House
Slave for Revenge 3: Training a Pet
Slave for Revenge 4: A Slave in Love
Slave for Revenge 5: Happily Ever After
This is a dark historical romance novel with mature themes that might make some readers uncomfortable. This novel is not intended for readers under 18 years of age.]
Forced to submit to his every desire, in a scandalous alternation of ecstasy and humiliation, Jane gets more and more confused.
Is it just hate what she feels for her cruel master?
And Guy, why is he doing this to her? What happened between them years before, to make him seek such a shocking revenge?
[Author's Note: the story of Slave for Revenge unfolds over five books:
Slave for Revenge 1: The Deal
Slave for Revenge 2: Ashbourne House
Slave for Revenge 3: Training a Pet
Slave for Revenge 4: A Slave in Love
Slave for Revenge 5: Happily Ever After
This is a dark historical romance novel with mature themes that might make some readers uncomfortable. This novel is not intended for readers under 18 years of age.]
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 18, 2015
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
August 23, 2022
THE GRINCH FIGHTS CHRISTMAS
CARO FIGHTS THE VIOLENT PATRIARCHY
This book features ideals of toxic masculinity and nauseating double-standards not just in the time and context of the period in which the story plays but also in the way the characters interact with each other.
In the biblical Old Testament there are better men and garbage men, and arguably even good women and bad women; however the women are never allowed to be viewed as whole entire people - as men, if you will - which means that bad deeds are punished harshly, while the really garbage men are often forgiven (even if they don't feel bad afterwards). It's like Chinese drama series: the evil men have motives and may be forgiven, the evil women? They're just evil and should die!
The CAST
GUY (20-something rich earl, member of a bunch of vigilante gentlemen at night) wants to take revenge on his stepsister, JANE (early 20s, volunteers at the orphanage and at the hospital) by turning her into his own live-in PET WHORE.
I have no problem with this. This could actually be an interesting set up! However, things get problematic quickly:
CHARLES, Jane's father, now crippled after a devastating carriage accident that also killed his wife (Guy's distant mom who always hated Guy but doted on Jane), is still alive. And he is a sheep dick. His lukewarm affection for Jane is ... actually interesting, I guess, since we rarely see parents in fiction that feel so very "meh" about their children, but while keeping a positive front up. But it is sooooo grating that Charles is Guy's personal cheerleader. Charles wasn't a very involved stepfather to Guy. I mean, he tried, and then Guy shot at him with a gun and after that Charles just stopped trying. Charles is pretty spineless overall, even though he is mulishly devoted to doing his own work himself and not being viewed as a cripple (despite being a cripple, and incompetent at the actual selling side of creating and selling perfumes). I hate him. I hate that he constantly reminds Guy of his good qualities (of which Guy has, like, maybe three). His faith in Guy, who is raping his daughter, is unshakeable. UGH
STEPHEN is Guy's opium-addicted bestie/accountant. He helped Guy set his revenge plot up by ruining Charles' business for years, e.a. withholding shipments etc. When he finds out that the target isn't even the stepfather but his daughter instead and that Guy is going to be pawing and assaulting her, Stephen reacts in the only natural way: wtf bro???? BUT after a brush with his opium-addiction and being saved by Guy again, Stephen pretty much lays his doubts to rest and accepts everything. His faith in Guy is unshakeable.
THE KNIVES. Remember how I said that Guy is a member of a group of gentlemen vigilantes in his free time? Yeah, him and two other nobles as well as one woman (a prostitute, no less) and a random street thief have formed a band that traps, kidnaps and mutilates (or murders) rapists, wife-beaters and child molesters. The ... IRONY, right? So Guy is really anxious for the other members of his super hero gang (they call each other First Knife and Second Knife and so on ... can you imagine?) NOT to find out what is afoot between him and his step-sister, because rapists and abusers is their target audience, and what he is doing to Jane is definitely rape and abuse, despite the author trying her hardest to frame it into a more ... understandable light. Funny thing: Guy is actually put "on trial" by the Knives for his "transgression", but they drop his case because "he must have his reasons". Their faith in Guy is unshakable.
I could go on with the characters, but I will cut to the chase: the book had some interesting characters and even hypocritical double standards can serve to illustrate the unfair society a story plays in. What really made this book an unredeemable insult to women's rights and equal relationships wasn't the revenge plot, or the pawing and slave play or whatever you want to call it.
The real injury was that the reason for Guy's revenge was ludicrous. Jane had been in love with Guy and idolized him since she was 5. In flashbacks, we saw their sweet relationship developing. When he was in Eaton, Jane wrote to him every week, even though Guy never wrote back. Once when Guy came home from Eaton for Easter break, he kissed Jane and resolved to write her back from then on, but his evil schmevil mother sees him kissing Jane and confronts Guy. "She's just a child", "you will hurt her" etc. So the scheming mother gives Guy money to get himself a whore to fuck instead of molesting his kid sister, and then she actually contrives for Jane to see it all. The result: Jane is heartbroken and disgusted and never writes Guy again.
Yeah, she rejected him from out of nowhere. The one girl who always looked up to him and loved him no matter what. Does Guy try to talk to her and find out what happened? Does he write to her? Nah.
Anyway, when the big misunderstanding is revealed - "I only fucked her for YOU, so I wouldn't hurt you. You could have asked but you just gave up on me!" - Jane somehow ends up being blamed for the entire episode. Because MEN HAVE NEEDS there was just no other choice but for him to let the steam off. Jane, then 13, should have been more understanding towards our torutred protagonist!!
So, it was all Jane's fault. Then, the insult. After keeping Jane naked and collared and kneeling like a good puppy every afternoon for months and forcing her to perform oral sex on him as well as raping her anally (god forbid he deflower her, she'd be ruined lol) every single night, Guy can't stand it anymore. He needs some pussy! So of course when Jane's ladies maid propositions him, Jane finds him BALLS DEEP inside her friend.
Which, apparently is the straw that breaks the camel's back for Jane. Like a camel she has been shouldering all the abuse and the insults and the rape, but she draws the line at cheating. When Guy comes to her room and she stonewalls him, he doesn't get it. Jane explains to him, AGAIN, for like the millionth time, that she loves him and would do anything for him but he can't cheat on her like that. He laughs at her. She stonewalls harder. And what does he do? Well, since JANE IS GIVING HIM NO OTHER CHOICE, he, in the most violent scene of the entire book, rips her clothes off her cold unresponsive body and shoves his penis into her desert-dry vagina, while monologuing "harharhar now I will never let you go".
W H A T even
Just ... W H A T
As I said he had been raping her anally for months, but I guess in retrospect he had been pretty nice about it because he prepared her and was careful and actually made her come sometimes (lucky girl). Which makes it even crazier that instead of "winning" Jane by promising her eternal monogamy he decides that this is the time to just shove it in, to close the deal, so to say. That's just insane to me. This dude is completely unhinged and nuts. He is literally the kind of person that him and his band of hobby vigilantes are looking for. Despicable, violent and unable to sort through his emotions without lashing out at everyone around him.
He is also unwilling to admit any emotions for Jane and apparently she thinks his behavior is justified to because she never puts her foot down and says: enough you big bully.
Why do I think this book is fatally flawed in its misogyny? Because no one is giving Guy flack for any of his bullshit. He gets his cake, eats it, kills rapists while being one himself and feeling good about himself and everyone supports him and thinks he's the bee's knees and their FAITH IN HIM IS UNSHAKEABLE.
Basically the whole mess started because MEN HAVE NEEDS, and because of their needs they can apparently make unreasonable DEMANDS on their women , just raping and pillaging and demeaning while giving nothing back and face absolutely no consequences.
The entire novel was set up in a way that made readers believe there would be a slap-back for Guy: his gang of knives would punish or desert him, maybe his friend would betray and stop him, or Jane would leave him. But no. His tantrums are validated, justified, excused by the way the story is framed. And if there is one thing I hate, it's when authors make rape palatable to me.
Ew.
Anyway, Jane got what she wanted - a husband who will never admit to caring for her. And Guy got what he wanted - a pretty doormat to walk all over.
1 star I hated it.
Prior to reading:
It feels like part 1 out of a five part novel rather than a finished pidcd of work, so I'll reserve judgment until I've read a bit more. I think this has the potential to be really dark and interesting, but it could also fail spdctacularily. We'll see.
CARO FIGHTS THE VIOLENT PATRIARCHY
This book features ideals of toxic masculinity and nauseating double-standards not just in the time and context of the period in which the story plays but also in the way the characters interact with each other.
In the biblical Old Testament there are better men and garbage men, and arguably even good women and bad women; however the women are never allowed to be viewed as whole entire people - as men, if you will - which means that bad deeds are punished harshly, while the really garbage men are often forgiven (even if they don't feel bad afterwards). It's like Chinese drama series: the evil men have motives and may be forgiven, the evil women? They're just evil and should die!
The CAST
GUY (20-something rich earl, member of a bunch of vigilante gentlemen at night) wants to take revenge on his stepsister, JANE (early 20s, volunteers at the orphanage and at the hospital) by turning her into his own live-in PET WHORE.
I have no problem with this. This could actually be an interesting set up! However, things get problematic quickly:
CHARLES, Jane's father, now crippled after a devastating carriage accident that also killed his wife (Guy's distant mom who always hated Guy but doted on Jane), is still alive. And he is a sheep dick. His lukewarm affection for Jane is ... actually interesting, I guess, since we rarely see parents in fiction that feel so very "meh" about their children, but while keeping a positive front up. But it is sooooo grating that Charles is Guy's personal cheerleader. Charles wasn't a very involved stepfather to Guy. I mean, he tried, and then Guy shot at him with a gun and after that Charles just stopped trying. Charles is pretty spineless overall, even though he is mulishly devoted to doing his own work himself and not being viewed as a cripple (despite being a cripple, and incompetent at the actual selling side of creating and selling perfumes). I hate him. I hate that he constantly reminds Guy of his good qualities (of which Guy has, like, maybe three). His faith in Guy, who is raping his daughter, is unshakeable. UGH
STEPHEN is Guy's opium-addicted bestie/accountant. He helped Guy set his revenge plot up by ruining Charles' business for years, e.a. withholding shipments etc. When he finds out that the target isn't even the stepfather but his daughter instead and that Guy is going to be pawing and assaulting her, Stephen reacts in the only natural way: wtf bro???? BUT after a brush with his opium-addiction and being saved by Guy again, Stephen pretty much lays his doubts to rest and accepts everything. His faith in Guy is unshakeable.
THE KNIVES. Remember how I said that Guy is a member of a group of gentlemen vigilantes in his free time? Yeah, him and two other nobles as well as one woman (a prostitute, no less) and a random street thief have formed a band that traps, kidnaps and mutilates (or murders) rapists, wife-beaters and child molesters. The ... IRONY, right? So Guy is really anxious for the other members of his super hero gang (they call each other First Knife and Second Knife and so on ... can you imagine?) NOT to find out what is afoot between him and his step-sister, because rapists and abusers is their target audience, and what he is doing to Jane is definitely rape and abuse, despite the author trying her hardest to frame it into a more ... understandable light. Funny thing: Guy is actually put "on trial" by the Knives for his "transgression", but they drop his case because "he must have his reasons". Their faith in Guy is unshakable.
I could go on with the characters, but I will cut to the chase: the book had some interesting characters and even hypocritical double standards can serve to illustrate the unfair society a story plays in. What really made this book an unredeemable insult to women's rights and equal relationships wasn't the revenge plot, or the pawing and slave play or whatever you want to call it.
The real injury was that the reason for Guy's revenge was ludicrous. Jane had been in love with Guy and idolized him since she was 5. In flashbacks, we saw their sweet relationship developing. When he was in Eaton, Jane wrote to him every week, even though Guy never wrote back. Once when Guy came home from Eaton for Easter break, he kissed Jane and resolved to write her back from then on, but his evil schmevil mother sees him kissing Jane and confronts Guy. "She's just a child", "you will hurt her" etc. So the scheming mother gives Guy money to get himself a whore to fuck instead of molesting his kid sister, and then she actually contrives for Jane to see it all. The result: Jane is heartbroken and disgusted and never writes Guy again.
Yeah, she rejected him from out of nowhere. The one girl who always looked up to him and loved him no matter what. Does Guy try to talk to her and find out what happened? Does he write to her? Nah.
Anyway, when the big misunderstanding is revealed - "I only fucked her for YOU, so I wouldn't hurt you. You could have asked but you just gave up on me!" - Jane somehow ends up being blamed for the entire episode. Because MEN HAVE NEEDS there was just no other choice but for him to let the steam off. Jane, then 13, should have been more understanding towards our torutred protagonist!!
So, it was all Jane's fault. Then, the insult. After keeping Jane naked and collared and kneeling like a good puppy every afternoon for months and forcing her to perform oral sex on him as well as raping her anally (god forbid he deflower her, she'd be ruined lol) every single night, Guy can't stand it anymore. He needs some pussy! So of course when Jane's ladies maid propositions him, Jane finds him BALLS DEEP inside her friend.
Which, apparently is the straw that breaks the camel's back for Jane. Like a camel she has been shouldering all the abuse and the insults and the rape, but she draws the line at cheating. When Guy comes to her room and she stonewalls him, he doesn't get it. Jane explains to him, AGAIN, for like the millionth time, that she loves him and would do anything for him but he can't cheat on her like that. He laughs at her. She stonewalls harder. And what does he do? Well, since JANE IS GIVING HIM NO OTHER CHOICE, he, in the most violent scene of the entire book, rips her clothes off her cold unresponsive body and shoves his penis into her desert-dry vagina, while monologuing "harharhar now I will never let you go".
W H A T even
Just ... W H A T
As I said he had been raping her anally for months, but I guess in retrospect he had been pretty nice about it because he prepared her and was careful and actually made her come sometimes (lucky girl). Which makes it even crazier that instead of "winning" Jane by promising her eternal monogamy he decides that this is the time to just shove it in, to close the deal, so to say. That's just insane to me. This dude is completely unhinged and nuts. He is literally the kind of person that him and his band of hobby vigilantes are looking for. Despicable, violent and unable to sort through his emotions without lashing out at everyone around him.
He is also unwilling to admit any emotions for Jane and apparently she thinks his behavior is justified to because she never puts her foot down and says: enough you big bully.
Why do I think this book is fatally flawed in its misogyny? Because no one is giving Guy flack for any of his bullshit. He gets his cake, eats it, kills rapists while being one himself and feeling good about himself and everyone supports him and thinks he's the bee's knees and their FAITH IN HIM IS UNSHAKEABLE.
Basically the whole mess started because MEN HAVE NEEDS, and because of their needs they can apparently make unreasonable DEMANDS on their women , just raping and pillaging and demeaning while giving nothing back and face absolutely no consequences.
The entire novel was set up in a way that made readers believe there would be a slap-back for Guy: his gang of knives would punish or desert him, maybe his friend would betray and stop him, or Jane would leave him. But no. His tantrums are validated, justified, excused by the way the story is framed. And if there is one thing I hate, it's when authors make rape palatable to me.
Ew.
Anyway, Jane got what she wanted - a husband who will never admit to caring for her. And Guy got what he wanted - a pretty doormat to walk all over.
1 star I hated it.
Prior to reading:
It feels like part 1 out of a five part novel rather than a finished pidcd of work, so I'll reserve judgment until I've read a bit more. I think this has the potential to be really dark and interesting, but it could also fail spdctacularily. We'll see.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2025
Historical smut.
If you read this hoping for Lemonade, you will be disappointed, speaking as someone who loves Lemonade.
Speaking as a smut reader, I might continue the series one of these days.
If you read this hoping for Lemonade, you will be disappointed, speaking as someone who loves Lemonade.
Speaking as a smut reader, I might continue the series one of these days.
October 8, 2022
This is absolute filth and I love it. Technically it's CNC but the FMC has no idea what she agreed to.
avoid
October 21, 2022Self note cheating series.
avoid all books.
H eventually cheats while keeping the h as his sex slave with her maid/ friend.
She catches them.
Doormat h.
avoid all books.
H eventually cheats while keeping the h as his sex slave with her maid/ friend.
She catches them.
Doormat h.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2022
It could have been 5 stars, but this book have a spineless heroine and no grovel at all from the hero.
I usually love the angst and heartbreak these kind of books gives , but I really need a strong heroine to realize that she deserves better and a hero to wake up and grovel to get his girl back because he messed up big.
I usually love the angst and heartbreak these kind of books gives , but I really need a strong heroine to realize that she deserves better and a hero to wake up and grovel to get his girl back because he messed up big.
November 11, 2024
3.75 stars lol this was much better than I thought it was going to be. It’s definitely not Lemonade, but it’s still very entertaining.
April 16, 2024
I just don’t understand step sibling romances 😀 also the fmc is so meek I can’t take it
3.5/5
3.5/5
February 22, 2025
It's the same author who wrote one of the most emotionally marking books , lemonade.
It's very different than lemonade, but you can tell it's the same author, and I enjoyed it this one, too.
It was very uncomfortable to read, but it was very intense, too.
Dub con , blackmail, cheating, dark themes, and more.
It's very different than lemonade, but you can tell it's the same author, and I enjoyed it this one, too.
It was very uncomfortable to read, but it was very intense, too.
Dub con , blackmail, cheating, dark themes, and more.
February 13, 2026
Couldn’t really get into the Victorian vibe. The story is set in London, 1851, but the dialogue and characters’ thoughts felt way too modern—especially the intense and intimate scenes. Guy and Jane’s interactions, plus the blunt sexual stuff, read more like a contemporary dark romance than a proper 19th-century story.
Historical fiction should make you feel like you’re in that era, but this felt like a modern story in period clothes.
Historical fiction should make you feel like you’re in that era, but this felt like a modern story in period clothes.
February 9, 2024
10 🌟!! Omfg! This book is dark perfection! I wouldn't change a thing.. Who loved Lemonade and Unteachable will love this one as much because it is not for someone with a fragile heart.
I will most certainly read it again! This is going to my special shelf because I rarely come across something sooo... I have no words...mmmm... wonderful. Is it desturbing that I found THIS story so appealing? Well... Maybe. But we can't all be normal. Where is a fun in that ;)
I will most certainly read it again! This is going to my special shelf because I rarely come across something sooo... I have no words...mmmm... wonderful. Is it desturbing that I found THIS story so appealing? Well... Maybe. But we can't all be normal. Where is a fun in that ;)
January 3, 2024
Earl orchestrates the downfall of his stepfather's business so he can secretly blackmail his stepsister into being his sex slave. The relationship draws the attention of various friends and family, while also stirring up complicated and unresolved tension from their childhood.
Note: this review is for the entire 5 book series so be careful if you unhide spoilers.
This was a hard series to rate because I binged the heck out of it and thought some aspects of the story were very interesting. While I was ultimately dissatisfied with the lack of character growth between the (anti-)hero and heroine, the story was quite memorable and will stick with me for awhile, thus I bumped up the rating.
First things first, Guy (the "hero") is an extremely complicated character. While he does have some noble traits, he is pretty much a POS and doesn't redeem himself. He is cruel and domineering toward Jane, doesn't grovel for , doesn't tell her he loves her (or even admit to himself that he does), and keeps her completely dependent on him both financially and emotionally. Jane has a similar lack of growth. She's content to love Guy and stay with him forever, without the discomfort of ever standing up for herself and demanding trust and respect from him.
In fact, by the end of the story, Guy's best friend Stephen knows him better than Jane does, and I thought the friendship between the two men was ultimately a more compelling, if sad, plot point. The surprise revelation from Stephen (which was cleverly hinted at throughout the story) explained a lot of his actions and motivations.
One of my favorite parts of the story was about halfway through when the three most important side characters—Stephen, Charles (Jane's dad), and Susan (Jane's hired companion)—all recognized that Jane was deeply in love with Guy. But all three have different opinions on whether this is a good or bad thing, as well as different pieces of information about Guy and Jane themselves. Consequently, they take a variety of approaches in trying to resolve the problem which creates a lot of conflict and drama in the second half of the story. I thought the author handled this part very well and I was never bummed when the POV switched to a minor character because I knew it would help advance the story in an interesting way.
Some other random things I wanted to comment on:
➼ I enjoyed the Gang of Knives side plot and how Guy used it as an outlet for his violent tendencies. I also liked the explanation for why he perpetuated dark rumors about himself.
➼ I liked the various flashbacks to Guy and Jane's childhood that explained their dynamic and how things ultimately went wrong between them.
➼ The relationship between at the end felt strange because I didn't understand why she changed her mind about him. Also can you imagine how horrifically awkward family gatherings would be for Jane knowing
CW:
Note: this review is for the entire 5 book series so be careful if you unhide spoilers.
This was a hard series to rate because I binged the heck out of it and thought some aspects of the story were very interesting. While I was ultimately dissatisfied with the lack of character growth between the (anti-)hero and heroine, the story was quite memorable and will stick with me for awhile, thus I bumped up the rating.
First things first, Guy (the "hero") is an extremely complicated character. While he does have some noble traits, he is pretty much a POS and doesn't redeem himself. He is cruel and domineering toward Jane, doesn't grovel for , doesn't tell her he loves her (or even admit to himself that he does), and keeps her completely dependent on him both financially and emotionally. Jane has a similar lack of growth. She's content to love Guy and stay with him forever, without the discomfort of ever standing up for herself and demanding trust and respect from him.
In fact, by the end of the story, Guy's best friend Stephen knows him better than Jane does, and I thought the friendship between the two men was ultimately a more compelling, if sad, plot point. The surprise revelation from Stephen (which was cleverly hinted at throughout the story) explained a lot of his actions and motivations.
One of my favorite parts of the story was about halfway through when the three most important side characters—Stephen, Charles (Jane's dad), and Susan (Jane's hired companion)—all recognized that Jane was deeply in love with Guy. But all three have different opinions on whether this is a good or bad thing, as well as different pieces of information about Guy and Jane themselves. Consequently, they take a variety of approaches in trying to resolve the problem which creates a lot of conflict and drama in the second half of the story. I thought the author handled this part very well and I was never bummed when the POV switched to a minor character because I knew it would help advance the story in an interesting way.
Some other random things I wanted to comment on:
➼ I enjoyed the Gang of Knives side plot and how Guy used it as an outlet for his violent tendencies. I also liked the explanation for why he perpetuated dark rumors about himself.
➼ I liked the various flashbacks to Guy and Jane's childhood that explained their dynamic and how things ultimately went wrong between them.
➼ The relationship between at the end felt strange because I didn't understand why she changed her mind about him. Also can you imagine how horrifically awkward family gatherings would be for Jane knowing
CW:
Read
May 23, 2024DNF for now. I picked this up because Ann Owen is supposed to be a pen name of Nina Penacci whose book Lemonade stayed with me for quite some time. Slave for Revenge, however, lacks everything that made Lemonade so compelling. But what really sealed its fate is how supremely, laughably unsexy this book is. All the licking of hands and the "ball juice" references. Just ugh.
Want to Read
September 10, 2018#Erotica #Bargain #99ct #BDSM #Historical
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2NukKRi
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Nyx5E3
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2N4z9UP
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://goo.gl/SrUf3e
Or join our group: facebook.com/groups/TheDarkNewsletter/
Merged review:
#Erotica #Bargain #99ct #BDSM #Historical
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2NukKRi
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Nyx5E3
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2N4z9UP
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://goo.gl/SrUf3e
Or join our group: facebook.com/groups/TheDarkNewsletter/
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2NukKRi
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Nyx5E3
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2N4z9UP
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://goo.gl/SrUf3e
Or join our group: facebook.com/groups/TheDarkNewsletter/
Merged review:
#Erotica #Bargain #99ct #BDSM #Historical
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2NukKRi
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Nyx5E3
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2N4z9UP
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://goo.gl/SrUf3e
Or join our group: facebook.com/groups/TheDarkNewsletter/
June 21, 2023
The writing was paltry, vapid and the characters had not likeable quality about them, we're pretty one dimensional.
Was dragging myself through it.
Nothing happens in the first book, I repeat NOTHING.
I feel disappointed tbh, guess this is how my parents feel about me. (sniffs)
Fiona
Was dragging myself through it.
Nothing happens in the first book, I repeat NOTHING.
I feel disappointed tbh, guess this is how my parents feel about me. (sniffs)
Fiona
not-for-me
December 31, 2025cheating
July 1, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book, it’s a bit annoying that Jane is willing to be a slave to save her father from his bad financial decisions. But I like the non-con aspect of the story.
May 25, 2017
The story -
A passionate and psychologically twisted Master (Guy) blackmails his victim (Jane) She is his for 6 months his willing pet, his slave- his to torture or please at his whim
But wait - this is not the true story - the whole story
This is just your view from outside the window, slightly obscured by the curtains of prejudice
The truth is so much more than what is depicted
I was completely thrown as so many hidden secrets and plots and ... this is so much more than just an erotic tale
I actually am starting book 5 of this series tonight -
Owen has put together a series filled with Suspense, Passion, Betrayal, Misappropriation not to mention misrepresentation - that will have you dying to know how it ends
A passionate and psychologically twisted Master (Guy) blackmails his victim (Jane) She is his for 6 months his willing pet, his slave- his to torture or please at his whim
But wait - this is not the true story - the whole story
This is just your view from outside the window, slightly obscured by the curtains of prejudice
The truth is so much more than what is depicted
I was completely thrown as so many hidden secrets and plots and ... this is so much more than just an erotic tale
I actually am starting book 5 of this series tonight -
Owen has put together a series filled with Suspense, Passion, Betrayal, Misappropriation not to mention misrepresentation - that will have you dying to know how it ends
August 5, 2024
DNFed the book because it was too poorly written, with numerous grammatical and punctuation errors that made it difficult to read and recognize the story's potential.
December 18, 2023
So a lot of readers (the kind with standards lol... no I mean the ones who are sick and tired of reading the same old blackmail/sex slave tropes where you can basically get the entire story on page one with no feelings, no real conflict and no real connection) will not even pick up this Koh-e-Noor (Google it)
Coz sadly while the author is an ingenious story teller that knows how to take a jackhammer to your heart, while amusing you to no end, all the while delightfully horrifying you with the depravity of her mind.... she isn't the greatest with NAMING HER BABIES...
She writes as Nina Pennacchi as well or writes as Ann Owen as well (although I wonder why coz anyone who has read her work on either side would know her coz her voice is so damn unique and refreshing which is no small feat coz she's writing about aristocrats from the past lol...
I picked up Lemonade after dismissing it for over an year simply coz of Iruiana's bookshelves when I was in a bad slump and it BLEW MY MIND...
And now this...
Please. This series is sooooo much more than that.
I mean... this book and the 4 that follow (also why you do us like that Ms. Owen? It was clearly one story and could have been just one glorious book... I shudder to think if I had had read the first one and then tmhad to agonise for ages to get to the end.. but since your clearly a Sadist *which I Stan* how could I expect less lol...
This story... made me feel things ... and since I'm mostly dead inside that's saying a lot.
So much so that I can't even form coherent thoughts for this review but I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy watching glorious men be desperate fools in love with chick's who actually deserve it... with a overdose of conflict and angst because without these two life's just a regular Tuesday
Coz sadly while the author is an ingenious story teller that knows how to take a jackhammer to your heart, while amusing you to no end, all the while delightfully horrifying you with the depravity of her mind.... she isn't the greatest with NAMING HER BABIES...
She writes as Nina Pennacchi as well or writes as Ann Owen as well (although I wonder why coz anyone who has read her work on either side would know her coz her voice is so damn unique and refreshing which is no small feat coz she's writing about aristocrats from the past lol...
I picked up Lemonade after dismissing it for over an year simply coz of Iruiana's bookshelves when I was in a bad slump and it BLEW MY MIND...
And now this...
Please. This series is sooooo much more than that.
I mean... this book and the 4 that follow (also why you do us like that Ms. Owen? It was clearly one story and could have been just one glorious book... I shudder to think if I had had read the first one and then tmhad to agonise for ages to get to the end.. but since your clearly a Sadist *which I Stan* how could I expect less lol...
This story... made me feel things ... and since I'm mostly dead inside that's saying a lot.
So much so that I can't even form coherent thoughts for this review but I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy watching glorious men be desperate fools in love with chick's who actually deserve it... with a overdose of conflict and angst because without these two life's just a regular Tuesday
January 17, 2026
Uninspired, archetypical, and utterly dull.
The MMC believes himself to be a tough guy. The FMC seemed to have a measure of discretion, but her sudden acceptance of the MMC's swarthiness, girthiness, and bigness jaded her apparent views of him to the point of transmuting into a meek subservience that is neither entertaining nor appealing to read about.
While the writing is of high quality, the dialogue falls short. The only thing 1829 about this is the lack of laws that are in place to get particular MMC douche types into anything other than a noose. He cannot claim himself to be his 'father's son' in a comparative light while simultaneously speaking about said father abusing his mother in the very next sentence. It's pathetic and childish. And that's not to mention that gang this grown ass man is a part of, and it hardly reads as satire either- the GANG OF KNIVES. I'm cringeing, bye-
On the other hand, characters that possess some dimension might have been Jane's father, and Jane's father alone, and not because he is anything outstanding, but because he offers nuance in the three pages he's given a perspective, rather than the entire tree that was supposedly devoted to our resident halfwits: MMC and FMC.
I probably shouldn't take this book so seriously, but I refuse to believe that there is an audience out there that truly appreciates base literature like this as a pastime.
The MMC believes himself to be a tough guy. The FMC seemed to have a measure of discretion, but her sudden acceptance of the MMC's swarthiness, girthiness, and bigness jaded her apparent views of him to the point of transmuting into a meek subservience that is neither entertaining nor appealing to read about.
While the writing is of high quality, the dialogue falls short. The only thing 1829 about this is the lack of laws that are in place to get particular MMC douche types into anything other than a noose. He cannot claim himself to be his 'father's son' in a comparative light while simultaneously speaking about said father abusing his mother in the very next sentence. It's pathetic and childish. And that's not to mention that gang this grown ass man is a part of, and it hardly reads as satire either- the GANG OF KNIVES. I'm cringeing, bye-
On the other hand, characters that possess some dimension might have been Jane's father, and Jane's father alone, and not because he is anything outstanding, but because he offers nuance in the three pages he's given a perspective, rather than the entire tree that was supposedly devoted to our resident halfwits: MMC and FMC.
I probably shouldn't take this book so seriously, but I refuse to believe that there is an audience out there that truly appreciates base literature like this as a pastime.
April 18, 2025
Dark, twisted, and definitely not for everyone.
The Deal is a dark historical romance (with heavy emphasis on dark) that explores revenge, power, and complicated family dynamics. The story revolves around Jane Hartwell, a young woman who seeks help from her estranged and arrogant stepbrother, Guy Spencer—the Earl of Ashbourne—after her family faces financial ruin. But Guy hasn’t forgotten their turbulent childhood… and he hasn’t forgiven either.
This book is not your typical enemies-to-lovers tale. It dives headfirst into power imbalance, blackmail, emotional manipulation, and non-consensual sexual situations. Guy, the male lead, is morally bankrupt for most of the story and uses Jane’s desperate situation to demand submission in exchange for financial help. The "deal" between them is far from romantic—it's coercive, degrading, and deeply problematic.
If you’re sensitive to dubious or non-consensual encounters, this book will not be for you.
That said, the story does attempt to explore the psychological complexity of both characters, and there's a slow shift in the power dynamic—but whether or not that's enough redemption is up for debate.
📌 Content warnings: Non-con/dub-con, sexual coercion, blackmail, abusive behavior, power imbalance, mental/emotional manipulation.
The Deal is a dark historical romance (with heavy emphasis on dark) that explores revenge, power, and complicated family dynamics. The story revolves around Jane Hartwell, a young woman who seeks help from her estranged and arrogant stepbrother, Guy Spencer—the Earl of Ashbourne—after her family faces financial ruin. But Guy hasn’t forgotten their turbulent childhood… and he hasn’t forgiven either.
This book is not your typical enemies-to-lovers tale. It dives headfirst into power imbalance, blackmail, emotional manipulation, and non-consensual sexual situations. Guy, the male lead, is morally bankrupt for most of the story and uses Jane’s desperate situation to demand submission in exchange for financial help. The "deal" between them is far from romantic—it's coercive, degrading, and deeply problematic.
If you’re sensitive to dubious or non-consensual encounters, this book will not be for you.
That said, the story does attempt to explore the psychological complexity of both characters, and there's a slow shift in the power dynamic—but whether or not that's enough redemption is up for debate.
📌 Content warnings: Non-con/dub-con, sexual coercion, blackmail, abusive behavior, power imbalance, mental/emotional manipulation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2026
Guys, this book was shitty. I'm a fan of dark romance- enemies to lovers, emotional tension, morally grey characters. And what this book was? NOT THIS. The problem's that I'm ace. I don't really want spice. It's just boring, or idk, I don't need it. I strongly believe a dark romance book shouldn't center around sex. Why is that the most important part of love? Why can't there be moral dilemmas, tension, emotions, romantic love? This book was a porn technically. I hated Jane, she was such a miserable character, she didn't even have a decision on her own. Guy was assaulting her, if not raping. (I don't know, I couldn't read the book, I just flipped through the pages hoping there will be plot, but there wasn't :(). I loathed Guy from my heart. This really was an insult to women's rights, STOP ROMANTICIZING HARMFUL RELATIONSHIPS/ASSAULT. It's not fun.
Overall, I hated this book which was part thanks to me being ace, but also this one was just bad.
Overall, I hated this book which was part thanks to me being ace, but also this one was just bad.
September 3, 2024
I read it, it’s novella like and the whole serie is a book. It’s erotica, it has its moments. Frankly I liked lady Susan the best. The hero and the heroine, ah what can I say, it’s no lemonade.
Ps dropping it from three to two stars after a nights sleep. 0ne star as it’s rather awful and another star as I did want to finish the series and for lady Susan. I can’t even remember the heroine/puppy’s name.
Ps dropping it from three to two stars after a nights sleep. 0ne star as it’s rather awful and another star as I did want to finish the series and for lady Susan. I can’t even remember the heroine/puppy’s name.
Read
November 12, 2023My favorite author from lemonade is one of my favorite books! So I loved this novel, the memories between guy and Jane and how twisted it was between them I liked the dynamic I wish there was a version of this book that wasn’t bdsm or sex related and more of the concept of the forbidden twisted love between the two, none the less I loved it!
July 28, 2023
If you know this author then you know what you're in for. H is a total and utter bastard, h is a goodie-two-shoes, blackmail plot and non-con spice. It's what I came for, what I got. Five filthy stars. Ends on a cliffhanger, fully expected as the story is obviously broken up over five short books.
April 27, 2024
The female lead is small, with blonde hair and a big butt. The male lead is tall, with dark hair and dark eyes. The first major red flag that this was going to be a basic read was the basic blonde female and dark hair male. The red flag waved true, this was a barely basic read.
July 10, 2025
I wanted to like this since dark historical romance is so rare but though I liked the scenes and dynamics with the main couple, the writing wasn’t great and all scenes that weren’t between the main couple were slow, dry and dragged. DNF and started skim reading from 80%
November 20, 2025
I read all the books together. They are more like sections in a single book that individual books. This one just sets up how and why the deal happens. The MMC is obnoxious and the MFC is innocent - fairly standard for historical romance.
April 13, 2026
this is what an obsessed mmc truly is probably lol...but the 5th book kinda ruined it for me. but i knew the book would be angsty yet beautifully written bcz i loved lemonade. loved the past younger them scenes
Read
August 25, 2022i won’t rate this since it’s just part 1, i like it so far though!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews