Happily Ever After

Slave for Revenge #5

by Ann Owen

Guy and Jane have made a deal: six months together, and then go their separate ways.
But it's way more complicated than that, when hearts and souls are involved...

...when love is involved.

Will the ghosts of their past drive them apart forever, or will they finally get their... happily ever after?

[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.]

Genres: Historical Romance, BDSM, Erotica, Dark Romance, Romance, Dark

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 9, 2016

About the author

Pen name of Nina Pennacchi

Reviews

[Misha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I had a ranty review up here earlier but after rereading portions of the series, I've upped my rating to 3.5 stars from 3. My 2 am self was outraged but my next day self was a bit more rational.

I did not enjoy this as much as Lemonade, also by the same author, under another pen name. There are similarities but I just didn't like the plot or characters even half as much.

It started off OK. Guy, the MMC, is out for revenge against his stepsister for her past treatment of him so he orchestrates his stepfather's failings in business so that the two of them have to turn to him, who happens to be the 4th Earl of Ashbourne, for charity and of course, he magnanimously takes them in. That's on the surface. Underneath, he makes a deal with his stepsister, Jane, to be his sex slave for 6 months. Threatening to turn them out if she doesn't do what he wants her to do.

To paraphrase, Guy is an asshole. He's selfish and rash and has impulse control issues. He comes pretty close to being unredeemable near the end where his actions really pissed me off. I don't care if he was coerced or that he didn't really want to do what he did. I think he needed to be kneed in the balls and then made to grovel FOR YEARS before she forgave him, not what actually happened and how the story ended. He didn't deserve a HEA. At first, I was so angry, but in retrospect, I feel like it was consistent with his behavior throughout the remainder of the story. I just didn't have to like it. I still think he's a dick.

I liked the debauchery and bad behavior, for the most part. Some of it crossed a line to being kind of too much and gross. The story didn't end with a perfect bow on top. I hate that he didn't tell her he loved her. I mean it was obvious to us because we, as readers, were privy to his inner thoughts and knew what he did when he wasn't with her but Jane didn't know and I feel that because of his secretive actions, her life will be a bit difficult moving forward. That being said - being an optimist, maybe he'll convince her of his love - he can't seem to say no to her. I have no doubt they'll have kids - he says no now but he can't control himself around her.

I liked W/Steve, his best friend. I did not see the twist coming.

I didn't like the Susan/stepdad component of the story. Somehow, it made me feel dirty, given her actions. I don't care if it came from a well intentioned place.

So - I recommend this for those who liked Lemonade and want more cause there are similarities. It's a good narrative. Just be prepared for more smut with debauchery and bad behavior. Guy is morally gray and superflawed. His actions made me want to kick him in the balls. You will likely feel the same.

[Brangela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Binge Worthy

I waited till I read all 5 books in the series before I gave it a rating. Each book was better than the one before, culminating in a fantastic 5th book. The author's character development of Guy and Jane as well the other characters is superb. Nothing is black and white there are many shades of gray (lots of other colors too). NOTE: Many triggers in these books... reader beware! That said I binged on these 5 books, so glad I did.

[fay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the while series in one setting, but still, the end was disappointing 😞

I need my epilogue with kids and happily ever after, but alas, I didn't get it.

He didn't even say that he loved her , damn itttt

We know he's crazy about her, but does she ?

Anyway, I'm willing to sell my left kidney to read more books by this author. Maybe it's time to learn Italian

[Hot Mess Sommelière ~ Caro · Rating 1 out of 5]

I award to this book the biggest YIKES I have. Review to come.

[Alina Henderson]

I somehow wanted Guy and Stephen to end up together?

[Clarice · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars for not enough groveling and for what happened with his friend (I needed more closer and this defo needed to be an MMF).

[Jewel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series was not particularly well written, in my opinion. The writing style is clunky and weird. Sometimes the characters talk like they're aliens trying to imitate human behavior. That being said, the ending of this story kind of... moved me?

This is a shamelessly smutty dark erotica novel about a stepbrother taking revenge on his stepsister and eventually falling for her, but the real love story is between the male lead and his best friend Stephen. Their relationship was so intense and they loved each other so unconditionally.

I'm embarrassed to admit how sad their parting at the end of this novel made me. I did enjoy the main romance but the unrequited love that Stephen holds for Guy made the ending of this novel bittersweet. He's the one who discovered who Guy really is and decided to defend him anyway, under threat of torture. Despite the fact that Guy can only really truly be happy with Jane, she'll never truly know all of him the way that Stephen does.

I don't know why I'm getting invested like this. This is such a poorly written novel lol like truly it's so bad I can't.

One star because I'm trash for the childhood friends to lovers trope. One star because omg I love you Stephen.

TW: non-consent, physical abuse, torture

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/5 ⭐️ || High 🔥 || Light 💀

Once in a while, I have the pleasure of stumbling across an amazing read. This series is one of them. I thought that Lemonade (by the same author under the pen name Nina Pennacchi) was a fluke and wasn’t sure if her other works would hit the same. This, fortunately lived up to all expectations. Guy and Jane’s story was so beautiful. I know Jane is not a heroine many would enjoy but she was just so liberating. I love kind-hearted, truly innocent heroines and she was one. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

((Also kind of wished Guy said that he loved her and wasn’t so stubborn but Nina loves to write the end of a story like the beginning of something greater.))

((I stay believing they will have kids !!)

*warnings/tags: loss of virginity (dub-con/borderline non-con), cheating, marriage

[*ೃnaziba ˘͈ᵕ˘͈ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this 😟🤡

[Gigi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cheating in the last three chapters…. What a great HEA!

[Athena, the goddess of books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished this series and… I have a lot of thoughts. While it’s definitely one of the darkest historical erotica books I’ve read, I can’t say it fully worked for me.

The story follows Jane as she’s dragged deeper into Guy’s world of dominance, degradation, and emotional manipulation. The dynamic is incredibly unbalanced—Guy demands full submission, and Jane, though clearly frightened and ashamed, goes along with it. There’s a constant push and pull, and while the writing is intense and emotionally raw, the consent is shaky at best. It doesn’t read like dark romance to me—it feels more like non-consensual fantasy with a historical backdrop.

What really disappointed me though was the payoff. After all the intense buildup, you’d expect that the moment when Jane and Guy finally have sex would be something explosive. Instead, it’s anything but. In fact, the moment is downright awful. Jane walks in on Guy having sex with Susan (yes, Susan, the woman he had hired to seduce his stepfather—who also happens to be Jane’s father). Naturally, Jane runs off, humiliated and heartbroken.

So what does Guy do? He follows her and rapes her. Because, in his own words, she needed to see his "true face." Charming, right? To top it all off, Jane makes him swear that he won’t cheat again, and somehow that leads to their version of a HEA.

Bonus cringe? He doesn’t even bother to wash after being with Susan. Jane literally tells him that he smells like another woman, and what’s his solution? He forces her to have sex so now she’ll “smell like him instead.” Romance, apparently.

Then—because they’ve had sex—they get married. Because, of course, that’s the logical next step after all this emotional trauma and manipulation.

The final installment also follows Stephen, Guy’s best friend, who’s kidnapped and tortured by a secret vigilante group called the Gang of Knives. He refuses to betray Guy, earning the group’s trust. Meanwhile, Guy recovers with Jane and searches for Stephen. There’s a brotherly reunion, some forced redemption arc, and an attempt to tie it all up with justice served and “peace” achieved.

Was it intense? Yes. Well-written? At times. But between the murky consent, manipulation, emotional whiplash, and a deeply problematic “romance,” it just didn’t land for me. Dark historical erotica fans might appreciate the extremes, but I found myself frustrated more than anything. I finished it out of curiosity, not satisfaction.

[francesca900 · Rating 5 out of 5]

rating the final book as an overall rating for the series.

honestly? i don’t even know what to say. craft wise, the books are actually well-written. the prose is straightforward and easy to follow, even if it’s not always tonally accurate for a historical fiction. that said, the books are pure smut. yet the plot is still…somehow there? even if guy’s motivation for revenge was illogical. idk how to describe it, but for some reason, these characters genuinely had me hooked. i binged this. my feelings for guy are soooo conflicted. my main issue was actually with the FMC, as she seemed to be the most underdeveloped character. even the side characters outshined her.

there were several parts where my mouth droppedddd. because…what the hell was i reading? the degradation is exactly that: degrading. the part where (SPOILER) jane gives guy a rimjob?? while stephen watches from the shadows?? i know for a fact that scene will live RENT FREE IN MY MIND for a long while 💀💀

honestly, some of the best written spice scenes i’ve ever read. it’s truly an art to have to write well done spicy scenes. and every single one in this book is loaded with tension and insanity that you just CANT look away from 🙈

[Maleficent · Rating 5 out of 5]

9 🌟! The best way to describe this one is to say: "Expect unexpected!" I shall say no more about that! 😳

I really tried to savor the last book because I know that this quality of writing and story don't come very often my way... But I failed miserably! I inhaled it faster that a drowning man takes his next breath after reaching the surface... It definitely didn't help that the writing in this book was a bit rushed. Like the author lost it's patience or ran out of time or pages... Idk.. But this books writing style is a bit different from the previous.. That's why it gets only 9 ✨...poor baby 😁

Anyway I'm pleased to say that I think I've found my favourite author!

[Mind · Rating 1 out of 5]

wont recommend.

There was a cheating involved and no grovel.
How would u feel to read a book where h caught H with another woman (thrusting into other woman vjj) and H procced to force himself on h (h lost her virginity then)?
No apology, none. It stress me out so much and not in the good way.
I like asshole hero yes, but only when they apologize because I like the agnst.
I dont like this kind of book, woman deserve better (even in romance, especially in romance)

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This section was a complete disappointment. Warning, the one smut scene in this section is just a r*pe. His entire reason for "revenge" is she "gave up on him" after he did something that hurt her when she was 13 years old and had been and was after that point objectively mean to her repeatedly. He is just abusive, repeatedly, with no redeeming qualities.

[Vic · Rating 1 out of 5]

I literally only picked this series up because I really enjoyed Nina Pennacchi’s Lemonade but this story was not it. The earl proper ticked me off big time and had no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Writing wasn’t too great either and quite repetitive.
MC was an absolute doormat.

[Mildred · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great ending!

I'm sad to let this world go. Things were broken and dysfunctional but the pieces fit together and worked. I'll really miss the Gang of Knives.

[Anamaria]

My first dark romance and I must say I’m not made for this genre. Half of it was very disturbing.

[Lina Abayneh]

How come he didn't once say he loved her? Really it was really annoying

[Cristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The happy ending wasn't very happy for me, Guy cheats on Jane again. I did finish reading the story but cheating/infidelity kind of ruined the book for me.

[Taylor Aragon · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a horrible HEA to this series. 80% of it was spent on side characters I didn’t care about. The scenes with Jane were unfulfilling and lame. 😒 also his best friend spontaneously being gay? wtf