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Boys of St. Augustine #1

Immoral Confessions

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It started when I stole a secret I was never meant to keep.Then, “I dare you,” was whispered in the dark of night.Three simple words that changed everything.I became the one thing that Rhys Blackwood hated more than he hated himself.St. Augustine’s very own fallen angel had me in his hold and he wasn’t giving up until I was ruined.I was a snitch. A liar. A pawn.He was cruel. Merciless. The King.Together, we were fated for destruction.And where there are secrets and untruths… there are demons lurking beyond the shadows

322 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

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6531 people want to read

About the author

R. Holmes

24 books1,155 followers
R. Holmes is from a small town in southern Louisiana where she lives on a farm, with her husband and two little boys. Whenever she's not chasing around the goats and her boys on the farm, she spends her time watching ridiculous amounts of Netflix and is almost always stuck with her nose in a book. She thrives on horror films, sarcasm, and reruns of Harry Potter. A perpetual night owl, you'll find her in her office locked away until the wee hours of the morning. She loves to meet her readers and discuss her latest favorite books and her upcoming projects!

Connect with her via Facebook, Instagram (@RHolmesAuthor) and twitter!

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 618 reviews
138 reviews162 followers
April 6, 2021
i kid you not, this literally went from a dark academia, dub-con, if not non-con, bully romance to a fluffy, lovey-dovey chick flick in the span of about nought point two five seconds.
Profile Image for  ⚔Irunía⚔ .
431 reviews5,518 followers
February 6, 2021
"Where have I heard this before? " - the question never left my mind.
Imagine a couple of dozens of clichés smashed together, squeezed, then torn apart and then gathered in one big group to have the most boring and ridiculous tea party ever.
Creativity had to be invited but either it could not make to the party or it died right before the start, so that clichés had to fend off for themselves

If I'm being honest, I don't even want to waste my time writing a big rant because I'm that uninspired by the story😔
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,623 reviews10.9k followers
February 7, 2021
30547322-SX540-1
'IMMORAL CONFESSIONS' is the first full length dark bully, romance book in R. Holme's new series. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.'

I'm giving this one 5 stars because it left me craving more, I read it faster than I thought possible with its addictive storyline which hooked me from the start, and it gave me everything I crave when it comes to the bully genre.

Valentina was studying in the library at St. Augustine Academy, a Catholic boarding school late one night when she overheard the kings of the school (Sebastian, Alec, Rhys & Ezra) divulge one of their most deepest darkest secrets amongst themselves. If it ever came out they would all be done for.

Once Rhys uncovers her hiding behind one of the bookshelves he puts the fear of god in her.

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❝ This is not a game, and you are not safe here any longer. Every corner you turn, I'll be there. Every time you walk into a room, you'll feel my presence even if you can't see me. There's not a place you can't run that I won't find you...little lamb. This school is mine and everyone here is in my pocket. Be a good girl and keep your fucking mouth shut.❞

Rhys reigns hell down on her head, each tactic worse than the last, going so far as to record a discriminating video which could diminish her chances of getting into Harvard if she ever divulges to anyone what she heard that night.

Rhys is St. Augustines very own fallen angel and he will go to the ends of the earth to keep himself and his brothers safe.

What a crazy sinfully sinful ride this one turned out to be, straight away Rhys and Valentina's hooked me from the start, so glad I one clicked this beauty because it took me on such a angsty rollercoaster of a ride. What an amazing start to what I can only imagine is going to be an unstoppable series! Each of these boys had a little bit of darkness residing in them.

* Teaser used is off the authors facebook page *

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Profile Image for Darlene I read WAY to many books.
3,676 reviews2,430 followers
February 23, 2021
3.5 ⭐

This is my 2nd book I've read by this author! Some drama and some steam.. and its in a catholic high school (all 18)

Like I enjoyed it but I was YOU SHOULDN'T LIKE WHAT THIS RHYS DID!! Bully romance is 50/50 for me depends on how badly the bullying is. Few times Rhys crossed a line i can handle humiliation but what he did was not consent and blackmail. But God I did wanna slap him and ride him all the same 🤣🤣🤣 his friends were very intresting and have few questions about his boys. They were pretty Jerkface im wondering about one. But let's see if my theory is correct.

Now as for Valentina I loved her.. she was a one friend wallflower who just got shitted on by others and her family who ignored her. Im glad she started to get a backbone but I did wish she pranked or got semi even with Rhys. I love her friendship with Rory and I wonder who his secert relationship is? I'm thinking maybe with one of the kings? I wouldn't mind reading a M/M ;) is Alec the guy? And once we get past the bullying once Rhys finds out she didn't rat he feels guilty and tries to make up what he did to her. And sorta wanna be a better person for her.

So many questions we still don't know who ratted on the group.
As for the smext times lordddd!!! It was spicy and dirty and yummy.

Idk if ill read Seb his has a trope I don't like Older woman/younger guy thats not something I enjoy.

Angst,no om drama slight Ow drama, no cheating, secondary character, drama, sexy times, virgin gal and he had his share (he had ow before dating valentina you see a blow job it was like 1 para so it didn't bug me)

Recommend- maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶🌶

Prologue
Push away from both
18H/18h
Non-con/dubcon
No condom
Humiliation
Seperation few days
Voyagerism
Verbally abuse
Hea
Epilogue
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Janabookworm .
66 reviews15 followers
May 25, 2022
3.5🌟

"𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥. 𝐈 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞." 𝐇𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭. "𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐢𝐭'𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐩. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨? 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐈 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝. 𝐅𝐮𝐜𝐤, 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐭. 𝐈'𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚?"

The same old Highschool drama with MMC starts bullying FMC for a misunderstanding and refuses to listen to her until the very truth comes out and then redeems himself by being lovely dovely to her * sign* .

The storyline was nothing new to me although I find the book engaging enough to continue even though it's the same old same bullshit.

I find some typing errors in the book which can't be overlooked and a repetitive line in one sentence too which a published author should never overlook but there are some Lines which reach straight to my core that make it up for this fault.

I don't know how I feel about our MCs here, none of them seems to intrigued me enough to think about them once a while..lol.
I think maybe I like Valantine a little because at the end how she stands up for herself and does not let people walk over her again and how I can relate to her with her insecurities about her weight and her care about people's opinions....I can picture myself in it and that is something I like here, That's the only thing I like about her character while I find Rhys so childish..please so much for being the fallen Angel of St. Augustine!! His unnecessary hatred towards Val to make her life miserable without knowing the truth makes him childish in my eyes, but the dude does redeem himself well enough even though some are downright cheesy but it's good.

The character I genuinely like here was Rory! The man is awesome!! I damn need a best friend like him! Val is so lucky to have him!!

One scene I like of them is in the Epilogue, the skateboard one..I find it cute.

Apart from all of this I like Rhys relationship dynamics with the rest ( Sebastian, Alec and Ezra). The brotherhood they share is beautiful . Each one has a dark past which forces them together and creates an unbreakable bondship.

About sex scenes...the only sex scenes I find hot enough was the church one otherwise rest are not very much appeal to me. And I read about Better Dirty talking heroes then Rhys, whose Dirty talking I like a little bit in the Church scene only, that's it!

There are still some unanswered questions ( which I'm less then interested to find out about..lol) and things will further progress in the next book of the series which will be of Sebastian and Presley (which I might read in the near future, as it has my favourite StudentXTeacher trope *winks* ), in this book this couple's story Ends here.

Overall, this book was good for a one time quick reading. 👍

Note: Immoral confessions is part of St. Augustine series. This is book 1 of the series, it ends in a cliffhanger but the couple's story ends here with the book, The main storyline will revolve around different couples as the series goes further.
Profile Image for M..
510 reviews736 followers
January 25, 2021
ANOTHER GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO THINK THEY CAN RULE IN HIGH SCHOOL BUT ACTUALLY JUST NEED PROFESSIONAL HELP AND A HUG ARE COMING!

Valentina was in the wrong place at the wrong time, hearing something that wasn't her business, and now that the secret is out Rhys is ready to go after her for destroying the only family he has ever known.

To be completely honest I'm not a big fan of bully romances because it's always about kids trying to act like bad boys hating on the heroine for stupid reasons, but here we have found family trope in danger so I was ready to throw hands for these deranged boys.

It's nothing that hasn't been done a thousand times already, but this kept me hooked from start to finish and I can't wait for the next installments in the St. Augustine boys.
Profile Image for Shaikha.
126 reviews37 followers
Read
April 21, 2021
It would be a little premature to rate this book after reading just the first chapter, so no rating...but I’ll tell you the reasons for me not making it past the first chapter:
“It’s sickening to watch the girls throw themselves at them. Like we aren’t at a Catholic school where virtue is sacred and protected. Not to these bitches”

Now watch her become one of these bitches just two pages later.

“I feel his breath dance across my lips as he threatens me, and a shiver runs down my spine. Fear mixed with a forbidden amount of arousal. This is wrong, everything about it. His hand is still pressed tightly against my throat and the feel of his skin burns against my body. I shouldn’t feel anything but disdain toward Rhys, yet here I am practically panting beneath his touch.”


Aren’t you a little hypocrite, Valentina? *rolls eyes*
Profile Image for luna.readss.
314 reviews21 followers
January 15, 2021
Uhm where to fking begin

Starting off introducing the book, its a bully romance taking place in a religious academy for teens. Our main character Rhys and his friends found themselves engaging in illegal activity having committed arson and possible attempted murder. You don’t find out exactly how and why it happened, which takes you on a suspenseful journey of sorts throughout what im imagining the series will unfold.

Valentina, the heroine, accidentally listens to them talking about the incident and Rhys, having caught her, threatens her, expecting her to shut her mouth. When the following morning comes and one of his friends is arrested, Rhys decides to make Valentina’s life miserable at St’s Academy.

{have to mention the lack in creativity here. Friend gets arrested. Hero goes in a quest for revenge. Bullies the heroine who he mistakenly thinks was to blame. Where have I heard that before?}

Now, this is a bully romance. Tws for dub-con, questionably non-con, and humiliation. Go into the book expecting that, and if you’re not into it, just don’t read it🙃, don’t go off rating the book low simply bc you think its degrading, bc that’s exactly what people look for in a bully romance. You’ve been warned.

For the most part, I enjoyed the book, I was anxious to know what would happen next and was initially willing to put the obvious flaws in the writing aside for the sake of fun. Until... I no longer could.

I felt way uncomfortable with the way the MC and his friends talked about (and at) women in general, calling them bitches and not blinking before offending and degrading them to their face, it’s not exactly a trait you look for in a hero. Women tearing other women down was another factor that bothered me here.

The characters had no depth at all. None. Not the main characters, not the side characters. I swear when Valentina sat down to talk to her parents and solve their problems I almost threw my kindle at the at the ridiculousness of the situation. I cringed, embarrassingly hard.

Overall this just was a bad book. I understand how many would enjoy it. I enjoyed it too, to some extent, mostly, until the flaws could no longer be put aside and it just started annoying the fuck out of me.

If it weren’t for it’s small length I probably would’ve DNF’d it. But I can’t deny I am intrigued to know how the mystery unfolds throughout the rest of the series. Hopefully we get some writing redeeming qualities there too.

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
-No.

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
-No.

𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀?
-Maybe.

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿?
-Maybe.

ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★☆☆☆
Profile Image for The Romantic Rush Blog.
2,640 reviews966 followers
January 22, 2021
HOLY HOTNESS! Immoral Confessions in one word is DELICIOUS.

This is R. Holmes' best work to date- I am obsessed! A story dark, provocative, and addictive-the perfect balance of that yummy bully love-hate tension with a nuanced and emotional character chemistry. Rhys and Valentina will totally consume you with their titillating intensity and passionate push-pull, but even more so, they'll charm their way straight to your heart with their vulnerable intimacy and tender connection.

Sweet little Valentina just wants to survive the shark-infested waters of her prestigious and elite catholic prep school. Lonely at home, lonely at school, and meaningless to everyone but her bestie, she just wants to do what it takes to get to Harvard and finally start a life she wants. But fate has other plans, and once she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, she ends up in the crosshairs of the cruel king himself, Rhys Blackwood. And no one crosses Rhys. Bring on the battle of wills and all the confusing angsty feelings as the devil battles his little lamb- Valentina has found herself the prey of the ultimate bully.

RHYS. HOLD ONTO YOUR OVARIES- this man. He’s cruel, dominant, and ruthless. But we so recognize his twisted darkness as a protective shroud- this is a man whose heart is tender underneath it all, he has a savage fragility that has made him feral, has caused him to weaponize control and fear in order to protect the shattered pieces of his soul. He’s hard to like, but easy to love- as we see him torture and punish poor Valentina in the same breathe that he fiercely protects his chosen brothers. And when we see his heart, oh my. OH MY. RH gives Rhys such complexity, an emotional and beautiful heart’s center, but we first have to untangle the barbed wire around his heart. But Valentina does- because Rhys sees a kindred spirit in his little lamb, and soon he struggles to know what he needs more- his control, his revenger or her willing submission, her heart.

Valentina is full of beautiful contrasts- she’s the kinky good girl, the soft, naive and fragile fighter, demure and sassy, broken but resilient. But truly, she’s just lost and alone. Trapped in a life that beats her down, she just wants to feel worthy. To be seen- and what a tragedy that the first time someone truly sees her, he wants to destroy her. And then the magic happens- we see her grow, she somehow gets Rhys to open, and he gets her to stand up for herself. Yes, the bully inspires her strength. Watching her character growth is so powerful and awarding- she’s a heroine you cheer for.

This is really a story about character growth- characters who are figuring out how to confront what haunts them, characters learning how to fight for what they want, and characters recognizing their own worth. How ironic that they find that fulfillment, the peace and safety they need in the arms of an enemy- but their toxic relationship helps them both SEE themselves, and each other. And they find their wounds fit each other. Their relationship, our narrative, and the romantic tone evolve as they do- all while we have a a dark and dangerous mystery underscoring their volatile and addictive romance. YUM.

RH really nails the bully aspect here- she pushes us just to our limits. She takes Rhys to the verge of the unforgivable, but then she gives him heart, and she certainly gives him penance. And I love that RH also makes Valentina so complicated- she’s not fragile or a doormat, rather a part of her own baggage somehow calls to Rhys’- psychologically we understand how his behavior, as deplorable as it may be, confuses her- because for the first time ever, she’s the center of someone’s world, even if that is a very dangerous place to be. And RH gives dynamism to this relationship- we get to see these two at odds, and we see how quickly and easily they evolve into something less toxic, something more healthy. They have the same hearts, but they are better versions of themselves as the result of their connection….and they have the same baggage, but they are more equipped to cope, they have more strength- and what was a toxic dynamic becomes one stable and sweet. Only RHYS can make me want to punch him in one sentence and swoon in another. I love that RH makes space for us to revel in their sweetness as much as their darkness, to see these characters grow together and exist beyond their bully trope.

What a magical combination of intrigue and mystery, bully dynamics, sweet emotional moments, and DELICIOUS steam- THIS BOOK IS SO SEXY. Like need multiple cold showers, will never look at a library or confessional the same again SEXY. I can not WAIT for more of this world- RH has taken her craft to the next level, and I can not wait to see what she does next!

Please note: this story as dub/non con elements and might not be for everyone. And, while Valentina and Rhys get their HEA, the overarching story of the friends spans all books- you WILL be thirsty for answers you do not get- but stay tuned, it is going to blow your mind!
Profile Image for sarah.
269 reviews18 followers
August 29, 2024
0 - 0,5 star

This is a hate review. I have nothing good to say about this book since it is one of the worst and horrible written shit I have ever read. Truly.

This book has every single plot like a giant copy and paste and I can't fucking stand this!
Corrupt, and even Fear Me. Can this author write something new that came from her head instead of others author's? It's that hard to have creativity?

If this book was just like the others I would have something to like, but the author writing is the fucking WORST! It's not bad BAD, like only Amo Jones can be that bad, but it's horrible and unlike Amo this woman has no creativity at all. I usually don't write reviews like this one, but this is necessary since there is nothing good to say about this story.

To exemplify how bad it is I'm going to leave some quotes that can show how this book goes:

"I'm not broken, Valentina. I'm dead inside. My soul is as black as the deepest part of hell and you're a fool to think this is anything but the beginning of your ruin. I'm a monster, little lamb, and the only one to satisfy the hunger, is you."
*me eye rolling during this whole scene*

"Babe, I think your parents might keel over and die the second they see that you've fallen for the bad boy."
*eye rolling because who would really say that*

And then she called him fallen angel of the school and I lost it and just agreed that this is just an awful story.
Profile Image for Abstract ♥ Books.
1,281 reviews1,766 followers
January 19, 2021



ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS

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Web-Photo-Editor I'll be the man who ruins her and leaves nothing but the wreckage of bones and flesh behind. She'll hate me for it. She'll wish I never walked into her life set on destroying her. She'll wish she never stole a secret that was never hers to have.”


Star Rating : 4.5 / 5 stars

POV : Dual

Cliffhanger : None

Hero : Rhys Blackwood. Known as the 'Fallen Angel' he was one of the darkest and ruthless boys one his academy. It didn't take him a few chapters to become my new hubby 😌

Heroine : Valentina Carmichael. She was the innocent girl who was the topper of her class. The one who loved to spend her free time in the library but her life took a serious turn when she stumbled upon secrets that were not hers to hear.

Pace of the story : Fast

Angst Rating : 6/10

Heat Rating : 10/10

Triggers Involved : Dubious Consent scenes



Web-Photo-Editor I'm a monster, little lamb, and the only one to satisfy the hunger, is you.”


Plot Summary :
Valentina Carmichael is the girl with too many problems at her house. With an absentee father and a stepmother who won't stop criticizing her for her looks , all she wants is too escape to harwards. But her plans come to a screeching halt when she stumbles upon a private conversation between Ryhs and his friends. Everybody knows who Ryhs is and they know better than to hear anything from their secret club. But now it was too late for her since she was caught by the 'Fallen Angel' of the academy itself.

Rhys was ruthless in what he did. And so were his friends. When a little lamb stumbled upon their conversation , there was no way he was letting her go. But then she made the mistake of opening her mouth to the wrong people and got them in trouble. There was no one stopping him from making her pay. He was going to destroy her and there would be nothing left of her by the time he would be done with her.

Web-Photo-Editor I know no matter what it takes, no matter how far I have to go, I will be Valentina Carmichael’s demise.”


Overall Opinion :
I do knot know how to say this in a more thorough way , but this book was complete FIRE. Like PURE FIRE. It's been so long since I have read a book like this , a book that has all the things I desire in my favourite book and I can't even tell you guys how amazing it was!!

The scenes in this book were so hot! Ryhs and Valentina were pure fire and there was no stopping them! Rhys was ruthless in making Valentina pay and the things that man did to her had me shivering. He is just so freaking hot! Author R. Holmes has me addicted to this new world of characters and I might have messaged her about that next book… I am just so freaking excited! First book , and I can already tell that this series is going to be a blast. I am ready here with my kindle go absorb every dirty and haunting thing this author writes because it's just simply phenomenal and there is no stopping her!

Final Verdict :
A must read for all bully Romance lovers!!
Valentina and Rhys are pure fire!
The scenes in this book had me shivering and I can't wait for the next book! I already know that this book is going to be a blast and there is no way I am stopping now!

My-Post-3
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Profile Image for NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books}.
1,554 reviews82 followers
January 26, 2021
***4,5 "Little Lamb!!!" stars***

AVAILABLE NOW!



"Do not fuck with the fallen angel of St. Augustine.
They call him fallen for a reason.
Do not cross these boys."


Help me, Father, for I have sinned...
Yep, Ramzi is making me run for confessional after this book and a certain spicy scene inside the confessional room!!! I'm still hot and bothered over it!!! Hell, all the good stuff in here had happened inside of a church...
Yep, I have sinned along with Rhys and Valentina, but I did enjoyed this "sin" very much!!!!

"What immoral confessions deem you unforgivable?
How many times you be tempted to sin before you're dancing with the devil and there's no redemption for your soul?"


It's a common secret that I adore bully romances and when I saw that R. Holmes was about to deliver a brand new bully series placed on a catholic school, I was in absolute awe!!! I just wanted this book, no questions added!!! And I got it!!! And I loved it!!! And I'm dying to sin some more along with The St. Augustine Boys!!!!

"Sebastian, the good guy, the sensitive one. Alec, the stoner, who is too chill to give a shit about anything, Ezra the life of any and every party, and then there's me... St. Augustine's fallen angel. The four of us make up The Kings. Us against the fucking world."

We already established that this was a BULLY romance, yeah???
Well, I'm highlighting it because our bully wasn't getting easy on his victim in here...
Valentina just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and she heard a big secret that the boys were keeping from everyone...
From that moment, their leader, Rhys Blackwood's eyes fell upon poor Valentina Carmichael and he voted to make her life a living hell...
Now, you will tell me that this story doesn't seem too original, but honestly, this story had something that was pulling you under its spell...

"I didn't want to just hurt her. I wanted to ruin her for what she'd done. I want to break her apart, piece by piece until there's nothing left. I will ruin her."

Rhys didn't stop chasing and bullying Valentina and that innocent girl grew a backbone and she was giving him back hell...
The truth is that Rhys was kind of an asshole and he took advantage of Valentina many times, but still you couldn't not want to see more of this weird thing full of hate and love that was happening between them...
Also, there were many other things that were involving here and i was intrigued by everything and everyone!!!

"He's like a fucking sickness that keeps spreading. I can't escape his hold no matter how hard I fight, he just keeps taunting me with the same darkness who envelops him like a second skin."

This wasn't an easy ride... It started with hate and spiteful behavior betwen our two main characters, but it turned out so much more...
Rhys had his own demons that were holding him back and Valentina was feeling unloved and invisible to everyone around her...
Rhys might be mean and cruel in the beginning, but his "little lamb" managed to pull out a different side of him on the surface and I liked what I saw...
As for Valentina??? Rhys made her stronger and more confident of herself... She grew a backbone and she stand up for herself and it was so wonderful to witness it!!!
These two couldn't be more opposite, but they had chemistry and they were shameless as they gifted us with many hot scenes in here!!!

"I don't pretend to be fucked up, Valentina, I am fucked up and the light that surrounds you is still not enough to bring me back from this hell."

"Rhys Blackwood is intoxicating. Alluring. Forbidden in a way that is nefarious. He somehow breathes life into my weak and spineless body although it's never his intention."


Of course, there were many secondary characters who drew my attention here...
The rest of the St. Augustine's boys are at the top of the list...
I'm very curious about Sebastian, Alec and Ezra... There are things that are putting a mysterious aura upon all these boys... Also, I'm having tons of theories theories, but I will keep them to myself for now...
Of course, I adored Rory and I'm sure that I have to wait so much more of him!!!

"We've all got childhood trauma which forged our bond, and the loyalty we each have for each other is unbreakable. They bleed, I bleed."

This was a very promising start to a new series which are sinful, intriguing and so delicious...
I might wanted a little bit something more in some aspects, but still I enjoyed this book very much and I literally devoured it!!! Even if i was left hanging with a million question that I believe Ramzi will fill on their blanks as the rest of the stories will procced!!!
And now, I'm waiting impatiently for the second book and Sebastian's story!! Bring it on, girl!!!!

"Take the complicated. Take the messy. Fight for it. Don't give up when it seems overwhelming. Because that love is rare. It only comes around once in a lifetime. It is beautiful, it is unparalleled, and it is extraordinary. Most people don't get that chance twice."

**I recieved an ARC of the exchange of an honest review**
Profile Image for ABookLover73.
375 reviews211 followers
April 5, 2021
FIVE CONFESSIONS STARS for Valentina and Rhys 🧡🖤🧡🖤!!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

BRILLIANT!!!

I can't believe that so far I haven't had a chance to read R. Holmes' books because this book is a real treat and I've enjoyed every minute that I spent reading it!

I chose this book simply because of the genre and tropes that I read all the time and that I'm completely obsessed with.

We also shouldn't forget an amazing cover of this book that only attracts attention.

Some might conclude that this is one more dark academy bully romance book, but for me, it was much more.

R. completely amazed me with her writing style which made me read the book in a very short time without any problems.

What completely won me over was the suspense plot that made it impossible for me to stop reading.

"Immoral Confessions" is a dark academy bully romance with a lot of angst whose suspense and at times mysterious plot will draw you into the book and you'll not be able to put it down until you have read it the whole.

Valentina is a female character who is a big part of the book a quiet girl who has only one goal, to stay invisible and finish the academy and get into Harvard.

But her life changes after she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and becomes Rhys' target.

Rhys is a male character who is initially a bad boy who is only loyal to his friends and willing to do anything for them.

But his life begins to change when Valentina arrives in his life and he begins to question everything he knew until then.

Valentina and Rhys' chemistry is real from the beginning of the book and becomes only stronger as the book progresses.

Their relationship is dynamic throughout the book and gradually becomes strong.

If you're looking for a dark academy bully romance full of angst and you also love R. Holmes' writing style, then this is the book for you!!!

Highly recommended!!!

P.S. Can't wait to read "Tarnished Vow"!!!
Profile Image for Aliana Milano.
307 reviews101 followers
January 12, 2021
Meet the Boys of St. Augustine...

Valentina Carmichael is the straight-A, wallflower at St. Augustine's Catholic boarding school and you might want to Hail Mary now because man, does she have a time there. She starts off as the quiet nerd who just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time....

Enter Rhys Blackwood. The king of St. Augustine. His heart and soul is as dark as his name. He's cynical, devious and takes no prisoners. But it's not just about roughing up Valen to spook her or punish her. No, he made her face her truths which she may have, unknowingly, been trying to hide behind.

"There’s something about him that sucks you in, only for him to swallow you whole."

THIS IS RHYS IN A MOFOING NUTSHELL. I was sucked in and couldn't let go and honestly, I didn't want to. He'll have you craving him.

But he's not just the asshole we all love to hate. He's smart and funny and morbidly charming. He may have a funny way of showing it but he cares about Valentina, in his own way. Seeing him open and lighten up was a fun time. And watching Valentina grow her backbone and own her shit was a sight to behold.

"The thing about hate is it's fueled by passion. You loathe someone so much it's coated in the desire to watch them burn and like the match and the flame, that desire turns into a blaze you can no longer control."

Whilst this book is a COMPLETE STANDALONE, it is the first of a series and there's mystery and suspense that will leave you intrigued and needing more.

Be warned, it's also sinfully dark and delicious.

I can't wait to meet the rest of the boys, Sebastian, Alec and of course, my Ezra, more closely. And hopefully, very soon.

Perfect for fans of bully/high school romance!

Reviewed by Ali at Fallen For Books.
Profile Image for bookishbellexoxo.
417 reviews5 followers
January 14, 2021
4.5 STARS.

When R. Holmes announced she was releasing a dark bully romance set in a catholic school setting featuring a group of depraved boys, I was SOLD. Like forgive me father for I have sinned and will continue to sin with these books lol because damn was this so good. It was deliciously provocative and dark and just what the doctor ordered.

Ramzy has a way of sucking you in from the first page and keeping you hooked until you read 'the end' and Immoral Confessions was everything I hoped it to be. It was dark, intriguing, sexy and the smut was downright dirty. R Holmes writes some of the best smut out there no question and the scenes between Rhys and Valentina were pure fire. Can I just say CONFESSIONAL BOOTH...because oof.

Rhys is my favourite type of bully hero, he was ruthless, an asshole, mean, domineering, sexy but inside he was somewhat of a softie who just wanted to find someone he could call his own and home in a way. I loved that he found that in Valentina. His story and why he was built the way he was, was heartbreaking and I just wanted to cuddle him, you could see how much it affected him.

Valentina, my gorgeous girl, she was strong, kind hearted, bright and even in moments where Rhys was scaring the hell out of her, she stood her ground and gave it back to him. I loved the push and pull between these two and the chemistry they had was electric. I liked how their relationship progressed and that you could see by the end how much Rhys was sorry and just how much he had fallen for her. I loved that with each other they could just let go and show their inner selfs, Valentina was able to be wild and dirty and Rhys was able to be soft and gentle. They made the perfect couple.

Now don't get me wrong I wanted to hit Rhys for a few things he did, but I knew this was a bully romance going in and the way R Holmes showed his progression was great.

Rhys friendships with his boys, his brothers was such a great addition to it and you could see just how much they all meant to each other. I love them all and am eagerly awaiting the next book to know more about these boys. The twists and turns in this and the questions it raised have me so ready for the next instalment I need to know what happens! My baby Sebastian...ugh love him and Ezra, let me love you. Alec is the only one I can't quite get a full read on but I'm excited to learn more.

I loved Valentina's friendship with Rory, he was so much fun and added a great comedic affect to the book, and whilst I have a few theories on a specific subject that relates to him, I'm so eager to see it all play out!

All in all this was a great start to a new dark bully series, and I love that its focused upon the boys friendships and them finding their girls in the midst of it.

One of my most anticipated reads of this year and it was just so good! Ramzy released the tropes for Sebastians book and ....I NEED IT NOW!

P.S STILL NOT OVER THAT CONFESSIONAL SCENE PLEASE.

Trigger Warnings: Non con, Dub con, bullying
Profile Image for c a r í.
917 reviews175 followers
February 7, 2021
•if you're looking for a 'classic' enemies to lovers/ highschool bully romance, Immoral Confessions is for you. All the elements are presented mainly in the first half of the book.

•plot wise mostly decent nothing crazy or standout. I will say though that I like the little bit of mystery added to the storyline, it heightens the imagery of Dark Academia-esque or the Catholic Boarding School aesthetic/vibe. Props to the author.

•as for the main characters, there's nothing that truly needs to say. We have our Hero Rhys Blackwood who's pretty much the same anti-hero, jerk, and bully in every high school romance tale, and our heroine Valentine Carmichael who I think is okay as a female lead, though She annoys me sometimes.

•lastly we can't deny how gorgeous is the book cover! Right? Anyways, the book, in general, wasn't so bad, the writing style is good, the story setting is nice enough and the characterization is pretty much basic (not in a bad way). Overall I still recommend the book for those sucker for this trope.


How many times can you be tempted to sin before you're dancing with the devil and there's no redemption for your soul?

Then… you're fallen.
Profile Image for Tees_BookCave.
601 reviews89 followers
January 21, 2021
So if this review is a bit how you goin, then please know that this book made me incredibly speechless that words are not even in my vocabulary at the moment.

All jokes aside, this book was absolutely incredible. This my second book by this author and can I just start off with saying she gets more better with each book release she puts out into the world.

Even the title Immoral Confessions, rang alarms in my brain, the good alarms not the bad. That was soon followed by the blurb and the cover and I was done. Completely done. These three things, were like tick, tick, tick in my book.

Then finding out it a dark, bully catholic boarding school with some wicked and sinful men. I was like can this get any better. Well it did, when the ARC landed on my kindle and I read the book.

Are you ready to confess your sins?

This book was about the almighty broken hero, who has built walls upon walls until one day at the wrong time he stumbles across our heroine. Our heroine was the definition of an wall flower, she didn’t like being centre of attention, she preferred to be hidden but boy did she get pulled out of that shell real quick.

So this is where our enemies to lovers journey begins and to say it begins is an understatement of the century.

This book absolutely gave me everything that I love in my books, it had your dark dub-con bully romance, that soon morphed into so much more, turning into a true love story.

Looking back on this book, these two were inevitable, they were bound to happen. Quite frankly, they just connect and are very similar in certain aspects. It may not seem like it to you the reader when you first begin this book but once you get to the end you’ll soon understand my comment on that.

The moments, the stolen touches that these two share are memorable. Their chemistry is intense and it just bleeds off the pages and sinks into you’re body. I devoured their story in one sitting, that’s how insane this book was. Whenever these two are in the same proximity, it’s on. The sexy scenes between them is spicy, saucy, and hot as hell. They aren’t just your ordinary sexy seems they are forbidden and simply amazing. Let me just say something, ahem confession booth.

That’s all I’m gonna say, I’m wiping my hands and leaving it to you to find out what I meant by that. I just really love these characters and I was sad to see them go but rest assured there is more coming. Like hello, we need the other boys books like yesterday.

Once you get to know these characters and embark on their journey. You become invested in their world until there is no going back. I certainly can’t wait to see what this author has up her sleeve for Sebastian.



Profile Image for LovelyNessReads.
155 reviews13 followers
February 22, 2021
𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 4.5/5

𝚂𝚃𝙴𝙰𝙼: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 5/5

::Rhys and Valentina::
"𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨."

I love R. Holmes. Love her! So when she dropped the news that she was coming out with a Catholic Boarding School Bully Romance - SIGN ME UP MY FRIENDS!!

Immoral Confessions is the first book in the Boys of St. Augustine Series that follows four friends that share secrets so huge they vow to take it to the grave. We kick off with the super yummy resident bad boy, Rhys Blackwood, who is dubbed as St. Augustine’s “Fallen Angel” and Valentina Carmichael, St. Augustine’s “Wallflower” and resident good girl. Valentina is basically at the wrong place at the wrong time and overhears their secret. And so their enemies to lovers journey begins... Rhys bullies and torments Valentina - but their moments are HOT. Their chemistry is intense and I devoured this story in one sitting. The sexy scenes, especially those set in all the forbidden holy places, made me clutch my pearls and grab my rosary. It was off the charts spicy. And their vulnerable moments and witnessing them fall in love gave me gooey feelings. When Rhys calls Valentina “baby” - I’m weak... I couldn’t get enough of Rhys. I love him. I love him to goddamn pieces ♥️

I can’t wait for the rest of the series and for the mystery and secrets to unfold. Bash is coming next, Alec has more secrets and I just know Ms. Holmes is going to make us beg for Ezra 😈

"𝙋𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙖. 𝙄'𝙢 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪."
Profile Image for Luca.
225 reviews8 followers
Read
January 20, 2023
DNF 31%

Abuso sexual es abuso sexual, no lo enmascare con "consentimiento dudoso". Él la amenaza con filtrar un video donde la están abusando. Encima la chica después está toda enculada pensando en lo que la hace sentir él. La historia y los personajes son una mierda.
Profile Image for maddison.
223 reviews194 followers
February 24, 2021
Might possibly be my new favorite book! Ugh it’s so good. Can’t wait for book 2 :)
Profile Image for Dani (Daniiireads).
1,970 reviews324 followers
January 24, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

R Holmes is one of my favorite authors, and I’d been dying to get hands on Immoral Confessions ever since she hinted at writing a bad boy bully romance. I had a pretty good guess at what to expect from IC thanks to her wonderfully spicy book teasers, but this was not what I thought it would be.

If you’re a big lover of prep school bullymances, then you won’t be too disappointed with IC. It hits all of the marks & is set at St. Augustine’s, a Catholic boarding school which I assume is filled with the usual suspects—we just don’t get to meet many of them. BUT we do get introduced to the hot but evil Mara, our mains: Valentina and Rhys, the boys: Alec, Ezra, and Sebastian, as well as the gbf Rory, and some of their parental figures.

Immoral Confessions follows our FMC Valentina, who accidentally overhears something she shouldn’t have while doing some late night studying at the library. Val ends up getting caught and is threatened by Rhys to keep quiet. Unfortunately word gets out anyway, and Rhys starts making Valentina’s life hell believing she is the one who snitched. What starts with Rhys tormenting Valentina for fun ends up turning into a powerful attraction that neither expected. The two end up bonding over their shitty life experiences and as they say, the rest is history. Rhys & Val both have some mega character growth towards the end of the book and it is 😘👌🏻

While I did enjoy the book for the most part and will read the rest of the series, I feel like IC didn’t reach it’s full potential. The plot comes across a little rushed, the characters lack the depth I was craving, and left me feeling like something was missing. I wish there had been more about Valentina and Rhys’s pasts, as well as more about the big secret (and what is going on with Rhys and his boys). Instead both are mentioned in passing and the storyline focuses on the bully/steam. I will say the book does have PLENTY of well written spicy scenes to distract you, no complaints about that!

I’m hoping that the other books in the series give us more details, especially with how the book ended!
Profile Image for J.D. Fondry.
Author 10 books182 followers
January 14, 2021
Rhys annihilated me. Plain and simple. If you're in a book slump...do yourself a favor and PICK THIS UP. This was my first R. HOLMES book and will certainly not be my last. I can't wait to see what she cooks up with the rest of The Kings of St. Augustine

*drools*

I wasn't sure that I'd like Valentina, but I'm so glad I gave her a chance. Little Lamb.

...And let me just say, what happens in the confessional...well, you know how that saying goes.

***If you're touchy on non-con/dub-con, read with caution but PLEASE give it a chance. You won't regret it.

5 stars all day.
Profile Image for Ana Manjić.
627 reviews52 followers
January 20, 2021
E33192-FE-439-A-4-D09-92-AF-BD8-A18602-D6-D

This was so easy to read, so enjoyabel and so delicious. She can go on and on forever and I won't get bored, on the contrary, I want more and more.

Domination & possessiveness of a broken boy, bullying that somewhere along the way turned into a passion and love and a chance to love and to be loved.

Can't wait for book2 - Ezra is coming!
Profile Image for Rumi.
222 reviews9 followers
January 17, 2021
Immoral Confessions is everything I love about dark high school bully romance stories… a broken hero with impenetrable walls, a fractured heroine best known for being the school’s wallflower, and a hate-to-love relationship that morphs into so much more.

I can't wait to see what R. Holmes has in store for Bash's story!

Release date: January 22nd 2021
Profile Image for Cristina.
107 reviews16 followers
August 20, 2021
3.5 stars . This is a bully, high school romance novel with an appealing blurb. It has angst and mystery. And secrets that surround the academy are yet to be revealed.
Profile Image for jordane.
883 reviews208 followers
January 21, 2021
“It's like you always say...” she says, and I feel her breath dance across my lips. “You bleed, I bleed.”


3.5/5

From the moment this series was announced it caught my attention and I was very excited to get my hands on it. After reading Immoral Confessions I wasn't disappointed because I enjoyed it very much. This book also gave me dark academia vibes with the boarding school setting and the mystery plot going on and I liked it a lot. I always love when a mystery plot is mixed with romance and this one is very interesting and I'm curious to see how the story is going to unfold in the next installments.

Valentina Carmichael is the good and wallflower girl of St. Augustine, she is a serious student and describes herself as a "doormat". She also likes to stay hidden and unnoticed while minding her own business and never really felt the need to stand up for herself until she came across Rhys Blackwood. I liked Valentina's character development a lot and that she stopped letting people walk all over her and started standing up for herself whereas it was with her family, other students or Rhys.

Rhys Blackwood, also known as the Fallen Angel and bad boy of St. Augustine was difficult to like at first as he spent the majority of the book bullying Valentina. On the other hand, I liked his friendship with Sebastian, Ezra and Alec a lot, they have a very strong bond and would do anything for each other and you can learn more about them when they are together because that's when they show who they really are. I started to like his character once he finally understood and believed that it wasn’t Valentina who had spilled his secret. From that point on, he changed a lot and revealed himself to Valentina and also made efforts to make up for what he did to her.

Rhys and Valentina's relationship went from hate to love very quickly and it seemed like it wasn't really developed enough because once Rhys stopped bullying Valentina they instantly started this cute relationship and opened up more to each other. They obviously had a lot of chemistry and I liked the way they were together, there wasn't a lot of angst between them, but they had a lot of steamy moments!

I also really liked the secondary characters and I'm very excited for them to have their book, especially Ezra!!!!!! Rhys's friends as well as Valentina's best friend Rory are still very mysterious characters because we didn't learn a lot about them in this book and their dynamics weren’t really shown either. So I hope we'll see more of that in the next installments because they have a lot of potential.

Overall, Immoral Confessions was a good introduction to this new series, I'm excited for what's to come and for the story around the arson to unfold.

*Arc kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Romancebooksandcoffee.
143 reviews66 followers
March 16, 2021
“Because even the darkest of villains need saving too”.

3.5/5⭐️
3/3🔥

Set in a catholic boarding school, this enemies to lovers bully romance follows Rhys and Valentina. Valentina is a wallflower, she keeps her head down and hopes that she won’t get noticed. She manages to do this pretty well until one day, she ends up overhearing a conversation that she was never supposed to hear. Rhys is dark and damaged, your typical asshole bully. When he realises that Valentina has overheard something that she shouldn’t have, he vows to make her life a living hell.
I loved how dark and steamy this book was! However, I will say there were definitely a few issues with the plot. One thing I cannot stand in romance books, is conflict that could have been completely avoided if the characters listened to each other and communicated properly. The two main conflicts in this book were as a result of this. Also, when Rhys realises that Valentina didn’t actually betray him like he thought, he does a complete 180. It was as if he was immediately a different person and was suddenly kind of a nice guy, which was hard to believe after all that he had put her through, and the dark and damaged vibe he gave off in the beginning kind of disappeared. I also wanted him to grovel more before Valentina forgave her. Saying this, the story was still entertaining and I read this in one sitting so the issues with the plot didn’t massively affect my enjoyment of this book.

tw: dub con, non con, humiliation, bullying
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