The Dancer and The Masks

Their Obsession #1

by Bea Paige

They came for me in the dead of night. Silent like ghosts. Three faceless men with one thing on their mind, revenge.

The Dancer
I was stolen.
Ripped from the people I love, and imprisoned in a medieval castle in Scotland with walls as thick and impenetrable as the stone encasing my kidnappers' hearts.
Do as they say and you’ll survive this place.
Refuse their orders and feel the consequences of their wrath.
Everyone here calls them The Masks.
I call them my enemy.
I may seem fragile, weak, but I’m not like all the rest.
I’m not just a dancer, or a singer, or a musician that they can loan out as entertainment to sick men and women.
I’m a fighter. I come from a long line of them.
This time they stole the wrong girl, and these walls…?
They’ll come crashing down even if I have to rip them apart myself, brick by bloody brick.

The Masks
We took her.
A payment for a debt. A very personal one.
With our father “The Collector” dead, we are the heirs to a twisted dynasty with nothing but revenge in our hearts, blood on our hands, and darkness in our souls.
Our home bears witness to our cruelty.
The prisoners within it, scarred by our wrath.
We’re the soulless creatures as twisted as any monster real or imagined.
We steal, thieving not just the artist themselves, but the light that makes them shine bright.
We must keep up our father’s legacy.
We must have revenge.
The Dancer we stole is ours to play with. Ours to use.
She won’t survive this place.
We’ll make sure of it.

WARNING: This is a dark, contemporary, reverse harem romance for adult readers, and contains graphic sex scenes and violence. It is not for the feint of heart.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Why Choose, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, BDSM, Contemporary

476 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2021

About the author

A writer of gritty, dangerous love. A hopeless romantic. A lover of dark heroes. A drinker of red wine and a scoffer of Haribo sweets.


Librarian Note: Also writes under the name Kelly Stock.

Reviews

[Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Christy, Jakup, Konrad, Leon

Abbreviated review.

Here's what I loved about this book:
- creative and unique storyline of secret society led by elitist men who use seemingly mind-control (Stockholm Syndrome) to further their interests
- beautiful, scarred heroine who was appealing not only to the antiheroes, but to other characters as well
- side characters of a varying personalities, traits, backgrounds who complemented the dynamics of the story
- broody antiheroes with broken pasts who made no apologies for their behavior. While young, they had life experiences that lended an inherent maturity to their personalities
- cross-over characters from other books who added to the complexity of this one though this one functioned well as a standalone.
- the masks and their symbolism, in personal dealings, their physical and emotional representation
- the lead alpha was the youngest and most controlled, but equally as deadly as the others were purported to be
- entertaining, tenebrous feeling, few grammatical errors

Here's what didn't work for me:
- consistent talk of threats and measures from the antiheroes of all the bad things they intended to carry out on the heroine, but they were never really enacted, never came to fruition in this book 1.
This story felt like an unpleasant tease at best and bravado at worst.
- Inordinately, needlessly slow, even with some story progression, it was overly descriptive. If this is a medium burn, then I can't imagine what the pace stylistically of a slow burn from this author's list.
- Some foreplay but no actual sex, though hours of reading on talk of how aroused they were (hard d3cks) and how they intended to make the heroine theirs. She's ours!
- not a dark romance, simply some grey themes
- by 70% I had to call it. Some good qualities, but did not hold my attention. Not the book for me.

[bookgalbrock 🐝✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

ˋ°•*⁀➷ The Dancer And The Masks

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,”

3.95 ★ ★ ★ ★
2.15🌶️🌶️

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

When a book starts out with a kidnapping and I know there’s going to be a sprinkle of Stockholm syndrome, I’m already bought in.

This story was so unique and entertaining. Christy threw in a lot of elements you wouldn’t necessarily think would work together, but they actually added so much depth (like our FMC’s visions) The vibe and atmosphere are incredible, it has this almost gothic feel that I was obsessed with.

I’d even go as far as to call this a bully romance. These men are not good men. They are not nice to her. But when you finally get a crack in that hard exterior when you see the smallest sliver of humanity, oh, I fucking live for those moments. And our girl Christy is tough as nails, so it doesn’t feel as overwhelming as it could. She holds her ground, and I loved that.

The whole concept of this story is just so damn interesting. And on top of it all it’s a why choose. Which means, yes, I’m going to devour it every single time. SUE ME.

Things are just starting to unravel, and I cannot wait to see how everything falls into place. I know she’s going to break these men, even though their mission is to break her. And honestly? I’m already bracing myself to fall so damn hard for all three of them. I love a broken, damaged man it’s a classic for a reason. 😂😂

If you’re craving something DARK, with morally black MMCs, an FMC who refuses to be broken, a gothic atmosphere, a twisted storyline, and maybe a few whips and chains here you go, bestie.

[abbey willcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christy- I've been here before. I've suffered before, but more importantly, I've survived 🖤

This book is DARK. TWISTED. AMAZING!!!! I absoloutley LOVE this book; does that make me twisted?! 🤔😅 The storyline has you gripped from page 1, it doesn't mess around. It drags you straight down into the the darkness.... Thats when the masked 3 come out to play.. literally..they are as cruel and twisted as they come. BUT, some actions that we see as cruel and heartless, they see it as them showing "weakness" because in their sick warped minds, thats them showing they care? They have reasons why they do certain things. One example, the dog collar 🤐 when I read why it was used, I wanted to say aww that's kinda cute but its really not and made me feel twisted for thinking it 😂 you'll have to read it to find out what I mean! Our girl Christy is made of steel, I would've lost my mind in there. Head f*ck is an understatement. There are major trigger warnings throughout, please check this book is ok for you...I jumped with joy when I realised the connection with Christy to a certain favourite couple of mine from academy of stardom series!! 😁 its honestly perfect and connects the series so well.. without saying too much, I really like that the author has given our lead girl a "gift", its something different and brings a different vibe to the story. The storyline with all the girls seriously gives me the creeps at times!! Its just brilliant tbh!! I'm very intrigued to see what direction the author takes the story, they have a LONG way to go before I can see a HEA!! They all have alot to overcome. The guys especially... Will christy crack their hard, tortured shells and find the innocent boys they once were? Or are they truly her end? From that ending, who the hell knows!!! 🤫 BRILLIANT first book 🙌🏼🖤

[Melluvsbooks]

Weird sadistic heros trafficking women - not for me

[brayshaw_love · Rating 5 out of 5]

BETA READER REVIEW:

She once again blew me away with her ability to make me get completely wrapped up in this world of characters. I want to start by saying that normally the blurb/teasers might have made me not read the book simply because it is fairly obvious that there would be dubious consent and non-consensual situations between the heroine and "the masks". I have very few triggers, but the big one that has made me DNF books in the past is when the main love interests in a book are the ones who sexually assualt the heroine. I have no issues reading those situations as long it is not the main guys doing it.

If it had been any other author, I would have probably passed on reading it simply because I do know how I struggle when those events occur between the main love interests in a story. But knowing her incredible talent, I was willing to put my faith in how she would handle it all. And she completely blew me away. She had my heart breaking for the "bad" guys, while also wanting to smack them.

The torture/abuse is NOT romanticized and the heroine has an incredible strength and ability to find ways to take back the power in even the smallest ways during these horrible moments. For readers like myself, who do have some triggers with the dubcon/non con situations, I think as long as you aren't extremely triggered by these things that you might want to give it a shot. But if you do read it, and it is still too dark for you, please don't rate it unfairly, since you went in knowing it was an incredibly dark book with these types of situations.

I love that there are still moments where we see the masks slip out of their darkness even if only for a second. Giving us hope that they can be "saved". I love that Christy doesn't hesitate to point out that making her "wet" doesn't mean consent or that she asked for it. So many dark books never give you the internal or external dialogue in the female perspective, or have them not even acknowledging this fact, especially with dubcon situations. While she agreed to do some things as a way to regain a little power over a situation she has no control over, she makes sure to acknowledge either to herself or to them that this isn't something she would have willingly allowed if she was given an actual choice.

It is a dark book, for sure, probably one of the darkest I've read myself (the super dark stuff just isn't for me, so this book is probably the darkest one you will ever see me review... brutal boys of everlake prep was probably up there in darkness level, only it was dark due to the over the top extreme bullying). It pushed my boundaries in terms of my comfort level with the dark stuff, but not so much that I couldn't read or enjoy the story. Her ability to convey emotions in her writing is what makes it so impactful and gives more meaning to it all, vs. the dark romance books that simply have the dark scenes there for shock value only.

I can honestly say that the cliffhanger is brutal and this is one time I can't even try to predict what might happen in the second book of this duet. Would I recommend reading as soon as it releases, even with the cliffhanger.... YES!!! While the ending will have you literally gasping outloud, it is at a good pausing spot in the story.

[Maya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would rate this less than one if I could because what in the flying fuck was this?! the whole book was four men sexually assaulting and terrorizing this girl just because she’s their enemy’s sister. i’m all for a dark romance, but there was no romance at all in this. It was just cruel & disgusting.

[The Romantic Rush Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seductive, ensnaring, and mysterious, The Dancer and the Masks is a brilliant dance in the darker side of Bea Paige. It’s alluring and engaging but also psychologically complicated- an intoxicating, page-turning concoction that tintilates and intrigues.

I won’t say much about this plot, because truly this story is best experienced going in blind. Coming into this story I knew to expect something different, darker, more twisted than Bea’s more recent work. The blurb, the trigger warning, the cover and all the reviews will tell you that. Even so, I wasn’t quite prepared for what this story was going to be- not because it is so dark (for me, it’s not the darkest I’ve read). More so, it was the unexpectedness of the narrative- and these characters. This story was unpredictable from start to finish- and like our heroine, we never quite get our footing. Bea keeps us on the edge of knowledge the entire story- teetering on the edge of reality and allusion. The truth, or the totality of it, is always just out of our (and our heroine’s grasp). It does make the story feel like a particularly extended exposition in places- but a really compelling tense, and intriguing one. Bea has always been such a meticulous and creative world builder- and she invests in that here. The Masks, the Menagerie, the politics of the castle, all the mysteries and secrets are deftly created- and the realities and truths slowly meted.

Unlike Bea’s other stories, this is not a story heavy on plot or action- though we have a few high adrenaline moments. More so, this is a psychological character study- and she smartly keeps the action minimal, the proximity tight, to force us to SIT in the complexities of these characters, to really unravel them. Their emotional juxtapositions, peculiarities, their buried truths and evolving identities. And not just out anti-heroes, our heroine Christy too- as we soon find her confronting the unrealized parts of herself. And given what she’s up against, I loved how Bea has given us such a clever, strong, fierce but empathetic character in Christy- a perfect foe and love for the masks because she has the fortitude to challenge them but the emotional courage to also try to understand them. And Bea also forces us to sit in the discomfort of what she learns as she examines them- the Masks are intriguing but not lovable, tantalizing but unsafe, depraved but loyal.

At its core, this is a story about characters that wear masks- and not just the literal kind. Good or bad, depraved or innocent, every person in this story is covering some aspect of themselves. Past pain, failed dreams, insecurities, emotional imperfections, longing, proclivities or emotional intelligence- all securely hidden behind their painstakingly constructed artifice. Christy, the Masks, the Menagerie- they’ve all hidden pieces of themselves so convincingly for so long, they’ve convinced themselves those pieces are carefully guarded or dead- because they have to in order to survive the very thing they’re masking. Secure until being thrust together starts to crack, then shatter, their ability to mask themselves, or perhaps even more compelling, their will to do so. But it’s not even the characters that are allusions- their world is too. Their world darkness itself becomes an illusion- so much so that the more we wade into the murky waters of the Masks and their Menagerie, the more we ourselves are struggling to discern what is a facade and what is truth, perception vs. reality. And that’s where the psychological intrigue of this story excels in its intensity- our characters themselves don’t know their truth anymore. Because Christy is just now discovering herself, and because the Masks are rediscovering. Because they’ve all hidden pieces of themselves for so convincingly for so long, they thought they were dead.

Masking isn’t just about repression- it’s about survival. And it’s also about power. And Bea explores and tangles with both themes so brilliantly. Everyone in this story has buried and hidden pieces of themselves to survive- the adapt and evolve. But their collision threatens that- and thus, threatens everyone’s survival. It makes for a heady and mesmerizing dynamic- characters both reborn and threatened all at once by their connection to the other. As Chisty exposes more of herself, she finds more power, but it threatens her survival. And the masks are desperate to maintain the control they have- not over others, but over themselves. The more they unmask themselves, the more their power is at risk- but is it the means to salvation and true survival?

Ah, well time will tell. Just when this story really picks up, we’re careened towards a jaw dropping finale that has me reeling. We still have so much we don’t know or understand- including our seductive masks. The narrative itself is exposed to be an illusion- as we quickly find out behind the smoke and mirrors there is MUCh we have yet to understand. Part 2 can’t come fast enough- my heart and soul need to know just what path there is forward.

A note on triggers: As far as darkness goes, this is by far the darkest book I’ve read from Bea, but as a dark-romance aficionado, this is definitely not the darkest story I’ve read. But there are certainly very dark and twisted components...and triggering elements: kidnapping, grooming, non-con, humiliation, blood play. The darkness was less erotic and more sensual (often it was more so the threat of dark elements vs. them always being actualized) and did feel organic to the characters and story- ie not darkness for darkness sake, but if you have triggers or don’t prefer darker stories, tread lightly.


OVERALL: 4.5 stars

[Aplis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this was pretty damn good! Bea Paige can write dark romance and I'm surprised with how much I enjoyed this book! So from the ending of Finale, you find out that Grim's sister has been taken/is facing danger because of The Masks. Grim had Beast kill their dad because of Penelope, in the Academy of Stardom series, which is the reason for everything that happens in this book.

For some reason, I thought Christy was this shy girl who barely had a voice. At least that's the impression I got from Grim in the Academy of Stardom series. So seeing her fighting The Masks at every turn confused and pissed me off. Because I just wanted her to give in instead of repeatedly fighting the guys and trying to escape. Because let's be honest, they ALWAYS fall for their captors. So enough of the "I hate you" shit. 🙄

The guys are dark..cruel pasts and unresolved drama. They kidnap Christy to punish her sister, but there's no real punishment if you don't count the scenes where she was locked up in a dungeon and tied to a tree when it was raining. There's a lot of blood play so if that's not your thing, then don't read this! I wouldn't say that this book was crazy dark. But it's a good introduction for people who want to dip their toes into dark romance.

[Readsby-K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely not…….

I want this book erased from my memory and brain. I think i’m actually traumatized. 🫶🏼

Usually i can stomach dark themes but this was….. yeah. I would’ve given it a better rating if there was actually a genuine moment where i felt FMC actually had the freedom to feel pleasure, i was begging for just one… one intimate, real, non-forced pleasure but there was absolutely none.

There was no gratifying moment here and so i feel there is an imbalance between what is usually present in similar themes. (eg: dukes of ruin)

This is worse than i could have ever imagined. It literally makes my skin crawl.

[Michae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Bea Paige and I’m am OBSESSED with her writing style. It’s so beautiful and this was dark and twisted which I love. I can’t wait to see how this all ends in book two.

[Danielle's · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dancer and the masks is the first book in a duet. It’s free as part of Audible plus and KU. Part two, The masks and the dancer is £7.99 on Audible or free with KU. This book is no way finished after part one.

Christy sees visions of the future and she sees the masked men coming for her. What she doesn’t know is what they want.

She’s taken away to a mysterious castle full of… you’ve guessed… mystery.

Can Christy survive in a cruel world?

This is a morally grey read and some themes could be triggering. I’m sure there’s a list somewhere but I didn’t read it. It took me a while to settle into the spice in this book as it’s dark and questionable.

The writing in this book is beautiful and the narrators did a great job.

It’s hard to review this book without giving anything away. If you like a slow burn full of morality grey angsty with mystery this is for you.

This ends on a cliffhanger and if you want answers you need to read book two. Book one is twelve hours forty three minutes and the second is fifteen hours and forty three minutes. I want to understand this book and may come back to the series at a later date.

✅ RH
✅ Morally grey
✅ Dark romance

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so ready for more

After reading the trigger warnings I was expecting dark, and this book delivered. The Masks are dark, depraved and absolutely addictive. If you’re not sure about the morally grey this isn’t for you. Jakub, Konrad and Leon are the antiheroes yet I’m desperate for more. This ends on a cliffhanger so be prepared to be left with all the questions

[Amber G · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶🌶🌶🌶/5

When Bea Paige tells you that her newest book is dark… don’t doubt her words! This book wasn’t just dark, it was midnight… better yet, it was obsidian.

The depth of the depravity of the main male characters was absolutely riveting. They are truly broken, tortured souls. So broken in fact, that they don’t seem to even remember what it was like to be whole. Their scars, though not always visible, run DEEP. They’re complex, each having more than one side that makes up their whole.

Our female lead, Christy, has an inner strength that I haven’t seen in a FMC in the longest time… yet she still has so many vulnerabilities that make her a believable and relatable character. Her beauty doesn’t come from her physical appearance, but from her soul, which I think Bea Paige captured perfectly in the first book of this duet.

The imagery was vivid, the emotions were tense and dark, the side characters were endearing (as well as anger inducing), and the plot was paced perfectly for maximum enjoyment.

I truly and wholeheartedly cannot wait for the second installment of this duet. The cliffhanger ripped out my heart, stomped on it, and then had the audacity to ask me if I was okay.

****Please for the love of all things, read the trigger warnings before starting this book. The author went through the trouble of writing it down for you, not because she felt like being cute or trendy, but because ALL of the triggers listed are written about (in detail) in this book. So read only if you’re okay with that.****

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bea Paige has taken a dark and gothic setting, unique and intriguing storyline and deep and complex characters, weaving it all together into a book that had me completely captivated from start to finish.

Christy is leading a fairly sheltered life and wearing her own mask when she is taken by Jakub, Leon and Konrad(The Masks) as an act of revenge against Christy’s sister for killing their father. Christy is steadfast and strong in her fight against the Masks and refuses to submit or be manipulated. And the Masks are the perfect anti-heroes. Possessive, sensual and depraved and taking what they want, which is Christy. But Christy surprises them. She gets under their skin, forcing the Masks to unwillingly reveal parts of themselves that have long been buried. The intricate push and pull between them all is just perfection.

In DATM, Bea has created a unique and fascinating world. From the old castle set deep in the Scottish Highlands, to The Menagerie and the “Numbers”, to the folklore woven throughout, this book was absolutely enchanting.

If you are a dark romance reader, put this book at the very top of your list. I need more from Christy and the Masks!

[jenn *mother of dragon & snake* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I fucked up here. Seriously fucked up.

HOW DID I NOT REALIZE THAT THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST BOOK AND THE REST OF THE SERIES IS NOT DONE YET.

And to end this with a goddamn cliffhanger!?

THE DAMN AUDACITY. I will be super salty till the next book comes out. Until then I have severe regrets starting this cause I AM PISSED. Who the hell ends the book with THAT LINE IN PARTICULAR.

People thought Den of Vipers was interesting and or just down right nasty. Damn honey, it doesn't have shit on this particular book. And unlike others, I'm super down with the fuckery of this book and I cannot wait for the rest to come out.

So if you like Den of Vipers, go into this with a grain of salt cause it'll be close but also nothing like it.

This might be fiction but Jesus the characters are so much how I wish some others would be in other series and the MC is fucking *chefs kiss*

[Arashinoko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es uno de los libros más turbios que he leído, pero estoy enganchadísima.
Uno de los puntos fuertes que yo creo que tiene es que la protagonista sabe en todo momento que lo que ocurre a su alrededor está mal y tiene un carácter fuerte y valiente que creo que no es común en este tipo de libros.
Hay muchas escenas muy fuertes pero ya sabes que vas a encontrarte esto al comenzar el libro (porque se advierte en la sinopsis). Salvado ese punto y echándole estómago, consigue mantenerte intrigada queriendo saber qué se oculta detrás de todo el ambiente oscuro y podrido que lo envuelve y cómo va a acabar la protagonista.

[Hannah Boyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be clear idk when I actually read and finished this book. It was sometime this year tho. Anyways..
This was a well written book, just VERY dark. Too dark for me personally. Gave me nightmares, my anxiety couldn’t handle it. It’s a book you definitely need to check the triggers. You never know what’s going to happen next.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

This was very unique.

My mind is all over the place after this one. I’ve never read anything like it. It’s pretty messed up and my mind and heart were all over the place much like Kristy’s, but I loved every minute of it.

I will definitely be continuing onto book two to see what happens next after that cliffhanger!

[Azahara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4'5 ⭐

[Jade Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forget their obsession, this book is my obsession!

The darkness of this book poured from the pages and well, I'm obsessed.

The characters are amazing and all have raw and gritty backgrounds.
Whilst The Masks are men that don't have values yet they surprised me in ways I wasn't expecting, I also wasn't expecting the way my feelings changed towards them.

Christy, my gawd she is one of my favourite main female characters I have ever read. She is unbelievably strong and after everything that has been thrown at her in life, you would expect her to hate the world and everyone in it. But no, not Christy, she has risen from the ashes and still wants to help others even if they don't deserve or want it.

Even after reading the blurb the story was so unexpected and unpredictable. I honestly don't even think there will be a HEA because wtf was that ending?! How could you do us dirty like that?

[Berkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely one of the darkest books ive read and i liked it! The writing is great and im loving the characters, there is so much depth there. Starting book two asap!

[KelsBookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

*𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐒*
This is a deliciously dark, intoxicating read that will grasp you and reel you in from page one. And let me tell you i am all here the darkness that laces these pages.

Bea Paige is fav of mine but holymotherofdarkness this is unlike anything i have read and has left me gasping for more.

"𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.
𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞."

The twists, turns, hunger & strength within this books is mesmerising. Christy is one badassary chick with sass and is fiercly strong.

"𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞. 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲. 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝."

I love her strength and willpower and the way she holds herself against the masks is 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆.

I honestly have no words and this is a serious 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐟*𝐜𝐤 but i am beyond words of these Devilishly gorgeous alphaholes that Bea has created.

*𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐒*
I love how the series interlink, seeing more of Grim is everything and the links to Asia and her boys. Eeek🙌🙌

Book one can't end this way...i need more PRONTO.
𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 Bea!! 🖤

[sheela · Rating 4 out of 5]

• 4/5 ⭐ • 5/5 🌶️ •

p r o s :
• everything??? the plot was thick, the characters had 800 layers of depth, there were dozens of plot twists that kept things interesting af. the list goes on & on.
• if you're here for the spice, then you've arrived at the right place bitch 🔥
• if you're a sucker for dark romance and like any of the following, then this shit is for you:

• enemies to lovers
• bully romance
• reverse harem
• kidnapping/captivity
• redemption
• revenge
• taboo

c o n s :
• the number of times i read the fucking word "arsehole"
• christy's defiance ended up getting on my fucking nerves

*this book ended with the mother of all cliffhangers, and i wasted no time diving tf into the second installment of this duet, The Masks and The Dancer.

[Jacki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cool idea for a story, but the writing tried too hard to be poetic and flowery. It was waaay too descriptive. My eyes hurt from rolling them. I even face palmed a time or two…or ten..

This was also soooo repetitive. Nothing happens except for the incessant back and forth of the guys saying “YOU WHILST BOW TO US” and the FMC saying “NEVVVAAAAH! I am sTrOnG and whilst run away and whilst!”I found myself wishing EVERYONE in this book would die. Cheesy and Cringe is how I would describe this book.

Bummer.

Also… I hereby declare that the word “whilst” shall never be used in books ever again. 83 times in ONE book is TOO. MUCH. (And it’s in book two 88 times, Ugh.)

Cool idea, disappointing execution.

[Tash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paige has found her niche and The Dancer and The Masks delivers what readers flock to her for. Engaging dark contemporaries with secrets galore. Paige brings the cruel side of the world in a so raw and honest way and this book doesn't shy away from the dark.
It's part of the allure of this book.
We warned of this story being something out of comfort zone the warning and the triggers alluded to this story being hard hitting and it was to extent. For those truly versed in the dark genre will find this a happy medium.
The story is narrative driven and focus on the character development . You can't settle in and hope for the best as this book is watches and wait. Paige dangles the carrot in front of us , the knowledge that will open the chest that is holding the secret that will tear the Masks apart and give Christy a chance to realise her true potential.

This new series is addicting and allure of this story will have you wanting to devour this book in one sitting. Paige has outdone her self and brought in a new era in her dark contemporaries stories.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally when I read a series I like to wait until the series is completed so then that way I don't have to pause for any amount of time before I read the next book. But I broke my own rules with this one because it seemed very interesting and it actually is. The only complaint I have is that they make all these big trigger warnings and everything and yeah sure I suppose for the faint of heart then there is a few things that might seem triggering however, it's really not that bad. Trust me I have a sick and demented mind sometimes, when I'm thinking of stories and what not to tell people or to write in my journal, so I have to wonder if Miss Paige and I would actually get along. She should be picking my brain for a little while lol. But it is a good series and I totally recommend it.

[Destiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️. So let me start by saying this book is not for the weak. Its a twisted dark why choose romance book obviously. It’s not for people who want a cute romance or a dark scared knight bc you will get none of that in this book. When I tell u this book is fuc*ed up I mean it. And I’m not talking Haunting Adeline fuc*ed up no no no no I’m talking about them ( it’s 3 mmc’s ) literally chaining her to a cross and assault her in a physical and mental way. But it doesn’t end there the bend her over and gave her lashes with a whip normally I wouldn’t say anything against it…but to say it again against her will. Her Injuries were so severe that they had to Stich a couple of them up and they threatened her multiple times with rape. These are just a few scenes of this book but besides that I couldn’t put this book down it was filled with secrets and others things that I stayed for to find out. And this only the first in this duet so sb pray for me and my soul.*And not the author saying there is a ✨HEA✨

[Philomena Callan Cheekypee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read previous books by this author and this is another great read by her.

Literally from start to finish I have been gripped by this story. The storyline is brilliant. Definitely recommend if you like dark stories.

After reading this and that ending I seriously can’t wait to read more.

[#loveagoodbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very dark. Alluring. Gripping.

I couldn't stop reading this. Not sure I'm in knife play 🤔 but as a whole this story is amazing, really well written!!