Violent Delights

by Candace Wondrak

A beast. A beauty. A twisted tale as old as time itself.

My father stole from the devil, and now the devil wants payment: his life. But my father makes a deal and tells the devil he can have my life instead.

Maximus is dark, cold, vicious and violent. His desire is wild and his heart is as black as they come. Pain, pleasure; it’s all the same to the devil himself.

I can’t escape, and the weird thing is, I don’t want to. I might fight, but deep down, I know it right away: the fire is explosive and addictive… and it hurts. Love, hate; it all hurts.

I guess it’s true, what they say.

These violent delights have violent ends.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Retellings, New Adult, Mystery, Enemies To Lovers

284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2021

About the author

Hey guys! I'm a writer, an office worker, a wife, a mother to two dogs and two cats, and half of a strange pair of young adults who flip the houses they're living in with the goal of having no mortgage (so that I can eventually focus on my writing career!). Needless to say, I'm busy.

Still, I somehow find time to write, to read, and to enjoy life. Wish there were more hours in the day, really!

If you're active on Goodreads and have similar interests, friend me. I don't bite. Or if you'd rather follow my reviews, you can do that, too.

Happy reading!

Link to newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dppf_v

Reviews

[Fre06 Begum]

For those of you like me who thought this was M/F monogamous romance like the blurb suggested well just a warning it is NOT! Those like me that don’t like sharing can be saved the disappointment that I felt when I realised where it was heading and had to DNF.I think author should put this fact in her blurb…..but then saying that I know she mostly writes RH romance under this name so maybe I should have known better!

[vxhexn reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Beauty and the Beast is my absolute favorite fairytale. And when I saw this was a dark RH I was all in. Sadly I ended up doing more skimming that reading and still cringed at the story. And the icing in the cake, this is NOT a reverse harem story in my opinion. Maximus allows his two right hand men, his employees since they’re not really friends, to comfort his little bird Bethany with their dicks. Yes she wants it but he has to grant permission. Not how a RH works.

The Beast, Maximus, is not some sexy alpha male. He is a control freak and excessively jealous. What I found ridiculous is he doesn’t want to rape his captive so he seeks permission. Yet he doesn’t ask about birth control and cums in her. He ties her to a bed and has his two friends watch as he has sex with her. He brands her by carving a B on her stomach. And he collars her as a sign of possession and ownership with tracking and shocking as added bonus features. But seriously using her body for his own desires is off limits?

And let me tell you I’ve read some seriously steamy stories with those same elements so it has absolutely nothing to do with the content. It was the main characters unwillingness to claim his evil ways and the constant need to self validate that he wasn’t doing something wrong. I lost count of how many time I rolled my eyes at his internal chest puffing, ego stroking convictions.

Then we have Bethany, our h that is obsessed with getting TV time. She’s so bored she wants a TV not a book. I guess that’s a true representation of a modern day Belle 🥺 at least she wasn’t addicted to TikTok.

𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐕, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦. 𝐍𝐨 𝐓𝐕. ~ 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐬

Funniest thing though, we’re supposed to accept that a woman who shunned the advances of men all her life is suddenly so enamored with the opposite sex that she desires not one but THREE men she doesn’t even know? And all inhibitions are thrown to the wind now that she doesn’t have to take care of the bills or her father? I mean in under 24 hours of being kidnapped she’s railed on a desk by her captor and she damn near thanks him for it.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐈 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠.
𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐬, 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰?


This is the fourth book in the Twisted Tales collection and my first time reading this author. I’ve seen great thing about the books and had high hopes. I don’t know if this is her standard way of writing or there’s something unedited about this manuscript, but there were WAY TOO MANY things I simply could not deal with.

Here are just a few of the things that made me cringe and give up on the story.
🤦🏽‍♀️ who uses AKA and colons (:) in an actual story? These are text shorthand or manual writing. And the COUNTING?!

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞, 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦.  𝙰𝙺𝙰 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝. 

—OR—

𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝. 𝙾𝚗𝚎: 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝚃𝚠𝚘: 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐩, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬. (Psst…that something poking you is called a dick)


🙄 swear we’re older than 12 and can actually sound like grown ups in a book that deals with multiple sexual partners, unprotected sex, murder, and kidnapping. Because you know “like, wow”

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧, 𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧, 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬. 
𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞.
𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐰𝐨𝐰.


🤢 and a few lines after that disastrous “like, wow” still in the middle of a sex scene we were treated to this gem - because you know the sound of mouthwash in someone’s throat makes you want to orgasm

𝐌𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚕𝚎𝚍, 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞.
…
“𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬,” 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝.


🤣 tell me how this wouldn’t piss you off in real life? I mean I’d kick your ass out of bed so fast. You need me NOW yet you stop to basically go do the goddamn laundry?! Come on if it’s NOW that means you keep your clothes on, pull your dick out, get to fucking.

𝐅𝐮𝐜𝐤. 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐨𝐰.
𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝, 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝. 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭, 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭. (Wait…he stopped for INDIVIDUAL buttons)

𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟, 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐭. (Why TF are you talking about folding a shirt!!)

𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐨𝐨, 𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐬. (🤦🏽‍♀️ now I don’t give AF if you wanted to dick anyone. Arousal killed. Because “like, wow” he did the most unsexy strip tease ever).



𝓋𝓍𝒽𝑒𝓍𝓃 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓈
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🖤Sugar Wood by Brynn Ford - Hansel and Gretel (MF)
🖤Serpent in White by Nyla K. - The White Snake (MMM+F)
🖤Snowflakes and Secrets by L.J. Findlay - Sleeping Beauty (MF)
➡️Violent Delights: Part of the A Death So Sweet universe by Candace Wondrak - Beauty and the Beast (MF+MFM)
🖤Gilded Cage by C. Lymari - Rumplestiltskin
🖤Obsidian Star by A.J. Wolf - Tinkerbell & Hook (MF)
🖤1/14 - Arabian Nights by Ella Burns - Aladdin
🖤1/28 - Poisoned Throne by Nikita - Snow White
🖤1/30 - Echoes of Silence by Indie Black - The Ugly Duckling
🖤TBD - Lake of Depravity by Bree Porter - Swan Lake
🖤TBD - Frost by Liza James - Snow Queen

[SCBookAddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

Violent Delights is a dark, twisted spin on Beauty and the Beast.

It has the Beast, his meddling minions, the father that gets in trouble and the heroine that will do anything to save her father from the clutches of the Beast.

However, where Lumiere and Cogsworth meddled, Lennox and Caleb also like to sample what the beauty is offering.

I was torn with this one. The Beast, Lennox and Caleb were easy to read. However, I just couldn't connect with Bethany. She starts off sheltered and immediately has this dark side that was there all along??? It was hard because there was very little transitioning between who she was at the beginning to who she was a day or two after she's been held captive. Maybe had this been a longer story, there could have been better character development for Bethany.

I will say that this has some very delicious scenes.

[Jena]

Rh romance. Sharing. Not my jam.

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violent Delights by Candace Wondrak is an extremely twisted and smart retelling of the age old favourite The Beauty and the Beast. It has some amazing dark antihero beauty and an equally dazzling and sweet heroine. It was dirty and depraved with violence and darkness in every page.

When Bethany enters the luxurious dark mansion stealthily in search of her missing father, she didn't know about the Beast residing there. Maximus is the epitome of antihero who literally curves out the flesh of his enemies with his silver gloves with claws. He is part of the powerful and corrupt mafia world. Lennox and Caleb are his right hand men and have an edgy personality too. Bethany volunteered to be a captive if Maximus let his father go. He thought he will torture her as punishment of her father trying to steal information from him. But they are oddly fascinated and intrigued by her light.
.
So who knew beauty and the beast can be turned into a dark reverse harem mafia romance? And yet it did. The author made it sure. Maximus is my favourite. He is explosive and arrogant and dangerous and oh so delicious. Lennox and Caleb are somehow balancing his extreme darkness with their grey shades. Bethany may be sweet and naive but she had some filthy forbidden desires dormant and these men woke her up. I liked how the story revolved around the evolution of their chemistry and partnership. From deviant passion to soul deep love. I would have loved to see a bit more of Maximus' work and the mafia battle side those were hinted at. Bethany brought colour and joy in the dark lives of these men. While they made her their queen.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[The Romantic Rush Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am just enamoured with steamy fairy tell retellings, particularly those that reinvent the original with a dark, original, and edgy charisma- and Candace Wonderak has done just that with Violent Delights. Taking the much beloved Beauty and the Beast and transforming it into yummy, twisted, and highly entertaining mafia-infused reverse harem take.

The framing of the original story is all still here- as our innocent heroine Bethany finds herself in the clutches of the beast while on her quest to find her missing father. Stumbling upon his lavish mansion, Bethany encounters a beast far more grotesque and intimidating than the cuddly Disney version- with a highly original set of claws. And with the beastly Maximus comes with two dark allies- Lennox and Caleb. They agree for the familiar father-daughter trade, leaving Bethany a the mercy of these three dark and depraved men, who want to torture her and yet are enthralled.

This story is deliciously dark and twisted- and we have a super yummy beast in Maximus. Unlike a traditional RH, this didn’t feel like much of an equal partnership due the power dynamics, and I appreciated how that element shaped the story, in part because Maximus was by far the most interesting and yummy of the three. Talk about dominating and ruthless alpha. And I loved that our belle Bethany ends up being a bit naugthy. We’ve got some great chemistry and lots of steamy fun. Definitely a steamy and erotic update to the tale as old as time.

[Danyelle Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retelling of a classic but with more blood

Retellings are hit and miss for me. This one was in the middle-ish to closer to a hit for me.

Bethany (the beauty) ventures into The Beasts- Maximus layer and winds up caught in his claws but it might also be the opposite. I really like Bethany (hopefully we get a follow up to see more about how she evolves in the future). Maximum was kinda eh for me. I didn't really feel too connected to him, I did like when the Beast came out.

Now Lennox and Caleb I loved the dynamic between the two, the differences between the two really worked. I liked how the realtionship between them and Bethany evolved throughout the book.

Looking forward to seeing what happens with these in hopefully future books.

[TheBookPlatypus · Rating 1 out of 5]

…. Where do I begin?
Zero character build up.
Zero world build up.
Zero relationship build up.

You’re kidnapped. You immediately like it. Less responsibilities the heroine says. WTF.

Kept hostage by a man that calls himself Beast that loves to wear claws to torture… but hey.
You don’t care. He only nearly killed your father. Let me fingerbang myself in the bathrub thinking of the Beast already.
Oh and the two stooges that are “the beasts” right hand men?! FUCKING CRINGE WORTHY.
The heroine is apparently a quite and meek girl but the second she’s kidnapped, she drops her towel after said bath and walks naked right in front of them both. She likes them looking. 😑
Sigh.
She messes with all three guys.
It’s a hot mess of book.
I guess you can call it Stockholm syndrome but it happened SO fast.
I can’t with the zero buildup.
The storyline is so weak, I don’t even know what else to say.
Bethany is put in a collar. I wouldn’t say this book is kinky.
It’s RH towards the end but not a healthy RH. The “beast” is super jealous and only allows the other men with her because they make her happy.

Insta feelings/love. I was warned this book is super dark. It’s more of a faded rainbow on my scale. Subpar writing.
1/5⭐️

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Candace’s unique take of Beauty and the Beast. It’s somewhat dark, a lot of broody and has the perfect amount of tension and spice.
I adored Bethany. This young woman handled a ton of things, being more of a parent to her Dad than he is to her and attending college. The way she admitted truth to her naivete, she faced things with no fear just curiosity and question, and her bravery and loyalty - all of it made me like her more.
Maximus is man of few emotions - brooding, angry and rage - but when Bethany charged into his life, he changed. This man intrigued me from the beginning, how he was so calculating and powerful yet so cold.
I can’t leave out Lennox and Caleb, these two are like night and day. I loved their banter and how they cared for Bethany just as much as their boss did.
This group together? The tension was so thick that I felt I could it with a knife and I savored every single word because when it all snapped it was hotter than Hades in July.
Candace wove the plot and the personalities of every single character together flawlessly. It’s not too dark, but not all rainbows and butterflies. I loved how she made the heroine naive but not stupid and how everyone grew thru out the story. She added just the right of humor (thank you Lennox and Caleb) with all the angst between Bethany and Maximus. And the spice that was added is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥!
Hands down my favorite take on Beauty and the Beast that I have read and I look forward to reading more of Candace’s works.

[dais · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark twisted romance and a beauty and the beast retelling?! everything I love in one book.
I’ve loved Disney since I was a kid and beauty & the beast is one of my all time faves. I loved the similarities between this story and the original story. It’s filled with spice, tension, gore, and thrilling plot twists. The story of beauty and the beast is one that you won’t want to put down or end. I’ve only just finished it and I already want more. I want to know if beauty gets her own claws and joins in on the thrilling, violent activities that the beast gets up too.
This isn’t like any reverse harem I’ve ever read, the relationship between each of the guys is straight up crazy, I mean they’re all killers and they tortured and try to kill her dad… in the beginning she was scared, shy and didn’t really stand up for herself but she grew a backbone and she proved to the guys that she was a lot stronger than they believed. She wasn’t scared anymore, she bathed in their darkness and owned that she loved them regardless. I loved all of their character growth throughout this story.
“You each have a piece of my heart, and I'm never taking those pieces back." 🥹

[DarkNdTwistyReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I signed up for this ARC as soon as I saw Candace was a part of the Twisted Tales collection.
Not only do I love her writing, but I feel like Her, and this collection is a match made in Twisted Heaven.
Violent Delights is a darker version of Beauty and the Beast, and it’s definitely not approved by Disney.
It’s pretty parallel to the original storyline, but you’ll love the deviations.

If you’ve watched the movie, you don’t really need a recap of this whole story, but I’ll mention some of my favorite details below.

Reverse Harem
Jealous Possessive Anti-hero
Virgin FMC
MFM
Collard and Restrained

"The Beast would eventually come out and play, and I’d mar up that pretty skin of hers with my claws."

“ Yes,you are the Boss’s girl, the Beast’s Beauty, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be mine, too. The Boss likes me. I think he’ll share—”

"I was going to take life by the balls, hold on for dear life, and never let go. I didn’t know where it would take me, where it would lead me, but it didn’t matter."

If you’re looking for a steamy retelling of your favorite fairy tale, I would highly recommend reading Violent Delights.

[ReadonReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deliciously dark take on Beauty and the Beast. This book takes you for a ride on the darker side of things when you met Maximus aka the Beast he is the epitome of twisted when from page one we see take his prized possession his claw and starts to torture Bethany’s father. This story pretty much follows the storyline in the fairytale except with darker themes. I really enjoyed this and the depravity of the beast he was so twisted yet for Bethany he showed just a tiny flicker of a softer side. I really did enjoy this the only thing is with most RH’s the love is spread equally and I felt as if Maximus was too much of an alpha dominating to share his little bird and he even said he didn’t want to but she still asked for it anyways and anytime they were together Maximus was always a voyeur and still hated the fact he had to share her and even though she said she loved them all I felt her love pulled more for Maximus than anyone. Overall a great take on this classic and I can’t wait to read more about Fang.

[Live, Laugh, Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a tale as old as time, and this dark and twisty take on beauty and the beast will have you wanting more.

[Kasumatata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding retelling

Candace Wondrak excels once again in writing a twisted retelling of the Beauty and the Beast. This is a great standalone that I tore through (pun intended) in a few hours.

Wondrak does dark romance in a way you would be buried by red flags in real life, but in fiction we can just get away with falling for the bad guys.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just absolutely terrible writing. No seasoning, just Cogsworth and Lumiere fan fic with a judgemental, immature MC. I have read worse, but would have DNF’d if not for a book club discussion. It’s…bad, y’all.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

My father stole from the devil, and now the devil wants payment: his life. But my father makes a deal and tells the devil he can have my life instead. Maximus is dark, cold, vicious and violent. His desire is wild and his heart is as black as they come. Pain, pleasure, it's all the same to the devil himself. I can't escape, and the weird thing is, I don't want to. I might fight, but deep down, I know it right away: the fire is explosive and addictive...and it hurts. Love, hate; it all hurts. I guess it's true what they say. The violent delights have violent ends.

This is a dark romance and a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It will contains triggers for some people and you will want to heed the authors warnings.
This is the story of Maximus and Bethany. She is a girl who is super smart, a great student and a girl who keeps her head down and does not go to parties or out on dates. It isn't that she has had a very sheltered life but it is more about her not wanting to turn out like her mom who like the drinks and drugs a little to much and left her as a baby for her dad to raise all alone. She also has a job she works to help her dad. To say her dad is dependent on her is a understatement. She does everything for the man and it isn't unusual for him to be gone for a few days and have not contact with Bethany. But on one certain day he doesn't come home and she has a really bad feeling. Her gut is telling her that something is wrong and she sets out to find him. Find him she does and not in the greatest of positions and she should have listened when her dad told her to run. But she couldn't. After all he is the only family that she has and she would do anything for him so she agrees to take his place in this huge house with this man who it appears has not soul. He is after all a very scary guy who she has seen what the man can do and have no remorse about it at all. But he locks her in a room in his house and there she is to stay but she also connects with the men how help him with his business. Lennox and Caleb and you are going to really really fall for Lennox and it just takes a little more time to get to know Caleb. I have to say Lennox was the comedian of the two and he has such a big heart and a huge attraction to Bethany. I really wasn't expecting what I got out of these two but I really loved it and what it added to the book. After all when the Beast takes you and you find out lots of things for him as times goes on you would need a Lennox and Caleb too. But Maximus just not be the cold, cruel, claw loving, crazy collector of things that he appear to be and if anyone can pull him out of his head and makes him see it is Bethany.
I really could go on and on about this book but if I keep typing I am going to really spoil this book. I love talking about books I loved with everyone and I could really tell you some things about this one. But alas, I will not do that. I am just going to tell you that you think you know what to expect from a retelling of Beauty and the Beast but you are going to be wrong. It is dark and twisty and there are surprises in the book and as crazy as it sounds I am a huge fan of Maximus. I could have read this story for hours more and was so sad when it was over. I thought it was a really great story and if you love dark romances you do not want to miss this one. And can I just say that I'm not usually a look at that cover kind of girl but this one is amazing. I love it and once you read the story you will see how perfectly it fits. I also have to say this is my first time reading Candace Wondrak and I really loved her writing style and the way she wove this tale so greatly that I felt like I was in the world she had created for The Beast and Bethany. This for sure will not be my last read by this author and The Beast just might have a brother named Fang that I am dying to know more about.

[Maddie (Bookaholic_Dreamer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violent Delight was a seriously dark, depraved and twisted retelling of Beauty and The Beast. Leading you on a deeply wicked, sick, messed up and sadistic journey that Candace Wondrak told through the dual perspective of Bethany ‘Beauty’ and Maximus ‘The Beast’.

I have to say I enjoyed Violent Delight, it definitely met my expectations when it came to being a twisted fairytale retelling. And that’s not including all of the inky, sick and evil craziness that occurred throughout. While it stayed true to Beauty and The Beast with the characters, I loved that Candace still managed to put her own spin on it with some of the other characters and the things that take place, which I won’t say because of spoilers. But know that it's what added the element of mystery and surprise from it being unanticipated.

Bethany ‘Beauty’ and Maximus ‘The Beast’ were the perfect match. I loved that they brought out different sides to each other that they didn’t think they had or anticipated with the blooming of their relationship. At the same time they helped each other to evolve and grow, which brought them closer together. And I was all here for that.
In all honesty, Maximus ‘The Beast’ is the main reason I enjoyed the story, in fact he stole the show IMO, from the get go he had me intrigued with wanting to dive into the depths of his character as the story unfolded. Considering the type of person Maximus is shown as being along the way through the showcasing of the acts of terror he displays, he completely epitomised ‘The Beast’ to the nines. In fact he is how I would imagine the real ‘Beast’ would be like in an darker adult version of Beauty and The Beast.

While I was absolutely enjoying the story as it progressed. When it came to the last few chapters, it ended up being a bit of a letdown to me.
There was no real crescendo build up leading to the ultimate climax. And even then the climax wasn’t what I envisioned it to be, mainly because it wasn't shocking and there didn’t seem to be any big explosion from the outcome of it.
The majority of the book in comparison to the last couple of chapters just didn’t measure up with the rest of the story on a whole IMO. It just felt like to me, the author wasn’t sure what or which direction to take it, resulting in a rushed and fizzled out ending altogether.

However with that said, I enjoyed reading Violent Delights overall and would have to say Candace Wondrak still managed to win me over as a reader.



*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern and dark Beauty and The Beast story

I’ll admit, Beauty and the Beast was my all time favorite Disney movie growing up so to hear that one of my favorite authors would be tackling this “tale as old time” with her infamous dark twists, I was all kinds of excited. Candace did not disappoint. Like a lot of her books, this one does take place within the same universe as most of her other books with a cameo here and there but it is still able to be read as a stand-alone without losing the plot if the other books haven’t been read yet.

The parallels between this story and the fairy tale were pretty apparent yet with modern twists. The different characters from the fairy tale, certain phrases, specific scenarios like the dinner, and the final climax were all nods to the fairy tale. My only complaint is the lack of a library or the female character’s love for reading and books. It was twisted into education, learning, and abstinence from anything that could be addictive. At least that’s how I interpreted it. I also felt like the characters really didn’t do anything that made me believe the love that grew quickly between them.

Overall, I didn’t get the feeling that Bethany was a modern version of Belle and showed the Beast that he didn’t need to be the fearsome monster all the time. I think the build up of the love between the 2 of them could have been better but that’s just my opinion. That’s the problem with writing fairy tale twists, us as readers have certain expectations because it’s a story we already know and love so it’s hard for the author to meet everyone’s expectations and standards.

Regardless, I still enjoyed the story even though it isn’t necessarily my favorite from this author but it’s still a good read. I encourage anyone who enjoys dark contemporary romances with RH, crime lord/mafia vibes, and delicious steam to pick this one up.

[Rebecca Carsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastically Twisted Beauty and The Beast Retelling ❤️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review

Another Candace Wondrak masterpiece!! I have yet to read a book by Candace I did not love. Her books always leave you feeling devastatingly satisfied!! This a dark and deliciously twisted Beauty and The Beast fairytale retelling.

Bethany knew her father was not getting them by legally but she loved him all the same. So when the night came that he did not return home after a job she tracked him down. Finding him hurt and broken by A Beast of a man, she did the one thing she knew would keep him quiet and safe, she traded her life for his.

Maximus, Lennox, and Caleb are family not by blood but by Loyalty which is all you really need when you are a Crime Boss in the criminal underworld. What they share in business they also share in life….even if the Beast struggles to share a certain ‘little bird’ in a gilded cage. Maximus may be a beast but he does have a softer side. This is a RH tale so Bethany will not have to choose between these three men. And of course there’s a HEA!!

If you love Alpha Males and Strong willed selfless women with all the dark depraved feels you definitely need to read this. Its hot and steamy, with violence, blood, and lots of twists and turns. Please be aware of TW!! I highly recommend this book!!

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spice is Nice

Violent Delights has more pros than cons, and the spice was quite nice.

The fact Candace kept at least the first letter of each main character the same helped my brain make the connections between the two stories.
Making her father a thief rather than an inventor, it worked. Especially in the grand scheme of the new version. Although, I’m still curious about what happened to him after he was released and how he healed. Either it brushed over that explanation, or it was in pages I jumped over.
That’s one con, I found myself jumping pages wanting to get to the next big event.
Having her with C, L, and Beast? Gold! I loved how that all played out. Even the fact Beast hates to share, and never grows out of it, just accepts that it is what it is. Matches his character to a T.
Gunner on the other hand, I don’t think he went far ENOUGH to be a true Gaston. He had some solid moments, but it could’ve gone further to have him push others to do his deeds for him, or to show how much of a true coward he is. Not bad though.
The “forbidden” room, oooo I was fascinated by that. And the reveal lead to a very well written spicy scene. Knowing Beast was able to hear the whole thing, but understanding the fact he couldn’t/didn’t want to be there for her, allowing C and L to care for her in his absence? Ooooo amazing.

Overall. Solid book.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violent Delights by Candace Wondrak is my first read by this author. It’s a dark read with a contemporary take on Beauty and the Beast. It is not your average romance and if you don’t like yours with a bite , this may not be the read for you. Under Maximus roof Bethany blossoms. She looses all her inhibitions and we have a front row seat to the absolute destruction that she craves.

The Beast- Maximus, older, rich and downright vicious. The Beauty- Bethany, college student, raised by her father, independent and focused.

When her father finds himself on the other end of the Beast’s deadly glove, she offers a trade, herself. She will stay and her father will keep the information he stole to himself.

Bethany has lived a quiet life, but under Maximus’ roof her thoughts go to dark, taboo places. She is drawn to Maximus. And, surrounded by men who make her imagination go wild and her body have a kind of its own.

Maximus finds himself wanting to make Bethany his in every way. He could tell they were kindred spirits.

Maximus wants all she has, but keeps a part of himself hidden from her. Bethany is determined to break thru all of his walls. And, wanting nothing more than to see his little bird soar, he will give into her every desire.

[One Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'm not afraid of you."
...
"You should be. They call me Beast for a reason."

The book starts out like the film and Beth our Beauty isn't liked by people. She hard working student and she has no friends but she did try. Gunner is Gaston who wants her but she doesn't and his role in the story...no spoilers. Her dad is a theif and he threaten the Beast to turn him over to the FBI then Beth came to save her dad from him by othering herself and her dad will stay quiet as long she is still alive in his care...no spoilers

The Beast is called Maximus and he loves ripping people apart. Lennox and Caled work with him and are like him not afraid to get bloody too. They have a big part in the story too that I didn't see coming...no spoilers

"This cage did not drip gold. No, if it dripped anything it be dripped with blood" He calls her little bird and he notice her beauty straight away.

Maximus loved her in that yellow dress 💛 that is one of my fav scenes in the book and the Beauty and the Beast movies

Now this book was a surpise and this book has action, blood and suspense. This book is dark mafia romance and there is a few other things too

☆MUST READ☆

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not a surprise I love this, considering I've read and loved everything by this author. This twisted tales collection is really bringing out the best in all of the authors included and is darkening up all the fairy tales from our childhood.

Candace does fascinating RH dynamics, they are a little out of the norm of most RH, and this tale is no exception. She does major power struggle RH dynamics with one of the men being in charge and the others learning how to work with his power dynamic. First, we have Maximus (the Beast) and then his men (not in the sexual sense, as employees), Caleb, and Lennox. Of course, Beth falls for them all, despite their twistedness.

I love how well the book followed the tale we all know and love while also forging its own path. Out of all of the Twisted Tales I have read so far, this one follows the closest to the original tale. Because of this, you knew how many of the major plot points were going to play out; as you were reading, you didn't feel like it was spoiled because she really made them her own.

[Katiesbookland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: Violent Delights
(A Twisted Tells Novel)
By: Candace Wondrak
Stars: 5/5.
ARC Copy.

A beast. A beauty. A twisted tale as old as time itself.


The Twisted Tells Collection just keeps getting better and better! Candace Wondrak's Twisted Tell Novel Retelling is Beauty and the Beast.

I loved this book very much, it was a interesting twist of beauty and the beast. Not exactly what I was expecting. But in a good way.

This is my first book by this author. I liked her wrighting style very much. Her characters were just amazing. Bethany was a very likeable and indearing character. The love she had for her father was just beautiful and the relationships she formed with her men was simply amazing.

Maximus was a very interesting character as well. He's A very dark and cruel person, hints The Beast. And he pretty much stays that way all through this book. But he has his nice moments too.

This book was just amazing and I would recommend anyone to read it!

[Rachel (rachellynnreadss🪩🩵) Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how I love me some dark retellings. I seriously can’t get enough of them & Candace of course crushed it! Bethany & her men gave us a dark twisted love story to devour! This is a take on Beauty & The Beast plus RH… I mean how can you not love that? There were some aspects that I wish were done in a bit more detail & not as rushed, but overall I really enjoyed these characters. I did think the dynamic was a little off with the group. Maximus is a very alpha man & he made it clear he wasn’t happy about having to share her. I always felt like it was more Maximus & Bethany plus some added men for fun. Idk I just wish the emotions were split evenly & we weren’t given such a big push towards Maximus & his possessiveness of wanting her to himself.

The spice was amazing as always with Candace! The plot intrigued me, I was never bored & always wondering how everything was going to play out. Overall I enjoyed this book & if you’re in the mood for an RH beauty & the beast… this is your book!

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violent Delights is definitely a new twist on Beauty and the Beast, but I'm not going to really talk about it since it's more fun to discover it all for yourselves. Maximus is our beast, and he's a dark man who is part of the mafia world. Bethany braves the beast when she comes to help get her father out of Maximus' clutches, but it will come at the cost of herself. He plans to torture her for fun but the best laid plans amirite?! Somehow these dark men are captivated by our beauty's light so things take a different turn. Now this isn't the type of book I usually read since I don't like to share my toys, but I went with it anyway, and it was a good story which was impossible to put down. My biggest issue was how Maximus was an alpha through & through except in one big situation so it was a bit off for me. Please understand this is only my opinion not fact, so decide for yourselves by hitting those one click buttons as I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[•Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars!!

Being new to Ms.Wondrak's work i've been wanting to pick up her books for quite some time now. As soon as i found out about this Twisted Tales book i could not contain my excitement for it! I knew i had to read it first and picked it up as soon as i could. I really enjoyed Violent Delights!

I love Beauty and the Beast so i couldn't wait to get into this retelling! Bethany (Beauty) and Maximus's (Beast) journey pulled me in right from the very beginning! I loved how it kept me glued to my kindle wondering what all was going to happen with these characters. I so enjoyed the RH aspect of it as well!

With Violent Delights, Ms.Wondrak has created a great and dark read that'll hook you quickly! I am kicking myself for not having picked up her work sooner but i am so glad that i got to with this book! I can't wait to read more of her books in the near future!




*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Wildfire Marketing Solutions / the author*

[Little monster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a wonderful take on the classic Beauty and the Beast story, and I've read a lot of takes on this and this one has to one of the more darker takes on the story.

Maximus, he is dark and twisted from the get go. Bethany comes home one day and can't find her father, she follows him from his tracker on his phone to a creepy mansion. This is where she finds him but also finds Maximus!!!! The book then pretty much follows the original take on the fairytale, but just so much more darker and let me tell you it's deliciously darker!!!! I really enjoyed this so much as I like my books dark and depraved and this is no exception!!! Maximus is so harsh and cold but he shows a softer side towards Bethany.

This is my first book by this author and I have to say I will definitely be reading more. This is a fantastic dark retelling of a classic fairytale, I couldn't fault it. It has many triggers and it does get very very dark at certain points but honestly I loved it!!!!!

[Renee (ren213) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So… this book was like a mini Desecration of Innocence series. Maximus is Markus Scott and Bethany is Juliet. Bethany/Juliet are both raised by their single dad who is a total criminal for their entire lives and they have no clue. His screw up with Maximus/Markus get Bethany/Juliet taken and held captive by Markus/Max. Beth/Jul go from total innocent, don’t have anything to do with boys at like 20 years old to uber sex confident, orgasm-seeking, cock hounds overnight.
Even the scene where Beth/Jul goes into Markus/Max’s office all nonchalant to announce that they have feelings for the big boss’ goons and wants to bang them was basically copy/paste.

For a minute I thought I was losing my flingin flangin mind and that there was some sort of glitch in the matrix when I was reading this. *This* is the kind of fuckin thing *I* need a trigger warning for.

[Samantha Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another amazing book from Candace!!! I will always 1 click anything with her name on it!!!

As soon as I saw this was a modern Beauty and the Beast retelling, I knew I had to read it, and I was not disappointed!! Bethany comes home from college, and can't find get dad. She follows the tracker on his phone to a creepy mansion and when she finds him, he isn't in good shape and he tells her to get out of there. This is where she meets The Beast, as she trades places with her father. She is stuck with The Beast ( Maximus), Caleb and Lennox(the beasts right hand men). I don't wanna give any spoilers, so I will stop there, but this book is a must read!!!

I absolutely loved this book!!! Candace is a freaking Queen and I love her writing!! Read this book as soon as it comes out!!!!!