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I thought that I was broken before, but my damage never tasted as bitter as this.

The Harlequin boys are more than just a memory now. More than a daydream of our youth and an idea to cling onto.

They’re my greatest weakness and my biggest regret, but I’ve started to realise that coming back to Sunset Cove was always my fate.

My heart beats to the turn of the tide here. My skin only warms beneath this sun. And my soul will only ever be home on these streets and with the men who grew out of my memories.

But nothing is the same as I remember and the time for childish games is coming to an end.

I may want to pretend that the last ten years never happened, but the nightmare I lost myself in has followed me home and I can’t keep ignoring the things I once did to survive.

The question is, will my mistakes be the end of me and my boys? Will the choices I made then change everything now?
And will the life I never wanted steal away my only chance at the life I’m afraid to wish for?

This is an enemies to lovers contemporary series where the girl will end up with multiple love interests and all of the characters are in their late twenties. Trigger warning: this series features gangs, violence, dark romance and jealous/possessive themes.

449 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2021

1516 people are currently reading
7083 people want to read

About the author

Caroline Peckham

119 books29.3k followers
I'm a #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Zodiac Academy series. I write all things dark romance, from fantasy to contemporary, high school bully to mafia, there's bound to be a book for you!

Me and my sister Susanne Valenti now write books together and we've built the most amazing, fun, crazy reader group on Facebook which we would LOVE you to join. Be the first to get teasers of upcoming books, plus interact with us daily, asks us questions, make friends with other book junkies and find your reader home.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 894 reviews
Profile Image for ✧ FLINN ✧ (Semi-Hiatus).
562 reviews119 followers
September 29, 2021
I thought it’ll be the last and final book and snap, it’s not. I lied, I don’t care that much about that story and these characters. Rogue is so despicable, to the point where it just sour the entire series in my eyes. Everyone is so dumb, and the-little-girl-still-rehearsing-still-living-in-the-past trope is annoying. Rogue is immature, she’s making dumb decisions and she doesn’t evolves. After 3 books it get old pretty fast, I do care about the guys though, but Rogue is one of the worst female heroine I’ve ever read IMO. I just can’t deal with her…This series has a lot of potential but frankly nothing really happens in almost the entire book and then the authors just put a little cliffhanger at the end in order you know, to pick your interest ( that's what happenned with the first 2 books) and when you follow through you noticed that it still the same plot rehearsed again and again! Nothing really happens. I’m out, I’ll not pick up any of the following novels and I knew I should’ve stopped after the mediocre that was the first one, I wanted to believe in the hype but as usual I’m pretty disappointed.

Skimming and skimming, finally DNFing this around 60%
Profile Image for Poppyflowerjj.
266 reviews
February 20, 2023
4/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️

This is a story of betrayal, revenge, shattered souls and guarded hearts set in a coastal beachside town ruled by vicious gangs. The writing is done well, the characters layered, and it's told in multi-POV. There are no words for the amount of darkness, depravity, and delicious lust happening in this book. It was the best book in the series by far. My heart was pounding by the ending I can't believe Rogue did that. WTF GIRL. WTF. This book had so much drama in it. Chase…he went through all that to be treated like THAT AT THE END?! Second, I can’t believe the stupid boys believe it. UGH.

Quotes:
"The past is already written," I muttered. "And the future is out of our hands. All we have is right now."

“If the sun rises tomorrow, we’ll watch it together,” she said breathily. “And if it doesn’t, we’ll fall into the dark hand in hand, Maverick Stone. So don’t you dare run away from me.”

"Even poison can taste sweet at first," I said in a low voice. "But it will still kill you in the end."

“People aren't always as they seem on the outside, Luther," I said, glancing up at him. "Maybe I smile a lot and crack jokes and try to make the best of things, but that doesn't mean I'm not all fucked up inside.”

..
Profile Image for Marti .
281 reviews179 followers
October 5, 2023
Did I expect any less than a gut-wrenching cliffhanger? No.
Was it fucking awful? Yes.

These authors are psychopaths and I fucking love it.
I don't see a ton of people talking about this series. Everyone should read it and cry with me.

I thought the previous books had bad endings, but this one was brutal.
I even felt slightly sorry for Fox, even if I hate him most of the time.

Maverick is the king of my everything and I love him so much. I feel like I understand every psychotic thing he does, and how could the others not see it? Obviously, he was trying to help... Oh well.
Everything will be fine in the end.

I think.
Profile Image for Tasha.
125 reviews435 followers
July 1, 2021
I don't even know what to say anymore at this point, this series continues to be my favorite reverse harem and this book did not disappoint. With each book its just getting darker and darker and I absolutely love it! Chase, man. He does not have a good time in this book. We all begged and pleaded with C&S from him to get his after what he did to Rogue but damn I was not expecting that. It was brutal. But I understand why they did it. Maverick continues to be my favorite, his humor and wit slay me. I know all the guys are still salty with each other but every once and a while you can see their old friendship slip in and its great to see. I cant wait till we get to see that in full force at the end of the series. The vibes in this book are so great for me, I love the beachy/surfer feel that flips on a dime to the gritty gangster aspects. Tatum and her boys have cameos again and its seriously one of my favorite parts. I absolutely love that C&S connect the stories like that. I love getting a glimpse of characters I love so much from their other books. I also love that they reference their own books in this serious! Its friggin' hilarious! Ok Ok, I'm gonna stop, cause I cold seriously talk about this serious and these authors all day! Please just read this series! They are so worth you time and love!
Profile Image for meg • unpolished.books.
186 reviews37 followers
April 27, 2022
i... i think i'm numb? like i actually don't even know what to say in this review without spoiling too much or only spouting obscenities. i mean... wow okay, caroline and susanne really know how to pack the punch into a book. my favorite thing about this series is how GOOD the HURT is. when a book can make my heart clench and eyes water every other page, its almost guaranteed to be an auto five stars from me--and this book is a definite FIVE STARS. it was way too good for how heartbreaking it was.

ROGUE, my girl rogue. she's just trying to live her best life, clinging to the memories of the boys she loves so deeply, trying to bring them back together as they are now. its their history that makes everything hurt so, so bad. this book dove even deeper into who she became with f*cking shawn and hoooo boy the thought of it brings out the violence in me.

my boy CHASE!! he did not deserve a single thing that happened to him in this book. he deserved a good punch or two but not... whatever the heck that was. and my baby JJ...my poor baby JJ...i don't even know what to say, he was ALMOST perfect in this book and that tears me up inside for how things worked out. rick and fox need to WORK OUT THEIR SH*T against each other because, like rogue, i'm TIRED OF IT. i have not been the biggest fox fan up to now but now i just feel bad for him and i want him to be happy.

and luther. i actually like luther a lot and i SWEAR to the STARS--nope not gonna get into that. daddy luther supremacy.

all i have to say now is DON'T GIVE UP BOYS SHE'S LYING!!! and i wish f*cking shawn slept on a bed of legos and had one of those alarm clocks that roll around and make you chase it. and that his floor was made of hot coals. and mutt's sh*t. mutt's sh*t cooking on the hot coals. i need book 4 yesterday please.
Profile Image for Watch Jamie Read.
928 reviews5 followers
July 1, 2021
“Boys were so dumb sometimes.”

A lot happens in this book, but also, nothing happens in this book. I feel like we’re listening to a broken record of Rogue being a curse and downfall to everyone, Chase not being good enough, Rick being evil, Fox being demanding, and JJ puppy dogging after Rogue. The plot doesn’t progress much, even in relation to Rogue’s many relationships. I get that Rogue was done wrong by the boys and Luther, but come on already! I need some character progression and evolution from her. I’m sick of hearing her long winded speeches of why she can’t love Fox or commit to anyone or anything except Mutt. I enjoyed the little plot that was there. I liked that they finally gave you a glimpse, however minuscule, as to what is in the crypt. But I’m mostly bothered that this crypt, that supposedly holds life or death for them, is completely nonexistent and no longer holds part in the overall plot, except at the very end. Can we please see some evolution in Rogue? And can she please just get with Fox already? Cut the boy some slack and give him a break. I hated the ending. I hated Rogue and I’m beginning to think I’ll never like her.
Profile Image for Redhead Haze.
277 reviews677 followers
April 11, 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance, NA
Tropes: RH, revenge quest, childhood friends, enemies to lovers, gang wars
Series: The Harlequin Crew #3
Cliffhanger: Yes
Trigger Warnings: death, violence, torture
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Spice: 5/5 🌶

“-you’d actually rather have a cabbage for a head than a potato?” Rogue scoffed.
“Potatoes have no personality,” JJ argued. “At least a cabbage has a bit of flare about it.”


Oh, come on!!! What's with that ending? Catastrophic on all fronts, really?? I loved this book because it had enough Easter eggs and emotions to make it devour it, but the ending is just dreadful. I'm definitely happy the next book is out and I won't have to wait for it. I liked the dynamics between the characters, the little twists and turns and especially the moments some truths came to light.

》》The Plot 《《

Well, with Rogue sworn in as both a Harlequin and a Damned Man, with Chase taken hostage by Shawn and with everything ending the way it did, this book could have been packed with action. There were a few unpredictable twists that made me go like "whoops, that took a turn" and I was particularly happy to see some secrets and truths being shared, even when the outcome wasn't exactly the best one.

“I’d never wanna be a stinky dude. I mean, you guys are okay, but most guys are so hairy and sweaty and ew.”
“I pray your opinion on that never changes,” Fox muttered as Rogue got into his truck so she didn’t hear it.


I feel like JJ and Maverick had a good development for their relationship, Chase fully earned his redemption, Rogue keeps being a little damaged and on self sacrifice mode and Fox is still too overprotective and controlling (but I secretly hope this will change in the next book). Also, my mixed feelings for Luther have turned to complete sympathy, I'm simping over every moment with KoQ crossovers, I love Carmen's character and I'm ready to see fucking Shawn being punished.

》》Characters and Relationships《《

🌈🧑🏻‍💼Rogue and Maverick

"I love you, Maverick," I gasped as his mouth moved down my neck and our bodies tangled as one.
He fell still at my words, lifting his head and meeting my eyes with such weighted emotion that I could barely look at it.
"I'm yours, beautiful," he replied darkly. "Take me, own me, use me, destroy me. Anything you like, everything you want. Just don't ever leave me again."


I feel like they were the least complicated. They fell into each other’s arms and sort of understood and accepted everything about each other. The fact that they both felt like outcasts definitely helped, and, along the way, their relationship just got better.

“Dammit, beautiful,” I sighed. “I think you just swallowed my heart.”
She chuckled, stepping back and rubbing her stomach. “Is that what that was? Tasted like a peach.”


They had cute moments too, but I love how their relationship doesn't have any drama. They just work. Rogue makes Maverick vulnerable again, helping him with all the trauma from the past and, in return, he helps her piece her broken bits back togheter.

🌈🧑🏽Rogue and JJ

"I'm not giving this up for anything, J," I promised him, pushing my fingers into his hair and breathing him in. "You're my sunshine when I'm caught in the dark. You make me feel alive even when I'm struggling to hold myself together. You make me feel like I'm worth something even when it's hard for me to see it. You're my rock, Johnny James. I think I need you more than I need the Green Power Ranger."

I love them. I absolutely love them. Of course, they had their little bumps, but I'm so in love with everything about them that I think they might be my favourite couple of this soon to be reverse harem. And the way JJ is totally on board with this idea is amazing.

"I love you, Rogue," he snapped. "I love you and I want you and I fucking need you. But loving you feels like loving sand I'm gripping tight in my fist while the tide rushes in to claim it. And as much as I want to be able to hold onto you, every time a wave hits, a bit more of the sand is stolen. How long until he takes every piece of you from me? I can't fucking stand it. I can't survive it."

Even through their rough path, they still made me ship them. And they've filled me with a lot of butterflies.

"This - you and me. This is it. Some people say that love is easy, you just open your heart and let someone in. But our love has never been easy. It's been won through battles we fought without armour and earned through wounds that leave scars which forever change us. It's messy and brutal and it hurts so fucking good. I don't want some easy version of love, Rogue. I want to burn in the fire of our family. I want you and me for fucking ever. And I need the others in this with us too."

And the moment JJ finally understood the "all or nothing" situation was amazing. Maverick never had an issue with it, but JJ's mistrust that Rogue might actually want them all did cause some issues, so when he saw the things from Rogue’s perspective, it was a bliss.

🌈🧑🏻Rogue and Chase

“You’re a goddess forsaken by a fool. And he bled, and bled, and bled for you in penance, but it was still just the blood of a fool.”
“Chase, don’t. You need to rest, you need to get better. You’re not thinking straight,” she urged.
“What would I get better for?” I murmured as sleep tried harder to claim me, but I didn’t want to go back to the dark.
“For me,” she said. “I’ll break if you leave again. Please don’t go.”
“Wouldn’t want that.”


Chase has earned his redemption, fully. It's hurtful to see him broken, but the way he enjoys the second chance he has with life, the way he acts around Rogue and how much his character has grown is amazing. It's obvious these two love each other, but they just aren't there yet. Maybe in the next book we'll get a proper relationship for them.


🌈🧑🏼Rogue and Fox

“I don’t want you because you’re beautiful, baby, I want you because our souls are forged of the very same thing and they’ve been fighting to get back to each other for ten years. You can’t tell me you don’t feel it. I’m the crime you’re tempted to commit,” I growled as she whimpered for more of my touch. “And you know once you give in, you’ll commit it again and again because of how good it feels to sin with me.”

Fox never hid his feelings for Rogue, so I'm a bit sorry for their current situation, but there's simply no way for them to work as long as he can't see how the others feel.

》》Favorite Scenes《《

🧑🏻‍💼🧑🏽🧑🏼🧑🏼‍💼Maverick, JJ, Fox and Luther digging togheter
🌈🧑🏽🧑🏼Rogue and JJ telling Fox all they don't like about him
🧑🏽🌈🧑🏼JJ, Rogue and Fox sleeping togheter in Chase's bed
🧑🏻‍💼🧑🏽Maverick asking JJ about the train car incident

“You’re such a little snitch these days. But I bet you didn’t tell Foxy boy about what we did with Rogue in the train car.”
“Fuck off,” I muttered.
“When are we doing that again, by the way? I’ve been waiting in that train car every night like Juliet waiting for her Romeo to show up, but you never do. You really know how to keep a man’s balls blue, JJ.”


🧑🏻‍💼🧑🏽Maverick sending a picture to Fox from JJ's phone
🧑🏻‍💼🧑🏽Maverick saving JJ
🧑🏽🧑🏻‍💼JJ stopping Maverick

JJ got in my way, his chest slamming against mine.
“If you die, you’ll break her heart. She can’t take it, not after losing Chase,” JJ hissed.


🧑🏼🌈Fox giving Rogue keys and a knife
🌈👩🏼Rogue calling Tatum to ask her about possible rich assholes she could rob with JJ
🧑🏻‍💼🌈🧑🏽Maverick telling Rogue to bring JJ along

"But if you're so into Johnny James's cock then bring him too. I'm all for pushing your boundaries, beautiful and I've been jerking off to thoughts of you sucking his cock while taking mine ever since the last time."
"You're filthy," I snorted.
"Says the girl who loved every second of it."


🧑🏻Chase and Miss Mable
🧑🏼‍💼🌈Luther getting an update from Rogue
👩🏻Carmen showing up ( I've met her briefly in Society of Psychos)

“Carmen liked you. Which means you’re now filed away in her brain as a potential threat. She’s the most dangerous woman on the east coast and she’ll twist a knife in your back and carve out your spine for good measure if you cross her.”
“My kind of girl,” I said with a nod.
“No,” Luther said in a gruff tone. “She’s wolfsbane. Beautiful to look at and deadly poisonous.”
“You’re only selling her more to me, dude.”
“That woman is a prime example of why I know women are the far more lethal sex than men. Every member of her cartel would slit any throat she pointed at, including their own.”
“Are you trying to make me question my sexual orientation, Luther? Seems like a weird thing for my mob daddy to do.”


🃏The poker game
🧑🏼🌈🧑🏽Fox kissing Rogue and JJ seeing them
🧾The bill
🌈👩🏼Rogue meeting with Tatum
🧑🏼🌈👩🏼Fox and Rogue going to see Tatum and some of her boyfriends at the cage fights
🧑🏻‍💼🧑🏻Maverick saving Chase
🧑🏻Chase coming home
🌈🧑🏻 Rogue staying with Chase and taking care of him
🧑🏽JJ understanding
🧑🏻🧑🏽Chase giving advice to JJ

"Maybe you were right before, Ace, maybe what I did is gonna destroy us. Or maybe we’re gonna forget we were ever together and she’ll end up in Fox’s arms and he’ll never let go.”
“Bullshit. She looks at you like you’re breaking her heart. So stop breaking it and just work it out. Find a way, JJ,” he growled. “And make Fox understand.”


🧑🏽🌈JJ and Rogue making up
🧑🏽JJ thinking how to get all guys on board with sharing Rogue

"Which was why I knew we needed a different kind of relationship that might just solve all of our problems. I mean…Fox was gonna be hard pushed to agree to it, and Chase’s stance was yet to be seen, but if anyone could figure it out, it was me. I was the escort after all. I was open minded by nature. The main issue was that I was dealing with a couple of the most possessive guys I’d ever met."

🧑🏽🧑🏼JJ and Fox debating on Dark Fae and the idea of a reverse harem
🌈🧑🏼‍💼Rogue attacking Luther
🧑🏻Chase telling them what Shawn had done to Maverick
🧑🏻‍💼🧑🏼‍💼🧑🏼Maverick, Luther and Fox having a talk

“You can’t let go of your anger at Luther or me because that’s all you’ve got left, isn’t it? Just you and your Isle and your rage. But it doesn’t have to be like that.”
“I’m rather fond of my rage, we go way back. But are you actually angling for a makeup hug, Foxy, or do you just want me to get closer so it’s easier to slide a knife into my back?”


🧑🏽🌈🧑🏻JJ and Rogue giving Chase a do-over and a show
🟢The Green Power Ranger trip
🎪The fortuneteller's tent
🧑🏻‍💼🧑🏼Maverick finding Fox
🧑🏽🌈🧑🏻‍💼JJ and Rogue going to Maverick
🧑🏼Fox watching the live transmission

》》Conclusion《《

Well, after that ending, I can't help it but go for book 4. So far, this feels like the most brutal cliffhanger, my emotions are seriously damaged and I need the next book like yesterday.

"Apparently watching me kill the motherfucker would be a turn on," I said. "He likes the idea of me painted in the blood of my enemies or some shit."
"Man has good taste, I'll give him that," he said eventually and I bit my lip.
Profile Image for Valkyrie ✨.
667 reviews1,046 followers
June 1, 2022
I’ve been emotionally compromised by this book.

I think it’s the first time one of the sisters’ books makes me cry. The level of angst was just superior. So many characters were suffering for so many different reasons. They keep hurting each other and I hurt with each of them.

I’m not gonna lie, Fox can go eff himself. I just don’t care after what he did. His possessive strike was never cute to being with. And his lack of listening comprehension drives me so mad, too. He got a bit better in this book but by the end, he took ten steps back.

Chase has become my new favorite, what he went through in this book was too much. I’ve never wanted to take care of a fictional character as much as I did with him. And his internal struggles with his self worth hurt my chest. That scene with Fox… and how he said goodbye… fuck, I ugly cried.

JJ and Rogue were wonderful and I loved their little conflict and how that made them grow closer. JJ is still the only Harlequin with a working brain cell and it shows. He’s truly wonderful and getting to see him in love was my everything.

Maverick saving each of them and showing he cares against his will is probably one of my favorite aspects of this series. And his relationship with Luther has me in a choke hold. I always go soft for the characters with daddy issues and their daddies (case in point: Wolfsong lol) and this was no exception. I kinda need Luther to get his boys back home and a scene where the 3 of them are happy together. Please universe.

These sisters are experts at queer baiting the shit outta me. All these straight male characters keep touching each other and having some seriously homoerotic thoughts, but in the end nothing ever happens. It’s hot af and I can’t be mad. But jfc I wish they would ever give me real mm at some point!

I’m not prepared for the next book. Fucking Shawn!!!
Profile Image for Heather.
182 reviews22 followers
June 22, 2021
So my vacation at Sunset Cove is starting to look like it was a bad idea. There seems to be a lot of shady things going on and I’m not sure if these hot men and their girl with the rainbow hair and obsession with the green power ranger is worth getting killed for. But they also have a pretty awesome dog so I think I stay a bit longer to see if things get better. Or just grab some cotton candy and watch the drama unfold. But joking aside this book is a lot darker than the other two. I don’t know what the sisters have been putting in their tea but their minds have gotten even more twisted (I know it seems impossible but trust me on this). Don’t get me wrong there were a good chunk of happy moments that warmed my heart and some seriously laugh out loud scenes, but I just wanted to prepare you for some gut wrenching times also.

The book picks up where Dead Man’s Isle left off. From the first page it is nonstop action and chaos. I can’t even write a proper review because everything is a major spoiler. So I’ll just talk about the characters and their growth. Fox is still a possessive badger. He did have me warming up to him though. JJ was his normal sweetheart self though he slipped at one point and I wanted to slap him upside the head. We actually find out everything that happened to Maverick and see how it affected him and still does. I also noticed his humor is a lot like Rogue’s which makes sense as to why he’s my favorite. And Chase, well let’s just say I cried over him. Okay fine, I sobbed. Rouge is her normal feisty self. I love her hard exterior even if she is broken inside. Her relationship with the guys is growing but there is still some tension and hesitation along with doubts if things will actually ever work out with them all. I did enjoy all the flashbacks with her and the guys.

Shawn is even more insane than I thought, which is saying something cause I thought he was beyond crazy after the last book. He leaves destruction everywhere he goes and laughs at the aftermath like the crazed psychopath he is. He has an even bigger part in this book and we learn some new information about him. We also get a good amount of Luther. My feelings are still mixed with him. Once again Mutt is the star of the book. I swear he is smarter than everyone in the Cove. We are thrown over a cliff like always and at this point it’s expected but it doesn’t hurt any less. Oh, and I’m still waiting for my boy Jake to get his jellybeans. Don’t let me down ladies.
Profile Image for Bex (Beckie Bookworm).
2,517 reviews1,592 followers
September 17, 2022



I had a break before diving into this third book these are long reads and so much happens so I decided to have a time out. Well, I picked this up and as usual with these two addictive authors, I managed to race through this in record time. This picks up in the aftermath of the dollhouse explosion. Rogue is still buried in a safe that Chase placed her in and buried underneath the rubble. Maverick joins Fox JJ and Luther as they frantically dig praying they can locate Rogue and Chase beneath the carnage. Their worst fears are realised when only one of them emerges from beneath the wreckage and the recriminations from JJ towards Fox as well as the blame game soon kicks in for all. The hurt in this one is intense especially when truths are eventually revealed and someone is then left even more broken than they were the scars both visible as well as just internal.

Rogues ex and nemesis Shawn is also going totally psycho and he really wants his toy back or he’s going to make the town of sunset cove run red with blood until his demands are met. JJ, Rick and Rogue move forward a level and when the house of cards inevitably topples the fallout was not pretty. This story eventually imploded and the finale then was shocking. I’m not sure what I’m thinking yet about Rogue's current mindset or even her end game but this definitely ends on a major cliffhanger. Another fabulous addition to this series that left me wanting more that’s for sure. This series is so good a slow-burn reverse harem chock full of grit romance action and plenty of heartache.

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Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/63435390
Profile Image for Aplis.
582 reviews51 followers
October 2, 2021
I'm DNF-ing this one..which is both disappointing and a relief.

This series started out great, with Rogue (yep that's the heroine's name) accidentally killing a guy who was about to sexually assault her when she was 16. She immediately calls up her four best friends, Fox, Maverick, JJ (Johnny James sigh🤦🏾‍♀️) and Chase, who help her to dispose the body. Fox's dad and Maverick's step-dad, Luther Harlequin, is the leader of the Harlequin Crew and the reason they dispose the body is because the dead guy was a member of the gang and his death would lead to "blood in return" bullshit. But the body gets discovered and Luther decides to punish the guys by giving them an ultimatum..join the crew now and send Rogue away or Rogue dies for killing their guy. They choose the former and are soon made to kill someone as their initiation. They go back to Rogue and instead of telling her what happened, they break her heart and tell her mean shit, after which she gets sent to another city.

10 years later, Rogue finds herself in a sticky situation, where she's buried alive (dirty situation tbh). She finds that her lovely gang leader boyfriend buried her in her hometown because of something he thought she saw. So Rogue decides to invite herself into the guys' lives and exact revenge for what they did years ago.

Now this book "was" interesting. At least the first book was..but the second book was more or less repetitive that I found myself "flipping pages" and still understanding the plot. And that's the craziest part about these books. They are *CHUNKY*. The first book alone had more than 600 pages!! I mean, I do love reading big books, but that completely depends on the story and the pacing. In this case, I kept rolling my eyes at the heroine's tough girl attitude which started getting boring after book 1. I love tough heroines, but *if anything is overdone the flavour gets lost*.

And the guys..they were okay. Tbh I pitied Fox more than half of the time I read the 3 books. Rogue eventually gets into a sexual relationship with JJ, and "immediately" with Maverick. And poor Fox, although quite possessive and alpha-ish, kept doing everything to get Rogue to want him and she would block my man at every stage! I mean this guy even reads Twilight to get inspo 🤦🏾‍♀️. Homeboy's at least trying unlike the others!! And whenever JJ and Rogue kept sexing it up and hiding it from Fox, it hurt. I was just waiting for them to get outed and break my poor man's heart! And yes, this series is supposed to be RH. But so far it's not because of "sharing issues"🤷🏾‍♀️.

Sometimes RH gets me all confused. Like the girl gets jealous if the guys are even standing next to another woman, but the second the girl goes to another guy who's a part of her "but he's mine" group, the guys have to suck it up and the girl is all "it's been us 5 ever since we were kids😍 so technically it's not cheating". Hey, don't get me wrong, I love RHs but I don't particularly like it when the guys are all against each other and possessive and shit. I just don't like the "relationship building stage of RH". When things fall into place soon, that gives me more relief and keeps me interested.

So what I did with this particular book was read the first 7% and skip to the final 85% and lo and behold, it still has the same problems as book 2 with regards to sharing issues and heartbreak! I'm sure a lot of stuff must have happened in the 400 pages I skipped, but NOTHING can make me go back and read it all. If a book is making you feel like "damnnn..I need to finish this...ugh..it's so long.." that's when you know that you have to stop.

Now can the authors please finish the Darkmore Penitentiary series, a series they started before this one? At least that one's cliffhanger was something worthy of reading.🙄 My man Roary...
633 reviews4 followers
July 1, 2021
3.25⭐️ it was just ok for me. It was just all the same shit! No character growth only regression!
Profile Image for Alaina.
7,344 reviews203 followers
July 3, 2022
Carnival Hill is the third installment within The Harlequin Crew series. In this, you are still following the same group of people, but you also get the new addition of Shawn. Fucking Shawn. He's the cockroach that just won't die. Secretly hoping he meets with a grim reaper in the next book. If not, I will riot.

Other than that, the romance and drama had its ups and downs. At one point, I wanted to strangle the guys because they were being so dumb. Okay, I lied. It was at a lot of points throughout the book. Now, I'm just sitting here and shaking my head because how it all ended. Damn you, cliffhangers. Also, damn you, horrible decision-making skills. Not sure what Rogue has up her sleeve, but it better be freaking good.

Like Shawn dying for one. Ugh, let's dive into the next book!
Profile Image for Citra.
397 reviews23 followers
July 1, 2021
2 stars, ultimately predictable as fuck and i skimmed a lot. I hated the inaccuracies, like 4 people piling into an ambulance, while somebody is strapped to the bed requiring medical attention? Pls. Changing title deeds with just a signature? Pls. We all know the real world doesn't happen like that. Also annoying that Rouge has changed and just isn't as bad arse anymore? And why so many flashbacks, you've already created a strong connection between the characters, the flashbacks are not adding anything extra to the story. Not sure why people are rating this so highly.... the authors writing this in such a short time frame after book 2, must have had all the emotional juices flowing but it just didn't hit as hard as previous books.
Profile Image for Emmy Klaver.
107 reviews2 followers
July 10, 2021
I didn't find myself being pulled in this book like the last ones, maybe this is on me, but i just didn't enjoy it that much. Rogue is getting on my nerves in this book.
Profile Image for Danique van Dijk.
551 reviews61 followers
June 28, 2022

🗝️🎡 The story 🎡🗝️
After the shocking end of the last book, the crew has to search the rubble in the hopes of finding what they’ve lost. However, not everyone rises from the ashes.

Again, I loved this. I kept putting it off because the release date of the last book kept being pushed back and I wasn’t ready for the cliffhanger. But man, the book did not disappoint. Mutt was amazing once again, I love that dog so much. The relationships between the characters keep developing, which was great to read about. There were again many appearances from Tatum and her gang – mostly sexual no surprise – and this was lovely. However, I’m looking forward to a bit more action, since it was mostly about their relationships/sex so far, and I loved the little moments of action (such as them running a job) that we did get. It doesn’t look good though, I’m pretty sure the next books will feature even more sex lol, but I’m still really excited.
"Even poison can taste sweet at first," I said in a low voice. "But it will still kill you in the end."

Shawn is a great villain, I thought he was just lucky because it seemed like he didn’t think anything through, but now it’s becoming more and more clear that he’s not just crazy, but also great at planning things. I feel like I know exactly where the story is going and know all of the plottwists, but that happens often so that’s no big deal. Some predictions are that The ending had me screaming and felt so unnecessary, it was the first novella all over again; there was no need to be THAT cruel?? Seriously, why was that necessary? Fuck me did I cry. I honestly think this is my favourite series of these authors, and I can’t wait to see where the story will go.
"And the scars on your body don't make you any less. They make you more. They show your strength."


🗝️🎡 The characters 🎡🗝️
🌈Rogue/Little One/Beautiful/Pretty Girl/Hummingbird🌈
Just like in the last book, Rogue was great. Her grieving over everything that happened was heartbreaking, and it was written so well that I was grieving right alongside the characters. I still think she’s stupid at times, she doesn’t think anything through, and I honestly don’t understand how she’s still alive at this point. I must admit that I’m getting a bit fed up with her constant whining about how she’s not loved and so alone in this world, while there are 4 guys who have repeatedly told her that they’d literally die for her. Seriously, where is the non-love in that? I wish someone would do that for me, and she has 4 guys willing to do that for her, yet she’s still whining??? Yeah, I’m so over that.

🍳Fox/Badger🍳
I honestly think Fox is my favourite at this point. I love his slow-burn relationship with Rogue, and I can’t freaking wait to see them come together. He’s definitely an asshole at times, but it fits with his character and adds to his greatness. I just love him. I adore Luther as well; he just wants his family to be happy man :’) Love it.

💵Johnny James/JJ💵
Man, I was mad at JJ at a certain bill scene, but also heartbroken. It’s clear that he just wants to be loved and is damn insecure, and Rogue honestly doesn’t do anything to make him feel any better. I did think he and Rogue So freaking annoying, Rogue did such a bad job explaining it too; That just massively sucked.
But this girl’s light was going out and there wasn’t enough fire left in me to rekindle her flame.


🚬Chase/Ace🚬
Fuck me this dude. I know I asked for revenge in the last book, but not this amount of revenge dammit Peckham and Valenti! My heart broke for him, and I still can’t believe all the things that happened to him. Poor baby. I hope he’ll feature more in the next book, but I’m scared that he won’t. I miss him man, I’m sorry that I ever asked for revenge.

🏍️Maverick/Rick/Captain Dickbucket🏍️
I don’t know why, but I really dislike this dude for some reason. The way he talks about Rogue to others is not alright, and I just hate the way he treats her overall. She turns into a lovesick slut around him and I hate it, I wish she’d turn him down and kick his ass for once. Argh, I kinda need her to treat him like she treats Fox, not going to lie. I just don’t like how insanely submissive she is with him, and I wish she stood up for herself more. He’s a big asshole and I wish someone would put him in his place. There were some revelations about his past that I didn’t see coming and that had me screaming, So freaking good and unexpected.
“I'm yours, beautiful," he replied darkly. "Take me, own me, use me, destroy me. Anything you like, everything you want. Just don't ever leave me again.”

🗝️🎡 Overall conclusion 🎡🗝️
Again, the characters were great. I went through all the emotions once again, from screaming to crying, to laughing out loud. I cried a lot, I really did. I just love these authors so much, and every book I read I compare to their books which isn’t a good thing lmao. I did get quite sick of Rogue feeling sorry for herself while she only thought about sex and fucked so many things up, but I still liked her overall. I loved the moments of action, and I can’t wait to get even more of those! The ending once again broke me, and I just have to lie down for a while now.
That was the thing about hate. It kept close company with love. You had to really feel something for someone to hold onto anger and hurt like that otherwise the emotions would fade. Because if you don't give a shit about someone then the energy it takes to hate them becomes too much and you end up indifferent to them at best.
Profile Image for ❀ Crystal ✿ -  PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS .
2,532 reviews308 followers
June 28, 2022
Holy shit was this a read to remember. It had been a few months since I read the previous two books but it did not take long to dive back into the Harlequin world. Rogue is still doing her damnedest to win the hearts of all her men and reunite them. She'd like things to be like it used to be when they were kids. The biggest hurdles are Maverick being a Harlequin enemy with his own gang and the ever present and annoying Shawn. Shawn really surprised me this book. I mean he's so much slicker and smarter than I truly thought and it's not just luck that gets him through. How he manages to be one step ahead and even be the winner in the end baffles me. The end was the usual cliffhanger that blindsided me and it's paining me even writing this review before diving in to the next one. What the hell these guys have up their sleeve for the future remains to be seen and I am both eager and so hesitant because I know the road to a HEA is still far off. Loving this series and as usual the authors have me wrapped around their finger!!!
Profile Image for Emma Skapetis.
437 reviews280 followers
May 7, 2025
This book was much better than the second one though most of these characters still annoy and make me angry at times. Fox treated Chase like garbage and his reasons for this were really dumb. Rogue was still rude. She literally said 'I would give my right eye to go' after Shawn had cut off Chase's eye. At least he called her out on that. However she was much more likeable in this one. I have a soft spot for Chase and he is one of my favorite characters in the series now. Maverick was quite sweet to Rogue at times and it was cute. I didn't expect JJ to briefly dump Rogue but I understand why he has his insecurities. However out of all the characters Chase is the only one that has had really character development and this book is more than halfway through the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Underworlder247.
380 reviews
June 28, 2021
4.5 ⭐️
I-
I don’t want to talk about it.
I just want to scream.
Oh wait, did that already.
My family is now more worried than usual.
WHY THE F*** IS ROGUE SO STUPID OMG. I AM TRYING TO GET IT TOGETHER AND SLEEP SO I CAMPN GET UP FOR WORK TOM, BUT WHAT HAVE U TWO DONE???

I actually don’t care what happens to Rogue at this point. She is such an idiot. Not selfless, just making that clear. You leave the only people who care about it, because THATS GONNA BRING THEM ALL BACK TOGETHER???? The damage is already done!!! U LEAVING AINT MAKING ANYTHING BETTER!!!!

The way she takes advantage of Rick’s pain at the end just pissed me off. TOO FAR BITCH.

The way people still take Shawn for his word like??? Has he not proven TIME AND AGAIN by now that his word DONT MEAN SHIT???

I seriously don’t care what Shawn does to Rogue. This is all on her. She put herself back in this situation. Deal with it.

Aside from the last 5%, I LOVED THIS BOOK!
JJ and my baby boo CHASE really won me over and surprisingly Chase is now IN THE LEAD with maverick FOLLOWING CLOSE BEHIND.

I CANT BELIEVE U GUYS KILLED MABEL. WHO DOES THAT 😭😭😭😭

A certain moment between Fox and Chase made me tear up. It got me so emotional and I loved how well it was written.

Luther grew on me . Who would’ve thought.
My baby boo chase deserved better.
My baby boo jj deserved better.
My baby boo rick most definitely deserved better.
My- yeah no I’m done. Fox annoyed the shit out of me.

Overall tho I loved this book, I cant handle much more of this. My hearts going pitter patter. I know most of this is just me ranting, but that’s because I need to let it out. The book truly was awesome as usual. ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jess McDaniel.
1,070 reviews69 followers
June 20, 2021
So another amazing book by C&S! I love this series so much and have been waiting on pins and needles for Carnival Hill after that huge cliffhanger in Dead Man's Isle. As always, their books have lots of funny moments to balance out the action and steam. I feel like Carnival Hill went a little darker than I expected.

The world building and characters are created beautifully. There is so much feeling put into these characters, that I feel like I am living all of their emotions. There were a few parts that I cried, and I never cry when reading.

This one picks up where Dead Man's Isle left off and everyone trying to sort through everything. Emotions are running high throughout the whole book and the action is nonstop from page one.

Rogue is a favorite FMC of all time for me. She's hilarious, loves hard, stands up for herself and tells everyone like it is, even if it lands her in hot water. I love the guys too, even if Fox needs to get it together.

I am not completely sure how I feel about the end. I thought maybe something like that was coming, but the way it was done kinda crushed my heart. I was not ready for it to end and cannot wait for the next book.
Profile Image for KayTheBookLover.
639 reviews126 followers
July 12, 2022
Holy fuck my anxiety is so high with these books! I am obsessing! It's been 3 days of Harlequin crew books and I can't stop!

This one was hot, bossy and giving me life! Now I need book 4.

Overall ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/ 5
Spice 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶/ 5
Profile Image for Belle .
607 reviews47 followers
June 26, 2021
I was anxiously awaiting this book after the events at the end of Dead Man’s Isle! They definitely keep us on the hook for a bit before giving us the answers that we do desperately want.

There was some real emotional moments for the characters in this book. I felt like they were incredibly well done and i could feel the connection they all had with one another.

Maverick remains my favorite, a broken boy who I adore. JJ’s an idiot but charming. Fox needs to learn more, and tbh I felt no sympathy for him in this book. And Chase… i forgive Chase for previous actions. He’s perhaps the most broken boy in this series.

Rogue was a top favorite fmc in past books but in this one, my likability of her flip flopped until it was very low.

So i genuinely did enjoy most of this book, but the last 25% is what brought my enjoyment down. I personally didn’t like the reasoning or the actions taken, it felt like the dumbest choice of all and also set up for what is one of my least favorite plot points whenever I’ve seen it used in different books. I guess I’ll find out when we get book 4 what my ultimate enjoyability will be, and if i can find forgiveness in my heart lol.

You’re definitely in for a ride though and I recommend this series!

Profile Image for Abstract ♥ Books.
1,281 reviews1,765 followers
June 24, 2021



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

line

Star Rating : 4.5/5 stars

POV : Multiple

Cliffhanger : Yes

Hero : Chase , Maverick , JJ , Fox

Heroine : Rogue

Pace of the story : Moderate

Angst Rating : 6/10

Heat Rating : 6/10

Triggers Involved : Past Trauma , Torture Scenes

Plot Summary :
Rogue and her boys have still not recovered from the repercussions of the last attack by their enemy when they are shaken by another news. Losing one of her boys is the hardest thing for her , and Rogue doesn’t know how to get over that. There are still a lot of mysteries to be recovered , not to mention their biggest enemy, out there is still hunting for them and won’t rest until he has her and has killed all her boys.

Overall Opinion :
OMG , I have been waiting for this book since these authors downright butchered me with their last cliffhanger. And let me warn you , if you are thinking that you’ll get some reprieve with cliffhangers in this book then ohhhh boy , you're in for a surprise.

The starting 30% of this book was downright brutal for me. A character whom I hated so much right from Book 1 is now one of my favourites , these authors definitely like to make me eat my words lmao. I absolutely loved the way this story is turning out to be! I just know that there are a lot of twists and turns to come and a lot more to be unraveled.

I hope that these authors give us an extra painful death of that villain in this book because that would satisfy me greatly! I would highly recommend this whole series to all the RH loving people. Rogue is one hell of a funny badass heroine who’ll make you laugh and fall in love with her at the same time!

My-Post-3 Website | Bookstagram | Facebook Page | Newsletter
Profile Image for Kaylani Gallardo.
318 reviews310 followers
May 12, 2022
4.5 Stars
Its taken me a long time to come back and review this book. Mostly because the ending of this story really did just piss me off! But after reading Zodiac Academy I'm learning that this is how these authors roll. There is so much angst in this story and I live for it. Its fun, its hot, it keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering when all the of the secrets are going to come to light and it makes me crazy. But so crazy that I can't help but come back for more. I'm excited for the last few books in this series and how much my heart will get ripped out in the process.
Profile Image for Lel'S Is.
265 reviews3 followers
July 8, 2021
Rogue is a Brat, a TSTL Brat at that....

Marvick is my favorite, even if he has is dumb moment as well...

All the drama around JJ is just dumb, so evry time she would fight with one of them she will just cut them off? pfff

And 4 books for that story is way to much, It could have been better with 2 or 3 max.

Aren't they a bit quick to bury Chase to??

I can't belive how dumb they have to make Rogue, just to keep having a story to cary on 4 books...

Rogue mood swing is giving me whiplash...

Ok then... I was gonna give this 2 stars, but that ending is really to dumb.
Profile Image for Blendy.
430 reviews112 followers
June 29, 2021
Genre : Contemporary reverse harem
Series : Yes. Book 3 in the Harlequin Crew series (Sinners' Playground is book 1 & Dead Man’s Isle is book 2)
Heat : High Heat. It has graphic sexual content with mfm and mf encounters. While there is no sword crossing, there are very light and brief moments of mm interaction.
Triggers : On-page violence, death, and torture. Recollections of rape and abuse. Characters with suicidal ideations.
Kink : On-page situations that involve breath play, light voyeurism, light edging, and ummmmm weapon play? Is that a thing? Well, whatever it is, there is a little of that in this one too.
Cliffhanger : Yes.

Immediate thoughts after reading this book:



and...



and...



AND, last but not least...



Okay, so Carnival Hill is dark. It is by far the darkest book that I have ever read by these authors, and I was actually quite shocked by some of the content. Don’t get me wrong, these authors have NEVER shied away from brutality, violence, and heartbreak in their works, however, I’ve often felt that with the violence, etc., they normally counter it with a bit of levity and vindication (in some form or another). Like, even though they might throw us in a dark hole to suffer, they also make sure to throw in a flashlight, holey blanket, and a sex toy—you know, so we aren’t completely miserable in our little prison hole. Angry and frightened, but hopeful. That’s how I usually feel at the end of their books.

But this time—FUCK, THIS TIME—it’s like they threw us in a dark hole, filled it partway up with water so we have to try and stay afloat and then covered the hole with a steel covering so we can’t see shit, and laughed maniacally the whole time. All the while, we know we are going to die, but we just don’t know if it will be by drowning or suffocation. We are left contemplating which will run out first, our oxygen in the enclosed hole we are in, or our energy that we’re using to keep our head above the water. Despair. That’s how I felt at the end of this one. The typical angry energy is still there, but the complete and utter despair is new.

Okay, I’m going to try my very best to not give away any spoilers, but a lot of my emotions are from things that happened that may be considered spoilerish. SSOOOOOO, if you absolutely do NOT want any type of spoiler, even in the smallest sense, then you need to look away. LOOK AWAY NOW!

After the massive cliffy we were given in DMI, I was an anxious mess when I started this one. I had my hopes on how I wanted certain things to turn out, and let me tell you, not a one thing I had hoped for turned out. If anything, things turned out even worse than I imagined. It’s kind of weird to say this, but after DMI, there were a few characters who I loved, some I liked, and some I despised, but after CH, there is only ONE character (besides Mutt) that I actually like right now, and it’s the one that I absolutely despised in the first book. AND, I’m not even sure if I like them because I like their character or if it's because I feel sorry for them!! Talk about a mindfuck of epic proportions, these authors have made me second guess how I feel about every single damn character in this series. As it stands right now though, after reading Carnival Hill, I’m not a huge fan of any one character and the list of people I hate has grown by at least two. To be honest, I’m just really disappointed in a lot of these characters. Their actions and/or inactions in this book confused and upset me.

We learn a lot of things in this book, and we move forward quite substantially on the crypt plot. It was definitely an angle that I didn’t see coming. Additionally, we are also given a lot of answers to questions that lingered throughout books 1 & 2. I had my suspicions on some things, and while CH confirmed a few of them, it also opened the door to a whole slew of other questions. These authors write books faster than any other author(s) I know, but they cannot write book 4 fast enough for me. I NEED ANSWERS NOW!!!

I know this review reads like I didn’t care for the book, but that’s not it. I just wasn’t expecting this book. These authors always write books that slay me just a little, but CH went a little step further. It’s been a couple days since I’ve finished it, and I’m still recovering. As usual, Caroline and Susanne have created something that digs deep and hits hard. I honestly think that CH could be my favorite book by them, but it’s also the one I hate the most. They didn’t write this to appease us, they wrote this to destroy us…and they succeeded.
Profile Image for Danielle Bromwich.
149 reviews2 followers
June 24, 2021
I don't even know where to begin with this review. My mind is a jumble of emotions and I don't want to give any spoilers.

Another outstanding addition to The Harlequin Crew series.
So many of questions answered but so many remaining.

I'm still firmly Team Mutt but I suppose I can admit that Chase and Maverick are right behind him. I'm still not fond of JJ and Fox can go take a short walk off a tall cliff. Utter douchebag. (Not really, we don't need anyone else getting hurt.)

I LOVED the appearances of Tatum and the guys again, Rogue needs more time for friends bless her. She never gets a god damn break.

FUCKING SHAWN, I've well and truelly had enough of the absolute cockroach Can't he just sod off back to the hole that he crawled out of?!?

That ending was more emotional than I was expecting which is stupid really? The cliffhanger Queens like to torture us whenever they can.

#carolinepeckham #susannevalenti #cliffhangerqueens #theharlequinboys #bookthree #sunsetcove #sinnersplayground #devilspass #deadmansisle #reverseharem #reverseharemromance #spicyromance #spicybooks #romancereadersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookreview
Profile Image for Kasumatata.
1,140 reviews23 followers
June 25, 2021
After that previous cliffhanger I was thrilled to dive into this book. I should've known that the Mean Queens would not give me a break from the anxiety inducing plot twists and turns.
I don't think they are capable of giving our beloved characters a break and it shows. This book packs punch after punch.

I begrudgingly admit that these authors are vicious, evil masterminds who like to take us on the crazy rollercoaster ride (pun intended) that is this series.

While I am usually someone who prefers binging books, for this book I had to take a break every now and then, just to collect my broken pieces off the floor. It actually makes me second guess myself, wondering if I should be reading these books upon release. Why? You may ask?
Because these cliffhangers turn me into a puddle of despair.

Do I love this book? Absolutely. Do I love these authors right now? Nope... Nuh-uh... Not until I see my Harlequins having their HEA thankyouverymuch.
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