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Cult #2
The Catacombs
This man is the only thing that keeps me safe.
The only thing that makes life worth living.
But I know he's coming...
I know he's out there.
And until Benton kills him, he'll never really be gone.
The only thing that makes life worth living.
But I know he's coming...
I know he's out there.
And until Benton kills him, he'll never really be gone.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2021
604 people are currently reading
1111 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Sky
72 books6,773 followersA New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Penelope Sky is known for her dark romance that makes you fall for her characters….no matter how dark they seem. Her books are being translated into several languages around the world, and she’s sold more than a million books worldwide. She lives in a small town in California with her husband, where she spends most of her time writing on the back porch.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
March 20, 2022
2.75 Stars
Once upon a time, she had been a different person, she was carefree, easy-going, and unafraid but now the slightest sound gives her a heart attack. The only time she can enjoy her life is when she is with him but how long she can feel safe till the demon comes after her...
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s the second installment in the "Cult" series and should be read in order. With this book, I had the same issue as book one. I couldn’t feel their love and the author’s writing was repetitive. All in all, it was a disappointment, hope you enjoy it more than me!
Once upon a time, she had been a different person, she was carefree, easy-going, and unafraid but now the slightest sound gives her a heart attack. The only time she can enjoy her life is when she is with him but how long she can feel safe till the demon comes after her...
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s the second installment in the "Cult" series and should be read in order. With this book, I had the same issue as book one. I couldn’t feel their love and the author’s writing was repetitive. All in all, it was a disappointment, hope you enjoy it more than me!
November 17, 2021
Sorry to say, an popular opinion but to me the author's work is wash, rinse, repeat.
Unfeeling Hero.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
HEA.
Epilogue.
Unfeeling Hero.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
HEA.
Epilogue.
October 14, 2023
Okay, LOVED the finale! Loved it!!! We left off exactly where book one ended. Constance’s demon wants her back, and he’s established that he will do just about anything to get her. The problem is, Benton is feeling more and more for her. She’s his family, and he takes care of his family. Constance, Benton, and Claire make the most perfect unit, and I loved their domestic bliss!! Claire is a perfect angel, a totally believable and lovable child and I adored reading about her. And while Benton redeemed himself in my eyes, Constance is the star of this Duology. The world does not deserve her!!!!
January 15, 2022
Entretenido corto. No le dan muchas vueltas a la historia. Esta es la primera sería que leo de la autora y me arriesgaré por más de ella en el futuro. Constance y Benton forever. Me gustaría un libro de Bartholeme
June 1, 2022
Someone please give me some tissues and a a bottle of wine. This was seriously a piece of art.
January 19, 2025
3⭐️
3🌶
This book has a LOT of s*x. Boring, vanilla, cut and paste, repetitive s*x. The whole of the first 200+ pages of this book is 70% s*x (not the spicy kind, the boring kind. At least switch positions or something 🙄) 20% them becoming a couple, and 10% the plot that I'm actually reading the book for! To say I'm underwhelmed and dissatisfied is an extreme understatement. (The plot I was waiting and reading for starts on page 230. With only 70 pages left of the book to go.)
In The Cult Constance is strong. She protects Clair at the risk of her own life. She stands up for women she doesn't know. She is a survivor. In this book, she is weak. She needs Benton just to feel safe in her own skin. Unable to make a move or a decision without him. She became your stereotypical femal with her man. She is still good to Clair. The only time she shows any backbone at all is when it comes to parenting that child.
We get it. Benton is supposed to be muscular and hot. Unfortunately, the way the author writes him he comes off more as a steroid pumping bodybuilder. 😝 Do we really need to read about his physique every few paragraphs? He is still stoic, with little to no character depth. He is neither likable nor unlikable. Even reading from his duel POV, we learn little about him other than surface.
The last 70 pages of this book are exactly what I wanted. The whole reason I gave the book 3⭐️ instead of 2. I won't give anything away, but it's exactly the conclusion that is wanted after reading The Cult. I'm glad I hung in with this book just to get to this point.
3🌶
This book has a LOT of s*x. Boring, vanilla, cut and paste, repetitive s*x. The whole of the first 200+ pages of this book is 70% s*x (not the spicy kind, the boring kind. At least switch positions or something 🙄) 20% them becoming a couple, and 10% the plot that I'm actually reading the book for! To say I'm underwhelmed and dissatisfied is an extreme understatement. (The plot I was waiting and reading for starts on page 230. With only 70 pages left of the book to go.)
In The Cult Constance is strong. She protects Clair at the risk of her own life. She stands up for women she doesn't know. She is a survivor. In this book, she is weak. She needs Benton just to feel safe in her own skin. Unable to make a move or a decision without him. She became your stereotypical femal with her man. She is still good to Clair. The only time she shows any backbone at all is when it comes to parenting that child.
We get it. Benton is supposed to be muscular and hot. Unfortunately, the way the author writes him he comes off more as a steroid pumping bodybuilder. 😝 Do we really need to read about his physique every few paragraphs? He is still stoic, with little to no character depth. He is neither likable nor unlikable. Even reading from his duel POV, we learn little about him other than surface.
The last 70 pages of this book are exactly what I wanted. The whole reason I gave the book 3⭐️ instead of 2. I won't give anything away, but it's exactly the conclusion that is wanted after reading The Cult. I'm glad I hung in with this book just to get to this point.
November 18, 2021
The finale of Benton and Constance's story and let me tell you - make sure you have nothing going on as you will not be able to stop reading. Just when you think you will get to the end of the chapter and will be able to be an adult - think again, you will have to turn the page and find out what is going to happen next. Benton and Constance are making their new world into a happy place for Claire, but every time they turn around their past will still not let them go and the only way to end it is to make a choice neither one of them wants to make. Edge of your seat drama, beautifully written characters and another 5 star read!!
November 18, 2021
It was really rushed. I loved Benton and Constance but the plot was all over the place as we're their feelings.
January 4, 2024
Le fait que les personnages ne soient pas assez développés se retrouve encore plus dans ce tome, surtout que nous suivons toujours la même intrigue. Le roman devient vite redondant.
November 23, 2021
There are so many directions that this series could go in my mind, and so many extensions that we could see, yet I don’t know if any of that is in the works. Our amazing author Ms Penelope Sky needs to do us readers a solid and GIVE US MORE
We left off the first installment of this series with Constance and Benton being in an ok place. Where he really felt that she was an imposition before, we see real feelings grow between them. They are both still naught to admit what they are, and they don’t want to complicate things, but we can see what’s there. Benton appreciates all that Constance did to save Claire from the camp, but his loyalty ends there since he’s not sure why she needs to hang around. Until he opens his eyes one day and realizes that there’s something more that she does for him.
Constance on the other hand uses Benton for the safety that he provides. When he’s around, she feels safe, like Forneus can’t get her and when he’s gone, she’s afraid for her life. We know that Forneus isn’t giving up on getting her back, we know that he’s stalking her, but at least she has some comfort and security while benton is there.
The plot of this story gets a bit twisty in places. We have that main story line where we know that Constance is living on bought time, but we don’t know what can be done about that. She’s moved into this role of mother type figure to Claire, one that everyone truly loves, and she’s found her place in Benton’s bed which is nice for both of them as well. There’s the daily fear that Forneus will take her, and we see his attempts time after time. Some have wider implications to innocent people, and some attempts take the innocent on purpose.
Then there’s the story line between Benton and Bartholemew. We learn what started their friendship and we understand why there’s so much disappointment once Benton left. Benton does his job by being Bartholemew’s right hand to expand their business and territory, but we continue to see how that’s going to go awry. He’s got the same ambitions that Fender had in the first series, and we know how that has the potential to end. I mean….that’s how the camp was lost to Bartholemew no?
Fender makes an appearance in this story – but in a context that’s not his norm. That’s a nice tease, although nothing more really comes from it.
We have passion and heat. We have fear and security. We have revenge and lies. and we realize that what caused all the dominoes to fall in the first place was something done at the hand of someone that we should have trusted. There’s almost nothing that is salvageable at the end, but as a reader that has hope, we want something to come out of the ashes. We get closure as it’s needed, and I suppose that will have to do.
Personally, i’m itching for either a story on Bartholemew now or one about Benton’s brother Bleu since he played a big role, but I don’t know if that’s in the future for us. The Chateau series teased us with the Cult in the epilogue but no such tease was done in this one.
We left off the first installment of this series with Constance and Benton being in an ok place. Where he really felt that she was an imposition before, we see real feelings grow between them. They are both still naught to admit what they are, and they don’t want to complicate things, but we can see what’s there. Benton appreciates all that Constance did to save Claire from the camp, but his loyalty ends there since he’s not sure why she needs to hang around. Until he opens his eyes one day and realizes that there’s something more that she does for him.
Constance on the other hand uses Benton for the safety that he provides. When he’s around, she feels safe, like Forneus can’t get her and when he’s gone, she’s afraid for her life. We know that Forneus isn’t giving up on getting her back, we know that he’s stalking her, but at least she has some comfort and security while benton is there.
The plot of this story gets a bit twisty in places. We have that main story line where we know that Constance is living on bought time, but we don’t know what can be done about that. She’s moved into this role of mother type figure to Claire, one that everyone truly loves, and she’s found her place in Benton’s bed which is nice for both of them as well. There’s the daily fear that Forneus will take her, and we see his attempts time after time. Some have wider implications to innocent people, and some attempts take the innocent on purpose.
Then there’s the story line between Benton and Bartholemew. We learn what started their friendship and we understand why there’s so much disappointment once Benton left. Benton does his job by being Bartholemew’s right hand to expand their business and territory, but we continue to see how that’s going to go awry. He’s got the same ambitions that Fender had in the first series, and we know how that has the potential to end. I mean….that’s how the camp was lost to Bartholemew no?
Fender makes an appearance in this story – but in a context that’s not his norm. That’s a nice tease, although nothing more really comes from it.
We have passion and heat. We have fear and security. We have revenge and lies. and we realize that what caused all the dominoes to fall in the first place was something done at the hand of someone that we should have trusted. There’s almost nothing that is salvageable at the end, but as a reader that has hope, we want something to come out of the ashes. We get closure as it’s needed, and I suppose that will have to do.
Personally, i’m itching for either a story on Bartholemew now or one about Benton’s brother Bleu since he played a big role, but I don’t know if that’s in the future for us. The Chateau series teased us with the Cult in the epilogue but no such tease was done in this one.
October 28, 2023
Warning some spoilers ahead:
I really enjoyed this portion of the story. It follows Constance after her freedom from the cult and focuses on the relationship development with Benton. It is told in alternating points of view. Constance already loves Claire, and Benton slowly begins loving Constance because of that love. But her demon wants her back at all costs. Ultimately, Benton must decide between his two girls.
It was kind of beautiful to see the growth of both of the MCs. Benton is a hard man to love, but somehow, Constance manages and does it well. After being forced to make the hardest decision of his life, he finally gets his revenge. It ended perfectly.
I really enjoyed this portion of the story. It follows Constance after her freedom from the cult and focuses on the relationship development with Benton. It is told in alternating points of view. Constance already loves Claire, and Benton slowly begins loving Constance because of that love. But her demon wants her back at all costs. Ultimately, Benton must decide between his two girls.
It was kind of beautiful to see the growth of both of the MCs. Benton is a hard man to love, but somehow, Constance manages and does it well. After being forced to make the hardest decision of his life, he finally gets his revenge. It ended perfectly.
December 11, 2021
Que libro más extraño este, no se que pensar, siento que lo que se necesita es enviar a todos al psicólogo a terapia.....
February 26, 2022
Benton & Constance’s Story Sucks You Into Paris’s Dark Criminal Underground & A Demented Cult Encampment Near The Alps! There Is Gruesome Violence, So It Is Not For The Faint Of Heart. Fans Of The Silence Of The Lambs Might Appreciate Some Aspects Of This Series.
Trigger warning: contains gruesome violence, drug use, and captivity.
ABOUT THE CULT SERIES:
This is book two of the Cult series, and it appears to be the conclusion of the series. It does hint at the possible telling of Bartholomew’s story, but that could easily follow in a new series rather than a continuation of this one.
FROM THE CULT, BOOK ONE:
The story opens in Paris, probably in early September.
The Cult is a sophisticated and powerful criminal organization that has a broad reach in France. They deal acid. They took over an enormous camp near the alps, far from civilization, which has become a sort of headquarters from which they can worship as they please. Their workers are the Malevolent - zombie-like men who stand guard in cattle skull helmets. There are twelve demons in the encampment; each has his own angel. The angels are believed to provide a path to redemption. Through their forgiveness, the demons believe they will become men once again. Their goal is to eventually ascend to heaven with their angel. Forneus is one such demon. He believes that in Constance, he has found his long-awaited angel.
Benton is desperate to find his daughter, Claire. She went missing with her mother, Beatrice, but the police have been no help at all. He runs a successful contracting business in Paris which has fallen to neglect since Claire’s disappearance. He drinks scotch to forget as the days drag by. His brother, Bleu, tries to comfort him, but it is hopeless. Benton lives only for Claire, which is ironic because he had once taken an oath to another and had promised never to have children. He gladly left that life behind, though, when Claire was born just seven years ago. Yet as the days pass, he realizes he might need to ask for help – even if help comes with a steep price.
Constance’s life revolves around ballet. She has no family left, so ballet is everything to her. She is now the starring ballerina in her company – and her character is worshipped as an angel. When a clearly insane man begins appearing in her life, she knows instinctively that she is in real danger. She takes matters to the police, but nobody believes her story. She is gaslighted and eventually begins to question her own sanity.
Forneus’s obsession with Constance drives him to be bold, but with the authorities in his pockets, he knows there are no consequences. He desperately wants absolution for his sins – of which there are many. Constance finds herself in a strange new world, surrounded by insanity. Forneus is absolutely crazy, so she must watch her every move. Escape for her and her fellow angels seems an impossibility, but she knows better than to give up hope.
The Chasseurs are ruthless. The criminal organization makes their base in the Catacombs beneath Paris. Bartholomew sits on one of two thrones. He rules the empire and is emotionless in all he does. The Chasseurs have their fair share of enemies, but he doesn’t want to invite more. That is why Bartholomew is a man of his word, and he expects others to keep their word as well.
As the characters and organizations begin to intersect, the story builds. With so much insanity, it is impossible to predict what comes next. This book ends in a cliffhanger. It continues in book two, the Catacombs.
IN THIS BOOK:
As book one closed, Benton, Claire, and Constance had eventually formed a family unit of sorts, much to Benton’s chagrin. He had wanted nothing to do with Constance, but the bond formed between her and his daughter was unbreakable. With Beatrice’s absence and his new responsibility to Bartholomew and the Chasseurs in payment for their help, Benton needed someone reliable to care for Claire in his absence. The addition of Constance to their household thus fell into place, giving Constance the sense of safety she desperately wanted. The emotionless powerhouse had been taken by surprise when Claire was born and stole his heart. He had changed his entire life for her, breaking his vow to Bartholomew, who had been like a brother. He felt nothing for Constance, but they had succumbed to the lust that had developed as a result of their close proximity and shared love of Claire. She admired his love for Claire and understood he was not capable of feeling anything for her, but for her, the safety she felt in his presence gave her peace, and it was enough.
Just as things had settled into a new normal, Bartholomew accepted a meeting with Forneus. Forneus demanded the return of his angel, Constance. The request forced Benton to recognize something that he hadn’t wanted to admit: that Constance was now an integral part of his family. Bartholomew pressured him to hand over Constance and keep the peace, but Benton’s absolute refusal forced Bartholomew to reluctantly shift and threaten Forneus instead. He warned that coming near Benton’s family would be considered an act of war.
As this book opens, Christmas is approaching. Benton, Constance, and Claire continue to grow together as a family as they rest in the knowledge that Forneus will keep his distance. Benton leaves home each night to work at Bartholomew’s side. He had outgrown the criminal lifestyle seven years ago, when Claire was born, so he finds the routine taxing. He misses being a bigger part of Claire’s life. Constance’s steadiness and her commitment to Claire continue to soften him towards her bit by bit. She is unlike any woman before. He doesn’t mind that she uses him, and he is honest when he tells he that he does not love her. He is a man of few words, yet she seems to understand him better than anyone. Their strange relationship shifts little by little. But Forneus remains in the background, and his devotion to his angel remains undeterred. Bartholomew wants Benton ruling at his side, but he also keeps him in the dark at times. As Benton gets further into the Chasseur business, questions arise. One thing Benton knows for certain is that something needs to give.
Wow! This book is dark but less so than book one. Book one hardly qualified as a romance, but an unconventional love story blooms here. The chemistry builds, but ever so slowly. These characters are hard to crack, so opening up to feelings beyond lust really is a process. The men in this story are all sociopaths in various forms. Bartholomew, Forneus, and Benton are all bad news. As evil as Bartholomew is, he is helpful at times, too. In comparison, though, Benton is an angel. He has a dark past that he reluctantly left behind once Claire was born, but her birth gave him a reason to climb out of the darkness that he had been living in. He still doesn’t know how to relate to others and is emotionally stunted, but his love for his daughter guides him like the north star. Although he is a sociopath, too, it is all relative, and here he proves to be the hero. But again, the same could be said of the other men to some degree at one time or another. Constance’s survival has really depended upon them all. Here, however, Forneus wants to drag her back into danger.
Constance is naturally empathic. She felt Benton’s pain when she first met him at the ballet; she marveled at his deep love for his daughter and his absolute desperation to find her. It is perhaps her empathy for others that helped give her such strength in captivity. It also helped her to understand a man who terrified others with his cold eyes and wordless communication.
Benton and Constance’s story sucks you into Paris’s dark criminal underground and a demented cult encampment near the alps. There is gruesome violence, so it is not for the faint of heart. Fans of The Silence of the Lambs might appreciate some aspects of this series. It is vaguely reminiscent in the sense that Jodi Foster’s character must work closely with a madman, and here Constance must learn how to navigate safely around Forneus and his obsession. But this story is more complex, involving other players. There is an element of mystery. The story is very well written. It does, however, have a number of typos. It is plot-driven. It is complex. The characters are mostly written of in the present tense, yet they feel real. They are carefully crafted and unique. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Benton and Constance. I rate this book five stars.
Trigger warning: contains gruesome violence, drug use, and captivity.
ABOUT THE CULT SERIES:
This is book two of the Cult series, and it appears to be the conclusion of the series. It does hint at the possible telling of Bartholomew’s story, but that could easily follow in a new series rather than a continuation of this one.
FROM THE CULT, BOOK ONE:
The story opens in Paris, probably in early September.
The Cult is a sophisticated and powerful criminal organization that has a broad reach in France. They deal acid. They took over an enormous camp near the alps, far from civilization, which has become a sort of headquarters from which they can worship as they please. Their workers are the Malevolent - zombie-like men who stand guard in cattle skull helmets. There are twelve demons in the encampment; each has his own angel. The angels are believed to provide a path to redemption. Through their forgiveness, the demons believe they will become men once again. Their goal is to eventually ascend to heaven with their angel. Forneus is one such demon. He believes that in Constance, he has found his long-awaited angel.
Benton is desperate to find his daughter, Claire. She went missing with her mother, Beatrice, but the police have been no help at all. He runs a successful contracting business in Paris which has fallen to neglect since Claire’s disappearance. He drinks scotch to forget as the days drag by. His brother, Bleu, tries to comfort him, but it is hopeless. Benton lives only for Claire, which is ironic because he had once taken an oath to another and had promised never to have children. He gladly left that life behind, though, when Claire was born just seven years ago. Yet as the days pass, he realizes he might need to ask for help – even if help comes with a steep price.
Constance’s life revolves around ballet. She has no family left, so ballet is everything to her. She is now the starring ballerina in her company – and her character is worshipped as an angel. When a clearly insane man begins appearing in her life, she knows instinctively that she is in real danger. She takes matters to the police, but nobody believes her story. She is gaslighted and eventually begins to question her own sanity.
Forneus’s obsession with Constance drives him to be bold, but with the authorities in his pockets, he knows there are no consequences. He desperately wants absolution for his sins – of which there are many. Constance finds herself in a strange new world, surrounded by insanity. Forneus is absolutely crazy, so she must watch her every move. Escape for her and her fellow angels seems an impossibility, but she knows better than to give up hope.
The Chasseurs are ruthless. The criminal organization makes their base in the Catacombs beneath Paris. Bartholomew sits on one of two thrones. He rules the empire and is emotionless in all he does. The Chasseurs have their fair share of enemies, but he doesn’t want to invite more. That is why Bartholomew is a man of his word, and he expects others to keep their word as well.
As the characters and organizations begin to intersect, the story builds. With so much insanity, it is impossible to predict what comes next. This book ends in a cliffhanger. It continues in book two, the Catacombs.
IN THIS BOOK:
As book one closed, Benton, Claire, and Constance had eventually formed a family unit of sorts, much to Benton’s chagrin. He had wanted nothing to do with Constance, but the bond formed between her and his daughter was unbreakable. With Beatrice’s absence and his new responsibility to Bartholomew and the Chasseurs in payment for their help, Benton needed someone reliable to care for Claire in his absence. The addition of Constance to their household thus fell into place, giving Constance the sense of safety she desperately wanted. The emotionless powerhouse had been taken by surprise when Claire was born and stole his heart. He had changed his entire life for her, breaking his vow to Bartholomew, who had been like a brother. He felt nothing for Constance, but they had succumbed to the lust that had developed as a result of their close proximity and shared love of Claire. She admired his love for Claire and understood he was not capable of feeling anything for her, but for her, the safety she felt in his presence gave her peace, and it was enough.
Just as things had settled into a new normal, Bartholomew accepted a meeting with Forneus. Forneus demanded the return of his angel, Constance. The request forced Benton to recognize something that he hadn’t wanted to admit: that Constance was now an integral part of his family. Bartholomew pressured him to hand over Constance and keep the peace, but Benton’s absolute refusal forced Bartholomew to reluctantly shift and threaten Forneus instead. He warned that coming near Benton’s family would be considered an act of war.
As this book opens, Christmas is approaching. Benton, Constance, and Claire continue to grow together as a family as they rest in the knowledge that Forneus will keep his distance. Benton leaves home each night to work at Bartholomew’s side. He had outgrown the criminal lifestyle seven years ago, when Claire was born, so he finds the routine taxing. He misses being a bigger part of Claire’s life. Constance’s steadiness and her commitment to Claire continue to soften him towards her bit by bit. She is unlike any woman before. He doesn’t mind that she uses him, and he is honest when he tells he that he does not love her. He is a man of few words, yet she seems to understand him better than anyone. Their strange relationship shifts little by little. But Forneus remains in the background, and his devotion to his angel remains undeterred. Bartholomew wants Benton ruling at his side, but he also keeps him in the dark at times. As Benton gets further into the Chasseur business, questions arise. One thing Benton knows for certain is that something needs to give.
Wow! This book is dark but less so than book one. Book one hardly qualified as a romance, but an unconventional love story blooms here. The chemistry builds, but ever so slowly. These characters are hard to crack, so opening up to feelings beyond lust really is a process. The men in this story are all sociopaths in various forms. Bartholomew, Forneus, and Benton are all bad news. As evil as Bartholomew is, he is helpful at times, too. In comparison, though, Benton is an angel. He has a dark past that he reluctantly left behind once Claire was born, but her birth gave him a reason to climb out of the darkness that he had been living in. He still doesn’t know how to relate to others and is emotionally stunted, but his love for his daughter guides him like the north star. Although he is a sociopath, too, it is all relative, and here he proves to be the hero. But again, the same could be said of the other men to some degree at one time or another. Constance’s survival has really depended upon them all. Here, however, Forneus wants to drag her back into danger.
Constance is naturally empathic. She felt Benton’s pain when she first met him at the ballet; she marveled at his deep love for his daughter and his absolute desperation to find her. It is perhaps her empathy for others that helped give her such strength in captivity. It also helped her to understand a man who terrified others with his cold eyes and wordless communication.
Benton and Constance’s story sucks you into Paris’s dark criminal underground and a demented cult encampment near the alps. There is gruesome violence, so it is not for the faint of heart. Fans of The Silence of the Lambs might appreciate some aspects of this series. It is vaguely reminiscent in the sense that Jodi Foster’s character must work closely with a madman, and here Constance must learn how to navigate safely around Forneus and his obsession. But this story is more complex, involving other players. There is an element of mystery. The story is very well written. It does, however, have a number of typos. It is plot-driven. It is complex. The characters are mostly written of in the present tense, yet they feel real. They are carefully crafted and unique. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Benton and Constance. I rate this book five stars.
May 31, 2023
The only way out is death, or true love
What a fantastic conclusion to this duet. Gritty, gripping and glorious.
At the end of book one, our reluctant hero, Benton and the bravely angelic, Constance, finally acknowledged their feelings for each other. Solidified by their mutual love for Benton’s daughter, Claire, they begin to function as a real family.
But the nightmares are never over as the evil Forneus continues to make his presence known. Will Constance ever truly escape his clutches?
As Forneus’s looming presence escalates it becomes clear that he will stop at nothing to get his angel back. There’s only one solution and that is to kill Forneus and his fellow demons, but that is almost impossible for Benton to accomplish alone.
When he turns to his fellow Chasseur, Bartholomew for help, he is initially met with total resistance. But it takes a admission of guilt and a gut wrenching revelation for Benton to fully understand the depths of his former friend and comrades selfish deception.
With no hope of keeping both his girls safe if they stay in Paris. Making plans to move his family far away to safety, Benton springs into action… but… it was never going to be that easy was it!
Not giving too much away, the end of this book is everything we’ve come to expect and love about Penelope’s stories. The tension, the turmoil, the truest love, the fiercest loyalty. It’s a heart stopping page turner that just pulls you in so deep that you find yourself holding your breath as our favourite characters battle to stay together… and stay alive.
Benton’s character growth in the series is just amazingly beautiful to watch and feel. I love his roughness and grumpy ways that gradually soften as his love for Constance strengthens. And the contrast between the reluctant hardened criminal to the doting father and amorous lover is stark and palpable. He’s like two different people - torn between the brutal man he’s forced to be and the family man he wants to remain.
That’s why this epilogue is so brilliant… because we get a small glimpse of that life and it fills you with such hope for them.
Amazing read. Really great. I’m not quite sure why it’s called The Catacombs though? Doesn’t really fit with what happens. Sure, it features a bit more than in the first book, but not as much as I expected given it being the title. But that aside… magnificent.
Interested to see where Bartholomew’s story is going to take us. Will he find a woman that will make him understand Benton’s steadfast commitment to loving that someone special? We shall see.
What a fantastic conclusion to this duet. Gritty, gripping and glorious.
At the end of book one, our reluctant hero, Benton and the bravely angelic, Constance, finally acknowledged their feelings for each other. Solidified by their mutual love for Benton’s daughter, Claire, they begin to function as a real family.
But the nightmares are never over as the evil Forneus continues to make his presence known. Will Constance ever truly escape his clutches?
As Forneus’s looming presence escalates it becomes clear that he will stop at nothing to get his angel back. There’s only one solution and that is to kill Forneus and his fellow demons, but that is almost impossible for Benton to accomplish alone.
When he turns to his fellow Chasseur, Bartholomew for help, he is initially met with total resistance. But it takes a admission of guilt and a gut wrenching revelation for Benton to fully understand the depths of his former friend and comrades selfish deception.
With no hope of keeping both his girls safe if they stay in Paris. Making plans to move his family far away to safety, Benton springs into action… but… it was never going to be that easy was it!
Not giving too much away, the end of this book is everything we’ve come to expect and love about Penelope’s stories. The tension, the turmoil, the truest love, the fiercest loyalty. It’s a heart stopping page turner that just pulls you in so deep that you find yourself holding your breath as our favourite characters battle to stay together… and stay alive.
Benton’s character growth in the series is just amazingly beautiful to watch and feel. I love his roughness and grumpy ways that gradually soften as his love for Constance strengthens. And the contrast between the reluctant hardened criminal to the doting father and amorous lover is stark and palpable. He’s like two different people - torn between the brutal man he’s forced to be and the family man he wants to remain.
That’s why this epilogue is so brilliant… because we get a small glimpse of that life and it fills you with such hope for them.
Amazing read. Really great. I’m not quite sure why it’s called The Catacombs though? Doesn’t really fit with what happens. Sure, it features a bit more than in the first book, but not as much as I expected given it being the title. But that aside… magnificent.
Interested to see where Bartholomew’s story is going to take us. Will he find a woman that will make him understand Benton’s steadfast commitment to loving that someone special? We shall see.
February 13, 2022
Not once in the catacombs…
And I really needed more Forneus
And I really needed more Forneus
November 15, 2024
Everyone’s biggest problem with the first novel was the lack of a love story. This second book is basically all porn. Nothing happened in the book until around page 230. It still gave me absolutely no markers reminding me this is set in France. I just feel as if this one wasn’t necessary.
November 10, 2023
Book two of this series is more focused on Constance, Benton and Claire's budding relationship. Benton's character is still the brooding, angry man because he has been forced back into the Bartholomew's world of violence. The reader starts to see cracks in Benton's exterior as he and Constance crave each other more and more sexually which acts as a balm to keep their demons at bay and how the three of them slowly start to become a family. Constance loves Claire like she was her own child and her feelings for Benton start to become more than just sexual; she begins to fall in love with Benton. She not only sees his dark side but sees how loving he is with Claire and wonders if there is possibly a future for them. Benton starts to see and feel Constance as more than just a woman in his bed, but fights an internal battle as Forneus makes more threats, stalks Constance and continues to threaten Benton, Constance and Claire. Forneus refuses to yield or give up Constance and is always one step ahead of Benton.
Benton and Bartholomew have continuous disagreements through book two because Bartholomew wants Benton to hand Constance over, once and for all and put an end to this battle between The Cult and Benton. There is a final showdown which leads to Claire being kidnapped again by Forneus, demanding Constance be returned to him before Claire can be returned. What ensues after that is heart wrenching as choices are made by our characters and the truth as to how all this got started with the Cult comes to light. I never saw that part of the story coming and never saw how one character in the story engineered it.
When everything seems hopeless Bartholomew comes to Benton with a plan which not only reunites their relationship but successfully ends the Cult once and for all.
Constance is no lightweight in this book even with constant nightmares fromthe Acid and the treatment she received at the freaking cult; even when it seems her life is over. She a tough FMC that I enjoyed because of her generosity, love, kindness, but also her ability to fight back even when it seemed useless.
A great ending by this author and a series well worth reading.
Benton and Bartholomew have continuous disagreements through book two because Bartholomew wants Benton to hand Constance over, once and for all and put an end to this battle between The Cult and Benton. There is a final showdown which leads to Claire being kidnapped again by Forneus, demanding Constance be returned to him before Claire can be returned. What ensues after that is heart wrenching as choices are made by our characters and the truth as to how all this got started with the Cult comes to light. I never saw that part of the story coming and never saw how one character in the story engineered it.
When everything seems hopeless Bartholomew comes to Benton with a plan which not only reunites their relationship but successfully ends the Cult once and for all.
Constance is no lightweight in this book even with constant nightmares fromthe Acid and the treatment she received at the freaking cult; even when it seems her life is over. She a tough FMC that I enjoyed because of her generosity, love, kindness, but also her ability to fight back even when it seemed useless.
A great ending by this author and a series well worth reading.
November 19, 2021
I was super excited for this release but sadly it didn’t seem to have the same amount of effort put into it as the first book.
The ending was VERY rushed. There was no build up of anticipation because so many time jumps were used. It was really a shame because pretty much all of the planning Benton and Bartholomew did at the end was skipped, and then the actual carrying out of the plan occurred outside of the narrative (damn time/scene jumps). Benton and Bartholomew had great chemistry and I feel it was a mistake not to show Bartholomew trying to win Benton over during the planning stage and during the excitation of the plan.
Other than the ending I was let down by the fact that the cult beliefs, the Malevolent and Forneus didn’t get the development they deserved. Again truly a missed opportunity. In the first book the cult and Forneus seemed so unhinged and creepy but in this book they felt flat and kind of just there. Considering the cult and Forneus were described as “smart freaks”, and to have their reputation make someone like Bartholomew not want to cross them, they could have been utilized a lot more/in a better way in this book. Maybe the cult pops up in other series (similarly to the skull king being mentioned in this one) and more background and insight is given on them, but considering Forneus and the cult were the primary villains here I am still left with a lot of questions about them.
Tldr; Ending was REALLY rushed and a longer book or even third book would have allowed for better relationship development and world building. A potentially great concept that was poorly concluded. If you read the first book you might as well read this one but don’t prioritize it.
November 17, 2021
As usual Penelope Sky gives us the ending we needed. Notice I didn't say wanted? Readers want their characters to have perfect lives but Penelope Sky makes them work for it.
Benton puts Claire above all else in his life and because Constance saved Claire (and because Claire wants it), Constance is now living with them as Claire's nanny. But the Demon Forneus and his Malevolent are impatiently waiting, as Forneus needs his angel.
The story is mainly the developing relationship between Constance and Benton and Benton's ever evolving relationship with Bartholomew. There are plenty of intense situations, some sweet family moments, some shocking reveals, and plenty of horses (for horse hungry Claire). The culmination to the book was built painstakingly throughout the story and was executed perfectly by the author. I loved the ending and I am thankful for the redemption.
Overall, as I am an action/fantasy fan, I felt the relationship building did drag a little but the ending more than made up for any delay reaching the great conclusion. I am also happy that it was only a two book story, as my gamer son says "Burn them all with fire!" and I totally agree in regards to the Demons and the Malevolent and I would have done my best to wipe them from the face of the Earth, if they had taken my child.
I love Penelope Sky's stories (especially the Barsetti family - Buttons and Lingerie series) and I am looking forward to her new stories under her new Penelope Barsetti pen name!
Benton puts Claire above all else in his life and because Constance saved Claire (and because Claire wants it), Constance is now living with them as Claire's nanny. But the Demon Forneus and his Malevolent are impatiently waiting, as Forneus needs his angel.
The story is mainly the developing relationship between Constance and Benton and Benton's ever evolving relationship with Bartholomew. There are plenty of intense situations, some sweet family moments, some shocking reveals, and plenty of horses (for horse hungry Claire). The culmination to the book was built painstakingly throughout the story and was executed perfectly by the author. I loved the ending and I am thankful for the redemption.
Overall, as I am an action/fantasy fan, I felt the relationship building did drag a little but the ending more than made up for any delay reaching the great conclusion. I am also happy that it was only a two book story, as my gamer son says "Burn them all with fire!" and I totally agree in regards to the Demons and the Malevolent and I would have done my best to wipe them from the face of the Earth, if they had taken my child.
I love Penelope Sky's stories (especially the Barsetti family - Buttons and Lingerie series) and I am looking forward to her new stories under her new Penelope Barsetti pen name!
February 26, 2025
I had a great time with this series! This is the first thriller series I have read of Penelope's and she did a great job! I love the mysterious factor of the cult. We don't really know anything other than there are angels, demons, and the malevolent. It's very ambiguous but it works well.
This book started off right where the first one ended. We see a lot less of Forneus in this one. He pops up here and there throughout the book. I like him so I wish we saw him a bit more 🙈
This book focuses on Constance's life with Claire and Benton after the cult. They form their own little family. It was really sweet to read. I'm not a big fan of kids in books but I liked Claire. She's a survivor just like Constance.
We got a brief look into Benton's old life when he was working with Bartholomew. It was just bits and pieces but interesting none the less. There was plenty of heat between Constance and Benton. Plenty of spicy scenes to keep you busy. The chemistry was there but I wish there was a little more tension between them.
All in all I really enjoyed these books. I wanted a little more out of this one but the story was there and enjoyable either way. Penelope continues to be a favorite author of mine!
This book started off right where the first one ended. We see a lot less of Forneus in this one. He pops up here and there throughout the book. I like him so I wish we saw him a bit more 🙈
This book focuses on Constance's life with Claire and Benton after the cult. They form their own little family. It was really sweet to read. I'm not a big fan of kids in books but I liked Claire. She's a survivor just like Constance.
We got a brief look into Benton's old life when he was working with Bartholomew. It was just bits and pieces but interesting none the less. There was plenty of heat between Constance and Benton. Plenty of spicy scenes to keep you busy. The chemistry was there but I wish there was a little more tension between them.
All in all I really enjoyed these books. I wanted a little more out of this one but the story was there and enjoyable either way. Penelope continues to be a favorite author of mine!
August 28, 2024
Nice story with a HEA
Nice ending to a story (this is book 2) with a happily ever after for our FMC and MMC but some of the lines were just so unbelievably tacky.
I expected more culty and less mushy gushy love story but overall I did enjoy the read.
Maybe I'm being harsh because I just finished a big captivating series, but I believe that my rating and my reasoning are fair.
Second book follows MMC Mr. Benton (who is definitely zaddy) using logic to figure out he's not just a meat head with room in his heart for only his adorably cute little girl but maybe for the PTSD stray he took into his and his daughters lives in book 1. FMC Constance comes out of her PTSD shell in book 2 and realizes that while playing nanny to this little girl that she definitely has feelings for her hot dad too -- dang how convenient-- but is still living in fear of the culty crew to come back and abduct or harm her.
Again, I expected more cult stuff (rituals, warnings, spooky shi*, and idk splatterpunk) but got more fluffy romance and adorable dialogue.
Not awful but not my usual reading pick.
Would recommend for someone looking for a quick and different read.
Nice ending to a story (this is book 2) with a happily ever after for our FMC and MMC but some of the lines were just so unbelievably tacky.
I expected more culty and less mushy gushy love story but overall I did enjoy the read.
Maybe I'm being harsh because I just finished a big captivating series, but I believe that my rating and my reasoning are fair.
Second book follows MMC Mr. Benton (who is definitely zaddy) using logic to figure out he's not just a meat head with room in his heart for only his adorably cute little girl but maybe for the PTSD stray he took into his and his daughters lives in book 1. FMC Constance comes out of her PTSD shell in book 2 and realizes that while playing nanny to this little girl that she definitely has feelings for her hot dad too -- dang how convenient-- but is still living in fear of the culty crew to come back and abduct or harm her.
Again, I expected more cult stuff (rituals, warnings, spooky shi*, and idk splatterpunk) but got more fluffy romance and adorable dialogue.
Not awful but not my usual reading pick.
Would recommend for someone looking for a quick and different read.
January 11, 2023
It was much better than the first one in the series. But still predictable and saw it coming.
I wished he’d absolutely insisted on the rescue mission after he made the trade. I don’t blame him for what he did, I have a child myself I’d do the same.
I don’t like how he probably wouldn’t have attempted it without Bartholomew’s help.
Makes me wonder, she was the woman he loved, but if she’d also been the actual mother of Claire, would he have rescued her? Or even if she was pregnant?
I do like how when he started to feel the shift between them, he fully embraced it.
But the sex scenes were absolute dire. Boring as hell. Not at all like Penelope’s previous heated scenes.
I think she overstepped at times with her place in the beginning. Nicknames like “baby” & “honey” and with the cookies.
Overall was ok. I’m glad I read it because now I can understand Bartholomew a bit more.
The one thing that made me laugh was the “want me to knock you up baby?” How romantic ha ha. Found that weird they spoke about that without telling each other they loved one another.
I wished he’d absolutely insisted on the rescue mission after he made the trade. I don’t blame him for what he did, I have a child myself I’d do the same.
I don’t like how he probably wouldn’t have attempted it without Bartholomew’s help.
Makes me wonder, she was the woman he loved, but if she’d also been the actual mother of Claire, would he have rescued her? Or even if she was pregnant?
I do like how when he started to feel the shift between them, he fully embraced it.
But the sex scenes were absolute dire. Boring as hell. Not at all like Penelope’s previous heated scenes.
I think she overstepped at times with her place in the beginning. Nicknames like “baby” & “honey” and with the cookies.
Overall was ok. I’m glad I read it because now I can understand Bartholomew a bit more.
The one thing that made me laugh was the “want me to knock you up baby?” How romantic ha ha. Found that weird they spoke about that without telling each other they loved one another.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2024
As I said in my review for The Cult, this series won't be one of my favorites.
The cult itself is never really fully explained. I guess they simply make the LSD, since it doesn't appear any of them are in Paris distributing the drug. There's the 12 or so main "demons", but then dozens and dozens of men who just hang around the camp all day with the skull heads on! So you're supposed to believe all those men are crazies and psychopaths who want an angel to "redeem them"?? If that's the case, I'm not sure why Bartholomew wouldn't just take over the business - The cult seems pretty harmless!
And unfortunately, I don't see a whole lot of chemistry between Benton and Constance. And I'm not sure it required two books, if you weren't going to give us more of the buildup between the hero and heroine.
Now I'm just looking forward to reading Bartholomew's books! But since I've gone back to read all the books and chronological order (Some I've read before and some I haven't), I will have to re-read the Lesser Evil Series before I get to Bartholomew.
The cult itself is never really fully explained. I guess they simply make the LSD, since it doesn't appear any of them are in Paris distributing the drug. There's the 12 or so main "demons", but then dozens and dozens of men who just hang around the camp all day with the skull heads on! So you're supposed to believe all those men are crazies and psychopaths who want an angel to "redeem them"?? If that's the case, I'm not sure why Bartholomew wouldn't just take over the business - The cult seems pretty harmless!
And unfortunately, I don't see a whole lot of chemistry between Benton and Constance. And I'm not sure it required two books, if you weren't going to give us more of the buildup between the hero and heroine.
Now I'm just looking forward to reading Bartholomew's books! But since I've gone back to read all the books and chronological order (Some I've read before and some I haven't), I will have to re-read the Lesser Evil Series before I get to Bartholomew.
June 12, 2023
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️
This one was so good! The character development, the storyline, and the relationship growth was perfect. Their relationship is probably the most realistic relationship I’ve seen in a romance so far, cult aspect and kidnapping aside. They didn’t have insta-love, wasn’t love at first sight or anything like that. They bonded normally. And didn’t spout “I love you” or didn’t even know they loved each other for the longest time. The way that Benton loves his daughter is the cutest thing, when he hates literally everyone else. And he’d do anything for her and proves that over and over.
Constance is free from the cult and trying to have a normal life with her new family dynamic with Benton and Claire. But Constance still feels like she’s being watched, and is waiting for the other show to drop. Her demon will never give her up. She’s the absolution he craves.
Read if you like:
📌 Realistic Love
📌 Dual POV
📌 Darker Themes
📌 Found Family
🌶️ 🌶️
This one was so good! The character development, the storyline, and the relationship growth was perfect. Their relationship is probably the most realistic relationship I’ve seen in a romance so far, cult aspect and kidnapping aside. They didn’t have insta-love, wasn’t love at first sight or anything like that. They bonded normally. And didn’t spout “I love you” or didn’t even know they loved each other for the longest time. The way that Benton loves his daughter is the cutest thing, when he hates literally everyone else. And he’d do anything for her and proves that over and over.
Constance is free from the cult and trying to have a normal life with her new family dynamic with Benton and Claire. But Constance still feels like she’s being watched, and is waiting for the other show to drop. Her demon will never give her up. She’s the absolution he craves.
Read if you like:
📌 Realistic Love
📌 Dual POV
📌 Darker Themes
📌 Found Family
November 21, 2021
This Duet!! The Catacombs is another number one from Penelope Sky! This conclusion is an absolute page-turner.
I did not think Benton had more in space in his heart for anyone but Claire, but we see another side to him now that Constance is around. Benton takes the crown for the best book boyfriend. He does not talk much, but he understands and he shows how much he cares for his loved ones through his actions.
Forneus is still around stalking Constance. Both Constance and Benton have to ensure that life remains as normal as possible especially for Claire. How normal can life be with a crazed stalker? Will Benton ever have the opportunity to get him out of their lives?
I absolutely loved this duet and it is in my top 10 books for 2021!!
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Easy-to-read, Entertaining, Page-turner, Steamy, Tear-jerker, Twisted, Unpredictable, Wonderful characters
I did not think Benton had more in space in his heart for anyone but Claire, but we see another side to him now that Constance is around. Benton takes the crown for the best book boyfriend. He does not talk much, but he understands and he shows how much he cares for his loved ones through his actions.
Forneus is still around stalking Constance. Both Constance and Benton have to ensure that life remains as normal as possible especially for Claire. How normal can life be with a crazed stalker? Will Benton ever have the opportunity to get him out of their lives?
I absolutely loved this duet and it is in my top 10 books for 2021!!
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Easy-to-read, Entertaining, Page-turner, Steamy, Tear-jerker, Twisted, Unpredictable, Wonderful characters
November 20, 2021
3.5
I loved book 1 and while this was one was good, I feel like there was a lot missing. This book was short, so short that there was no need for this to be a duet. It’s almost as if the author gave up halfway through and just wanted to end it. The first 80% was very tame - Benton and Constance's daily life dealing with the aftermath of book 1, then bam a whole bunch went down in the last 20%. It wrapped up so abruptly and I have so many questions
I am hoping that this series will go on as I would read a book on both Bartholomew and Bleu. I tried to look for upcoming releases, but it seems the author has not updated her social media or website in a while.
I loved book 1 and while this was one was good, I feel like there was a lot missing. This book was short, so short that there was no need for this to be a duet. It’s almost as if the author gave up halfway through and just wanted to end it. The first 80% was very tame - Benton and Constance's daily life dealing with the aftermath of book 1, then bam a whole bunch went down in the last 20%. It wrapped up so abruptly and I have so many questions
I am hoping that this series will go on as I would read a book on both Bartholomew and Bleu. I tried to look for upcoming releases, but it seems the author has not updated her social media or website in a while.
November 22, 2021
Wow! This book is the second book in the duet and it does NOT fail to knock you off your feet. Benton and Constance face so much upheaval, causing this reader to have heart pounding anxiety as I read their story. I was on the edge of my seat as I read. I could not put this book down. As the answers were revealed about questions I had I was so impressed by this author's skill with words and descriptions that made me feel just like I was there with them. The emotions this story had me feeling was so intense and soul deep. I wish zi could rate this higher than 5 stars. This book and the duet are certainly.worth more! Ms. Sky certainly knows how to draw you in and keep you vested in the story till the last word has been read. I can not wait to see what she brings mr next!
November 7, 2022
A lot of the book was almost slice-of-life with descriptions of Benton leaving for "work" at night, Constance walking him to to door, her waiting for him to come home in the morning, him eating his breakfast, them fucking and then him going to sleep while she takes a nap before having to pick up Claire from school. It wasn't bad, it was entertaining and I liked it... but it also wasn't very dark or action packed. Benton kept asking Bartholomew to help him kill Fenton since the guy is unhinged and stalking Constance but nope, can't do that, the Cult is scary and he's not going to have a war on his hands.... until he wants Benton to forgive him. Then he comes up with a plan to raid the place, kill everyone, and save the women...
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