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He wants to ruin her. She wants to save him.
Cole Jagger is a puzzle I want to solve. But he refuses to let me in, and now I’m ensnared in his trap.
She’s a distraction I don’t need. But when Hadley Rexford discovers me with blood on my hands, I know I can’t walk away without demanding her silence.
He’s cold.
I’ll taint her.
Immoral.
Torment her.
In the end, he‘ll break me.
In the end, I’ll ruin her.
She might the girl with nowhere left to go, and I might be the bad boy with no soul, but one thing’s for sure... We’ll either walk into the light together.
Or drown in the darkness forever.
This boxset contains Taint Her and Trust Him. It is a dark high school bully romance. If possessive, immoral, dirty-talking alphaholes aren't your thing, you probably won't like this book.
Cole Jagger is a puzzle I want to solve. But he refuses to let me in, and now I’m ensnared in his trap.
She’s a distraction I don’t need. But when Hadley Rexford discovers me with blood on my hands, I know I can’t walk away without demanding her silence.
He’s cold.
I’ll taint her.
Immoral.
Torment her.
In the end, he‘ll break me.
In the end, I’ll ruin her.
She might the girl with nowhere left to go, and I might be the bad boy with no soul, but one thing’s for sure... We’ll either walk into the light together.
Or drown in the darkness forever.
This boxset contains Taint Her and Trust Him. It is a dark high school bully romance. If possessive, immoral, dirty-talking alphaholes aren't your thing, you probably won't like this book.
599 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 6, 2021
91 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Caitlyn Dare
46 books1,408 followersTwo angsty romance lovers writing dark heroes and the feisty girls who bring them to their knees.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 2, 2022
Taint Her
Basic summary: The book starts off with Hadley Rexford finding Cole Jagger in the street. Pretty normal, right? Wrong. His clothes were dripping in blood. Despite the fact, Hadley sneaks him into her room and lets him use her shower to clean himself off. The book takes off from there.
Dislikes: none.
Likes:
I don’t know about anyone else, but for me, it’s always hard to get into a new book. Introductions are typically the most boring part of a story and I assumed it’d be the same with this one. I was wrong to say the least.
See what I mean? The novel begins with a fascinating prologue that leaves readers with a bunch of unanswered questions. There was no waiting for things to get interesting because it was interesting from the get-go. The beginning could literally not have been any better. The plot is intriguing and it helps that the writing is super engaging as well.
Cole & Hadley’s complicated relationship.
They had a unique and enjoyable dynamic that made me desperate to continue reading to see how their story would play out. I have to admit I was apprehensive going into it because bully romances are often so toxic that I can’t get on board with shipping the couple, but that wasn’t the case here. They clearly care for each other and it was obvious from the very beginning. They belonged together and anyone that thinks otherwise is wrong. Plain and simple.
The characters were so lovable and well-developed, especially Cole and Hadley. Cole was the bad boy with a rough exterior whose only soft for one girl. Hadley is the cheerleader with a past that haunts her and a heart of gold. There was never a moment when I disliked either of them; they were likable from start to finish, which obviously made the book more enjoyable. The side characters were fun, too.
The writing was so addicting. This was my first time reading anything of Caitlin Dare’s and I’m so glad I decided to check it out. She is immensely talented and deserves way more recognition for her writing because wowza. I never wanted to put this book down. I’m definitely going to look into her other books and I suggest everyone else do the same because this woman can write like nobody's business.
Their beach date.
I liked all the scenes between Cole and Hadley, but their beach date was on another level. I was swooning so hard the entire time. It was so adorable and the fact that Mr. Bad Boy planned out such a romantic evening for his girl makes it so much better. My expectations for men skyrocketed after reading it.
Overall, I loved it, which should be pretty obvious by this point, but I really want to emphasize that this book is fantastic. READ IT NOW!! If you’ve already read it, reread it. This book is that good. I am so glad I picked it up and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series :)
Trust Him
Brief summary: The last book ended with Hadley being kidnapped by Donny, so naturally, this book opens with Hadley being tied up in a trailer. Oh, and she's also pregnant. But don't worry, Cole & friends are planning on saving the day. Woohoo! After all that crazy stuff, there's some push-and-pull between Cole & Hadley and more relationship drama. At the end, there's a snippet of what to expect in the next book in the series, which stars Conner and Kennedy.
Dislikes:
Some of the scenes seemed unnecessary and/or repetitive. For example,
Likes:
Hadley Dove Rexford. To put into perspective what kind of person she is, here's an excerpt:
What an absolute queen. She lost literally everything and she managed to keep going like the baddie that she is. She's a great heroine and made the book so much more enjoyable. She's kind, compassionate, loving, understanding and so, so strong. I love her.
I also liked Cole's newfound softness. He was so hardcore in the first book, so I liked seeing this new side to him, even if there were some not-so-soft moments *cough* knifeplay *cough* Anyway, he was ready to step up and be the person Hadley and his baby needed.
And to think that this was the same boy we met not too long ago who murdered his uncle in cold blood. He has come so far and I'm proud of him. There were some hiccups here and there *cough* carving into Hadley *cough* but he got through it in the end so yay!
I liked Hadley and I liked Cole, so it make sense that I'd like them together. Intimately.
Their sexual chemistry is great. Cole was dominant and Hadley was a submissive, yet rebellious gal, so sexually, they were perfectly matched. There was one sex scene that was eh. Yes, I'm talking about the knifeplay one. It just wasn't for me. I'm not at all into knifeplay, but if you are, more power to you. I'm not judging. All their other sex scenes were oozing with chemistry and hotness though.
Overall, I liked the book, but I didn't think it was nearly as good as the first because of the repetitiveness. Sorry. I'm giving it a 3.5/5 star rating. Also, I know Conner's is the next in the series, but I'm not all that interested if I'm going to be honest, so I might skip over that one. However, I do enjoy Caitlyn Dare's writing, so I'm going to look into her other books and see if they appeal to me more :)
Basic summary: The book starts off with Hadley Rexford finding Cole Jagger in the street. Pretty normal, right? Wrong. His clothes were dripping in blood. Despite the fact, Hadley sneaks him into her room and lets him use her shower to clean himself off. The book takes off from there.
Dislikes: none.
Likes:
I don’t know about anyone else, but for me, it’s always hard to get into a new book. Introductions are typically the most boring part of a story and I assumed it’d be the same with this one. I was wrong to say the least.
“His hoodie might be black, but there’s no mistaking the blood stains.
“Cole? Are you hurt?”
“No, this doesn’t belong to me.””
See what I mean? The novel begins with a fascinating prologue that leaves readers with a bunch of unanswered questions. There was no waiting for things to get interesting because it was interesting from the get-go. The beginning could literally not have been any better. The plot is intriguing and it helps that the writing is super engaging as well.
Cole & Hadley’s complicated relationship.
Cole: “You’re going to regret playing with me.”
Hadley: “Do your worst, *sshole. I’ve dealt with bigger monsters than you think you are.”
They had a unique and enjoyable dynamic that made me desperate to continue reading to see how their story would play out. I have to admit I was apprehensive going into it because bully romances are often so toxic that I can’t get on board with shipping the couple, but that wasn’t the case here. They clearly care for each other and it was obvious from the very beginning. They belonged together and anyone that thinks otherwise is wrong. Plain and simple.
The characters were so lovable and well-developed, especially Cole and Hadley. Cole was the bad boy with a rough exterior whose only soft for one girl. Hadley is the cheerleader with a past that haunts her and a heart of gold. There was never a moment when I disliked either of them; they were likable from start to finish, which obviously made the book more enjoyable. The side characters were fun, too.
The writing was so addicting. This was my first time reading anything of Caitlin Dare’s and I’m so glad I decided to check it out. She is immensely talented and deserves way more recognition for her writing because wowza. I never wanted to put this book down. I’m definitely going to look into her other books and I suggest everyone else do the same because this woman can write like nobody's business.
Their beach date.
"I have to watch what I eat for cheer."
"F*ck that. You're perfect, you don't need to - what?"
"You think I'm perfect?"
"You're not so bad, Rexford."
I liked all the scenes between Cole and Hadley, but their beach date was on another level. I was swooning so hard the entire time. It was so adorable and the fact that Mr. Bad Boy planned out such a romantic evening for his girl makes it so much better. My expectations for men skyrocketed after reading it.
Overall, I loved it, which should be pretty obvious by this point, but I really want to emphasize that this book is fantastic. READ IT NOW!! If you’ve already read it, reread it. This book is that good. I am so glad I picked it up and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series :)
Trust Him
Brief summary: The last book ended with Hadley being kidnapped by Donny, so naturally, this book opens with Hadley being tied up in a trailer. Oh, and she's also pregnant. But don't worry, Cole & friends are planning on saving the day. Woohoo! After all that crazy stuff, there's some push-and-pull between Cole & Hadley and more relationship drama. At the end, there's a snippet of what to expect in the next book in the series, which stars Conner and Kennedy.
Dislikes:
Some of the scenes seemed unnecessary and/or repetitive. For example,
Likes:
Hadley Dove Rexford. To put into perspective what kind of person she is, here's an excerpt:
"Since losing the baby, since losing Cole and cutting off my parents, something has shifted inside me. The future isn't going to be easy. I have no family, no trust fund and determination. I've survived too much to give up now. Cole Jagger might have broken my heart, but I'm still standing. I'm still here. And I have to believe there's something better out there for me."
What an absolute queen. She lost literally everything and she managed to keep going like the baddie that she is. She's a great heroine and made the book so much more enjoyable. She's kind, compassionate, loving, understanding and so, so strong. I love her.
I also liked Cole's newfound softness. He was so hardcore in the first book, so I liked seeing this new side to him, even if there were some not-so-soft moments *cough* knifeplay *cough* Anyway, he was ready to step up and be the person Hadley and his baby needed.
""I want to make this work, Hadley. I want a future with you," his hand drifts to my stomach, "And our baby.""
And to think that this was the same boy we met not too long ago who murdered his uncle in cold blood. He has come so far and I'm proud of him. There were some hiccups here and there *cough* carving into Hadley *cough* but he got through it in the end so yay!
I liked Hadley and I liked Cole, so it make sense that I'd like them together. Intimately.
""On the bed. Hands behind your back." She does exactly as I ask, only instead of sitting there looking innocent, the little minx places her feet flat on the bed and spreads her legs wide, showing me exactly what I've been missing out on."
Their sexual chemistry is great. Cole was dominant and Hadley was a submissive, yet rebellious gal, so sexually, they were perfectly matched. There was one sex scene that was eh. Yes, I'm talking about the knifeplay one. It just wasn't for me. I'm not at all into knifeplay, but if you are, more power to you. I'm not judging. All their other sex scenes were oozing with chemistry and hotness though.
Overall, I liked the book, but I didn't think it was nearly as good as the first because of the repetitiveness. Sorry. I'm giving it a 3.5/5 star rating. Also, I know Conner's is the next in the series, but I'm not all that interested if I'm going to be honest, so I might skip over that one. However, I do enjoy Caitlyn Dare's writing, so I'm going to look into her other books and see if they appeal to me more :)
March 21, 2022
Taint her is book three the in Rebels at Sterling Prep and book one in Cole's duet.
Hadley is more than just a cheerleader or another rich girl, but Cole is convinced he will sorry her if he gets too late. But Hadley is darker than even he knows.
Cole is struggling with inner demons from his past and the knowledge that James is his father. Cole is the darker of the Jagger boys. The only thing he's ever cared about are his brothers, until now.
Cole and Hadley's story isn't just darker because of their own histories, which we don't know the full extend of yet. But just them together is more intense. Hadley opening up slowly through his book is necessary for her character development as frustrating as it is waiting to piece all of her puzzle together.
—————————————————————
Trust Him is book four the in Rebels at Sterling Prep and book two in Cole's duet.
Cole is most definitely the darker and more damaged Jagger brother, therefore his story has more elements of darkness and trauma (While I'm not triggered personally be sure to read trigger warnings before reading).
After the cliffhanger of Taunt Her thankfully Trust Him dives right back and picks up there. This whole book is about Cole redeeming himself, not just to Hadley or his family, but himself. He doesn't believe he's worthy, his self esteem is so so low that he pushes away any goodness in his life before it can leave him. While he is convinced he will destroy or taint Hadley, she brings light to his darkness. While opposite in so many ways, their darkness calls to each others.
Throughout this book we get to see Cole's growth as a character, he develops more than any of the others in my opinion. Coles story while rather dark at times, he undergoes the most change.
A tiny teaser of what's to come in Conner's story at the end of this. Along with a few possible hints about Gravestone and what to expect from the Gravestone Elite series - I'm yet to read it because Bexley bugs the hell out of me! But I'd be lying if I didn't admit I'm curious since rereading this series.
Hadley is more than just a cheerleader or another rich girl, but Cole is convinced he will sorry her if he gets too late. But Hadley is darker than even he knows.
Cole is struggling with inner demons from his past and the knowledge that James is his father. Cole is the darker of the Jagger boys. The only thing he's ever cared about are his brothers, until now.
Cole and Hadley's story isn't just darker because of their own histories, which we don't know the full extend of yet. But just them together is more intense. Hadley opening up slowly through his book is necessary for her character development as frustrating as it is waiting to piece all of her puzzle together.
—————————————————————
Trust Him is book four the in Rebels at Sterling Prep and book two in Cole's duet.
Cole is most definitely the darker and more damaged Jagger brother, therefore his story has more elements of darkness and trauma (While I'm not triggered personally be sure to read trigger warnings before reading).
After the cliffhanger of Taunt Her thankfully Trust Him dives right back and picks up there. This whole book is about Cole redeeming himself, not just to Hadley or his family, but himself. He doesn't believe he's worthy, his self esteem is so so low that he pushes away any goodness in his life before it can leave him. While he is convinced he will destroy or taint Hadley, she brings light to his darkness. While opposite in so many ways, their darkness calls to each others.
Throughout this book we get to see Cole's growth as a character, he develops more than any of the others in my opinion. Coles story while rather dark at times, he undergoes the most change.
A tiny teaser of what's to come in Conner's story at the end of this. Along with a few possible hints about Gravestone and what to expect from the Gravestone Elite series - I'm yet to read it because Bexley bugs the hell out of me! But I'd be lying if I didn't admit I'm curious since rereading this series.
January 8, 2022
Great Book
OMG I love all the Jagger brothers but damn if Cole didn’t make my heart melt with how broken he was and what abuse he suffered as a child.
I’m so pleased with his HEA and can’t wait to see them all again in Connor & Kennedy’s story.
However who the hell is James really ?? 🤯
He was there in a heartbeat to sort the Donny situation and then with Tim and he knew all about him, that man is more powerful than any of those other families.
I would like to have seen more on Hadley’s family and her and Cole having it out with them instead of just on the phone and who told Tim where she was, just some unanswered questions for me with them.
OMG I love all the Jagger brothers but damn if Cole didn’t make my heart melt with how broken he was and what abuse he suffered as a child.
I’m so pleased with his HEA and can’t wait to see them all again in Connor & Kennedy’s story.
However who the hell is James really ?? 🤯
He was there in a heartbeat to sort the Donny situation and then with Tim and he knew all about him, that man is more powerful than any of those other families.
I would like to have seen more on Hadley’s family and her and Cole having it out with them instead of just on the phone and who told Tim where she was, just some unanswered questions for me with them.
January 8, 2022
wow, completely loved it!
I love this series, the books are long and in-depth. I love the style they are written, the twists, the emotion, the detail - it had me not being able to put it down. I completely fell into the story and was in tears in parts and then laughing out loud to Conner and his smart butt.
It was great to see the development of the family, the up’s and downs.
Cole’s journey was insightful and my heart went out to both him and Hadley.
I like this this author touches on subjects most wouldn’t.
Overall yet another fantastic book in this series, can’t wait to read Conner’s story
I love this series, the books are long and in-depth. I love the style they are written, the twists, the emotion, the detail - it had me not being able to put it down. I completely fell into the story and was in tears in parts and then laughing out loud to Conner and his smart butt.
It was great to see the development of the family, the up’s and downs.
Cole’s journey was insightful and my heart went out to both him and Hadley.
I like this this author touches on subjects most wouldn’t.
Overall yet another fantastic book in this series, can’t wait to read Conner’s story
January 30, 2022
Cole + Hadley
These two have a twisted dark story that starts on secrets and builds to something that they both crave. Hadley has her own secrets she doesn’t want those to know. Cole has taken his brothers place and is caught up in things he shouldn’t be doing. But with Football being his way out can he hold on to it and keep the girl? Only one way to find out… read this amazing addition to Sterling Prep. I fell in love with Hadley and Cole. Their darkness to the light was a beautifully written story of overcoming all odds. All emotions in this one, and SO worth every word.
These two have a twisted dark story that starts on secrets and builds to something that they both crave. Hadley has her own secrets she doesn’t want those to know. Cole has taken his brothers place and is caught up in things he shouldn’t be doing. But with Football being his way out can he hold on to it and keep the girl? Only one way to find out… read this amazing addition to Sterling Prep. I fell in love with Hadley and Cole. Their darkness to the light was a beautifully written story of overcoming all odds. All emotions in this one, and SO worth every word.
May 24, 2023
love love love
Caitlyn can do no wrong great book. Get the series you won’t regret it. It’s an amazing Book. Hope James gets his own book.
Caitlyn can do no wrong great book. Get the series you won’t regret it. It’s an amazing Book. Hope James gets his own book.
October 15, 2025
Read in 2 parts separately.
October 17, 2022
3.5 stars, too much drama?
I gave Ace and Remis story 5 stars, and I loved Cole’s story up until the second book. His story was over dramatized and some parts were far fetched enough not to be believable. I would have appreciated a simpler stripped down version. Sometimes less is more.
I love the ending however, especially Cole’s obsessive side coming out to play. Overall I recommend this series, but don’t be surprised if you skim a little. Looking forward to Conners story.
Spoilers Ahead:
Hadleys past was as predictable as white paint. I would have expected her parents were caring for her secret baby or something more shocking than what actually was the big reveal we all saw coming. Given she was 15 and he was 19, what happened wasn’t shocking and I’m not sure deserved to be on par with Coles history. Then having her be careless with BC (no condoms as double protection, as we all know BC isn’t ever 100% effective) was a head scratcher. I feel like having the second pregnancy story was just too much.
Speaking of, I find it hard to believe that Ace wouldn’t recognize the danger he left Cole in, or that Cole would have been able to hide the physical damage and pain that had to have occurred from the repeated SA. I definitely would have preferred a different direction for this because I feel like it’s becoming a common “go to” for authors lately.
I gave Ace and Remis story 5 stars, and I loved Cole’s story up until the second book. His story was over dramatized and some parts were far fetched enough not to be believable. I would have appreciated a simpler stripped down version. Sometimes less is more.
I love the ending however, especially Cole’s obsessive side coming out to play. Overall I recommend this series, but don’t be surprised if you skim a little. Looking forward to Conners story.
Spoilers Ahead:
Hadleys past was as predictable as white paint. I would have expected her parents were caring for her secret baby or something more shocking than what actually was the big reveal we all saw coming. Given she was 15 and he was 19, what happened wasn’t shocking and I’m not sure deserved to be on par with Coles history. Then having her be careless with BC (no condoms as double protection, as we all know BC isn’t ever 100% effective) was a head scratcher. I feel like having the second pregnancy story was just too much.
Speaking of, I find it hard to believe that Ace wouldn’t recognize the danger he left Cole in, or that Cole would have been able to hide the physical damage and pain that had to have occurred from the repeated SA. I definitely would have preferred a different direction for this because I feel like it’s becoming a common “go to” for authors lately.
February 11, 2024
This was a very emotional story so get the tissue box ready. We learn Cole and Hadley’s secrets and some tragic events occur that really test our characters. Thank god they did get their HEA 🫶🏼
Narration was great! Teddy is perfect as Cole’s voice ❤️
Narration was great! Teddy is perfect as Cole’s voice ❤️
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews