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Stonehurst Prep Elite #1
Poison Ivy
I’ll do anything to get in. I’ll even become theirs.
Victor. Torsten. Cassius – the jock, the artist, the stepbrother.
The Poison Ivy Club.
Ruthless.
Connected.
Violent.
Untouchable.
They rule Stonehurst Prep with an iron fist.
If you want Harvard, Princeton, or Yale, they’ll get you in.
Guaranteed.
But they’ll take their pound of flesh first.
A deal’s a deal – you give them whatever they want, and they’ll make your dreams come true.
And they want me.
In their beds.
On their arms.
Part of their gang.
I’ll do anything to get into an Ivy League school.
I’ll lie. I’ll cheat.
I’ll get on my knees.
I’ll kill.
But those three dark princes will never have my heart.
This is a new adult, dark contemporary romance with three hot guys and one girl. It is intended for 18+ readers.
Victor. Torsten. Cassius – the jock, the artist, the stepbrother.
The Poison Ivy Club.
Ruthless.
Connected.
Violent.
Untouchable.
They rule Stonehurst Prep with an iron fist.
If you want Harvard, Princeton, or Yale, they’ll get you in.
Guaranteed.
But they’ll take their pound of flesh first.
A deal’s a deal – you give them whatever they want, and they’ll make your dreams come true.
And they want me.
In their beds.
On their arms.
Part of their gang.
I’ll do anything to get into an Ivy League school.
I’ll lie. I’ll cheat.
I’ll get on my knees.
I’ll kill.
But those three dark princes will never have my heart.
This is a new adult, dark contemporary romance with three hot guys and one girl. It is intended for 18+ readers.
554 pages, ebook
Published May 26, 2022
2319 people are currently reading
6687 people want to read
About the author
Steffanie Holmes
84 books1,357 followersSteffanie Holmes is the author of steamy historical and paranormal romance. Her books feature clever, witty heroines, wild shifters, cunning witches and alpha males who get what they want.
Before becoming a writer, Steffanie worked as an archaeologist and museum curator. She loves to explore historical settings and ancient conceptions of love and possession. From Dark Age Europe to crumbling gothic estates, Steffanie is fascinated with how love can blossom between the most unlikely characters.
Steffanie lives in New Zealand with her husband and a horde of cantankerous cats. Learn more about Steffanie at her website: www.steffanieholmes.com. She also writes dark science fiction under the name S C Green.
Want to be informed when the next Steffanie Holmes paranormal romance story goes live? Sign up for the mailing list! http://eepurl.com/ZrowD
Before becoming a writer, Steffanie worked as an archaeologist and museum curator. She loves to explore historical settings and ancient conceptions of love and possession. From Dark Age Europe to crumbling gothic estates, Steffanie is fascinated with how love can blossom between the most unlikely characters.
Steffanie lives in New Zealand with her husband and a horde of cantankerous cats. Learn more about Steffanie at her website: www.steffanieholmes.com. She also writes dark science fiction under the name S C Green.
Want to be informed when the next Steffanie Holmes paranormal romance story goes live? Sign up for the mailing list! http://eepurl.com/ZrowD
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 393 reviews
June 1, 2022
MY REVIEW AND OTHERS: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
'POISON IVY' Is the first full length book in author Stephanie Holmes 'Stonehurst Prep Elite' series. Spoken in multiple POV's. Ends in a cliffy.
My cover hoe eyes thank you for the non discreet cover!! 🔥🥵🔥
I’d seen this popping up on all my newsfeeds and thought I’d give it a shot since this genre has been over indulged in, nothing really stands out now, until this book.
This pulled me in from the get go and still had ahold of me up till I closed out of that last page. Some have pegged this as dark, for me it’s semi, a few scenes we’ve all read before but one scene does stand out about the rest which had my little black heart rejoicing. Because finally I got a small taste of darkness.
I loved all of these characters, their ring leader just that little bit more unhinged than his friends, which yet again had me sitting up enjoying his character immensely.
Now onto our heroine, I’ve never come across anyone like her, she’s tough and knows how to defend herself, which I loved wholeheartedly! She also has a disability which doesn’t define who she is, she’s mastered ways to see without being able to see, which yet again I loved.
Throw her up against these boys and they crowned her queen, underestimating her abilities.
Now she's out to get them...
This does end on a cliffy which has spiked my anticipation levels for the next book in this series.
October 13, 2024
A blind heroine!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 🙂🥰😎🤩😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Fergus Monroe (a.k.a. Fergie) - she just moved to Emerald Beach California, to be with her dad after Fergie imploded her life. She had to run from her past life in Massachusetts after “the incident” and move in with her dad and new stepmother Collie, whom she had never met before because he married her on a whim in Las Vegas. Fergie is blind and walks with a cane. She was betrayed by the guy she left back in Massachusetts. She doesn’t want this new life; she just wants her old life back. She feels numb and detached since “the incident.” The good girl in her died that day and a broken girl has taken her place.
The Heroes: Cassius, Victor, Torsten - Fergie’s new stepbrother and his friends. They are the Poison Ivy Club. The do favors for people for a price.
Cassius Dio (a.k.a. Cas) - he wasn’t happy about his new stepsister moving into his brother Gaius’s old room. He has been with hundreds of girls, but never someone like Fergie. He sees Fergie’s dentist father as a gold digger that scammed his mother.
Victor August - he has a twin sister Juliette, who is not a member of the Poison Ivy club, but he protects her and rarely lets her out of his sight.
Torsten Lucien - he is always somewhere else, often with his nose in a book. He is dark and broody and lacks social niceties. He probably has a form of Asperger’s syndrome.
The Story: Things heat up between Cas and Fergie from the moment they meet. They hook up before they even formally meet each other, he breaks the news that he is her stepbrother at a very inconvenient time. Fergie immediately kicks him out and Cas replies that she will never belong. He wants to forget about her but can’t seem to keep her off his mind.
This is pretty standard reverse-harem bully romance. I like the genre, though not terribly much when the anti-Heroes are bullying the heroine. I like it when they redeem themselves and become more of a family. This one was different in that Fergie was blind since she was very young. I liked the fact that she had a handicap, but it wasn’t a handicap at all. She was a champion in martial arts before moving and she goes to regular school and doesn’t need help getting around on a daily basis.
The guys are very hypocritical at times, in that they use women any way they want and treat them badly, but then get mad at their employees for treating women like sex objects, stating that their moral code doesn’t allow them to treat women like that. Though overall, this was a good bully romance, I did like that there was a lot of chemistry between Fergie and each of the guys in separate ways.
There was a bunch of mystery and a ton of secrets. Like why Fergie had to go into hiding. Why she had to erase her history and can’t do things that she used to do like she is in witness protection or something. Also, there is a secret about her stepmother, like maybe she is in the mafia or something. There is a secret about who Torsten’s mother is, it is suggested that she is someone important or influential, but it is also revealed that she is not his biological mother, so their relationship is full of mystery.
This audiobook is told in multiple points of view in dual narration. Angelina Rocca, Myles Washington, Nelson Hobbs and Aaron Shedlock narrated it. I really like Angelina Rocca; she sounds age appropriate for Fergie and she does an excellent job. Myles Washington, on the other hand, sounds way too old to be Cassius. His voice is fine, but you can definitely tell he is reading since he seems to pause at the end of every sentence and his voice for female characters is atrocious. Nelson Hobbs does a great job, and I like his voice. Aaron Shedlock is one of my favorite male narrators and is always fantastic as far as I’m concerned.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 🙂🥰😎🤩😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Fergus Monroe (a.k.a. Fergie) - she just moved to Emerald Beach California, to be with her dad after Fergie imploded her life. She had to run from her past life in Massachusetts after “the incident” and move in with her dad and new stepmother Collie, whom she had never met before because he married her on a whim in Las Vegas. Fergie is blind and walks with a cane. She was betrayed by the guy she left back in Massachusetts. She doesn’t want this new life; she just wants her old life back. She feels numb and detached since “the incident.” The good girl in her died that day and a broken girl has taken her place.
The Heroes: Cassius, Victor, Torsten - Fergie’s new stepbrother and his friends. They are the Poison Ivy Club. The do favors for people for a price.
Cassius Dio (a.k.a. Cas) - he wasn’t happy about his new stepsister moving into his brother Gaius’s old room. He has been with hundreds of girls, but never someone like Fergie. He sees Fergie’s dentist father as a gold digger that scammed his mother.
Victor August - he has a twin sister Juliette, who is not a member of the Poison Ivy club, but he protects her and rarely lets her out of his sight.
Torsten Lucien - he is always somewhere else, often with his nose in a book. He is dark and broody and lacks social niceties. He probably has a form of Asperger’s syndrome.
The Story: Things heat up between Cas and Fergie from the moment they meet. They hook up before they even formally meet each other, he breaks the news that he is her stepbrother at a very inconvenient time. Fergie immediately kicks him out and Cas replies that she will never belong. He wants to forget about her but can’t seem to keep her off his mind.
This is pretty standard reverse-harem bully romance. I like the genre, though not terribly much when the anti-Heroes are bullying the heroine. I like it when they redeem themselves and become more of a family. This one was different in that Fergie was blind since she was very young. I liked the fact that she had a handicap, but it wasn’t a handicap at all. She was a champion in martial arts before moving and she goes to regular school and doesn’t need help getting around on a daily basis.
The guys are very hypocritical at times, in that they use women any way they want and treat them badly, but then get mad at their employees for treating women like sex objects, stating that their moral code doesn’t allow them to treat women like that. Though overall, this was a good bully romance, I did like that there was a lot of chemistry between Fergie and each of the guys in separate ways.
There was a bunch of mystery and a ton of secrets. Like why Fergie had to go into hiding. Why she had to erase her history and can’t do things that she used to do like she is in witness protection or something. Also, there is a secret about her stepmother, like maybe she is in the mafia or something. There is a secret about who Torsten’s mother is, it is suggested that she is someone important or influential, but it is also revealed that she is not his biological mother, so their relationship is full of mystery.
This audiobook is told in multiple points of view in dual narration. Angelina Rocca, Myles Washington, Nelson Hobbs and Aaron Shedlock narrated it. I really like Angelina Rocca; she sounds age appropriate for Fergie and she does an excellent job. Myles Washington, on the other hand, sounds way too old to be Cassius. His voice is fine, but you can definitely tell he is reading since he seems to pause at the end of every sentence and his voice for female characters is atrocious. Nelson Hobbs does a great job, and I like his voice. Aaron Shedlock is one of my favorite male narrators and is always fantastic as far as I’m concerned.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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December 31, 2022
I didn't feel that the h was blind at all. Being blind she knew how many people were there in a room, colours of their attire, expressions, their mood etc, etc... blah blah blah! This just was not for me.
June 2, 2022
I’m pissed that this book ended with the same cliche cliffhanger as most other bully romances, especially since it started out as such a fresh take on this sub genre…..
This book turned out to be the same old song and dance as others I’ve read before where:
1) an obnoxiously wealthy group of 18/19 year-old boys meet a girl and hate her for no logical reason
2) the girl is bullied by the boys through no fault of her own
3) she falls for them despite them being assholes and making her life hell
4) the boys fall for her + all’s forgiven
5) there’s some event that leads to miscommunication that makes the boys betray the girl
6) the girl makes it her mission to avenge her honor and ruin the boys
7) the girl will end up being a doormat and forgive them in the end since they’re so in love, etc.
I don’t even need to pick up the next book to see how this plays out.
The FMC, Fergie, started off as this really cool, badass chick that kept me super engaged in the story. She was visually impaired, but took no shit. However by the 60% mark, after she became a Poison Ivy Girl, something shifted in the writing and she stopped being badass (instead she became straight up annoying). It was hard to root for her. Pretty sure I rage-skimmed the rest of the book. I got even more pissed once I got to the cliffhanger, knowing I had been robbed of precious sleep over a book that pulled a bait-and-switch.
This book turned out to be the same old song and dance as others I’ve read before where:
1) an obnoxiously wealthy group of 18/19 year-old boys meet a girl and hate her for no logical reason
2) the girl is bullied by the boys through no fault of her own
3) she falls for them despite them being assholes and making her life hell
4) the boys fall for her + all’s forgiven
5) there’s some event that leads to miscommunication that makes the boys betray the girl
6) the girl makes it her mission to avenge her honor and ruin the boys
7) the girl will end up being a doormat and forgive them in the end since they’re so in love, etc.
I don’t even need to pick up the next book to see how this plays out.
The FMC, Fergie, started off as this really cool, badass chick that kept me super engaged in the story. She was visually impaired, but took no shit. However by the 60% mark, after she became a Poison Ivy Girl, something shifted in the writing and she stopped being badass (instead she became straight up annoying). It was hard to root for her. Pretty sure I rage-skimmed the rest of the book. I got even more pissed once I got to the cliffhanger, knowing I had been robbed of precious sleep over a book that pulled a bait-and-switch.
November 4, 2024
Steffanie Holmes, what do you do to me with your books?!?!?
I don't think bully romance is for me, but SH could write the instructions on a shampoo bottle, and I would happily read it ❤️
Fergie is our MFC, and she has a disability (SH writes the best disability rep) concerning her vision but she is excellent at navigating her life, the disability is just one part of her and she contains many very interesting parts.
She starts a new school after 'the incident', and her father gets married, leaving her with a new stepbrother.
This book is action-packed packed from the get-go, and even though I found the ending a little predictable, you can bet I'm going to read the next in the series straight away as we are dealing with some EPIC revenge here, even if it is due to miscommunication.
I don't think bully romance is for me, but SH could write the instructions on a shampoo bottle, and I would happily read it ❤️
Fergie is our MFC, and she has a disability (SH writes the best disability rep) concerning her vision but she is excellent at navigating her life, the disability is just one part of her and she contains many very interesting parts.
She starts a new school after 'the incident', and her father gets married, leaving her with a new stepbrother.
This book is action-packed packed from the get-go, and even though I found the ending a little predictable, you can bet I'm going to read the next in the series straight away as we are dealing with some EPIC revenge here, even if it is due to miscommunication.
September 14, 2023
Ero pronta a mollarlo nelle primissime pagine, vedere una scena di sesso, subito, senza quasi un contesto, fra la protagonista e quello che sarà uno dei 3 ragazzi che se la contenderanno mi ha fatto pensare che bhè, se il buongiorno si vede dal mattino...
Ho continuato la lettura per 2 motivi, il primo è che sarebbe stato troppo anche per me mollare un libro a pagina 4, il secondo è che comunque ero incuriosita.
Sin da subito si capisce che Fergy ha una disabilità, ma non si capisce bene qual'è all'inizio, parla anche di un incidente, del fatto che non è più la brava ragazza che era prima e di un fantomatico lui.
I 3 ragazzi della storia, Victor, Cassius e Torsten, non sono i classici cattivi ragazzi, perché questi sono cattivi veramente, in confronto a loro tutti i protagonisti degli altri libri che ho letto sembrano timidi scolaretti.
Quella che invece mi è piaciuta tanto è Fergy, neanche lei è la classica protagonista, quella che subisce coraggiosamente gli atti di bullismo, Fergy è una che incassa e contrattacca, è una che lotta con le unghie e con i denti e che combatte l'attrazione verso questi ragazzi, soprattutto quella verso il suo fratellastro Cassius, che è un vero psicopatico, credetemi.
Ero curiosissima di sapere quale fosse questo passato misterioso della protagonista, qualcosa scopriremo, ma ci viene fatto intendere chiaramente che c'è ancora dell'altro da scoprire.
Il finale è stato uno shock, non vedo l'ora di sapere come si vendicherà Fergy, perché si vendicherà sicuramente.
Ovviamente non sono tutte rose e fiori, ci sono delle cadute di stile incredibili, come quando la scrittrice nel libro si cita per ben 3 volte, ho provato imbarazzo per lei.
Comunque voglio davvero sapere come continua la storia, tanto che ho la tentazione di leggerlo in lingua nonostante il mio pessimo inglese.
Se vi piace il genere, ve lo consiglio.
Ho continuato la lettura per 2 motivi, il primo è che sarebbe stato troppo anche per me mollare un libro a pagina 4, il secondo è che comunque ero incuriosita.
Sin da subito si capisce che Fergy ha una disabilità, ma non si capisce bene qual'è all'inizio, parla anche di un incidente, del fatto che non è più la brava ragazza che era prima e di un fantomatico lui.
I 3 ragazzi della storia, Victor, Cassius e Torsten, non sono i classici cattivi ragazzi, perché questi sono cattivi veramente, in confronto a loro tutti i protagonisti degli altri libri che ho letto sembrano timidi scolaretti.
Quella che invece mi è piaciuta tanto è Fergy, neanche lei è la classica protagonista, quella che subisce coraggiosamente gli atti di bullismo, Fergy è una che incassa e contrattacca, è una che lotta con le unghie e con i denti e che combatte l'attrazione verso questi ragazzi, soprattutto quella verso il suo fratellastro Cassius, che è un vero psicopatico, credetemi.
Ero curiosissima di sapere quale fosse questo passato misterioso della protagonista, qualcosa scopriremo, ma ci viene fatto intendere chiaramente che c'è ancora dell'altro da scoprire.
Il finale è stato uno shock, non vedo l'ora di sapere come si vendicherà Fergy, perché si vendicherà sicuramente.
Ovviamente non sono tutte rose e fiori, ci sono delle cadute di stile incredibili, come quando la scrittrice nel libro si cita per ben 3 volte, ho provato imbarazzo per lei.
Comunque voglio davvero sapere come continua la storia, tanto che ho la tentazione di leggerlo in lingua nonostante il mio pessimo inglese.
Se vi piace il genere, ve lo consiglio.
August 6, 2022
Ok, this one had potential but the fact that the author made the heroine blind - and then kept fucking up by letting us know the heroine saw one of the hero's scars, she knew how to put makeup on, she knew what color her panties were, she wanted to see her dad in action playing tennis etc. Like how? what?
It was just a whole line of mistakes that no way in hell made you believe the heroine is or was blind. I lost interest pretty soon.
It was just a whole line of mistakes that no way in hell made you believe the heroine is or was blind. I lost interest pretty soon.
March 13, 2025
This is a tale as old as time—but damn, I’m a sucker for these kinds of stories! 😏🔥
The revenge, the drama, the tension… it had everything I wanted. The chemistry was insane, and the spice did not disappoint (with only a few cringe moments). 😮💨🔥
A deliciously addictive mix of secrets, steam, and betrayal—I devoured it! 👀🖤
Around 4.5 ⭐️’s ish
The revenge, the drama, the tension… it had everything I wanted. The chemistry was insane, and the spice did not disappoint (with only a few cringe moments). 😮💨🔥
A deliciously addictive mix of secrets, steam, and betrayal—I devoured it! 👀🖤
Around 4.5 ⭐️’s ish
May 25, 2022
This is the first book in the Stonehurst Prep Elite Series and is pretty dark. Please read trigger warning.
Holy crap. What a whirlwind of a book. Secrets, lies, betrayal, and so much more. Just all in all: pure chaos (but in the best way.)
This book is honestly nothing like Steffanie Holmes has ever written- and it’s my favorite yet. It does have some character crossover from her Stonehurst Prep series that might help you understand the background and history a little bit more, but you don’t have to read it.
Something happened to Fergie that made her and her dad pack up, get new identities, and move in with her dad’s new wife. But she did not expect her stepbrother, the jock, and the broken artist…
I was not expecting some of the events to happen the way they did. The last few chapters of the book are a whirlwind, one that I need to know the outcome of. I’m so ready for the next book!!!
Holy crap. What a whirlwind of a book. Secrets, lies, betrayal, and so much more. Just all in all: pure chaos (but in the best way.)
This book is honestly nothing like Steffanie Holmes has ever written- and it’s my favorite yet. It does have some character crossover from her Stonehurst Prep series that might help you understand the background and history a little bit more, but you don’t have to read it.
Something happened to Fergie that made her and her dad pack up, get new identities, and move in with her dad’s new wife. But she did not expect her stepbrother, the jock, and the broken artist…
I was not expecting some of the events to happen the way they did. The last few chapters of the book are a whirlwind, one that I need to know the outcome of. I’m so ready for the next book!!!
May 31, 2022
I was so excited for this book! Sadly, I DNF at 4%...
September 26, 2024
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGallet for providing me with an ALC of this novel!
4.5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️
Fiery, no holds barred FMC ✔️
3 very different, but sexy MMCs ✔️
Dark Academia ✔️
Dark Romance ✔️
WHY CHOOSE ✔️
Disability representation ✔️
Neurodivergent representation ✔️
This has novel has some of my absolute favorite tropes. The story seems silly but I loved the relationship development over the course of the story. I liked the pace at which we learned elements of the FMCs backstory. I hope that they plan to release the remainder of this book series as audiobooks, but if not, I’ll be picking up the ebooks, because I HAVE to know what happens!
4.5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️
Fiery, no holds barred FMC ✔️
3 very different, but sexy MMCs ✔️
Dark Academia ✔️
Dark Romance ✔️
WHY CHOOSE ✔️
Disability representation ✔️
Neurodivergent representation ✔️
This has novel has some of my absolute favorite tropes. The story seems silly but I loved the relationship development over the course of the story. I liked the pace at which we learned elements of the FMCs backstory. I hope that they plan to release the remainder of this book series as audiobooks, but if not, I’ll be picking up the ebooks, because I HAVE to know what happens!
October 2, 2024
**I RECEIVED A FREE ARC OF THE AUDIOBOOK FROM NETGALLEY. THANK YOU A TON. THIS HAS NOT IMPACTED MY REVIEW IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. **
*NO MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**
*minor plot theme rant8
Okay.. . . okay. Let us take a moment and digest this...piece of fiction. Let me tell you, this book and I had a wild and rough start. At first, I guess I skimmed over one of the main kink plot things??? That being, the STEP BROTHER. So everything with that particular storyline took a moment for me. But, if I ignored that, then well....this book and I had our struggles. The writing was alright I guess, but the repetitive lines and reiterating of information already known irked me. Like yes, I know he is your stepbrother, yes apparently, you are his 'blind sister'. Oh by the way, while I admire that the author attempted to write a blind character, I do not think she did her justice. Living with form of blindness myself, I can say I did not feel represented nor did I feel like Fergie was a good representation of the blind community. Feel free to disagree with me. But some of the way she describes things, the scenes, the environment, did not feel authentic nor genuine, but maybe that is because a sighted person wrote this, i dont know. I will say she did accurately depict the discrimination and harassment and feeling of 'otherness' people who are blind can experience in school and in the world as a whole. I just think the author herself sometimes forgot the MC was blind. . . .
But the rest of the writing and storyline was fine. The guys were accurately depicted and you could tell they had some defining traits. I definitely had a favorite dude, T man. I did like the narrators for the guys, they did a lovely job. The overall storyline was good. It reminded me a bit of zodiac academy, if you know, tory and darius parent's were bound in marriage. The bullying I thought was not horrible. The sexual tension was pretty good. The spicy scenes were good as well, plenty descriptive. So the storyline and general story ideas itself were not horrid, just pieces were a bit hard to swallow. Also there was depicted SA towards the end of the book, I am unsure if that was in the trigger warnings or not. But they were not in the audio description. . .
Additionally, I do not know if anyone else caught this, but the way she dropped her own name and stories in the audiobooks fergie was listening too was just...idk. Bold? Narcissistic? Annoying? It was something and I literally had to rewind to ensure that I heard it correctly.
The characters were alright I guess. Fergie...she took a minute to get used to. I both disliked her and admired her. SHe just seemed....i dont know. She was almost fearless but then stupid. Like a mix of Bella and Feyre in a way, with a twinge tessa from after. Sweet looking, but wanting the dark d, but also dumb and clueless but also has bouts of usefulness. Idk. she wasnt that best but I guess I appreciate a character like her existing.
As usual, the guys were my fav. I thought they had the most depth, even Cassian. I liked how the author slowly unraveled their layers so we could get to know the real them. I love T man the best. The silent pained type. Victor was a close second though. I would been his queen if I could.
Overall, this was an...interesting story. Definitely not one for the faint of heart or well constructed brain. Please check the trigger warnings if possible. Remember, this is all my opinion. If you want your own, read the book if you dare.
*NO MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**
*minor plot theme rant8
Okay.. . . okay. Let us take a moment and digest this...piece of fiction. Let me tell you, this book and I had a wild and rough start. At first, I guess I skimmed over one of the main kink plot things??? That being, the STEP BROTHER. So everything with that particular storyline took a moment for me. But, if I ignored that, then well....this book and I had our struggles. The writing was alright I guess, but the repetitive lines and reiterating of information already known irked me. Like yes, I know he is your stepbrother, yes apparently, you are his 'blind sister'. Oh by the way, while I admire that the author attempted to write a blind character, I do not think she did her justice. Living with form of blindness myself, I can say I did not feel represented nor did I feel like Fergie was a good representation of the blind community. Feel free to disagree with me. But some of the way she describes things, the scenes, the environment, did not feel authentic nor genuine, but maybe that is because a sighted person wrote this, i dont know. I will say she did accurately depict the discrimination and harassment and feeling of 'otherness' people who are blind can experience in school and in the world as a whole. I just think the author herself sometimes forgot the MC was blind. . . .
But the rest of the writing and storyline was fine. The guys were accurately depicted and you could tell they had some defining traits. I definitely had a favorite dude, T man. I did like the narrators for the guys, they did a lovely job. The overall storyline was good. It reminded me a bit of zodiac academy, if you know, tory and darius parent's were bound in marriage. The bullying I thought was not horrible. The sexual tension was pretty good. The spicy scenes were good as well, plenty descriptive. So the storyline and general story ideas itself were not horrid, just pieces were a bit hard to swallow. Also there was depicted SA towards the end of the book, I am unsure if that was in the trigger warnings or not. But they were not in the audio description. . .
Additionally, I do not know if anyone else caught this, but the way she dropped her own name and stories in the audiobooks fergie was listening too was just...idk. Bold? Narcissistic? Annoying? It was something and I literally had to rewind to ensure that I heard it correctly.
The characters were alright I guess. Fergie...she took a minute to get used to. I both disliked her and admired her. SHe just seemed....i dont know. She was almost fearless but then stupid. Like a mix of Bella and Feyre in a way, with a twinge tessa from after. Sweet looking, but wanting the dark d, but also dumb and clueless but also has bouts of usefulness. Idk. she wasnt that best but I guess I appreciate a character like her existing.
As usual, the guys were my fav. I thought they had the most depth, even Cassian. I liked how the author slowly unraveled their layers so we could get to know the real them. I love T man the best. The silent pained type. Victor was a close second though. I would been his queen if I could.
Overall, this was an...interesting story. Definitely not one for the faint of heart or well constructed brain. Please check the trigger warnings if possible. Remember, this is all my opinion. If you want your own, read the book if you dare.
October 11, 2024
OMG! I almost threw my phone across the room when the narrator said that it was the end of the book! Holy cliffhanger!! This book is intense, uber spicey and really well narrated. The narration really brings the characters, events and emotions to life. I love a well-done dual narration and this one is well done. The book is a combo of mafia meets high school in a bully romance reverse harem. The characters are all so very unique and the personalities crafted in a manner to make the characters come to life in the story. The good news is that the second book in the series is available in audio, so I highly recommend for your sanity and the safety of your listening device, in my case my phone, that you have the second book cued up and ready to go so you don't scream profanities at the world when the book stops at a very climatic spot. I have to say as cliffhangers go, this author nailed it! Kudos! I have never wanted to read the next book in the series so much. The plot of this book is intense and makes you want to continue to listen well past bedtime as you don't want to miss what comes next. Make no mistake, this book may be set in a high school setting, but it is not for kids. This book is all adult level spice and violence all the time! I absolutely can't wait to see what comes next in the story because I think our female main character is about to go scorched earth on our three bully lovers! I don't typically give this type of book more than 4 stars as they can be great reads, but I wouldn't necessarily categorize them as outstanding books, but this one deserves 5 stars for a well-crafted plot that keeps you listening well past time to put the book down and go to bed, but also for drawing a visceral reaction to the cliffhanger! Good stuff!!
June 20, 2022
If you have been thinking of trying a Bully RH at an elite school with some dark elements and unique characters I recommend this one. This new to me author wrote a character driven plot with some suspense and spice with multi POV that kept me engaged throughout. Looking forward to the next.
New Adult RH. Multi POV. Check triggers.
New Adult RH. Multi POV. Check triggers.
September 30, 2024
This was just Ok….. I’m sorry.
I didn’t like the male characters much their personalities was so chalk and cheese it was actually unbelievable that they would be friends if it wasn’t for the family connections tbh.
Fergie I didn’t actually like her character either I felt like she just constantly set herself up for disaster and was a very selfish person.
I did like the fact that she was visually impaired as a reader you have to imagine the world you’re reading about so the way she describes everything was great.
I think the plot was there but the characters just didn’t make no sense to me.
Thank you to netgalley and bacchanalia house for the audio book arc.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I didn’t like the male characters much their personalities was so chalk and cheese it was actually unbelievable that they would be friends if it wasn’t for the family connections tbh.
Fergie I didn’t actually like her character either I felt like she just constantly set herself up for disaster and was a very selfish person.
I did like the fact that she was visually impaired as a reader you have to imagine the world you’re reading about so the way she describes everything was great.
I think the plot was there but the characters just didn’t make no sense to me.
Thank you to netgalley and bacchanalia house for the audio book arc.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 25, 2024
This book is not for the weak but it's also not super dark seeing as it involves 18 and 19 year olds. It goes from 0 to 100 pretty quickly, but then it calms down for a while until about halfway through the book. It's a RH and kind of reminds me of the F4 boys from Boys Over Flowers, but a lot darker and only 3 boys. Definitely stay away if that does not appeal to you or sound like something that you would be interested in.
This book got old after a while, and seemed to just follow the same old thing in every bully romance that I've tried to read. No one knows how to communicate, and the only way that they do it is my staking claims and bullying the object of their affection.
Fergie was a great FMC at first. She is blind and was not afraid to give people hell if they treated her wrong, but was also afraid to open herself up to friendships because of something that had happened to her. However, in the second half of the book, she became pretty bland and started lacking the personality that she had in the first half of the book. There were also times where Fergie talked about things as if she wasn't actually blind. It threw me off several times.
I also want to note that there is a weird scene that involves both a brother and sister, not with the same person but they are both there, but it almost made me DNF. Fortunately, I got the audiobook ARC, so I just zoned out until it was over.
Everybody just really needs therapy.
This book got old after a while, and seemed to just follow the same old thing in every bully romance that I've tried to read. No one knows how to communicate, and the only way that they do it is my staking claims and bullying the object of their affection.
Fergie was a great FMC at first. She is blind and was not afraid to give people hell if they treated her wrong, but was also afraid to open herself up to friendships because of something that had happened to her. However, in the second half of the book, she became pretty bland and started lacking the personality that she had in the first half of the book. There were also times where Fergie talked about things as if she wasn't actually blind. It threw me off several times.
I also want to note that there is a weird scene that involves both a brother and sister, not with the same person but they are both there, but it almost made me DNF. Fortunately, I got the audiobook ARC, so I just zoned out until it was over.
Everybody just really needs therapy.
June 14, 2022
This was disappointing. It had so much potential and I was so into it but honestly the ending didn't make any since to me.
🚨Possible Spoilers 🚨
Fergie literally came right out and told Cas why she needed a fresh start and you're telling me he's too stupid to put together that his mother is probably the one that made it all happen??? And did he really think his mother would have just taken them in without fully vetting them beforehand? And why the hell is communication so fucking hard? This girl is someone the guys all consider to be their queen you'd think they'd sit her tf down and demand answers
🚨Possible Spoilers 🚨
Fergie literally came right out and told Cas why she needed a fresh start and you're telling me he's too stupid to put together that his mother is probably the one that made it all happen??? And did he really think his mother would have just taken them in without fully vetting them beforehand? And why the hell is communication so fucking hard? This girl is someone the guys all consider to be their queen you'd think they'd sit her tf down and demand answers
October 6, 2022
Did not work for me. Heroine has sex with her step-brother before they even say hello. There is something that happened which she refers to as “the incident” which caused to her to become blind. It was just weird and the scene did not feel organic.
Also, I needed a diagram for all the names and associations in this book. DNF.
Also, I needed a diagram for all the names and associations in this book. DNF.
January 23, 2023
OMGGOFOGOGOGOG THIS WAS THE ELITE KINGS CLUB ON FUCKING CRACK AND IM HERE FOR IT
May 29, 2022
This is my first book by Steffanie Holmes and I truthfully had no idea what to expect beyond the blurb...but to say I was impressed is an understatement. This book hooked me in from the very first page.
The h (Fergie) surprised me in more ways than one. She smart and feisty with a strength and independence I loved, especially when you realize she's spent the majority of her life unable to see. Unfortunately Fergie and her dad are forced to run from their past but are able to find safety in her new stepmother's home. Or so she thinks. But not all is what it seems, and her new stepbrother (Cassius) and his friends (Victor & Torsten) may be her biggest thrëat.
While each one is drawn to Fergie, some aren't willing to share. Despite the draw they all feel, Cas is determined to häte his new stepsister, even while forbidding the other two from töuching her...but good luck telling Victor to stay away. While Cas feels Fergie is his to brëak, Victor is determined to put her back together (and trust me, you want to be put back together by this man🥵)...and Torsten...well he's a bit trickier. He's not used to wanting someone as much as he wants Fergie. But when this man finally gives in...🥵🥵🥵. (Hands down my favorite seggs scene in the book 🔥🔥🔥 )
I'm pretty picky with my RH's but this book gave me everything I wanted and more. Cassius, Victor and Torsten easily made it into my top book boyfriend harem. Each one has their own demons and darkness, but fair warning, some are darker than others. *I'm looking (and drooling) at you Cas 🥵.*
Absolutely loved this book. Amazing plot with even more amazing characters. I will definitely be counting down the days until book 2 comes out.
*Heed your trigger warnings on this one
The h (Fergie) surprised me in more ways than one. She smart and feisty with a strength and independence I loved, especially when you realize she's spent the majority of her life unable to see. Unfortunately Fergie and her dad are forced to run from their past but are able to find safety in her new stepmother's home. Or so she thinks. But not all is what it seems, and her new stepbrother (Cassius) and his friends (Victor & Torsten) may be her biggest thrëat.
While each one is drawn to Fergie, some aren't willing to share. Despite the draw they all feel, Cas is determined to häte his new stepsister, even while forbidding the other two from töuching her...but good luck telling Victor to stay away. While Cas feels Fergie is his to brëak, Victor is determined to put her back together (and trust me, you want to be put back together by this man🥵)...and Torsten...well he's a bit trickier. He's not used to wanting someone as much as he wants Fergie. But when this man finally gives in...🥵🥵🥵. (Hands down my favorite seggs scene in the book 🔥🔥🔥 )
I'm pretty picky with my RH's but this book gave me everything I wanted and more. Cassius, Victor and Torsten easily made it into my top book boyfriend harem. Each one has their own demons and darkness, but fair warning, some are darker than others. *I'm looking (and drooling) at you Cas 🥵.*
Absolutely loved this book. Amazing plot with even more amazing characters. I will definitely be counting down the days until book 2 comes out.
*Heed your trigger warnings on this one
May 25, 2022
I just finished this gloriously thick story in under 24 hours…my heart is in my throat and my jaw on the floor. I am fighting myself tooth and nail to keep from flipping back to the beginning and starting all over instead of writing this review - even with the killer cliffhanger.
Fergie is a young woman who is forced to leave her old life behind because of one mistake…one that she had no control over. Forced to leave behind her stellar GPA, jujitsu championships, and Harvard dreams - only to be thrown in a completely different world when her dad elopes with a woman she has never met.
“Welcome to the family, Sis”
Cas, Victor, and Torsten - the bloodthirsty stepbrother, the charismatic leader, and the enigmatic artist. These three young men are the Poison Ivy Club and they rule the halls. When Fergie is thrust into their world, things take an interesting turn.
Holy mother and everything hot - these 4. Their interactions are as hot as the surface of the Sun and I am here for ALL OF IT.
Steff didn’t hold back at all with this story. She took everything I love about her writing and cranked up 100 notches. The characters are truly unique and will stick with you, I adore how Fergie is visually impaired but still a baddie - this young woman can hold her own and I am rooting for her so hard. Torsten is neurodivergant, but he doesn’t let that hold him back and Cas and Vic help him without babying him.
The plot is phenomenal with Steff’s signature flare for secret societies, mystery, danger, twists, and hot as sin steam all within a vivid world that she paints so perfectly that it could rival a masterpiece you would find in Livvie’s basement. Hands down - this is one of my favorite reads of all time and I can’t wait to see where she takes this.
Fergie is a young woman who is forced to leave her old life behind because of one mistake…one that she had no control over. Forced to leave behind her stellar GPA, jujitsu championships, and Harvard dreams - only to be thrown in a completely different world when her dad elopes with a woman she has never met.
“Welcome to the family, Sis”
Cas, Victor, and Torsten - the bloodthirsty stepbrother, the charismatic leader, and the enigmatic artist. These three young men are the Poison Ivy Club and they rule the halls. When Fergie is thrust into their world, things take an interesting turn.
Holy mother and everything hot - these 4. Their interactions are as hot as the surface of the Sun and I am here for ALL OF IT.
Steff didn’t hold back at all with this story. She took everything I love about her writing and cranked up 100 notches. The characters are truly unique and will stick with you, I adore how Fergie is visually impaired but still a baddie - this young woman can hold her own and I am rooting for her so hard. Torsten is neurodivergant, but he doesn’t let that hold him back and Cas and Vic help him without babying him.
The plot is phenomenal with Steff’s signature flare for secret societies, mystery, danger, twists, and hot as sin steam all within a vivid world that she paints so perfectly that it could rival a masterpiece you would find in Livvie’s basement. Hands down - this is one of my favorite reads of all time and I can’t wait to see where she takes this.
June 2, 2022
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I must admit that I am totally in love with pretty much anything that Steffanie chooses to write about. That is why I was more then excited when I learned that we were getting a new series by her. We meet Fergie who has led an interesting life to say the least but that is now changing as she moves into her new step-daddy's house along with his youngest son who she thought was about 12 or so. Imagine her surprise when instead he is close to her age and smoking hot along with his friends who just happen to be the members of the Poison Ivy Club that rules her new school. She refuses to bow to any of them which leads to some very interesting interactions to say the least. I was totally hooked from page one finding myself sad when it came to an end. I am eagerly awaiting book two!!! A must read new series!!! I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
I must admit that I am totally in love with pretty much anything that Steffanie chooses to write about. That is why I was more then excited when I learned that we were getting a new series by her. We meet Fergie who has led an interesting life to say the least but that is now changing as she moves into her new step-daddy's house along with his youngest son who she thought was about 12 or so. Imagine her surprise when instead he is close to her age and smoking hot along with his friends who just happen to be the members of the Poison Ivy Club that rules her new school. She refuses to bow to any of them which leads to some very interesting interactions to say the least. I was totally hooked from page one finding myself sad when it came to an end. I am eagerly awaiting book two!!! A must read new series!!! I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
May 26, 2022
Posion Ivy
A blind fiesty herione and 3 bad boys!!! What's not to love!! I am so ready to see where this goes and with the cliffhanger like that, oh this is going to end bloody and I am here for it!!!
A blind fiesty herione and 3 bad boys!!! What's not to love!! I am so ready to see where this goes and with the cliffhanger like that, oh this is going to end bloody and I am here for it!!!
July 9, 2022
The heroine in this book is blind and the epitome of what a strong FMC in a romance book is! Plus she is not annoying nor trying hard badass. She's relatable and sensible. It's also a dark secret society RH, with a very engaging plot, storyline and not one-dimensional characters. The cliffhanger though I wish it was more inventive either way It still keeps me hooked for the next book.
July 14, 2025
3.5 ⭐️Another why choose romance, teen and I really enjoyed this. The main character being blind was a good choice I feel and one of the MMC’s is autistic. I feel the author did a good job of including both characters struggles. I think I’d read again
May 29, 2025
This book made me wonder if I am mentally ill 🫶🏻
May 29, 2022
1st person - multiple POV
Spice - 5/5
WOW! This was one hell of a wild ride! I was so not expecting all of this when I started the book.. but I guess I should have known after reading her other series Kings of Miskatonic Prep to expect the unexpected! I mean.. I wasn’t even 4% into the book and I was shooketh do you hear me shooketh by what I’d just read! I was laughing, gasping, and hot and bothered all at the same time!..
This book has so much to offer a reader. It’s hilarious - seriously some of the things they do and say had me almost in tears! There are shock factor moments that will have your brain going WTAF was that?! There’s some sweet moments that absofrigginlutely melted me into a puddle!! (Ugh my sweet sweet baby Torsten.. 😩🥰🫠) Plenty of drama, hah ohhh the drama, along with some mystery which made it even more fun trying to figure it out. (Spoiler alert you probably won’t.. cause.. well.. Steff 🤷🏻♀️) Whew the violence.. Cas is unhinged in the best way. And the spice… holy moly the spiiiice! 🥵 It’s just it’s own level that’s all I know to say about it. It’s wild and so damn hot!
Gah it was so MF good! That cliffhanger though.. omg Steff what?! I’m dying for book two to get here because I NEED answers!! Like STAT! Even knowing how it ended I’d have still read it knowing I had to wait for book two because lawd these 3 guys are a whole level of insanity all to themselves and I enjoyed every damn minute of it! 👏🏻👏🏻
Spice - 5/5
WOW! This was one hell of a wild ride! I was so not expecting all of this when I started the book.. but I guess I should have known after reading her other series Kings of Miskatonic Prep to expect the unexpected! I mean.. I wasn’t even 4% into the book and I was shooketh do you hear me shooketh by what I’d just read! I was laughing, gasping, and hot and bothered all at the same time!..
This book has so much to offer a reader. It’s hilarious - seriously some of the things they do and say had me almost in tears! There are shock factor moments that will have your brain going WTAF was that?! There’s some sweet moments that absofrigginlutely melted me into a puddle!! (Ugh my sweet sweet baby Torsten.. 😩🥰🫠) Plenty of drama, hah ohhh the drama, along with some mystery which made it even more fun trying to figure it out. (Spoiler alert you probably won’t.. cause.. well.. Steff 🤷🏻♀️) Whew the violence.. Cas is unhinged in the best way. And the spice… holy moly the spiiiice! 🥵 It’s just it’s own level that’s all I know to say about it. It’s wild and so damn hot!
Gah it was so MF good! That cliffhanger though.. omg Steff what?! I’m dying for book two to get here because I NEED answers!! Like STAT! Even knowing how it ended I’d have still read it knowing I had to wait for book two because lawd these 3 guys are a whole level of insanity all to themselves and I enjoyed every damn minute of it! 👏🏻👏🏻
April 6, 2025
DNF 10%
"I keep my face angled up toward his as I wiggle my hips against his cock and squeeze out the huge, loud fart that I’ve been holding in ever since I stepped into the bathroom.
Cassius backs off me as I step out of my underwear and hold them up to him. The bathroom starts to heat up with a noxious smell.
“They’re all yours, bro.” Cassius makes a choking noise. “You farted.”
No necesito otra razón para abandonar esto
"I keep my face angled up toward his as I wiggle my hips against his cock and squeeze out the huge, loud fart that I’ve been holding in ever since I stepped into the bathroom.
Cassius backs off me as I step out of my underwear and hold them up to him. The bathroom starts to heat up with a noxious smell.
“They’re all yours, bro.” Cassius makes a choking noise. “You farted.”
No necesito otra razón para abandonar esto
October 23, 2024
2.5 rounded
This is not my first foray into RH or bully romances, so I had a general idea of what to expect, though the twist of the FMC being blind was an intriguing detail that I was eager to see how that impacted the storyline. The spice was spicing pretty much right from the beginning, but unfortunately, the story of Fergie, Cas, Victor, and Torsten very quickly devolved into tired tropes of miscommunication, hate-fueled lust, and abuse for enjoyment's sake. The three boys each have distinct personalities, which is refreshing, and I appreciated seeing an accurate representation of ASD in a teenage boy. Overall, though, the constant repetition of details from each character's perspective and repetitive inner monologues (particularly of Fergie) became inane and redundant. I realize that I am sighted and cannot grasp the world of blindness, but I struggled to breeze over the fact that our FMC was identifying facial expressions and colors. It would have made more sense to me if those descriptions were left to the boys' chapters.
Of note, the author namedropped HERSELF at least 3 times in the book, with the FMC talking about the audiobooks she was listening to and naming Ms. Holmes as the author. I feel like this was supposed to be a subtle nod to her other works, but it felt self-aggrandizing and ingratiating. And for a character to flat out say that she's reading a bully romance with 3 male leads, there is no subtlety - Fergie should have had some sense of awareness that that was happening to her as well. It made the character look stupid.
I did enjoy the 4 POVs and getting to know the inner workings of all of our main characters, and I appreciated having a separate narrator for each POV. However, I feel that a duet narration format may have worked better, given that the FMC's narrator had to maintain 3 separate male voices for the 3 MMCs and each male had their own voice for the FMC. Overall, though, all 4 performances were quite good.
I am not sure if I will continue this series, as I do not find myself drawn to the story enough to get through 1-2 more books of backstabbing, brutality, and bitterness before we reach the conclusion. However, I am intrigued to know who is working with the mayor's mom to bring down the Triumvirate. If anyone wants to send that to me, I'd be very appreciative!
Thank you to NetGalley, Steffanie Holmes, and Bacchanalia House for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
This is not my first foray into RH or bully romances, so I had a general idea of what to expect, though the twist of the FMC being blind was an intriguing detail that I was eager to see how that impacted the storyline. The spice was spicing pretty much right from the beginning, but unfortunately, the story of Fergie, Cas, Victor, and Torsten very quickly devolved into tired tropes of miscommunication, hate-fueled lust, and abuse for enjoyment's sake. The three boys each have distinct personalities, which is refreshing, and I appreciated seeing an accurate representation of ASD in a teenage boy. Overall, though, the constant repetition of details from each character's perspective and repetitive inner monologues (particularly of Fergie) became inane and redundant. I realize that I am sighted and cannot grasp the world of blindness, but I struggled to breeze over the fact that our FMC was identifying facial expressions and colors. It would have made more sense to me if those descriptions were left to the boys' chapters.
Of note, the author namedropped HERSELF at least 3 times in the book, with the FMC talking about the audiobooks she was listening to and naming Ms. Holmes as the author. I feel like this was supposed to be a subtle nod to her other works, but it felt self-aggrandizing and ingratiating. And for a character to flat out say that she's reading a bully romance with 3 male leads, there is no subtlety - Fergie should have had some sense of awareness that that was happening to her as well. It made the character look stupid.
I did enjoy the 4 POVs and getting to know the inner workings of all of our main characters, and I appreciated having a separate narrator for each POV. However, I feel that a duet narration format may have worked better, given that the FMC's narrator had to maintain 3 separate male voices for the 3 MMCs and each male had their own voice for the FMC. Overall, though, all 4 performances were quite good.
I am not sure if I will continue this series, as I do not find myself drawn to the story enough to get through 1-2 more books of backstabbing, brutality, and bitterness before we reach the conclusion. However, I am intrigued to know who is working with the mayor's mom to bring down the Triumvirate. If anyone wants to send that to me, I'd be very appreciative!
Thank you to NetGalley, Steffanie Holmes, and Bacchanalia House for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
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