Ashes

Down We Go #2

by Kyla Faye

The plan was simple.

Get the girl, turn her over, then cash in the check coming to us, but the universe always has a way of throwing curveballs.

Unfortunately, she was ours.

When we got her, we all knew there was no letting her go. She was everything we didn't even know we craved.

She offered us the one thing we didn’t know we needed.

Love.

Only, it was all a lie.

Her betrayal hit us out of nowhere, and now there is no going back. Not if we want to protect all we’ve built.

But now there is a new problem and this time, we don’t know where to begin…



***

* This is not a standalone. Dollhouse must be read before reading Ashes.
* Ashes is a full-length reverse harem dark romance. Reader discretion is advised.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Why Choose, Romance, M M Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance

334 pages

Published October 28, 2022

About the author

Kyla Faye is a twenty-something author of dark, adult erotic, and contemporary romance. When she’s not reading about romance, she’s writing about it, trying to give a voice to the characters that live inside her head. She has a caffeine addiction and always has a candle burning.

You can find her on social media.

Instagram.com/authorkylafaye
Tiktok.com/@authorkylafaye

Reviews

[Neelakshi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Justice for the best boy Eli
THE BEST BOY

[Natasha Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry but what the hell was that ending???


I was already annoyed as the FmC still irritated me and things were still too instantaneous. The twist with Ace I saw coming. But that ending I absolutely hated!!!!!

[Tina H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me a while to get in to. I did not enjoy it as much as the first book however, a book hardly every pulls at my heartstrings, especially lately but towards the end... it broke me! And I wish I could say by the time I was finished it healed me but it didn't. I have mixed feelings. Some parts I am satisfied with, some parts made be happy but overall somethings just didn't make sense and felt wrong and rushed.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate giving low ratings but the author waited until almost the very end and killed off one of the heroes. It was completely unnecessary and didn’t add anything of value to the story.

[Chloe Meagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. Unexpected and heartfelt.

[Bria Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that was a beautiful ending but I'll never forgive you for what you did and you KNOW what you did!

[Laura Fabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC kindly provided for the author in exchange for an honest riview

Yesterday I finished reading this book with a lot of mixed feelings, I knew that Kyla Faye was going to blow my mind with Ashes, but I didn't expect EVERYTHING that happened with Lee and her boys: the plot was much more complex, heartbreaking and red-hot than in Dollhouse:, and although I'm VERY angry and sad, I'm also very happy with this book and thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish so I can't wait to read more of this series, and this author too.

I think what I loved most about Ashes was the new dynamic that Kyla introduced between Lee, Eli, King, Ro & Ace, as well as the addition of this new character to the group, and while King is still my favorite of Lee's guys, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading them all again, especially the sweet moment King & Ro shared, followed by one of the HOTTEST scenes I've ever read. Plus, the plot was full of secrets, unexpected twists and totally heartbreaking moments that I did NOT see coming and that broke my heart a lot, but what can I say, I LOVE that this author makes me suffer and enjoy situations that would normally make me run away!

🔥Lee: 4.5/5
🔥King: 5/5
🔥Rowen: 5/5
🔥Eli: 4.5/5
🔥Ace: 4.5/5
🔥Plot: 5/5
🔥Love story: 5/5
🔥Secondary chacracters: 5/5
🔥Universe: 5/5
🔥Cover: 5/5
🌶️: 5/5

🇪🇸
ARC amablemente proporcionada por la autora a cambio de una reseña honesta

Ayer terminé de leer este libro con muchos sentimientos encontrados, sabía que Kyla Faye me iba a volar la mente con Ashes, pero no esperaba TODO lo que pasó con Lee y sus chicos: la trama fue mucho más compleja, desgarradora y candente que en Dollhouse:, y aunque estoy MUY enojada y triste, también estoy muy contenta con este libro y lo disfruté muchísimo de principio a fin así que no puedo esperar a leer más de esta serie, y de ésta autora también.

Creo que lo que más amé de Ashes fue la nueva dinámica que Kyla presentó entre Lee, Eli, King, Ro & Ace, al igual que la adición de este nuevo personaje al grupo, y aunque King sigue siendo mi favorito de entre los chicos de Lee, tengo que decir que disfruté muchísimo de leerlos a todos de nuevo, especialmente del momento tan tierno que King & Ro compartieron, seguido de una de las escenas MÁS candentes que he leído. Además la trama estuvo llena de secretos, giros inesperados y momentos totalmente desgarradores que NO veía venir y que rompieron mucho mi corazón, pero que puedo decir, AMO que ésta autora me haga sufrir y disfrutar de situaciones que normalmente me harían huir!

🔥Lee: 4.5/5
🔥King: 5/5
🔥Rowen: 5/5
🔥Eli: 4.5/5
🔥Ace: 4.5/5
🔥Trama: 5/5
🔥Historias de amor: 5/5
🔥Personajes secundarios: 5/5
🔥Universo: 5/5
🔥Portada: 5/5
🌶️: 5/5

[thebookcritic_ · Rating 2 out of 5]

too much trauma.

This book wasn’t bad but it felt like the author was like what else can I throw at this girl? What else can I do to her? How can I make her life worse? Then to top it off, why did Olivia have to follow in her footsteps? And then the final nail in the coffin was taking away one of the MMCs. Like can they get a break? Can they get a HEA? Nope, it came with conditions. Can’t lie, it made me cry.

So much more history is unveiled. But a lot of things didn’t make sense to me. Honestly. The guys don’t do it for me. Why would they leave her there??? Dead or not!!! With the exception of King, reuniting with the guys was wack! Like hold them accountable. Calling people your brother and then having sexual interactions with them is weird. I don’t care how you slice it. Just say they’re your best friends and keep it moving. How did Rowen get away with killing his foster parents? It also doesn’t seem logical that she spoke to Rachel twice a day for years. As possessive as everyone has been in her life, I think someone would take notice. Lee said she didn’t believe in God but next thing we know she’s thanking God and saying God knew what was going to happen. We also didn’t get a resolution to what ended up happening with the Westside Disciples.

The plot twist was a bit predictable. Some of the scenes didn’t make sense. A few mispelled words. The timeline was also a bit off but not too much. At the end, at least seven months has passed and then in the epilogue it said it was 4 years later. It was closed to 5 years.

[Tiyasa Tikadar · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★☆

i don't really know what to write in this review. other than the fact that I'm not the same person i was before reading this book. this book left me speechless at it's finest.

𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐒 picks up 3 months after the events of 𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄. it is darker, steamier and the plot twists will literally üñælive you 😮‍💨 i didn't expect to really like the newcomer, but f**k the things i would do just for him to break my bones 🛐 and it's so good to see my girl and all the boys together. i really missed them together 😭 the steamy scenes just gets steamier in this book but don't worry, we have some sweet memories as well 🥺 and please, the revenge scenes were so hot like damn, i wish i could witness it 😩 and i am gonna pretend that THAT (iykyk) DID NOT HAPPEN. i am sorry but nopes, my heart can't accept it. kyla did us real dirty with that.

lemme stop writing before i spill the beans and spoil everything for you all 🤣 but i would definitely recommend this series to my dark romance lovers in a heartbeat. just a heads up, the füçkëry might füçk you up 😈 let's rant in my dms after you read this book (trust me, you're going to need the rants) <3

[mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

One smile from her, and I promised myself that I'd never break another pretty thing for as long as I lived—as long as she continued to give me her smiles

I have to say I usually don't like new introductions to the harem but what happened in this book was more than that

THIS IS NOT SPOILER FREE

Picking up from the previous book, there was more clarification on the plot. This book was plot heavy as well as dynamic heavy, a lot of making up and human trains as well as a lot of killing and violence.

What I didn't expect though was the killing of one of the guys in the harem and of everyone it had to be the one I liked the most. Why does the emo one always get phased out of the book?

I think overall this book did serve justice to those who deserve it and if blood/knife play is your thing, this series has a lot of it.

Down We Go reviews
Dollhouse
Ashes - 2 ⭐

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This whole series made me so angry and especially the ending. I love dark romance, I love twisted romance, but no. This book especially was so infuriating. And things would come out of left field that had no hints to earlier, its like they were thrown in just to say they were in there so readers would go feral for it. And the ending. Seriously.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the first book and the beginning of this book.. But I feel like this one should have ended with Olivia asking them if she could call them mom and dads. There was no reason to kill off Eli. But also did they even get revenge for his death? They all deserved to have a happy ever after. So mad that you killed Eli. Ugh.

[Marjinou]

WHY WOULD SHE KILL ELI OFF I SWEAR TO GOD HE WAS THE LEAST TO DESERVE IT HONESTLY ITS CURRENTLY 01:03AM AND IM BAWLING MY EYES OUT SERIOUSLY WTFFFF?!?!?

All in all the first book, i loved it, the second?? hmm i feel like she forgave them too quickly, but later on i was like meh let her

AND THEN BOOM ELI GETS KILLED FOR WHAT?!?!?

[Kylie Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, but towards the end, it friggin CRUSHED ME. Like in Dollhouse, this book consumed me and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The surprises just kept coming and coming throughout this book until the final few chapters. Lee is finally safe and back with her men, but her past still won’t stay in the past. Her many demons continue to pop back up into all of their lives, with that bringing many painful memories that will tear at your heart. Lee is a character to admire, so brave and strong, and she never loses her fight despite being knocked down so many times.
I was crushed towards the end with that major jaw dropping plot twist. I loved this book and loved how it all concluded, but I hated how it had to happen. I love the world the author created and am really excited for Ace’s book.
I really enjoy this author’s writing and looking forward to read more of her stuff !
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Krystle Gispert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to begin with this? I fell in love with all of the characters in Dollhouse. Being a DV survivor this series caught my attention since the first line in the first book. I fell in love with every single character. The way the author writes the different point of views and the way the story flows kept me wanting more. I could not put the book down. Although there was a point in this book that I was not happy with ( if you have read the book you know what I’m talking about) I believe that what happens after it kind of “makes up” for it. I can not wait for the next installment.

[Vanessa]

DNF @ 56%
this book has so many random plot lines i just can’t continue 🤣 like so much of what’s happening feels so ???? random is the only word for it 😭
like rowan and king randomly have shmex now when they didn’t give that vibe together in the first book.
eli is like a side character now basically ??
the random ass Ace plot that was introduced at the very end of book 1 😭
and so much more it feels like a dumpster fire. multiple plot lines are doable but this feels so messy and confusing to me personally.

[Cali Mafiaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh… I don’t even know what to say.. this book had me on such an emotional roller coaster & I’m still not ok now that I’m done reading it… You just gotta read it cuz if I say anything it’s going to give it away & I just can’t do that.. 😳

This was such an amazing book!! It picks up right where it left off in Dollhouse & I couldn’t get enough of the book & definitely didn’t wanna put it down oh my gosh.. 😅

I absolutely loved this book & uughhhh such a great second book to this series.. definitely a must read!! 🥰♥️🖤

[Kari Grindel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew. Where do I even begin??
The spice in this book? *chef's kiss*
The plot line? Beautiful!
The twist? I'm still not recovered.

Please read trigger warnings before reading this series! I definitely recommend this series for anyone who loves dark romance with suspense. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I had a hard time putting it down!

I can't wait to read Ace and see more of the family!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10

Have you ever been so emotionally destroyed and completely ruined by a book? Because this book, THIS FREAKING BOOK, completely DEVASTATED me. I’m so heart broken, I was sobbing. It’s an absolutely amazing book and an amazing story, the plot had me on the tips of my toes and holding my seat because this was a whole rollercoaster and had me feeling every single emotion to the fullest extent. I’m going to need 5-10 business days to recover from this book.

[Cladis Brocardo]

I did this to myself. I was gonna DNF at the beginning and then I kept pushing because of the positive comments. WHY DID I DO IT TO MYSELF?! This book is bad! Don’t trust the positive comments, they’re lying HAHAHA

[Erin Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

That ending broke my heart but then put it back together . Definitely check trigger warnings but I loved it .

[yulia✰ · Rating 2 out of 5]

перша книга була якось цікавіша, єдиний плюс це за скло в кінці

[Gaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listen...I ✨️devoured✨️ this duology in the same day. I was hooked. I loved the angst, the trauma, the instalove (50/50, there is history between characters), the plot twist, and minor twists throughout it. It would have easily been another 5 star like book one if it hadn't had the ending that it had. Even for a dark romance that ending didn't give the happy ever after like a romance is essentially meant to. Dark or not. Even if there was a next book planned and miraculously that ending was rectified, the points made at the end leave no room for it to even be a possibility. We had a 4 years later look at our characters, and my heart was shredded because there was truly no fixing it. What happened in the end didn't change the story. It was set to have the most satisfying close to our characters' story, and to be honest, it was unnecessarily entirely ruined. I praise what the author did overall, but damn. With that i would categorize it as a light af mystery-thriller with romance in it. Not a romance since that HEA truly wasn't whole like it could've been.

[Kahla Stevenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a lot… she wasn’t joking when she added that warning label at the beginning of the book. There was a time in the middle that I almost DNF’d it because it was so graphic. However, I am stubborn and need to know how things end, no matter how hard it was for me to read it. The twist at the end definitely was unexpected. However, this wasn’t the tear jerker I was promised. Yes it shocked me and definitely grossed me out at times, but I didn’t cry. I am not really sure that I would recommend this book just because of how gross it was. It was almost as if it was that detailed just for the shock factor. There were times that it was added in where it wasn’t really needed. Overall, I am glad I finished it just so I could know how it ended but I won’t be reading anymore of these books.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am blown away by how much I loved this book. This was all the closure I needed after the first book. I love a good revenge plot. However, I don’t appreciate having my heart RIPPED from my chest within the last 10 chapters and expect to just be fine 😭 this duet is hands down one of my favorites. The spice was immaculate. I’m here for the MM and MMF scenes, AND the MMFMM scenes!!!!!! Like holy cow! I loved this story. I loved how Lee grew as a person and found her happiness. This book was amazing. Hands down.

🌶️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theres a lot of blood, violence, and spice. I love each of the men’s different personalities that blended perfect for Lee. However, there are a few time jumps as well as just some unwritten explanations for some things that just seemed to resolve. I’m also so ticked off for the ending that seemed unnecessary and honestly just ruined the whole book for me. I get the pregnancy thing, but I just think we could have gotten to that ending without killing one of the MMC in the last 20 minutes of the book. I won’t be reading the next book just based on that unfortunately.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just can't

I would have given it five stars, but the death of one of the main characters...I just can't. I can handle all types of dark and twisted, but when it comes to the death of someone in the harem, I wish now I had never read the book. I read books for an escape, even if they are dark, twisted and overloaded with TW's. I always count on the HEA at the end. Sure there was basically an HEA, but not what it should have been and I doubt I will ever read one of her books again.

[Laura L · Rating 1 out of 5]

that was the worst!

I can’t believe how you would kill a MC towards the end of the story. Once that happened I basically stopped reading it. What a waste of time. These are the type of books I absolutely hate. There is no enjoyment and no warning to avoid this type of story. I will never read another book from this author. A ruined potential to be the perfect HEA

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

disappointed in the ending

Love the spice and heat! 6/5 stars for that. But disappointed that one of the MMC was not avenged. That was soooooo disappointing. Our FMC badass should have done something, but through the entire series I realized it was usually the MMC that saved her. Oh well…. wish there were more FMC that can kick a$$ and take names.

[Kye | Dark Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid read until chapter 43.

If you want a true HEA stop at end of chapter 42 and use your imagination and dream of an epilogue. The rest is literally just unnecessary and honestly really ruined the whole thing for me.