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Drown in You

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Just promise me one night.
One more night before you pull that trigger.

Two broken souls, lost in a sea of trauma.
One last chance to forge a new future.

Ariel has turned her troubled past into a glittering career, taking power and control from others for a living. Left behind to survive the sickest of evils, Leah has been consumed by her inner darkness and sees no hope for a better tomorrow.

When fate offers a powerful reunion that will change their lives forever, the two survivors of St Lucien’s Church must choose.

One path leads to redemption.

The other to oblivion.

Sometimes, the way forward is to go back.

Back to sin.

Back to forbidden lust.

Back to pain, pleasure and the art of surrender.

Two girls were set adrift nine years ago.

Now, they must battle against the current to return home…to each other.


Author's Note: Drown in You is a dark, lesbian short story that can be read as a standalone. Full trigger warning is available inside the book.

70 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 22, 2022

67 people are currently reading
1494 people want to read

About the author

J. Rose

24 books2,240 followers
J Rose is an independent dark romance author from the United Kingdom. She writes challenging, plot-driven stories packed full of angst, heartbreak and broken characters fighting for their happily ever afters.

She’s an introverted bookworm at heart with a caffeine addiction, penchant for cursing and an unhealthy attachment to fictional characters.

Feel free to reach out on social media, J Rose loves talking to her readers!

Enquiries: j_roseauthor@yahoo.com

Stalk J Rose here:
www.jroseauthor.com/socials

Newsletter sign up:
www.jroseauthor.com/socials

Buy J Rose's books:
www.jroseauthor.com/books

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5 stars
152 (21%)
4 stars
212 (29%)
3 stars
200 (27%)
2 stars
108 (14%)
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50 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
Profile Image for Crystal (Crystalreads2).
970 reviews993 followers
June 22, 2022
Drown In You is a quick read that will leave you wanting more. Here is my vague review. The novella is six chapters, and I don't want to give any spoilers. Here is what I can tell you It's a Dark FF based on past trauma from a religious upbringing.

Is this book

Dark ✔️

Kindle smoking ✔️

Kinky as hell ✔️

Emotional ✔️

Captivating ✔️


J. Rose really braced the kinky side on this one, and I can’t thank her enough for it. Drown In You is the perfect balance of steam and plot. That is also very emotional. Both characters deal with trauma and how they deal with it. They have a strong and unique bond. For such a short story, this book did touch my heart. I want more FF books like this. I'm my kindle. I hope to see more of these two in future books.
Profile Image for ♥Milica♥.
1,874 reviews738 followers
October 10, 2024
My very first read by this author, now I'm looking forward to reading more of her books. I actually own one of her series physically, but figured this would probably be easier to start off with and it was.

Basically, it's sapphics with A LOT of religious trauma, who find each other again, 9 years after one of them ran away. Then they work through it all together, the only way they know how.

I feel like we got enough story, but I do still wish it was longer and a bit more developed. I liked the characters, but didn't have enough time to fully connect with them, so I wish there was a sequel of sorts. I'd love to see these two pop up in some other series too, fingers crossed they do.
Profile Image for Yas.
710 reviews114 followers
August 16, 2022
I can see its potential, but I wished it would've been longer and more fleshed out.
It does have a good mix of spice and plot for a novella this short, and it could work better for other readers, but it didn't fully work for me.
You have to be in a certain mindset to read this and read the trigger warning before going into it! It's a depressing read but has a hopeful ending!

Degradation & BDSM isn't my cup of tea, and I didn't feel fully invested in these characters.
But one scene was great (🔫😮‍💨), and there were some beautiful quotes sprinkled in:

“𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵,” 𝘐 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦, 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬, 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦. 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦.”

“𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘪𝘳. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵, 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘩. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦.”

→ Tropes ←
- Short dark novella
- Second-chance
- Sapphic romance
- Sex for emotional healing

⚠️Safety:(check TW!) past trauma —> church/ cult, SA, R@pe, Suicidal thoughts, degradation, BDSM
📖eBook:1st person, dual POV
Profile Image for witchy_book_babe.
454 reviews51 followers
August 13, 2023
This is my first piece of work written by J. Rose and wow, I am thoroughly impressed. I really am not left wanting in any way. J. Rose was able to successfully yank me into this little piece and fleshed out this heartbreaking story of sexuality, fear, religious abuse, being at your lowest point as a human being, and what it’s like to pick yourself up from a state that you didn’t think you could come back from. This was a really nice peek into what she’s capable of as a story teller.

I really loved some quotes and wanted to highlight just a few that really expressed her talent in stringing together such lovely statements:

”Tears gather and roll down her cheeks. Instinctively, I reach out with a single fingertip and swipe the moisture. Leah watches as I lick the bead of salt, stealing her sadness for myself.”

“I’ll lock her soul in a box and bury it at the bottom of the ocean if it protects what we have.”

“Caught between light and dark, life and death. A land for lost things and broken reunions.”
Profile Image for Jess Brady.
Author 1 book166 followers
June 26, 2022
Dark, twisted, and seriously spicy Drown in You packed a serious punch for such a short novella.

Ariel and Leah are both drowning in their lives, but Leah can't seem to let go of what is holding her down. When Ariel can't take it any longer, she leaves Leah behind never expecting to see her again.

Move to nine years later and Ariel has found a way to overcome her past, even temporarily but Leah is still drowning. When Leah is ordered to group counseling the last person, she ever expected to see was Ariel. Time has changed her but even after all these years Leah still recognizes the girl, she fell in love with all those years ago.

Will Ariel be able to convince Leah to give this life one more chance or is it too late?

Full of dark themes, lost love and serious heartbreak this novella really hit my heart in so many ways. J Rose has a new fan, and I can't wait to check out her other books.
Profile Image for yulia✰.
94 reviews3 followers
August 12, 2023
a short story about two girls who loved each other all their lives but were forced to leave each other. the 18+ scene is as always on top, I liked everything, but somehow there is too much in one book.
Profile Image for cloudy.
606 reviews86 followers
June 22, 2022
heart-wrenching. mouth-watering. depressing. tantalizing. i felt like crying and turned on at the same time. this short story healed me in more ways than it broke me. i only wish it was a full length novel.
Profile Image for kiara☆.
145 reviews17 followers
December 6, 2022
well this was def something different a lo q suelo leer
Profile Image for syd ★.
126 reviews9 followers
June 19, 2024
i’m so happy chiara forced me to read this (she sent me ss of quotes)!! but this book was so emotional to read especially when they would relate being gay to sinning
Profile Image for eri.
199 reviews1 follower
July 6, 2022
I don’t if it was because it was a quick read but I didn’t feel the chemistry between Leah and Ariel.
Profile Image for Sharie Barker.
511 reviews4 followers
March 1, 2024
Short, dark and smutty! What more could a woman need sometimes! 🥵🥵
Profile Image for Marcie.
1,123 reviews55 followers
June 23, 2022
I have hit backspace so many times, trying to find the perfect words to describe this and nothing can compare to the greatness within these pages. This story is everything! J Rose outdid herself once again with this emotionally gripping and sinfully hot tale.

“Because I will always be the sinner whose spirit you couldn’t crush.”

Ariel and Leah won my heart a thousand times over. One running from the Hell that was imprisoning her, while the other sacrificed herself to protect the one she loves. They are strong, resilient and so brave in their own way.

“You have to break before you can put yourself back together.”

This story is quick read, I devoured it in about 30 minutes, but don’t let that sway you. It’s fast paced, but it’s flawless. Drown In You is packed full of emotion and steam with characters that jumped off the pages and directly into my heart..all wrapped up perfectly with this talented Queen’s impeccable writing skill of creating stories that bury themselves within your soul. I loved every single word and despised saying goodbye to these two angels and definitely will be revisiting them.
Profile Image for XxLaVampiresaAlexisxX.
1,158 reviews76 followers
June 27, 2023
“𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘪𝘳. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵, 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘩. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦.”

Drown in you is a FF, emotional standalone, that I fear dark romance readers are missing out on.

As apart of my June, LGBTQ (re)reads, I feel this one is pretty underrated. Ariel and Leah's story hits you right in the feels. Although, this is a quick read, it is jam packed with deep rooted trauma, k!nky/smųtty spice, and overcoming said trauma. Honestly, I cannot stress enough about the triggering content. However, I definitely recommend!
Profile Image for Annica ⚡️ annica_reads_books ⚡️.
656 reviews147 followers
February 28, 2023
This novella was okay. I struggled feeling the darkness in this one; and because of that, some lines could feel quite cheesy to me because the I was missing that depth. This could have been a better story as a longer novel or a novelette. I struggled to connect to these two characters.
Profile Image for Gee.
84 reviews21 followers
August 11, 2023
Sapphic books are so hard to come by but this one hit different

Tell me how such a short novella had such a deep plot and gave me all the feels in less than 60 pages!??!?!

This was so beautiful to read and I can't wait to read more of J Rose's work
Profile Image for Michelle.
510 reviews22 followers
September 13, 2024
Got this as a freebie at RARE. The book cover drew me to it. I'm not the target audience for this, I don't read a lot of dark romance. If you do, and want a fast sapphic romance, this may be for you.
Profile Image for Heavinlei.
182 reviews1 follower
May 2, 2023
My bisexual self wanted to LOVE this sapphic spicy story but it was just too short. It is less than 100 pages and I just feel like the story could’ve been so amazing if it was longer. The spicy scenes weren’t all that hot either :/
Profile Image for Michelle.
59 reviews
Read
June 21, 2025
kort maar krachtig?? #spicysapphicreligioustraumavibes (& ik ga ondertussen even opzoek naar een teiltje holy water ofzo omg)
Profile Image for read b00ks.
111 reviews9 followers
August 20, 2025
This was trying to do too much in too few pages. There was a weird disconnect between the character voices vs the way the characters came across. The writing style was too flowery in places that were meant to add depth but just made it seem melodramatic.
Profile Image for Mariana.
63 reviews
April 28, 2024
No tengo nada para decir simplemente wow que fue eso
Profile Image for Haley.
108 reviews2 followers
February 3, 2024
WOWWWW I’m floored. This is the best WLW book I’ve ever read and I dare say my new fave novella of all time. I don’t have one bad thing to say about this book other than I wish it was 3000000 pages so I could stay in the story!
Profile Image for Laura Fabian.
640 reviews53 followers
June 14, 2022
I received this ARC as part of J. Rose's Street Team and am writing this review voluntarily and completely honestly

Drown In You was one of the fastest reads ever, and also a slightly different one for me, not only because it's my first FF romance, but also because I think J. Rose put a new spin on what I've read about her before, while still having the twisted, tragic, real, and moving edge that I love about her books.

Ariel & Leah are two girls who have survived trauma and abuse by the congregation in which they grew up, their story is quite strong, heartbreaking and it made my heart shrink differently for both, although I do have to say that there was a specific part from Ariel's point of view that made me doubt a little about the way in which the experiences of the girls were going to be treated, fortunately, and as always, J. Rose wrote Ariel & Leah's path respectfully, realistically and, most importantly in this story for me, with a great hopeful tinge for Leah's character.

And without saying much about the plot of these beautiful girls, I can't fail to mention the attitude of Leah towards the end of the story, I loved the way the roles were reversed and how Ariel allowed herself to be vulnerable too, it was one of my favorite moments, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more of them, their recovery and relationship.

🇪🇸
Recibí ésta ARC como parte del Street Team de J. Rose y estoy escribiendo ésta reseña de forma voluntaria y totalmente sincera

Drown In You fue una de las lecturas más rápidas del mundo, y también una un poco diferente para mi, no solo porque es mi primer FF romance, sino porque también creo que J. Rose le dio un nuevo giro a lo que ya he leído de ella antes, aunque sigue teniendo el toque retorcido, trágico, real y conmovedor que amo de ella.

Ariel & Leah son dos chicas que han sobrevivido al trauma y los abusos generados por la congregación en la que crecieron, su historia es bastante fuerte, desgarradora y me encogió el corazón de manera diferente por ambas, aunque si tengo que decir que hubo una parte específica desde el punto de vista de Ariel que me hizo dudar un poco sobre la manera en la que se iban a tratar las experiencias de las chicas, afortunadamente, y como siempre lo hace J. Rose escribió el camino de Ariel & Leah de manera respetuosa, realista y, lo más importante en esta historia para mi, con un gran tinte esperanzador para el personaje de Leah.

Y sin decir mucho acerca de la trama de estas hermosas chicas, no puedo dejar de mencionar la actitud de Leah hacia el final de la historia, me encantó la manera en la que se invirtieron los roles y como Ariel se permitió ser vulnerable también, fue uno de mis momentos favoritos, y definitivamente estoy deseando ver más de ellas, su recuperación y relación.
Profile Image for dais.
852 reviews95 followers
August 23, 2022
DEVOURED IT.
not only was this SUPER SMUTTY but it also pulled on my heart strings and made me want to give Leah and Ariel a cuddle. Even though this is a novella, they both went through so much and you could feel every bit of heartache and pain that they felt.
Jess is a phenomenal author and I adore EVERYTHING that she writes, I mean she could write anything and I’ll eat it up.
Profile Image for Juana.
145 reviews13 followers
July 19, 2022
“I will follow you to the ends of this cruel world, wildflower. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you in this life. You’re not allowed to walk into the light yet.”

Las autoras necesitan hacer mas libros F/F, el mundo necesita libros F/F!!!!
En fin, una mini historia sobre Leah y Ariel, dos chicas que venian de una secta extremista religiosa y abusadora y que a la larga escapan. Cuando pasan los años se reencuentran y estan rotas, Leah más que Ariel. Es una buena historia para hacer un libro completo, definitivamente leeria un libro con este tipo de trama. No me voy a poner quisquillosa en detalles porque es una novella pero si que lo disfruté mucho y sé que si hubiera sido una historia mas extensa estaria llorando.
Aunque oscura, fue una lectura llevadera y que me gustó, espero volver a leer algo de ellas en el futuro.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews

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