Beautiful Nightmare

Dark Dream Duet #2

by Giana Darling, Aiden Snow (Narrator), Desireé Ketchum (Narrator)

Bianca has finally found her rightful place amid the powerful Constantines. But all is not what it seems in this glittering new world. And Tiernan Morelli refuses to give up her up…

BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE is the final book in the Dark Dream duet by USA Today bestselling author Giana Darling.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark, Contemporary, Mafia Romance, Contemporary Romance

9 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 13, 2022

About the author

Giana Darling is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Top 40 Amazon Best Selling Canadian romance author.

I love to write about all things dark, forbidden, and angsty.

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Reviews

[Celia {Hiatus until August} · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars.
The second part of Tiernan and Bianca's story.
A lot of anguish, sweet moments, a lot of tension, some funny scenes, I love Brandon and The Gentlemen of Lion Court, they are so sweet to the little boy.
Tiernan is adorable to him.
There's nothing they won't do for Brandon.

I love the way Giana turned Tiernan's character, into one that we all can love.
This is a sweet story, with sex, violence, mystery, but also goes straight to the heart.
We get to know some answers, Tiernan's biologic father...
But a lot of them are still unanswered, we have to wait for more books in Midnight Dynasty to get all the answers.
One thing that made me a bit confused, it's the timeline.
Lucian and Elaine shouldn't be already married?
So as Leo and Haley?
But they mention their marriage is yet to come...
And what's Carter's secret?
And the most important of all, when Caroline and Bryant will fall?

“You and me, Bianca.
We belong to each other, it just took me a minute to understand it.
Now I do, I won’t let you go for anything.”
“I don’t want to be possessed,”
I argued, but oh my heart was on fire.
Because this was what I’d wanted all my life.
What I’d yearned for.
Not money or fame.
Not world peace or an end to famine.
I wanted, selfishly and fundamentally, to be loved this way.
Bought and owned with no return policy.
To feel as if I’d never be left behind or lost again.
“It’s too late for that,”
he said simply, his mouth descending to mine.
“It’s too late for both of us.”
And then, he kissed me.
He kissed me in a way that had tears springing to my eyes in an instant.
Fire arched through me, my chest pressing up into his.
“This,”
he rasped as we broke for breath.
“The way we fit together, feel together, it’s not normal.
This madness I have for you,”
he shook his head as if he could clear it of me.
“It’s in my blood.”
I panted heavily, squirming.
Only, I didn’t know if I was trying to get away or get closer.
“I know it’s not normal.
It’s wrong,”
I said, hoping to hurt him into stopping.
Instead, his chuckle was husky against my closed lips.
“Maybe.
Nothing about this makes sense except for the fact that I feel like I’m on fucking fire when I’m near you.
Like nothing but the wet of your kiss and the wet between your thighs can put it out.
Like the wet of your tears when you cry so damn pretty for me.”
He licked a tear that had rolled down my cheek and then forced me to taste it, prying my lips open with his own.
“Tell me aren’t on fire for me, too,”
he demanded arrogantly.”

“I won’t let you go,”
he repeated almost viciously as he held me like Peleus wrestling the ever-changing form of Thetis, determined to win me and keep me forever.
“I won’t.
Now I own you, I won’t ever give you up.”
“I don’t want you,”
I cried out, but there were more tears on my face and a keen edge of desperation in my tone that shook my conviction.
“I’m not just a thing you can own.”
“Such a liar.
You are my little thing,”
he reprimanded, darkness crossing his face as he pressed his groin harder into my hips, pushing my legs farther apart so he could cant his erection against my panty-covered sex.
“Should I show you how badly you lie?”

I’ve made you bleed since the moment I met you, but now I’m bleeding out without you.

“I'd live and die for that laugh,”
I told her in a raw voice as I curled my hand around the back of her neck and pressed another to the vulnerable base of her spine.
“I'd live and die for you.”

“I recognized the darkness behind those velvet eyes.”
“And I recognized your goodness,”
she countered, pulling back to stare me dead in the eye so that I could see the sincerity there.
So that I couldn't hide from it.
“No one is all good or all bad, and together we're the best combination of both.”
I kissed her then, a seal of red lips like a wax on an official stamp.

I shook my head, because she didn’t need to thank me.
Taking care of Brando was entirely selfish.
He had every man in the house wrapped around his little finger.
“I thought we could have a Christmas sleepover,”
I suggested as I rounded the other side of the bed and got beneath the covers, pulling the sheets back for Bianca and Brandon to join me.
“When I was young, Leo used to let all of us sleep with him on Christmas Eve.”
The shadows playing over Bianca’s face deepened with sadness for me, knowing I’d lost that after my twelfth birthday.
“Don’t be sad, sweet thing,”
I murmured as she and Brando crawled up the bed and joined me under the blankets.
Brando instantly pressed himself tight into my side and grabbed for my hand as he grabbed for Bianca’s.
“This is better than anything I ever thought I’d deserve.”

“We were always meant to belong to each other.
It makes it better, honestly, to look back at those years of anger and loss and bitterness.
To believe everything happened to lead us here.”
I squeezed her hand.
“I won’t lose you, Bianca.
Not fucking ever.
It makes me goddamn grateful I’m older than you because honest to Christ, I won’t live another day without you.”

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

“I’ve done countless things in my life that I should not have done, but loving you is the best mistake I ever made.”

After reading Dangerous Temptation last month, I was chomping at the bit to get to the conclusion of Tiernan and Bianca’s story. There were so many questions left unanswered and I was so curious to see what direction this would all go.

The story picked up right where the last one left off. Bianca doesn’t know who to trust but she’s determined to find out what has been hidden from her. Tiernan only wants Bianca back. He realizes in this one what is most important and it’s not revenge or money, it’s family. And Bianca and Brando are his.

This one had so much drama, revenge, intrigue, family ties, and of course, romance. I love the found family troupe so much and the ‘Dark Dream’ duet does it so well. I fell hard for Tiernan and Bianca and I hope in the future we might get some books for the gentleman or Tiernan’s brothers!

“Whoever would have guessed that my nightmare would be the best dream I’d never thought to hope for.”

[mira · Rating 1 out of 5]

1⭐️

i was honestly WAYYYY too lazy to write a shitty review but i gotta deliver tbh.

this has been one of the worst duets i've EVER read. kinda now wanna go change all my 1 star books to at least 2 stars because at least they weren't this bad.

idk the drama that is happening with this book but i'm just glad they removing it amazon LMAO.

ok listen does maybe this duet have potential IF someone else wrote it? yes. this was just a mix of welcome to the dark side with giana darling's horny mood.

the first book was useless and NOTHING happened because the whole plot revolved around her finding out he's a morelli when it the prequel he SAYS his full name... i was just sitting there like? if you can't even write your own plot correctly what you doing honey boo boo.

this book... you would expect at least character development but no it gets worse. tieran really just. has mommy, daddy, sibling issues to the point where after he has sex with bianca he goes and sleeps in the same bed with brando (7 yo) and bianca (17yo) im sorry but what.

dont get me started on the 7yo acting like a 3 yo and the 17yo acting like a 12 yo thats how they felt for me and it just screamed PREDATOR whenever tieran talked about them yuck.

anyway, respectfully, this was just a bad experience and i did read this book after rating the first book 1 star because i can't leave the series unfinished. so before you crazy fans see this in your lifetime leave me alone.

me the whole time reading this duet:

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

He was this contradiction only my heart could decipher. A lovely monster. A beautiful nightmare.

The level of anticipation that I had for this book was EXTREME. When I tell you I devoured book one...I mean I was OBSESSED. I love a good revenge plot, but when you add an age gap and a guardian/ward trope to it? Stick a fork in me. I'm done.

So after the jaw dropping cliffhanger in Dangerous Temptation, I was practically rabid to get my hands on the conclusion. So the second this book dropped on my kindle, I was on it.

The story takes place immediately where book one left off; Bianca reeling after learning of Tiernan's betrayal and lies, and Tiernan dealing with finally cutting ties from his sadistic father. Bianca finds herself suspiciously accepted by the Constantines. She may be 17, but she's not naive that there are clearly ulterior motives at play.

Admittedly, Tiernan's about face with Bianca seemed sudden on the one hand. But this is really because a lot of their development happened in book one. I think if I read these back to back, it wouldn't have even registered for me. Though I will say that the romance here took a bit of a backseat to the twists and suspense. I would have loved a bit more relationship development aside from the obvious sexual one, but I can't complain, because the steam was incendiary.

While this book didn't keep me as riveted as the first one, it was still a one sitting read that I devoured. Between the jaw dropping twists, the suspense, and the reunion of the Morelli brothers, it was still very much a page turner. I'm simply obsessed with this world. Hopefully we get Carter's book next.


ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the ending of the first book, I was so excited to get back into this world. There was definitely more suspense in this book and the romance between Bianca and Tiernan reached a new level. I really enjoyed being back with these character and watching Bianca piece things together that Tiernan knew all along. You really didn't know who you could trust or what he good guys were. The only thing I didn't love was that the "villain" of the story really wasn't dealt with until the very end, and I felt like we were just waiting and waiting for that to come to a conclusion. I would have liked the whole book to deal with that instead of just getting a quick scene at the end. But I loved the relationship between Bianca and Tiernan and how much it developed in here. Such a good duet from Giana!

[Kursed Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

We find ourselves at The Met, right where Dangerous Temptation ended.

Following a shoot-out in the gallery that left both Tiernan and Bryant wounded, Bianca has fled with Caroline, the Constantine matriarch, to her Bishop’s Landing compound.

Overhearing a questionable conversation, Bianca recalibrates, recognizing that no one in either family can be trusted with her best interest, save for Elias, the only one who doesn’t want something from her. As such, knowing he can’t stop her, he agrees to be her partner as she unravels just what it is that Catherine Constantine wants from her.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Bishop’s Landing, Lion Court is infiltrated with Morellis who have had enough of Bryant’s tyrannical behavior and are ready to, not only reconcile, but join forces with Tiernan to overthrow the head of the family.

What follows is the action-packed story of how Tiernan and Bianca shed their past, reconcile their losses, and move forward amid a myriad twists and unraveled secrets.

“He was this contradiction only my heart could decipher. A lovely monster. A beautiful nightmare.“

The secondary characters were some of my favorites. Brando stole my heart and I wish I had my own trio of Gentleman.

🗂 Genre: Dark Romance

✨ Tropes: Age Gap, Forbidden, Dub-Con, Spanking

⚠️ Safety Squad: Triggers galore if you have any. If not, blind is best!! •• There are several triggers. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in.

📣 Beautiful Nightmare is part of the Midnight Dynasty series, a multi-author collaboration, and is the second book in the Dark Dream Duet. It cannot be read as a standalone. Dangerous Temptation must be read first and the prequel, Bad Dream, will be helpful in providing context as well.

[Crystal (Crystalreads2) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, my Holy Tiernan. How I love thee. It started rough, and I couldn’t stand you. Then you went and did a thing and melted my heart.

Book two starts where book one left off and stays put; it’s an action pact from that moment. As soon as this book hit my kindle, I dove in and read it in one sitting.

Bianca and Tiernan are trying to find their way, with Mama Constantine and Bryant Morelli scheming in the background. Bianca is no naive teenager, far from it. I am highly impressed by her character growth.

I really didn’t want the story to end. These two have touched me more than any other Midnight Dynasty book. And I am impressed with the small details and timeline with other books.

I devoured this book in one sitting. It gripped me and took hold of me till the end. On my dark scale, it's medium grey. If you love good dark romance with an age gap, Dark Dream Duet is for you.

[currently being delulu · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5


Really if I think about it it should probably just be one on the amount of times I cringed.


I’m so disappointed that I actually think I might have to go back and lower my rating on the first book, this wasn’t really how I thought the second follow up to the story would go.


In the first book I liked the couples really fucked up dynamic, but I think a mistake here was that we barley see the main characters form a relationship and it’s mostly the plot about revenge against the family yada yada.
“ didn’t care”


And the Scenes that we do get with Bianca and tiernan … okay honestly I really thought she was gonna developed them as more of a couple cause she needed to if it was gonna be believable to me.


Yeah we don’t see any that here.

And it was just really weird to me how he kept putting Brandon and Bianca In the same category as to how he felt about them … like babe it’s a age gap relationship already I’m gonna need you too separate the two.


And then he randomly calls her his mate… oakyyyy Sara j mass go off I guess.


Okay but really honestly this scene wasn’t meant to be. Creepy or weird but I just couldn’t get over it and honestly all it did was make me feel like the hero was in pedophile mode for some reason.


Like it’s meant to be a cute found family Christmas cuddly scene ……

After him and Bianca have sex he goes to Brandon’s room and gets him so they could all like have a sleepover and cuddle in the same bed….

Idk I just kept full body cringing because like he’s in bed with a 7 and 17 year old …

And it’s really meant to be this hallmark Christmas moment.

Idk I’m so surprised that I felt so differently in this book than the first….

Oh well whatev there’s always other books to read

[Corinne [hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

3 "disappointed" stars

This one is probably an "it's me not you" book but I'm a bit disappointed here.
This duet definitely doesn't compare to Giana's Fallen Men series or to her Anti-heroes in Love duet and that's a pity.

This is book 2 in the Dark Dream duet, set in the #midnightdynasty world and it wraps up the story of Tiernan Morelli and Bianca Belcante (Constantine).

Tropes:
- ward/guardian romance
- 12 year age-gap
- virgin heroine, feisty and sassy but really very young (she's 17 years old) and yet she manages to do what no other woman did before her
- hero loves nobody but her (and her little brother in this case)
- hero with history of abuse
- groveling
- suspense
- kinky sexy times (pain play mostly and a bit of CNC)

The book picks up where the first book left off (not gonna spoil the cliffy if you haven't read it yet).
Bianca decides to fight for her independence and Tiernan mans up and recognizes that he doesn't want to lose her.
There is groveling, suspense, some shocking truths revealed, sweet dialogue between Tiernan and Brandon (Bianca's 7 year old brother), some more suspense and a pretty satisfying ending.
We also get a cameo of Elena from the Anti-heroes in Love duet.

The plot is well rounded and the suspense was a good addition but it just didn't hold my interest as well as Giana's other books.

The relationship felt too insta-lovey overall the entire duet and I have an issue with the pain play kink and the age gap.
I accept the age gap. I just don't find it that believable that, at 17, you just know the romance is forever.
I mean, Tiernan is 32. I can believe him when he says she's the one although it's always a bit creepy when the love interest of a grown man is barely an adult.
And also, there's no sexual safety discussion, no condoms mentioned, nothing. Big no-no for me.

Anyway, I may be outgrowing these tropes but they sure are fun to read every once in a while.

***ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

[rach⭑ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭑

I have mixed opinions on how I feel about this book. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it very much but I didn’t quite love it as much as book one (Dangerous Temptation).

I loved being able to see Bianca and Tiernan again after the cliff hanger from book one but I felt that Tiernan didn’t do nearly as much grovelling as what I wanted him to. Bianca just has a soft spot for him and forgave him way too easily (in my opinion).

The book had a few plot twists that I was not expecting but it also had too many plot twists for me to find enjoyable. After the first few was more than enough for me.

I think maybe if I had read this while still on my high from reading book one I might have enjoyed it more? I’m not too sure.

Either way, it was still an enjoyable read and I would overall still recommend the duet.

Thank you Valentine PR & Giana Darling for sending my the ARC for this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 'Two doves' Stars!
ARC provided via Valentine PR in exchange for an honest review.


Giana Darling is one of those authors I am always happy to go back to. In this case, I was highly anticipating her newest release because, after the end of Dangerous Temptation, she left us with a massive cliffhanger and I literally could not wait to go back to Lion Court to see what happened next. I already knew she would not disappoint us with the ending of this duet. Giana gave Tiernan, Bianca, Brandon and the whole Bad Dream crew the ending they deserved: full of twists and turns, unexpected sweetness and a whole lot of steam and emotions.

So, Beautiful Nightmare is the second part of the Bad Dream duet and it starts right after the ending of Dangerous Temptation (make sure to read that one before continuing with this review!). Bianca is feeling betrayed after discovering the truth about Tiernan, she has left Lion Court and is now staying in the Constantine’s compound. But Tiernan is not giving up. He wants his little thing back and he will fight with tooth and nail to get her back. Nothing is getting in his way, even if there are a whole lot of dark obstacles in the way.

He was a monster. One who wanted to swallow me whole. Maybe a smarter girl would have tried to run away, but it seemed that whenever I picked up my feet, it was toward him I ran.

Oh man... the anticipation I had for this book was HUGE. And now I am happy to say it went beyond my expectations. This one is definitely my favorite out of the two parts in the duet because I am a sucker for a good grovel and seeing all the layers of already complex characters. Both Bianca and Tiernan are so much more than what we already saw in the previous installment. Bianca is a fighter with a lion heart and Tiernan is her beautiful nightmare who also happens to give her his most sweet and vulnerable side. I loved these two and the family they create with Brandon and The Gentlemen. I loved seeing the Morelli brotherhood and how they fight against their enemies. And I loved seeing this couple get their much-deserved happy ending.

“No one is all good or all bad, and together we’re the best combination of both.”

Therefore, I am rating Beautiful Nightmare with 4.5 STARS because it was the ending this wonderful couple (and family) deserved. Yes, it was a difficult one, full of darkness and suspense but still managing to have a sweet and emotional side to it that made me melt all over. I loved seeing a new side to Tiernan and Bianca and I loved how their burning chemistry continues at full power. Wow these two! SO HAWT. I cannot wait to read more of this world, and I hope Carter and other characters we’ve met in this duet have their chance to have a love story too. Well done, Giana!

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[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just loved this book! It’s great!!!
It’s worth the reading.

[💜VGreedyReader🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️5 beautifully drawn stars⭐️

Giana just cemented my obsession with the Morelli men, she brings her A-game in this masterfully written duet and she shows us how nightmares can sometimes be better than dreams 😉

~𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔~

Tiernan fits every definition of a monster a villain, we met him as a cold hearted beast set on revenge. In this second instalment we see him evolve, we learn more about his past, how it built his history of violence. From a young age he’s been manipulated by his evil father, with the promise of making him a true Morelli he shaped him into a ruthless man, he then made him believe he wasn’t worthy of love. Now a man, Tiernan forgot how to speak a language other than violence, all he has ever wanted was acceptance and a family but he was always denied this pleasure. It took two blonde whirlwinds to show him his granitic dark heart wasn’t dead, it’s still beating and capable of love.

~𝑰'𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒏, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈~

Bianca evolves from a young girl into a woman, even if she has never had a real childhood and was forced to grow up fast, she retained a naive side. She has always idolised the Constantine and kept her desire to belong with them hidden in the deepest of her being. However, when Caroline welcomes her into her fold she soon realises things aren’t what she expected. Faced with the shrewd conniving and manipulating matron, Bianca finally unleash her claws and her weaknesses become her strengths.

“~𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅~

Told in dual POV, the plot expertly woven, the narrative pace craftily delivered, the chemistry between the two leading characters bears Ms Darling’s steamy trademark, the action is fast paced and it doesn’t lack in twists and turns.

Giana’s talent gifted us with another enticing chapter into Midnight Dynasty, a world that keeps getting more and more captivating. I can’t wait to read more and see what else is in store for us greedy readers.

𝙰𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝙵/𝙱𝚁 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚢 𝚃𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚎 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚊🥂💋𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚍𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 ❤️

[Lisa the book CREEP · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Kelly_Reads_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Nightmare is fabulous second book of Tiernan and Bianca’s troubled relationship and it was full of intense scenes, evil men and women, but with a ribbon of hope.
Tiernan has done some really bad things for Bryant, his father, to his siblings and anyone else that his father points a finger at.
Bianca just wants to have a family and belong to a group of people who accept her and Brando for who they are.
That ending was spectacular but I need more!
The Constantines and the Morelli’s have been battling for decades, I don’t think that will ever change unless this new generation steps up and changes it.

[MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle up pretties as we dive back into Tiernan Morelli and his complex guardianship over Bianca Belacante. When truths are uncovered through a web of lies what will become of Bianca and her new life? This begins where the epic cliffhanger left us and takes off full speed ahead! When the Constantines and Morellis scheme, not everyone makes it out it one piece. Another great addition to the midnight dynasty world. If you love to love a villian with a melting heart you’re gonna fall for Tiernan! I love how the characters all intertwine for other books yet you can read each as a stand-alone series. Be prepared for Intrigue, revenge, twists and a truly messed up family. Told in dual POV


📸 Teaser Collage by Miss Petite Brunette Book Blog

[Vanessa Booked Up · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!

"Come home and teach me to be kind."

I'm just gonna start by putting it out there...Tiernan made this book for me. The total selfless way he showed up for Bianca from the word go of this book just stole my heart.

When we walk into this book, we are right where Dangerous Temptation ended... the cat's out of the bag as far as who is from what family as far as Tiernan and Bianca are concerned. I will say, a few things gave me whiplash here. One, in Dangerous Temptation, Tiernan was beginning to warm up to Bianca, or at least that's how I read it. I felt like as soon as this book began, he was all in, which was great, but it was a definite jump, at least for me.

I did love the evolvement of the family drama and suspense personally, though I do wish the "bad guys" would've resulted in far harsher outcomes than they did.

And finally, while I LOVED Bianca's grit when it came to the Constantine clan, I felt like her character in the second half of the book resembled that of a Disney princess. I don't know, she went from hellcat to this sweet, gracious little lamb.

Don't get me wrong, there were some legendary steamy scenes in this book...hello, fire poker and bath tub scene!! And I did enjoy the heck out of those. I just didn't think it had the same level of grit that the first book had.

However, I loved the hell out of the romance, and like I said earlier, Tiernan made this book for me. I love his relationships with The Gentlemen and with his brothers and I love how he finally stood up for himself.

I loved this series and I can't wait to read more from this world.

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still kinda meh that even in book 2, the age couldn't be bumped up to 18. Her bday was mentioned in a couple of months.. so that frustrated me.
This book picks up right after and Bianca is now with her "family" the Constantines Bianca is trying to figure out more of her family life and to be honest it isn't as cracked up to be she knows Mama Constantine is a backstabbing bish.. who wants more power. She's having second thoughts of being there and misses Tiernan and her little family.

And I'll be honest, about 70% of the book I honestly couldn't finish I skimmed a lot after that. And we'll I'm eh.
And yeah, I wish this was just one big book instead of a duet.


No ow/om drama, no cheating, drama, sexy times, no virgins

Recommend-maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5


Age gap
17/30
Push away from both
No condom
Praise kink
Cnc
Violence
Hea
Epilogue

[The Romantic Rush Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful Nightmare, the epic finale to Tiernan and Bianca’s story is here, and holy moly Giana dials up all the feelings and all the steam. Giana always so effortlessly marries emotional intensity with fast-paced action in her stories, and paired with the dynamic and addictive world of the Midnight Dynasty world, it’s an intoxicating mix. While the first book in the duet is saturated with edgy taboo tension, book 2 really dials up the romanticism, courtesy of the transformation of our leading man Tiernan. The broken anti-hero becomes a healing hero- and he’s, dare I say, SWOONY. Not to mention, Giana gives us all the sexy Tiernan controlling sexy times. I love nothing more than a redemption arc, and Beautiful Nightmare is really that, as both of our characters recognize the “dream” they’ve so handily and cruelly been denied is more of a nightmare.

Whereas book one was all dark, edgy tension and intimate in scale, book 2 has more of a romantic suspense, sweeping quality to it. We have a whole lot more action, the pace is quick, and the twists are abundant, perhaps a bit too much so in places. But it’s highly entertaining, and the emotive connection I’d been craving more depth on in book one does come through here, in part because Tiernan falls so epically and intensely for Bianca and will do anything to have her- including opening his heart. Tiernan turns into a bit of a broody gummy bear in this story- and I was all about it. He’s still got his broken edge, but he’s a much softer alpha, and for much of the second half of the book he even takes a backseat to the story and the action. This worked for me to highlight the real evolution of Bianca as she rewrites her destiny and takes charge of her life for the first time, but I do wish they’d had less time apart in the back half. We do get some important closure and healing for Tiernan though, but he is most certainly a softer character than in book one- but he’s still a yummy alpha in the sheets. He starts as a reluctant hero, and he fights hard to reclaim his girl and keep her safe.

Overall, I really liked both characters arcs’, we see one embrace their inner darkness and the other edge into more of the light. The sweetness comes in seeing them battle the darkness around them (and for Tiernan within himself) to start to create a new dream, a love and family that is somehow suddenly just in reach, with each other and the scene-stealing found family. (I love those Gentlemen and Brando, and I wish we’d had more of them in this book) But securing that life requires them to confront what matters most, to take chances they never expected, and to choose between the warring sides of their hearts. For Tiernan to embrace love and to feel worthy of it, and for Bianca to learn to trust him again, while also trying to figure out herself. Of course, we have plenty of Morelli and Constantine drama to round out the tale- and some cameos from a few favorites too.

There were some third act frustration- not only having our lovers so separate in a lot of the action, but the abundance of twists gave us a lot to process and perhaps some open ends. And I am curious how the Midnight Dynasty- it’s becoming increasingly challenging for authors to deliver satisfying endings to the epic romances that feature the same subset of villains. Some, I’m sure, will be redeemed in star in their own stories (ala the Terror Triplets) but others have so much comeuppance in the bank that books may start to feel anticlimatic if true revenge isn’t served. And this book teetered on that- the story really boxed us into wanting an outcome that isn’t possible when these characters are prominently featured in other stories at the moment. Fortunately, instead Giana leans into the theme of family and love- so even if our villains don't get what they deserve, our heroes DO- and that part is so very gratifying and quite adorable. Overall, a sexy, swoony finale and much deserved HEA for the estranged Morelli son.

Giana has a poetic and practiced prose that is made of the Midnight world- and the type of hero she writes- broken, misunderstood, edge, only devoted to his lady- is pitch perfect for these two feuding families. I do hope she has plans to return to this world- I really enjoyed how thoughtfully she evolved these characters and the uniquely sweet and tender flavor she brought to this world.

[Diana~ (Kiss Me Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful Nightmare by Giana Darling is the conclusion to Tiernan Morelli and Bianca Belcante's story that not only takes place in the Midnight Dynasty world but builds upon the existing stories that have already been established in Lucian and Leo Morelli's books as well as Winston Constantine's. Both Tiernan and Bianca experience significant character growth and development as they navigate their feelings for each other as well as the hidden secrets of the Constantine and Morelli families. This book cannot be read as a standalone because it immediately picks up after Dangerous Temptation. Watching this dark, broody, and sexy man fall in love and coming to terms with his feelings was a heady thing to witness. I was surprised and elated by Tiernan's change because it revealed his duality—he was ruthless and violent to his enemies but possessive and passionate when it came to those he loved.

"He was this contradiction only my heart could decipher. A lovely monster. A beautiful nightmare."

While Tiernan was dealing with his feelings for Bianca and how broken his relationship with his father truly was, Bianca also came to some realizations of her own. What she thought she wanted was merely a facade. The Constantine's were nothing like she imagined and the revelation regarding Tiernan's last name at the end of Dangerous Temptation has her angry and conflicted. I have some thoughts regarding Bianca because while I understood her wanting to uncover her family's secrets, she was also incredibly naive. I grew frustrated with some of her decisions because she was risking her own safety and needlessly worrying those who cared for her. At the same time, Bianca was also going back and forth between hating and pining for Tiernan.

"I'm a greedy man and I won't stop until I have your soul."

In the end, I truly enjoyed Tiernan and Bianca's story because it was incredibly sexy, dark, and brought much light to the animosity between the Constantine's and Morelli's. Lucian and Leo made appearance in this book and it was very impactful because of their reunion with Tiernan. I do have to say that I can't wait to read Carter's book—he was intriguing, secretive, mysterious but also kind for a Morelli. Giana Darling has truly done justice in writing Tiernan Morelli's story, this broken man who simply wanted to be loved. While the age gap between Tiernan and Bianca did initially make me pause, their love and passion for each other simply burned up the pages and I completely forgot about it. Fans of Giana Darling's writing will absolutely love this book as well as those who love reading about dark and scarred heroes who simply can't live without his bold and audacious heroine.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS



Star Rating : 4.5/5 stars

POV : Dual

Cliffhanger : None

Hero : Tieran

Heroine : Bianca

Pace of the story : Moderate

Angst Rating : 5/10

Heat Rating : 7/10

Triggers Involved : Age Gap, Betrayal

Plot Summary :
Bianca is broken. The one man she thought was hers, had been playing her all along. Teiran was her and her little brother's guardian and that was until she knew he had been playing a more dangerous game all along. Too bad he broke her in between. Now there is nowhere to go except to the one place where she knows she won't get any love. The one place where at least the hate will make sense. The Constantine mansion.

Teiran knows he messed up. Bianca and her brother didn't deserve his betrayal. But now it's too late. It has been done only he never calculated the loss he would have. The one girl who meant more than anything to him now hates him and is with his enemies. She trusts them more than him and he can't even blame her for it. Doesn't mean he is going to let her go. Because as much as she hates him, he has the one thing who is her whole world. Her little brother and soon she'll have to return to him.

Overall Opinion :
OMG. I have been waiting for this book for so long!! Giana is my queen and I knew she would do justice to Teiran's story. She absolutely killed it with this one!! Bianca and Teiran are now my favorite couple in the midnight dynasty world and I can't thank her enough.

Bianca and Teiran go through a lot in this book but the best thing that I found in this was the closure they both got. All the questions are answered and I couldn't be happier. They have the best story ever which will keep you hooked till the very end. Giana is the master of age gap romances so she has done an amazing job with this one.

Definitely recommending this duet to all the taboo dark romance loving people out there!

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[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

"He was this contradiction only my heart could decipher.
A lovely monster.
A beautiful nightmare."

Beautiful Nightmare is book 2 in the Dark Dream duet by Giana Darling. This book takes place directly after book 1 Dangerous Temptation.

Set in the Midnight Dynasty world where the Constantine's and the Morelli’s have been battling for decades. Now Bianca is caught in the middle of this world trying to find her place whether that it with the Constantine's or Tiernan.

This book was filled with mystery, lies, deceit, shocking twists and steamy scenes. I enjoyed this duet and can't wait to read more books set in this world.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

[Bozena · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a gripping, action-packed and fast-paced story, that will take you on a rollercoaster of brutal emotions and in my case a lot of mixed feelings.

I've loved and also hated the characters throughout the story.
It's hard to explain without giving away the content, but let just say that the constant back and forth was driving me insane.
Don't get me wrong, the story was exciting and interesting, but the characters were not. They were just way too immature for it to sound believable and not like a fairy tale.

Was the author's intention to confuse the reader? 
Probably.
Was it believable that a 17 year old girl could take on the mafia world and come out unscathed? (Let's forget for a moment that she acted like a 12 year old most of the time)
Pretty unlikely.
Was it believable that a 30 year old mafia enforcer with daddy issues fell in love with a 17 year old in a matter of days without a valid reason? 
Definitely not!

I could go on like this and enumerate all the reasons why this book is completely unrealistic and just wrong in so many ways that it's no longer pretty, but everyone can decide for themselves whether this book is what they like 🤷🏻‍♀️

Maybe it's because I read too many mafia romances, but there are just too many things in the story that don't fit together and thus caused too many eye rolls 🙄 what in turn made it less and less enjoyable to read.

[SP · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great conclusion to this duet. It’s no mystery that Giana Darling can write. The characters she created within this world had so much depth to them. They showed so much growth throughout their journey.

When we first meet Tiernan he’s cruel and difficult to love. What we get throughout this book is his soft side, him opening up to love. Him growing as a character to someone you can’t help but love and swoon over. The moments between him and Brando had me smiling. I loved seeing their bond grow. Just as much as seeing the romantic connection between Bianca and Tiernan.

Bianca I’ve instantly loved her from the very begging. The way she stepped up with her brother. The sweetness and strength she shows throughout the story… how could you not love her? I love that she calls Tiernan out for the choices he made, she makes him a better person, and he really is there for her. Bianca is an old soul so I felt like they were a perfect match for eachother.

This story shows that you can create your own family, it shows love comes in many forms, and it was beautiful to see that in a romance book.

[Just Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

“That family was what you made it, not what you were born with.”

Found family always just guts me.
Revenge schemes are a guilty little pleasure of mine.
Age gap/forbidden romances needs to be told too.

Beautiful Nightmare was a bit slow, however still thrilling dark romance.
I felt Bianca lost a bit of her spark (from book 1) but Tiernan really evolved.
The monster found something to protect and I am a sucker for a MMC who “unalive” people who threaten what’s his. I just love me my twisted romance, okay?😈

Read: 14/07/2022
1st rating: 3 stars
Genre/tropes: Dark romance/revenge/age gap
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Dual 1st person (Tiernan & Bianca)
Will I recommend: Yes

[Travelogged Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Giana Darling's books the moment I read the Anti-heroes in love duet and this new one got me so excited to enter into the Morelli-Constantine world of rivalry of the Midnight Dynasty. NGL, Bianca & Tiernan's age gap was wierd to me at first, but in the first book, Bianca was wise beyond her age that it didn't feel like she was a teenager.

"He was this contradiction only my heart could decipher. A lovely monster. A beautiful nightmare."

This book showed some of her lack of experience and because of some decisions she took, I wasn't very impressed with her but the love she had for Brandon & Tiernan made it easy to overlook her stupidity. You can easily see the chemistry between Tiernan & Bianca in this book because it contained so many soft, heartfelt and intense moments- both with Brandon and the Morelli brothers. Tiernan finally got the happiness he craved for and Bianca was able to find answers for herself that helped her to get closure.

"I’ve made you bleed since the moment I met you, but now I’m bleeding without you."

Overall, the duet was filled with mystery, lies, deceit, some humor and shocking twists but Brandon was the highlight of both the books for me!
The Midnight Dynasty world has so many characters with their own distinct personalities, hidden agendas and powerful secrets which will leave us wanting for more which is why I can't wait for the next book in this world to come out and explore more of these characters.

ARC received in exchange of an honest review

[Prottasha♡︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved her writing style but the plot wasn't for me.

In the previous book, H tells Bianca she takes him in her mouth better than her mother🤢 H f@cks Bianca, takes her virginity outside, and leaves her alone. I'm swooning🙄

Then I thought she got some sense and after seeing his betrayal she runs away. She stays with her father's wife(Who was H's enemy) and the family and tells her father's wife to help get her brother back. But the woman was selfish and she really not works on it. She tries to take her brother by calling H. But H gets in his enemy's house and f@cks her. She takes him😑😑😑

The girl doesn't have any ounce of self-respect.

After all the shit, they go to his dead ex's grave who was her step-sister 😒 the plot couldn't be more cringy. And the rest of the things felt boring to me. I didn't bother to see their HEA.

[Mandyloves2read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect conclusion to Tiernan and Bianca’s story ! It’s intense and action packed full of twists and turns I didn’t see coming the writing is excellent the world building and the characters are amazing this story exceeded all my expectations I was immediately sucked back in and couldn’t put it down till it ended I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole way through . Definitely recommend and definitely gets my five star approval!

[Court Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous
Giana has certainly confirmed for me that she is now one of my favourite authors. This book is action packed, picking up where Dangerous Temptation ended but it is also full of heart. Giana writes so beautifully and there are so many moments and quotes in this book.
Tiernan Morelli maybe a violent, obsessive man but he is Bianca's Beautiful Nightmare.

[Yas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but didn’t like it as much as Book 1. And the plot kinda got too convoluted toward the end.

Beautiful Nightmare was even more spicy than Book 1, and I loved the flip of their relationship! Like Tiernan did a 180, and I was not mad about it. Who doesn't love an obsessed MMC?

However, book 2 felt to drag on a little, and the plot felt all over the place.

But overall, the Dark Dream Duet was a fun, taboo dark Romance and delivered most of the things I was looking for.

🗂Genre: Dark Romance
📕Type: Book 2, Duet

🏷Tropes:
- Guardian/ Step-Father x Ward
- Age Gap (h is 17!)
- Revenge
- Spice
- Hate to Love
- Betrayal & Second Chance
- Obsessed MMC
- FMC takes on parental role for younger brother

⚠️Safety: large age gap (h is a minor - 17), death of a parent (h mother), violence, assault & rape (mentioned), FMC takes on parental role for younger brother

📖Format: 1st person, dual POV & narration (+++++)

🎧Theme song: Hey Violet - Guys My Age (AKA the Anthem for Age Gap Romance)

📚If you loved this, check out: More Giana Darling

•••Dark Dream Duet•••
#1: Dangerous Temptation - 4★
#2: Beautiful Nightmare - 3★