I lost the three most important things to me within the span of a month.
My best friend.
My mom.
My voice.
The world became bleak and my stint in the hospital brought none of them back. Months later, I showed up at college and learned that I could save two of them. Unfortunately, I can’t raise people from the dead, and in order to save my relationship with my childhood best friend, I have to accept what I’d done to destroy us.
I’ll serve whatever sentence he deems necessary for my transgressions, help him and his friends confront enemies known and unknown, and learn how to use this new version of my voice.
After all, my silence is now the loudest sound in the universe.
- - - - - -
Pierce Me is a new adult dark romantic suspense novel featuring an enemies to lovers and why choose relationship dynamic. It is intended for a mature audience ages 18+. It centers around a young woman who has lost her voice to traumatic mutism as she goes up against her old childhood lover, as well as enemies both known and unknown to her. It does end in a cliffhanger, and is book one of a planned four book series.
Shelby Lee is a neurospicy author who writes books that tear people apart before putting them back together again - with anywhere from a dash to a whole serving of spice.
Her stories vary in shades of darkness. Sometimes the books are nearing rom-com status with dark themes, and other times... well... she hits the abyss. She’s creating a universe full of characters she hopes you’ll like, loathe, and love.
She lives in the middle of the United States with her husband and kids and can be found gaming or binging tv shows when she isn’t reading or writing.
The MMc dealt drugs to the people on campus for some guy. The heroine had no backbone. I do not understand how at 50%, Pierce did not know that Raven could not speak!! Pierce thought she was still staying quiet because he ordered her. There are triggers. Raven forgot what the MMCs did within 2 chapters. It was just a mess. In circles they went. All a misunderstanding that could have been cleared up if one hero told the other hero what really happened to Raven.
I got the pleasure of Beta and ARC reading this book and Shelby will without a doubt be an author I continue to follow.
First off this book is dark, please check the trigger warnings.
This book almost leaves me speechless. The heroine Raven is an extremely relatable character in a variety of ways going from selflessness, attitude, and for some, trauma and being able to rise above it. As for the the guys, I related their dynamic as a cross between the Ravenhood Trilogy and the Savage Hate series. You have the tough hard ass, the goof ball, and the caregiver. River could definitely be Sean from Ravenhoods much better cousin. Phoenix is to die for and can take care of me any day and Pierce he is an enigma that you kinda wanna smack and and yell at him for being so difficult sometimes.
The dialogue between the characters is witty and grabs you, making you fall in love with the way the are falling in love with each other.
Smut in this book is chefs kiss! Reverse Harem with the dynamic mention above makes each scene unbelievable hot!! Thanksgiving will never be the same for me. It’s almost a carnal desire that’s present in majority of the scene.
Ravens mutism is a first for me so it was interesting to see how Shelby incorporated it into the sort. She also tells both a story in the present and the past allowing the reader to see why some relationships are the way they are. She also keeps just enough of the information to keep you turning the page waiting to find out the answer.
This book is a cliff hanger and will make you want to chunk your book or device at the wall in frustration because you want more.
This is the first ever book by Shelby Lee and I've read lots of different books in lots of different genres and this rivals the best authors, in my opinion. I could feel the emotions of the characters, and almost cried at some points and I don't cry when I read books so that's saying something huge! This is the first book in the series so there are a lot of unanswered questions, but she brings the characters pasts to life. The book ends in a huge cliff hanger, I almost wanted to throw my phone, so now I'm left anxiously waiting on the next book.
I can't say enough about how good this book is. If you like dark and twisted books this one is for you. Definitely check the trigger warnings because there's some really dark stuff, but for people like me who are dark and twisted, it's right up our alley.
I received this as an ARC from a new author and 🥵🥵🥵 lord have mercy.
The plot is amazing, the spice is amazing, the cliffhanger will make you want to throw your phone/kindle.
The book blends past and present scenes together so well and gives you an understanding of why raven did some of the things she did.
MC suffers from traumatic mutism from PTSD and reunites with her ex boyfriend and his two best friends after accepting a scholarship at her top pick college. The past starts to unfold and secrets come out to play.
One of my favorite reads for sure and I cannot wait for the next one!!!!
This book was really good. It's a dark bully RH romance between the FMC, Raven, and three guys she is stuck working for in order to honor the requirements for her scholarship.
-Pierce is the childhood best friend and first love who she pushed away a year ago before she lost her mom and her voice. He's changed and, in his heartbreak, become angry and dark. -River is the fun loving frat boy who follows Pierce's orders but still tries to be silly with Raven. -Phoenix is the broody serious guy she met in therapy months before who tries to take care of her to make up for what the other two do to her.
It was interesting to see the mystery being unraveled trying to figure out what exactly happened between Pierce and Raven to make him hate her so much, what happened to cause her traumatic mutism, who is pulling the strings to make her work for the boys for the scholarship, what happened in Phoenix's past? We get answers to some of this, but I still have so many questions that will have to wait for the next books.
I will say I didn't think Pierce was redeemable, but he has some shining moments that make you pause and rethink things. I'm curious how it will work out to justify his behavior.
Be sure to check the trigger warnings carefully because there are some dark aspects in this book. There is a cliffhanger at the end, but now I just can't wait for the next book to figure out what happens.
I am feeling so many emotions right now after finishing "Pierce me" that im not quite sure where to begin.
First off I should mention this book is dark and recommend you head over to the author's webpage and check out all the Triggers.
I knew going into this book that some of triggers were going to be hard for me to get through. And if I am totally honest at one point I did think I would need to call it a day. But I continued with the story and I have to say I really enjoyed it.
The world building was brilliant, the characters are still a mystery to me. Not so much raven and pierce, as we get a lot of their backstory but I still feel like there will be so much to learn about them going forwards. The plot is gripping and im itching to know where this will go next!
Now don't get me wrong, I'm am pissed as hell at those boys! They have some serious work to do to redeem themselves!
I suppose I forgave the ZA boys eventually, so maybe, one day, after a shit ton of grovelling the ACOR boys may earn my forgiveness 🤷♀️
I really can't wait to see Raven make them earn her trust, love and loyalty!
All in all I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for book 2
*I was give an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I enjoyed this read very much! The character development was awesome and can’t wait to see where it all leads! I couldn’t decide who I loved the most! All three have something I loved; Pierce and his attitude, Phoenix’s protectiveness, and River’s humor! The steamy bits were also very well written and had you begging for more!
such a good job at making abuse a normal thing all three mmc call the fmc a b*tch, r*pe her, and then kiss her and say that they love her. if you like that, you're insane fr.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Triggers: Mental Illness, Bullying, PTSD, Dubious Consent, Drug Use and Sex.
This was a dark reverse harem bully romance. Raven has been through a traumatic ordeal with the death of her mother. As a result, she suffered from Mutism. While going through some paperwork given to her by her mother’s attorney, Raven notices a letter from Cobalt University, a university for the elite and rich. She is offered a full ride scholarship with the condition that she work as the secretary for Alpha Mu fraternity.
Just when Raven thinks things can’t get any worse, they do. Upon arriving at CU she is ready to jump into her new role as secretary and take advantage of her full ride scholarship until she comes face to face with her past. Pierce Jackson has been Raven childhood best friend and later her first love. She broke Pierce’s heart while she was dealing with her mother’s declining health. As a result, Pierce hates Raven with a passion. Pierce takes great pleasure in causing Raven misery.
As secretary she is to be at the beck and call of all the members of Alpha Mu and they are allowed to ask anything of her except sexual favors which he lets it be known that those are reserved for him and his best friends Phoenix and River. It was interesting to see Raven’s interaction with these men. River was the fun guy, he followed Pierce’s orders even when he didn’t agree with them because he immediately had a soft spot for Raven. Phoenix is the quiet, brooding type who doesn’t necessarily take advantage of Raven or hurt her, but he doesn’t try to stop the mistreatment from happening. River and Phoenix are both aware of Raven’s mutism, but Pierce is under the impression that she is purposely ignoring him which causes him to treat her horribly. Things aren’t as they appear to be at Cobalt University, corruption, greed and lies are the cornerstone of Alpha Mu fraternity serves as a cover for something more devious.
Loyalties are tested and bridges are mended and now Pierce, River and Phoenix aren’t willing to play the games of Alpha Mu anymore especially if it puts Raven in the middle of danger.
I honestly didn't know where to start this review, my brain was blown away with this book, not just the MMCs or FMC, but the plotline, secrets, lies, and that cliffhanger. UGH. There are also plenty of triggers that you should definitely be aware of before starting this book.
The FMC Raven, has dealt with a lot, she is dealing with the death of her mother, which resulted in her suffering from Mutism. While going through her mom's papers, she finds a letter from Cobalt University. She's offered a full ride scholarship, the one condition is that she's the secretary for the Alpha Mu fraternity.
When she arrives at Cobalt University, she realizes that working at the fraternity isn't going to be easy, she runs into her childhood friend Pierce Jackson. He has changed since she saw him last (fyi- she left him while dealing with her mom's declining health), he now hates her and can't wait to make her life a living hell. Honestly, I was thinking that Pierce would have to work REALLY hard to get me back on his side. I still want him to work for it, I mean they all could use a bit of shaking up. River is Pierce's best friend, and he follows almost blindly his lead, he does have a soft spot for Raven. But he won't go against Pierce, he's teetering on the edge of his loyalty to Pierce and realizing that Raven doesn't deserve what's happening. Phoenix, oh man I like his character a lot, he met her while she was in therapy for her Mutism. One thing is that Phoenix and River both know about her mustim, but Pierce thinks she's ignoring him, and it makes him treat her worse.
Things aren't what they seem at Cobalt, lies, greed, corruption, and quite possibly more things so much more dubious, who knows!? I love that we get to see the guys POV, it's so important in this book, especially with the secrets happening. I love the dynamic of the guys, and seeing them get closer and open their eyes to Raven.
I was on the edge of my seat reading this and then I basically fell off the cliff that Shelby shoved us off of. I can't wait to see what the future books come up, I know the way we were left that it's going to get so much crazier before it calms down.
"I’ve needed you for every damn second you’ve been gone and I’ll need you for every damn second I’m drawing breath."
Oh my, I just couldn't put this book down! Every time I tried, I would pick it back up and tell myself "one more chapter". This story just pulled me in from the beginning. It's dark (do check the TW!), full of secrets and sex, and with a dash of mystery (perfect combo imo).
Throughout the book, we get to know the characters' past, especially Raven's and Pierce's. Raven is a strong young woman, who went through (and still goes through) so much that I just want to hug her. We see a lot of her vulnerable side, she allows herself to be that way which made me instantly love her character. Pierce went and is going through sh*t as well, but at the end of the day, his goal remains the same. Actually, it has always been the same, and even though I wanted to punch him a couple of times, I developed a soft spot for him. I feel the need to add that the se*ual tension between Pierce and River had me sitting at the edge of my seat, waiting and wanting for more! As for Phoenix and River, they both have opposite personalities. River is cracking jokes at any time and Phoenix is more brooding and keeps mostly to himself. Much like Raven and Pierce, Phoenix and River have dark pasts as well and they hide it well. River mentioned his parents at some point but didn't go far in the revelation. We also know that Phoenix attended group therapy with Raven after her mother's death. Hopefully we get to know more about those two boys, maybe get some flashbacks as we did for Raven and Pierce.
I absolutely loved we got to read some of the letters Raven and Pierce would write to each other when they were teenagers (and even after, when they were out of each other's lives). Some made me tear up. Their feelings for each other are so raw and powerful that when they love or hate each other, it's explosive either way.
Now about that ending... It got me pulling my hair out! I'm not going to reveal anything but I need to know (and iykyk!). I desperately need book two but also, I will wait very patiently for its release because I'm a good girl, just like Raven... ;)
First, my appreciation and smut-loving heart's devotion is eternally granted for properly done spice. I won't give away the tropes here because you deserve to read them yourself, but the exquisite edge between pain and pleasure was explored so thoroughly not just in the bedroom, but the heart as well, my own throat burning with the tears of sympathy. It is so easy and tempting to create characters that are too...something. So much bullying they are unredeemable. So sweet, there's no mistakes to love. Shelby gave us the push-pull dynamics that keep us readers reaching for a drink and turning the page as quickly as possible. I am deeply in love with the subtle depths to Pierce, Phoenix, and River. I couldn't chose one over the other with full confidence, and understand why Raven is with all three. And make no mistake, the spice concentration, content, and descriptions were written with that gritty darkness that make us clench our thighs and lick our lips.
Yet beyond the typical romance tropes, was the beginnings of a wider conspiracy that had me captivated with more than bedroom scenes. It's slow. Draws you in piece by piece. And by the final few chapters, my head was whirling with a few conspiracies of my own. That match of smut and plot can be difficult to achieve, and yet was done with apparent ease. My only complaint, that's not really a complaint, was that cliffhanger. I gasped, my husband asked if I was alright, and at my glare, he simply asked "that good?" Yes. That good.
I received an ARC for exchange of an honest review. This was my first dark spicy book to read and boy was it dark!
Rae is left mute after suffering PTSD and her mom dying from cancer. After a stint in the mental ward to try and fix her mutism she winds up getting a full scholarship with room and board to the local college her ex best-friend/boyfriend, Pierce goes to. The only catch to her scholarship is that she has to work as a secretary for a fraternity, doing paperwork, general housekeeping, and making sure the frat doesn’t mess up again. However, once she arrives at the house she learns her ex is the president and he has darker plans while she’s there.
Pierce lays down the law as soon as she walks in, telling her that she is to cook, clean, and be the frat house bitch pretty much, forbids her to speak, and tells all of the guys on he and his VP’s can touch her. Pierce is very controlling and angry. He has a dark history too and he wants to take out all of his frustration on her.
His two VP’s are Phoenix and River and they follow his every order. They’re more than obliged when Pierce decides to make Rae their fuck toy to share…
For this being such a dark book with messy non-consenting scenes it was actually cathartic to read. I can honestly say it’s helped me a bit with my PTSD. This is definitely a book I will re-read and I can’t wait for the next one! That cliffhanger was brutal 😭
There is one thing I can never forgive in a book and that is using a psychological or psychiatric condition to portray the perversities of the authors. There is a line one should never be willing to cross and taking advantage of a person's trauma is one of them. It doesn't matter that they don't know about their mutism. They are literally taking advantage of a woman with a verbal disability.
Raven suffers from traumatic mutism and the only thing the author uses it for is for love interests to repeatedly rape her without hearing a single complaint from her; without even getting to think about why on earth she doesn't refuse or at least try to protest.
I didn't have to read more than 2 chapters to know that Pierce and River are unforgivable no matter what they are going to do next to make up for their abuse, and to know that Raven has no character or personality. She lets herself be abused just like that, lets herself be insulted and mistreated without at least putting up physical resistance.
Pierce behaves like a 15-year-old pubescent boy who has never had his heart broken. Better yet, he behaves like a potential rapist.
It's as if all of us who have gone through a breakup decide to go through life raping and psychologically abusing our ex-partners as a form of revenge. It's disgusting and revolting.
Definitely female writers are getting sicker and sicker. Imagine if a man were to write something like that, he would immediately be censored. Disgusting.
This was such a great book filled with love, revenge, trauma, loss, funny moments, and steamy scenes!
One of the things I enjoyed most in this book is the uniqueness of each character. Raven is still learning how to cope with her recent loss and she’s struggling with it a lot throughout the book. She’s thrown into a crappy situation that she doesn’t quite understand but she still pushes through and keeps going. Pierce has so much anger and resentment in him due to many factors in his life both past and present. He has a tendency to take his anger out on those he cares for but he’s not above groveling a little. Phoenix is a dominant man when the time calls for it but he is also very caring and observant. River is my favorite because he is so funny, charming, affectionate, and also has a darkness to him just like the others. I can’t wait to get more of River and Phoenix’s backstories and see what made them the way they are.
Together, all four of these characters are learning to live through their traumas, plotting together against their current problem, and learning how to love. The flashbacks to Raven and Pierce’s childhood were great and the letters made it even better. We really got to see them grow up and their relationship change throughout the years. I loved this book and can’t wait for the next one, especially after that cliffhanger!
I remember he’s the reason my heart knows love. The sweet kind. The messy kind. The kind that shatters expectations by being the one to set them in the first place
"Pierce Me" is the start of a new contemporary RH series, and Shelby Lee's debut. This is definitely a book for readers who prefer a lot of spice with their plot; I believe three quarters of the book is filled with steam and the author manages to make every scene original and new. If you're a seasoned dark romance reader you'll probably like this book, but check out her website if there are some things you don't like in the dark-grey area of books.
The relationship between Pierce and Raven is a trope all on it's own; childhood friends - to lovers - to enemies - to dark lovers. I liked how the author incorporated parts of their childhood story in this book; it was done really well and absolutely helped with the character building and answering some of the questions. As a consequence, Pierce and Raven are the characters that shine the most in this book, and I'm quite curious about Phoenix' and Rivers stories.
For me, personally, this book was a little too spicy. But the story itself was still interesting, and I believe this can become a very good dark contemporary series.
This book is a Rollercoaster of emotions. It will make you feel sad, angry, grief, joy and so much more. It's told in multiple pov between raven, Pierce, Phoenix and river. It's been 5 months since raven lost both her mother and her ability to speak. Her world is torn upside down when she gets a scholarship to cobalt university. The conditions to her scholarship are very clear, "1. Serve for one year as the Alpha Mu Secretary. 2. This includes building up their reputation and keeping it in good standing with the Board of Education at Cobalt University. 3. Outside of serving as Alpha Mu Secretary, report to the current Alpha Mu President for volunteer work on an as needed basis. 4. Obtain and maintain grades at or above a 3.5 GPA. 5. Maintain attendance at or above 75%. 6. Remain in good legal standing." Turns out the president is her childhood best friend turned enemy Pierce Jackson. This story is a wild ride and goes back and forth between present pov, flashbacks and letters written between raven and Pierce. Secrets start to come out and the steam and kink are fantastic. This book is very dark and can get heavy at times with mentions of abuse, child abuse, possible SA, drugs, self harm and mental health. It does leave off on a cliffhanger and I cant wait to read the next book!
Shelby is a new to me and new to you up and coming author! This story is a dark bully why choose romance that definitely pushed the limits of a fmc who is suffering from traumatic mutism.
I enjoyed the bones of this story very much, it has a very interesting concept that definitely will cater to anyone who enjoys a nice dark bully why choose story. The meat of the story does help you get your dark reading fixes. I enjoyed just how far the characters were going to fall into that dark hole and if they’d come out on top. There were some things that I was left wanting more of, especially an exploration of the fmc’s trauma leading up to how we got to where we are. But given that this is only the first in the series and -ish is about to get real, I have a feeling Shelby is going to crank up the heat.
This book does end on a cliff hanger. I honestly can’t determine how I feel about it because I genuinely went “FINALLY..wait it’s over??”. 100% wanting more.
I’m very interested to see where this series goes and where Shelby goes as an author because this definitely doesn’t read like a debut novel which speaks volumes about her potential.
Raven’s story is heartbreaking, and it’s just getting started. After a tragic event causes Raven to become mute, she loses her best friend and lover, and her life spirals out of control. In what seems like a turn for the better, she is offered a scholarship to a local college. This scholarship comes with strings attached, however, and if she drops the ball, she loses her chance at an education.
Those strings include working as a secretary for one of the Greek fraternities. Only, the President of the frat is her childhood best friend, and he hates her. His VPs are another story altogether, but all three are committed to making Raven’s life difficult.
There are lots of twists in this story, and plenty of triggers - so check the content warnings! The spice level is perfect, and it adds some spicy tension to break up some of the angst and emotional turmoil that takes up much of the plot. We get flashbacks of Raven’s life, including her childhood with Pierce, and background information that comes into play later. This does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but it just makes me more excited to read the next book!
This is a new to me author and I received an ARC and I was not disappointed! I love that the story is told from the past and the present. Raven and Pierce were best friends growing up who turned into more until tragedy strikes Raven and she pushes him away. She develops mutism from her trauma and can’t speak. A year later, she’s back at the same school with him and his two friends River and Phoenix. She is awarded some scholarship and has to be the frat secretary.
The guys use her and push her away because pierce is so mad at her for breaking his heart.
Things begin to change for them all and the guys try to protect her from the lives they are forced to live. They are part of some shady stuff but only because they are trying to protect people they love in their lives.
The storyline is really good, nice and steamy, and ends on a cliffhanger that makes you go “what the hell????”
I can’t wait for the next book and to see how the characters grow and how their story develops!
Did I absolutely stay up late to read this? Yes. Am I regretting it? Nope. I’ll just chug a little bit more coffee today. In this book, we meet Raven. She’s just been accepted to Cobalt University. In order to keep up with her scholarship, she must now become the secretary to one of the school’s fraternities. This fraternity houses 3 guys that have her reeling. Pierce Jackson, her childhood best friend and first love. Phoenix, the brooding tattooed guy she met at her stint in mental health facility. River, the jovial, fun loving one who does all of Pierce’s bidding. Theres so much going on in this book, with questions arising, more information to deal with. The little flashbacks we get with Raven and Pierce help to understand their back story. But why the lies? And don’t just say it’s for their protection, it’s BS and we all know it. This book is absolutely wonderful and I’m so anxious for book 2. That cliffhanger.
Bully romance? Yes please. Characters who really.. have no clue what to do with themselves and are just as messed up and confused as me? Yesss. I felt like i was able to really connect with Shelbys writing as well as her Characters. Your able to feel Ravens pain, Pierces anger and frustration. Rivers fun and easy going personality. Phoenixs struggle to do the right thing and stay in control. The plot is constantly evolving and the story really keeps ahold of you, making you go "ok. Just one more chapter" I laughed, I was angry, I wanted to choke Pierce maybe once.. or twice.. this is a stellar read if your into dark romances, but I won't lie there is at least one chapter where I hated all the guys and wanted to just scoop Raven right out of the book. Make sure you know what the warnings are, and support out Author!
Pierce Me is book #1 in the A Conspiracy of Ravens series. This is a dark, enemies to lovers, reverse harem. Make sure to check the trigger warning.
I am so in love with this book!!!
Raven is our FMC, and has lost a lot in her life, most recently her best friend, her mom and her voice. When she gets a scholarship to go to college and has to be the secretary to a frat, she never expects to see her ex best friend, Pierce.
Pierce and his 2 best friends River and Phoenix, use Raven and treat her like crap at first, but things begin to change and then they just want to protect her.
When you get to the cliffhanger, you will be begging for more!!!!
I can't say enough how AMAZING this book is!! I cant believe it's Shelbys first book! The story keeps you hooked, you fall in love with the characters and the spice is 🔥🔥🔥🔥. I can't wait for more!!!
The spice??? And how quickly we get it??? YES PLEASEEE. 👏🏻👏🏻
I loved this and I’m so glad book two isn’t far away!
Raven is a fresh face at university after spending time away to try and work through her mutism, but not a wanted face from her ex lover/bff. Pierce is there to remind her of just how badly she screwed up his life and broke his heart, all while enlisting his two buddies, River and Phoenix, to help. Unfortunately for Pierce, sides are changing as they spend more time with Raven. 😈
I can’t wait for the groveling that’s bound to happen because my sweets Pierce, the damn explosive firecracker, is gonna need to get on his knees, preferably for both Raven and River. 🤤
The angst, drama, explosive/rash reactions, and spice was a beautiful combination and I can’t wait for book two!
I won’t rate because it’s not fair. I didn’t even get halfway through the book. But of what I did read, it was immature characters lashing out at each other and then immediately forgiving each other, just to have the next do something awful and the heroine forgive the next day. Their thinking made no sense to me. It was a slog to continue reading. I felt like I had been reading for 3 days by the time I was a third through it. Fills me with dread having to go back. I so wanted to see what they were all getting upset about but this book obviously isn’t for me. When one of the main men sees her being non-con violated, and as cleaning her up promises her he won’t touch her unless she consents, then literally touches her straight away without he consent (even though it was only to help her wash down), I’m like 🤔
Raven- alone and mute in the world, gets a scholarship to college, just have to work with a Fraternity for a year.... that's run by her ex, who's heart she broke....
Check tiggers warnings ⚠️ ⚠️⚠️
I could put this down! Raven always trying to see the best in everyone expect herself, hoping her voice will come back. Pierce her ex, not gonna lie I wanna to dick punch him for like 80% of the book lol. River, the carefree guy who goes more with the flow and doesn't want to show his true feelings and Phoenix, aww Phoenix ❤️ 💕 ♥️ your next new book boyfriend / Dom
You was a dark dark romance, why choose, with alot of 🌶🌶🌶🌶 with twist and turns this book is for you!
This book was soooo good! Honestly the way that I was sucked in from the very first page made me love this book even more!
Raven suffered something traumatic that made her mute. When she goes to college she reconnects with her ex-bestfriend/boyfriend Pierce who is the president of the sorority she is working for. She meets his two best friends River and Phoenix - who she had met before.
This book was wild! There is spicy scenes in the first few chapters and it just keeps going! Raven didn’t choose to be mute but when Pierce thinks that she is just being a cold bitch this makes his hatrid for her more intense
I can’t wait to see what happens next after that ending! I knew that was going to happen but I didn’t realise it would happen that quickly
I was given this book as an ARC reader and I am always a little unsure when it’s a new author but from the first chapter Shelby had me hooked.
Little Raven has had a rough time which has resulted her in losing her voice. Lost and alone in the world, she seeks some normality in attending college….
Enter Pierce, former best friend, current enemy and ready to take his little bird Raven on an adventure of torture and destruction. Can two kids find their way back? Add in bad boy Phoenix and sunshine in a cup River and we’ve got ourselves a party 🥳😏
Take the plunge and read the rook, you won’t be disappointed. Shelby congrats on your new adventure and cannot wait to read more from you, especially the next installment of Pierce me because that ending? girl….. no fair 🤣🤣
A truly great read. The journey we go on alongside Raven and her guys is harrowing. Shelby Lee has written a great book that dives straight into the lives of trauma survivors and how they cope with life after. This book will have you questioning the actions of the characters, hating some of the characters, and then rooting for those characters. The character development in this book comes full circle by the end but still leaves you with a cliffy that will make you keep swiping your Kindle for more pages that weren't there like I did. I can't wait for book 2 and see what happens with Raven and her guys next and how their characters will grow and change and heal. This story is definitely dark and twisted and I would advise any would-be-reader to read the trigger warnings before starting.
“There’s always monsters. We don’t always get to see them in their true forms until it’s too late.”
5/5 ⭐️ 5/5 🌶️
Let me start by saying that I love Shelby’s writing style. It flows well and it’s catchy. I would have read this all in one day had time allowed me to. So many details, so much attitude. I felt like I was watching the story unfold (MATURE EYES ONLY).
The letters. The flashbacks. The childhood memories. 🥹🥹🥹
This is my first real “dark” themed book and while it’s making me wonder what traumas I didn’t know I had, I truly enjoyed every minute of it.
•lovers to enemies to lovers •parental death •reverse harem •MMMF •dubious consent •mental health •multiple POV CHECK YOUR TWs!!