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Devil of Dublin
From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 44 Chapters About 4 Men (inspiration for the Netflix Original series Sex/Life) comes a dark mafia romance steeped in Irish folklore.
I can’t remember anymore if my grandfather’s eyes were blue or green, but I’ll never forget the way they wrinkled at the corners when he laughed at one of his own jokes. Or the way they sparkled with mischief when he told me tales about the magical creatures that dwelled in the forest behind his humble Irish sheep farm—shy fairies who liked to eat tea biscuits, cruel witches who liked to eat children, a moody lake spirit with a taste for expensive gifts.
As a child, I believed every fantastical word. But when he warned me about the mute boy who also lurked in those woods, the one the priest had declared to be the spawn of Satan himself, I refused to listen. Kellen wasn’t evil. He was kind, and beautiful, and special, and hurting. He was my friend. And with every summer I spent stolen away with him in those enchanted woods, he grew to become so much more.
But when I return to Glenshire as an adult, grieving and engaged to someone else, all those legends quickly morph into nightmares.
My grandfather had been right about everything, especially the boy.
If only I had listened.
WARNING: If you are a sensitive reader or find certain topics to be emotionally triggering, please exercise self-care and select a different book. Devil of Dublin is intended for mature audiences who enjoy dark subject matter, tortured anti-heroes, explicit adult content, graphic violence, heart-pounding suspense, fairy-tale worthy love, and gorgeous Irish scenery. If that sounds like you, then welcome to Glenshire!
I can’t remember anymore if my grandfather’s eyes were blue or green, but I’ll never forget the way they wrinkled at the corners when he laughed at one of his own jokes. Or the way they sparkled with mischief when he told me tales about the magical creatures that dwelled in the forest behind his humble Irish sheep farm—shy fairies who liked to eat tea biscuits, cruel witches who liked to eat children, a moody lake spirit with a taste for expensive gifts.
As a child, I believed every fantastical word. But when he warned me about the mute boy who also lurked in those woods, the one the priest had declared to be the spawn of Satan himself, I refused to listen. Kellen wasn’t evil. He was kind, and beautiful, and special, and hurting. He was my friend. And with every summer I spent stolen away with him in those enchanted woods, he grew to become so much more.
But when I return to Glenshire as an adult, grieving and engaged to someone else, all those legends quickly morph into nightmares.
My grandfather had been right about everything, especially the boy.
If only I had listened.
WARNING: If you are a sensitive reader or find certain topics to be emotionally triggering, please exercise self-care and select a different book. Devil of Dublin is intended for mature audiences who enjoy dark subject matter, tortured anti-heroes, explicit adult content, graphic violence, heart-pounding suspense, fairy-tale worthy love, and gorgeous Irish scenery. If that sounds like you, then welcome to Glenshire!
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 22, 2022
3071 people are currently reading
17111 people want to read
About the author
B.B. Easton
20 books5,119 followersBB Easton is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN, the hilarious, steamy, tell-all memoir that inspired the Netflix Original Series, SEX/LIFE. Within the first month, SEX/LIFE was viewed by 67 million households worldwide, making it the 3rd Most-Watched Netflix Original Series of all time.
BB was a stressed-out school psychologist and mother of two when the inspiration to write 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN struck. Through that process, she rediscovered her passion for writing, became dangerously sleep-deprived, and finally mustered enough courage to quit her job and become a full-time author.
BB went on to publish four more wickedly funny, shockingly steamy, and heartwarmingly autobiographical books in the 44 CHAPTERS series: SKIN, SPEED, STAR, and SUIT. Since then, she's been hard at work writing fictional stories that appeal to her love for us-against-the-world romance, including a dystopian trilogy (PRAYING FOR RAIN), a psychologist-client romantic comedy (GROUP THERAPY), and a dark mafia romance (DEVIL OF DUBLIN).
Visit www.artbyeaston.com for book news, events, merch, and more!
BB was a stressed-out school psychologist and mother of two when the inspiration to write 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN struck. Through that process, she rediscovered her passion for writing, became dangerously sleep-deprived, and finally mustered enough courage to quit her job and become a full-time author.
BB went on to publish four more wickedly funny, shockingly steamy, and heartwarmingly autobiographical books in the 44 CHAPTERS series: SKIN, SPEED, STAR, and SUIT. Since then, she's been hard at work writing fictional stories that appeal to her love for us-against-the-world romance, including a dystopian trilogy (PRAYING FOR RAIN), a psychologist-client romantic comedy (GROUP THERAPY), and a dark mafia romance (DEVIL OF DUBLIN).
Visit www.artbyeaston.com for book news, events, merch, and more!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,127 reviews
April 4, 2024
“He’d found the strength to destroy the men who’d hurt us, and if that made him the Devil, then I would gladly burn in hell by his side.”
Brief Summary-
Told from dual first person perspectives, covering several years in the life, DEVIL OF DUBLIN follows the building relationship between American Darby Collins, and Irishman Kellen Donovan. For several years, from the age of eight, Darby Collins and her mother would visit Ireland, where she would meet a young battered and bruised ten year old boy Kellen Donovan, a boy she believed had lived with the fairies. The book continues through their lives until, as adults, they are thrown together and on the run from Kellen's “Mafia Ties”
What To Expect:
🍀Coming Of Age Romance
🍀Dark Romance
🍀Fated Lovers
🍀Torture Hero
🍀Folklore
⚠️Content Warnings-
🍀Violence
🍀Childhood trauma
🍀Sexual Assault
🍀Please look up full list.
“I was no longer human or demon or even fucking breathing. I was simply hers—mind, body, and cursed black soul.”
My Thoughts:
Well for my first Dark Mafia Romance, I think it was okay??? I have nothing to compare it to. This was definitely very gritty and kinda weird. It wasn’t heavily mafia themed more like crime, with some smut and a lot of trauma dumping. Again I have nothing to compare it to so Im not sure if the trauma dumping while trying to have sex is what makes it a dark romance?? It threw me off a little bit, it was such a slow burn then finally spice was introduced, but abruptly stopped cause they needed to talk about things that happen in the past. And this went on for every spicy scene. So if you looking for something really smutty and straight to the point this is not for you?? BUT anyways the storyline was interesting enough to keep me reading. So I’m going to give this book 3 stars for an average rating.
But for dipping my toe into dark romance?? I would love some recommendation on some Mafia/dark romance novels lol.
Brief Summary-
Told from dual first person perspectives, covering several years in the life, DEVIL OF DUBLIN follows the building relationship between American Darby Collins, and Irishman Kellen Donovan. For several years, from the age of eight, Darby Collins and her mother would visit Ireland, where she would meet a young battered and bruised ten year old boy Kellen Donovan, a boy she believed had lived with the fairies. The book continues through their lives until, as adults, they are thrown together and on the run from Kellen's “Mafia Ties”
What To Expect:
🍀Coming Of Age Romance
🍀Dark Romance
🍀Fated Lovers
🍀Torture Hero
🍀Folklore
⚠️Content Warnings-
🍀Violence
🍀Childhood trauma
🍀Sexual Assault
🍀Please look up full list.
“I was no longer human or demon or even fucking breathing. I was simply hers—mind, body, and cursed black soul.”
My Thoughts:
Well for my first Dark Mafia Romance, I think it was okay??? I have nothing to compare it to. This was definitely very gritty and kinda weird. It wasn’t heavily mafia themed more like crime, with some smut and a lot of trauma dumping. Again I have nothing to compare it to so Im not sure if the trauma dumping while trying to have sex is what makes it a dark romance?? It threw me off a little bit, it was such a slow burn then finally spice was introduced, but abruptly stopped cause they needed to talk about things that happen in the past. And this went on for every spicy scene. So if you looking for something really smutty and straight to the point this is not for you?? BUT anyways the storyline was interesting enough to keep me reading. So I’m going to give this book 3 stars for an average rating.
But for dipping my toe into dark romance?? I would love some recommendation on some Mafia/dark romance novels lol.
October 12, 2022
***4 STARS***
New to me author but thoroughly enjoyed this mafia romance taken place in Dublin, Ireland.
Darby has been visiting her mother’s childhood home in Ireland since she was a young girl and on one of these visits she ventures into the woods and finds a boy her age that has been mistreated and misunderstood because his mother was said to be a witch and him the devil’s spawn. They strike up a friendship and the story follows Darby’s subsequent visits and how their relationship develops until adulthood.
Excellent read. Loved the childhood romance aspect and Kellen is a beast when it comes to protecting Darby. Extreme angst but a satisfying mafia read.
New to me author but thoroughly enjoyed this mafia romance taken place in Dublin, Ireland.
Darby has been visiting her mother’s childhood home in Ireland since she was a young girl and on one of these visits she ventures into the woods and finds a boy her age that has been mistreated and misunderstood because his mother was said to be a witch and him the devil’s spawn. They strike up a friendship and the story follows Darby’s subsequent visits and how their relationship develops until adulthood.
Excellent read. Loved the childhood romance aspect and Kellen is a beast when it comes to protecting Darby. Extreme angst but a satisfying mafia read.
September 29, 2022
4 Vanilla Custard Cream Stars ⭐
Set amongst the lush green hills of Glenshire, Ireland, an eight year old Darby is on a hunt for fairies and all the mythical legends to be found. Yet in her opinion she finds something better. If her Kellen is of darker stuff she adores him nonetheless.
“Don’t be fooled, lass. Ya know what they say about the Devil. Once upon a time, he was God’s most beautiful angel.”
So grows a tentative, forbidden friendship between Darby and Kellen until the trips to Glenshire stop and years go by without any communication. All that's left are ghosts of the past until Darby returns to bury her beloved grandfather.
Time has forced these two to move on, but unfortunately they are worse off. And when Kellen reappears to play the hero Darby always knew he was, all that remains is a damaged young woman and the Devil of Dublin.
I was no longer human or demon or even fucking breathing. I was simply hers—mind, body, and cursed black soul.
This story was a rollercoaster of hurts and terrible events. And somehow true love takes root and flourishes through the horrors of humanity. There is hope, beauty and purity amongst the ugly. Your heart will break for both Kellen and Darby and you'll be praying for a change in the tide over and over.
“Whatever you want, baby … I want it too. I promise.”
Lifting his eyes, Kellen took a deep breath through his nose and pinned me with a soul-baring stare. “All I want—all I’ve ever wanted—is for you to look at me the way you’re lookin’ at me now.”
I've never read a book by this author and I was really taken with this story which means I need to discover more of her works. It wasn't the easiest book to read as there are triggers of violence and abuse, however the love between Kellen and Darby was unbreakable.
Set amongst the lush green hills of Glenshire, Ireland, an eight year old Darby is on a hunt for fairies and all the mythical legends to be found. Yet in her opinion she finds something better. If her Kellen is of darker stuff she adores him nonetheless.
“Don’t be fooled, lass. Ya know what they say about the Devil. Once upon a time, he was God’s most beautiful angel.”
So grows a tentative, forbidden friendship between Darby and Kellen until the trips to Glenshire stop and years go by without any communication. All that's left are ghosts of the past until Darby returns to bury her beloved grandfather.
Time has forced these two to move on, but unfortunately they are worse off. And when Kellen reappears to play the hero Darby always knew he was, all that remains is a damaged young woman and the Devil of Dublin.
I was no longer human or demon or even fucking breathing. I was simply hers—mind, body, and cursed black soul.
This story was a rollercoaster of hurts and terrible events. And somehow true love takes root and flourishes through the horrors of humanity. There is hope, beauty and purity amongst the ugly. Your heart will break for both Kellen and Darby and you'll be praying for a change in the tide over and over.
“Whatever you want, baby … I want it too. I promise.”
Lifting his eyes, Kellen took a deep breath through his nose and pinned me with a soul-baring stare. “All I want—all I’ve ever wanted—is for you to look at me the way you’re lookin’ at me now.”
I've never read a book by this author and I was really taken with this story which means I need to discover more of her works. It wasn't the easiest book to read as there are triggers of violence and abuse, however the love between Kellen and Darby was unbreakable.
September 13, 2022
'🅳🅴🆅🅸🅻 🅾🅵 🅳🆄🅱🅻🅸🅽' Is a full length, stand-alone romance book by author B.B. Easton. In this you meet Darby & Kellen 'Spoken in dual perspectives.'
'𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕡𝕒 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕀 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕪 𝕒𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕪𝕠𝕦 '𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕕𝕒𝕕𝕕𝕪 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥. ℍ𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕕𝕒𝕕𝕕𝕪 𝕚𝕤 𝕒 𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕓𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕞𝕖, 𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥?'
Devil of Dublin is intended for mature audiences who enjoy dark subject matter, tortured anti-heroes, explicit sexual content, graphic violence, heart-pounding suspense, fairy-tale worthy love, and gorgeous Irish scenery. 🙌🏻 Course I was going to sign up..Triggers and myself go hand in hand!!
I don't really know how to go about the writing up of this review. It's not something I would generally read, but that being said I loved the fact that this author always takes risks, her books aren't conventional when it comes to the usual category of where they would fit within and this one was no different.
I didn't really get what I thought I'd signed up for, I got so much more, I went into this with an open mind, thinking the story was going one way when it's flipped on it's axel and it goes in a direction I wasn't ready for, with the folklore mysteriously steepled within this book, the old witch in the woods, the lough/lake had me wanting more. It all just added to this unusual magical unique storyline. And for that reason alone is why this book gets my 5 star rating.
This book won't be for everyone, for me it wasn't dark or gritty but for others the trigger warning is there for a reason.
Onto the storyline...
As a young eight year old, Darby Collins attended her first funeral of her grandmother's, in Ireland, a place where she'd never been before. A daughter of a drummer in a one hit band whom she'd not seen as a young child. And a mother whom was a teacher raising Darby single handedly.
She meets her grandfather for the first time as he spins a tale about the fairies who live in the forest beyond his property sending Darby off with a biscuit in hand searching for a fairy ring to place her sweet treat in, in the hopes of luring said fairy out.
She never does encounter a fairy that day but a boy named Kellen curled up on the floor of an old abandoned building in the forest. But with her wild imagination with his unusual eye colour and the fact that he doesn't talk she believes he is in fact a fairy.
For a few years as Darby and her mother come back to Ireland every summer to visit her grandfather, Darby and Kellen form an unbreakable bond.
But as the story goes her visits abruptly stopped, and still that lonely mute boy waited for her to come back to him.
Years go by until they meet again under much darker circumstances. Gone is the boy and in his place is a much darker version of the boy she used to know.
Kellen is like no one I have ever encountered before, your drawn to him beyond reason, from the boy to the man they are worlds apart, he'd jumped out of the pan into the fire and became someone unrecognisable with the skills which had been forced upon him. My heart went out to him, the misunderstood boy, pegged as the devil, ostracised by the community and the small girl with the vivid imagination who underwent a traumatic life changing experience which didn't harden her or tarnish her beautiful light. These two characters were made for each other..
September 1, 2023
TW for sexual assault, violence, death, and self harm.
I am so obsessed with this book. Darby and Kellan meet in the woods in Ireland when they are little. Darby goes to Ireland every year to visit family, and her visits with Kellan are magical. Kellan has a very dark life and the light of those dark moments are the stolen visits with Darby. But as the two get older, life drastically changes for them and they don't see each other for eight years. They're reunited when there's a death in Darby's family and Kellan has become known as the Devil of Dublin. The romance between these two was just on another level. These two are soulmates and have an almost magical quality to their connection. There was nothing that was going to stop them from being with each other. This is definitely a dark romance and I felt so attached to these characters because of everything that they had gone through. They definitely learn to heal with one another and are just so patient with each other when it came to opening up and intimacy. There was just so much emotion in this book and I actually started to tear up at the end! I couldn't put this book down and devoured it in 24 hours. You definitely have to pick this book up!
I am so obsessed with this book. Darby and Kellan meet in the woods in Ireland when they are little. Darby goes to Ireland every year to visit family, and her visits with Kellan are magical. Kellan has a very dark life and the light of those dark moments are the stolen visits with Darby. But as the two get older, life drastically changes for them and they don't see each other for eight years. They're reunited when there's a death in Darby's family and Kellan has become known as the Devil of Dublin. The romance between these two was just on another level. These two are soulmates and have an almost magical quality to their connection. There was nothing that was going to stop them from being with each other. This is definitely a dark romance and I felt so attached to these characters because of everything that they had gone through. They definitely learn to heal with one another and are just so patient with each other when it came to opening up and intimacy. There was just so much emotion in this book and I actually started to tear up at the end! I couldn't put this book down and devoured it in 24 hours. You definitely have to pick this book up!
September 26, 2022
3.75
I will never forget Kellen. I loved him immediately. The whole beginning of this book when Kellen and Darby are kids is amazing. It's both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The setting and the folklore are magical, and I could picture everything perfectly as I read. The first half of Devil of Dublin is easily 5 stars for me.
After that, it felt like something was missing. I wish we would have gotten more time with Darby and Kellen together. Their relationship seemed like a mix of instalove and mystical connection, and that could have been the issue. I don't know. I can't say much more without giving anything away.
That being said, there's action, magic, violence, and steam all with a beautiful backdrop. I got emotional during the epilogue, and I enjoyed the story overall. I'm sure there will be a lot of people that have no problem with any of the things that I did. If you're at all interested, you should definitely give this one a try!
I will never forget Kellen. I loved him immediately. The whole beginning of this book when Kellen and Darby are kids is amazing. It's both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The setting and the folklore are magical, and I could picture everything perfectly as I read. The first half of Devil of Dublin is easily 5 stars for me.
After that, it felt like something was missing. I wish we would have gotten more time with Darby and Kellen together. Their relationship seemed like a mix of instalove and mystical connection, and that could have been the issue. I don't know. I can't say much more without giving anything away.
That being said, there's action, magic, violence, and steam all with a beautiful backdrop. I got emotional during the epilogue, and I enjoyed the story overall. I'm sure there will be a lot of people that have no problem with any of the things that I did. If you're at all interested, you should definitely give this one a try!
October 28, 2022
Really enjoyed the past chapters as well as the last three chapters and the author’s note. For the rest however (most of the book) I kind of wanted to give this 2.5 stars? I just didn’t like the direction the story took I guess. I would like to read something else by this author though cause I feel like the writing style could really work for me!
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I’m at the 55% mark but I feel like I’m not really enjoying this. I’ve been scrolling on Goodreads trying to find someone who gave this a low rating but I can literally only find 4 and 5 star ratings which is honestly kind of confusing me😭 the part where they were kids was super cute but their development as adults kinda sucks? Idk I wanna dnf it but I also wanna give it a fair chance😅 if you’ve read this pls let me know what u think
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I’m at the 55% mark but I feel like I’m not really enjoying this. I’ve been scrolling on Goodreads trying to find someone who gave this a low rating but I can literally only find 4 and 5 star ratings which is honestly kind of confusing me😭 the part where they were kids was super cute but their development as adults kinda sucks? Idk I wanna dnf it but I also wanna give it a fair chance😅 if you’ve read this pls let me know what u think
November 21, 2022
4 stars
Surprisingly enough, this is my first BB Easton book. I’m the kind of reader that has to be in the mood for mafia/dark romance and I was so I’m glad I picked this one up. Not only did I enjoy Darby and Kellen’s story, but I can’t recommend the audiobook enough. Accents are always tricky but the male narrator made this such a great listening experience.
Surprisingly enough, this is my first BB Easton book. I’m the kind of reader that has to be in the mood for mafia/dark romance and I was so I’m glad I picked this one up. Not only did I enjoy Darby and Kellen’s story, but I can’t recommend the audiobook enough. Accents are always tricky but the male narrator made this such a great listening experience.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Eric Nolan & Elizabeth Klett
Narration Rating:5 stars
Genre: Mafia Romance
Length: 10h 23m
September 23, 2022
4 STARS
Now look, did I bother to read the blurb before adding this book to my TBR? Absolutely not. If the author wasn't enough to convince me, this cover sealed the deal. So did I know what I was getting into when I started it outside that it's a dark mafia romance? Absolutely not.
This story caught me completely unaware in all the best of ways. Funny enough, had I knew the direction it would take, I probably wouldn't read it. I don't typically love the sweet soulmates vibes. But did that one ray of sweet light help brighten the sheer darkness that was the rest of this story? Absolutely.
BB Easton wrote an incredible story with two tortured characters who are simply made for each other. You know what I love in dark romance? It's when it makes me feel. I don't want the shock value of graphic scenes, it's the chills it gives you. And the mere alluding to the past these two characters had was enough to have chills going down my spine. Darby and Kellen met as children. Kellen was already in his own particular hell, while Darby was the sunny and sweet girl that befriended the town's pariah. And when they meet again years later, Darby is not the girl he knew, but she also is.
Now I'm not generally a fan of the insta thing, and while I wouldn't necessarily categorize this as insta love, it wasn't not insta love either. It was full of depth, emotion, pain, and healing. It was unlike any other mafia romance I've read, and that's saying quite a bit.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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I was no longer human or demon or even fucking breathing. I was simply hers—mind, body, and cursed black soul.
Now look, did I bother to read the blurb before adding this book to my TBR? Absolutely not. If the author wasn't enough to convince me, this cover sealed the deal. So did I know what I was getting into when I started it outside that it's a dark mafia romance? Absolutely not.
This story caught me completely unaware in all the best of ways. Funny enough, had I knew the direction it would take, I probably wouldn't read it. I don't typically love the sweet soulmates vibes. But did that one ray of sweet light help brighten the sheer darkness that was the rest of this story? Absolutely.
BB Easton wrote an incredible story with two tortured characters who are simply made for each other. You know what I love in dark romance? It's when it makes me feel. I don't want the shock value of graphic scenes, it's the chills it gives you. And the mere alluding to the past these two characters had was enough to have chills going down my spine. Darby and Kellen met as children. Kellen was already in his own particular hell, while Darby was the sunny and sweet girl that befriended the town's pariah. And when they meet again years later, Darby is not the girl he knew, but she also is.
Now I'm not generally a fan of the insta thing, and while I wouldn't necessarily categorize this as insta love, it wasn't not insta love either. It was full of depth, emotion, pain, and healing. It was unlike any other mafia romance I've read, and that's saying quite a bit.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
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September 22, 2022𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝗪!
Devil of Dublin, my dark mafia romance drenched in Irish folklore, is finally here!!
☘️ Broken boy turned mafia hitman
☘️ Dreamy Irish scenery
☘️ Forbidden love
☘️ Folklore/fated mates
☘️ Us against the world/couple on the run vibes
☘️ White knuckle suspense
☘️ Heart racing 🔥🔥🔥
☘️ Deeply romantic and hauntingly dark
You can read it for FREE with your Kindle Unlimited subscription, hear Elizabeth Klett ad and Eric Nolan bring it to life on audio, or grab the special edition print version with eight full-page B&W photos of the gorgeous Irish locations mentioned throughout the book.
No matter how you choose to enjoy this story, I hope you know how much I appreciate it. Writing Devil of Dublin was a surreal, magical process, and I was only able to experience it because of YOUR ongoing love and support. Thank you for being here, and WELCOME TO GLENSHIRE!! 😈
AMAZON: https://mybook.to/devilofdublin
AUDIBLE: https://adbl.co/3LARvHX
Devil of Dublin, my dark mafia romance drenched in Irish folklore, is finally here!!
☘️ Broken boy turned mafia hitman
☘️ Dreamy Irish scenery
☘️ Forbidden love
☘️ Folklore/fated mates
☘️ Us against the world/couple on the run vibes
☘️ White knuckle suspense
☘️ Heart racing 🔥🔥🔥
☘️ Deeply romantic and hauntingly dark
You can read it for FREE with your Kindle Unlimited subscription, hear Elizabeth Klett ad and Eric Nolan bring it to life on audio, or grab the special edition print version with eight full-page B&W photos of the gorgeous Irish locations mentioned throughout the book.
No matter how you choose to enjoy this story, I hope you know how much I appreciate it. Writing Devil of Dublin was a surreal, magical process, and I was only able to experience it because of YOUR ongoing love and support. Thank you for being here, and WELCOME TO GLENSHIRE!! 😈
AMAZON: https://mybook.to/devilofdublin
AUDIBLE: https://adbl.co/3LARvHX
April 20, 2023
3.5 ✰s
Okay so.... the first few chapters of this book (before the 8-year time skip) were entertaining and promised a lot of potential as to how the story could have developed.
The atmosphere was great, and the Irish setting, the fantastical touch to the plot. I was enjoying the writing as well. I do remember feeling like it was really fast-paced though but I guess that's just because of the time skips.
During the first 15% of this book, I was very optimistic and I was almost certain that this was going to be a solid 4-star read because of how much I was enjoying it!
Little did I know...
I mean look... it wasn't terrible I was just expecting more. If you want something quick/spicy/entertaining and you don't care too much about plot inconsistencies/character depth then go for it. I still enjoyed (hence the 3.5 rating) this but I was let down cause it could've been so much more :(
After the 8 years time-skip things just started going downhill for me 🫠
First - I wasn't feeling any connection between Kellen and Darby. It had been so long since they had last heard from or seen each other and it felt way too insta-lovey for my liking.
Also, Kellen was acting CRAZY. Like yeah, I would be grateful that he saved me but if I was Darby I would've been scared as heck of him. She just went along with all the crazy shit he pulled without question and that was just unrealistic and made her look dumb as hell.
The fact that she kept telling herself that he was in the army to justify all the stuff he was getting involved with was just so funny to me. Ms girl was either in extreme denial or just very stupid. I can't figure out which is more accurate.
Something odd that I noticed as well during this book was the lack of side characters. Like there were none... at least not ones that mattered or weren't used as plot devices.
I feel like before the time skip I was so invested in the relationship between younger Kellen and Darby and how it would evolve as they got older and I was just massively let down with how it turned out.
The attachment I had begun to form for their characters as kids was just completely ruined because the author told us nothing of them as people now that they were grown up. They had no personality or aspirations and with all the heavy topics breached in this book there was so much potential for that...
When I read about Kellen as a child I was so intrigued by his character and couldn't wait to see how he would turn out as an adult but...
He could've been such an interesting character but there just wasn't any✨depth✨
The whole mafia plot was severely underdeveloped and senseless. It was just there to be there. Also very unrealistic. We are just supposed to believe that Kellen is the most notorious hit man of the Irish mafia when we don't really know anything about his time there before the 8 year time skip and he has no real relationships/connection with those people.
Also what didn't sit right with me was how Kellen had a mental breakdown every time something that endangered Darby's safety happened... like bro, you are quite literally the reason as to why she is in those situations in the first place...
And can somebody tell me what was the point of including that revelation in the freaking epilogue??? Kellen had such an underwhelming reaction to it despite it being literal life-changing, identity crisis-inducing information. If the author would've disclosed it beforehand she could've fleshed it out and added so much complexity to Kellen's character. But instead, we only got the last few pages for it and not even in his pov but in freaking DARBY'S. smh.
Anyway, I'm done ranting. I feel like all my reviews are so negative cause I mostly just focus on the things I didn't like so it sounds like I dislike the book so much more than I really do 😭
This is just more of a mindless read so if you're not nit-picky like me you'll probably really enjoy it. I just need to emotionally connect to the characters to really care about the story and love it and this didn't do that for me but I still had a fun time for the most part!
Okay so.... the first few chapters of this book (before the 8-year time skip) were entertaining and promised a lot of potential as to how the story could have developed.
The atmosphere was great, and the Irish setting, the fantastical touch to the plot. I was enjoying the writing as well. I do remember feeling like it was really fast-paced though but I guess that's just because of the time skips.
During the first 15% of this book, I was very optimistic and I was almost certain that this was going to be a solid 4-star read because of how much I was enjoying it!
Little did I know...
I mean look... it wasn't terrible I was just expecting more. If you want something quick/spicy/entertaining and you don't care too much about plot inconsistencies/character depth then go for it. I still enjoyed (hence the 3.5 rating) this but I was let down cause it could've been so much more :(
After the 8 years time-skip things just started going downhill for me 🫠
First - I wasn't feeling any connection between Kellen and Darby. It had been so long since they had last heard from or seen each other and it felt way too insta-lovey for my liking.
Also, Kellen was acting CRAZY. Like yeah, I would be grateful that he saved me but if I was Darby I would've been scared as heck of him. She just went along with all the crazy shit he pulled without question and that was just unrealistic and made her look dumb as hell.
The fact that she kept telling herself that he was in the army to justify all the stuff he was getting involved with was just so funny to me. Ms girl was either in extreme denial or just very stupid. I can't figure out which is more accurate.
Something odd that I noticed as well during this book was the lack of side characters. Like there were none... at least not ones that mattered or weren't used as plot devices.
I feel like before the time skip I was so invested in the relationship between younger Kellen and Darby and how it would evolve as they got older and I was just massively let down with how it turned out.
The attachment I had begun to form for their characters as kids was just completely ruined because the author told us nothing of them as people now that they were grown up. They had no personality or aspirations and with all the heavy topics breached in this book there was so much potential for that...
When I read about Kellen as a child I was so intrigued by his character and couldn't wait to see how he would turn out as an adult but...
He could've been such an interesting character but there just wasn't any✨depth✨
The whole mafia plot was severely underdeveloped and senseless. It was just there to be there. Also very unrealistic. We are just supposed to believe that Kellen is the most notorious hit man of the Irish mafia when we don't really know anything about his time there before the 8 year time skip and he has no real relationships/connection with those people.
Also what didn't sit right with me was how Kellen had a mental breakdown every time something that endangered Darby's safety happened... like bro, you are quite literally the reason as to why she is in those situations in the first place...
And can somebody tell me what was the point of including that revelation in the freaking epilogue??? Kellen had such an underwhelming reaction to it despite it being literal life-changing, identity crisis-inducing information. If the author would've disclosed it beforehand she could've fleshed it out and added so much complexity to Kellen's character. But instead, we only got the last few pages for it and not even in his pov but in freaking DARBY'S. smh.
Anyway, I'm done ranting. I feel like all my reviews are so negative cause I mostly just focus on the things I didn't like so it sounds like I dislike the book so much more than I really do 😭
This is just more of a mindless read so if you're not nit-picky like me you'll probably really enjoy it. I just need to emotionally connect to the characters to really care about the story and love it and this didn't do that for me but I still had a fun time for the most part!
September 22, 2022
Devil of Dublin was one of my most highly anticipated reads for the year and when I tell you that I had the kind of level of excitement over starting this book, it was stalker territory. From the green scenic landscape to the impending love story that we were going to witness, I was more than ready for this one.
Darby Collins and Kellan Donavon weren't meant to be friends. They were different in a lot of ways but being around each other felt like they finally their missing piece. It was unexplainable at their young age and as time went by and they lost contact, they never truly forgot about each other.
Now an adult, Darby returns to the one place where she truly feels at home and even though it’s under difficult circumstances, she’s determined to get through it. But as fate would have it, nothing ever goes as planned and she’s about to find out the hard way about the young boy she left behind all those years ago.
I really loved the scenic setting of the story and I could've pictured everything down to the pubs and houses. It was intense at times with some action and disturbing matter and you felt like you were waiting on pins and needles for a safe ending. I think that if they had spent more time together, I would have felt their connection more and enjoyed their love journey.
If you’re looking for a dark mafia romance, then this one might be for you.
September 23, 2022
When a author tried to write mafia and gets it so wrong.
This book isn’t mafia or dark romance up until around 50% even then I didn’t think it was that heavy mafia. More of a crime, action book.
Tbh it wasn’t what I thought it would be.
Darby is in Ireland with her mother visiting her grandad.
While exploring she comes across Kellen and boy who look homeless a boy who spend his time in the woods.
The first 40% of this book is set in the past. They become friends if you can call it that. And every summer she visits.
I won’t say anything because I don’t have the answers really lol.
This book is very fast paced. Lots of details but not the right detail for me. The detail is all about the setting of the place and not the actual characters so I didn’t connect with them not even when they are older. You get more from them but still it’s not what i thought it would be. I even found the writing to be a bit strange.
Lots of little holes. Very very rushed.
Tbh I don’t know how this author released this book this way.
As the story goes on they are older and in completely different places in their lives. They reconnect and their story starts again as adults.
Everything happens so fast. The story has no dept, no meaning when the story should have so much meaning.
This book isn’t mafia or dark romance up until around 50% even then I didn’t think it was that heavy mafia. More of a crime, action book.
Tbh it wasn’t what I thought it would be.
Darby is in Ireland with her mother visiting her grandad.
While exploring she comes across Kellen and boy who look homeless a boy who spend his time in the woods.
The first 40% of this book is set in the past. They become friends if you can call it that. And every summer she visits.
I won’t say anything because I don’t have the answers really lol.
This book is very fast paced. Lots of details but not the right detail for me. The detail is all about the setting of the place and not the actual characters so I didn’t connect with them not even when they are older. You get more from them but still it’s not what i thought it would be. I even found the writing to be a bit strange.
Lots of little holes. Very very rushed.
Tbh I don’t know how this author released this book this way.
As the story goes on they are older and in completely different places in their lives. They reconnect and their story starts again as adults.
Everything happens so fast. The story has no dept, no meaning when the story should have so much meaning.
September 22, 2022
Almost 24 hours after I've closed the book and my mind is still reeling from the unforgettable, emotionally engaging storyline, this time with two incredibly intricate characters and a perfectly paced, meticulously crafted relationship.
BB is one author who constantly delivers beautifully written stories that melt my heart every single time with such delightful romances between Alpha males and outstanding heroines.
In the past we've read hilarious anecdotal, almost autobiographical accounts in 44 Chapters About 4 Men.
And after a detour via dystopian romance series, she ventures into the grayish area of love with this one. i must say the shades of gray suit Ms Easton the best!!.
A touch of fated mysticism, wrapped in Irish mythical folklore and a huge dollop of heartwarming Romance that is strong enough to survive against all odds, I'm completely under the Irish spell of the Lough, on the banks of high a cute little fairy magic sprinkles it's dust on Kellen Donovan—the mute, motherless, powerless reject— and biscuit wielding Darby Collins.
life keeps interfering their happiness, but fate keeps throwing them lifelines. From peace to mayhem, tenderness to violence, their passion gathers strength till everything explodes and annihilates everything.
I loved the natural flow, I was besotted by Darby, completely enamoured by Keller and now a firm believer in legends. Soul eviscerating and deeply moving tale of Daibhal and his Fairy That will stay with you for a long time.
5 stars for couldron of magic potion
Follow me on:
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BB is one author who constantly delivers beautifully written stories that melt my heart every single time with such delightful romances between Alpha males and outstanding heroines.
In the past we've read hilarious anecdotal, almost autobiographical accounts in 44 Chapters About 4 Men.
And after a detour via dystopian romance series, she ventures into the grayish area of love with this one. i must say the shades of gray suit Ms Easton the best!!.
A touch of fated mysticism, wrapped in Irish mythical folklore and a huge dollop of heartwarming Romance that is strong enough to survive against all odds, I'm completely under the Irish spell of the Lough, on the banks of high a cute little fairy magic sprinkles it's dust on Kellen Donovan—the mute, motherless, powerless reject— and biscuit wielding Darby Collins.
life keeps interfering their happiness, but fate keeps throwing them lifelines. From peace to mayhem, tenderness to violence, their passion gathers strength till everything explodes and annihilates everything.
I loved the natural flow, I was besotted by Darby, completely enamoured by Keller and now a firm believer in legends. Soul eviscerating and deeply moving tale of Daibhal and his Fairy That will stay with you for a long time.
5 stars for couldron of magic potion
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
October 1, 2022
4.5 stars! Devil of Dublin was such a great time and blew me away as soon as I jumped into the story! This was my first time reading from this author and I am definitely intrigued now. This is a dark, contemporary romance with two broken souls, forbidden love, Irish folklore, fated mates-level love, a broken boy turned mafia hitman, and a gorgeous setting in Ireland. A friend recommended this saying it gave off The Highwayman vibes (by Kerrigan Byrne) and I was sold. 😆 And it totally delivered on those vibes right away with these two obvious soul mates finding one another as children.
Darby comes to Ireland with her mother when she’s just 8-years old and they stay with her grandfather. Darby is immediately enraptured by the folklore, nature, lochs, and wanting to find fairies. On her adventure outside she finds a lost little boy instead hiding out in a cottage. She later learns his name is Kellen and he’s 10-years old. Kellen was left by his mother and is currently living in an abusive house, he’s taking advantage of, starved for love and affection, doesn’t speak, and comes off a bit growly and wild. Instead of being afraid, Darby immediately takes a liking to Kellen and they become friends. Over the next few summers, Darby comes back to visit Ireland and always finds Kellen. After her last visit at 12, Darby doesn’t return again for years…
These two tortured souls were absolutely soul mates, I loved the beginning of the story and seeing their bond and connection grow as children. It was filled with such tenderness and sweetness. Rough times come for both of them and seeing them find one another after so much trauma, was just so good. Kellen turned into a hitman/assassin for the Irish mob but once Darby is back in his life, he is ready to burn it all to the ground. The way he protects her, legit the first scene they’re back together as adults 🥺👀! Seeing them on the run together, such a fast-paced action-filled ride! The audio of the hero’s Irish accent 🔥😮💨! I liked the folklore weaved through the story and how the author’s note at the end mentions this was loosely inspired by events in their own family history.
I will say the last half I wasn’t as invested in, I went in expecting a little bit more emphasis on the mafia/mob activity. They were on the run a lot and I kind of wanted more focus on them and their romance since we had so much character time in the first half. The first half it was easily a 5-star read for me but then it kind of lost me towards the end. I mean I did stop the audio 13% in to go and buy the paperback 😅 sooo I definitely did enjoy this one.
CW: sexual assault (on page attempted rape), domestic abuse, verbal abuse, violence, child abuse (on page physical and off page sexual)
Darby comes to Ireland with her mother when she’s just 8-years old and they stay with her grandfather. Darby is immediately enraptured by the folklore, nature, lochs, and wanting to find fairies. On her adventure outside she finds a lost little boy instead hiding out in a cottage. She later learns his name is Kellen and he’s 10-years old. Kellen was left by his mother and is currently living in an abusive house, he’s taking advantage of, starved for love and affection, doesn’t speak, and comes off a bit growly and wild. Instead of being afraid, Darby immediately takes a liking to Kellen and they become friends. Over the next few summers, Darby comes back to visit Ireland and always finds Kellen. After her last visit at 12, Darby doesn’t return again for years…
These two tortured souls were absolutely soul mates, I loved the beginning of the story and seeing their bond and connection grow as children. It was filled with such tenderness and sweetness. Rough times come for both of them and seeing them find one another after so much trauma, was just so good. Kellen turned into a hitman/assassin for the Irish mob but once Darby is back in his life, he is ready to burn it all to the ground. The way he protects her, legit the first scene they’re back together as adults 🥺👀! Seeing them on the run together, such a fast-paced action-filled ride! The audio of the hero’s Irish accent 🔥😮💨! I liked the folklore weaved through the story and how the author’s note at the end mentions this was loosely inspired by events in their own family history.
I will say the last half I wasn’t as invested in, I went in expecting a little bit more emphasis on the mafia/mob activity. They were on the run a lot and I kind of wanted more focus on them and their romance since we had so much character time in the first half. The first half it was easily a 5-star read for me but then it kind of lost me towards the end. I mean I did stop the audio 13% in to go and buy the paperback 😅 sooo I definitely did enjoy this one.
CW: sexual assault (on page attempted rape), domestic abuse, verbal abuse, violence, child abuse (on page physical and off page sexual)
did-not-finish
April 20, 2023DNF @ 25%. No rating.
This isn't for me. Nothing offensively wrong and I'm sure this a decent story for the right reader. It's just the whole becoming of age/childhood sweethearts/second chance romance were just one too many strikes and not my cup of tea. I just don't have the patience or interest to read 100 pages about 2 kids growing up together. It's as exciting as congealed oatmeal for me. 🤷🏻♀️ I don't want to waste my time on things that I don't enjoy. I could also have maybe forgiven it more if the aged MC's were older than 22 and not confessing ILY's already at the halfway mark (yes I cheated and skimmed ahead sue me! lol).
That and this part was the final deciding factor for me:
The hero is thinking this at the age of 12. Twelve. TWELVE. Medieval brutality? I think not. No way. This was just way too above and beyond realism for me to believe a mute outcast boy would be thinking such Shakespearean shit about the 10 year old heroine after playing with sticks and make believe Harry Potter in the woods. Kids are deep and thoughtful and introspective but please give me a break, B.B. Easton.
This isn't for me. Nothing offensively wrong and I'm sure this a decent story for the right reader. It's just the whole becoming of age/childhood sweethearts/second chance romance were just one too many strikes and not my cup of tea. I just don't have the patience or interest to read 100 pages about 2 kids growing up together. It's as exciting as congealed oatmeal for me. 🤷🏻♀️ I don't want to waste my time on things that I don't enjoy. I could also have maybe forgiven it more if the aged MC's were older than 22 and not confessing ILY's already at the halfway mark (yes I cheated and skimmed ahead sue me! lol).
That and this part was the final deciding factor for me:
That gap-toothed grin destroyed me. Ran me through with medieval brutality. It wasn’t clean. Or quick. It was slow and jagged and splintered as it pierced my heart, twisting on the way in, dragging on the way out. It left a million brittle shards behind, ensuring that I would never ever forget who that organ belonged to. Darby Collins.
The hero is thinking this at the age of 12. Twelve. TWELVE. Medieval brutality? I think not. No way. This was just way too above and beyond realism for me to believe a mute outcast boy would be thinking such Shakespearean shit about the 10 year old heroine after playing with sticks and make believe Harry Potter in the woods. Kids are deep and thoughtful and introspective but please give me a break, B.B. Easton.
December 28, 2022
This book hooked me from the start. It was dark and beautiful, heartbreaking and magical, heartfelt and raw. My first read by this author and I loved her writing. Will be checking out her back list for sure!
I loved Kellen from the start. The quiet boy with the dark curls. Gahhh he is a character I will never forget. Add in Darby and it was a recipe for something filled with love, hope and redemption.
Meeting as young kids in the forest, not knowing just how intertwined their lives were and would be. Irish folklore was weaved throughout this book and it was truly something special.
My heart broke for both of them. I gasped, got teary eyed, felt my heart swell with pride and love... all for these two who I was rooting for from the start!
I loved Kellen from the start. The quiet boy with the dark curls. Gahhh he is a character I will never forget. Add in Darby and it was a recipe for something filled with love, hope and redemption.
Meeting as young kids in the forest, not knowing just how intertwined their lives were and would be. Irish folklore was weaved throughout this book and it was truly something special.
My heart broke for both of them. I gasped, got teary eyed, felt my heart swell with pride and love... all for these two who I was rooting for from the start!
September 12, 2022
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: childhood sweethearts, second chance, heroine in peril
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Completely blown away! Devil of Dublin is an absolutely perfect blend of an emotional, dark and gritty mafia read combined with almost a mythical/fated romance that follows Darby and Kellen from children to adults. The storyline was absolutely amazing and it was wonderful to watch them find each other again and again despite the atrocities life threw at them and fates and men that attempt to keep them apart. The first quarter of the book is told in the past and the rest is in the present, with no jumping back and forth. Character and relationship development is spot on. Kellum is anti-hero perfection: intense, mute, doesn't let anyone touch him but Darby, and there is no line he will not cross for Darby. She is his shiny light and he will do anything to bring her back to her happy self. Darby has an innate softness and goodness and "sees" Kellen from the start. Devil of Dublin is an fracking awesome, genre-bending ride with all the best tropes. Highly recommend!
"𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑰'𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒚 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏. 𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒌. 𝑺𝒉𝒆'𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑴𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒙 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰'𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉."
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes contain spoilers
Trope: childhood sweethearts, second chance, heroine in peril
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Completely blown away! Devil of Dublin is an absolutely perfect blend of an emotional, dark and gritty mafia read combined with almost a mythical/fated romance that follows Darby and Kellen from children to adults. The storyline was absolutely amazing and it was wonderful to watch them find each other again and again despite the atrocities life threw at them and fates and men that attempt to keep them apart. The first quarter of the book is told in the past and the rest is in the present, with no jumping back and forth. Character and relationship development is spot on. Kellum is anti-hero perfection: intense, mute, doesn't let anyone touch him but Darby, and there is no line he will not cross for Darby. She is his shiny light and he will do anything to bring her back to her happy self. Darby has an innate softness and goodness and "sees" Kellen from the start. Devil of Dublin is an fracking awesome, genre-bending ride with all the best tropes. Highly recommend!
"𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑰'𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒚 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏. 𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒌. 𝑺𝒉𝒆'𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑴𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒙 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰'𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉."
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes contain spoilers
October 9, 2024
So. I started out LOVING this book and was so excited to see where it was going to go….and let’s just say I wasn’t quite prepared for the journey. I can’t even say that it took a wrong turn along the way. It was more so like the damn road fell out from underneath me.
I chose to go into this story rather blind. It was suggested to me in a group when I asked for recs that pulled majorly on your heartstrings, but pulled out a HEA in the end. The story started out very sweetly and innocent when an 8 year old American girl, Darby, meets a 10 year old, mute, Irish boy, Kellan, hiding in the ruins of an abandoned cottage after attending her grandmother’s funeral. His mother had abandoned him, leaving him with the community’s priest, Father Henry, at the tender age of 5 and he was a social outcast, deemed literally the spawn of satan. There were some underlying tones that heavily suggested child abuse of the H, which was the true source of his somewhat strange and oftentimes aggressive behavior, but as the story evolved further, you could infer that this poor young boy was not only being beaten, but sexually abused as well. That’s already some pretty heavy material, but I desperately wanted to believe that this sweet little girl, Darby, was going to be the light in his very dark world. And she was… for a day or two each summer over the course of five years. During her 5th summer there, we get a little bit of mystical energy that’s supposedly from a spirit in the lough, that “blesses” their love— and I’m still hanging on because I read fantasy too and can appreciate a little bit of mysterious fortune sprinkled in with my contemporary romances— BUT it’s at this point that we get an EIGHT YEAR TIME JUMP and find out that Darby never returned after that 5th summer. And that’s also the point that I can trace back to this storyline going officially off the rails.
Ok, so
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Surprise! Darby’s mom died shortly after her last visit to Ireland and the state placed her with her alcoholic, drugged out, can’t hold down a job father. Where she remained until the age of 18 when she meets an older, rich asshole, while waiting tables. He “rescues” her only to treat her like shit too, but apparently still cares enough to ask her to marry him and puts a diamond the size of Texas on her finger while doing so.
In the meantime, Darby thinks Kellan is dead, having read an article when she was 15 stating that his home burnt down with the priest inside, but Kellan’s remains “have yet to be found”…. So they clearly stated they never found a body and you grieved automatically, assuming he was dead???
Then we of course find out he’s in fact not dead, having fled after killing Father Henry and setting the house on fire himself.
And guess what! He’s now part of an organized crime faction (effectively the Irish mafia but with more of a terroristic agenda) and is on an assignment that takes him right back to his old community so he’s there at the very moment that Darby runs away from her fiancé after her grandfather’s funeral.
She runs into an old woman living in a cottage full of animal skins. At which point this woman chastises her for returning wearing another man’s ring and tells her she’s invoked the wrath of the spirit of the lough by dismissing her blessing of Darby’s union with Kellan (because apparently they’re both already “wearing” rings made of freckles on their ring fingers bestowed on them by this spirit). Darby runs away from this crazy loon and returns to her grandfather’s home. Shortly after, her fiancé arrives drunk and accuses her of running off to be with an old fling she has there. He gets aggressive and hurts her. Then precedes to try to rape her, at which point Kellan shows up and kills him. They tie his body to a bolder??? and throw it in the lough and this solves that how????
And that's not how that works!
So they’re going to ditch the rental car but they go back to Kellan’s car to see it randomly crushed by a fallen tree… so they continue in the rental car to try to complete the sale of the illegal guns Kellan originally was on assignment for (with the intent to go on the run with the money) only to find out that the faction he was apart of set him up. They escape gunfire and a high speed chase, but the whole time Kellan is worried about being alone afterwards with Darby because she’s been giving not so subtle hints of wanting to jump his bones the entire time… yes, right after her near rape episode with her now deceased fiancé… and Kellan has raging, panic attacks triggered by feelings of intimacy as a result of the abuse he suffered as a child. But no worries because Darby is going to tell him that she shares that past trauma too, having continuously been raped by her dad’s friends since the age of 13. This brilliant and clever girl never told anyone (maybe at school or anywhere) what was going on so she could get help??? I mean, Kellan’s situation was different. He had been so alienated— and hell, I don’t even think he went to school— that he didn’t have anyone he could turn to. But it was just too unbelievable that Darby would go through that without seeking help. Furthermore, after divulging all this to Kellan, she continues to relentlessly come on strong to him even after assuring him that she wouldn’t try to touch him. It just felt so strange. At this point I really started questioning what I was reading.
I returned to Goodreads to look at reviews and apparently this is a quite common thing that happens to people reading it. Generally around 55% (I was at 53%) people are so put off by the strange direction the story has taken, they return to the reviews for answers and find out it continues like this until the last couple of chapters, at which point it would appear that it somewhat finds its footing again. I decided to stop there at 53% because I knew there was no way it would be redeemed enough to make the last 47% worth pushing through. This is such a friggin’ shame too because it was off to such a good start! I think if the author had maintained a simpler approach, it would have been much better. But they just started to dabble into TOO MUCH to maintain any kind of remote amount of believability. In the beginning, it appeared to be developing into a very heartfelt, beautiful story, laced with heartbreak, but took a drastic turn into wayward, Wattpad shenanigans! It’s not for me and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else because I think it would ultimately lead to similar disappointment.
I chose to go into this story rather blind. It was suggested to me in a group when I asked for recs that pulled majorly on your heartstrings, but pulled out a HEA in the end. The story started out very sweetly and innocent when an 8 year old American girl, Darby, meets a 10 year old, mute, Irish boy, Kellan, hiding in the ruins of an abandoned cottage after attending her grandmother’s funeral. His mother had abandoned him, leaving him with the community’s priest, Father Henry, at the tender age of 5 and he was a social outcast, deemed literally the spawn of satan. There were some underlying tones that heavily suggested child abuse of the H, which was the true source of his somewhat strange and oftentimes aggressive behavior, but as the story evolved further, you could infer that this poor young boy was not only being beaten, but sexually abused as well. That’s already some pretty heavy material, but I desperately wanted to believe that this sweet little girl, Darby, was going to be the light in his very dark world. And she was… for a day or two each summer over the course of five years. During her 5th summer there, we get a little bit of mystical energy that’s supposedly from a spirit in the lough, that “blesses” their love— and I’m still hanging on because I read fantasy too and can appreciate a little bit of mysterious fortune sprinkled in with my contemporary romances— BUT it’s at this point that we get an EIGHT YEAR TIME JUMP and find out that Darby never returned after that 5th summer. And that’s also the point that I can trace back to this storyline going officially off the rails.
Ok, so
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Surprise! Darby’s mom died shortly after her last visit to Ireland and the state placed her with her alcoholic, drugged out, can’t hold down a job father. Where she remained until the age of 18 when she meets an older, rich asshole, while waiting tables. He “rescues” her only to treat her like shit too, but apparently still cares enough to ask her to marry him and puts a diamond the size of Texas on her finger while doing so.
In the meantime, Darby thinks Kellan is dead, having read an article when she was 15 stating that his home burnt down with the priest inside, but Kellan’s remains “have yet to be found”…. So they clearly stated they never found a body and you grieved automatically, assuming he was dead???
Then we of course find out he’s in fact not dead, having fled after killing Father Henry and setting the house on fire himself.
And guess what! He’s now part of an organized crime faction (effectively the Irish mafia but with more of a terroristic agenda) and is on an assignment that takes him right back to his old community so he’s there at the very moment that Darby runs away from her fiancé after her grandfather’s funeral.
She runs into an old woman living in a cottage full of animal skins. At which point this woman chastises her for returning wearing another man’s ring and tells her she’s invoked the wrath of the spirit of the lough by dismissing her blessing of Darby’s union with Kellan (because apparently they’re both already “wearing” rings made of freckles on their ring fingers bestowed on them by this spirit). Darby runs away from this crazy loon and returns to her grandfather’s home. Shortly after, her fiancé arrives drunk and accuses her of running off to be with an old fling she has there. He gets aggressive and hurts her. Then precedes to try to rape her, at which point Kellan shows up and kills him. They tie his body to a bolder??? and throw it in the lough and this solves that how????
And that's not how that works!
So they’re going to ditch the rental car but they go back to Kellan’s car to see it randomly crushed by a fallen tree… so they continue in the rental car to try to complete the sale of the illegal guns Kellan originally was on assignment for (with the intent to go on the run with the money) only to find out that the faction he was apart of set him up. They escape gunfire and a high speed chase, but the whole time Kellan is worried about being alone afterwards with Darby because she’s been giving not so subtle hints of wanting to jump his bones the entire time… yes, right after her near rape episode with her now deceased fiancé… and Kellan has raging, panic attacks triggered by feelings of intimacy as a result of the abuse he suffered as a child. But no worries because Darby is going to tell him that she shares that past trauma too, having continuously been raped by her dad’s friends since the age of 13. This brilliant and clever girl never told anyone (maybe at school or anywhere) what was going on so she could get help??? I mean, Kellan’s situation was different. He had been so alienated— and hell, I don’t even think he went to school— that he didn’t have anyone he could turn to. But it was just too unbelievable that Darby would go through that without seeking help. Furthermore, after divulging all this to Kellan, she continues to relentlessly come on strong to him even after assuring him that she wouldn’t try to touch him. It just felt so strange. At this point I really started questioning what I was reading.
I returned to Goodreads to look at reviews and apparently this is a quite common thing that happens to people reading it. Generally around 55% (I was at 53%) people are so put off by the strange direction the story has taken, they return to the reviews for answers and find out it continues like this until the last couple of chapters, at which point it would appear that it somewhat finds its footing again. I decided to stop there at 53% because I knew there was no way it would be redeemed enough to make the last 47% worth pushing through. This is such a friggin’ shame too because it was off to such a good start! I think if the author had maintained a simpler approach, it would have been much better. But they just started to dabble into TOO MUCH to maintain any kind of remote amount of believability. In the beginning, it appeared to be developing into a very heartfelt, beautiful story, laced with heartbreak, but took a drastic turn into wayward, Wattpad shenanigans! It’s not for me and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else because I think it would ultimately lead to similar disappointment.
October 18, 2022
This author can write!
I was immediately captivated by the setting, the characters, and what ended up being a beautiful story.
Who wouldn't fall for two kids discovering each other and finding love everlasting?
I have to be honest though... I was waiting to be triggered.
With all of the warnings about this book, I was expecting this story to go dark.
I'm still waiting.
And there's nothing wrong with it not going dark.
I absolutely adored these characters so much.
I didn't need to know the details of what they went through.
I was able to infer a lot from the way they were depicted.
Their actions and behaviors spoke volumes.
An atmospheric romance, this story was more character driven than anything else. At least for me.
Two people. Different upbringings. Both were forced to face such ugly things, but it didn't break them.
They were so fierce together and for each other.
I'll tell ya... Darby will definitely take you by surprise.
Kellen and Darby were incredibly sweet together. With a backdrop of being hunted, scary shootouts, and tons of intensity, I was often caught up with how adorable this couple was.
And with a touch of something mystical, this author delivered a story that was magical.
Full review here: Devil of Dublin
I was immediately captivated by the setting, the characters, and what ended up being a beautiful story.
Who wouldn't fall for two kids discovering each other and finding love everlasting?
I have to be honest though... I was waiting to be triggered.
With all of the warnings about this book, I was expecting this story to go dark.
I'm still waiting.
And there's nothing wrong with it not going dark.
I absolutely adored these characters so much.
I didn't need to know the details of what they went through.
I was able to infer a lot from the way they were depicted.
Their actions and behaviors spoke volumes.
An atmospheric romance, this story was more character driven than anything else. At least for me.
Two people. Different upbringings. Both were forced to face such ugly things, but it didn't break them.
They were so fierce together and for each other.
I'll tell ya... Darby will definitely take you by surprise.
Kellen and Darby were incredibly sweet together. With a backdrop of being hunted, scary shootouts, and tons of intensity, I was often caught up with how adorable this couple was.
And with a touch of something mystical, this author delivered a story that was magical.
Full review here: Devil of Dublin
October 30, 2022
This book could have easily...EASILY...been a 5 star epic read, but it went off the rails at about the 45% mark and never seemed to find its way.
First of all - let me introduce you to the panty melting, hit you in the feels first time narrator -
Eric Nolan. I'm calling it now, he's going to be a fan favorite right up there with Zachary Webber in no time at all. Any author looking for a real actor with an authentic Irish accent - look no further.
As for the book - the beginning was just simply superb. 2 children developing a soul connection, with a plot steeped in Irish folklore... and then the dreaded time jump into nonsensical, undeveloped, and not well planned out mafia-ish plot.
Spoilers to come -
I am not someone who is able to suspend disbelief for major plot points. I feel like if you are going to make the effort to write a book, at least think things through and for fuck's sake, get a group of early readers who aren't YES Women and aren't scared to point out logical fallacies or plot holes. It's just lazy as fuck.
I lost all faith in this book when they were trying to dispose of her fiancee's body in the lake/loch and Easton wrote that the MMC tied the body to a "Buick sized boulder" and then waded out into the lake/loch and tossed both in. How can you even write something so fucking dumb like an ordinary man could lift a ~200lb corpse tied to a boulder by himself and drag it into a lake... I mean... were there no early readers who said "hold up, this makes no fucking sense," or is everyone just too scared to point out the obvious to authors? Newsflash - they are just people, speak the fuck up and help them (and us!) out.
I mean, just read this insane bullshit:
and then she describes how he strips naked and drags the BUICK SIZED BOULDER WITH THE DEAD MAN TIED TO IT OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE. Seriously... I want to call out the "content editors" Traci Finlay and Adele Halpin here too. This is your ONE FUCKING JOB to direct authors away from writing absolute hot garbage such as this.
Not to mention that when bodies decompose in water, they fill with gases and float, so that rope would have just cut the hands and feet off and the body would then float to the top. And then let's just talk about how she didn't even address how the fiancee would have been reported missing and everyone knew that she was the last to be seen with him, but no, this is never addressed. In fact, the MMC and FMC move back to the little town right next to this loch as if nothing ever happened and her fiancee's corpse isn't rotting there and they could be found out at any time. So realistic and romantic!
There's so much more like this in the book, so I won't bore anyone with more details. But I am seriously bummed by the fact that Easton took this book in the direction she did, because while I was listening to the beginning I kept asking myself - holy shit, is this going to become my new favorite book?!? But alas...onto the trash heap it goes.
First of all - let me introduce you to the panty melting, hit you in the feels first time narrator -
Eric Nolan. I'm calling it now, he's going to be a fan favorite right up there with Zachary Webber in no time at all. Any author looking for a real actor with an authentic Irish accent - look no further.
As for the book - the beginning was just simply superb. 2 children developing a soul connection, with a plot steeped in Irish folklore... and then the dreaded time jump into nonsensical, undeveloped, and not well planned out mafia-ish plot.
Spoilers to come -
I am not someone who is able to suspend disbelief for major plot points. I feel like if you are going to make the effort to write a book, at least think things through and for fuck's sake, get a group of early readers who aren't YES Women and aren't scared to point out logical fallacies or plot holes. It's just lazy as fuck.
I lost all faith in this book when they were trying to dispose of her fiancee's body in the lake/loch and Easton wrote that the MMC tied the body to a "Buick sized boulder" and then waded out into the lake/loch and tossed both in. How can you even write something so fucking dumb like an ordinary man could lift a ~200lb corpse tied to a boulder by himself and drag it into a lake... I mean... were there no early readers who said "hold up, this makes no fucking sense," or is everyone just too scared to point out the obvious to authors? Newsflash - they are just people, speak the fuck up and help them (and us!) out.
I mean, just read this insane bullshit:
Kellen finally returned, rolling a boulder the size of a Buick down the hill. After removing his boots and socks and hiking his pant legs up, Kellen dragged John's body into the lake until he was submerged on his back in the shallows. Then he spread John's legs, rolled the massive rock in between them, grabbed him by the arms, and lifted his upper half until it was slumped over the stone. Kellen used the rope I'd found...to tie his arms and legs around the boulder. ...
and then she describes how he strips naked and drags the BUICK SIZED BOULDER WITH THE DEAD MAN TIED TO IT OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE. Seriously... I want to call out the "content editors" Traci Finlay and Adele Halpin here too. This is your ONE FUCKING JOB to direct authors away from writing absolute hot garbage such as this.
Not to mention that when bodies decompose in water, they fill with gases and float, so that rope would have just cut the hands and feet off and the body would then float to the top. And then let's just talk about how she didn't even address how the fiancee would have been reported missing and everyone knew that she was the last to be seen with him, but no, this is never addressed. In fact, the MMC and FMC move back to the little town right next to this loch as if nothing ever happened and her fiancee's corpse isn't rotting there and they could be found out at any time. So realistic and romantic!
There's so much more like this in the book, so I won't bore anyone with more details. But I am seriously bummed by the fact that Easton took this book in the direction she did, because while I was listening to the beginning I kept asking myself - holy shit, is this going to become my new favorite book?!? But alas...onto the trash heap it goes.
September 24, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
November 9, 2022
⭐⭐⭐
''The only person who ever smiles when they saw me''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OW drama/Slight OM drama
- Child abuse/assault
- Mention & attempted r*pe
- Violence/d*ath
- HEA
I liked the beginning where we see then as young kids meeting each other and yearly visits. I also enjoyed the last 10-15 percent but I skimmed a lot of the middle.
I was expecting something different. This was not mafia to me but more of a side plot with crime inserted in it. I don't know why I felt like Kellen would of become someone higher up in the organisation he worked for?
The trauma these two shared was really sad and I had to stomach through a bit of it. The reveal in the letter at the end made me even more sick.
I also don't get why Darby was given to her father when he was not fit enough to have visitation rights when her mom was alive? I know the court system is messed up but it truly failed her as she should of been given to her grandfather or aunt.
Overall I wish I had liked this one more and I really excited to read it but I couldn't find it in me to care enough. I do love the cover though!
''The only person who ever smiles when they saw me''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OW drama/Slight OM drama
- Child abuse/assault
- Mention & attempted r*pe
- Violence/d*ath
- HEA
I liked the beginning where we see then as young kids meeting each other and yearly visits. I also enjoyed the last 10-15 percent but I skimmed a lot of the middle.
I was expecting something different. This was not mafia to me but more of a side plot with crime inserted in it. I don't know why I felt like Kellen would of become someone higher up in the organisation he worked for?
The trauma these two shared was really sad and I had to stomach through a bit of it. The reveal in the letter at the end made me even more sick.
I also don't get why Darby was given to her father when he was not fit enough to have visitation rights when her mom was alive? I know the court system is messed up but it truly failed her as she should of been given to her grandfather or aunt.
Overall I wish I had liked this one more and I really excited to read it but I couldn't find it in me to care enough. I do love the cover though!
September 15, 2022
I am so enthralled with B.B. Easton's Devil of Dublin . This story is emotional, poignant, heartbreaking and so sexy. I was intrigued from the very first page! Darby and Kellen's lovestory was so powerful!
Anyone who knows me knows that dark mafia romance is my jam. But this author just blew it out of the water as she coupled an amazing mafia romance with pure emotion. This story was so heartbreakingly raw and poignant. It took my breath away! I loved every word!
Without a doubt, you can feel Darby and Kellen's connection right off the page. I loved seeing them as children and then seeing their connection reignite and explode years later. Gah! My heart dropped at times but I was seriously overwhelmed with everything that they experienced: Pain, love, heartbreak and sorrow. This story was fantastic! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Anyone who knows me knows that dark mafia romance is my jam. But this author just blew it out of the water as she coupled an amazing mafia romance with pure emotion. This story was so heartbreakingly raw and poignant. It took my breath away! I loved every word!
Without a doubt, you can feel Darby and Kellen's connection right off the page. I loved seeing them as children and then seeing their connection reignite and explode years later. Gah! My heart dropped at times but I was seriously overwhelmed with everything that they experienced: Pain, love, heartbreak and sorrow. This story was fantastic! 5 stars! ~Ratula
September 26, 2022
***AUDIOBOOK REVIEW***
5 STARS
This was actually my first BB Easton book, and I was taken in by that cover and the sample audiobook clips she shared. I was not disappointed.
What I loved:
1. I really enjoyed the mystical/legend aspect of their romance. It brought a bit of magic to their story.
2. The mute boy who turns into the assassin for the Irish mob to survive who will burn it all down for his heroine. Yes, just yes.
3. Darby was a great heroine, too, she was stronger at the end then at the beginning and I loved her growth.
4. They both have very traumatic pasts, and it forms who they are and how they love.
5. The narrators were so great! I loved listening to them. One of my favorite audiobooks.
6. The suspense aspect was enthralling.
There wasn’t anything that I didn’t love about it. Kellen was an amazing antihero and I loved these two.
5 STARS
This was actually my first BB Easton book, and I was taken in by that cover and the sample audiobook clips she shared. I was not disappointed.
What I loved:
1. I really enjoyed the mystical/legend aspect of their romance. It brought a bit of magic to their story.
2. The mute boy who turns into the assassin for the Irish mob to survive who will burn it all down for his heroine. Yes, just yes.
3. Darby was a great heroine, too, she was stronger at the end then at the beginning and I loved her growth.
4. They both have very traumatic pasts, and it forms who they are and how they love.
5. The narrators were so great! I loved listening to them. One of my favorite audiobooks.
6. The suspense aspect was enthralling.
There wasn’t anything that I didn’t love about it. Kellen was an amazing antihero and I loved these two.
November 3, 2022
Ohhhhhh yes, I have a new favorite BB Easton novel and a new favorite Irish hero! I devoured this novel, I loved everything about it! Alright. This book is entirely set in Ireland, and it starts off with a bit of magic. Darby is visiting her family, when she sets off to find fairy circles. The good people love sweets, so she brought along some biscuits. When she finds Kellen inside of a circle, she thinks he’s a fairy. He’s a beautiful boy with black hair and grey eyes, and after he eats the biscuit, she decides that he’s her new friend. The two strike up a fast friendship over the next few summers that Darby sees him. It becomes apparent to her that he’s neglected and abused, and though the town people think he’s the devil’s son, Darby doesn’t care. He’s the boy who saved her, and took her into the lough to heal her when she got hurt.
Fast forward eight years, and Darby finally makes her way back to Ireland. Her grandfather has died, following her mother’s death, and once again Kellen finds Darby and saves her right when she needs it most. Only Kellen isn’t that sad boy anymore, he’s a killer for the UIB, United Irish Brotherhood or the mafia, and he’s prepared to betray them in order to run away with Darby. Because he doesn’t have an identity, he has to have one created, which comes at a serious cost. Throw in a side of Russian mafia, and an abusive ex-fiancé to get rid of, and you’ve got quite the thriller romance!
Nothing is sweeter to me than a childhood love who never fell out of love with the other, and this one packed a punch, because they’ve both suffered such physical and emotional abuse at the hands of others. It brought them to each other though, and though the journey was hard to witness, the end result of these two belonging to the other was beautiful. I love that Darby was it for Kellen from the very beginning, their story was so touching and special!!!! And Darby is one of my favorite FMCs of all time. Freaking read this book!
Fast forward eight years, and Darby finally makes her way back to Ireland. Her grandfather has died, following her mother’s death, and once again Kellen finds Darby and saves her right when she needs it most. Only Kellen isn’t that sad boy anymore, he’s a killer for the UIB, United Irish Brotherhood or the mafia, and he’s prepared to betray them in order to run away with Darby. Because he doesn’t have an identity, he has to have one created, which comes at a serious cost. Throw in a side of Russian mafia, and an abusive ex-fiancé to get rid of, and you’ve got quite the thriller romance!
Nothing is sweeter to me than a childhood love who never fell out of love with the other, and this one packed a punch, because they’ve both suffered such physical and emotional abuse at the hands of others. It brought them to each other though, and though the journey was hard to witness, the end result of these two belonging to the other was beautiful. I love that Darby was it for Kellen from the very beginning, their story was so touching and special!!!! And Darby is one of my favorite FMCs of all time. Freaking read this book!
June 25, 2024
This is BB's grittiest book yet and I am absolutely here for it. Darby met Kellen when she was eight years old, visiting her grandfather in Ireland. She was on the hunt for fairies and came acrossed a sad boy in a house by the lough. The lough, they said, was haunted and you should never go in. Each year when Darby came back, she visited the boy. The boy they said was the Devil himself. The boy who never spoke, but had so much pain inside him.
When I say I was obsessed with this story from the minute I started it, I want you to know I mean those words to my soul. Kellen was so broken and Darby was his light. The only light in his dark world. The year that Darby stops coming, his light extinguishes and he needs to save himself.
Darby comes back 8 years later to mourn her grandfather, after suffering unimaginable trauma with her fiance in tow. She heard about the fire and can't believe that Kellen is really gone. Just when she needs him most, he appears. Gone is the sad boy, he is now replaced by someone who is etched from stone.
Together they embark on a journey of finding themselves while trying to stay alive. Kellen is now known as the Devil of Dublin, he is ruthless, he has no heart. Until the day he sees Darby again, his life changes. Both of these characters are some of the most broken I have ever seen, but you will never learn to heal unless you talk about your pain and open it up and air it out. Process it. These two have a lot of work to do, together and by themselves, but just knowing that someone is on your side gives hope, where none was before.
The soulmate part of the book was my absolute favorite part and was done perfectly. Five stars. Ten stars. All the stars. Also, if you have triggers, read the warnings and heed them becaue this book has almost all of them but (oddly enough) didn't have mine.
When I say I was obsessed with this story from the minute I started it, I want you to know I mean those words to my soul. Kellen was so broken and Darby was his light. The only light in his dark world. The year that Darby stops coming, his light extinguishes and he needs to save himself.
Darby comes back 8 years later to mourn her grandfather, after suffering unimaginable trauma with her fiance in tow. She heard about the fire and can't believe that Kellen is really gone. Just when she needs him most, he appears. Gone is the sad boy, he is now replaced by someone who is etched from stone.
Together they embark on a journey of finding themselves while trying to stay alive. Kellen is now known as the Devil of Dublin, he is ruthless, he has no heart. Until the day he sees Darby again, his life changes. Both of these characters are some of the most broken I have ever seen, but you will never learn to heal unless you talk about your pain and open it up and air it out. Process it. These two have a lot of work to do, together and by themselves, but just knowing that someone is on your side gives hope, where none was before.
The soulmate part of the book was my absolute favorite part and was done perfectly. Five stars. Ten stars. All the stars. Also, if you have triggers, read the warnings and heed them becaue this book has almost all of them but (oddly enough) didn't have mine.
October 8, 2022
My first read by this author and I know I will want to read more. I enjoyed this story. It was heavy, deep and dark but the connection the main characters had throughout the years was palpable and drove this story.
July 9, 2025
2.5 stars
My favourite about this book was finishing it. The exhale I let out when I finished *deep spiritual n!qqa sigh*. The problem with this book was it tried to do everything(paranormal, mafia, thriller, dark romance, small town town romance) and failed spectacularly at it all.
This was action packed on every page and yet I was so freaking bored. I deserve flowers for not dnf'ng it....just saying.
My favourite about this book was finishing it. The exhale I let out when I finished *deep spiritual n!qqa sigh*. The problem with this book was it tried to do everything(paranormal, mafia, thriller, dark romance, small town town romance) and failed spectacularly at it all.
This was action packed on every page and yet I was so freaking bored. I deserve flowers for not dnf'ng it....just saying.
September 26, 2022
***4,5 "Diabhal!!!" stars***
"Ya know what they say about the Devil. Once upon a time, he was God's most beautiful angel."
Mrs. Easton had created here a magical, modern fairytale set in Ireland, in a mystical place full of legends and alluring atmosphere.
This was not your usual dark romance... There was magic, supernatural elements, old legends and two tortured souls who had found to each other solace...
It was a beautiful, painful story which grabbed me from the very first moment and sent me to a trip that I won't be able to forget soon!!!
"I didn't deserve to breathe the same air as her, but I was going to."
Darby's first trip to Ireland was a beautiful adventure...
Her grandfather shared with her legends of his hometown and Darby started a chase of fairies with a lone cookie in her hand... What she had found was a fairy-like boy with intense grey eyes from whom the fairies had stolen his voice...
As the years passing by, Kellen and Darby are forming a beautiful friendship, even though she was warned away from the Devil's son!!!
Unfortunately, at some point, Darby's visits in Ireland stopped abruptly, but the boy never stopped waiting for her, until he gave up...
"Hope was a killer.
Just like me."
Now, years later, Darby is coming back to Ireland for an unfortunate event and her Devil is there to 'welcome' her back home... But things have changed for both of them!!!
Darby is not the same girl anymore and Kellen had embraced the darkness inside of him...
Can these two pick up exactly from where they left things or their chance at something magical and beautiful has vanished???
"I was simply hers -mind, body, and cursed black soul."
Honestly, what I said above can not describe what I actually read...
Things were very complicated for both of them...
Darby used to be a happy, full of vivid imagination girl, but her lightness has dimed...
The world was very unfair to Kellen and he didn't deserve their rejection!!! So, the only way to survive into this cruel world was to become what they believed he were!!!
My heart was breaking over and over again for these two... I just wanted to hug them and hide them from the cruelty of the world they were living in...
"Not all touched hurt."
Kellen had become one of my favorite antiheroes...
I was bleeding for him!!! And Darby was bleeding for him as well...
She hadn't a fair life too, but she never lost the kindness of her soul...
Yes, things were progressing really fast in here, but I couldn't deny the great connection that these two were sharing from day one...
"I didn't deserve to live. I didn't deserve an angel like her."
I really loved this story... I really loved Kellen and Darby...
I adored the mystified scenery... the woods, the ruined cottage, the lake, the witch, the fairies...
This was a very unique, dark, modern fairytale and I am such a sucker for this kind of stories!!!
If you like different things, you may enter and I believe you will discover a whole new world in here!!!
"If the Devil had been God's most beautiful angel, then Kellen wasn't just his son. He was the Prince of Darkness himself."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
"Ya know what they say about the Devil. Once upon a time, he was God's most beautiful angel."
Mrs. Easton had created here a magical, modern fairytale set in Ireland, in a mystical place full of legends and alluring atmosphere.
This was not your usual dark romance... There was magic, supernatural elements, old legends and two tortured souls who had found to each other solace...
It was a beautiful, painful story which grabbed me from the very first moment and sent me to a trip that I won't be able to forget soon!!!
"I didn't deserve to breathe the same air as her, but I was going to."
Darby's first trip to Ireland was a beautiful adventure...
Her grandfather shared with her legends of his hometown and Darby started a chase of fairies with a lone cookie in her hand... What she had found was a fairy-like boy with intense grey eyes from whom the fairies had stolen his voice...
As the years passing by, Kellen and Darby are forming a beautiful friendship, even though she was warned away from the Devil's son!!!
Unfortunately, at some point, Darby's visits in Ireland stopped abruptly, but the boy never stopped waiting for her, until he gave up...
"Hope was a killer.
Just like me."
Now, years later, Darby is coming back to Ireland for an unfortunate event and her Devil is there to 'welcome' her back home... But things have changed for both of them!!!
Darby is not the same girl anymore and Kellen had embraced the darkness inside of him...
Can these two pick up exactly from where they left things or their chance at something magical and beautiful has vanished???
"I was simply hers -mind, body, and cursed black soul."
Honestly, what I said above can not describe what I actually read...
Things were very complicated for both of them...
Darby used to be a happy, full of vivid imagination girl, but her lightness has dimed...
The world was very unfair to Kellen and he didn't deserve their rejection!!! So, the only way to survive into this cruel world was to become what they believed he were!!!
My heart was breaking over and over again for these two... I just wanted to hug them and hide them from the cruelty of the world they were living in...
"Not all touched hurt."
Kellen had become one of my favorite antiheroes...
I was bleeding for him!!! And Darby was bleeding for him as well...
She hadn't a fair life too, but she never lost the kindness of her soul...
Yes, things were progressing really fast in here, but I couldn't deny the great connection that these two were sharing from day one...
"I didn't deserve to live. I didn't deserve an angel like her."
I really loved this story... I really loved Kellen and Darby...
I adored the mystified scenery... the woods, the ruined cottage, the lake, the witch, the fairies...
This was a very unique, dark, modern fairytale and I am such a sucker for this kind of stories!!!
If you like different things, you may enter and I believe you will discover a whole new world in here!!!
"If the Devil had been God's most beautiful angel, then Kellen wasn't just his son. He was the Prince of Darkness himself."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
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