Trick or Beast

The Beasts of Blackmoor #1

by Sarah Spade

It was just supposed to be three nights in the forest. After Halloween, I would be free... but only if I wanted to be.

Have you ever heard the legend of Jack? If your answer to that is “which one”, then you’re better prepared than I was when I first walked into the dark forests of Blackmoor.

Three nights. I just had to make it three nights and then I would be set for life.

They warn you before you take your first step past the trees that there are monsters and creatures lurking within. That they’ll eat you if you’re not careful.

I learn the first night that they’ll eat you even if you are.

Between wicked werewolves that more beast than man, and the infamous Jack of legend—all of them—welcoming me in the shadows of the dark forest, I don’t know if I’ll make it to Halloween the same woman I was when I entered the woods.

Or if, by the time the three males are done with me, I’ll even want to leave...

*Trick or Beast is the first novella (~20,000 words) in the The Beasts of Blackmoor series. It’s written for audiences 18+ and is a why choose romance. The heroine has multiple fated mates—the hero and his two werewolf guards—and she has to decide whether or not to stay with them all for this Halloween and every one that follows. Considering it has insta-love and a HEA, I think you know what that means ;) This is also a slightly updated version of the story, and is great for reading anytime of year—even if it's perfect for Halloween.

Genres: Halloween, Paranormal, Romance, Novella, Fantasy, Why Choose, Monsters

104 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 30, 2022

Reviews

[BookishKB · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

🎃 Bookish Thoughts
Trick or Beast is a smutty Halloween novella. Our FMC was definitely into it from the get go and very open minded 🤣

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun short read, although I felt so sorry for Jack. I was secretly hoping that Layla’s affection would enable him to become corporeal for more than one night a year.

The description of the werewolves' human appearance was kinda creepy. I’m sure I would have hesitated a long time before tapping that.

This story needed better editing but I’m going to give it a pass since the author apparently put it together in a hurry.

[Lori R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short and sexy read that was exactly what I was looking for with Halloween right around the corner. I’ve read this author before and enjoyed her books, so I was hoping I’d like this one...and I did. Instalove, two werewolf shifters, and one shadow man made me glad I squeezed this in.

If you’re looking for a quick Halloween read with more smut than plot (which totally worked for me!!), this one fits the bill.

[Not your Mother’s Romance(semi-hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“They know it, too. From the moment they saw your beautiful hair, my lovely treat, they knew you were meant for me. For us. But they had their turn with you.” His fingers thread through my damp hair, tugging on a lock of it.

Decent read for Halloween, unfortunately some spelling errors took me out of the book a few times. Not quite dark enough for me but the story was still intriguing.

Also, we never need to see the word jizz 🤮

💕💕💕/5
🔥🔥🔥/
😂/5
😳😳/5

[Mia Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not just spicy, it’s pumpkin spice-y 👀

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short but fun read. I think you definitely get what you come here for. While the characters weren’t all that developed, we got a decent enough sense of who they were and the role they played.

[Hannah Boyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steam- 2.5/5

[Nikolai Fernandez · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only trick was on me thinking this would be spicy

[emma ✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5⭐ thats it??? sarah, not again :(

[✨Anastazja✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Siggy shade is that you?

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 70%

Somehow convinced myself to keep reading and then his peen was orange and pumpkin spice flavoured so nope, I'm out, thanks.

[Sam&Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and spicy insta/ fated mate RH story with lots of magic and a couple of partially shifted werewolves.🥵
First time trying this author and I’m excited to read more!!

2 minor complaints to take 1⭐️ off:

- A slightly sad ending because she doesn’t get every night with her fated mate, only 1 day a year😢

- FMC is sad and lonely and uses hookups to feel better, so she’s overly experienced and has done it all already, even ménage, so getting hit up by 2 hunky half-shifted werewolves? Piece of cake. (Ok so it wouldn’t have been realistic if she was a virgin but kinda wish she hadn’t slept with every “Jack” before Jack…..😉😂).

[Mariana Gama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meu primeiro HR, curti

[Sav · Rating 5 out of 5]

i know we all wish to be teleported into our favorite book but i would do diabolical things to trade places with our girl Layla✨

a halloween sacrifice that is supposed to end with a cash prize and a single wish granted has Layla questioning everything that she’s ever thought about love and lust and the things that go bump in the night.

[Poetry Drive · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine for a short pop of monster spice. I wouldn’t say that the story had potential to be better if it’s was longer… I think it’s just the right length for what it is.

Spice: 3/5 not bad. A little angst but nothing to sweat about.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a Halloween smutty short story… what do you expect.
I think it would’ve been a really interesting story if she made it a longer book so we could meet the characters more. Still a fun read though.

[Liz Arlenis ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro te hara sentir literalmente el espíritu del Halloween 🎃🔥

Las Bestias De Blackmoor - Sarah Spade

--------------------
¿Qué encontraras?

» Harem inverso
» Romance paranormal
» F. M 2
» Erótica
--------------------

Layla Smith, se adentra en el maldito bosque de Blackmoor, con la intensión de pasar tres días, para obtener un deseo, y el pago de 1.000 dólares🤨

"𝑺𝒊 𝒋𝒖𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒔, 𝒔𝒊 𝒍𝒐𝒔 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 ... 𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒖 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒐."

Pero este bosque esconde más de lo que ella se imagina, termina siendo devorada carnalmente (jajajaja) por dos hombres lobos, que no temen darse placer entre ellos.

" 𝑵𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒔. 𝑺𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒂𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒔. 𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒐. 𝑴𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒐, 𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒐, 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒐𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒔 𝒚 𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒐𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒕á𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒔"

Y luego de pasar una noche agitada, los lobos la entregan a su amo. Jack... El espíritu de Halloween, él la cuidara, la tomará y la reclamará como suya, y Layla, por fin obtiene su deseo...

Sinceramente no se como termine leyendo esto, pero mi calificación es de 3/5⭐
😂🙈Estuvo entretenido el asunto. Además Layla, no perdona nada. 😂😂😂

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trick or Beast is an erotic (MMF / MF) Helloween short story about a lonely redhead woman who longs for her HEA.

But before that can happen, she must venture into the dark forest of Blackmoor for three nights. Where dark shadows and monsters are lurking... - Ready to eat her...

I loved how the legend of Stingy Jack was implemented into the story. That was very original; albeit kind of sad. On the other hand, Jack was here "very generous" to Leyla, since he left her in good furry company. LOL

[Ambers Book Nest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trick or Beast delivered all the author had promised: instant chemistry, spice, and a happily ever after. Although the story could have been longer, I wouldn't say that it would have been better. It seems to be the ideal length for what it is. Even though Layla's three days in the woods did not go as she had hoped, they were just what she needed. It's unquestionably a fantastic book for a gloomy Halloween or whenever someone wants to feel a little spooky. The All Hallows Eve components sprinkled throughout are wonderful. I adored the way the Stingy Jack mythology was incorporated into the narrative. That was incredibly creative, albeit somewhat depressing. I was terribly sorry about Jack. I secretly hoped Layla's love would make him physical for more than one night a year.

"I wanted someone to love me. I wanted my own happy-ever-after. I wanted forever. And I got it, didn’t I?"

[Lo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a short Halloween read, the concept of the dark woods was cool.

I felt bad for Jack though, he clearly isn’t super happy about having to share Layla. I did hope that him finding his fated mate and having her accept him would make him be able to have a physical body throughout the year. Especially since he is supposed to be Jack Frost too, I would think winter would also be his time to shine!

The whole Alpha and Beta thing was interesting, in a good and bad way. It felt like Beta gets forced to be Alpha’s lover boy.

I wish we got more from the Jack part of the story.

[Adrienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is what it claims to be and nothing more than that

I read this as a suggestion and it was fun. A quick read that didn't have too many surprises and the bare minimum of plot needed to get through. Not the worst that I have read but certainly repetitive. The storyline is not riveting and hardly carries you through since it is so barebones but I finished it so...good job? Wouldn't say I'm not interested in reading another one but possibly if I need something quick and silly to pass the time.

[BriBiscuit · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I found the author to be too repetitive and lacked the creative wording needed for monster romance. The basis of the story is cute and witchy, and it did make me giggle at times! Overall though I can't rate it very highly since if it wasn't so short & had okay smut I would have DNFed it. I'd like to think with more practice and few more runs through editing that this author will improve, so I would read on of their later works for sure!

1/5 Jack o Lanterns 🎃

[Halla Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tricks and treats...

Absolutely delicious.
Short fast-paced monstrous smut.

There is a plot. Girl survives creepy woods for 3 days, and she gets a wish. Any wish she wants, the trick? These woulds are packed with monsters, and she's the treat.

But will she want to leave when she finds some of her deepest dreams and desires inside the very forest she meant to merely survive?

Ya, I wouldn't be leaving. Sign me tf up.

Plot 3 star ⭐️
Spice 5 🌶
Tw ⚠️ mild. Has darker aspects

[Merbabe Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect a short and spicy read to also have me going “aweee” while kicking my feet and twirling my hair but here we are! Trick or Beast is heavy on the spice and low on the plot but honestly the storyline WAS there and I loved it! I do wish we got to see a little more of Layla with Jack but her with Alpha and Beta more than made up for it!

All in all Trick or Beast was an enjoyable read and I can’t wait to visit Blackmoor again in December for Smutmas!

[IAmNotACentipede · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a trashy smut filled little novella (meant in the best of ways), and while it wasn't anything to write home about I had a great time.

I know there wasn't much of any plot to be found here, but I honestly wish we did get a smidge more info on Jack and the "fated mates" kinda thing going on with him and the FMC.

I also couldn't get past the pumpkin spice flavored dick, but at least the author made me laugh.

[Tashina Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Smutty Love Story for Halloween

This story is short but sweet and satisfying. I love the sweetness of love story and the smut is delicious. Definitely a good read for a dark and stormy Halloween or anytime someone wants to feel spooky. Love the elements of All Hallows Eve lore mixed in. Definitely going to indulge in this one again.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the author says it best in the forward but this story is short on plot but heavy on heat. There's not much in the way of characterization but the setting is really different and I love how the mythical figure gets thrown in to the mix.


I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book alot! I do hope that we get some more of these characters, since it's book 1. I am thinking that we'll be able to see more of them, and dive into these characters more. If you're looking for a fun spooky read any time of the year? This is perfect. It's a steamy read and light on the plot, because sometimes you just want a yummy good read.

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was a fun, scorching, and very sexy quick read. Layla's three days in the forest did not go the way she expected, but they were exactly what she needed. I loved all the males- Beta and Alpha especially. I couldn't put this book down. It's the first book I've read by this author and would definitely read more! 5 stars.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Exciting Halloween!

Layla enters Blackmoor forest to win a contest and get the prize. What she finds in the forest is both more terrifying and more terrific that she could have expected. This story brings the heat along with some wildly taboo scenes - and I loved it! A great read for Halloween.