I live in a world where women are a commodity. The only value we have is as bargaining chips for men who crave more power.
We are to be silent, unseen, to do as we are told.
But I don’t want to be anyone's property. I want to be the one in control of my destiny.
But my past doesn’t want to forget me and my present wants to consume me.
I am the object of desire for three dark and deranged men who show no mercy and know no limitations to their depravity.
Three men who will do anything in order to make me theirs.
To them I am a commodity. A shiny toy to be encased behind glass. Too fragile for the world around me but breakable at their whims. If need be I’ll remain their little sleeping beauty.
*In Dreams is a dark reimagining of Sleeping Beauty.*
"Do you ever think about anything other than sex?" "Yes. Torture."
me on my way to hell, fanning myself with riding crops: oh wow the tw list for this book is bigger than azriel's rumored wingspan.
(pls check out said tw list at the bottom, under the spoiler tag)
This was 1% plot and 99% porn. 100% sin. Brutal, toxic and dark aren't nearly enough to describe this book. Think of a kink? In Dreams has it. A TW? In Dreams invented it. Morals? Not in this house. Oh, and it's apparently loosely based on Sleeping Beauty, with a plus-sized goddess FMC and three very naughty boys with their very own POV. Draw your conclusions. My face was permanently stuck into my Florence Pugh Smut-Reading Pout, the whole time I was reading this
4 stars because I'm a shameless sinner. And now I'm gonna go take a bath in holy water and pray for my soul's salvation, since I've already decided I'm going to inhale the next Darkly Ever After book when it comes out. In case you're asking, it's a Goldilocks and the Three Bears kinky retelling.
Where are my depraved audiobook girlies at? Because boy, do I have a book for you.
In Dreams by Mila Crawford is pure, unfiltered sin, and the narration by Marie Hawkins, James Cassidy, and Sean Masters delivers nothing but depravity and chaos in the best possible way.
The story follows Briar, who is being sold off by her father and instead chooses to strike a deal with the devils themselves trading her freedom for protection and complete surrender. What follows is dark, twisted, and absolutely unhinged.
This is heavy spice, minimal plot, and 100% vibes. If you’re an audiobook listener who loves your dark romance violent, pitch black, and feral, this one will hit. Check trigger warnings before diving in as this book does not hold back.
Perfect for dark romance girlies who like their stories messy, sinful, and uncomfortably addictive.
I've been waiting for this book since finishing the hunt I'm living for these fairytales!!
This one, I'll be honest. I had a hard time with the timeline. I didn't enjoy the back and forth between past and present. But that was me..
Briar hates that her father and the Mafia life has her freedom she just wants to live. She overhears about herself being sold she doesn't know when, but she wants to do things on her time. So she and Ezra, her old childhood friend (who's distancing himself from her), take matters into their own twisted way. She gave up her v-card in the forest in a very rough dirty way. It was hot and steamy between them, but he walked away, causing a little heartbreak. Now it's shifts between the present time of her already in the deal with the guys and boy it was HOTTTTT watching them screw around, and with that, "gloryhole" lorddd hawttt Then it went back to the past on how the deal was made between the group, and their first group activity was delicious.
I didn't have a fave. i enjoyed all 3 men together with Briar and the relationship between them. Mal and Dari had amazing chemistry and relationships, plus they were funny together. I did hope that Briar would've made them grovel alil more just for funnies.. with the stunt they pulled near the end.
I can't wait for the next book, which happens to be Goldielocks
Om drama, No cheating, Drama, sexy times, virgin gal sorta manwhores (in past.. present time was mentioned she screwed ppls)
Recommend-yes Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️ Heat level-🌶🌶🌶🌶
Slowinsta MF MMMF MMF MM Slight push away from one H&h Seperation (few years) Sharing Air tight Anal play/sex Praise kink Degradation Somnophilia Watersports (not between the mains) Dubcon-non con Snowballing Breath play DVP Cum play Exhibitionism Voyagerism Pet play Pregnancy Coercion No condom Torture Mentions of CSA DP Knife play Blood play Choking CNC Daddy kink Violence Hea Epilogue
This was a short and fast pace book not very plot driven this was just what i was looking for! the spice is SPICYYY i love a mmmf 🤭🖤 i want to be his lil fawn
i suggest if you need something to read to get out of a little book slump
🌶️ pierced MC 🌶️ touch her you die 🌶️ gore/ violence 🌶️ free use 🌶️ humiliation 🌶️ multiple POVS 🌶️ blood/ knife play 🌶️ degradation 🌶️ dom/sub 🌶️ MMMF
I was very kindly given the opportunity to listen to an early copy of the audiobook for this book and I overall enjoyed it! I loved the narrators and how they brought the characters to life and the relationship between the characters as well. However my rating is a little bit lower because of personal preference to parts of the warnings which I always know is a hit or miss for me. But overall I loved how it was a why choose where the boyfriends are also boyfriends and really enjoyed the authors writing style so I definitely can’t wait to try more of her books that might be better suited for me 🥰
I received In Dreams as an ARC and as per usual with all of Mila's books; it was sinfully fantastic!
In Dreams is book 2 in the Darkly Ever After Series by Mila Crawford but you don't need to read the first one to enjoy the filthy goodness of this story. I did enjoy the one-liner at the end about Noelle. IYKYK. The Darkly Ever After Series is a re-imagining of classic fairy tales that are dark, depraved and just down right filthy dirty. In Dreams is a sleeping beauty tale where our 3 heros; Ezra, Malachi & Dariyus are nefariously active with their curvy plus sized heroine Briar Rose who they have made a deal with to be "theirs" for two years in order to gain her freedom. Love the body positivity and how much her men worship her bigger body in this story.
Briar Rose lives in a world where women are traded as commodities. The only value they have are as bargainning chips for men who crave more power. When Briar is sold to sadistic old man by her father; her best friend, protector and the man who is secretly obsessed with her; Ezra steps in to help. Ezra quickly realizes though that he wants to share his obsession with Briar with his two best friends and lovers Malachi & Dariyus.
If Br33ding kink, degred@ation, pr@aise and S0mn0philia is your jam that you need to pick this up immediately as it is packed with all of the juicy goodness. Briar is an amazing heroine that uses her limited resources in order to live her life on her terms, making three very powerful men succumb to her wants and needs.
This is a why choose, enter at your own risk, primal, dubcon, daddy, CNC, violent and sexy novella that will have you reaching for the battery operated devices mid-read. Do yourself a favour and seriously read the trigger warnings ahead of time. This is meant to be over the top and deliciously dirty.
Marie Hawkins, James Cassidy and Sean Masters knocked this audiobook out of the park! Please check trigger warnings before embarking on this journey. This is MMMF, very dark and very spicy!
Our FMC Briar is destined to be sold by her father to the highest bidder. In order to escape that fate, she turns to her childhood friend, Ezra. He, along with his best friends Dariyus and Malachi, take Briar in. The cost being that she is theirs to use as they please for the next several years. Compared to what she was destined for, this is a welcome reprieve.
When Briar’s deadline approaches, the guys aren’t ready to let her go, and they’ll do anything to keep her.
4.5 Update after audiobook reread It's been exactly one year since my first read and, well, what a good thing it is that I have such a bad memory because why did I actually initially think this was my first time reading the book. 😂
I enjoyed In Dreams just as much as the first time, even more so maybe, considering how amazing the narration was! Mila Crawford really is the queen of narrator choices.
All of them did an amazing job and I know, I say this about a lot of audiobooks but in Mila Crawford books, the narration is always next level. Sean Masters in particular deserves an extra acknowledgment - while I can’t speak on the pronunciation of his farsi, the Persian accent was SO on point it made me feel right at home.
And, once again, now more than ever, I have a ton of extra appreciation for Mila’s book for how she includes Iran - the history, the culture, the people - into her stories. The dedication alone made me cry.
Thank you so much to Mila Crawford for an ALC of In Dreams!
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So this book hinted at a good plot, then said fuck it. And you know what? Good for it! Neglect that storyline because honestly, it wasn’t needed imo. It was enough to give an intriguing framework (and for personal reasons I especially loved the cultural details thrown in like sprinkles that make the cake extra special)
This promises to be a dark spicy book of under 200 pages and it was exactly that! It was hot and depraved. That’s the focus Mila promised and she delivered!
And honestly, to someone who reads a lot it was so refreshing to not go through the same push and pull arc this time but focus on the core and the results.
If there’s one thing that I found missing personally it’s that I sadly didn’t feel the love the guys have for each other as much. I see the respect and appreciation and they talk about it, but other than the early scene with E and D it fell a tiny bit short for me. Which, too, is perfectly fine because not only is this super subjective but also the story wasn’t about their love for each other but their love for B! It’s just something I noticed I personally missed a bit.
Were I the FMC, I personally would’ve been mad as hell in the end but, surprise, I’m not B. And for B it works. It’s ok that she’s not more angry. I love how this worked out for them and it’s actually rare that a book makes me throughly enjoy this trope 😂🖤
It's rare for me to not finish a book but I just couldn't get into this one. Barely past the 30% and I just put it down.
The smut is great and I have nothing against degradation and the such. I just couldn't get into it. I felt like I was thrown into a world I had 0 knowledge of. Yes, some smutt don't have much of a storyline but at least a basic worldbuilding so that it feels anchored into some sort of reality.
This does not mean that for many the novella was good, great even. The author went into very descriptive spice and that's always a plus but yeah, I just couldn't get into it.
Ok now I actually enjoyed the first book. I liked the way the story played out. But this one, it just felt too discombobulated. The back and forth from 5 years, 2 years, present day etc. the idea/concept or the story I liked and was intrigued by. But I kept getting whiplash! It was hard to follow what was happening, when it was happening. Plus although the 🌶️ scenes were very hot, some of them didn’t make sense. As in positions and angles just didn’t make sense. And it’s a shame.
Eh. I DNF'ed at 50%. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for a Mila Crawford book, or maybe this one is just even less plot driven than The Hunt. I will say, I got to 50% in under an hour, so it's a quick read for sure and you don't have a ton to lose by trying it if it's at all appealing to you. The timeline made me a little dizzy and I think only added to the lack of plot in the story.
HOT HOT HOT!! Mila Crawford books never disappoint in the over the top sexiness and downright naughtiness that touches almost every page. This Why Choose novel is no different. This Darkly Ever After Series just keeps getting better and better!!
These men are so dirty in everyway. They have the dirty talk and actions down to sheer perfection. They are beyond sexy and their actions are so sinful I think the devil would even blush. These 3 men Ezra, Dariyus, Malachi consume their woman, Briar with everything they have and need. She is their's and they will do anything to keep her that way. They are a bit psychotic so be prepared. Some of their actions are definately borderline insane but it is so hot to see how much she means to them and how they each have their own unique style to demonstrate that to her.
Briar knew the only person who could save her from the terrible fate her father has bestowed upon her is Ezra but she knows he is a packaged deal so she will accept whatever they want because she needs them in more ways then one! Sit back and enjoy the ride and the show because their story is going to leave you breathless and fully satsified. Happy Reading!!!
This cast is ELITE! They did beyond AMAZING! I love every single narrator and I can’t say I have a favorite because they all are. They played the characters so well! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
This read is definitely a short-fast-paced smutty and filthy time! However, it had a great storyline that is empowering and it had great plot! I loved getting to know each character and even though their stories are sad it’s beautiful all they’ve overcome. I really loved Briar. She was so fearless, determined and strong! I LOVE THAT! I can’t pick a favorite MMC because I liked them all. I’m definitely like Briar, why choose 😜
‘I want to rule my life as I deem fit. To be the narrator of my story. The captain of my ship, holding onto the sails and forging them with might to face strong winds and survive.’
‘I didn’t believe in my power. Men might be physically stronger, but women give them life.’
‘Well, looks like she didn’t want the monster, but that doesntnatter, huh? Cause if she can’t be the beauty in our arm, she might as well be the sleeping beauty in our bed.’
Hope you add this to your TBR! Especially the audio! 🎧🔥 It’s on KU! Read the TW‼️⚠️⚠️
I am convinced there is something laced in Mila’s books, because I am addicted!! 🖤
At a Glance: Briar is sold by her father to settle a debt and when she realizes escape isn’t an option, she turns to her childhood friend Ezra for help. But Ezra doesn’t offer freedom without a price. His deal pulls Briar into the orbit of two other men, Malachi and Dariyus, and suddenly survival, protection, and desire all start to blur together. I listened to the entire book in one sitting, alone. 🤭 I started out loving Ezra and ended up obsessed with Dariyus!
What a voice cast! Marie Hawkins, James Cassidy, and Sean Masters were all amazing in portraying the characters and the spicy scenes were so 🔥🔥.
My first time listening to Marie and I love her! Sean’s Persian accent was 🫠. And James as both Ezra and Malachi? Absolutely unhinged. 🥵
This sleeping beauty retelling is not for the faint of heart, but so good! It was dark, dirty and made you love these men so much. ‘Briar’ needs a way out of her life, trying to avoid becoming a pawn in this sick deal her father drags her into. Her only way out is to made a deal with these men, who are probably the most morally grey men I’ve ever read about. They all form this polyamorous relationship, but there’s so much that plays into it. Please, for the love of everything unholy, read the trigger warnings! Do not blame the author for things you stumble across that you didn’t want to read about.. This is not a beginner romance book by any means!
I loved this book. It's definitely something i wouldn't normally read but it was still a great book. I love that its so different from most books and how we see a darker aspect of Dark Romance. I love that our female main character is so strong and I love that she loves everything her men do to her. I found it interesting that they took their trauma out during sex but I'm glad that they were all able to enjoy it. I loved that they rescued her from a terrible fate and that she agreed to go live with them and be theirs forever.
Well, I can officially say this is the filthiest book I’ve read so far. There is HEAVY degradation in this, so if that isn’t your thing you will not like this. And also swords crossing ⚔️
I’d label this as a poly book instead of RH because the whole group is with each other and each of them have a unique relationship with each other.
Heed the TW for torture and gore, the author means it!
This is exactly what I was looking for and I’m gonna backtrack and read the first book now.
Jesus, this book was so freaking hot. I’m literally obsessed with everything Mila writes. Add in James and Sean and Marie as the narrators and I’m done for. I liked that even though it’s a pretty short book, we still got a bit of background on each of the characters to explain why they’re drawn to certain things. I fear that if Dariyus was real, and had the same voice as Sean Masters, I’d probably have to divorce my husband because I’d be getting remarried to him instead. 😂😂
Sometimes you just need some psychos in your life and Mila never fails to let me down!
Honestly her books always seem to hit at a moment when I need out of the sweet and sappy and into something a little darker and a little more…hmm best word to describe three psychotic killers…unhinged lol.
This is a dark reimagining of sleeping beauty with mafia to it. There is degradation, Dubcon, CNC, Primal, Praise, Knife Play, Blood Play, Impact Play, DP, DVP, Air Tight, Somnophila, Breath Play, Cream pie cleanup, snowballing, Breeding. So if these aren’t your kind of things, this book isn’t for you.
But the Thing about Mila’s books you can always count on, is that while all this may be going on, there isn’t one thing that her MMCs wouldn’t do for her FMCs. This book is filthy but if you wanna get a little dirty then it’s a must read.
Holy smokes! Mila’s books get dirtier with each one. I love in these MMMF that the MM is so present and it’s not all just group scenes or MF. Though the group scenes? So dang hot. These men are deranged and looney, but so perfect. Definitely so OTT and possessive, but their devotion to Briar is everything. This was so spicy and so good! Mila writes the perfect plus size/curvy FMC’s. Can never get enough from Mila books!!! Already looking forward to the next one.
2.5 stars I spent most of this book wondering where the Retelling bit came in. The answer: 85%. I don't consider that a retelling. And the whole rest of the book was just a bunch of guys degrading a girl in 3 different timelines. I'm not really a fan of either of those things, but can get behind them if done well. Which I don't feel like this was. I was excited for this series, but my expectations are really low after this. I might try one at a later date, to see if it can be redeemed.