Scan barcode
shinyfox's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Rape, Blood, Death, and Gore
Minor: Kidnapping and Pregnancy
dezzella's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Confinement, Violence, Sexual content, Gore, and Murder
changeusernamel8r's review
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
HEA, M/F
3rd Dual POV
Standalone
Explicit open-door
Tropes/details: - MCs finding each other ugly at first
- MMC obsessed with FMC scent
- FMC bathing MMC
- FMC putting MMC head on her lap
- One bed
- Touch her and I'll kill you vibes
- FMC playing with MMC hair
- Pet name used: baby
- 3rd act breakup
- No epilogue
Kinks:Hand job, FMC and MMC oral, vaginal penetration, FMC teaching him how to pleasure her, squirting.
MMC description:Virgin, "Villain" but is good (morally gray), prtoective and very possessive, brutal but innocent inside.
- Physical: Between 7 and 7½ feet, grey skin, normal cock, dark hair, tail, fangs and claws.
FMC description: - Personality: Bossy, ex-teacher, constantly fussing over MMC, strong-minded, snarling.
- Physical: golden-brown hair, thin, pale skin, average height, gray eyes.
3rd Dual POV
Standalone
Explicit open-door
Tropes/details:
- MMC obsessed with FMC scent
- FMC bathing MMC
- FMC putting MMC head on her lap
- One bed
- Touch her and I'll kill you vibes
- FMC playing with MMC hair
- Pet name used: baby
- 3rd act breakup
- No epilogue
Kinks:
MMC description:
- Physical: Between 7 and 7½ feet, grey skin, normal cock, dark hair, tail, fangs and claws.
FMC description:
- Physical: golden-brown hair, thin, pale skin, average height, gray eyes.
I like her more than soft blankets, more than the best meals. I like her more than the fresh breeze on my face when we're outside. I would choose her over all of that.
She automatically leans over and puts her mouth on my sticks, eating, and I freeze, stunned. Her mouth was just on my sticks. She goes back to her bowl, and I quickly shove my sticks into my mouth, hoping to taste her. It just tastes like dinner, though. Disappointing.
He's adorable.
My opinion:
I loved the first 50%, and how Mina and Crulden got to know and trust each other. That was my favorite part.
Also I just loved Crulden with his naivety yet his possessiveness of Mina, and how she also took care of him and how both wanted to protect each other, he physically and she with her cunning.
I definitely have something for threatening, dangerous aliens who are very soft and a little naive on the inside.
I just wish we were shown more about them together when finally free. And their interactions lost focus at the ending because of them escaping their confinement, but they didn't even participate in that, it was conveniently solved.
And personally I didn't like the 3rd act breakup.
Last 30% of the book felt meh, I was really liking the book before that.
I'll still recommend this to someone who wants a little break from other books or genres.
CW detailed:
- Torture/Mutilation: On page but not explicit MMC is physically hurt and his finger is cut so he has scars and looks like someone else.
Is mention and given a little of detail how in a video a gladiator dismembers other competitors and rapes then kills and dismember a woman slave too.
- Sexual Assault: FMC is in not assaulted but is constantly mentioning how she is worried about that, so the threat and worry lasts most of the book.
- Murder: MMC kills a lot of the guards who keep him captive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Sexual content, Death, Drug use, and Confinement
Moderate: Blood and Torture
Minor: Sexual assault
Sexual assault was to character off page and was not graphic.littlewishling's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was wondering if we'd find out what was going on with Crulden and Dixon delivered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Kidnapping
katiekeske's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a dark, monster romance between a genetically modified alien and a human slave. The male love interest, Crulden the Ruiner, is essentially a prisoner whose owner plans to use him as a gladiator. Crulden has no memory of who he is or his past. The same owner has enslaved a human woman to be the janitor of the prison block Crulden is kept in.
If you have triggers for r@pe, you may be wary of reading this. Read the content warnings at the beginning of the book. Basically, the love interest in this never harms Mina. Her owner has no interest in her sexually either. The main triggering event I would say isin a video that Mina watches of past Crulden the Ruiner r@ping and killing in the arena during a gladiator match. There is a plot twist that occurs later to help explain things.
I don't normally read dark romances, but this one was well done. The triggering event was pretty upsetting, and I wasn't sure how Mina and Crulden could get through it, but there is a plot twist that helps.
I liked Mina. She's a strong character that knows what she wants and is clever.
If you have triggers for r@pe, you may be wary of reading this. Read the content warnings at the beginning of the book. Basically, the love interest in this never harms Mina. Her owner has no interest in her sexually either. The main triggering event I would say is
I don't normally read dark romances, but this one was well done. The triggering event was pretty upsetting, and I wasn't sure how Mina and Crulden could get through it, but there is a plot twist that helps.
I liked Mina. She's a strong character that knows what she wants and is clever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Violence, Slavery, Sexual content, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Rape
Minor: Classism
The rape and sexual violence occurs in a video that the heroine watches.sunnysky's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I love the chemistry and the story of the slave and the Gladiator. The ML was a Cinnamon Roll, and a badass beast too~
And considering his memory loss and environment, it made the slight instalove totally understandable and believable (a rare trope for me to like!).
The only gripes I have deal with the ending. Both the ML and FL are kinda passive because of their hostage situation, and I wish they could have been a bit more active in their escape/release, which was very diplomatic and done by people outside of themselves. It was probably more realistic, but as someone who hasn't really gotten into the IPB series, these random people showing up and saving the day was a bit anti-climactic.
But still. I'm SO happy for them and their HEA :)
And considering his memory loss and environment, it made the slight instalove totally understandable and believable (a rare trope for me to like!).
The only gripes I have deal with the ending. Both the ML and FL are kinda passive because of their hostage situation, and I wish they could have been a bit more active in their escape/release, which was very diplomatic and done by people outside of themselves. It was probably more realistic, but as someone who hasn't really gotten into the IPB series, these random people showing up and saving the day was a bit anti-climactic.
But still. I'm SO happy for them and their HEA :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Sexual content
Minor: Kidnapping, Torture, Murder, and Xenophobia
wilybooklover's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
3.0
This was weird, but overall I liked it. The main characters were very cute together. But I think I would have liked it more if they had some sort of agency in their lives before the very end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and Sexual violence
caitlinemccann's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Confinement, Sexual content, and Blood
Moderate: Classism, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
mothercoconuts's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I have no reasonable reason for loving this as much as I do but my god if I can’t give this anything less than 5/5!!!
I don’t read romance, but something about this hooked me from the start and I was swooning like all the bookish girls do over sappy romances and smutty books! First time that happened to me, so it definitely has something!
I loveddddd Mina and Crulden (especially him omg 🥺) and was rooting for them so hard. There was no incredibly frustrating periods of them hating each other bc one found out something that made them mad (my most hated trope) but we’re just so cute together!!
I also loved the world and would like to read more about it! Really liked the premise, setting, and plot a lot.
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
I don’t read romance, but something about this hooked me from the start and I was swooning like all the bookish girls do over sappy romances and smutty books! First time that happened to me, so it definitely has something!
I loveddddd Mina and Crulden (especially him omg 🥺) and was rooting for them so hard. There was no incredibly frustrating periods of them hating each other bc one found out something that made them mad (my most hated trope) but we’re just so cute together!!
I also loved the world and would like to read more about it! Really liked the premise, setting, and plot a lot.
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Cursing, and Slavery
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Rape