When I started the House of Skin series, I did so with little expectations. Three books later and I am completely hooked. The Cortez family is not what one would call typical. After all, they are involved in questionable, stomach turning activities. The family includes a matriarch, four brothers and one sister. Book one and two focused on the two coldest brothers. When Sinners Dare, book number three focuses on the lone female sibling Mariana Cortez.
Eight years - done. Eight years of hatred and trouble and guards. A new job and new life should've meant everything to me. I just had some vengeance to deliver first, and then I’d get settled in San Antonio and forget the past. Live a civilised life - a normal nine to five. That was the plan at least. But then she happened. Mariana Cortez. Beautiful. Smart. Deadly. She was the spark I didn't need. She lit the fire and stoked the flames, leading me away from the light I hoped for. She showed me the evil that exists, and before long she was the answer to every question I’d ever had. Turns out, the right woman will push you over the edge. Especially when the dark you’ve known is nothing in comparison to hers. The House Of Skin Series deals with themes some may be uncomfortable with. These are bad men who make no apologies for their particular trade. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: When Sinners Dare
Author(s): Charlotte E. Hart, Rachel De Lune
Series: House of Skin #3
Also in this series: Darker Shades , When Sinners Fall, When Sinners Hate , When Sinners Fear, When Sinners Rise
Published by Self Published on May 15, 2023
Pages: 328
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Format: eArc 
Purchase: Amazon
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As the lone female sibling, Marianna Cortez spent most of her life trying to prove herself worthy of the Cortez name. Her mother treated her like trash and her brothers, despite being protective of her, considered her weak and incapable. She can never seem to do anything right in their eyes. Then tragedy struck, fueling their belief in her incapability. Then she meets Kai, the one man who stood up to her brothers and live to tell the tale, scars and all.
Kai and Mariana shared an intense connection. When they met, Kai thought her beautiful. After spending eight years in prison, he is looking for peace, quiet and a good woman. Little did he know falling for her would pull him into a life worse than the one he left behind.
Even-paced, intense and engrossing. Yes! When Sinners Dare covered a few uncomfortable topics, but one stuck it out to see the route it would take and the life-changing decisions the characters would make. This series is for readers who enjoy reading about characters who, although evil to the core, crave the love of a good partner. The burning desire for power and money at any cost drives the actions of this family. The sound of the Cortez name drove fear into their enemies and associates.
Although not as dark as the previous books, When Sinners Dare explored avenues which will leave readers feeing upset. The Cortez brother’s treatment of Marianna, though not surprising, was upsetting. They claimed to care for her but treated her almost on the same level they did the women they trafficked. It goes to show if she wasn’t their sister, she would become their property. However, Mariana stood her ground. She fought long and hard battle for their respect.
The story showed Kai exploring and eventually becoming a part of the Cortez world. Honestly, I hoped for a different outcome, but given the vein of the story, I knew my hopes would be in vain. The activities he engaged chipped away at him piece by piece and soon, every ounce of empathy he once possessed slowly leaked from his soul. The things one would do in the name of love.
Readers looking to walk on the dark side in the fictional world this series would make the perfect addition to your reading list.
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About Charlotte E. Hart
Charlotte is a Dark Erotic Suspense/Romance author living in the heart of the Shropshire countryside in Great Britain. She’s lived all over the UK, but finally settled in a small town that still reeks of old school England. Writing and poetry have become a revolution for the soul, and she cherishes every second that she’s sitting at the laptop tapping her way into a new character. “Life is a torrent of differences, different needs and wants, and it doesn’t always end that well. Yet we strive …” Most of Charlotte’s work is intended for mature audiences only.
About Rachel De Lune
Rachel began scribbling her stories in the pages of a notebook several years ago and still can’t resist putting pen to real paper. What ifs are turned into heartfelt stories of love where there will always be a HEA. Rachel lives in the South West of England and if she’s not writing HEAs, she’s probably reading them. She is a wife and has a beautiful daughter.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
I used to be able to read dark or semi dark books and I just don’t like them much anymore.
I think this one might be too dark for me. I need happier books at the moment. 😀