When Sinners Fear continues the dark but entertaining and addictive House of Skin series. The fact the Cortez family enamoured me shows how far down the rabbit hole I have gone with this series. Kudos to the authors for creating compelling and complex anti-heroes. This is a family that lives in a dark and dangerous world. A world where women are treated as chattels and sold for profit. A world where the Cortez family word is law…..and one where death is sure to find you if you attempt to double-cross them. If dark romance is your jam, then the House of Skin series will make a great addition to your reading list.
Science and study were the only important things to me. My life was a series of equations and problems to unlock, until Mom got sick. I had no choice but to go home and step into her shoes - to help when she needed me. I cooked, I cleaned, and I looked after my family. We went to church on Sundays, and I listened to quiet prayers for a miracle cure so I could get back to my own life. But I knew it wouldn’t come.That’s where I met him.He spoke of math and truth, and he flattered me with words that made me blush. What came after that destroyed everything I knew. 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 Fear
Author(s): Charlotte E. Hart, Rachel De Lune
Series: House of Skin #4
Also in this series: Darker Shades , When Sinners Fall, When Sinners Hate , When Sinners Dare , When Sinners Rise
Published by Self Published on October 23, 2023
Pages: 330
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Format: eArc 
Purchase: Amazon
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Knox Cortez took my innocence and shattered it. Aggressive. Sharp. Brutal.It made no sense to fall in love with the devil.And it made no sense to kill a man, either.But, somehow, I did both.
Note: 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 have been following the series from the start and this is the darkest and most brutal one so far. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. When Sinners Fear gives us Knox Cortez and Peyton Summer’s story. Knox, the brilliant one with the eidetic memory, the brother who deals with the financial aspect of the family’s operations. Don’t be fooled, he’s just as cold and deadly as his brothers. One should despise him, but somehow before the story concludes, readers will find themselves falling for yet another Cortez brother.
When Sinners Fear delivered a compelling tale. It tells a story of two people from different worlds forced into a dangerous situation where they had no choice, but to rely on each other for survival. A situation where despite its brutal, scary and cringe worthy moments led to the development of unexpected romantic feelings.
Peyton is a sweet and innocent young woman who demonstrated courage throughout the story. She took a leave of absence from her PhD studies to help in the care of her mom. Unknown to her, she caught the eye of one of the most dangerous criminals. Knox love his women pure and untouched. He is not looking for a long term relationship, and Peyton would satisfy his hunger. His decision to take her on a date would change the trajectory of both their lives in the most unpleasant of ways. Because of his sister’s actions in the previous book, When Sinners Dare, Knox and Peyton paid dearly.
The person responsible for their pain, misery and humiliation ended up paying dearly with his life. He deserved it after what he put Peyton true, and to think before all of this I was hoping he would escape the Cortez wrath. This one definitely test your boundaries, so heed the trigger warnings.
Knox is not one to feel empathy for women, given the type of business he conducts. As such his need to protect Peyton from their tormentors confuses him. He does it anyway and in the best way he could, given their circumstances. Right there and then, one recognises that he does have a heart. This was further highlighted in his show of guilt and remorse for what he had to do to ensure Peyton survived the ordeal. They both struggled with accepting their feelings for each other.
The first half of the book detailed their meeting and the ordeal they went through. The second half dealt with the after-effects of their horrifying experience. The second half was a little tamer, with the author’s infusing some sweet moments which will leave readers with a smile. I sure love that lovely surprise, which brought out Knox’s softer side.
When Sinners Fear was another great addition to the series.
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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:
Once in a while I get in the mood for something dark and intense. This looks like a good series.