Darker Shades is definitely not for the faint hearted. Going in, I knew this would be a dark romance, but it was so much darker than expected.  A well written story with interesting characters, but the premise was not one I would have gravitated towards. As you can see the blurb provided no information as what to expect when diving into the story.

In the initial stages of the story I considered giving upon the story. However, the authors’ engaging style of writing held me captive. The story piqued my curiosity and so I continued reading.  I had to know how the main characters would escape the precarious situation they were in. A situation created by the hero because of his insatiable greed for money. Although not a candidate for sainthood, he abhorred the situation he got caught up in, forcing him to formulate a creative way to to extricate himself  as well as the heroine and the other women involved from it. His immediate attraction to the heroine also played a part in influencing his decision to double cross the Cortez brothers.

The parts leading up to the execution of the plan and the aftermath had me on the edge of my seat.  The story featured disturbing events such as human trafficking, kidnapping and rape.

Darker Shades was an interesting but disturbing tale.

Story Evaluation
Plot	3
Characters	3
World Building	4
Writing Style	4
Pacing	4
Cover	3
Enjoyment	3
Ending	3
Overall:

Title: When Sinners Fall
Author(s): Charlotte E. Hart, Rachel De Lune
Series: House of Skin #1
Also in this series: When Sinners Hate , When Sinners Dare , When Sinners Fear, When Sinners Rise
Published by Self Published on November 14, 2022
Pages: 322
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Format: eArc

Purchase: Amazon
Rating:
Series Rating:
Heat Level:

Coming back to San Antonio wasn’t on my radar, but life happens. Fresh from heartbreak, I have a brand new job to keep me occupied and I'm ready to start over. I’ll be dreaming up weddings for the rich and privileged, delivering their perfect day - their perfect fantasy. Those fantasies look nothing like mine, though. Mine are mysterious and threatening and full of intensity.All make believe, of course. Until it isn’t.
Dante Cortez came at me like a dark saviour with sin on his lips. Dangerous. Demanding. Deadly.The boy I knew was long gone. And I wasn’t ready for the man he'd become.
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.

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.

 

Reading a romance novel featuring an antihero is not the norm for me. So learning the rest of the series focused on the Cortez brothers made me curious to learn if they possessed the capacity to fall in love. When Sinners Fall features Dante Cortez and Wren Campbell.

Dante, known as the Dragon to both his enemies and family, is not a man one should think to cross. A man without a heart and who does several questionable things throughout the story. He makes no apologies and feels no remorse for his actions. He may be cold, evil, but one thing he is not is disloyal. In relation to his family, his loyalty knows no bounds. I was prepared not to like him after learning of the evil he’s capable of. However, after getting to know him through his experiences, my understanding of his nature changed. I liked him and sympathized with him but didn’t like his actions.

Wren certainly had the gumption needed to deal with a man like Dante. She challenged him every step of the way. Their interaction ranged between smooth and volatile, but Wren stood her ground with each scenario. I understood his need to protect her, but his response to her challenging him was overbearing and possessive. Wren’s attraction to danger made it easy for her to enter Dante’s world. She knew of his involvement in illegal activities, but she was oblivious to dirty and repulsive side of it. The discovery of the role her man played shocked her senses, but it never changed her feelings towards him.

Dante had a rough childhood, and the one person who helped him to survive those difficult times was Wren. The connection they shared then survived distance and years.

The story is well paced and engaging. I was curious to learn how it would unfold. I was especially interested in Wren’s reaction to learning that Dante the man was so different from Dante the boy.

Overall, When Sinners Fall is an intriguing story which readers who enjoy dark stories will appreciate.

Story Evaluation
Plot	4
Characters	4.5
World Building	4
Writing Style	5
Pacing	5
Cover	4.5
Enjoyment	4
Ending	4
Overall:

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.

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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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