Cruel Intentions

As always check the trigger warnings! This is the first book in the Blackmore University series but can be read as a standalone or out of order (as I did).

In this story we meet Kaye and Xavier, step-brother and step-sister although they did not grow up together. Now Kaye has turned 18 and is off to college Xavier is now ready to break her, as revenge for her mum breaking up his dad's marriage. Initially the bully aspects plays into their interactions a lot, although as Kaye realises her attraction to him they become more involved and both their feelings start to develop. There are dubious consent moments, some I would classify as non-consensual, although it happens off page. The other spice is great and although it was a hot and angsty romance I ultimately was not really rooting for these two to stay together particularly with how it ended.

The other books in the series were more engaging stories in my opinion but I'm still glad to have read all three to see the opposing perspectives from other characters. I look forward to more in this series in the future.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 ↴

🥀 Dub-Con

💀 Step Siblings

🥀 Phone Tracking

💀 Sex On A Grave

🥀 Enemies to Lovers

💀 Surprise Pregnancy

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ↴

Oh lord, I don’t know what I was expecting when I got into this book. Xavier is one sick individual but his father, uff. And to think I was on his side when I read the prequel, I thought for sure he no longer wanted his wife because of her attitude but turns out that man was worse than I thought. Kaye got on my nerves when she was defending her mother, acting like her mother wasn’t to blame for a wrecked home, like she didn’t know that the man was married. I’m glad to see the growth in Xavier though, he realized his father wasn’t as good as he thought he was and owned up to his issues and mistakes when it came to Kaye’s mother and his hatred towards her. This book does have the surprise pregnancy trope (surprise to the FMC not so much to the MMC) but it is more towards the end of the book. If you want a book that will have you questioning your morals and saying “wtf did I just read?” a couple times throughout the book, then this is it.

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ↴

Stalking, blackmail, some violence. Mention of spousal and child abuse, references to rape, dubious consent, knife play, chocking, somnophilia, primal play and breeding.

𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲? ⇝ Yes

🫧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫 🫧

This is an Advanced Reader copy. Although this book was given to me as an ARC my thoughts are my own.

🫧 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 📖