The Dark King (Deviant Kings 1) by Gina Maxwell-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 27, 2022

For Bryn Meara, a free trip to the exclusive and ultra-luxe Nightfall hotel and casino in Vegas should’ve been the perfect way to escape the debris of her crumbling career. But waking up from a martini-and-lust-fueled night to find herself married to Caiden Verran, the reclusive billionaire who owns the hotel and most of the city, isn’t the jackpot one would think. It seems her dark and sexy new husband is actual royalty—the fae king of the Night Court—and there’s an entire world beneath the veil of Vegas.

Whether light or shadow, the fae are a far cry from fairy tales, and now they’ve made Bryn a pawn in their dark games for power. And Caiden is the most dangerous of all—an intoxicating cocktail of sin and raw, insatiable hunger. She should run. But every night of passion pulls Bryn deeper into his strange and sinister world, until she’s no longer certain she wants to leave…even if she could.

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REVIEW: THE DARK KING is the first instalment in Gina L Maxwell’s contemporary, adult DEVIANT KINGS erotic, fantasy/paranormal, BDSM romance series. This is Las Vegas Billionaire Caiden Verran, the King of the Dark Fae, and twenty-six year old PR specialist Bryn Meara’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Bryn and Caiden) THE DARK KING follows in the wake of a free trip to Vegas, and the fall-out of a night of drinking, landing Caiden Verran and Bryn Meara in the hotel’s honeymoon suite. Neither Caiden nor Bryn remembers anything about the night before but Caiden is the King of the Dark Fae, and as far as anyone knows, Bryn Meara is a human female, who is about to upset the world between the Light and the Dark Fae. Someone is targeting our story line couple, and death is the only way to separate the bonded pair. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Bryn and Caiden, and the potential fall-out as separation threatens the life of the King, and an assassin takes aim at our story line heroine.

The relationship between Bryn and Caiden begins as a manipulation but quickly turns into something more. Caiden is the Dark Fae King; a Dominant who enjoys the BDSM lifestyle, and Bryn, as his mate, is his perfect submissive but Bryn is something ‘other’; not a natural submissive, and in this, Caiden struggles with a mate who refuses to obey outside of the bedroom. Very reminiscent of the Fifty Shades of Grey premise and story line, Caiden doesn’t do relationships, and rejecting his mate, threatens both of their lives. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense with scenes of bondage, spanking, D/s role play, as well as punishment and withholding.

We are introduced to Caiden’ brothers Finnian and Tiernan; hotel assistants Fiona, as well as several humans, and Fae (both Light and Dark). The requisite evil has many faces. There may be a relationship developing between Fiona and Tiernan.

THE DARK KING is a familiar tale wrapped in a fantasy story line of Dark and Light Fae. From billionaire businessman to sexual playrooms, punishments, restraints and submission, the similarities to the aforementioned Fifty Shades series are numerous and recognizable, right down to several business practises, and the unfolding of the story time line. The fast paced premise is entertaining and enjoyable; the romance struggles in the face of perceived betrayal and manipulation; the characters are charismatic, captivating and strong. THE DARK KING ends on a bit of a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy