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Ravenous #1
Step Darkly
THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THIS STORY.
WHAT IF THEY ARE BOTH WRONG?
When Emilia returns to face the man she ran away from five years earlier, she's determined to cut him out of her life for good, but things have changed. This time Joshua is holding all the cards and he's got other plans.
JOSHUA DARKLY
Emilia is a spoiled brat who's had life handed to her on a silver platter, and she takes everything I worked my ass off to have for granted.
Living off of daddy's dime, her free ride is about to come to a screeching halt. She's heading back here—to the place she should have never run away from—to settle her father's estate.
She's confident she is the sole heir to all of her father's possessions, including the company I helped him build, but I have a surprise for her. Not only am I the new owner of Connor Realty, but I'm also her mentor and guardian for the period of one year.
She has a lot of anger, and I'm patiently waiting for her to test her boundaries with me.
She'll push her luck one too many times, and I can't wait to show her how dark my beast has become in her absence.
EMILIA CONNOR
I left home five years ago and never looked back until my father died of a sudden heart attack.
Now I'm back to settle his estate and face my demons. Well, one demon in particular: Joshua Darkly, the reason I left in the first place.
Because of a stipulation in my father's will, it looks like I'm here to stay for a while. I've been declared Joshua's ward for a period of one year, and if I don't complete my time, I'll lose everything.
I'll swallow my pride and serve my sentence, but I'm not going down without a fight. I'll challenge his patience every chance I get without getting too close to him.
Even now, after everything that's happened, I am drawn to him and it's something I need to face head on and cut out of my life before it consumes me whole.
* While Step Darkly is part of the RAVENOUS series, each book can be read on its own.
WHAT IF THEY ARE BOTH WRONG?
When Emilia returns to face the man she ran away from five years earlier, she's determined to cut him out of her life for good, but things have changed. This time Joshua is holding all the cards and he's got other plans.
JOSHUA DARKLY
Emilia is a spoiled brat who's had life handed to her on a silver platter, and she takes everything I worked my ass off to have for granted.
Living off of daddy's dime, her free ride is about to come to a screeching halt. She's heading back here—to the place she should have never run away from—to settle her father's estate.
She's confident she is the sole heir to all of her father's possessions, including the company I helped him build, but I have a surprise for her. Not only am I the new owner of Connor Realty, but I'm also her mentor and guardian for the period of one year.
She has a lot of anger, and I'm patiently waiting for her to test her boundaries with me.
She'll push her luck one too many times, and I can't wait to show her how dark my beast has become in her absence.
EMILIA CONNOR
I left home five years ago and never looked back until my father died of a sudden heart attack.
Now I'm back to settle his estate and face my demons. Well, one demon in particular: Joshua Darkly, the reason I left in the first place.
Because of a stipulation in my father's will, it looks like I'm here to stay for a while. I've been declared Joshua's ward for a period of one year, and if I don't complete my time, I'll lose everything.
I'll swallow my pride and serve my sentence, but I'm not going down without a fight. I'll challenge his patience every chance I get without getting too close to him.
Even now, after everything that's happened, I am drawn to him and it's something I need to face head on and cut out of my life before it consumes me whole.
* While Step Darkly is part of the RAVENOUS series, each book can be read on its own.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2022
About the author
Luna Kayne
22 books164 followersFollow Luna on BookBub for the latest on sales and new releases: bookbub.com/profile/luna-kayne
Luna Kayne is a multi-genre romance author located in Canada. She writes dark romantic suspense with a hint of humor and a heaping dose of angst. Her men are dominant and often stubborn, and her women are often underestimated.
Luna enjoys gardening, dislikes long winters, and she doesn’t understand how commas work (thankfully, her editor does).
Luna Kayne is a multi-genre romance author located in Canada. She writes dark romantic suspense with a hint of humor and a heaping dose of angst. Her men are dominant and often stubborn, and her women are often underestimated.
Luna enjoys gardening, dislikes long winters, and she doesn’t understand how commas work (thankfully, her editor does).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
June 9, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book Length: Novel
POV: Alternating Dual
Heat Level: Low
Frequency of Sex: Low
Angst Level: Medium
Standalone or Series: Standalone
Cliffhanger: No
Thoughts on Ending: Rushed ending; not very satisfying.
Would I Recommend? No
My Review: I think this book started off good, the premise was fairly interesting as two former step-siblings, who hated each other growing up, come together after the death of their father (and father figure). The book seemed to try to walk the line with domination/submission but it didn’t feel right. Joshua was just pretty much a jerk to Emilia and Emilia was such a weak character. It took a VERY long time for the H/h to get together and then it was lackluster and I had lost interest in their whole relationship development. The ending was rushed and unfulfilling. Unfortunately this wasn’t the book for me.
Disclosures: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book Length: Novel
POV: Alternating Dual
Heat Level: Low
Frequency of Sex: Low
Angst Level: Medium
Standalone or Series: Standalone
Cliffhanger: No
Thoughts on Ending: Rushed ending; not very satisfying.
Would I Recommend? No
My Review: I think this book started off good, the premise was fairly interesting as two former step-siblings, who hated each other growing up, come together after the death of their father (and father figure). The book seemed to try to walk the line with domination/submission but it didn’t feel right. Joshua was just pretty much a jerk to Emilia and Emilia was such a weak character. It took a VERY long time for the H/h to get together and then it was lackluster and I had lost interest in their whole relationship development. The ending was rushed and unfulfilling. Unfortunately this wasn’t the book for me.
Disclosures: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 27, 2024
So this book sucked me in with the title. I 🖤 the stepbrother trope and this did not disappoint. The characters and plot are really good 😊.
There is BDSM in this book more towards the end, which I’m not a fan of but I was aware going in so that didn’t factor in to the rating for me. Nor did it diminish how much I liked the book. I just skipped a bit of it.
There is BDSM in this book more towards the end, which I’m not a fan of but I was aware going in so that didn’t factor in to the rating for me. Nor did it diminish how much I liked the book. I just skipped a bit of it.
January 24, 2021
You can physically feel the tension from start to finish in this story. I can identify with Emilia so much in her uncertainty towards the things she doesn't understand about herself. Joshua has a will that can bust concrete walls and is such a powerful force. The inner struggles within these two draw you deep into this story and I loved it!
May 4, 2022
Joshua Darkly’s mom Cordelia started dating her boss, Adam Connor. Adam built Connor Realty from the ground up. Adam married Joshua’s mom and moved them into his home with his daughter Emilia and the live in housekeeper. He was 13 at the time. Emilia is five years younger than Joshua and wasn’t ready to accept a stepmother and stepbrother. Emilia watches Cordelia be mean to her and the staff when Adam wasn’t home and Emilia caught her cheating on her dad. As soon as Emilia could, she left for college.
Adam divorced Cordelia who almost bankrupted Adam and his business. However, Adam bounced back and still took care of Joshua. He mentored him and had Joshua work his way up at Connor Realty. Joshua hates Emilia because his mother told him that Adam divorced her because of lies Emilia told Adam. He also hates her because it looks like she is being a spoiled brat. Joshua hates that Adam was upset and concerned about Emilia. Adam thought she was running around at bars instead of focusing on her studies.
In reality, Emilia got a job at the library and a job at a bar so she wouldn’t have to use her trust fund. Instead of setting up her own checking account, she put her paychecks back into her trust fund account. She wanted to make her dad proud.
Adam dies of a heart attack at 53 and Emilia never got a chance to reconcile with him. She hates Joshua and his mom for forcing Adam to choose them. She is now home after 5 years for the funeral and reading of the will.
The will states that Emilia must come home to finish college and work at Connor Realty for the next year learning the business from Joshua. He will be her mentor and he will be in charge of her money. He will give her an allowance. If after a year, Joshua feels Emilia has learned the business, then they will be equal partners in Connor Realty. If she doesn’t fulfill the stipulations of the will, she gets nothing. She will have no trust fund and no money to finish school.
Will Emilia stay? Will she be able to work with Joshua and abide by his rules? Do they really hate each other? Will they find out the real truth about each other?
Adam divorced Cordelia who almost bankrupted Adam and his business. However, Adam bounced back and still took care of Joshua. He mentored him and had Joshua work his way up at Connor Realty. Joshua hates Emilia because his mother told him that Adam divorced her because of lies Emilia told Adam. He also hates her because it looks like she is being a spoiled brat. Joshua hates that Adam was upset and concerned about Emilia. Adam thought she was running around at bars instead of focusing on her studies.
In reality, Emilia got a job at the library and a job at a bar so she wouldn’t have to use her trust fund. Instead of setting up her own checking account, she put her paychecks back into her trust fund account. She wanted to make her dad proud.
Adam dies of a heart attack at 53 and Emilia never got a chance to reconcile with him. She hates Joshua and his mom for forcing Adam to choose them. She is now home after 5 years for the funeral and reading of the will.
The will states that Emilia must come home to finish college and work at Connor Realty for the next year learning the business from Joshua. He will be her mentor and he will be in charge of her money. He will give her an allowance. If after a year, Joshua feels Emilia has learned the business, then they will be equal partners in Connor Realty. If she doesn’t fulfill the stipulations of the will, she gets nothing. She will have no trust fund and no money to finish school.
Will Emilia stay? Will she be able to work with Joshua and abide by his rules? Do they really hate each other? Will they find out the real truth about each other?
![Profile Image for Amy [Book Addict Reviews].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1572307419i/47676940._UY200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
May 25, 2020
Hours after finishing the book I still don’t know how to put my emotions into words. Emilia and Joshua’s story was nothing like I expected, it surpassed everything I could have imagined.
Emilia comes across as the spoiled little rich girl that gets whatever she wants in life, especially to Joshua. However, she is far from it. She is broken, she is lost and heartbroken. However, she is also strong, especially for what she experienced for years and experienced alone. Joshua came from nothing, but with the right mentor he was able to grow professionally and personally. Now, after years away from home Emilia is back and under the care of Joshua for the next year. Will she be able to overcome the past and her dislike for Joshua to get her portion of her father’s company?
I’ve read Luna’s books previously and knew this would hot, that the characters would have explosive chemistry, but I wasn’t expecting all the emotions I felt while reading this. It cut me deep, but it does mend those cuts as it continues. Joshua and Emilia have great chemistry throughout and it only grows, especially towards the end. The growth of Emilia throughout the story was great. She went from a broken, heartbroken woman to a woman full of confidence. The secondary characters in the story also added a lot, especially Noah and Lexa.
Step Darkly is an emotional erotic romance and a MUST READ!
Emilia comes across as the spoiled little rich girl that gets whatever she wants in life, especially to Joshua. However, she is far from it. She is broken, she is lost and heartbroken. However, she is also strong, especially for what she experienced for years and experienced alone. Joshua came from nothing, but with the right mentor he was able to grow professionally and personally. Now, after years away from home Emilia is back and under the care of Joshua for the next year. Will she be able to overcome the past and her dislike for Joshua to get her portion of her father’s company?
I’ve read Luna’s books previously and knew this would hot, that the characters would have explosive chemistry, but I wasn’t expecting all the emotions I felt while reading this. It cut me deep, but it does mend those cuts as it continues. Joshua and Emilia have great chemistry throughout and it only grows, especially towards the end. The growth of Emilia throughout the story was great. She went from a broken, heartbroken woman to a woman full of confidence. The secondary characters in the story also added a lot, especially Noah and Lexa.
Step Darkly is an emotional erotic romance and a MUST READ!
July 11, 2021
DNF. Hated this ! Really hate weak FMC who has these dumb , prideful thoughts in their head , but does nothing to show for it . It was ridiculous how she’s supposedly the “heir” and yet all along did nothing to earn it or communicate with her dad . I really couldn’t stand her inner monologue. She’s a doormat . And him? He’s a stupid , wanna be alpha , but really just a poor excuse if a human . He was unredeemable and this shouldn’t even be categorized as a romance . It was more him bullying her the majority of the book. If she had any brains, there would be no story,
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book which is basically an enemies to lovers book but with a difference. When I first started reading Joshua was my first character and I thought 'Hello, he is going to be very nasty'. To tell you the truth he wasn't very nice and took great pleasure in telling Emelia that he was to be her guardian and mentor for the next 12 months. Emelia had liked Joshua when she had been a small girl when her father had married Joshua's mother. However, she had left home and her father had divorced Joshua's mother. A good story so far. I had made assumptions based on the information I had been given but all was to change. We find out what secrets Emelia had from her past and she uncovered something going on in the company which was about to come to light. This was really a slow burning love story with intrigue and secrets and angst. Altogether, a damn good read. I will definitely read the other books in this series and cannot wait.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 5, 2020
The story had a way of getting to you. Emilia and Joshua were enemies as anyone could see, but you could sense a tension between them something that was there but never really discussed. I found this book had quite the twist from Emilia being a spoiled little rich girl and Joshua earning everything he had gotten from her father. Never once asking for anything. Seeing Emilia lead down a low road made her vulnerable. If anything it was good to see this kind of twist and i absolutely loved it. I am still reading it slowly, but everything I have read so far is truly remarkable.
June 4, 2020
Step Darkly is such a good story. The plot was strong, and characters are well written. Both Joshua and Emilia have very strong feelings towards each other. The chemistry was fire the moment she stepped into will reading. So much pentup anger and frustration turned from the hate side of a coin and flipped to reveal deeper feelings of love of buried deep down. This story is filled with intense emotions and frustrations that had me crying at times, and kicking myself for said crying. If the teaser entices you, I highly suggest reading the story. You won’t regret it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 5, 2020
Step Darkly: His Ward is the first book in the His series and is a steamy romance read.
The characters of Emilia and Joshua are strong and have hot chemistry together. I really enjoyed this book that has suspense, drama, passion, secrets, and love.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
The characters of Emilia and Joshua are strong and have hot chemistry together. I really enjoyed this book that has suspense, drama, passion, secrets, and love.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
May 28, 2022
I enjoyed this book very much there is a book number two make sure to follow through with that book also I received it free from BDSM romance books for my honest opinion
May 18, 2023
In terms of spice, I enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down. There were some parts that I thought could have been written differently, but overall, I liked the book.
June 2, 2020
Emilia left five years ago but now she is back to settle her father’s estate and is surprised to discover that Joshua is the owner of Connor Realty and he will be her mentor and guardian for one year. Soon sparks are flying between them. Fast-paced read with loads of drama and intense chemistry, great characters and an entertaining story. I liked it.
June 3, 2020
Book one in the His series a well written story with misunderstanding, and things being not how they seem to be. I enjoyed reading Joshua Darkly and Emilia Connor's story, and seeing it come together. I want to read the next book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 2, 2020
Step Darkly was a great story. The plot was strong, it was filled with many feelings. The story was written well. Emilia and Joshua were strong characters. Their journey was a bit bumpy but they were made for each other, the connection between them, their chemistry, it was strong. They were great together. I enjoyed this story. Thanks, Luna Kayne. Great work :)
May 27, 2020
Overhaul it’s a good story, characters are interesting and tortures. They make the story a little slowish by be to wrap up in there angst .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 25, 2020
The book is a good romantic suspense read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. The story is an enjoyable dark romance read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 24, 2020
Great story, and I recommend this book for anyone that loves a good romance story. Some of the content was a little too extreme for me but the author doesn’t go too far with the theme.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 22, 2020
This was a hot steamy erotic romance story perfect for a quick afternoon read.
A great heart pounding read. The story was very well written with great characters. It drew me in and I had it finished in one sitting. I would highly recommend this read.
A great heart pounding read. The story was very well written with great characters. It drew me in and I had it finished in one sitting. I would highly recommend this read.
March 22, 2023
This book is amazing. It's such a great read, and the plot is amazing. Not only does it show two sides of a story, but it shows how different they can be as well as showing how said story is perceived from either side. This story is not only shown from Emilia's side as well as Joshua's but it also shows things that are talked about from side characters which shape the narrative that the main characters follow thinking they are right. There is a whole lot of progress and things are revealed as you read through it. Nothing is as simple as it seems, and it's interesting to see the feelings evolve and come to the surface. I loved this book. Joshua's progress is amazing and how he deals with things are interesting. Emilia's progress is ground breaking and she takes it all with a grace that is astounding. Although there is some running away this book does really show how some people hit their limit and what things are important to someone. This book has all the suspense, banter, wholesome moments, angst, memories and steam. So good.
March 12, 2023
5⭐️ 3🌶️
“We can only run away from our truth for so long before we need to stop for a rest. And that’s the thing about the truth–it doesn’t need to rest until it is realized, and sooner or later, we need to face it. But I never did, and look where it got us.”
Luna does it once again. This was an amazing start to the Ravenous Series and coming off of the Vicious Empire Series, I was craving more of her brilliant writing–Step Darkly did not disappoint. This was deliciously dark, taboo, and utterly fantastic. I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope and Emilia and Joshua have been just that for more than a decade. Sworn enemies and ex-step siblings, I was already hooked but their banter, chemistry, and eventual vulnerability for one another really sealed the deal.
The initial relationship between Joshua and Emilia was, on surface level, fairly juvenile and annoying–hating one another because they were forced into a family after their parents married for convenience and both starved for attention. Underneath it all, though, were two broken kids desperate to feel accepted and loved. As they got to know one another again, misconceptions started shattering and they found that they needed one another…and always had…in ways they had never fathomed. Joshua craves control and dominance and Emilia needs to be controlled and owned, something she’s always felt was taboo or disgraceful. However, once she comes to the realization that her need for submission and control can make her strong should she accept them fully, through the help of Joshua’s lessons, the two really come together in an incredible way. Both grew so phenomenally throughout this book and I really enjoyed watching it happen.
I’m loving this world and truly intrigued by the glimpses we’ve gotten of Ravenous so far. The side characters were just as fantastic as our MCs and I’m excited to dive in and get more of Noah’s story in Run Wilde, as well as (hopefully) more glimpses at Lexa and the role she plays throughout it all.
“We can only run away from our truth for so long before we need to stop for a rest. And that’s the thing about the truth–it doesn’t need to rest until it is realized, and sooner or later, we need to face it. But I never did, and look where it got us.”
Luna does it once again. This was an amazing start to the Ravenous Series and coming off of the Vicious Empire Series, I was craving more of her brilliant writing–Step Darkly did not disappoint. This was deliciously dark, taboo, and utterly fantastic. I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope and Emilia and Joshua have been just that for more than a decade. Sworn enemies and ex-step siblings, I was already hooked but their banter, chemistry, and eventual vulnerability for one another really sealed the deal.
The initial relationship between Joshua and Emilia was, on surface level, fairly juvenile and annoying–hating one another because they were forced into a family after their parents married for convenience and both starved for attention. Underneath it all, though, were two broken kids desperate to feel accepted and loved. As they got to know one another again, misconceptions started shattering and they found that they needed one another…and always had…in ways they had never fathomed. Joshua craves control and dominance and Emilia needs to be controlled and owned, something she’s always felt was taboo or disgraceful. However, once she comes to the realization that her need for submission and control can make her strong should she accept them fully, through the help of Joshua’s lessons, the two really come together in an incredible way. Both grew so phenomenally throughout this book and I really enjoyed watching it happen.
I’m loving this world and truly intrigued by the glimpses we’ve gotten of Ravenous so far. The side characters were just as fantastic as our MCs and I’m excited to dive in and get more of Noah’s story in Run Wilde, as well as (hopefully) more glimpses at Lexa and the role she plays throughout it all.
June 5, 2020
This was an ok read. This was a first for me by this author and I am not sure I will read anymore books by the author. I understand a 16 year can be tormented, bullied and fear for her family and own life, however I prefer my female characters stronger especially after going away to college. Take some self defense classes, stand up for yourself.
*Spoilers*
Emilia is a broken lost soul after what she experienced and suffered through alone and Joshua a dark, opinionated jerk. He is a mommy's boy and believes everything mommy says until Emilia tells him its in his power to request the records. It was easier to blame, torment and hurt Emilia than to verify facts. He pushes her to do the brink and she runs, unfortunately giving him the opportunity to punish own and possess her in 7 days.
I lost all respect and any redemption he might have was lost when after he has proof of her assault, he still punishes her because she ran instead of facing her tormentors, after he refused to listen when she tried to tell him, because it embarrassed him in front of his company. Even while having video proof and realizing that he was wrong, he still goes out of his way to break Emilia and own her, possess her in his dark world and he aims to humiliate and degrade her. Sorry but there is just abusive and his reasoning that its because he only has 7 days to train her to love BDSM and to get her addicted to him is an excuse to make himself feel better about the torment he is inflecting on her.
His attitude that she can miss her last 2 classes of her degree and redo it next year or take summer classes because he owns her, is an indication of his ck of compassion and having her best interests at heart.This was all about his needs, his wants. Can this guy be any more of an jerk?
I can't say I cared much for Joshua's character and I never warmed up to him, nor did he redeem himself. He did spearhead the investigation into the guys that tormented her but that was more to protect the company and himself than Emilia. The option to sit in the meetings with these guys to face her tormentors was an option any court of law would give you and it does not make him likable. As far as I am concerned Emilia forgave him far to easily and he never redeems himself.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*Spoilers*
Emilia is a broken lost soul after what she experienced and suffered through alone and Joshua a dark, opinionated jerk. He is a mommy's boy and believes everything mommy says until Emilia tells him its in his power to request the records. It was easier to blame, torment and hurt Emilia than to verify facts. He pushes her to do the brink and she runs, unfortunately giving him the opportunity to punish own and possess her in 7 days.
I lost all respect and any redemption he might have was lost when after he has proof of her assault, he still punishes her because she ran instead of facing her tormentors, after he refused to listen when she tried to tell him, because it embarrassed him in front of his company. Even while having video proof and realizing that he was wrong, he still goes out of his way to break Emilia and own her, possess her in his dark world and he aims to humiliate and degrade her. Sorry but there is just abusive and his reasoning that its because he only has 7 days to train her to love BDSM and to get her addicted to him is an excuse to make himself feel better about the torment he is inflecting on her.
His attitude that she can miss her last 2 classes of her degree and redo it next year or take summer classes because he owns her, is an indication of his ck of compassion and having her best interests at heart.This was all about his needs, his wants. Can this guy be any more of an jerk?
I can't say I cared much for Joshua's character and I never warmed up to him, nor did he redeem himself. He did spearhead the investigation into the guys that tormented her but that was more to protect the company and himself than Emilia. The option to sit in the meetings with these guys to face her tormentors was an option any court of law would give you and it does not make him likable. As far as I am concerned Emilia forgave him far to easily and he never redeems himself.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2023
4.5⭐️ 3🌶️
I didn’t realize that I was in a reading funk until I started Step Darkly and my mood immediately brightened. I just love Luna’s writing so much!
Emilia and Joshua are former step siblings and hate each other. So when her father dies unexpectedly and makes it a condition of her inheritance that Joshua mentors her at the family business they immediately clash. But Joshua won’t back down. He thinks Emilia is a spoiled rich girl who needs discipline and boundaries. But he doesn’t know her as well as he thinks and it quickly becomes clear that they have misjudged each other.
I love Emilia. She has been through a lot in her life and is trying her best to heal from her trauma and be someone she and her father can be proud of. I don’t think she always handled things in the best way, but she always had the best of intentions and was just so scared. Scared of failing, scared of letting her father down, and scared of trusting someone when she has been left hanging before. She just really needed someone to take control so she could quiet her worries.
I loved Joshua and also wanted to shake some sense into him. He was so certain he was right about everything, especially when it came to Emilia. He didn’t realise that he had set up walls to distance himself from her and wasn’t seeing things accurately. But despite his reluctance he couldn’t help being drawn to her and wanting to protect and guide her in his own, often pleasurable, ways.
The one thing I really wish was explicitly stated in this book, was a discussion over their sexual boundaries and the establishment of a safe word. There was a lot implied, so it wasn’t entirely absent, I just wanted more. I also wish that there had been more discussion, self reflection, and consequences to the one time Josh lost control.
But overall, I really loved this book and can’t wait to dive into the second one.
I didn’t realize that I was in a reading funk until I started Step Darkly and my mood immediately brightened. I just love Luna’s writing so much!
Emilia and Joshua are former step siblings and hate each other. So when her father dies unexpectedly and makes it a condition of her inheritance that Joshua mentors her at the family business they immediately clash. But Joshua won’t back down. He thinks Emilia is a spoiled rich girl who needs discipline and boundaries. But he doesn’t know her as well as he thinks and it quickly becomes clear that they have misjudged each other.
I love Emilia. She has been through a lot in her life and is trying her best to heal from her trauma and be someone she and her father can be proud of. I don’t think she always handled things in the best way, but she always had the best of intentions and was just so scared. Scared of failing, scared of letting her father down, and scared of trusting someone when she has been left hanging before. She just really needed someone to take control so she could quiet her worries.
I loved Joshua and also wanted to shake some sense into him. He was so certain he was right about everything, especially when it came to Emilia. He didn’t realise that he had set up walls to distance himself from her and wasn’t seeing things accurately. But despite his reluctance he couldn’t help being drawn to her and wanting to protect and guide her in his own, often pleasurable, ways.
The one thing I really wish was explicitly stated in this book, was a discussion over their sexual boundaries and the establishment of a safe word. There was a lot implied, so it wasn’t entirely absent, I just wanted more. I also wish that there had been more discussion, self reflection, and consequences to the one time Josh lost control.
But overall, I really loved this book and can’t wait to dive into the second one.
June 21, 2022
No. I have no idea how I even came to open this book, and I wish I hadn't.
For the author herself, she (if it is a 'she') is a good stroyteller. The books has great grammar and tension building. Good story and plot and pacing. Everything is good from a technical perspective and even a reader's perspective. She's clearly sold many readers on the story and that means she's a master storyteller.
I just wasn't sold on the hero, heroine, their thoughts or their relationship. The hero is just an ass. When he realizes he was mistaken about her entire life, he does not apologize, he does not ask her nicely to stay, he does not have conversations with her. He simply bullies her repeatedly, forces her to do as she's told, and entraps her any way he could. He never apologized or said sorry for any of his mistakes and misconceptions.
The heroine spent most of the book trying to get away from him. Alas, this is a 'romance' so in the end, she stays and makes it an 'HEA'. However, had she been a tad stronger, she would not have accepted his entrapments or his treatments. His and his weird friends.
The hero's mother... he hero never found out how his mother treated the heroine. That awful woman never got any comeuppance. She walked away rich - with the heroine's money.
The last few chapters didn't work for me because something like that needs trust (if you want to sell readers on romance and not just smut). The couple have zero trust when their games start, and by the end, they apparently love each other. Hmmm. Yea, no.
TBH, Fifty Shades of Grey had more communication between the leads than this book had. The hero in this book should take a running jump into a dry lake.
For the author herself, she (if it is a 'she') is a good stroyteller. The books has great grammar and tension building. Good story and plot and pacing. Everything is good from a technical perspective and even a reader's perspective. She's clearly sold many readers on the story and that means she's a master storyteller.
I just wasn't sold on the hero, heroine, their thoughts or their relationship. The hero is just an ass. When he realizes he was mistaken about her entire life, he does not apologize, he does not ask her nicely to stay, he does not have conversations with her. He simply bullies her repeatedly, forces her to do as she's told, and entraps her any way he could. He never apologized or said sorry for any of his mistakes and misconceptions.
The heroine spent most of the book trying to get away from him. Alas, this is a 'romance' so in the end, she stays and makes it an 'HEA'. However, had she been a tad stronger, she would not have accepted his entrapments or his treatments. His and his weird friends.
The hero's mother... he hero never found out how his mother treated the heroine. That awful woman never got any comeuppance. She walked away rich - with the heroine's money.
The last few chapters didn't work for me because something like that needs trust (if you want to sell readers on romance and not just smut). The couple have zero trust when their games start, and by the end, they apparently love each other. Hmmm. Yea, no.
TBH, Fifty Shades of Grey had more communication between the leads than this book had. The hero in this book should take a running jump into a dry lake.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2023
So good!
I read this book after reading book 2 and it didn't matter in the least. The story was so good and I'm so surprised that the chemistry and connection was so strong without actual peen to vag until so far into the book. This book and this author apparently doesn't disappoint.
I read this book after reading book 2 and it didn't matter in the least. The story was so good and I'm so surprised that the chemistry and connection was so strong without actual peen to vag until so far into the book. This book and this author apparently doesn't disappoint.
April 12, 2022
loved it
Wow. This story was everything I didn’t know I wanted! I was immediately transfixed on the story, the chemistry pouring from the pages. A must read for any dark romance reader.
Wow. This story was everything I didn’t know I wanted! I was immediately transfixed on the story, the chemistry pouring from the pages. A must read for any dark romance reader.
April 24, 2022
Loved it...
What a thrilling and heartfelt journey that Joshua and Emilia go on. It was a story that made tears fall and hands clap at different times. This is a book about betrayal and forgiveness, hate and love, and being true to yourself. A must read.
What a thrilling and heartfelt journey that Joshua and Emilia go on. It was a story that made tears fall and hands clap at different times. This is a book about betrayal and forgiveness, hate and love, and being true to yourself. A must read.
May 30, 2022
I think I found my new favorite BDSM author. I liked that the book is more about the story, secrets, history, personal growth, overcoming regrets and definitely trusting someone in and out of the bedroom.
February 1, 2023
I don’t know quite how I feel about this one.
Content Warnings:
Sexual Assault: Multiple Flavours
Toxic Masculinity
Power Exchange
Sadomasochism
Abusive relationships (Parent/child; step-parent/step-child - NO CSA or grooming)
Gold digging
Identity fraud
Bullying
Death of Parents
Blackmail
Physical punishment
Legal subjugation (think Britney Spears, kinda)
Your mileage may vary, I may not have spotted everything.
The Important Questions!
Characters of Colour?
Absolutely not. Rosie & Sylvia COULD be read as non-white, but there wasn’t enough description to make them clearly non-white.
Disabled characters?
None diagnosed or pointed out, but it’s pretty clear that the MC (Emilia) has something PTSD flavoured, not to mention she’s a SA survivor.
QUILTTBAG/Queer characters?
Absolutely not. Not a SINGLE one, nor a mention of one.
Worth my time?
This was a pretty quick read; all of about 7 hours’ read time.
While it was quite engaging, there were a LOT of formatting & syntax/grammar issues that acted like a Jump-scare, throwing me out of the story momentarily.
The LI, Joshua, is the fucking epitome of Toxic Masculinity. The main part that made me want to slap him silly was his point-blank refusal to shut the hell up & listen to (particularly Femme) people around him. He’s also got that whole White Urgency thing going on (his things are the MOST IMPORTANT & they MUST BE DONE NOW).
While I think the couple are good together, they both need some gods damned Therapy. The character who has just lost their father needs some fucking space & understanding to grieve.
Two weeks is not long enough, especially when that grief is compounded by a lot of forced insecurity (unless you do X, you don’t have a place to live or a cent to live off of).
Re-read?
I… don’t know. Getting this kind of emotional reaction usually indicates a well written character, but the book needs a couple of rounds with a line editor before I have another crack at it.
I do want to read the next one, however.
Recommend?
This is a fairly gentle intro to “dark” romance, with some measure of BDSM.
It’s good for folx who want things a little bit twisted, but not completely fucked up.
Content Warnings:
Sexual Assault: Multiple Flavours
Toxic Masculinity
Power Exchange
Sadomasochism
Abusive relationships (Parent/child; step-parent/step-child - NO CSA or grooming)
Gold digging
Identity fraud
Bullying
Death of Parents
Blackmail
Physical punishment
Legal subjugation (think Britney Spears, kinda)
Your mileage may vary, I may not have spotted everything.
The Important Questions!
Characters of Colour?
Absolutely not. Rosie & Sylvia COULD be read as non-white, but there wasn’t enough description to make them clearly non-white.
Disabled characters?
None diagnosed or pointed out, but it’s pretty clear that the MC (Emilia) has something PTSD flavoured, not to mention she’s a SA survivor.
QUILTTBAG/Queer characters?
Absolutely not. Not a SINGLE one, nor a mention of one.
Worth my time?
This was a pretty quick read; all of about 7 hours’ read time.
While it was quite engaging, there were a LOT of formatting & syntax/grammar issues that acted like a Jump-scare, throwing me out of the story momentarily.
The LI, Joshua, is the fucking epitome of Toxic Masculinity. The main part that made me want to slap him silly was his point-blank refusal to shut the hell up & listen to (particularly Femme) people around him. He’s also got that whole White Urgency thing going on (his things are the MOST IMPORTANT & they MUST BE DONE NOW).
While I think the couple are good together, they both need some gods damned Therapy. The character who has just lost their father needs some fucking space & understanding to grieve.
Two weeks is not long enough, especially when that grief is compounded by a lot of forced insecurity (unless you do X, you don’t have a place to live or a cent to live off of).
Re-read?
I… don’t know. Getting this kind of emotional reaction usually indicates a well written character, but the book needs a couple of rounds with a line editor before I have another crack at it.
I do want to read the next one, however.
Recommend?
This is a fairly gentle intro to “dark” romance, with some measure of BDSM.
It’s good for folx who want things a little bit twisted, but not completely fucked up.
April 21, 2022
Emilia Connor returns for her father's funeral and to face the man she ran away from only to find that everything has changed and Joshua Darkly now holds all the cards. Joshua disliked Emilia because he feels that she had everything in life handed to her on a plate whereas he had to work hard. Now she is back to settle her father's estate confident that she is the sole heir but she is not - he now owns all of Connor Reality as he worked really hard for the past seven years. Now he has a year to be her mentor and guardian where if she doesn't complete it she will lose everything. Now he is not sure after then that he can ever let her go. She eventually swallows her pride and feels that she has to face her demons before they completely swallow her up. Can they work together, find the understanding that they need and have a future together that satisfies them both?
I found the start of this story a bit slow with all the angst between them and the testing of boundaries. However, eventually, I got into the story and enjoyed the way that they were able to work together and find out that they had both completely misunderstood each other and that it was because they were running from the truth - they had a pull between each other that could not be denied and actually they needed to work in a particular way in order to get a result that would satisfy them both. I loved the way that the story ended and the fact that the people who caused a lot of the angst between them all received their just deserts. Contains explicit sexual contains and themes of BDSM and therefore should only be read by mature readers.
I found the start of this story a bit slow with all the angst between them and the testing of boundaries. However, eventually, I got into the story and enjoyed the way that they were able to work together and find out that they had both completely misunderstood each other and that it was because they were running from the truth - they had a pull between each other that could not be denied and actually they needed to work in a particular way in order to get a result that would satisfy them both. I loved the way that the story ended and the fact that the people who caused a lot of the angst between them all received their just deserts. Contains explicit sexual contains and themes of BDSM and therefore should only be read by mature readers.
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