Officially declaring that Gina L. Maxwell is my new FAVOURITE romance author!

Not to exaggerate, BUT I haven't pick up a book that made me SCREAM & CRY (disclaimer: exclude the throwing up part)

Imagine partying in Vegas, woke up the next day and you end up getting married to a future Dark King with no recollection of what happened the night before?

I admire Bryn's fiesty, fun and smart character. Having no knowledge of the fae world, then ending up marrying a guy (she barely know) who turns out to be a fae.
Caiden is set on to discover how and why he ended up marrying a human, having the suspicion that Bryn had somehow tricked him into this position.

The marriage has sealed Caiden's life with Bryn's (if Bryn died, so does Caiden), and we end up getting to know that a blood curse was placed on them.
Mysterious incidents unfold, as "someone" was targeting Bryn to kill her in order to take down the Dark King.

With the witty banter, tension between Caiden & Bryn, a blood curse, political intrigue and lots of spices included, The Dark King is one not to miss for fans of SJM, JLA and Katee Robert!

I read this book quickly and thought it was fine but had trouble connecting with the characters and ultimately investing in the story.

This was my first fantasy romance novel and omg was it good! I did not expect to be into fantasy books, but Maxwell made this such a hot love story that it had me completely captivated and wanting more page after page!

I loved Caiden’s dark, sexy and dominant persona. He was powerful and mysterious and every part the sex god you’d expect him to be, taking dom status to a whole new level.

Bryn was a sassy, fun character with so much spunk and zero fear! I loved how she didn’t stand down from Caiden’s challenges and never cowered through it all.

I couldn’t believe the plot twist of who she really was. Watching Caiden fall for Bryn and try to protect her made my heart melt in all kinds of ways. The scene where he was on his knees was everything 🙌🏼 and that ending 😱 I did not see that coming, but am so excited to read the second book in the series!

It was the best kind of spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ highly entertaining, funny and romantic. Definitely a great first fantasy romance novel for other novices like me!

If you like 50 Shades of Grey and ACTOAR then this is a book you need to read. This book is about the night kingdom of the Fae who live in Las Vegas and whose king rules the largest and best casino/hotel in the city. On a whim one night he starts talking to a guest Bryn, and they wake up the next day married and as mates!?! I know! This book was literally everything. There was spice, morally grey men, strong female characters and just enough fantasy to keep it interesting.

The Dark King was a fascinating read! I absolutely loved seeing fantasy in the modern world. And I really enjoyed the main characters! The dark aspects of the book had me on the edge of my seat. And there were so many plot twists that I couldn’t put the book down! I just needed to keep reading as fast as I could to know what was going to happen. This novel was full of wit, great world building and amazing characterization! Also, the spice was chefs kiss! I really enjoyed this one!

Said to be Neon Gods meets Fifty Shades of Grey and I would say that is pretty spot on.

Caiden is the billionaire bad boy King of Vegas, a fae king bound to earth and banished from the fae realm. Bryn is a sweet and sassy Midwestern PR specialist in between jobs and with no family or close friends. When a free trip promotion reaches Bryan, she decides to spend a weekend in Vegas but after one night with Caiden, life as she knows it has changed.

This was an interesting mix of ACOTAR vibes but with pop culture references and lots and lots of spice. The world building was minimal due to the setting taking place on earth although I did enjoy learning more about the fae traditions and curse and powers among their people and would like to know more.

This has forced proximity, found family, witty banter and BDSM while also having unrest between the fae kingdoms and assassination attempts. Put it all together and it was a fun, quick, escapist read. Between Caiden’s two playful and sexy brothers, Fiona’s wit and the shape shifting twin bodyguards there are plenty of supporting characters which I enjoyed almost as much as Caiden and Bryn.

Side note- I love that when Bryn got to ask for something she wanted she immediately chose An E-reader and unlimited book budget. Forget sexy time favors this girl is living THE DREAM!!

I loved some things from the book and I hated some things. The spicy level was one thing I loved. One thing I hated was the miscommunication of the characters
All in all spice level was a 5/5
Plot 3.5/5
Total review 4/5

Oh, my heavens what a great ride with Caiden Verran and Bryn Meara in Sin City. This had everything and more in what I love in a great story. Bryn is sassy, strong, intelligent and resilient. Now let's talk about our dark alpha leading man. Caiden is ruler, dark, mysterious and oh so delicious. Their first meeting, the banter, so much sizzle, the way they interact with one another and a great supporting cast! I cannot wait to see where Gina takes us in this series! Give me more of those Verran brothers.
~~Michele McMullen ~~

Hello Books Lovers,

I present this book with a question, are you looking for something about Fae, set in Las Vegas and that is veryyyy Spicy? If the answer is no then I don't tell you to continue reading this review spoiler-free, but if the answer is Yes, or even just Maybe then keep reading because I'm about to introduce you to a title released recently, already available in audiobook, which could respond to the real definition of Fairy P * rn.

The title, if you haven't already figured it out from its cover, is The Dark King by Gina L. Marxwell and is the first of what will be a trilogy of standalone books, so they will all be readable on their own. I told you about the audiobook because the audiobook is the version of this book that I received and from which I read / listened the story.

The publishing house is the magnificent entangled publishing that is publishing masterpieces upon masterpieces. As I said before, this book is very spicy, it's an adult book, so if you don't feel comfortable with the genre, don't read it because it's very pushy and explicit. A peculiarity of listening to it was being able to have two narrators for the two points of view. And the narrator of Caiden, the male lead? oh boy.

Everything in this book will seem like a coincidence at first. Bryn arrives in Las Vegas because she receives a letter stating that she has won this trip. She will then come to stay in one of the most requested hotels in Vegas with a waiting list that can be extended to months. But she arrives there and thanks to this invitation / letter she has everything ready, much to the surprise of those who work at the hotel.

But this is not the strangest thing that happens. Bryn meets a man in the arcade, they hang out together, get drunk and spend the night together. The real twist is that the next morning they wake up and are married and neither of them remembers what happened and neither of them wants to accept the situation. But Caiden is not a normal person, he is the King, not only of Vegas but also the King of the Dark Fae, who have been fighting for centuries with the Fae of the light.

He should marry one of his own kind and not a human. What does not show the light at the end of the tunnel is that a bond is forming with Bryn, a bond that would not be possible to have with a human but for some reason it is happening and from here a lot of things will follow because apart from the relationship between Bryn and Caiden and their love story there will be much more.

Secrets, mysteries, dangers and broken hearts. A lot is going to happen in this book which I highly recommend you read. I hope it will be translated in Italy. Of all the books of the genre that have been translated, this one would surely be one of the best and it deserves a lot. I can't wait for the second one to come out because, thanks to the final chapter of this book, with its twists, it was possible to find out who the protagonists of the sequel will be. I already foresee sparks and can't wait.

I cannot give details on the writing, having listened to it. But in listening to it, I have never finished an audiobook so quickly. I couldn't turn it off. I listened to the narration day and night, morning and evening, at any time of the day until it ended - sadder thing - and now I just wish I had the second in my hands. The dark king is not just a smut book, it has a story, a subplot and a lot of romance. As smooth as the narrative was, I believe the writing is probably just as smooth.

This was one of my favorite books I read in 2022. I apologize I didn't write this review sooner. I really loved the flow of this book and the characters. I believe this is a book I would read again.

Absoule must read if you are looking for a steamy story that leaves you wondering what does happen in Vegas?

When Bryn sets eyes on Caiden her life will change and so will yours. This new series will leave you craving the next installment before you finish the last page. A world of secrets, desires and romance will satisfy readers who love fantasy and scorchin romance.

I don't know if I can wait another nine months to find out what happens in the next installment but I will and in the mean time dear readers ... go read her backlist!

If you're looking for a fantasy with erotic romance this is your next read!

I'll be sharing on my blog shortly.

Enjoyable and steamy read. Characters didn't overall appeal to me entirely but I did enjoy the story line.

I have not read much Faerie romance before this one but um....I need more haha. It was quite a magnetic connection between Bryn and Caiden, like very hot! I loved that while these two strangers wake up married to each other they are still equally strong characters. They are both fiercely independent and I adore that about Bryn because Caiden is not the easiest to handle. But I mean he's legit a displaced faerie king- I get his anger haha
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This was my first by Maxwell but will not be my last! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Definitely recommend!!

Most beautiful girl ever, with a precious gap in her teeth. No gag reflex. And her darkest desire is to be spanked. How adorable!

Really, really not sexy. Talked about how sexy it would be and then moved on. The writing in general is mostly telling and very little showing. Not at all engaging to read. Every chapter introduces a new contrivance - there's no depth.

A disappointment all around.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

The rules of Fae are tricky. For Dark Fae the rules are trickier. Add on a curse and we have a doozy of a situation. This is Byrn and Caiden's story. The story is well written, has its steamy sex scenes. A one sitting read that will keep you engaged.

The Dark King, Gina Maxwell's urban fantasy romance, invokes the rockstar Meatloaf's immortal words: "Two out of three ain't bad."

The novel has a delicious love story, satisfying plot, and skimpy world-building. Given that this is fantasy--in this imaginary world, the Dark Fae rule Las Vegas--a fictional world with a gossamer thin context is a botheration. That said, if you're looking for a fervently libidinous love story with very seductive fairies, you'll enjoy The Dark King.

Bryn Meara is thrilled to be in Las Vegas. Who wouldn't love a free trip complete with luxury accommodations at the city's hottest hotel, Nightfall? I mean, she's just lost her job to organizational changes. The hotel is freaking amazing--she got upgraded to a VIP suite after first being told she didn't actually have a reservation--and she just knows tonight is going to be the best of her life. Once on the casino floor, her conviction proves to be right: Caiden Verran, the owner of the hotel, starts chatting her up at the roulette table. Caiden, along with his two hot as hell brothers, is known as one of the Verran Kings of Vegas, and is the most beautiful person--man or woman--Bryn's ever seen in her life.

One thing leads to another and before you can say predictable but fun romance trope, after a night of martinis and inexplicable connection, Bryn and Caiden wake up married. Even worse, from Caiden's perspective, they wake up as true mates, an indelible bond that can only occur between pairs with Dark Fae blood. This is VERY BAD because Caiden and all in his line suffer under a curse. If the King of the Night Court, which Caiden is, takes a true queen of fae blood, they will start to weaken and eventually die if their mate is ever "more than a stone's throw" away from them. For the Dark Fae, this has meant they don't marry or bond--they simply take consorts whom they don't love and thus who aren't a dire threat to the King's very existence.

It's a real pickle and one that infuriates them both. Caiden is sure Bryn has somehow scammed him. How else could he end up mated to a human after a night he can barely remember? Clearly she's used some sort of dark magic and cannot be trusted. Bryn thinks Caiden is an utter dick. He won't let her leave the hotel and is RUDE. Things go from bad to worse when he tells her that's because he's the King of the Dark Fae--whatever the f*ck that is. Worst of all, he won't have sex with her again and the sex was really really good.

Whatever will they do?

Look, you know, more or less, what happens next. They fight, both each other and their all-consuming attraction. They have sex and Bryn learns she likes nipple clamps and butt plugs. (Ms. Maxwell writes sex well and their love scenes have a humor and lightness I enjoyed.) Caiden's brothers tease him endlessly about his obsession with his wife while Bryn makes pals with the fae staff who think she's THE BEST. Their relationship unfurls amidst court intrigue and fae warfare and it is all a very very good time.

It is a bummer the world building feels so gauzy. The Fae realm feels slap dashed together as if the author hadn't given it a whole lot of thought. This lack of clear context diminishes the threats Caiden faces from his Fae enemies--it will shock no one to discover that Bryn didn't end up in Vegas randomly--and makes the book good rather than great. But we don't always have to read great books and this one is a steamy, sweet romp. It gets a B+ from me.

A sexy BDSM themed fantasy romance that was interesting from start to finish! A surprise trip to Vegas for an out of work Bryn followed by VIP treatment is a little too good to be true -and ends up with Bryn marrying hotel owner Caiden in a night neither remember. But it's more complicated than that as Caiden is in fact a King of the Fae world and they can't just annul their marriage. There were some interesting surprises, pretty good worldbuilding, intriguing secondary characters and an ending that leaves me wanting book 2!

Wel I really wanted to love it and close it going this is the most amazong book I have ever read I didn’t realize it had a fantasy aspect and I just don’t do paranormal things much at all But that didn’t make it a bad book and that’s a me thing not the author
Caiden is the kind of the Night Court and he has it bad for a run who just so happens to be a human What a predicament Once you get in to it it is quite the page turner and I did read it pretty fast I love that Bryn was tough and super upfront about everything Caiden is funny really funny and oozes charm Rhey migh quite the dynamic duo

I enjoyed this bug, and I gave it three stars because it wasn’t one of my favorites. I think I was expecting a little bit more content from it but overall it was a decent book.

This was a really great read which is about Bryn who has a free trip to Nightfall hotel and casino and after being drunk, ends up married to Caiden (the billionaire hotel owner and the fan of the night court). I have heard great things about Maxwell's writing and saw a lot of hype for this book so I was excited to receive an arc in the mail. For the book, I was instantly hooked into the story. I really enjoyed the storyline and the way that this book was written. The pacing was fast and you learn so much about the faes living in the modern world. I do have to say that I wish there was more to the world building in some way so it felt more fantasy. This book is written in dual povs of both Bryn and Caiden.

Bryn is a country gal and is funny but a bit annoying at times. There is a mystery about her that we fully didn't get the answers to in this book. Caiden is the king and billionaire who is trying to balance two things at once. I enjoyed Caiden more than Bryn but both had such a great character development in the book. This book is a standalone in the series but I wish we got to know more about them in this one. There are many side characters in this book whom I all enjoyed. This book is a marriage in convenience and fated mated. The romance is really spicy and the couple is perfect for each other.

The ending was great with a snip bit of Caiden's brother's pov. The next book I'm guessing will be in the next couple's pov so I'm wondering how this series will go. There are still some questions left unanswered but I'm excited to see what Maxwell has in store for us. I know that I will enjoy the next couple a lot more because I think we all already know who it will be. I recommend this book especially if you love Katee Robert, Tessa Bailey and 50 Shades of Gray.