It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a book by this author…as in probably a couple of years or so. While her books I’ve previously read weren’t 5-star reads for me, they were enjoyable enough to read more. So when I had the opportunity to read her newest release, I was pretty excited. It’s a paranormal romance with BDSM elements, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and probably a couple of others I’m forgetting. BDSM and erotica are not my favorites, but there was more than enough plot, character, and world development that it didn’t feel as if I was reading a paranormal twist on 50 Shades. The story doesn’t necessarily end in a cliffhanger per se, but there’s a portion of the plot that will continue into the next book.

If I had to narrow my opinion down to one point, what stood out to me most was the growth in Ms. Maxwell’s writing since I last read one of her books. I saw so much more emphasis on world-building and character and plot development than in some of her previous works. It’s exciting to see her stretching her wings a bit, which makes me even more excited to see where she takes this series.

Anyone who likes dark romance, hot and mesmerizing fae and lot of spice should definitely read Gina’s new book. „The Dark King“ is a perfect mix of those things. Gina L. Maxwell has a wonderful writing style that has me in a chokehold. I just flew through the pages and i couldn’t put the book down. I finished the book in a few hours. The cover is perfect and fits the plot well. Gina knows how to inspire her readers and the erotic scenes were damn hot and I had to fan myself a few times.

The characters were wonderfully developed. They had depth and you could understand the respective actions and behavior very well. Bryn fell straight into my heart and I admired her a lot for how she handled her situation. She is brave and despite everything, she is not intimidated by Caiden. Caiden was a character that hits like a bomb. I fell in love with him straight away. The chemistry between Caiden and Bryn was there from the first page and there’s a lot of sparks between these two.

The dark king was an extremely good book and anyone who likes fae and dark romance should definitely not miss this book. And after this ending, i’m really looking forward to the next part of the series. I highly recommend this book.

I give this one a 3. I liked it but I wasn't super excited about the next book. I felt that there were parts missing. Ending was super quick. I did like our “king and queen” the scenes just seemed to happen too quickly and then he would just disappear. A little annoying. If I was between books I may pick up the 2nd book if it came out but I won’t be looking forward to the release date.

This was my first book by this author and I LOVED IT.

The spice in this book was *chef’s kiss*. I can’t begin to describe. This book took the heat to a whole new level and I’m here for it.

I loved that this book involved fae and was modern and still had the tropes I love.

Does the Dark King have some serious insta-love? Yes. Did I still enjoy it anyway? Also, yes.

The Dark King was an interesting story with a good amount of kink! I loved the world-building, the idea that these Fae have been locked out of their home and have made Vegas their home. Caiden was very hot. I loved how he was trying to fight his attraction to Bryn! He was an alphahole all the way, and I loved him for it.

Bryn was cute. I loved how she found herself after meeting Caiden. I also loved seeing her start to take charge of her own life. I did know where the story was going early on, but I still loved reading about these characters.

This book brings the steam. There is some BDSM in this book, and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t over the top, and it was very well done. I certainly enjoyed it. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

A delicious trip to Vegas with a side of Dark Fae? Yes please!

Bryn Meara is a sassy, independent woman trying to enjoy a bit of life while being between jobs. After all, who wouldn't take advantage of a free trip to Vegas?! After settling into her room at the hotel, she meets Caiden Verran, the King of the Dark Fae and the wealthy, enigmatic King of Vegas. An instant connection leads to a night neither of them remember, with consequences they'll never be able to forget.

I loved Bryn so much. She surprised me (probably as much as she surprised Caiden lol) throughout the book. Caiden was also delicious. I found myself hoping he might be a bit... darker... at times, but overall I loved his character. The side characters stole the show in certain moments and I loved it when they did. Overall, the cast was well thought out and they all came together for a fun, sexy story.

I also appreciated the way kink terms and activities were briefly explained as they were introduced to us and to Bryn. In particular, the emphasis on monitoring your partner, respect, safewords, and aftercare. I thought it was well done and important for those of us who may not be familiar.

If you're a fan of Sarah J Maas, Scarlett St. Clair, and Katee Robert, there's no doubt in my mind that you'll love what Gina L. Maxwell brings to us in The Dark King!

**Thank you to Netgalley, Gina L Maxwell, and Entangled Publishing for an ARC of The Dark King in exchange for my honest review!**

The Dark King is the first book in the Deviant Kings series by Gina Maxwell. I picked this book up after seeing that tagline 'Neon Gods meets Fifty Shades' and although I haven't read Neon Gods, the Fifty Shades part was intriguing. Pair that with the Dark Fae, and the concept just hooked me in. The book delivers on all the spice it promises and leans more towards Paranormal Contemporary than Fantasy.  

The series are inter-connected standalone and The Dark King obviously follows the King of the Dark Fae and his human (maybe/maybe not) queen.

The story starts off with a strong entrance by Caiden Verran, AKA the Dark Fae King, who lives in Las Vegas, along with his brothers, and owns half the city. Caiden is a powerful dark fae who treats his subjects with justice and respects his crown. A human woman catches his attention when she is about to check in to his famous hotel. Intrigued and attracted by this beauty, he decides to pursue her.

Their fun night together ends up with them getting married. And the heroine - Brynn is tossed into the world of the Faeries, blood curses, fated mates and bonds, and politics.

The story is told in dual POV so we understand the motivations of both the characters. The plot is fast-paced, although it doesn't focus much on their Fae Heritage or magic. Instead, it is more focused on the romance between the two with major emphasis on the BDSM aspect (the Fifty Shades part). The story turns more intriguing when someone targets Brynn, and more of the secrets of the fae world and the characters are revealed.

I liked Caiden and his powerful beginning. He is everything you can expect a dark fae to be - mysterious, darkly delicious, an alpha-hole. I felt like Caiden was a mature version of Christian and shares a lot of his similarities. He doesn't let the heroine take the lead in the bedroom and struggles with controlling.

Brynn started off as a refreshing character to me, fearless when she realises she is married to a mythical entity and not a human. But I thought she was a little too carefree about everything? Her character development was stilted. She has her own journey to follow (I won't spoil the story) but she just growing stronger at the end of the book felt rushed. I would have liked to see her grow stronger throughout and not at the end.

The sex scenes in this book are spicy and kindle-melting. But I was expecting a lot more than just the sex. The world building is okay, as I mentioned - not too developed. The emotions were all at a surface level and I wanted more depth between the main characters. More interactions and conversations.

The secondary characters sounded fun too, but again, I wish they had more interactions with the heroine. We are told in the heroine's POV that they were close after spending some time together, but I couldn't really believe it. Those parts were skipped (maybe because of the pace the story was set in) and I wish some of those bits were elaborated so we could get more insights into their friendship.

Overall, I think if you enjoy Erotica, BSDM, with a hint of paranormal fantasy elements like Mates thrown into the mix. It was a good read, and I enjoyed the banter, the sorta enemies to lovers and forced proximity tropes.

Thanks NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC!

Dark King is a steamy and dark paranormal romance and the first in Gina Maxwell’s Deviant Kings series. The story follows Caiden and Bryn, who have an intense and passionate romance with total grumpy/sunshine vibes.

Overall, I enjoyed Bryn and Caiden’s romance and thought it was spicy and sexy. They both go through so much over the course of the story, and they are dependent on each other for survival, which makes their relationship even more intense. The pull they feel toward each other is constant, and their chemistry and growing feelings for each other are undeniable.

The world-building is interesting, and I love the ACOTAR vibes mixed in with modern Las Vegas. It’s a unique blend. Caiden is the King of the Night Court, he and others are fae, and many of their abilities and qualities are similar to the characters in ACOTAR. I have a feeling the supernatural world will be further explained as the series progresses.

One of my favorite aspects of the story is the found family Bryn finds when with Caiden. He has such a loyal and wonderful group of people surrounding him. Some are friends and some are relatives, and they make this amazing group. Bryn develops a strong connection with many of these characters and even learns a bit more about herself, and she gains a sense of belonging that she hasn’t felt in a long time. Though Bryn’s relationship with Caiden is tumultuous, Bryn’s relationship with him opens her up to this whole new world of people and support that she never expected.

Overall, this was a good read for me! I think the book will appeal to people who enjoy erotic romance or dark fantasy/romance, but know that it’s described as A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Fifty Shades of Grey, so the spicy scenes include BDSM and explicit sex.

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

THE DARK KING (DEVIANT KINGS BOOK ONE)

Release Date: 09/27/22
Kindle Unlimited: [ ]YES [X]NO
Stand-alone: [X]YES [ ]NO
Author: Gina L. Maxwell
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spiciness rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶/5
POV: Dual, first person
Main Characters: Bryn & Caiden
Genre: Dark romance
Tropes: fae MMC; Vegas marriage; BDSM; mate bond

Review:

“𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲. 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞.”

Bryn has just lost her job when she receives and email telling she won a free trip to Vegas to stay at the most famous hotel/cassino in the Strip. She decides to go and there she meets the powerful Caiden, who secretly is the Dark fae king. The fae live in Vegas secretly posing as humans and Bryn couldn’t predict what would happen when she got involved with mysterious Caiden.

Their story was definitely a hot, romantic, thrilling one. I didn’t know how good would be to see the all powerful king to fall for the human woman. Their sexy scenes, mostly involving BDSM, were so hot. All their interactions were interesting. I loved both main characters and also all the secondary. The plot will keep you entertained and when you least expect you’ll be surprised. I highly enjoyed this book and I’m excited for Tiernan’s one.

*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ***

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell
Rating: 4 Stars
Steam: 3 Chilis
Pub date: 9/27

When Bryn accepts a free night stay at the Nightfall casino, she is surprised and delighted to meet Caiden, the charming, gorgeous, casino owner who wants to show her around Vegas. She is not delighted to wake up married to the man the next day with no memory of how it happened. Bryn quickly discovers that Caiden is not only a billionaire that owns most of the city, he’s also the Dark Fae King and they are now bonded as mates. The curse that was put on his family thousands of years ago prevents them from being physically apart without dire consequences, so Bryn becomes Caiden’s prisoner until he can find a way out of the mess they’re in.

Fated mates, forced proximity, sizzling chemistry, hilarious banter…yes please! This was wildly entertaining and impossible to put down. Caiden is the handsome, brooding Fae King and Bryn is the sassy, spirited, human that he can’t stay away from. I love the chemistry between these two and the banter is hilarious. We get a little bit of mystery while we try to figure out who orchestrated their meeting and we get the sense very early on that Bryn isn’t actually human. I really enjoyed putting those puzzle pieces together along with the characters.

The blurb calls this book “Neon Gods meets Fifty Shades” and I feel like that’s a very accurate description. While I didn’t love the BDSM aspect, other people will probably really enjoy it. The story was a bit predictable at times, but I assumed that going in so I wasn’t disappointed when I guessed a few of the twists. It’s been a while since I’ve read a fated mates story involving Fae so this was almost like a comfort read for me and perfect for getting me out of the reading slump I was in when I started.

This is my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last! I enjoyed her writing style and the pacing of the story was perfect. Read this if you liked ACOTAR and are missing some of the banter between Rhys and Feyre. Bryn even throws a shoe at Caiden at one point!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the gifted copy! The Dark King is available on 9/27.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of The Dark King & devoured it in under 24 hours. I loved both main characters, the lore/world building, and the overall concept of the book. TDK has elements from other cult favorites, but it has an original plotline that kept me hooked through the whole book. The combination of Night Court fae & Las Vegas were not something I knew I needed in my life until I read this book. Romance books with dual POV are a personal favorite of mine, and TDK is told from both main characters' POV. I have already been recommending this book to friends & will definitely be re-reading and purchasing the hard copy.

Thank you to Netgalley, Entangled: Amara, and Ms. Maxwell for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I was hooked by the idea of Dark Fae in Vegas. What a cool combo, and one I’m surprised is so underutilized. I wish there had been more exploration of how all that worked, but I’m a worldbuilding nut, and this is a romance, not a fantasy. I can’t really fault it for delivering on its promises in that regard.

So Bryn (purportedly human, but any reader with two brain cells knows something’s off about that) and Caiden, Dark Fae King, share a magic mystery night of sex that ends in rings on their fingers and an unbreakable bond between them. Caiden forces Bryn to remain in his palatial home outside Vegas while he tries to (a) figure out how to break the bond and (b) resist Bryn.

I felt like it was a little weird that a King’s home has… so few staff and guards? That was odd. And I also felt like it was odd that no one wanted to get to the bottom of WHY and HOW the bond happened. He’s a King, and it was a shady situation: I feel like his advisor(s) would have wanted to investigate that big time, not just how to break it.

I did like that Bryn was no shrinking violet and fought hard to have something meaningful to spend her time on while she was stuck there, instead of being a decorative flower watching TV all day and being kept in a drawer, so to speak, until Caiden was ready to take her out. I also really liked Caiden’s brothers (and the twist at the end of this book now that I mention it).

If the plot hadn’t hinged so much on miscommunication I think I would have been ALL IN to use a Vegas pun. I really, really, really hate miscommunication tropes so I knew when it popped up that it was going to be an uphill climb. That being said, it’s a fun ride and I think there’s a lot of promise in the whole “fae in Vegas” idea. I would like to see where the story goes from here. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oooh this was a good one. A smart, sexy fae king and a strong, independent woman... what more could you ask for?! This book will give you all the feels lol.

Caiden Verran is a billionaire fae king ruling over Las Vegas when he spots a human in the lobby of his hotel and is inexplicably drawn to her. One thing leads to another, and the next thing he knows, he's waking up married to the woman. Bryn Meara receives an invitation for a free stay at Nightfall hotel and casino in Las Vegas and jumps at the chance to escape the difficulties of her every day life. Little does she know, her life is about to change forever.

Caiden is such an excellently written character - he's funny and charming, commanding yet respectful... he's someone you root for. And the sex appeal as a Dom... phew! So. Good.

And then we have Bryn! Sweet, independent, sassy Bryn. She was also such a great character - though I wish she would have stood her ground a bit more in a couple of scenes when Caiden's being a dick.... but that was part of her character's development as the story went along so it ended up working!

Absolutely loved every side character we met - Caiden's brothers were fantastic and I can't wait to get Tiernan's story. This book is definitely character- / romance- driven which is great if that's what you love! As many readers before me have said, I would have loved to delve a little deeper into the world that Bryn and Caiden are in, but the worked well regardless!

Overall, great read for some sexy characters, and a great erotic novel with a steady plot! Looking forward to my next read by Gina Maxwell!

The Dark King is the first novel of a new series by Gina L Maxwell and is my first experience of this author.

I can't say enough good things about this amazing book. I'm not often tempted into the pnr genre but this book captured me from the blurb to the very last word.

Not only do we get a compelling story, we also get some heavy spice, which is just up my alley.

Camden Verran is a man, a King, with the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders and Bryn Meara is just the woman to help him carry that considerable weight.

'The how' of their HEA is best read by every individual. Trying to pay proper credit to such an amazing story is impossible to manage without spoiling the beauty that is this book.

I highly encourage you to read it for yourself, I promise you won't be sorry!

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas - just ask Caiden Verran, the king of Vegas and the court of the Dark Fae! But no one told Bryn Meara that accepting the free voucher for a stay in Nightfall, Vegas's premier hotel and casino, would lead to hooking up and getting hooked on Caiden Verran. Now, she must navigate the tricky politics of the Fae world, avoiding the enemies that now want her dead, and figuring out how to escape the clutches of her dark king without losing her life, and her heart, in the process.
A fast and dirty ride with all the intrigue and spice you would expect from the Dark Fae and Las Vegas! I can't wait to see what Gina L. Maxwell comes up with for the rest of the Verran family!
#TheDarkKing #NetGalley

The Dark King is book one in the series and the first book I have read by this author. It was a good read. Bryn Meara wakes up in Vegas married to billionaire Caiden Verran who turns out to be Fae Royalty, the King of the Knight Court. Caiden was pretty possessive and protective of Bryn, which I loved. Bryn was sassy and sweet. loved the banter, sexual tension and chemistry between Bryn and Caiden and of course the sizzling sexy times! Looking forward to reading Tiernan's book.

I waited what felt like an eternity (4 months) for netgalley to approve my arc of this book and I did not hesitate to start it the second I saw the approval email. This book promised Neon Gods with 50 shades and it absolutely delivered. We got dark fae in Vegas with fated mates and I devoured it. This book was full of drama, wit and spice. Caiden was the right amount of sweet and dark and I loved him so much. I love how the author held out on the information until the twist at the end and I love how the book ended. I cannot wait for the next book!

Thank you #netgalley for an early read of #TheDarkKing

“𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚍. 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚖, 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙, 𝙸’𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚏 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘.”

✨𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆✨

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
Publication Date: 9/27/2022

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 :
For Bryn Meara, a free trip to 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 fueled night she finds herself married to Caiden Verran, reclusive billionaire who owns the hotel and most of the city. 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.

✨
The trouble with ARCs is that sometimes you go in utterly blind. I wish I had known the plot of this book was Sexy Stockholm Syndrome. (I’m making that an official trope).

Caiden is lorded as a gruff asshole with anger issues and a penchant for extremely rough s*x. Nowhere in his attempts at scaring her away with his questionable proclivities did I see anything extremely rough. K*nky, yes. Extreme, no. If authors want to write dangerous men, they should actually write them.

(And for the love of god, I wish authors would negotiate kink before allowing men to force it on women because that’s what 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 like).

I’m tired of authors writing a woman who refuses to do what they’re told under the guise of independence in order to perpetuate plot. We deserve better.

Overall, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 had a solid plot with an under arching storyline I didn’t expect. The characters were well thought out and the side characters delightful. It seems as if Maxwell has set up for the possibility of a book two. Dark, sexy, and fantastical, Maxwell delivers a fun story about finding love when you least expect it.

If I was going to use one sentence to sum up this book I would say, ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Fifty Shades of Grey.’

This paranormal romance introduces a race of Fae (dark Fae), who were banished from their home world and thus built Vegas on earth. Caiden is their King and is known for being a reclusive billionaire. Enter Bryn, a seemingly regular, midwestern, human girl who captures his eye and after a crazy night together, they wake up married! Bryn then gets pulled into more than she bargained for!

This books serves an excellent forced proximity trope, truly enjoyable banter and some serious spice!

If I were to criticise something though, it would be both the world building and the character backstories. I didn’t find myself especially invested in the characters because I felt we only skimmed the surface of those things when we could’ve dove more deeply.

All I all though, a truly binge-able read and I’ll definitely read the next!

The Dark King by Gina L Maxwell is the first book in the Deviant Kings series and a great start to what I'm sure is going to be an excellent series! It perfectly balanced dark romance elements within the urban fantasy setting and gave me steamy Hades & Persephone vibes - with a fun fae twist!

To be honest, Las Vegas has never really held much appeal to me but for Caiden Verran... I'd certainly make a trip, haha. Caiden is the King of the Night Court and an alpha to his core. His instant connection with Bryn Meara is both hilarious (lots of lols in this story) and very fun to read. Neither of them initially understand what's happening and watching the two of them traverse this new situation had me hooked.

In addition to the romance, there was also a lot going on politically within the fae world and it was really interesting seeing how Maxwell brought her version of the fae to life. Because of this, I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys either BDSM-style darker romance (though keep in mind there's also quite a bit of comedy too) and/or fun fantasy worlds -- if you're like me and enjoy both, all the better!