Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
CW: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Partner violence

This book is not marketed correctly at all. It's basically just sex scenes with a little but of plot, which is not what I wanted nor expected. The themes were INSANELY dark and this is not mentioned anywhere in the description. A large part of the book is graphic descriptions of sexual assault and abuse. While these were mentioned in the beginning as content warnings, more detail should have gone into specifying that those things are not just part of a backstory and that they are 99% of the book. Furthermore, I have to say, I found a hard time seeing how most of the sex scenes were important to the plot, especially the ones that so explicitly detailed rape. Personally, I think a lot of those scenes should either be cut and more added to the actual plot OR this book should be remarketed. Please add more SPECIFIC content warnings and let people know what they are getting into!! As a final note, the sex being the main point made it so that you didn't know that much about the plot or the characters beyond it.

This book was definitely not for me. I think this would find more success being marketed as erotica because I had no idea what I was getting into.

Oh the adventures of Lorelei and Adele! Great and interesting characters that kept me invested in the story. Parts of this were very intense and hard to read at times but it was so satisfying. Some cool twists and the horror elements were cool. Definitely a fun read I would love to spend more time with these characters again sometime and see what other shenanigans they’ve gotten themselves into!

Summary: Running a sham seance business is all fun and games until Viola shows up, pulling Lorelei and Adele into a transatlantic voyage filled with treacherous seas and even more treacherous secrets. As power dynamics and dark pasts come to light, the couple must navigate the stormy waters of their relationship and decipher Viola's true intentions.


Pros:
🌟 Four stars for this great book that dives into the genre of erotic sapphic horror – a niche subgenre that's like a thrilling rollercoaster ride with a touch of spice.

😱 Dark and graphic, this tale isn't for the faint of heart. It's more chilling than a ghost story told by candlelight, and I'm here for it!

🌶️ Lots of spice! The book turns up the heat with scenes that are as sizzling as a cauldron of enchanted chili peppers.

Cons:
🧛‍♀️ While the spice is abundant, the plot and characterization take a back seat, almost like they're secondary to the saucy elements. It's like a horror movie where the monsters are more memorable than the plot twists.

😬 If graphic depictions of sex and violence make you uneasy, this might be a book best enjoyed with a strong cup of tea.


📚 In conclusion, "Lies That Bind" is a journey into the dark and spicy side of sapphic horror. Rae Knowles and April Yates, you've crafted a tale that's more captivating than a haunted seance. Bravo! 🔮📚

Disclaimer: A mystical thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for this eARC. All opinions are as uniquely mine as a ghost's fingerprint on a crystal ball. 👻📚

Unfortunately I think this book is miss-marketed. I found the plot to be confounding and poorly constructed, heavily interspersed with non-sequitor sex scenes. I did not feel we really got to know the characters very much past their sexual interests. It would probably find a more appropriate audience being marketed as erotica.

Spicy is an understatement for this book. As long as the reader pays attention to the content warnings, they are in for a thrilling ride with “Lie That Bind.” While it is at first difficult to adjust to the rhythm and style of writing, the book quickly picks up and the mystery begins to unfold. Readers looking for a lighthearted read should not look here - rather those drawn by the dark underbelly of life and the complicated realities of desire.

I should preface this review with one thing. This is very dark and very erotic. Kinda reminded me of works like Let’s Get F***
up and die. Not what I was expecting, but still a strong workZ

This book was so VERY much not for me. It is primarily erotica with loose connecting threads, which is not what I was looking for, or what I expected from the description. More critically, it is VERY dark in its themes and storytelling (including gratuitous depictions of abusive relationships, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence) which I was also not expecting from the description. These elements were made more clear with content warnings after I started the book, however I went into it with the wrong expectations. And even with the content warnings, based on the premise of the book I expected these elements to appear as a tragic backstory, rather than forming the active basis of the plot.

This story follows Lorelei and Adele, whos failure to communicate in their relationship pushes them to seek fulfillment elsewhere. In the process they get drawn into a dark web of violence, cult worship, and abuse. (I'd like to note that the cult worship is never very well explained and takes place primarily over about 5 pages of the climax). The plot elements that surround the erotic elements of this book are very thin, with the spiritualism element appearing very briefly and tangentially.

If you're looking for sapphic DARK erotica this may be the book for you, but please note the content warnings going in, and be aware that they feature heavily in many scenes that are described in great detail.