after multiple attempts at reading- I have decided to DNF. I’m hoping to return to it in the future but right now i’m unable to connect with the author’s writing style.

I really struggled finishing this one. I found the MCs to be very unlikeable, a bland plot and way, way to many plug scenes. I will not be continuing the series but, if you're only interested in erotica this may work for you.

Oh my goodness! I just finished reading this book and I need time to process it. The ending has me shocked and heartbroken for both the FMC and the MMC.

The author is a beautiful storyteller. I was expecting mostly spice and hardly any plot. She balanced them both in a tasteful way. The spicy is spicy and the storyline had me paying attention. It truly wasn’t what I was expecting and I’m glad I gave it a try. It was a glorious he falls first, emotionally, slow burn. Her enemies to lovers story and so many other tropes but those are my favourite. Definitely read your triggers first and be sure this is your cup of tea. I had fun explaining certain scenes. I would definitely read the next book in the series.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

-

What to Expect:
🧛Enemies to Lovers
🩸Steamy
🧛Spicyyyyy
🩸Paranormal
🧛College Academy - Dark Academia
🩸Praise Kink
🧛CLIFFHANGERRR!!!
🩸BDSM
🧛Forbidden Love
🩸Taboo
🧛Vampires

-

Collard by the Vampire Prince… Let’s just say wow, why didn’t I pick this up sooner?! I knew I’d be into it the second I saw “vampires and shifters with a sprinkling of BDSM spice”—sign me right the EFF up! The story dives right into Kira’s world as she’s escorted to Volmasque Academy by Nathaniel, the Crown Prince. While there, she’s meant to become an obedient wolf shifter for a vampire master, and let's just say, the power dynamics are INTENSE. The plot isn’t super heavy (spice>plot in this one), but it has just enough intrigue to keep me invested, and that cliffhanger? 👀 I’m certain the second book is going to deliver even more drama and spiceeee!

Nathaniel is every bit the domineering MMC with BDE, and I loved the small glimpses of his true self—there’s definitely more to him than just his alpha exterior. Kira’s character is complex, and it’s clear she’s holding back from him, which makes me excited to see how she handles that bombshell dropped at the end! The spice level? MMMMMM YESSS PLS. 🔥 You’ll def want to pick this one up if you love vampires, wolf shifters, SPICEEE, more spice than plot, angst, and all the things that come along with those.

Thanks, NetGalley for the chance to read this, with exchange to drop a review!

Surprisingly well written and enjoyable book.

Not my usual genre but fancied mixing it up and this was a worth a go with a decent plot.

Why haven't I read this earlier?!!

As soon as I read the blurb, I knew I was going to enjoy this book. Vampires and shifters with a sprinkling of bdsm spice?! Sign me up!

This was easy to read, and it really sucked me in (pun intended!). I loved reading more about the characters as the book went on, how they navigated their growing feelings for each other whilst also keeping a major secret from each other.

The spice was great, I loved it, and I love how he explored that with her. And that ending?! I will definitely be reading the next book.

I also loved the chapter names and how the author approached the acknowledgements, etc, at the end of the book. "Well done, pet. Halfway there. Now brace yourself - it's a long story, and I expect you to take it all."

If fantasy crossed with BDSM is your vibe, I would definitely check this out.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the published and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! I felt instantly drawn to the story from the beginning and the smut was HOT! There was not a moment in this book that I found boring, and I’m excited to read the next book (as well as the spinoff books from other characters’ point of views!)

Loved reading the mesmerizing and spellbinding paranormal story. When Kira is captured and collared by the Vampire Prince Nathaniel, she vows to get her revenge on all vampires. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting story. Can't wait to read the next story in the series by the fabulous author, Darcy Fayton

Collared by the Vampire Prince by Darcy Fayton is a seductive and thrilling dive into a world of vampire royalty, intense romance, and dark intrigue. Fayton knows how to blend romance and fantasy, creating a story that’s both emotionally charged and richly atmospheric.

The book follows a strong yet vulnerable protagonist who finds herself drawn into the orbit of a powerful vampire prince. The dynamic between the main characters is electric, with simmering tension and moments of vulnerability that make the relationship feel genuine. Fayton builds this vampire world with detailed lore and an alluringly dark aesthetic, which adds layers to the story and keeps you wanting to learn more about the characters' backgrounds and motivations.

What sets this story apart is Fayton’s balance between romance and suspense. The plot weaves moments of intense passion with real stakes, creating a world that’s as dangerous as it is alluring. The romance is steamy and well-paced, appealing to fans who enjoy a mix of paranormal romance with a hint of mystery and action.

Collared by the Vampire Prince is a must-read for fans of vampire romance looking for a story with depth and an edgy vibe. Fayton’s writing style pulls you in, and the chemistry between the leads makes for a compelling, addictive read. If you’re craving a dark, romantic escape, this book is sure to satisfy.

I've met Nathaniel on the first book of Susie and Arken and it was a enjoyable character in here? I loved him.. I was able to get to know him on another perspective and the cliffhanger wasn't nice the same on the Susie and Arken book so if the author kindly put the books on Kobo I would appreciate very much ahahahah because I'm not okay.
The books are very dark and I understand that some people don't connect with them, for me they are hot

I absolutely loved this book and can recommend it to anyone who loves dark fantasy romance with spice!!!

This would be great for a very spicy read but I expected a bit more plot, depth in emotions and I felt the trigger warnings give away too much of what's going to happen, I think having them at the back or a qr code would have been useful instead.

The book started off strong. I'd been reading a few different ARCs and this was one that caught my attention with more promising writing and a good grip of tension between the main characters than most. I enjoyed the slow burn and the enemies-to-lovers progression between the lead characters. I think it was an interesting premise with a lot of potential.

However, after a while, I found myself dozing off. It was hard for me to focus. I think I felt like there wasn't much happening; sure, the main characters' relationship got more and more entangled, but Kira's plan to exact revenge didn't really go anywhere. I didn't like that she kept on losing sight of her main goal, distracted by her lust for the prince lol. She was a bit frustrating to follow at times, because I wanted her to keep up that same level of resistance and hatred she had in the beginning, that same spirit of fighting.

It wasn't bad, but I personally kind of wanted to DNF because I got bored by the 70% point, but I finished it for this review. The beginning of the book was leagues better than the ending, which is left on a cliffhanger. I personally didn't feel enough stakes in the game to want to read the sequel, but maybe others will enjoy it more.

A good read for it's genre. Vampires and werewolves, good and bad characters but please read the warnings, don't read if you are of a sensitive nature! Very hot!

⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Sadly, I did not like this book. When I requested it I was not aware that it was basically just erotica. The plot was almost non-existant, and the smut was just too much.

I did not feel connected to the characters at all, especially the fmc. With all the smut the characters just did not have enough on-page character development. The story itself was not a dark romance, I would say. Dark? Yes. Romance? No. The main characters did not have enough time to develop an actual connection.

The plot was, as I mentioned before, lacking, to say the least. It could have been really interesting (Vampires? Wolfshifters? Academia vibes?) but the plot was completely ignored just to have more spice in the book. I would totally read a more plot-focused version of this book, because I think the story has a lot of potential, it was just poorly executed.
I dont think I will continue this series.

I will post this review on Goodreads and Storygraph, but I will refrain from posting about this book on my Instagram.

3 ⭐️
5🌶️
“Last chance, pet. I will not ask you again. Will you be good for me?”

Collared by the Vampire Prince had all the ingredients for a dark, spicy read—DUBCON/BDSM themes, shifters, vampires—it ticked so many boxes. But I was torn between being hooked and walking away. The whole “let’s preserve Kira’s virginity but go wild with the rest” angle was... just irritating for me for some reason. And Kira? I really didn't make much connection to her.

Will I pick up book two? Maybe, but I’m not rushing. I’ve got questions, sure, but I’ll wait until I’m in the mood for pure smut with a side of plot, hoping Nathaniel finally follows through.

Tropes:

⭐️Werewolves
⭐️Vampires
⭐️Age Gap
⭐️Forced Proximity
⭐️Virgin FMC
⭐️Royalty
⭐️BD$M


Thank you to NetGalley and Darcy Fayton for allowing me to have an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review⭐️

In what promises to be a dark paranormal romance featuring werewolves and vampires at a mysterious academy, this novel unfortunately delivers an uneven reading experience that prioritizes explicit content over coherent storytelling. While the premise holds intrigue—a captured werewolf girl forced into a vampire-run academy—the execution falls short of its potential.
Strengths

Atmospheric opening that effectively sets up the dark fantasy premise
Dual POV structure through Kira and Nathaniel's perspectives, offering complementary insights into the story
Interesting side characters, though underutilized
Some creative worldbuilding elements in the vampire-werewolf dynamic

Weaknesses

Severely underdeveloped plot that takes a backseat to erotic content (comprising approximately 80% of the book)
Character development that feels juvenile despite the adult cast
Rushed romance that fails to convince, with the main relationship cycling through love-hate dynamics in an unrealistic timeframe (merely 2.5 weeks)
Inconsistent narrative perspective, awkwardly shifting between third and first person
Repetitive scene descriptions when switching POVs, sometimes with contradicting details
Technical writing issues reminiscent of amateur online fiction

Final Verdict
This book suffers from a significant misalignment between marketing and content. While advertised as a spicy romantic fantasy, it reads more like erotica with minimal plot development. The writing style feels immature, with characters behaving more like impulsive teenagers than adults, despite the mature content. Technical issues with perspective shifts and narrative inconsistencies further detract from the reading experience.
Readers seeking a balanced paranormal romance with equal attention to plot and romantic elements should look elsewhere. While the premise shows promise and some side characters spark interest (with apparently more stories in their future), the execution fails to deliver a satisfying narrative. The book might appeal to readers specifically seeking paranormal erotica, but even then, the technical writing issues and character inconsistencies may prove challenging to overcome.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of Collared by the Vampire Prince.

I enjoyed the content is this book but it was very dark and heavy which some readers would not enjoy. This did not have really ground breaking plot development, it stands up against other supernatural novels I have read with similar themes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of Collared by the Vampire Price. I enjoyed this book much more than Punished by the Vampire King since there’s much more plot and character development in this story which definitely improved it for me. I do think that Nathaniel is much more like his father than he wants to admit and definitely has a dark side and we see a lot of this throughout. However I do think there’s still more spice than plot and a lot of it seems without a purpose/doesn’t do much to advance the plot and although I enjoyed it more it still fell a bit short for me. There’s also a lot of the spicy scenes that would definitely have been painful for Kira and this was very easily forgiven later on and done on purpose by Nathaniel. However, for anyone interested in the book there are clear trigger warnings that can be read before starting.

This fell a little flat to me and I think thats due to the main characters feeling like teenagers rather than adults, some of the actions etc didn't match up, disappointed but thought the plot was great just not the characters this time