This book is bit of a slow burn, it has one twist after another and it really embodies the essence of dark romance. What i appreciate about this book is the fact that it does not hold back. The themes and scenes in this book are by no means softcore romance. The kind of relationship is shrouded in abusive undertones. Granted later in the book you do see a potential glimmer of hope of a more stable connection possibly being made. The author stuck to her genre which i can appreciate often time books are marketed as one thing but are completely opposite. for what it said it would be it delivered on that. If youre a fan of proper gay dark romance with fantasy tones and world building, this is a book you should pick up.

I don’t know what I was expecting but this was WILD.
My first read from this author and I will absolutely be reading the other duets, as it revolves around the same world and characters are mentioned between these. A standalone MM fantasy vampire… romance? This was DARK. Both emotional and traumatizing and I would read it again.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Check your TWs. The author note at the beginning states the reader probably wouldn’t like Henrikk, and they were absolutely correct, but by the end… I get it. Henrikk the vampire king and his highly respected guard, Asher who has betrayed his king and old friend, have a very twisted connection but can they come back from the trauma inflicted between them? This started out at full speed with no warm up, literally (and publicly might I add) and I was immediately hooked. This was unhinged and more than chaotic at times. Initially thought this was a spicy book with little to no plot, but the plot here took so many turns it gave me slight whiplash (cue the dragon portion -not a spoiler). The synopsis of this could not have prepared for me the read I just completed, but in the best way possible. If you like vampires, dark and aggressive spice, this one’s for you. Let me emphasize there’s a lot of spice lol.

My first experience with a bully romance and I didn't hate it! Where she lost me was towards the end. There were lots of twists I wasn't expecting, however, I didn't like where it went. I did love both main characters! The first 2/3rds of the book were a 4 star for me just that last bit that got me.

This book was compulsively readable. I flew thru the book until about 60% in and then it seemed to become a different book entirely. That said I don't love romantasy, and it seemed to jump a bit to far in the fantasy direction at that point in the book. I also didn't love the CNC as it felt more NC than CNC. I know people will like this but it wasn't for me.

I already knew the author world and things are indeed dark with a lot of degradation, I know some people may not feel comfortable and I do know some scenes can be intense but I did like it, It's a guilty pleasure to me.
I enjoy their perspective of relationship

Punished by the Vampire King by Darcy Fayton is a deliciously dark and spicy MM romance that will leave you blushing and laughing in equal measure. Set in a royal castle, the story follows General Asher, who finds himself on the receiving end of some rather… unconventional punishment from Vampire King Henrikk after being branded a traitor.

The chemistry between Asher and Henrikk is electric, with plenty of steamy moments that will make you fan yourself. Fayton masterfully balances the intense, emotional rollercoaster with witty banter and humorous situations that keep the story light-hearted despite its darker themes.

If you’re in the mood for a tantalizing tale of betrayal, redemption, and sizzling romance, Punished by the Vampire King is a must-read. Just be prepared for a wild ride that will leave you craving more!

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

I went into Punished by the Vampire King knowing Henrikk briefly from the Kira/Nathaniel story (Collared by the Vampire Prince), so let’s just say my expectations were low—and yep, I still don’t like him and don't want to like him.

Henrikk isn’t the kind of villain you root for; at least in the order I read Darcy Fayton's stories, which made it hard to back his romance. The spice and power dynamics delivered, but if short stories or truly unredeemable characters aren’t your thing, consider yourself warned.

Tropes:

⭐️Villain MMC
⭐️Vampires
⭐️MM
⭐️Dubcon/Noncon
⭐️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⭐️

Emotional and dramatic this was a turbulent M/M spicy romance, a great lgbtq+ vampire fiction, well written and I found the pages flying by, I'd say it definitely eers on the darker side as it had a lot of SA and enemies to lovers, I enjoyed this more than some of the others in the series

Read. The. Trigger. Warnings.

This was my first MM dark romance so I wasn’t sure what to expect but having read other books by Darcy I went into it familiar with the characters which made it very fun. Henrikk is still the worst, I stand by my previous assessments of him.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review for "Punished by the Vampire King" by Darcy Fayton

I really enjoyed Punished by the Vampire King. It was my first M/M romance, and I found the story captivating and the characters well-developed. The chemistry between the main characters was intense, and the dark, alluring world of the vampire king added depth to the plot. If you're a fan of steamy paranormal romance, this book is definitely worth picking up. However, make sure to read the trigger warnings before diving in, as there are some themes that may not be for everyone.

DNF at 14%

I picked this book up cause I really wanted an MM romance. I read the SA trigger warning but I didn't expect the that much. I can't read this book at this moment of time it would trigger me too much.

But that doesn't mean that anyone else shouldn't pick up this book. Reading is always subjective.

I will probably not post this review on other websites.

4 🌟

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of "Punished by the Vampire King" by Darcy Fayton.

If you enjoy dark, super spicy reads, "Punished by the Vampire King" might be just what you’re looking for. This intense M/M vampire romance takes you on a wild journey through a newly conquered kingdom, diving deep into a villain’s origin story that lays the groundwork for the author's other books. However, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. Henrikk is a captivating yet challenging character, and the final twists are as unexpected as they are thrilling. Asher's loyalty to Henrikk remains a mystery, even after the last page, leaving readers with much to ponder.

Thank you for providing me with a copy of Punished by the Vampire King. This book was definitely spicy right from the off but I did feel that it was lacking in plot until the last few chapters of the book where we get much more story which explains a lot more of the events of the book and I definitely enjoyed the ending much more than other sections because of this. However I do think this could suit someone who prefers less plot and more spice in a spicy book. I would also have liked a bit more of a backstory before the spicy scenes started as it does start from the first few pages without a lot of context but I do think this book would suit the right person.

A spicy dark mlm vampire romance of betrayal, love, redemption and loss!
The complete collection of King Henrikk and General Asher's encounters
5 stories intertwined to tell the story of Asher being charged with a crime he didnt commit and Henrikk abusing his power
This is a dark series and had alot of good and sad moments, please read the tw/cw fully!
It is an emotional rollercoaster of found love, old friendships, power struggles between courts
Definitely recommend if you want your heart ripped out, stomped on and then refed to you

I did not live that we enter the story with almost zero introduction before the spice/abuse/action begins. I don’t find the characters all that appealing and the reminiscence of their shared past does not really make for any kind of history or character development

DNF
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
(ARC)

I tried really hard to get into this book but it just wasn't working. Like I could get past the triggers and the like but overall I was just really bored, I had no interest in the world or the characters and their stories so overall the only thing that was left was the spice and it still wasn't enough to keep me interested. Maybe this author's writing isn't for me, maybe I'll pick another book up in the future but right now I had to just let this one go.

I wanted to love this book as I've really enjoyed Darcy Fayton's other books set in the same world but after reading Kira & Nathaniel's duet I hated Henrikk so much I struggled to enjoy this book.
King Henrikk is obviously just a villain but not the morally grey kind we all usually love..

You may enjoy this if you like:
-Vampires
-Dark Spice
-MM

I’m not an MM romance girl but I do appreciate Darcy’s writing. At first I couldn’t understand why she would bother with a back story to Hendricks but as it went on I really got into it. Originally I gave 3 stars but I think the end of the book and what could come from the series of short stories has a lot of promise.
Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

This book had some really good moments but overall the world building wasn’t cohesive. Significant parts of the world were only made known when their existence became helpful to the plot. This made it feel like these things were not a part of the world from the start but rather something the author created in the spot in order to continue the story.

The storyline wasn't good enough to carry the book between 'scenes'. I found myself skipping many pages and wanting to DNF it at several different spots. The ending felt just odd and muddy.

I did like the spicy scenes. Although the first one made me want to throw my kindle because no way would he have access if he was hogtied. Which was kind of addressed but I couldn't get over it. They did feel really repetitive though. I know MM duos have less orifices to go around but it was very redundant writing.

I will not be posting this review to my Goodreads because I don't like posting negative reviews for ARCs. I did enjoy the other two books offered by this author. This one just didn't hold up for me.