The romance is steamy and intense, with a slow-burn that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, and their banter is witty and engaging.

I am already a huge fan of Rebecca F. Kenney but when she came out with her first Gilded Monsters book, a modern take on the Great Gatsby with a healthy dose of her signature fantasy and lots of heat, I was hooked.

Needless to say, I was so excited when I heard the next book in this series would be a modern Southern spin on The Picture of Dorian Gray. Let me tell you that Rebecca has once again hit it out of the park. I didn't think that I could like the second book more, but I was absolutely captivated from the first chapter and left floored when I got to the end. She weaves a story that is simultaneously entertaining, suspenseful and filled with fragile and painful truths.

In Charming Devil, we meet Baz Allard, a young artist whose penchant to capture the beauty in the dark and decaying is tempered by the supernatural skill she's sworn never to tap into again. With her pink hair and her punk aesthetic, Baz is a wonderful mix of brash honesty and heartbreaking vulnerability, shaped by a past that has kept her from ever truly being able to move forward.

Baz's control on her carefully crafted existence is challenged when the handsome yet mysterious Dorian Gray steps into her studio with an intimate tie to her lineage and the one request she has vowed never to take on again--a portrait. Rebecca's take on Dorian Gray retains important connections to the original classic character, but steeps him in the vices, indulgences and decadence of modern day. He is at once charming and endearing while also being aloof, extremely selfish and tragically caught in his constant pursuit of eternal youth.

Against the backdrop of a rising, dark supernatural force that seems intent on sucking Baz into its center, Dorian and Baz challenge each other to question the very tenants that have guided their individual existences. Dorian has long abandoned hope that his soul is something worth rescuing. However, Baz awakens in him a sense of hope that he has not felt in hundreds of years. Through Dorian and Baz's journey, Rebecca takes on themes of what it means to age and how facing one's past trauma can unlock the potential of one's future. The question is will it be a lesson that Baz and Dorian can learn in time or will history be doomed to repeat itself?

I would be remiss if I did not talk about the very palpable setting that Rebecca creates in this story. The Southern gothic backdrop of Charleston provides the perfect mix of a town whose rich, dark history and modern day opulence, allows the more fantastical aspects of Kenney's tale to feel so naturally at home that one would not blink an eye to see some of these supernatural beings walking side by side with its every day inhabitants.

Once again Rebecca has delivered a twist on a classic that is fresh, moody and beautiful in how it equally embraces the darker, uglier aspects of life as much as the gentle and hopeful. It is the type of dark fantasy romance that leaves you wanting more. For those who read book 1, keep your eyes out for some interesting connections but this can definitely be read as a standalone. I can't wait for the next story in the series, which is going to be Rebecca's take on another one of my favorites, Wuthering Heights.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca | Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!

Charming Devil was such a fun ride! This was my second book by Kenney and it made me want to work through the rest of her backlist. It took me a second to get into the book but once I was hooked, I didn’t want to put it down. The spice was perfection, the characters were interesting and the story kept my attention. Everything I look for in a spicy romance was there!

🌶🌶🌶🌶
I received an advanced copy to review and am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.
I have a lot of feelings about this book. I will start by saying that I've never read The Picture of Dorian Gray
The twist and turns of the relationship and the plost twists definitely kept me on my toes! Once I started this book I did not want to put it down, it kept me captivated.
Lots of k!nky, open door scenes going on here 🔥
But, more importantly, this book dives into the greed and selfishness of the human race. It explores society's obsession with beauty and youth. Overall, wonderfully written!

- Dorian Gray retelling
- Magical world

I'll confess. I'm not overly familiar with the original Doran Gray story, so I just enjoyed this book on its own merit. It features a chaotic, borderline narcissist MMC and a FMC that has powers she doesn't understand.

Dorian's life is immortalized in a portrait painted by his lover over a century ago. The painting absorbs all of the unwanted feelings and heals any injuries. However, the painting is starting to deteriorate. Is this due to an oversaturation of debauchery? Possibly. So Dorian embarks on a mission to find another with the same power. And he finds it in the descendent of the origianl artist.

Baz is an artist, but knows she cannot paint portraits. She is unsure of the extent of her power, but her mother apparently had it as well and cautioned Baz about her "gift". A lesson Baz learned only too well after disregarding her mother's warnings....

Now Dorian has approached Baz to paint his portrait. He assures her he is fully aware of the risks in transferring to a new portrait, but he is not ready to stop living. Unfortunately, something else realizes Baz's powers...and is stalking her...

This story is enjoyable. It was a bit of a slow start and the selfishness of Dorian is a bit off putting, but in line with his character.

Baz and Dorian!!! Omg. I have never read Dorian gray but this book made me want to! I loved Baz and how she is spunky. Her gift/curse and how she is connected through Dorian with it was so interesting to read. This book kept me interested the whole time! I fell in love with every aspect! 10/10

4.5 ⭐️

This was so good!! Charming Devil is a retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray. And I enjoyed this so much. Supernatural happenings and in my favorite city in the country. Charleston SC was the perfect setting. This was surprisingly insightful and fantastic storytelling. Loved the plot twist and that ending leading into the next book. At least that’s the way I took it lol. Immersive storytelling, great spice, and relatable characters. Highly recommend this one.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Charming Devil is a contemporary retelling of The Portrait of Dorian Grey. Dorian does not age, as any ailment he may have goes into an enchanted portrait of himself. Baz is an artist, who Dorian seeks out when the portrait begins to deteriorate. Will she help Dorian? Do they have another connection?

Okay, full disclosure: a bit of time had gone by between requesting this galley and sitting down to read it. Enough time, that I did not realize Baz was a woman and not a man for a few chapters. 💀 I did eventually get that sorted out in my brain.

I really liked this retelling. No character was simple or inherently good or bad; everyone was complicated. This Dorian felt accurate for our present day. Of course Dorian would be partying and utilizing things such as social media. Baz had some boundaries and I appreciated that she did not want to immediately help this stranger asking her a big request. It did seem like some things were not fully resolved, but maybe there will be snippets of what happens in future books.

This is a part of an interconnected stand alone series. There is some mention of characters from book one, but not enough to need to read it first or to be spoiled by anything mentioned.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

Here I go again reading a retelling without having read the original. I’m consistent, at least.

What I do know is that Dorian Gray is able to stay alive and looking young thanks to a painting. However, that painting has been slowly eroding thanks to his reckless lifestyle. He seeks out a young painter, Baz, who has a special gift. She refuses to use it because it resulted in tragic consequences in her youth. Dorian has to convince her to paint him, and he does so by inviting her to spend time with him in his lavish world, promising her connections to help her career. She needs to decide soon as it’s not only his life at stake, their lives are in peril with supernatural forces after them.

I liked this darkish romance and that I’d no clue how it’d transpire. The addition of the supernatural was spectacular. Baz is a grittier, more pointed FMC than I’m used to, and I quite liked that about her. Dorian’s all smooth, charming, “Oh people are in love with me? I hadn’t noticed”. He’s calculated with a tendency towards callousness. However, his origin story is compelling and a little tragic, too. The fact that Baz is the only person in the world who can save him makes this a harrowing suspense.

Highlights:
🖼️ Dual POV
🖼️ Romantic suspense, paranormal
🖼️ Spice, open door
🖼️ Monsters, secrets
🖼️ Set in Charleston

Kenney also skillfully blends in another classic by bringing in Jay Gatsby from her first book in this Gilded Monsters series, 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻. So I must read that to get a better lay of the land here. Kenney has created a fascinating world of would-be gods and creepy monsters that I want to explore more of!

Thank you @sourcebookscasa for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹 is available February 11th!

Charming devil was a fun read! Im always curious to read a retelling story since there are so many of them out there. This book had the gothic vibes and the characters were fun. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a fun reading experience or loves retellings with a gothic tone.

Wonderfully told story, love the folklore feel of the book. The reimagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray brought so much life to the story and was a journey. Can't wait to see what comes next from Rebecca Kenney.

This was the first book that I have read from this author and I really enjoyed it. It is definitely a pretty loose retelling with a modern spin (TikTok thirst traps haha). I actually liked the modern take as his choices felt very on brand for the character. I also loved how smart and strong the FMC was. She held tight to her convictions and I loved that.

I did feel that it started slow which is why I deducted a star. I tend to prefer a book suck me in from the beginning but this took a bit. It was still an enjoyable read and had some great spice!

Thanks to Rebecca, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

"I Feel like you're a demon offering me a bargain." ~ Baz
"Except it's not your soul we're bargaining for. It's mine. Maybe you the demon." ~ Dorian

In this new adult, magical Dorian Gray retelling we follow Baz and Dorian in a dual POV story.

First we meet Baz who is an artist, from a long line of people who can put people's souls in a painting. If the person gets hurt, the painting absorbs the consequences, and the real person heals fast and doesn't age. However if the painting is destroyed, you will kill the real person.
As a kid she drew her dad and ripped up the paper in tiny pieces, and this way killed her father, her mother never recovered and commited suicide.

Then we enter Dorian a very attractive young man, but looks are deceiving since he is more than 100 years old. An ancestor of Baz, called Basil had painted Dorian and captured his soul in the painting. Dorian has lived a careless life for many many years, while the painting has been detoriating little bit by little bit each time he got hurt. However the painting starts to fall apart, and little holes start appearing. Dorian is afraid life as he knows it is ending soon and goes looking for an anchestor of Basil to strike a deal. He finds Baz and he tries to convince her to create a new painting for him so he can keep on living his immortal life.

Baz promised herself after killing her father to never paint another portrait again. Will Dorian be able to convince her? He includes her in his friend group, and takes her out partying and introduces her to important people in the art world. Will it be enough to sway Baz' moral compass? Especially when she starts to develop feelings...

So I absolutely loved this books. I've never read a Dorian Gray retelling, but I absolutely loved this spin on the classic story. If you like magic, celtic folklore, art, morally gray characters, immortal people, and a bit of spice, then this book is for you!

"I'm the muse and the artist, baby." ~Dorian Gray

“So what are you, God’s gift?”
“No, the Devil’s, maybe.”

3.75/5

What a pleasant surprise. I love The Picture of Dorian Gray, and I think this was a fun modern retelling (with some chef’s kiss spice). I didn’t connect with Baz or the plot as much as I would have liked to, but Dorian kept me interested the whole way through.

“You never get over Dorian Gray.”

Modern retelling 🖌️
Morally gray MMC 🩶
Black cat FMC 🐈‍⬛
Forced proximity 🔥
One bed 🛏️
Celtic folklore 🧚
Southern gothic atmosphere 🐦‍⬛

“My body is an immaculate temple to hedonism.”

This a unique modern retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray. I was intrigued by the description, having read the original I decide to give it a try. I actually enjoyed this book. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but once 65% of the book hit I could not put it down. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

I'll start by saying that I haven't read "the picture of Dorian gray" in at least a decade and I love a good retelling.
This was a delight! I was captured by the cover art and a bit of the synopsis (I don't read full synopsis), and I really liked the book!
The end was a bit rushed on my opinion, but I enjoyed how Baz's personality and morals affected Dorian's.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5 stars rounded up)

Charming Devil's writing style does justice to The Picture of Dorian Gray, although a few more instances of the word "languidly" would've been a better tribute to the original xD. The fantasy aspect of the plot is very well thought, and Rebecca weaves the struggles of being an artist, grief, horror and magic with great finesse!

I have mixed opinions about this book, as Dorian Gray didn't particularly feel like a good love interest (which I suppose he wasn't supposed to be, due to this being a dark romance, however his character arc didn't progress in the way I'd have wanted it to.) His and Baz' chemistry fell flat for me (however that aspect might be enjoyed by dark romance readers/morally gray mmc enjoyers). I was mostly invested in the plot because of the mythical angle and the twists on that front are actually quite remarkable and engrossing! Sticky creatures, sleeping Gods, hidden magical talents, folklore -- there is quite a lot happening in the best way?

Okay, I'll be honest, I was intrigued to see where Baz and Dorian's relationship goes and it did keep me flipping the pages but WELL it didn't end the way I wanted it to. Baz's strong morals weren't always reflected in her actions in my opinion and Dorian's vanity, hedonism and debauchery made him so infuriating to read about but that's behaviour you'd expect from an opulent immortal 😭 I think Damon Salvatore might be an interesting parallel to this Dorian however considering I am not a huge fan of either I can't really comment on who I like better 💀 There's a prequel to this book, which is a Great Gatsby retelling (with vampires), however you can still read this book as a standalone (like I did) it reads just fine!

Unfortunately this didn't meet my expectations. While the premise of a modern retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray intrigued me, because I absolutely LOVE Oscar Wilde, this one missed the mark.

One of my main issues was with the character development, particularly Baz. I found her to be inconsistent and difficult to connect with, which made it challenging to stay engaged with the story. Additionally, the plot seemed to lose focus at times, making it hard to follow the main storyline. ALSO, why was Dorian blonde!?!

Moreover, certain elements, such as the frequent references to brand names and the characters' smoking habits, were off-putting and detracted from my overall enjoyment. While I appreciate the effort to modernize a classic tale, these aspects didn't resonate with me.

In summary, despite its creative premise this didn't align with my personal preferences.

Haven't read Dorian grey but this should be illegal.

I'm going to keep it short but this was honestly unbearable to read like I have no idea how I managed to make it this far. It was a little entertaining but that was it. The characters were not it. Dorian was such a disappointment and Baz did not click either and I did not feel the chemistry between them at all, the plot could be considered fun or intriguing enough for someone to continue but besides that nothing about this book was that gripping. I'm really bummed about it cuz I was expecting more from this book and I hoped to enjoy it.

This was an interesting read. I enjoyed the reimagined perspective on the classic Dorian Gray and while the romance aspect had some captivating and gripping moments, the plot felt a bit slow and inevitable.