Rebecca Kenney did a excellent twist on the classic Dorian Gray!!! She is a fantastic storyteller who pulls you in and lets you see the world through one of literatures most morally gray characters of all time! I have read so many versions of his story and this has been my absolute favorite! Dorian Gray is a very complex character and his hedonistic lifestyle and attitude make him very unredeemable. But I have always felt a sadness for this bad boy! And what went into making him so closed down. Rebecca Kenney let us take a peek into Dorian's past and it was heartbreaking! To love someone with all your heart and to be rejected is never easy and What Dorian felt for Basil was deep! When Dorian finds Baz a beautiful artist and descendant of Basil, who has the same gift of painting people and giving them immortality he has a chance to start over! But Baz made a vow after her drawing as a child killed her father never to draw anyone again. Dorian is handsome and mesmerizing and used to getting his own way because of youth,beautiful and money. He doesn't care about using anyone including those who are in his inner circle. So when he sets out to charm Baz into painting him by getting her foot into the right doors of the art world and two weeks of luxury he thinks it will be a piece of cake! But Baz is not only smart and tough and out spoken she calls him on his shit and how he treats others and little by little she gets under his skin. The chemistry between Dorian and Baz is fabulous and the steamy scenes will leave you breathless! This book had all kinds of twists and turns with some awesome mythology added in and amazing secondary characters and a shadowy villian who operates from the shadows while calling himself a close friend of Dorian. I love the classic tales and when a writer twists them all up and does such a amazing job as Rebecca Kenney does it gives me the feels!!! Bravo Rebecca you did one of my favorite twists of all time! And this Dorian will always stand out as my favorite. Until Next time Luv's😉💋

I really enjoyed this Picture of Dorian Gray retelling! This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author, but I will definitely track down her other books now. Charming Devil is a really interesting retelling of one of the great gothic classics, and it was so well done. I loved how she presented Dorian; she stayed true to Wilde’s original character, while also bringing a modern twist and further character growth and development. I hope she continues this series with further literary retellings! I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy spicy romance and retellings of the classics.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the arc!

I loved this book so much! I swear anything Rebecca Kenney writes is gold!!
I was obsessed with the tension between the characters Dorian and Baz! I loved that Baz was gender bent too I think it put a nice spin on the story, Dorian was still Dorian - bisexual, conceited and afraid of growing old.
I also liked the use of paranormal creatures that Baz was actually making come to life from using her powers and that there is an explanation as to where her powers came from, and what the can really do.
I honestly cannot wait to reread this when I get my paperback copy in 2025 and I’m excited for the eventual audio book and I feel like I need this book in all forms

A truly haunting tale of horror and romance that's so visceral it's guaranteed to get under your skin.

A Dorian Gray retelling like no other this is the latest book in Rebecca F Kenneys gilded monsters series that takes the classics twists them into something darkly beautiful.

Due to his life of extreme excess and hedonism Dorian has noticed that his life saving painting is starring to crumble. In a bid to save himself he tracks down the ancestor of the original artist so the painting can be re-made. Baz a struggling artist doesn't not under any circumstances do portraits. Not even when the most beautiful man she has ever seen offers her money, art connections and everything that money can buy. While they dance around each other something darker and ancient lurks in the shadows threatening everything.

This story delves deep into the joys and darkness of human excess. The fear of aging and all that intails is so honestly written that it leaves you feeling uncomfortable with that same type of fear. This is no easy love story, it is difficult, it is hard and it is raw.
It is also clearly the best thing Rebecca F Kenney has written to date.
5 stars

I absolutely devoured this! Rebecca Kenney puts a cool and unique spin on this story, and honestly, it was healing for the HAE lover in me after the OG story left me feeling sad as all heck as a kid. The spice was fantastic- and the characterisation of Dorian was SO great! I just couldn’t put it down. Looking forward to the next installment in this standalone series! RFK never disappoints, I’m so beyond honoured to have been able to read and review this one before release!

I absolutely devoured this book! Such a great mix of emotions throughout the entire book. The back and forth pull of Dorian and Baz, the mystery of the paranormal "things" happening around them, and all the Beautiful Villain Easter eggs were top notch. I loved how the story setup the interconnected storyline of the series and I cannot wait to see what's next.

I'm such a fan of Rebecca Kenney's story telling and this book still proves she has the creativity to write. I haven't read The Picture of Dorian Gray but after reading Charming Devil, I want to.
I liked the world building, the descriptive writing, and the moral dilemmas faced by the FMC Baz and even Dorian himself. The spice was, as always, the perfect amount that didn't take away from the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I received this free ARC from netgalley for an honest review.

"ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ, ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ. ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ɢᴏ ɢᴇɴᴛʟʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ."

Dorian Grey has been one of my favorite classic pieces of literature and I've loved every rendition of it so when Rebecca said she was doing a retelling - I was sat and ready.

Rebecca is one of my favorite retelling authors and I also love how she does genderbending of characters for some of them. Basil aka Baz is our fmc in this book and I adored her. She's pagan, she's artsy, she's unapologetically herself, she's gothy, but she's got this heart of gold and an innate sense of doing the right thing. She spoke to my very soul and every time we learned more about her I was like "she is me" ?! (seriously she also loves Marianas Trench - MY FAVORITE BAND! I squaled a little at this). Then we have Dorian who is as you'd expect if you know anything about the classic - narcissistic, vain, selfish and doesn't truly care about anyone or anything other than himself, his portrait and pleasure. He approaches Baz because of the ability that was passed down to her from the ancestor who originally painted Dorian and he spends the book trying to convince her to repaint him because his current painting so disfigured it's starting to corrode with holes which will destroy the entire thing thus killing him. She's very against doing this but, along the way they find friendship, love and safety in one another. She makes Dorian want to BE better, DO better and realize he is deserving of love.

There were twists thrown in to keep you on your toes and I loved the crossovers with Gatsby/Daisy. I'm curious to see if we hear more about everyone during other books she has planned in the series cause there was definitely some open ended things between Dorian and Baz that happen.

As a huge fan of Rebecca Kenney’s work, I had high expectations going into Charming Devil, and let me tell you—she absolutely delivered. From the very first page, I was sucked into the story, and by the end, I was left completely satisfied but still wanting more.

Charming Devil follows the kind of complex, morally gray characters that Kenney does so well. The chemistry between the leads is electric, the kind of slow-burn tension that had me hooked from the start. The hero, though the "devil" of the title, is irresistibly compelling—dark, brooding, and yet somehow, entirely charming. I loved how Kenney gave him depth beyond just being the typical “bad boy,” and by the end of the story, I felt like I understood his motivations, flaws, and vulnerabilities.

What truly sets this book apart is Kenney’s writing. Her prose is immersive and rich, drawing you into every scene, whether it's a quiet, emotional moment or a more intense, high-stakes encounter. She also nails the balance between romance and tension, keeping you on the edge of your seat while still delivering those swoon-worthy, heart-racing moments that fans of her work have come to expect.

Of course, the emotional payoff is everything I wanted and more. The dynamic between the characters isn’t just about attraction—there's real emotional growth, and by the end, I found myself feeling so connected to both of them.

If you’re already a Rebecca Kenney fan, you’ll find Charming Devil to be everything you love about her writing: passionate, emotional, and utterly captivating. If you’re new to her books, this is a perfect starting point to see why her stories stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys dark romance with depth, tension, and a hero who might just steal your heart—despite being a little bit of a devil.

A fantastic spicy re-imagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Loved the Irish folklore and mythology elements throughout. Was a lovely surprise.

What would it be like to be ageless? To party harder than everyone else? To take on lovers that would eventually become dust? To feel invincible no matter what?
What would it feel like to never love? To know those around you use you for your money, your status? To have lived for so long, to only be alone?
What would you do if your gift of life slowly started to fade away? Would you grow old gracefully? Would you find any means to keep living?
Charming Devil by @rebeccafkenneybooks is a spicy fantasy romance with twists and turns of magic and deceit. The slow burn between Dorian and Baz is felt between each page. There is a bond there that cannot be explained. Dorian has never loved, but there is a pull towards Baz that he cannot explain. Will Baz fall under his spell, or will she keep the vow she made so many years earlier?

Blurb:

The painting that’s kept Dorian Gray flawless for over a century is beginning to fall apart, rotted by his life of reckless decadence. Desperate, he seeks out the only person who might be able to save him: a talented young painter descended from Dorian’s first love.

Baz may have the same magical gift as her ancestor, but she’s vowed never to paint anyone’s likeness again. Haunted by the memory of the terrible price her talent can exact, she swears she will not be swayed―not even by the seductive words dripping like venom from the lips of the most beautiful man she’s ever met.

Yet as Dorian tries to persuade Baz by any means possible, they become aware of a darker, deadlier magic awakening around them. Dangerous forces, long dormant, have been stirred by Baz’s presence…and are determined to have her no matter the cost. As tensions rise and desire flares ever-hotter, Baz and Dorian become trapped in a complex web of conflicting motives, messy emotions, and a growing, desperate passion that may well consume them both.
Charming Devil is set to release on 02-11-2025.

This book. I swear I eat up everything Rebecca writes but this one was amazing! From the angst and slow burn to then the 🔥. Y’all don’t miss out on this one! Read it in one day!

I have had a fascination with anything Dorian Gray since I watched League of Extraordinary Gentlemen when I was a child. I try to get my grubby hands on all things Dorian and I HAD to have this. This was fantastic and I enjoyed every bit of it.

I will be ordering this beauty so I can have it on my trophy shelf.

I love when authors put out deluxe editions of their work. As someone that reads a lot on her Kindle, when I come across these special books I immediately want to own them and add them to my bookshelves! This one from Kenney is no exception! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.