Original Sinner by Kat Ballenger hooked you into its grasp from the very beginning and doesn’t let up until it’s done.

Whoever would’ve thought that the prince of darkness would be the one who made you feel the best about yourself. In a world where sex and sin are way of life. Original Sinner will check off all the boxes of your dark spicy romance and needs. Please check your trigger warnings as some of the content may not be suitable for some. Now, if a little bit of darkness is the name of your game this is definitely a book. I’m going to recommend. Lucifer and Charlotte make an unlikely team that turns out to be something more than either one of them would have expected the one who is the definition of sin to be paired with one who is raised under the thumb of religion, and it’s just learning the real world. Let me just say the spice of this book is off the charts. We’re definitely dealing with some things that may be considered to ought to handle. lol. We get an interesting plot, a bit of mystery and some family drama, not to mention a considerable amount of laugh contained in the pages of the story. With one book Kat Ballenger has put herself on my radar.

Very unique and intriguing first installment. I look forward to more. Ultimate villian and spicy!! Some tropes thrown in and you've got a spicy dark romance worth the read!

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for this eCopy to review

Original Sinner by Kait Ballenger is a sizzling romantasy that blends supernatural intrigue with a fiery romance, set against the backdrop of a modern-day New York ruled by the seven deadly sins.

The story introduces Charlotte Bellefleur, a young woman fleeing her oppressive, fundamentalist upbringing in Kansas. She lands an internship at Apollyon, a powerful conglomerate run by none other than Lucifer himself—Pride personified and the enigmatic leader of the seven fallen angels who embody the deadly sins. When a scandalous document she wrote about Lucifer is leaked to the press, Charlotte finds herself thrust into a fake engagement with her intimidating boss to quell the media frenzy.

As the plot unfolds, Charlotte and Lucifer’s relationship evolves from a reluctant partnership to a passionate and complex connection. Lucifer’s dark, brooding demeanour contrasts with Charlotte’s quiet strength and resilience, creating a dynamic that keeps the tension simmering. Meanwhile, Charlotte faces threats from her past, adding layers of suspense to the narrative.

Ballenger’s writing shines in its depiction of the opulent yet dangerous world of the Originals, where power struggles and secrets abound. The chemistry between Charlotte and Lucifer is electric, and their emotional journeys are compelling. The novel’s blend of romance, danger, and self-discovery makes it an engaging read.

Overall, it's a captivating start to the Original Sinners series, perfect for fans of steamy paranormal romance with a touch of dark fantasy. If you enjoy morally grey characters and high-stakes drama, this one’s worth picking up!

My first real dark romantasy and it was pretty good. The main character was a little annoying (though as one of the other characters point out, what human isn’t a little annoying when they’re 23) and I would have liked to see the main character's past and how it has affected her (I feel like the mini drunken rant she has doesn't really do her character justice).

But on the whole it was an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to see where the main plot is going to go in book two.

Rated 2.5 Stars

I loved the premise of Original Sinner but unfortunately it didn't work for me. It was riddled with clichés and felt like it was trying too hard especially to be inclusive. For instance the heroine described someone as wearing gender non-conforming clothes so she knows they were non-binary (paraphrasing but that's the gist of it). There were other instances but I'll leave it at that. I'm not going to touch on the portrayal of religion and the Bible because it will turn into a super long rant just know I have many thoughts on that aspect of it. I did like that there were twists, turns and suspense but it was just an ok read for me.

We love a good Lucifer love story! This book intrigued me as soon as I read the blurb, and I was so excited when I got approved for an ARC. After reading, I can now confirm the book itself did not disappoint!

Charlotte, the daughter of an extremist Evangelical, escapes her previous life and winds up in NYC looking for a new beginning. She lands an internship at Apollyon, Inc. which is led by none other than the devil himself, Lucifer. Lucifer and his siblings, the seven deadly sins, run NYC and are all on a quest to win the redemption of their Father. Charlotte obviously gets mixed up in this, and her relationship with Lucifer is the center point of the story.

Lucifer was everything I’ve come to love in a morally grey MMC. He was cut throat, had all the “touch her and die” energy a girl can ask for, yet also had a soft spot for his girl. I thought Charlotte was a good FMC, tho I wish we got to see a bit deeper into some of her thoughts.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and am definitely going to read the next in the series!

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️


Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the digital ARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading.

Really enjoyed this book! FMC is Charlotte: she's young and inexperienced, coming from a strict and abusive religious upbringing. MMC is Lucifer. Yes, THAT Lucifer. The devil straight from hell. The book takes place in NYC with Lucifer and his siblings "The Originals" running the town. I loved that his siblings represented the 7 deadly sins. Famous angels and various other biblical references are dropped, which I think added a little extra intrigue to the story.

While the story at times feels like something you've read before, there are plenty of new and interesting elements to make this a worth-while read. I love the debauchery, the spice, the mystery, and the ending was unexpected!

Recommend, especially if you're recovering from a religious upbringing ;-)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! I appreciate the oppurtunity to read and review!

ORIGINAL SINNER is the first instalment in Kait Ballenger’s contemporary, adult ORIGINAL SINNERS dark, erotic, urban fantasy, romance series focusing on twenty-three year old, preacher’s daughter and PA Charlotte Bellefleur, and the prince of darkness Lucifer Apollyon.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers, as well as some expected religious overtones.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Charlotte and Lucifer) ORIGINAL SINNER follows the building but tempestuous relationship between PA Charlotte Bellefleur, and the prince of darkness Lucifer Apollyon. Charlotte is wholly aware of the Lucifer’s reputation as a billionaire CEO in New York City. In an effort to get up close and personal with Lucifer, Charlotte finds herself applying for a job at Apollyon Inc, where she will become Lucifer’s personal assistant, a position that comes with certain perks of the job but someone is stalking our story line heroine, and an anonymous social media post finds Charlotte bowing to the man with whom she will fall in love. All is not well in the world of the fallen angels, someone else is taking aim at our story line couple.

The world building focuses on several intersecting pathways including the dysfunctional family dynamics of Lucifer’s unheavenly and heavenly family; the jealousy and fight for control, dividing the seven original sinners, and our heroine’s past who refuses to let go. Charlotte has many secrets, secrets that push her into the direct line of fire, and her own decaying family kinetics.

The relationship between Charlotte and Lucifer begins when our heroine integrates herself into the world of the fallen angels but Charlotte is out of her element, and finds herself answering to the prince of darkness. Lucifer doesn’t do relationships, and rarely goes out in public, and in this, Charlotte is determined to change Lucifer’s image but the results will backfire, and our couple must come to terms with what is happening and why. The $ex scenes are aggressive and provocative.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, powerful and interested secondary and supporting characters including Lucifer’s assistant Imani, Charlotte’s best friend Jax, original sinners Astarath, Asmodeus, Mammon, Belphgor, Satan, Leviathan, Beelzebub: Gabriel and Michael. The requisite evil has many faces.

ORIGINAL SINNER is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, faith and trust, family and dysfunction, acceptance and love. The premise is dramatic, dark and edgy; the romance tense and sensational; the characters are determined, charismatic and controversial. ORIGINAL SINNER ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.


THE READING CAFÉ: https://www.thereadingcafe.com/original-sinner-original-sinners-1-by-kait-ballenger-review/


GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7038016221


BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3991548900


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Couldn't even finish this. The FMC is just a fool. I don't understand the world that this is in. I could not find anything about this book that I could grab hold of and enjoy. Just no thank you.

This dark romantasy which tackles issues of morality and shedding societal expectations to really live (and maybe live a little bad) is an enjoyable and sexy read. The seven deadly sins personified and in a dark romantasy book? Sign me up!

What happens when a girl trying to escape her religious cult past comes into collision with the devil himself, Lucifer. Sin incarnate himself.
Tropes:
Grumpy vs Sunshine Personalities
Fake Marriage
Religious Trauma
Smutty
Honestly this book had me hooked from the gorgeous cover. It’s for sure a perfect representation of what this book entails. We meet Charlotte, a woman who has escaped her past from a cult like church to the Big Apple who works for the Devil, Lucifer himself. When her scathing rant she wrote in anger gets anonymously released she must pretend to be Lucifer’s new wife to help his image with the world.
But of course what’s the fun of the heat of having some sexy fun with the sin incarnate without the chance of falling in love?
I honestly loved the vibes this book gave me, the show Lucifer mixed with a little dash of Fifty Shades of Grey.
Lucifer was as hot as you can imagine. The narrator for Lucifer, Ethan Reid, was sex incarnate and had me blushing with his narration. The voice of Charlotte, Isabelle Turner, was just the perfect choice to voice a character who is trying to get over her past and is just fumbling around like all of us do.
I loved this book. For sure will recommend to anyone who likes shadow daddies( the OG Shadow Daddy) and just novel that flows so naturally.
For sure a 5 star read on both fronts being a physical read and honey for the ear.
I’d like to thank NetGalley Brilliance Publishing for an audio & Ebook copy of this book. I’m forever grateful.
This review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.

While the FMC wasn’t my favorite, the plot and sibling dynamics more than made up for it. The concept of the Seven Deadly Sins ruling NYC was absolutely addictive, and the execution? Chef’s kiss. The power struggles, the high-stakes mind games, and the dark allure of Lucifer himself kept me hooked from start to finish.

The chemistry? Scorching. The familial tension? Perfectly cutthroat. And the world-building? Darkly glamorous with just the right amount of danger. Even with my issues with the FMC, this book had me obsessed, and I’ll definitely be diving into the rest of the series. If you love a sinful, scheming, high-stakes romantasy with a devilishly tempting antihero, Original Sinner is for you.

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day.
The story captures your attention from the first chapter and I could not put it down.
If you’re craving a romantasy… pick this up!

✨ Seven Deadly Sins Retelling
✨ Dark Urban Paranormal Romance (Angels/Demons)
✨ Workplace Romance
✨ Fake Engagement
✨ He hates everyone but her
✨ BDSM
⚠ Extreme Religious Trauma

This was a delicious and dark ride! Lucifer and the other seven deadly sins are billionaire celebrities who rule a God abandoned NYC. Charlotte is Lucifer's newest intern who finds herself entranced with the devil himself and after a press release goes wrong, also finds herself as his fake fiancée.

This book reminds me a little of 50 Shades of Grey mixed with the 7 Deadly Sins. It was <b>HOT</b> and downright sinful, and I enjoyed every minute. Lucifer is an enigmatic billionaire who loves to physically evade the media. He's ruthless, cunning, morally dark grey, and hates everyone but Charlotte. He has secrets of his own and his own agenda, which adds to the suspense to the story. Charlotte escaped her traumatic religious upbringing only to find herself in the devil's snare, not that she is complaining. Her past threatens her at every turn and she uses Lucifer's game to her benefit. She's naïve at times, thanks to her upbringing, but proves she can go toe to toe with the ruthless family of fallen angels.

Thank you so much to Kait for the advanced copy! I can't wait to see where this series goes! 🖤

This is book one of the Original Sinners series. Seven deadly sins rule NYC. This is Pride/Lucifer’s story. It’s a steamy fake relationship, full of sin. This story pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. The world building is detailed and imaginative. This book has strong, well-developed characters, an interesting story line full of suspense, danger, action, mystery, unexpected twists, and an ending that left me wanting to read the next book in the series. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A big thank you to the author Kait Ballenger and Montlake for providing me with an e-ARC!

Reading this book felt a little like watching a TV show. The story was entertaining and easy to follow. The murder mystery and intrigue added a good amount of tension.

The author adresses a lot of religious and moral values and how scary it can be to act against everything we've been thaught to believe. I loved to see how the FMC began to accept herself and her thoughts and finally started to LIVE!

The worlbuilding was pretty simple since the created world exists in the "real world" with added magical elements. But there was not enough explanation about the magic system to fully understand all the different powers.

The pace was okay but there were a few timejumps where it was not immediately clear that we jumped forward a few weeks.

There were a lot of gaps in the development of the relationship between the MC's. The insta lust kind of ruined the transtion from hate to love and their whole relationship was shallow since the only connection I saw was their desire for each other.

The plot was all over the place and I'm still not entirely sure what the main plotline should have been. It also felt like the author had a checklist of what to include to make the book as diverse as possible. But these parts were not nicely integrated into the story, just some random sentences here and there.

Get the audio!

It has been a while since I've read a book by Kait and paranormal romance, so Original Sinner definitely revived my need for them. If I didn't have to go sleep, I would have listened to this whole book in one sitting. I was captivated the entire time and the narrators did a fantastic job bringing Charlotte and Lucifer to life.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and I'm looking forward to whatever come's next of this world, which I hope we do get more after how things end. The one thing I was hoping for more of was just the overall feeling that Lucifer truly loved Charlotte. And I think we just needed a bit more time with that.

5 stars to the narration by Isabelle Turner and Ethan Reid, both narrators I have no listened to before. And I'll definitely add to my favorite list and keep a lookout for more by them!

Thank you to Brilliance Audio and Montlake for the ALC and digital advanced copy.

Thank you again to Net Galley for let me have this Arc!

I did really enjoy this book, alot different to what I have been reading recently. Was nice to go back to this kind of fantasy realm.

I adore anything Seven Deadly Sins ❤️🥵
Great vibes ✅️
Spice ✅️

An all round great read, would recommend!

A big shout out and thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of Original Sinner in exchange for an honest review!

This might be one of the most challenging books to review, because all the aspects of it that were enjoyable are inextricably entwined with all the aspects of it I struggled with.

Let me start with the things that worked really well for me, because… why not?

The writing has a certain tenor to it that you see—and are often drawn to—in shows with dark themes and intense tones. With murder mystery and emotional turmoil within characters as they find what’s true to them, paired with paranormal aspects and handling PR nightmares, the book certainly reads a little like the show Lucifer.

There are a lot of religious and moral values that are questioned in this book. At the beginning of the book, the author writes a small note speaking about being fearless and reclaiming her joy and when you read the book you would agree that it’s the perfect way to describe this book: as a reclamation of oneself against what we’re taught to think/believe/feel. There are many things you can appreciate about this book and all the moments in this book that handle thoughts about, and understanding, one’s own faith and doubts are some of my favourite that I will always hold dear.

The world building was honestly really simple to follow. Outside of the fact that most of the characters are well known—and even if some of the names might be a little different from what is familiar—the world created by Ballenger exists in the real world with magical elements added in. Truly, it hardly felt too much like a book with fantasy elements it. It felt too real for that. I would call that a well done book in the magical realism genre, for sure.

The pace in this book is fairly even, the events flow into one another for the most part and it’s not a hard to book to read as such.

Here begins the parts of the book that were difficult for me.

The primary characters. As compelling as many parts of their personalities, situations and life stories were, there was a lot of gaps in the progress of their relationship to me. I do feel it had amazing potential of being a very deep connection/relationship, but it was never explored. It went from hate to… love in a few pages and I was left reeling from the swift pace of it.

The secondary characters were few and promptly disappear after a few scenes. Imani was honestly my favourite. She’s a black woman, works in the hero’s company, reports directly to him and has a fantastic introduction scene. She’s intelligent, fantastic at her job, shrewd paired with the awareness of how to deal with power and empower those around her at the same time. Also she’s fantastic at looking the Devil in his eyes and telling him he’s wrong. I loved her, however… she just … disappears after the first maybe 50%. There was only one—as far as I can remember—Indian character who was … well he was one of the hero’s staff members in the house. It wasn’t even an official role, but I’m pretty sure he’s a butler. Personally I would’ve loved to not see the only Indian character in the book being a butler…

The plot was honestly a lot of things all together at once. What the book initially seems to be about disappears, then the book seems to be about something else in the middle and that sort of takes a step back too … and then a whole new plot thread appears and acts as the catalyst to a swift paced last 10%. However, the ending makes it feel like this might not be a standalone in a series… which I for some reason presumed it would be.

Please check trigger warnings, there are themes in this book that can be difficult for some. Happy reading.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fresh take on the seven deadly sins as they are celebrities within the human world. The story centers around Lucifer and Charlotte, who is an employee of his. I found the story to be a bit slow at parts but it did pick up speed and I found it to be an overall enjoyable read.
Thank you to the author, Kait Ballenger, NetGalley and the publisher, Montlake, for a copy of this book!