Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.
I had difficulty to get through the beginning of this book.

The main character was too standard for my liking and I was afraid this book would be the same kind of book like all the other books with this setting. But after the beginning, the story and characters grew onto me and I started to like it. The ending was, like the beginning not much of my liking but overall this book was a solid 3,5* for me.

No one says screw you better than a girl who literally dances with the devil !!

Charlotte had grown up in a toxic religious environment. So what better way to tell your religious family screw you than to work for the devil himself!
That’s right the FMC lands a job at Lucifer’s company!

One PR crisis later and these two are fake dating!
I liked Charlotte and Lucifer’s banter and relationship. They brought out the good the bad and the ugly with one another. Oh and the spice was steamy.


Thank you NetGalley , Montlake publisher and author Kait Ballenger for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review

"Any good player knows that the Queen is the most powerful piece."

Rating: 3.25 stars.
If I have to describe the plot of Original Sinner in a line, it would be “a dramatic romance between a religiously traumatized girl and the literal King of Hell who has a forked tongue”. Emphasis on the Forked Tongue (yes, it is definitely an important plot point).

While the story itself is nothing ground breaking, it’s an entertaining read with moments that shine and others that fall a little flat. The plot also leans heavily on the classic “Powerful, brooding man falls for plain-but-pretty, down-on-her-luck woman” trope, but with angels, demons, and the Seven Deadly Sins thrown into the mix.

Lucifer, the embodiment of Pride, takes center stage, and Charlotte, the young woman desperately trying to get away from her old life, joins his company, and happens to be the first mortal to tempt The Tempter into falling for humanity. This may be a common trope – but I eat it up every time. I mean, what’s more entertaining than watch an immortal being fumble awkwardly with their newfound feelings for a human? Forked Tongues. Yes.

Talking about characterisation - the main characters are… fine. They’re not especially memorable, but I didn’t dislike them either. What did disappoint me, however, was the treatment of side characters - Imani, who pretty much carried the first half, is cut from the story with no explanation (justice for my girl), and Jax and Ian feel similarly discarded once the romance takes over.
Jax, who was supposed to be ‘Charlotte’s best friend’ and roommate is completely forgotten. Ian is there only to give a hint to who was the Betrayer, and that's it.

Maybe the whole thing about “friends are forgotten once you fall in love” thing is true.

The writing style is casual and easy to follow, which works for the tone of the book, though it does occasionally veer into fanfiction territory. Which is, of course, not a bad thing, but certain phrases—like Lucifer constantly saying “Shall we?”—were overused.

Themes of redemption and reclaiming power are central to the story, and I appreciated Charlotte’s journey of standing up to her abuser. However, some parts felt rushed or glossed over—like her past life beyond her father, what happened to her mother, the dream about Lilith, and the unborn child—which left me wishing for more depth. Also, the ending just had to have a cliff-hanger. Like. Why. Why must you do this to me?!

I felt pity for Charlotte with the way Lucifer treated her in the beginning. Public humiliation, manipulating her into getting into a relationship with him, rejecting her idea only to end up using it. I mean, it all worked out in the end, but it was hard to like him at first – which is the point. Well played, author.

On the positive side, the pacing is solid. The romance doesn’t take over completely (technically), and there’s a decent balance between plot and smut (though Lucifer and Charlotte’s… activities certainly get their fair share of attention).

I told you, the forked tongue is important to this review.

The most memorable moments for me would be Lucifer gifting Charlotte his Redemption, followed by them confessing their love for each other, as well as the scene where Charlotte mocks her abuser by laughing in his face. That was a lovely chapter.

Overall, Original Sinner was better than I expected but didn’t leave a lasting impression. If you enjoy demon romance with a touch of angst and empowerment, it’s worth a read. Just go in with the right expectations—it’s fun, but it’s not rewriting the genre.
Also, I must admit that I currently cannot remember what Charlotte even looks like as described in the novel (I pictured her as a brunette with brown eyes), but I DO know that she likes it when Lucifer uses his forked tongue….. (Okay, I’ll be exiting stage left now).

Thank you Netgalley, Kait Ballenger and Montlake for the ARC.

I loved everything about this book. The plot drew me in from the start. The Seven Original Sins return from Hell and take their place in New York, a girl recovering from her own religious trauma thrust into Lucifer’s (Pride) path and everything that ensues had me hooked.

I read this in one sitting and I couldn’t get enough of it. Charlotte wasn’t a wilting flower and despite her trauma she was build to handle the Prince of Darkness.

Plot, spice, character development, writing, everything about this was spot on!

Overall

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

Big thanks to Netgalley and Kait Ballenger for the eARC in exchange for a review.

Modern times with original sins. This is a take on angels coming to earth, including everyone's favorite baddie, Lucifer.

Without spoilers, we've got a sweet and innocent who falls for her boss, who falls for her in turn. She navigates life with an immortal devil, while he shows her just how dark he can get.

4 stars

Interesting and drama-filled retelling of the seven deadly sins… with a lot of spice. I would have liked more exploration of the other Originals and would recommend checking TWs but would say it’s worth giving a read

There are definitely some things to like about this book. It's a fresh take on the Seven Deadly Sins and I enjoyed the main character, Charlotte, for her spunk and reliability (finally, a FMC who doesn't turn down a shopping trip). The spice was good, though not my personal tastes, and there were some good twists toward the end.

⚠️Possible Spoilers Ahead⚠️

Some tropes I enjoyed:
- Stalker ex (so, so good)
- Religious undertones
- Touch her and you burn in hell
- Billionaire MMC

However, a few things took the book down IMO:
- Occasionally, it almost felt like the sentences were out of order. I don't know if this is a formatting thing or a story thing but I found myself having to reread pages simply because they didn't make sense
- Sometimes, it felt like things were explained too much, which would take me out of my reading but then other parts confused me (like Lilith's connection).
- I felt like we forgot about her friends towards the end. I wanted to see more of Jax and Imani!
- This is so minor but the main character is from Topeka, Kansas. As someone who grew up very near Topeka, it's clear that the author has never been there as Kansas doesn't really have megachurches, at least not like the ones that the author kept describing. And certainly not Topeka, which isn't the goody-two-shoes town she kept describing. Super small but it took me out of the story from time to time.

*Thanks to Kait Ballenger and Net Galley for the ARC! My review is freely given and all opinions are my own.

Dark urban romantasy with the Original Sinners. This was enchanting and spicy!
The story takes place in a dystopian NYC were the Sinners has the power and God is nowere to be found. Would you make a deal with Lucifer?

Be aware of trigga warnings and very spicy scenes!


Post on IG the 3.jan 2025

What's a girl with a traumatic and hyper religious upbringing to do when she ends up fake dating the literal ruler of hell? Fake it till she makes it, I guess. Fresh from escaping the cult she was raised in, Charlotte's new job at Lucifer's billion dollar company starts with her impressing Lucifer's personal assistant, Imani. I've been reading romance novels for decades and something I appreciate so much in modern stories is female friendships. Charlotte has a roommate and dear friend in Jax, who we meet later, and Imani, who wants the best for Charlotte personally and professionally. The side characters in this one really stood out. So many stories I hope we get told. Charlotte's relationship with Lucifer's starts complicated and toxic and takes a long time to get to a point where I'd consider it romantic. She's very inexperienced in relationships and understandably so. He's also inexperienced in relationships because he's never allowed himself to care before. What starts as an infatuation and exploration into consensual kink turns into a very messy relationship between two very angry people who have no one to lash out to besides each other. I was taken aback by how prominent Christianity and discussions of God were in this book. I wasn't expecting that but it added a layer of thoughtfulness and realism to a world where the literal children of God rule New York City. Lucifer and Charlotte have beautifully written kinky sex and are horrible to each other until they finally decide to act their ages and not their shoe sizes. There's a little mystery to solve in the background as we watch these two idiots figure out how to love each other and lots of little moments with characters I hope we get a lot more time with in future books.

Ce livre ne sortira qu'en mars 2025 mais j'ai eu la possibilité de le lire en avance!

Nous allons suivre Charlotte qui est recrutée pour être l'assistante de la community manager de Lucifer. Mais quand quelqu'un publie son article sans autorisation, elle va devoir se faire passer pour la fausse petite copine de l'ange déchu... Mais à force de vouloir jouer avec le diable, on peut se brûler les ailes...

C'est donc le premier tome de cette série et il y a vraiment un bon potentiel avec un univers qui est assez vaste et complexe. L'histoire tiens la route avec beaucoup de rebondissements mais peut-être un peu trop de scènes spicy... J'ai eu beaucoup de mal avec le personnage de Charlotte que j'ai trouvé beaucoup trop naïve, idem pour Lucifer, il se la jouait parfois un peu trop caïd pour se radoucir deux lignes en dessous... L'alchimie est palpable entre ces deux là mais on verra ce que donnera la suite de la série

En bref, un premier tome qui a du potentiel

Imagine the show Lucifer, but with more spice. Original Sinner definitely gives off that vibe!

Just a heads up, this book has multiple trigger warnings so I will keep my synopsis brief: Charlotte starts a new PR job at a pretty big company but she recognizes her new boss from a night out on the town. Turns out her new boss, Lucifer, owns one of the most popular nightclubs in town and is trying to earn his fathers redemption. In a turn of events they find themselves in a fake romance which may be turning into something more.

Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the banter in this book between the characters and the roles the seven deadly sins play within the city. While it did seem a little odd they all lived and existed in one mortal city it makes sense for the book. Overall this book keeps you hooked and you want to know what happens next. I also loved the authors forward which really sets up the book and the anticipation of the story line going in.

I must say, this is a very sexy book right from the beginning. I was a little taken aback that the eroticism began before I knew the FMC's name - but I can see this was certainly to set the tone for the rest of the book. For dark romantic fantasy readers, this will be an absolute gem. Sexy read overall!

Spicy, dark romance with a paranormal twist. Who wouldn't want to date Lucifer?!

I really appreciated the authors note at the start, as it really set up the themes in the novel and made it really obvious that it isn't for a school library (unless a teacher wants a recommendation, and I would recommend this book to an adult who is after a bit of spice and kink). The seven deadly sins as adults is an interesting concept especially when the author introduces the main female character as Charlotte, slightly innocent but used by the church which is meant to be preaching to learnings of their dad.

There was a nod to Fifty Shades of Grey that had me worried at first but Kait Ballenger definitely made this world her own and I'm here for it. Thank you for the opportunity to read this before it's published and I will be keen to read the rest of the series.

I almost decided not to read the book after reading the TW page at the start of the book but since it was a Netgalley read I decided to try it.
The blurb does not make it clear that the "seven deadly sins" are fallen angels, also known here as the"Original Sinners ". It's not my style of book at all, I dislike books about angels and demons, or books that specifically attack religion.
The book features both racially and sexually diverse characters.
The frequent casual (almost pun like) references to hell/heaven were clever, and I admired the amount of times the author was able to fit them in naturally.
The book explored who Lucifer is, whether he can change, and whether the devil has any good inside him after all. Lucifer is not morally grey, he's more like a villain who falls in love. His love for Charlotte is freeing and empowering to her because she's finally able to let go of who she was before.
The story has a satisfactory conclusion but there are a lot of threads left untied and an interesting tease into the next book.
Minor bdsm kink, 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Yes please to the next and next and next! I can’t wait to read more! I was so mad at the mmc and then I was couldn’t believe what happened next!!! This was on the edge of my seat so amazing and twists and turns, great book amazing plot!

In Original Sinner, New York is a dark, decadent city ruled by fallen angels who control everything from businesses to social media. Lucifer and his fellow immortals are the elite, pulling the strings in a world where power, corruption, and temptations rule. Charlotte, trying to move on from her past, unexpectedly crosses paths with Lucifer when she lands a job at one of his companies. What starts as a fake relationship soon blurs into something more complicated and intense.

What makes Charlotte stand out as a character is her strength and independence. She doesn’t let Lucifer—or anyone—take control of her life. She stays true to herself, even as her connection with Lucifer grows and the stakes get higher. There’s a lot of character growth here, but Charlotte never loses who she is in the process.

Original Sinner is an addictive, thrilling read that fans of dark romance and supernatural intrigue will love. The blend of steamy chemistry, suspense, and strong character development makes it an engaging read.

This is a dark romance, and there are elements that may be triggering for some readers. The author provides clear content warnings, which I recommend checking before diving into the book.

Thank you to Montlake Publishing, NetGalley, and Kait Ballenger for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

Anything involving Lucifer and Hades is my kryptonite. Add in fake dating? You’ve brought me to the best death bed.

This story was SO GOOD. The seven deadly sins? The religious trauma? The throne? The smut? The modern gods? Perfection.

Lucifer was so dark, so twisted, so dominating that it made me blush. I love him, your honor. Not only was he literally Lucifer, prince of darkness, but he was the Lightbringer and man, oh man, did that bring some tears to my eyes.

Charlotte was a warrior. She was so strong and resilient, even when the worst was happening. I loved watching her growth from nervous little girl to the smart and confident woman who could stand up to Lucifer.

Seriously, this book was incredible. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you so much to Montlake for this ARC 🫶🏻

Just to preface, this is not what I usually read so take this review with a grain of salt. I was lowkey eating this book up in the first half. The premise was really interesting. After Wicked Kingdom I will do anything for the deadly sins, I’m sorry I said it. That being said, the second half started to derail fast. Gradually I started to lose my will to live. I felt like the characterization could have been better, their personalities were kind of all over the place. But that may have been the intention. Some of the lines threw me in for a loop. I got choked up. They were pulling visceral reactions from me. What do you mean God is the ultimate Dom? Hello? I literally choked on my spit. Like girl k would be running too. And some of the intimate scenes in here were very reminiscent of the Idol😬(if you know you know). But if this kind of dark romance is your thing, power to you. But, personally I thought this was kind of wild.

Who doesn’t look a good welcoming line ;)

To the women who felt shame and still turned the page . . . Good girl.

Some of the good stuff:

💖 Spice
💖 Touch her and die vibes
💖 Fmc who is innocent
💖 Morally grey billionaire
💖 Paranormal romance

Triggers
There are elements of religious trauma
Body shaming
Self worth
Sexual abuse
Parental abuse

Overall was a great red great plot amazing characters. The spice was perfect def recommend

interesting love story about a girl in pr and she falls in love with lucifer. we see his siblings and the empire there. very sexy times. I kept picturing tom ellis as the devil.