4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟


If you’re looking for a book that will have you blushing, squirming, and wondering where all your self-control went, then Kiss of the Basilisk by Lindsay Straube is the sizzling, steamy ride you’ve been waiting for.

This book isn’t just hot, it’s volcanic. Imagine fanfic meets a basilisk seduction challenge, with a love triangle that might just have you questioning your loyalties (and maybe even your life choices). So buckle up, because this is one wild, sexy journey you won’t be able to put down.

Meet Temperance Verus, a 20-year-old who has never been kissed. Ever. Yes, you read that right, she’s that innocent. But here’s the thing: she’s about to enter a deadly competition where the stakes are high, and the training is... well, let’s just say it involves a basilisk. What’s the catch, you ask? To win the prince’s hand in marriage, Tem must master the art of seduction and she’s about to learn it from none other than Caspen, the Serpent King, who just so happens to be a super-hot, snake-like creature. Yup, get ready for the heat.

Tem’s Task: Learn to seduce. Not just anyone, but the prince. Oh, and do it while training with a mythical, magical basilisk. No biggie, right? Except… this basilisk isn’t just any serpent. Caspen is charismatic, dangerous, and... well, kinda unforgettable. And as their bond deepens, Tem’s feelings for him grow—and she’s not sure if she should fight it or lean into it. But the catch? The prince is still in the picture, making Tem’s heart—and loyalties—split right down the middle.

The Spice Factor:

Let’s talk about the heat for a second. This book is NOT safe for work. If you’ve ever wanted a book that’s going to make you very aware of your flushed cheeks, then Kiss of the Basilisk is for you. The chemistry between Tem and Caspen is absolutely scorching, and every moment between them is an adventure in temptation, longing, and danger. Think of it as The Bachelor meets Draco Malfoy... but with more snakes and magic.

Warning: You will absolutely need a fan. This book goes beyond just "steamy." It’ll have you needing water and a solid chill-down moment after every chapter. Seriously, you’re going to feel like you’ve run a marathon after reading some of those scenes. But that’s part of the fun!


What really takes Kiss of the Basilisk from just a spicy read to a heart-thumping rollercoaster is the intense conflict Tem faces between her growing bond with Caspen and her complicated feelings for the prince Leo. But it’s not just about the romance. Oh no. There are secrets, betrayals, and dangerous power plays at work here. What Tem doesn’t realise is that she’s tangled up in a much bigger plot than just learning seduction techniques. There’s magic, intrigue, and a seriously shady royal family making everything 10 times more chaotic than expected.

Why I Loved It:

* Caspen. Seriously. I don’t know how Lindsay Straube managed to create a character so irresistibly dangerous and utterly charming, but I’m here for it. The way he slithers into Tem’s heart (and her mind) will have you second-guessing every decision you’ve made in your life. I mean, how can anyone not love a hot, snake-like creature with a dark side?

* The romantic tension is off the charts. It’s so intense that you’ll catch yourself rooting for one love interest one minute and then questioning your decisions the next. The push-pull between Tem and Caspen (and, yes, the prince too) is a ride you’ll never want to end.

* The world-building is deliciously immersive. You get lost in this magical, dangerous world where not everything is as it seems, and trust me, you’ll want to stay there until the very last page. Between the seductive training and the royal intrigue, it’s a world you just have to get lost in.

* The plot twists! Oh yes, there are plenty. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, a twist will come out of nowhere and completely flip the game on its head.

What I Didn’t Love (But Really It’s Minor):

If I’m being honest, I could’ve done with a little more exploration into the world’s magic system. I wanted to understand the basilisks a bit more, and I would’ve loved to see some deeper world-building around their powers. But let’s face it, this book has enough going on with the smouldering tension and spicy scenes that I’ll let that slide.


“Kiss of the Basilisk” is a wild ride of love, power, magic, and serpent-style seduction. It’s the kind of book that grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go. Prepare for fiery chemistry, moral dilemmas, and a whole lot of complicated feelings as you fall headfirst into a world where love and danger intertwine.

If you're a fan of forbidden romance, high-stakes fantasy, and—let’s be real—extreme chemistry, then you need to dive into this one ASAP

The tag about this book being unhinged is 100% spot on! Definitely not one for a wider audience but I do this this will have its fans. Fir me, the rating is a middle point between 3 stars for the writing and 5 stars for the unhinged vibes.

Absolutely nothing like i've ever read before, possibly wasn't what I was expecting. Don't read if you hate snakes!

To quote Lindeys Mom: a wild ride.

I thought this was going to be purely ridiculous when I dived in, don’t get me wrong it absolutely was, but I was so pleasantly surprised to see that it also had such an interesting and emotionally compelling plot alongside all the snake smut.

Ten was a strong character and I loved the love triangle element. Though I wish Caspen and Leo would just complete the triangle at this point. This book was also just plain hot. Some of the shocking smut scenes sound ridiculous if you try to explain it out loud but Lindsay did such a good job at making me believe they made sense in this world I just sat back and enjoyed the hell out of them.

The world building was amazing. It felt like a real place. The sort of magic system with the basilisks was unlike anything I’ve ever seen and despite some of the more insane elements it felt new and exciting.

Honestly just a fun and well done romantasy. Lindsays going to be an auto buy author for me for the rest of her little slithery sneaky career.

What did I read?

Who knew a book with so much smut could bore the living daylights out of me.

And Tem? The most unlikeable character I have ever read in my life, just no.

I wish I could get the time back I wasted reading this book, and Tem breaking her pelvis? Unforgivable !

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it more than delivered!

In a world where humans and basilisks live, Tem was born the same year as the prince so now she needs to be trained by a basilisk in the sexy arts. So you can already imagine the hot atmosphere there is in the book. There are a lot of steamy scenes, which I'm all here for!

I enjoyed seeing Tem realising her feelings, but at the same time I'm like, why does she needs to choose? I wouldn't have been opposed at a why choose trope, and I think my rh girlies would agree with me.

Wow! If you’re looking for a uniquely dark and intense read then this is for you. My jaw was on the floor at times as it’s different to be usual romance picks but I enjoyed it, albeit a little unhinged. Lots of spice and a wild ride from start to finish!

This book was the best kind of fever dream. The world was really interesting and the premise was a tad unhinged but somehow also exactly what I wanted it to be. I thought it was well written and once you start you really do just find yourself swept up in it. Tem, Capsen and Leo were all great points to the triangle and I loved seeing the way that Tem interacted with each of her love interests. I am interested to see where this could go and had a great time reading this.

There's a lot of potential but I would have preferred a more balance between the erotic and fantasy part. The fantasy part was well done and I enjoyed it.
I had to fight with my neurodivergent mind as a basilisk's gaze could turn you into stone.
I'm sure it will be appreciated by a lot of people, not my cup of tea

i really enjoyed this one. it took me by surprise at how twisty it was. the MMCs were both loveable and polar opposites which i really enjoyed reading about. would definitely recommend this!

Spicy, a little strange, which I had heard prior to reading, but that makes it all the more addictive 🐍 It is quite long though, however, it allowed for the plot to develop adequately alongside the romance and well….spice!

Hot basilisk, hot prince, spicy scenes. Why choose...
All my cup of tea.
The story itself could be better for my taste, but overal I enjoyed the book.
Little more depth in world building and character would have me enjoyed the story more.
The spicy scenes are well written.

Not quite for me so unfortunately did not finish - apologies - I think I was expecting something more along the lines of The Serpent and the Wings of the Night.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I'm torn by Kiss of the Basilisk. I think somewhere within it there's a really decent 350 word story with a tight, compelling plot as there were sections that I enjoyed and the overall premise was engaging. However, there was an overwhelming quantity of repetitive spicy scenes which had little differentiation and didn't move the story along. I know it's was billed as erotica, but I would expect something more...erotic, if we are focusing on so many scenes.

The highlight for me was the extra epilogue, which the author admitted was not cannon...

***spoiler***

....where all three main characters get together. I'd hoped for this all the way through and was otherwise disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC, this is my honest opinion.

Goodness me, what an absolute RIDE. This is spicy, fiery with an incredible plot to really draw you into this spicy little saucepot of a book. Firstly, there is a basilisk, and he is HOT. Like super hot, unbelievably hot. I would forgive Caspen for all and any sins, thank you very much. The love triangle / why choose element is not normally something I vibe with, but actually in KOTB this suits this story well and the payoff is absolutely incredible. I really did love it.

If you don't take this book to seriously, you will be in for an excellent, fun, easy spicy read. Following Tem's journey from virginity to experienced and confident woman was actually quite a beautiful journey that didn't feel shameful or her virginity being a commodity (although explores the ideas of virginity and purity as a commodity in society as a whole). I read this as Spit or Swallow so excited to see it traditionally published so more people can enjoy a fun, easy spicy read with a fun compelling plot.

Not ashamed to admit that I can't wait for the sequel.

A smut heavy story of forbidden love with the craziest plot. The FMC, Tem, is likeable and pretty sassy. We have a jealous and protective MMC, Caspen, who isn’t very forthcoming with his secrets but is a super hot Basilisk so his transgressions are forgiveable. Amid Tem's developing attraction to Caspen (who is also her sex instructor), she is competing in trials for the hand of a Prince. There is something of a love triangle/ why choose situation, very interesting use of a claw and plenty of danger to keep our main gal on her toes. Easy read, totally outrageous and LOTS of fun.

Not since Peeta Vs Gale have I been so firmly in a lovely triangle camp. Team Leo, always, absolutely.

I'd read all the NSFW warnings, and still feel like perhaps I didn't know what I was getting into when I started this book. I expected a spicy romantasy, but Kiss of the Basilisk definitely crosses fully into erotica as a genre. The smut is a big, big chunk of the plot, yet somehow I was still invested. It was great to see a fantasy world where women weren't shamed for sexual prowess or enjoyment, where they had some agency. Tem's ability to stand up and battle against people with so much more power than her was a great move - juxtaposing nicely with her inexperienced and uncertainty.
I'll be interested to see how the conflict between humans and basilisks resolves (the ending implies there are future books to come, and the tease of Leo's viewpoint is something I'd love to see more of!). Will Tem be able to bridge the gap between the two societies, or will prejudices prove insurmountable?
But on the whole - I'm here for Leo's character arc. Through the course of this book, he's revealed such depth, compassion and understanding compared to the pompous Prince we first met, and I look forward to seeing him take control of the human kingdom and find a path forward to peace.

So you're thinking, 'A basilisk? Really?' The answer is YES. REALLY. This book changed me. Absolutely not safe for work, but so addicting you'll read it in the break room anyway.

A fun romance that brought humour to quite a serious topic or idea of how society places values on things such as sex, sexuality and virginity.
It did have lots of popular tropes but this is what makes the escapism so appealing. You know what you’re in for but are also pleasantly surprised along the way. It was wild.

This book probably wasn’t for me. The smut - plot ratio was way off and I couldn’t believe how quickly she went from virgin to sex professional. Very fun but mostly just very unhinged.