Review – Poisoned Paradise by Lucy Smoke

Poisoned Paradise; Black Heart Romance presents Heaven and Hell 
(A standalone within a series; Black Heart Romance, 6 books)

Publication Date: September 3, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Taboo/Forbidden/Bully/New Adult/Dark Romance

Author: Lucy Smoke

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

A new taboo twist with smexy, dark themes.

Lucy Smoke leads this book with a content warning. Normally, I love jumping into a book wide-eyed and fresh, but for some reason, this particular warning caught my attention and I’m glad it did, and here’s why…

This book is labeled taboo and forbidden and while I would definitely give it a dark label and bully label, and if I had jumped into reading Poisoned Paradise without any prior notice, then I could see the first two labels sticking, but, and this is a big but, Lucy is excellent at writing this story with a lot of gray undertones that allows readers to not only want these two characters to work out in the end, but also to work out for the right reasons.

As a reader if, like me, you decide to read the content warning, understand that those reasons are important and I won’t give away what those are just in case you are normally are like me and like to dive in head first. However, since I did actually read the warning and it basically gave away THE huge reveal, I had mixed feelings throughout reading the book. On one hand I was glad I did know because otherwise those gray undertones I was talking about, weeeellllllll, they could have been a bit darker than I might have been willing to handle. On the other, since I did know…as a reader we love getting to those twists. I suppose I’ll never know because I did know, but aside from that, I REALLY enjoyed the story and I REALLY enjoyed Lucy’s writing. This will not be my last book by her, because I forgot to mention, this is the very first book by Lucy Smoke. WOW, what a story to jump into plot wise, but I am hugely impressed with how she writes and I want to return.

Willow and Ryan grow up in foster care together, but end up split up for six years not connecting again until college. Ryan is a huge bully, dark and mean. He wants nothing to do with Willow and makes it known that she needs to stay away. As much as she’d love to reconnect, she also knows better, as he never once responded over the six years he was gone from her life, however, some force seems to keep pushing them together and no matter how much Ryan keeps tormenting her, she can’t find it in herself to hate him.

There is certainly more than what meets the eye between these two, but will they destroy everything around them for love?

There are some great twists and the secondary characters help drive the plot as well. I really enjoyed the book overall and no matter what the taboo theme was, I was happy to take the ride.

Synopsis:

Willow

Six years ago, I made a mistake. The worst mistake I could have ever possibly made. I fell in love with the wrong person and … I told him.

Ryan’s always been with me ever since I can remember. It’s been the two of us—side by side. Through every new beginning, every new ‘family’, and every failure. Is it any wonder that the love I had for him turned into something different—something deeper? Something utterly rotten?

And is it any wonder that he hates me for it now?

Ryan

I’m a damaged soul, and she’s the only thing that’s ever held me together. But the one woman I want is the one woman I can never have.

She thinks I hate her for her confession, and maybe a part of me does. What I hate more, though, is that I have to push her away to keep her safe. That I have to pretend like I don’t fucking want her when she’s all I’ve been able to think about for the last six years.

We’re no fucking Romeo and Juliet. We’re much worse than that.

A love like ours was doomed from the start.

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Alright guys, I’m gonna need your trust on this one. This might seem like a crazy idea and I assure you, it is. But I’m here, on my knees now, for you―asking you to trust me. TRUST. IN. ME. It’s gonna be fine. Just get to the end and you’ll understand why I had to do this. This is a STANDALONE book.**

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New Release – Doctor Daddy by Misty Walker

Doctor Daddy a small-town, single dad, MM romance. novella by Misty Walker is LIVE!

Download your copy today:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2X9delb

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About Doctor Daddy

At forty-one years old, I shouldn’t just be figuring out I’m gay.

Especially since I’m married, have my dream job, and a cushy apartment in New York City.

But here I am.

Determined to not hide anymore, I walk away from my carefully constructed life.

I accept a hospitalist position at a small facility in Brigs Ferry Bay, Maine and start my life over again.

Ten months later, I get a phone call that changes everything.

My ex-wife died giving birth to a little girl named Lane.

And I’m the father.

Suddenly, I’m drowning in diapers and bottles.

I’m overwhelmed and have no idea what I’m doing.

Until Boaz Dixon, a nurse at my new hospital, drops by to check on me.

He recognises a man out of his element and takes pity on me.

Somewhere between feedings and naps, I fall in love.

Both with a little girl who has my eyes, and a sexy nurse who has my heart.

Boaz and Lane are my perfect forever.

That is, until a life-changing phone call from back in New York threatens our future together.

In order to have them both, I have to risk everything.

But they’re worth the fight.

***Doctor Daddy is a 25,000 word novella originally published in the Knocked Up anthology. While the story is the same, I included a brand-new epilogue that will have you swooning.

Read Kay’s Review: Doctor Daddy

Meet Misty Walker

Misty Walker has been writing stories, articles, and poems since junior high. Preferring to stay behind the scenes until now, she has been an avid romance reader, a blogger, and an audiobook proofer for the last fifteen years. Growing up in a nomadic household, Misty has lived all up and down the western USA, but recently settled in Reno, Nevada. Misty is a mom to two kids who are slowly trying to kill her, but they are cute, so she will keep them. She just celebrated her sixteen-year anniversary with her computer geek husband and has two dogs, Dunkin and Dutch, that are her constant companions while she happily reads and writes her life away.

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Website: http://www.authormistywalker.com/

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