Some debts can only be paid in blood… or love
Prima ballerina Paloma Davis has spent her life pleasing her powerful father, but when his gambling debts spiral out of control, she’s forced to make an impossible choice. Enter mysterious billionaire Tristan Archer, who purchases her at auction for six million dollars and a marriage contract.
As Paloma discovers passion in her enigmatic husband’s arms, she begins to unravel dark secrets that connect their families – secrets that could destroy them both. When violence erupts and loved ones die, Paloma must decide if love can survive in the shadow of revenge.
A Note from Diana: Empire of Ache & Ruin is a 150k-word romance novel. It’s book one in the Empire of Ruin Trilogy, featuring Archer/Tristan and Paloma. This Beauty and the Beast retelling is about never letting go. Check TW
This is dark romance at its finest with a virgin auction, revenge plot and so much more. Part Black Swan, part Beauty and the Beast, with a touch of organized crime and political corruption. I couldn’t get enough of Archer and Paloma. Archer is on a mission, and he’ll do anything to accomplish it because there’s nothing more important to him than exposing his father’s killer. Everything he’s done with his life for more than a decade has led to this moment and there’s nothing that could make him deviate from his plan. Or is there?
He gets more than he bargained for when he wins the auction for his enemy’s daughter. Paloma is the apple of her father’s eye, and she adores her dad, but she doesn’t really know him at all. The Senator’s public persona is completely fabricated so much of her life has been a lie. She has so much to learn but will she trust Archer enough to learn all of his secrets?
I adored these characters and everything about their story. This is dark, spicy, suspenseful, it was everything I wanted and more. This is an emotional rollercoaster and the cliffhanger is absolutely brutal, but that will just make the rest of the story even more satisfying. I can’t wait to see what comes next. I’d like to thank the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
