If you love the forbidden passion of 50 Shades of Grey and the paranormal allure of Twilight, then check out the Souls Trilogy by Harley Laroux. I stumbled across the first novel in this trilogy, Her Soul to Take, and fell in love with what I read in the free sample that I had to buy the book.
While Laroux presents a tantalizing trilogy, each novel operates as a standalone piece of a larger, darkly sexual puzzle. Each book focuses on a different female protagonist and her otherworldly paramour, allowing you to read them in any order to learn about the overarching story from three unique angles.
If you're ready to dive into some erotic fiction with a tinge of Lovecraftian horror this summer, keep reading to learn more about these simmering novels.
Content Warning: These books contain graphic violence and sexual content and don't reflect realistic depictions of BDSM or fetish-related activities. Check out each book's list of kinks and fetishes to ensure they're right for you. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
by Harley Laroux
Her Soul to Take
I recommended this book to my friend once, and she told me I was the seventh person to tell her about it!
The first book in the Souls Trilogy, Her Soul to Take, follows Raelynn "Rae" Lawson as she returns to her hometown for college and stumbles upon a devilish plot for power.
Her Soul to Take starts with a ritual sacrifice that introduces readers to Leon, a centuries-old demon forced to play lackey for a wealthy man seeking unfathomable power by appeasing an "old God." This first chapter hooked me like a cold open in a movie.
As the story moves to introduce Rae, her physical descriptions, music taste, interest in the paranormal, and much of her personality reminded me of myself. Most paranormal romances I've encountered feature white protagonists, but Rae's skin color is never a topic of discussion, allowing anyone to insert themselves into her shoes.
It didn't help that when I began reading this sexy romp, I had a major crush on Motionless in White's Chris Motionless. Described as tall, blonde, and a jerk, I could easily swap Chris in Leon's position. Or, you could think of him as Leon S. Kennedy of the Resident Evil series.
Laroux's writing draws you into the story, eagerly awaiting whatever shenanigans Leon needs to save Rae from as they slowly fall in love. Aside from the steamy sex scenes, their love unfolds slowly and tenderly. As Leon's cold heart unthaws, you'll catch yourself "aww"-ing at their sweet, blooming romance.
With a complex and diverse cast of characters, Her Soul to Take sets the stage for the in-depth world-building of the fictional town of Abelaum. I bought this book on Kindle and couldn't put it down!
Photo source: Amazon
If you're looking for a dark fantasy romance featuring a grumpy/sunshine, good girl-bad boy couple trope, Her Soul to Take will keep you busy this summer and may even help you learn a few things about yourself.
What I liked: I appreciated how much I could relate to and see myself in Rae. She learned more about what she liked sexually, and it was fun fantasizing about someone else in Leon's place.
What I didn't like: I absolutely despise when female characters have super unique — and super cringe — names while male characters have basic bitch names that went out of style before I was born. Some of the kinks weren't my cup of tea, but it was kind of cool learning about them, I guess?
Kinks and fetishes: Consensual non-consent, breath play/choking, bloodplay, spit, swallowing bodily fluids, needle play (body modification fetish), pain play, fear play, public play, bondage, restraint, spanking/impact play, erotic humiliation/degradation, raw sex/sex without a condom.
Find Her Soul to Take on Kindle for $3.99, as a free audiobook with an Audible free trial, or in paperback for $14.84.
Her Soul for Revenge
$17.09
by Harley Laroux
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02/19/2024 02:06 am GMT
Her Soul for Revenge
by Harley Laroux
When I finished Her Soul to Take, I was ecstatic to find the second book in this trilogy. Taking a darker approach to storytelling, Her Soul for Revenge follows Juniper Kynes as she escapes becoming a sacrifice to the old God and fights to stay alive. Jaded by a fake friend that nearly got her killed and hardened from going on the run from demons, Juniper is one of the baddest bitches you'll read about this summer.
Feisty and resourceful, she becomes the target of Zane's obsession — and, later, affection. Introduced as Leon's friend and occasional lover, Zane brings a similarly cocky attitude into the fold but enjoys the chase. Where Leon begrudgingly cleans up Rae's messes, Zane eagerly helps Juniper in her quest to take down the family that killed her brother when they couldn't have her.
Where Leon's heart opened up to Rae in the first novel, Juniper slowly warms to Zane as they embark on some kinky sexcapades in between plots to destroy the dastardly Hadleigh family. Juniper and Zane's story fills in some of the blanks left by Leon and Rae's narratives, expanding on the already rich world Laroux establishes in Her Soul to Take.
If you're a fan of novels that explore revenge, dark secrets, emotional scars, and tsundere-esque protagonists who know precisely what they want in and out of the bathroom, make Her Soul for Revenge your top priority in the Souls Trilogy.
Photo source: Amazon
What I liked: Juniper's backstory and betrayal were interesting. I also enjoyed that she was a more experienced character who didn't shy away from sex and what turned her on. Her character and relationship with Zane felt more "adult" and mature than Rae's character and relationship with Leon. I found the kinks…kinkier?
What I didn't like: While Juniper's anger is wholly justified, she felt like a one-note character, making some parts of the story drag and seem repetitive. I also thought the scene where she runs to get a Plan B after her first sexual encounter with Zane was cringy; I get why it happened, but it was unnecessary.
Kinks and fetishes: Knife play, gun play, body modification including piercing and scarification, derogatory language/degradation play, flogging, blood, public play, voyeurism, bondage, and primal play.
Get Her Soul for Revenge on Kindle for $3.99, as a free audiobook with an Audible free trial, or in paperback for $17.09.
by Harley Laroux
Soul of a Witch
I can't even begin to tell you how upset I was to learn that the series wasn't complete when I bought Her Soul for Revenge, but I can't wait to read this one.
Focusing on Everly Hadleigh, the illegitimate child of Take's and Revenge's main antagonist, and Archdemon Callum, Soul of a Witch guarantees an all-out fantasy romp. Everly appears the most in Her Soul to Take, and readers learn that this sweet, shy, and often bullied girl has magic of her own that makes her a fierce adversary.
When Leon has his run-in with Callum after Zane's warning in Take, we see just how fierce and strong this Archdemon is, so it puts a new spin on the big, scary tough guy-sweet, smol girl love trope that I totally didn't just invent right now.
In Take, Rae learns Leon's a demon by accidentally summoning him, and Zane doesn't bother hiding what he is when he first meets the freshly escaped Juniper in Revenge.
Take scratches the surface of Everly's relationship with Callum, and I'm excited to see how Soul of a Witch both introduces and plays out their relationship. I also want to know more about their "game"!
Soul of a Witch doesn't come out until August 31, 2023, but I just pre-ordered it, so I'll be rereading the first two novels in preparation for its release.
Photo source: Amazon
What I think I'll like: Despite being sweet and shy, Everly comes off as a mysterious character, and I'm excited to see how she comes into her magic. I also want to see how Laroux tackles the Archdemon lore since I loved the lore behind the demons, the soul collection, and the layers of God-like beings.
Big chunks of the story felt missing from Take and Revenge, so I'm excited to get the final piece of this dark fantasy romance puzzle.
Since this book hasn't been released yet, I can't indicate what I don't like about the book. While information about the kinks and fetishes in the book isn't available right now, Her Soul to Take suggests a bit of rope play.
Pre-order Soul of a Witch on Kindle for $1.99.
My Soul for Excitement
I wanted to branch out my reading list and get into a genre I'd been too nervous to pick up before. As an avid fan of all things horror, this trilogy's allure of Eldritch monsters — I'll devour stories involving Cthulhu in a heartbeat — and sacrificial plots served as the perfect gateway to get into the steamy fun of erotica.
I'm not a "porn without plot" kind of person, and Harley Laroux's Souls Trilogy offers enough plot that I still think about this series a year after picking up the first book.
For a fun, intriguing tale of sex, demons, and tentacle-monster Gods, don't hesitate to snatch up this sexy series on Kindle or paperback — especially when Soul of a Witch goes into print.
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