2.5 stars
Hmmm.. The first 50% was freaking great. I didn’t know what the hell was going on or what was gonna happen but I was hooked. After the 50% things just got a little boring and confusing.

The Dark Ones by J.A. Huss could possibly be her best book yet. I have read a lot of her books and, as always, people grow as they read and write more books. And this one has so much that honestly I don't truly have any complaints. I don't like mysteries. At all of any kind. But this one captured me and held me captive until I looked up from the words and realized I had to get up to go to work in less than two hours. It was dark and hot and intriguing. It was captivating and lyrical and twisty. I loved it.

The book deals with a group of adults and their past from when they were in college together. They had "seemingly" belonged to a club that could ruin their adult lives if anyone ever found out about what they had been doing. The characters were all well -to-do in the world. All accomplished people. Most had kept in touch throughout the ten years since the last "club meeting" and when the book starts, except for the main character, Connor. He had become isolated, truly only interacting with one member of The Dirty Ones and ignoring that area of his life. Connor was set to become a US Senator and his past could ruin him more than anybody else's. On the way back home, he notices that his secret is splashed across the pages in a New York Times Bestseller.

With that realization, the whole of the "club" comes back together and tries to figure out who wrote the book. One of them had to have been the one to do it since they were the only ones who knew what they had done.

The ending shocked me. I had to pause for several minutes before continuing when I realized what had actually happened. It was totally out of left field while, at the same time, being the only explanation. The relationships that had been forged during their stay in college were still strong, their ties still tied. It was evident from the beginning that their experience in The Dark Ones club had marked, not just Connor, but Kiera and Sofia and Camille and Hayes and Bennett and Emily. Their true story was tragic but the book doesn't focus in too much on the tragedy. It focused more on how the characters reacted to the tragedy.

It was so good. The sex was necessary to the story line (for reasons that are spoileryish) and honestly it wasn't even gratuitous. It was kind of said matter-of-factly and as though it was the next obvious progression. The characters weren't toxic to one another. Yeah maybe Hayes should have handled it a little differently but that was truly the only problem I could see.

It even had an HEA and I love those! Honestly, I kind of want a sequel even though Huss totally tied up any loose ends.

I totally recommend this everyone. I'll probably re-read it later cause it was that good.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE ARC WOW JUST WOW! YUP, ALL CAPS ALL THE WAY! This was one crazy ride and I loved it. Never ever saw those twists coming even when they were hinted but that's the beauty of reading JA Huss and her awesome Dark Romance!

I love J.A. Huss and will read anything she writes. That said, this book wasn't my favorite. It started out really promising. The beginning had me hooked. I loved the mystery and the way the story started to unfold. But then...
Everything slowed down. The middle felt very soggy. And the ending was a surprise, but the kind of surprise that's frustrating instead of exciting. First the mystery is who wrote the book. But then the focus switches up again and again. For a mystery to work for me, there have to be clues sprinkled throughout so that the answer is on the page, even if it's only able to be pieced together in hindsight. Here, the ending was so convoluted, it felt like a cheat.
What saved this story for me was the romance element. And the reunion of old friends who share a dark past. I liked watching them seemingly fall back into their pasts and become their former selves. Some of those scenes were off-the-charts hot. But...but...but...
It felt like the middle of the story was all sex. I'm all for sexy times but the timing here just didn't feel right, and the scenes dragged on for pages and pages of what started to feel like filler to shore up a weak plot. My biggest pet-peeve, I think, is that the last 75% of the book could've been resolved in act I, if they'd just kept reading instead of wandering off to have sex.
I guess I wanted a little bit more out of this story, but I love J.A. Huss's writing and her voice does carry a story well. Overall a good read. And it is HOT, so if that's what you're looking for, then this one is for you.

The Dirty Ones is a tale of seven college friends that is filled with lust, lies, deceit, mystery and a wow finish that I never saw coming. I am still trying to process all of the information . They were thrown together many years ago in college. They witnessed and experienced so many things together but now years later a book surfaces and when they are trying to put the pieces together everything is so blurry. Each character remembers the past differently and their are so many mysteries and secrets. What they do all remember is the very erotic things that they have shared . Get ready for a wild ride that last right till the end!!!!
~~Michele McMullen ~~

“I’m trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it.” ​— ​Morpheus, The Matrix.

I love how this author can tell a twisty, nasty tale and still make me love her characters. Remember Three, Two, One? *le sigh* Let me start right off with full disclosure: I have a personal reading peeve about that magical 10 year separation between H/h (typically unexplained or never addressed) as a plot point. Ugh. Eerk's me to NO end! Just why??
So for that, it's me not you LOL

I really did love the way the author revealed the self-proclaimed Dirty One's hedonistic youthful shenanigans. Kids being kids? Hellz yeah. Let's write it all down in a book! Wait. What?
What I couldn't wrap my reading head around was how all six of them could be successful in their professional lives but turn out to be extravagant, self-indulgent air head grown up versions (without orgy benefits of their youth). Or were they?

Truth? I did not like Clueless Conner (my nickname for him, including an eye-roll from me every time he rambled, "Why?" "What?" "When?") for 1/2 of the Dirty Ones present day storyline. Where was my Huss Alpha. Fucking Ford, I'm look at you. He was running for the Senate, but used the slang "dude." What? Did Connor have a drug induced memory lapse? Partial 10-year amnesia? Was he just a moron? Noooooooooooo!!! *whispers please, no*

I did like Plain ol' Contradictional Kiera of The Many Secrets. Or did she?
The rest of the gang? Well Hayes has more stories to tell. Or does he?

There is a line in this story where Kiera and Sofia are discussing their writing styles, twisty vs. HEA.

"...I like that moment when everything is so hopeless and I know my readers are getting pissed off." *light bulb goes off* Well. That really does work, Kiera. Because. I WAS pissed off LOL

Anywho, I hung in there. Between all the Clue board game puns (yes. at one point I was picturing Tim Curry as a butler in the background scenes LOL) and all the dream/memory sequences (or were they) and a lot of references to writing erotica...wish Connor had read some of those lines out load. Mysteries upon mysteries. I told myself: trust your fav author. You feel the mystery tension building, right? Its all good, right? Plus, there were some nice smexy in four parts ;)
So I hung.

It really finished better than I thought it would. Huss magic.
A little rushed at the end, perhaps. Maybe not everything gets explained neatly...kinda like life. Still, I did NOT see those twisty parts coming. Who doesn't like to be surprised? Not this reader!

And I realized that my dear author was just messing with my reading head. In the library. On her laptop. With a candlestick. ;)
I was glad I stayed for the ride. A solid 3.5*
*ARC received through NetGalley for an honest review*

Whoa I Could. Not. Put. Down. This. Book! I literally read this book in one sitting and was just going to start reading it and then next thing I know its past 3AM and I just HAD to know how this book was going to end!

Politics, Scandal, Anonymous Bestseller, College Shenanigans, Rich People Problems are the many plot themes you will find in this story that you will crave reading this book.

In the books by JA Huss that I have read I am ready for her crazy, erotic, and scorcher reads. The Dirty Ones is definitely way dirty and way H-O-T! BUT things are not as they may seem......... Okay that is all I should say along with GO READ IT!

Wow!

The précis doesn’t give much away for the story line which is what drew me in and made me want to read this story.

The book continues giving snippets of information, slowly unravelling all the threads with an unexpected twist at the end.

We are introduced to the MCs who are Connor and Keira however others pertinent to the story are Camille, Sofia, Bennet, Hayes and Emily. The 7 of them have a past, they describe themselves as ‘The Dirty Ones’ following their senior year at college. Some crazy dirty things happened which shaped their lives and 10 years later someone has released a book about them.

This was a great suspense, mystery, romance that kept me intrigued throughout.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of #TheDirtyOnes from #NetGalley however I had already preordered this from amazon also.

"When you go in with us you go all in. So make a decision before you turn this page."
I am a huge Huss fan, I have read most if not all her books. The Dirty Ones is a Huss classic. It is filled with suspense, angst and shocking turns. But the writing style is some of her finest work to date. The scenes, character development and momentum just unfolds so eloquently, you are sucked in. I love the introduction to the book. Just like many, you read the opening and laugh. You think Huss is up to her tricks, but you ignore it. When you turn that page you are just entwined with the story of Keira the scholarship student and her college friends from Essex, The story line is centered on what events took place their senior year in college and how those events have shaped, influenced and dictated their present lives.

If you enjoy mystery games, this is the book for you. The twists are sharp, and if you read Huss you need to catch every little element, because you know it has meaning. The book is so well thought out and presented. I wanted to know everything at once. The other major point I will make, there was never a feeling of let down, just more suspense and that made it a thriller!!
I received this ARC from Netgalley.

I loved this fast-paced read with so many twists and turns it will leave you spinning. The characters are amazing with lots of depth and the story draws you in from beginning to end.

Intense, suspenseful, erotic. That’s what this book gives you. It is an incredible read. You will be blown away with this story. Do yourself a favor and read this now!

I fell hard for J.A. Huff a while ago. I loved how she took me down a path and then ripped it out from under my feet before I knew what was happening. Well, Huff is at it again and this time she has a book which will make your head spin.

No telling what it is about because that will take all the intense experience away for the reader... just know you are in expert hands.

Omg..... I did not see that coming. Wow. This book will blow your mind with all the psychological twist. This is not just a romance novel but also mind bending. People that are ment to protect and care for you end up messing you up..

A thrilling story that will keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time.

A group of friends, that are not really friends anymore.

A book where their darkest deepest secrets exist and only one has read them all.
A tower where they fulfill their tasks.

A mysterious new book that could destroy everything.

Meeting the Dirty ones we realize that a lot more than studying went down at this college.

They have a dark secret they all share and from the moment we open the book we are caught into this strange world they are part of, where fantasies and real life are separated by a thin line.

This book was way more than just a romance story; I was scared for the characters and shocked by the events happening! I can truly say that this was an amazing read!

Unfortunately I can’t say anything else without spoiling the book so that’s it for now… A MUST READ!

I really wanted to read this book but I simply could not get into it enough to finish. The writing style did not work for me and I couldn't connect with the characters. Thanks for the ARC.

I think the best way to describe this book is COOL. I lost sleep over the story of The Dirty Ones. Even the blurb really doesn't prepare you for what unfolds. It's unexpected, and not in the usual ways where there's a little twist. I was straight up captivated and pulled in. These characters are complex and real, the story is confusing. It flows so well that it seems wrong to stop reading before the end. This is my first book I've ever read by J.A. Huss and I'm sure I couldn't have picked a better one. I'm not telling you anything more, you have to discover the dirty truth on your own.

WOW!! What an amazing read.. Do not read spoilers or even reviews, you just NEED to read this book.
Julie does not disappoint.. I highly recommend!!

The Dirty Ones is storytelling at its very finest. J.A. Huss masterfully combines erotica with mystery like no one else. This tale of 7 college friends who enter into a web of deceit, unsure memories and a year they'd like to both remember and forget is beyond exceptional. It's a book within a book as Hayes, Bennett, Camille, Sofia, Emily, Connor and Keira try and figure out who penned a NYT bestseller about their secret antics in a remote tower near their college campus. But then as the story progresses, it becomes a mystery within a mystery as events come to light and long-held questions are answered that have plagued this group for the last 10 years.

I was caught in this brilliant maze and honestly didn't know if I'd find a way out. With Connor and Kiera as the dual narrators, alternating chapters with their point of views, the path as to why this book was written becomes ever more complicated with each turn of the page. But Huss is our genius guide as the pieces of this jagged puzzle start to fall into place with jaw dropping results. Not to mention the sexy trysts that are the underlying 'reasons' for their dirty year in college. Holy smokes were they hot!! Both past and present, these characters have an undeniable chemistry that simply cannot be denied. They provide the perfect distraction from all the tangled up mayhem that is this book.

In addition, the slow-simmer romance between Connor and Kiera that often feels out of reach even as they become close once again after this 10-year gap was a crucial part of this story. Their own push and pull as they try to rekindle their long-suppressed feelings was never just an aside. These two were clearly meant to be but it's anyone's guess if they'll even survive the hows and whys they are together once more.

As a matter of fact, when all of them are together, with the exception of Emily and the oft-times forgotten Louise, it's like this separation in time never existed. Their bonds were never stronger even if there might be outside forces wanting them to permanently break. Their wicked banter and deep feelings they each had for one another was something I truly adored about all of them. I also want to give kudos to Huss in putting a bit of herself into the character of Kiera, giving erotic authors everywhere a huge thumbs up. Using loosely-based parallels to her own life was very clever on her part and conversations between her and Sofia and even Camille was a nice extra and gave me a chuckle or two when needed.

I'm in awe at how Huss manages to create such an intricate chain of events together with a complicated history between friends that includes passionate and steamy scenes that had me fanning myself and often. I love a great mystery and to combine it successfully with love and sex and an ending that had me completely gobsmacked is nothing short of incredible.

The Dirty Ones is not to be missed and it deserves nothing less that 5 superb stars!

Holy Hella Good!! This is so deliciously good!! Yesss MA'AM!!!! J.A. Huss delivers another spine-tingling, steamy, intense treat for the eyes.
7 people who were friends in college are reunited 10 years after they parted ways after something happened in their senior year of college when it is discovered that a book has been published-- A book about them and what they got up to together in that final year at college. This book could potentially have huge, horrible repercussions on their personal lives and they need to work together to figure out who exposed them.
Told from the Dual POV of Kiera and Connor, The Dirty Ones is a tragic story of power, betrayal, intrigue, passion, twists/turns and secrets . I don't want to give up any spoilers but this is one story you dont want to miss. It's dark romance, it's erotic suspense, it's psychological thriller, it's all rolled up into one. This book had me on the edge of my seat, it was filled with so much angst, it literally played with your mind. Just like only J.A Huss can. This story left me spent, in the best way. You must read this book!!

My Rating: 4.7 stars *****
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I guess I'm like one of those prom girls who are late to the party but for no real apparent reason. Yeah I'm late to the JA Huss party but what a way to start!!

Well I really can't say much of anything about the story because that would just ruin it. Just be forewarned that what you think is happening may not be, what seems real may just be an illusion and what seems twisted and crazy just may be exactly that.

Truthfully I'm just sitting here thinking "What the hell!!". Seriously you will not see it coming. You will be floored. Your mouth will be agape and your brain will be trying to catch up and at the end you'll just breath a deeply satisfying Wow!!

"We are the Dirty Ones and this is our story."

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**