While I am generally not one to pre-order, after reading The Twisted Mark, that's exactly what I did with the Binding Mark.

I really enjoyed the The Twisted Mark, I would probably say it leans more towards Urban Fantasy with a heavy dose of romance rather than a true paranormal romance novel.

Sadie left her family and hometown in Yorkshire to escape the consequences of a desperate deal she made to save her brother years ago but now she is forced back when the very brother she sacrificed herself to save all those years ago needs her help again. In Yorkshire she's confronted with ugly truths about her family and not-so-ugly truths about the man she thought was her enemy.

The Twisted Mark gets bonus points from me for being set in the UK and for combining witchy and legal drama. My main criticism was that it lacked a bit of oomph. I wanted to see more legal flair and withering set down that start with 'my learned colleague'. Hopefully, we'll get to see Sadie confront her family more in future books but for now I will be eagerly anticipating 4 October when book 2 comes out.

Sadie Sadler is a witch driven into hiding from her home town due to a “lien” placed on her by Gabriel Thornber, who is the powerful son of a rival magic family. Six years after the lien Sadie is a successful lawyer in London, not practicing her magical skills and keeping under the radar, so she is reluctant to return home to defend her brother in a murder case. Brendan is charged with the murder of the patriarch of the Thornber family, Gabriel’s father, and although the Sadlers are the top dogs in Mannith, the Thornbers are snapping at their heels to take over, so winning the case is vital. Of course Sadie answers the family call.

This was a book I was really looking forward to, and the blurb made it sound very exciting. Sadly it was anything but. A woeful cast of characters, all pretty dire, with a stumbling plot. If it hadn’t been for the repeated sex scenes I would have presumed I’d stumbled across a YA book.

I managed the first 25% then speed read the rest in the hopes I would come across something to make reading worthwhile. Fantasy means many things to many people, but tight t shirts and gratuitous sex is not for me I’m afraid.

Not one for me to recommend.

Thank you NetGalley.

The Twisted Mark has earned itself a spot in my top 3 reads of the year! Sophie Williamson has perfectly crafted a secret fantasy world within an everyday normal world. The relationship between the main character, Sadie, and everyone else in the book is complicated ALWAYS. And while I usually find this frustrating, this book pulls it off perfectly with a self aware character who accepts and owns up to her ‘mistakes.’ The forbidden love trope is there, but it plays out in a ‘forbidden, but not quite’ way that was very intriguing. There is not a single dull moment; I could not put this book down. I highly recommend The Twisted Mark and have already pre-ordered the second book in this series.

Sadie is in hiding, to avoid having to pay off a magical debt. But when her family are in trouble, she has no choice but to go home and put herself at risk of her family's enemy coming to collect...

This is a pretty good magical romance with interesting world building. There was some strange pacing - it took a while for the plot to properly get going, and then other important events felt rushed. However, I was hooked enough to finish, and will probably grab the next in the series!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 but more so a 4

I would first like to thank the Publisher and Author for the opportunity to receive an Arc. I loved this book, the magical concepts and tension between Sadie and Gabriel were off the charts! I felt like the beginning of the book was a bit slow, often is with a first in the series, but by the 50% mark I could not put it down! The twists and turns and character development was nicely portrayed throughout the story. I cannot wait until October to read the second book!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC!

Sadie Salder has been living away from home and practicing law in London for 6 years now. She avoids using her magic at all costs and has barely kept up with her family back in their magical small town of Mannith. She can't risk letting Gabriel Thornber know where she is so he can track her down and call in her debt. When she finds out that her older brother, Brendan, is on trial for murder, she decides to travel back to Mannith under disguise to represent him. Will she be able to hide in plain sight from Gabriel and can she resist the dark but compelling attraction she has to him? How far will she go to protect her family and is Gabriel actually the real villain her family has made him out to be?

I really enjoyed this book and pretty much read it non-stop in any free time I had over the past two days. The storyline was different from a lot of fantasy/fantasy romance books I have read recently and it really kept me engaged and intrigued. It's a bit of a darker romance than I usually read but I didn't mind. There were a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming and I really started rooting for certain characters by the end. Gabriel and Sadie's connection was undeniable and I loved their chemistry. Both of them are flawed but it made them seem more real and authentic. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

I really liked the mystery plot to this story, and I found myself wanting to figure out what happened. Which was what got me through the book. On the Romance side, I wasn’t really into it. I feel like the two main characters didn’t mesh together, and I honestly found them annoying. There were also parts where I was literally falling asleep. To me this wasn’t a page turner. I did however like the idea of the plot and the way it was written.

The Twisted Mark by Sophie Williamson

Sadie Sadler lives in the big city. Takes the train to work each day. Drinks fancy coffee. Does yoga… and never, ever does magic, lest it leads Gabriel Thornber straight to her door.

Sadie’s family have used their magic to protect the small northern town of Mannith for centuries. But now, Sadie’s brother Brendan is on trial for murder, and Gabriel, the charismatic and sinister head of the Sadlers’ only rivals, is moving to take the town. Only Sadie has both the knowledge to save Brendan and the magical strength to face down Gabriel.

First off this is not my usual type of book , but from the first chapter I was totally sucked into the story
It might have started off a little slow but I think it was brilliantly done to draw you into the depth of the characters and I found myself racing through the book to see how Sadie can help save her brother.
Sophie Williamson is a very talented author and I can't wait to read more from her.

Book Review 📚
The Twisted Mark by Sophie Williamson - 4/5 ⭐

I like to think that I don't like Romance but yet I read them and I'm amazed by them. The Twisted Mark doesn't let me down! If there was a book to read for enjoying romance, then this is it.

The courtroom drama was absolutely amazing and nothing I've ever come across in a book, so that was a brilliant first for me. Magic all around - and who doesn't enjoy magic?! It's a very hate-to-love trope but it was very enjoyable. There was a decent amount of twists through the majority of the book, but amazingly, none of it was predictable!

The characters are okay-ish? They're not bad but not great, I felt like one or two are likeable but several I just hated! But that's supposed to be the case on most of them so Williamson handled that really well! I'm ever hopeful there will be a second book to continue the story of our MC as she was awesome!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

This story line intrigued me; a little town where people know about the witches, a lien to give up her powers and body to save her brother, magical family feuds, etc. While I do think the author had an interesting story, I wish there had been some more backstory to the characters. It seems like Gabriel loves Sadie just because of X (spoiler so can't put it here), not because of her actual personality or thoughts. There were a few parts where I felt the dialogue could have flowed a little more naturally. I give this book 3.5-4 stars. I will read the second book to see where the story goes.

Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a bit different than what I was expecting. It was dark romance but also a strong mystery vibe.

6 years ago, Sadie made a bargain with her family’s enemy, Gabriel, to save her brother’s life. She immediately leaves her magical small town to live and work in London. She swears off all magic because it will allow him to find her. When her brother gets in trouble again, her family asks for her help. Returning in disguise, Sadie has to discover the truth, figure out what she really believes in and decide where her loyalty lies.

I loved the magically protected town and the mafia rival family vibes. I enjoyed the world building and that Sadie was so magically powerful. I liked that our MMC is morally gray but would do anything for her. I didn’t love the causal sex between the MCs and other people. This was also instalove and that trope is not a favorite of mine. It was much darker than I expected with some torture and pain during a few spicy scenes, as well as blood magic and human sacrifice. Most of the interactions between the MCs felt more like obsession and lust and less like romance and love and I think that bothered me a bit. It had a mystery vibe where the book was set up following the trial of Sadie’s brother and there were lots of court scenes since she was his lawyer. There were some interesting plot twists and even though I didn’t enjoy everything, I also really wanted to know “who done it” and what happened next. This book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger and the next book in the series comes out in October.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. The Twisted Mark releases July 26th.

Sadie's living a normal, if slightly boring, life in London, working as a lawyer and going on unfulfilling dates. She hides her magic, doing everything to distance herself from her family, and the man she made a deal with six years ago, who she still can't seem to forget. When she's summoned home to represent her brother accused of murder, she has to decide whether to keep living a lie or return to the family fold.

There was great world-building, with the little Pleasantville-esque bubble over Mannith, and how it hides in plain sight from non-magical beings. Sadie and Gabriel's had a true enemies-to-lovers (and back again) relationship, and it was perfect! I didn't know whether to root for him or not, but he won me over by the end. Sadie's brother, Brendan, rubbed me the wrong way a lot of the book, but I think that's just a sign of good writing of morally grey characters. I can't wait for the sequel!

The Twisted Mark by Sophie Williamson is a captivating witch/practitioner romance book that combines elements of magic, mystery, feuds and love in an intriguing manner. The author's ability to weave a spellbinding tale kept me engaged throughout the story, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages to uncover the secrets that lay within. It was a bit difficult to get into for the first 50 pages however, I’m glad I continued on.

The characters in The Twisted Mark were well-developed and relatable. The protagonist, a witch with a mysterious lien mark, had a compelling personality and depth. Her journey back home to Mannith and the challenges she faced as she delved into her magical abilities were intriguing to follow. The romantic relationship that blossomed between her and Gabriel was labile but passionate, adding an extra layer of emotion to the narrative.

The plot was filled with twists and turns, keeping me guessing until the very end. While the pacing was generally well-executed, there were a few moments where the story could have benefited from further exploration. Nonetheless, the suspense and mystery kept me engaged, and the resolution was satisfying, even though I’d love to see the relationship progress before book 2.

One minor drawback was that certain aspects of the magical system and the rules governing the practitioners' powers were not fully explained. While this allowed for an air of mystery, I would have liked a bit more clarity on certain elements. However, this did not detract significantly from my overall enjoyment of the book.

In conclusion, The Twisted Mark is a delightful magical enemies to lovers romance that combines magic, mystery, and love into an enchanting tale. It's a book that will capture the hearts of readers who enjoy supernatural romance. I recommend it to anyone looking for a bewitching read that will transport them into a world of magic and romance.

Thanks for the early access to read this book! I was however somewhat disappointed. The characters are very one dimensional and I found it really hard to like any of them. Sadie is interesting to a point but very easy led by others and that pattern became dull after a while.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this early.
3.5 stars from me.
Very easy read, I enjoyed the overall story.
I love a good enemies to lovers.
Unfortunately I just didn’t really enjoy any of the characters.
The main character was thankfully the best but some of her choices or lack of frustrated me and just didn’t always make sense.
The love interest was just too much. When the past was finally fully revealed it was quite disappointing, there was no wow factor.
I think it tied up fairly well and I enjoyed the ending enough that I’m intrigued to read the next book.

This was so freaking awesome. I can't wait for the next book to come out! This is an amazing dark witchy read that I could literally not stop reading. This is so good! I loved it! 5 stars!
I just reviewed The Twisted Mark by Sophie Williamson. #TheTwistedMark #NetGalley
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Unfortunately I didn't particularly like this book.

The Twisted Mark is a dark romance fantasy that didn't feel dark at all. Our main character, Sadie, is hiding in London, so that she doesn't have to complete a deal she made six years ago with the heir to her family's rival family. That is until she finds out her brother has been arrested and charged with the murder of her enemy's father. She returns home to be his lawyer because she's the only one whose magic is strong enough to not be influenced. Being back in her home town means she is at risk of Gabriel calling in on the deal she owes him. Sadie is back in a world of magic that she tried to leave, and begins to discover that the guy she's always been afraid of may be the hero, while her own family might just be the villains.

I didn't like a single character in this book, Sadie Sadler is extremely naive and just lets everyone else influence. She's constantly bringing up how sexual she is and how she sleeps around a lot even though it has nothing to do with the plot. When it comes to the male main characters she keeps going back and forth with how she feels about him every other page.
Gabriel on the other hand is absolutely obsessed with Sadie despite never having a real conversation with her until 3/4 of the way through the book, which makes the romance just feel creepy.
The Sadler family is extremely manipulative towards their own blood even though they keep saying family is so important, they constantly treat Sadie like she owes them something, while also acting like she's not good enough to be let in on the family secrets.

Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers (kind of)
Obsessive H

Spice:
1/5

Will I read book 2: With pacing issues, unlikable characters and an extremely predictable plot... No

This book has something for everyone. Magic, check. Enemies-to-lovers, check. Strong female main character who is powerful and smart with and without her magic, check. What I really loved is that in the end, there isn't a happily ever after but still a happy ending. No band aid solutions and the main character stays true to herself. I highly recommend getting swept up in this book!

I really wanted to like this book because I love fantasy romances with darker vibes, but unfortunately this just wasn’t the book for me.

Sadie Sadler is a witch who fled her hometown because she promised herself to Gabriel Thornber (the heir of a rival witch family) to pay a debt in exchange for her oldest brother’s life. Six years later, she’s forced to return to that town as that same brother’s lawyer after he gets himself imprisoned for allegedly murdering Gabriel’s father.

This is based in the modern world (think mafia vibes for the rival witch families), except witches are real, and there’s a pretty robust set of rules for how their magic works, etc, which I really liked. However, it was frustrating how the author seemed to bend the rules for Sadie anytime they became inconvenient for the plot. For example, Sadie stops using magic after she flees because using magic would help Gabriel find her by triggering the “lien mark” he put on her. She seems pretty adamant that this is necessary…except then all of the sudden it’s not, and it becomes ok for her to use only “small” amounts of magic. She even goes so far as to make the mark glow from the magic she uses…and nothing bad happens.

We keep hearing all of these terrible things about how Gabriel Thornber is a monster, then when we finally get a flashback of the night they meet and he gives her the lien mark…he is actually very sweet to her? As in, she literally promised her body to him, and not only does he not ask for it, he gives her her own bed to sleep in and takes her to the library in his house to give her a bunch of books to help her with her homework? By the next morning, even Sadie is starting to have a crush on him (of course he is super hot, too), to the point that she lets him kiss her and gets pretty into it herself…then she freaks out and gets super mad at him when he says she still owes him a debt (which he isn’t going to collect on now) and puts the mark on her (which apparently is a very standard thing her own family does to people who owe them). After this, it became hard to view Gabriel as the villain and Sadie as the victim.

Right off the bat you are given plot twists that setup the story and you feel just as shocked as the main character when things come to light.
I was instantly drawn in after 2 chapters and devoured the rest of the book.
This book has so many amazing tropes including Enemies to Lovers and Forbidden Romance. I enjoyed reading about Sadie and Gabriel and watching their relationship evolve. When it comes time for Bren’s trial (Sadie’s brother) secrets are revealed and you are held in suspense throughout which had me hooked and not wanting to put this book down. I needed to know how the trial would end!

Conclusion: This dark fantasy was definitely a book that was hard to put down. So many shocking twists and turns and I’m genuinely excited to read the next book!


Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC. This review is 100% voluntary and my honest review.