Surprisingly well written and enjoyable book.

Not my usual genre but fancied mixing it up and this was a worth a go with a decent plot.

Why haven't I read this earlier?!!

As soon as I read the blurb, I knew I was going to enjoy this book. Vampires and shifters with a sprinkling of bdsm spice?! Sign me up!

This was easy to read, and it really sucked me in (pun intended!). I loved reading more about the characters as the book went on, how they navigated their growing feelings for each other whilst also keeping a major secret from each other.

The spice was great, I loved it, and I love how he explored that with her. And that ending?! I will definitely be reading the next book.

I also loved the chapter names and how the author approached the acknowledgements, etc, at the end of the book. "Well done, pet. Halfway there. Now brace yourself - it's a long story, and I expect you to take it all."

If fantasy crossed with BDSM is your vibe, I would definitely check this out.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the published and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! I felt instantly drawn to the story from the beginning and the smut was HOT! There was not a moment in this book that I found boring, and I’m excited to read the next book (as well as the spinoff books from other characters’ point of views!)

Loved reading the mesmerizing and spellbinding paranormal story. When Kira is captured and collared by the Vampire Prince Nathaniel, she vows to get her revenge on all vampires. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting story. Can't wait to read the next story in the series by the fabulous author, Darcy Fayton

Collared by the Vampire Prince by Darcy Fayton is a seductive and thrilling dive into a world of vampire royalty, intense romance, and dark intrigue. Fayton knows how to blend romance and fantasy, creating a story that’s both emotionally charged and richly atmospheric.

The book follows a strong yet vulnerable protagonist who finds herself drawn into the orbit of a powerful vampire prince. The dynamic between the main characters is electric, with simmering tension and moments of vulnerability that make the relationship feel genuine. Fayton builds this vampire world with detailed lore and an alluringly dark aesthetic, which adds layers to the story and keeps you wanting to learn more about the characters' backgrounds and motivations.

What sets this story apart is Fayton’s balance between romance and suspense. The plot weaves moments of intense passion with real stakes, creating a world that’s as dangerous as it is alluring. The romance is steamy and well-paced, appealing to fans who enjoy a mix of paranormal romance with a hint of mystery and action.

Collared by the Vampire Prince is a must-read for fans of vampire romance looking for a story with depth and an edgy vibe. Fayton’s writing style pulls you in, and the chemistry between the leads makes for a compelling, addictive read. If you’re craving a dark, romantic escape, this book is sure to satisfy.

I've met Nathaniel on the first book of Susie and Arken and it was a enjoyable character in here? I loved him.. I was able to get to know him on another perspective and the cliffhanger wasn't nice the same on the Susie and Arken book so if the author kindly put the books on Kobo I would appreciate very much ahahahah because I'm not okay.
The books are very dark and I understand that some people don't connect with them, for me they are hot

I absolutely loved this book and can recommend it to anyone who loves dark fantasy romance with spice!!!

This would be great for a very spicy read but I expected a bit more plot, depth in emotions and I felt the trigger warnings give away too much of what's going to happen, I think having them at the back or a qr code would have been useful instead.

The book started off strong. I'd been reading a few different ARCs and this was one that caught my attention with more promising writing and a good grip of tension between the main characters than most. I enjoyed the slow burn and the enemies-to-lovers progression between the lead characters. I think it was an interesting premise with a lot of potential.

However, after a while, I found myself dozing off. It was hard for me to focus. I think I felt like there wasn't much happening; sure, the main characters' relationship got more and more entangled, but Kira's plan to exact revenge didn't really go anywhere. I didn't like that she kept on losing sight of her main goal, distracted by her lust for the prince lol. She was a bit frustrating to follow at times, because I wanted her to keep up that same level of resistance and hatred she had in the beginning, that same spirit of fighting.

It wasn't bad, but I personally kind of wanted to DNF because I got bored by the 70% point, but I finished it for this review. The beginning of the book was leagues better than the ending, which is left on a cliffhanger. I personally didn't feel enough stakes in the game to want to read the sequel, but maybe others will enjoy it more.

A good read for it's genre. Vampires and werewolves, good and bad characters but please read the warnings, don't read if you are of a sensitive nature! Very hot!

⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Sadly, I did not like this book. When I requested it I was not aware that it was basically just erotica. The plot was almost non-existant, and the smut was just too much.

I did not feel connected to the characters at all, especially the fmc. With all the smut the characters just did not have enough on-page character development. The story itself was not a dark romance, I would say. Dark? Yes. Romance? No. The main characters did not have enough time to develop an actual connection.

The plot was, as I mentioned before, lacking, to say the least. It could have been really interesting (Vampires? Wolfshifters? Academia vibes?) but the plot was completely ignored just to have more spice in the book. I would totally read a more plot-focused version of this book, because I think the story has a lot of potential, it was just poorly executed.
I dont think I will continue this series.

I will post this review on Goodreads and Storygraph, but I will refrain from posting about this book on my Instagram.

3 ⭐️
5🌶️
“Last chance, pet. I will not ask you again. Will you be good for me?”

Collared by the Vampire Prince had all the ingredients for a dark, spicy read—DUBCON/BDSM themes, shifters, vampires—it ticked so many boxes. But I was torn between being hooked and walking away. The whole “let’s preserve Kira’s virginity but go wild with the rest” angle was... just irritating for me for some reason. And Kira? I really didn't make much connection to her.

Will I pick up book two? Maybe, but I’m not rushing. I’ve got questions, sure, but I’ll wait until I’m in the mood for pure smut with a side of plot, hoping Nathaniel finally follows through.

Tropes:

⭐️Werewolves
⭐️Vampires
⭐️Age Gap
⭐️Forced Proximity
⭐️Virgin FMC
⭐️Royalty
⭐️BD$M


Thank you to NetGalley and Darcy Fayton for allowing me to have an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review⭐️

In what promises to be a dark paranormal romance featuring werewolves and vampires at a mysterious academy, this novel unfortunately delivers an uneven reading experience that prioritizes explicit content over coherent storytelling. While the premise holds intrigue—a captured werewolf girl forced into a vampire-run academy—the execution falls short of its potential.
Strengths

Atmospheric opening that effectively sets up the dark fantasy premise
Dual POV structure through Kira and Nathaniel's perspectives, offering complementary insights into the story
Interesting side characters, though underutilized
Some creative worldbuilding elements in the vampire-werewolf dynamic

Weaknesses

Severely underdeveloped plot that takes a backseat to erotic content (comprising approximately 80% of the book)
Character development that feels juvenile despite the adult cast
Rushed romance that fails to convince, with the main relationship cycling through love-hate dynamics in an unrealistic timeframe (merely 2.5 weeks)
Inconsistent narrative perspective, awkwardly shifting between third and first person
Repetitive scene descriptions when switching POVs, sometimes with contradicting details
Technical writing issues reminiscent of amateur online fiction

Final Verdict
This book suffers from a significant misalignment between marketing and content. While advertised as a spicy romantic fantasy, it reads more like erotica with minimal plot development. The writing style feels immature, with characters behaving more like impulsive teenagers than adults, despite the mature content. Technical issues with perspective shifts and narrative inconsistencies further detract from the reading experience.
Readers seeking a balanced paranormal romance with equal attention to plot and romantic elements should look elsewhere. While the premise shows promise and some side characters spark interest (with apparently more stories in their future), the execution fails to deliver a satisfying narrative. The book might appeal to readers specifically seeking paranormal erotica, but even then, the technical writing issues and character inconsistencies may prove challenging to overcome.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of Collared by the Vampire Prince.

I enjoyed the content is this book but it was very dark and heavy which some readers would not enjoy. This did not have really ground breaking plot development, it stands up against other supernatural novels I have read with similar themes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of Collared by the Vampire Price. I enjoyed this book much more than Punished by the Vampire King since there’s much more plot and character development in this story which definitely improved it for me. I do think that Nathaniel is much more like his father than he wants to admit and definitely has a dark side and we see a lot of this throughout. However I do think there’s still more spice than plot and a lot of it seems without a purpose/doesn’t do much to advance the plot and although I enjoyed it more it still fell a bit short for me. There’s also a lot of the spicy scenes that would definitely have been painful for Kira and this was very easily forgiven later on and done on purpose by Nathaniel. However, for anyone interested in the book there are clear trigger warnings that can be read before starting.

This fell a little flat to me and I think thats due to the main characters feeling like teenagers rather than adults, some of the actions etc didn't match up, disappointed but thought the plot was great just not the characters this time

This book had me drawn in from the start, honestly. Super good, super super spicy. I wasn't a fan of the term "pet" constantly used. I understand in that dynamic it worked but it wasn't my favorite. Talk about some intense spice scenes tho!

Honestly I don’t know what was I expecting from the trigger warning pages, turns out this book need 10 times longer list. This was horrifying, I love dark romance books, I love smut and BDSM books that are done and written GOOD this was not it, not the smut, not the storyline which was completely non existent to be honest, this could simply be called pure smut, and the smut itself wasn’t even that good, this book was shallow and it felt like nothing happened for 300 pages!!! There was no point whatsoever, also the book clearly stated no cheating even though he does cheat on her because he quit literally slept with had half sister IN FRONT OF HER , she than proceed to lick her sisters JUICES of his cock. Like bffr. This was simply not it and I genuinely hope there would be longer list of chapter warning next time, maybe I’m just not the right audience .

Whilst this isn't isn’t my typical genre, I found this story to be an enjoyable and intense read. The fast pace and tension between the characters kept the pages turning, making it easy to finish in one sitting.

The protagonist, Kira, enrolls at Volmasque Academy, where vampires and shifters navigate a power hierarchy that often relegates shifters to subservience. With a personal mission to unite these two factions, Kira is both fierce and ambitious, standing up against a system that sees her kind as second class. Her plans are soon complicated when the vampire prince, Nathaniel, arrives as her escort and adds a new layer of intensity to her journey. Nathaniel’s character is well-crafted as a complicated anti-hero, whose motives are as guarded as his mysterious past. This dynamic leads to a lot of banter between Kira and Nathaniel, whose chemistry and antagonism propel the romance.

The story also introduces interesting side characters like Victoria and Susie, whose roles further enrich the narrative, helping to expand the world of Volmasque Academy.

If you’re seeking a dark romance with intriguing characters and a mix of tension and attraction, the book offers a strong beginning with promise for even more to come in its sequel.

Ich bin definitiv nicht neu im Dark Romance Genre, aber Holy Spice! Das Buch war an Spice kaum zu übertreffen. Oft habe ich hinterfragt, was ich da eigentlich gerade lese und gleichzeitig konnte ich nicht aufhören zu lesen. Ich bin sehr schnell in die Geschichte reingekippt und fand auch die Chemie zwischen den Hauptcharakteren stimmig. Beide Charaktere haben ihre Geheimnisse und der Plot macht einen auf jeden Fall neugierig diese herauszufinden. Dennoch gab es Aspekte mit denen ich erst im Laufe des Lesens warm geworden bin und es gab auch ein bis zwei spicy Szenen, bei denen ich schneller drübergelesen habe. Trotzdem wird mir dieses Buch sicher noch länger im Kopf bleiben, vor allem weil das Ende sehr unerwartet war und der Cliffhanger mich definitiv neugierig auf Band 2 gemacht hat.

I have definitely had my fair share of Dark Romance books but Holy Spice! This book had spice to no end - not that I am mad about it. Oftentimes I found myself questioning about what I was reading and at the same time I could not put the book down. I quickly got familiar with the story and liked the chemistry between the main characters. Both characters have their secrets and the plot definitely made me curious to get behind those secrets. Nevertheless, there were aspects that I only got comfortable with as I read on and there were one or two spicy scenes that I read over more quickly. However, I will probably think about that book for a while now, especially because the ending was very unexpected and the cliffhanger definitely made me curious about the following book.