Definitely take the trigger warnings into account before reading this book. The author is upfront about them, so it isn't shocking, but it was harder to read about than I expected, at least for myself.

Physiological thriller about a vampire king corrupted by power and his oldest friend whose old romantic feelings are now used against him as torture. It has the point of view of both main characters so you get to see how things play out physically and emotionally for both. There is a lot of emotional turmoil.

It was too much for me. I tried skipping ahead a few times but it was all so tragic. I could not finish the book.

A very emotional read that is heavy on SA.

Henrikk is a truly horrible villain and has one redeeming quality, Asher. For a bad man this is a sweet romance. If you are looking for a dark and twisted M/M romance I would recommend!

I really struggled with this book. I was often confused or bored by what was going on. I kept feeling like I was missing something like this book was a side story, but I haven't read main story. I also struggled with rape as a punishment even if both parties secretly enjoyed it.

This book was a wild ride from start to finish and I never knew what turns it would take. The premise of the book was very unique and the author did a great job incorporating vampire lore but keeping it fresh. I think there were some opportunities for more world building and for exploring the magic system more especially the witches and the dragons. Hopefully these will be expanded on in the next book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

What a wild ride! Never once did I know where this story was going, but I loved every second of the ride. This is definitely a dark story, I knew that going in. I thought I knew what to expect, but the author sought to exceed my expectations and did so flawlessly.

Henrikk is the kind of villain that you love to hate and while I hopped to see some kind of character growth and redemption arc, that wasn't exactly what was delivered, but also wasn't not what was delivered. His and Asher's relationship is toxic and brutal but yet you find yourself hoping that these two broken characters somehow get it together and find happiness. I think I spent a good portion of the book yelling at Henrikk and Asher to have an actual conversation.

I will say that the twist on this book was something unique that I hadn't seen before and the ending left me dying for another book centered around Henrikk and Asher, while at the same time giving me bittersweet feeling of satisfaction.

This is very much a character driven story and I was invested in the characters, as you can tell. There was some world building but there were points where I felt like I might be missing something. We were very much dropped in the middle of the story, but it didn't hinder me from understanding the story or enjoying the sorry. If you're looking for something that has deep world building and lore, you're not going to find it here.

If you're looking for a dark and gritty story driven by two very broken characters who don't know how to properly communicate, this is the book for you. Just mind your trigger warnings!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC and allowing me to read a review the story! My thoughts are truthful and my own!

I was really excited by the premise of this book so when I requested I was really looking forward to reading. However, I'm sad to say I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style, the pacing felt very fast and rushed and I didn't feel any kind of connection to the characters, which is what I was hoping for.

This is a DARK MM romance, and while I do usually love to devour these kinds of books (especially anything vampire related), I just couldn't get on board with the plot until the second half of the book, when things started to pick up.

The first half of the book is 80% smut and 20% plot, which isn't my kind of layout. I prefer plot driven books with the smut added in.

Overall, it wasn't a bad book and I'm sure a lot of readers will devour it, but it just wasn't for me in the sense that I didn't like the pacing or the writing style.

“Punished by the Vampire King,” by Darcy Fayton

I really liked this book. The story was super dark with tons of SA and enemies to lover’s type stuff. I like the world Darcy Fayton has built with vampires, werewolves, and witches and how many are considered less than and slaves. The power dynamic between the general and the king was the biggest aspect of the book, and it really felt hopeless. It is a super-fast book and a quick read. I liked this book a little better than the others in the same world. 4 out of 5 stars.

-M/M
-SA
-General X King
-Vampires
-Werewolves
-Witches
-Lovers in Denial
-Enemies To Lovers
-Magic

Thank you for the free copy, Netgalley.

“Tomorrow night, he would push Asher one last time. Tomorrow night, the game would end”

I’m still not completely sure how I feel about this book. A part of me did enjoy it. It was a dark paranormal romance book and it stayed true to what was the premise. The characters were dark and the idea of being morally grey was nonexistent. The only truth was the love of a general for his king. A twisted complicated and very very dark form of love but love nonetheless. Asher and Henrikk dynamic was really twisted. It was really hard to get through. But at the end of the day, it was a dark romance. And the way they fought one another for submission was part of their journey through power and control and possible death. I won’t complain about it. I feel like I got to know a bit about the characters also through previous books. But what you learn with first hand reading about them can completely alter your perception of them. And it’s a good thing. I’m glad I had a chance to read this!

You know, when I went in to this book, I wasn’t expecting it to break my heart so much. I legitimately got stingy eyed at multiple points.
This book was dark, traumatic, shocking, and still so so sexy. This is a story of love and all of its horrors

Random notes from my read: CAN BE CONSIDERED SPOILERY⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️


* Man, I’m glad we’re getting Henrikk’s POV. His internal struggle is heartbreaking and sad
* Omg, the copy is cracking me up
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review
* Oh, how embarrassing for the dragon. Oh well
* Man, I feel bad for the henrikk left behind, but happy for the other an asher


Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

This book is a dark romance and I would encourage anyone interested in it to read through the content warnings since there's a lot of disturbing and taboo content.

I found the actual plot to be kind of bizarre. I know the blurb says it's a good place to start in the series but I found it confusing that there are several characters mentioned that seem to be important, but weren't explored enough for me to really care about them. I also felt like if vampires were entirely removed from the story nothing would change. There is mention of werewolf subjugation but it really isn't explored. It was obvious it was a prequel made as an after thought and not a story in its own right. I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the rest of the series and was familiar with the other characters but this didn't leave me with any desire to read more of the series.

I also disliked how I felt like I was being led to sympathize with certain characters. I would have preferred if it was left a bit more ambiguous and the reader was able to form their own opinions, or even if the book leaned into moral ambiguity rather than redemption.

If you are looking for lots of dark spice with a bit of fantasy plot mixed in, then this might the book for you, but I think I had a lot of questions about the plot that went beyond me being able to suspend my disbelief and get lost in the story.

I got to 23% in (2 of the stories)
I love dark romance usually but I just didn’t connect with this story unfortunately
Dry anal is just not comfortable for either party and so not hot at all
There is a lot of sex scenes which is fine if I found any hot but I just didn’t and I wasn’t sold by either character as well
My heart wasn’t racing for any reason
Wasn’t badly written characters were believable

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. 3.75 stars and 5 chili peppers for spice. I read this book as a standalone. This book is almost entirely non con, which I enjoyed. I really liked the dynamic and contrast between the personalities of the two MMCs. I wish there was a bit more background on their friendship before they became enemies, what history we did get was brief. The ending was a bit confusing to me and that’s all I can say without adding spoilers to this review. It is a HEA but just a confusing one. In the end it was an enjoyable read.

A sweet (probably not the right word!) standalone novella og King Henrikk and Asher. And by sweet I defently also mean DARK! This is high dark romance with MM and spicy vampires...
Darcy Fayton defently knows her smutty writting and mixed feelings!

A Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, and to Fayton of the story!

3,5 spicy stars!

If you like your books spicy, like super spicy, this dark vampire romance just might be the book for you. Please be sure to read the author notes/content warnings at the beginning of the story to determine if this book is a good fit for you because there is a lot going on within these pages.

If you love vampires, newly conquered kingdoms, and MM sex… check this one out.

I enjoyed this book, it was a big change of pace from my usual reading, but sometimes that is a good thing.

This is the villain origin story which leads in to the other books written by the author, but this can be written independently.

Henrikk is a lot to take in, and the last part of the book is surprising in ways. I still question Asher’s loyalty to Henrikk, even after finishing the book. Still, I’m glad I got to experience this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for this copy of the book.

It was ok. Funny and hot enough. Not a lot of plot to it though, would have preferred less smut and more of the story itself

*Punished by the Vampire King* by Darcy Fayton is an enthralling dark vampire romance that plunges readers into a world of power struggles, court intrigue, and intense emotions. The novel masterfully explores the complexities of love, betrayal, and redemption, all set within the confines of a royal castle where nothing is as it seems.

General Asher and Vampire King Henrikk's relationship is at the heart of the story, and it is anything but straightforward. Their initial dynamic is toxic and fraught with tension, but this sets the stage for a gripping exploration of how love can emerge from the most unexpected places. The power struggle between them keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace, and the emotional rollercoaster they experience is both intense and addictive.

Fayton doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of their relationship, making this book a perfect fit for readers who enjoy a bit of edge in their romance. The scenes of punishment are raw and impactful, underscoring the deep-seated emotions both characters are grappling with. However, as the story progresses, the development of their relationship becomes more nuanced, revealing layers of affection and longing that have been buried beneath their roles as king and general.

While the novel delivers on its promise of being dark, spicy, and fast-paced, it does require readers to be comfortable with themes of power imbalance and toxicity, especially in the beginning. This may not be for everyone, but those who enjoy a story that pushes boundaries will find themselves captivated by the world Fayton has created.

Overall, *Punished by the Vampire King* is a compelling read that offers a unique take on the vampire romance genre. It's a story that lingers with you long after the final page, leaving you eager to explore more of the world Fayton has crafted. A solid 4-star read for fans of dark, emotional romances.

Overall, I thought this book was super entertaining. The first half of the book is made up of several short stories, while the latter half is basically one novella. I was definitely more of a fan of the latter half of this book, as it featured more of a fantasy plot. I did have a hard time following some of the plot points, but that is probably more my fault for being bad at paying attention than it is the book’s fault. I'm usually more of a character-driven person, so I wish the characters were more memorable to me. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in it, it's a very fast and easy read. My only other minor complaint is that I wish there was more vampire content - the vampires in this book breathe and eat human food, and there is little mention of any other “vampire” traits. I just wish the vampire content was more central to the story.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

This is the first time I've read a book with CNC. Since looking up online at people's reasons for liking such themes (for curiosity, so I can understand further), I now totally get it! I actually downloaded this book without reading the TWs properly... oops. But I'm so thankful you accepted my request so I could read this wonderfully heart wrenching book.

My gosh, what a rollercoaster of emotions! I have so much empathy for the main characters, and others. Especially the Vampire King, Henrikk, despite how evil he portrays himself to be. And of course, Asher. The toxic dance and games the Vampire King plays, are completely despicable and Asher has EVERY right to abandon his loyalty to Henrikk, but he doesn't ever want to give up on him, because he knows a kindhearted side to him is still there. Henrikk puts Asher through physical and psychological torture, to make him loathe him. Because why wouldn't he? This is a heartbreaking story of two broken men who want to openly love each other but that scares Henrikk to death, and Asher is struggling to get to that side of him. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this book, seeing how the main character's inner struggles are complicated and twisted. What a story... that eventually becomes a love story. I'll be reading more of this author's books! I am excited to learn more within the universe, and even more of Henrikk.

Thank you for accepting my request to read this book, I really appreciate it a lot! It has introduced me to the author's work and I am excited to read more!

<i>I would like to thank Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.</i>

Oooof throughout the first half of this book my face was in such a state because of how brutally Henrikk treated Asher. this was some intense "punishment" (at least for me) that may trigger some people, so please be gentle with yourselves, loves!

Truthfully, I think Asher's yearning interiority didn't have enough emotional backstory to support it when it showed up, so when the ilys started flowing i was still unclear how that was supposed to make me feel about Henrikk abusing him.

And then the second half rolled around and it was almost like a completely different book. Henrikk's characterization did a 180, the plot went in a direction that the opening sequence did not really feed, and i dunno, i guess i was expecting more than what actually manifested in the second half of the story.

I did enjoy the second half more than the first, though. I felt like there was enough emotional availability in the narrative to support the evolution of Henrikk & Asher's relationship. I liked the bit of action we got at the end there, and the HFN gave me the closure i needed to wish Henrikk & Asher well on their adventures!

I have read a few books by this author now and she is becoming one to watch for me - I have enjoyed all the books read so far

I really enjoyed this story, it was a great dark romance that I found to be a page turner.

The book is set amongst royalty and vampires and there are some great characters.

I thought that the book was well written, it was brutal, romantic and sexy.

It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended!