f you’re in the mood for a spicy paranormal romance, Bedded by the Headmaster by Darcy Fayton is a fantastic pick! The first in the Susie & Arken duet, this story introduces Susie, a wolf shifter, and Arken, the vampire headmaster at Volmasque Academy, where shifters are subservient to vampires. When Susie volunteers herself to spare a younger student from Arken’s feeding, their forbidden attraction ignites, leading to an intense, age-gap romance. Told from both Susie and Arken’s perspectives, the book balances steamy moments with an evolving emotional connection and dark secrets hidden within the academy. It's a quick, thrilling read, but check trigger warnings before starting—it's intense! I can’t wait to see where the sequel takes this story.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.

Not bad at all high spice, which I love. Not bad storyline.

This is a dark, dark fantasy novel. Please read the warnings well and make your choice. A fascinating dynamic between Susie and the headmaster, she goes from waiting and hoping to bring completely in control from chapter to chapter which was a bit strange. The themes were were very harsh and vivid, perhaps too vivid at times. Thrilling but scary at the same time.

My review is posted on goodreads (link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6895118777) as of 11:55 am on 11/04/2024.

Netgalley Review

If you’re a fan of dark romance that intertwines suspense, intrigue, and intense character dynamics, this book is a must-read. Be warned, this book contains darker themes of non-consent and dubious consent, so check trigger warnings.

The paranormal world that Darcy Fayton has created is rich with species dynamics and hints of magic, plunging the story into a dark academia aesthetic with a compelling twist. Headmaster Arken is an enigmatic figure, balancing between nonchalance and his obsession for Susie—who is both strong-willed and selfless. Their connection teeters on the edge of love, posession, and something far more primal.

My criticism for this book lies in the underdeveloped relationship between Arken and Susie. It could be characterized as insta-love from Arken’s POV, but Susie really goes from hating him to adoring him in a split-second somewhere in the middle of the plot. For a romance book, I wish it focused a bit more on their relationship. Overall, though, it was a good read.

"Bedded by the Headmaster" is an enthralling dark fantasy romance that takes readers deep into the tumultuous world of Volmasque Academy, where vampire headmasters and wolf shifter students navigate a labyrinth of desire, danger, and emotional turmoil. Darcy Fayton’s storytelling immerses us in a richly imagined setting filled with tension and forbidden romance.

At the heart of the narrative is Susie, a wolf shifter with a fierce protective instinct and a haunted past, and Headmaster Arken, a vampire weighed down by his own tragedies. The chemistry between them crackles from their first encounter, and Fayton masterfully builds their connection against the backdrop of the academy’s dark traditions. The story’s premise—a student caught in a web of loyalty and desire—creates a captivating tension that keeps readers engaged.

Fayton's writing is both lush and evocative, bringing the academy and its inhabitants to life. The exploration of power dynamics, especially in the context of their forbidden relationship, is handled with nuance. As Susie contemplates inviting Arken into her life—and her bed—readers are taken on an emotional journey filled with heart-wrenching choices and moments of raw vulnerability.

The narrative doesn’t shy away from the complexities of the characters’ pasts. Arken’s struggles with his identity and trauma add depth to his character, making him more than just a brooding vampire archetype. Susie’s determination to protect her peers, despite her fears, makes her a compelling and relatable protagonist.

Fayton expertly weaves in elements of court intrigue and danger, keeping the stakes high as the bond between Susie and Arken deepens. The steamy scenes are well-crafted and enhance the story’s emotional core, providing a perfect balance to the tension and conflict at play.

However, some readers may find the themes of morality and consent challenging due to the inherent power imbalance in their relationship. Fayton navigates these complexities with care, but it’s a topic that might resonate differently with each reader.

Overall, "Bedded by the Headmaster" is a captivating start to Susie and Arken’s duet, blending romance, fantasy, and psychological depth in a way that will appeal to fans of dark fantasy and steamy romance alike. It promises a thrilling exploration of love, redemption, and the battle against one’s own demons, leaving readers eager for the next installment. If you’re looking for a story that pushes boundaries and keeps you on the edge of your seat, this book is a must-read!

3 ⭐️
5🌶️
“The headmaster had claimed her. And he was here for satisfaction.”

Alright, so Bedded by the Headmaster by Darcy Fayton was one wild ride. The spice? Oh, it’s there—dom/sub dynamics, an age gap, and forbidden vampire-werewolf tension that had me turning pages. Susie and Arken’s relationship brought the heat, no doubt. But plot-wise? It felt like a thin backdrop for all the steam.

Susie was supposed to be strong, but she spent a lot of time waiting for Arken to take charge, and those back-and-forth POV shifts? They got repetitive fast. The “cliffhanger” at the end wasn’t exactly a nail-biter; it felt more like someone hit pause mid-scene.

Tropes:

⭐️Werewolves
⭐️Vampires
⭐️Age Gap Romance
⭐️Professor/Student Romance
⭐️BD$M dynamics


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

Warning: This book contains dark themes, non-consensual acts, and brutal scenes. Please read the provided trigger warnings at the beginning of the book before reading.

This dark romance novel, written by Darcy Fayton, centers on Susie, a werewolf struggling with the inability to shift. Unfortunately for Susie, this is not her biggest problem as she lives in a world ruled by the merciless Vampire King Henrikk, where vampires reign supreme, and werewolves are nothing more than sources of food and sex. Susie attends Volmasque Academy, where her path collides with Headmaster Arken, the vampire leader of the school. On a night fueled by desperation, Arken's hunger drives him to feed from Susie, sparking an intricate dance of power, expectation, and forbidden attraction that binds them together.

At first, the book's heavy and brutal scenes made it tough to read, which is likely why other readers have struggled to continue. However, Darcy Fayton's world-building and writing style drew me in. The world offers a fresh spin on the werewolf/vampire trope, and the characters' decisions were explained well enough that I could believe them. Additionally, the development of Susie and Arken's complex relationship kept me invested as the story went on.

While reading, I encountered some elements that didn't resonate with me personally - specifically, the significant age gap between the main characters and certain non-consensual scenes. These aspects simply weren't my cup of tea, but I recognize that others may be perfectly comfortable with them. On a more positive note, I was impressed by Darcy Fayton's thoughtful approach to sensitive content. Her decision to include a comprehensive trigger warning before a particularly intense chapter, along with a summary for those who choose to skip it, demonstrates a considerate regard for her readers' well-being.

Overall, this book is suitable for readers who enjoy dark romance and can separate fiction from reality. If you're hesitant, consider the trigger warnings carefully before diving in.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Recommendation: For readers who enjoy dark fantasy romance and werewolf/vampire fiction. If you're comfortable with mature themes, explicit content, and complex relationships, then this novel is sure to captivate.

I feel like there was so much more that could have been done with this story and these characters. And maybe we will get it in the next book. The relationship that the FMC and the MMC build is so beyond toxic and just messed up. Butttttttt I also couldn’t put this train-wreck down. I just HAD to know what was going to happen each chapter. Like what more could the FMC tolerate and what else would the MMC do that she would excuse.

This just wasn’t for me - I can see where the plot is headed and would probs or enjoy it if it was my bag. But the writing is clunky at points, and the plots progressing too slowly for me. DNF at 30%. 3 stars because if I was into the tropes I’d probably finish it

Bedded by the Headmaster by Darcy Fayton is a perfect book for a dirty spicy steamy reader. This is my 2nd book from Darcy Fayton and this book is just my cup of tea.

The storyline gives me emotional rollercoaster which include trauma, grief, suspense and angst.
The cliffhanger gives me a heart attack. The spicy scenes are very intense and explicit which is my favorites part of the book which include BDSM and age gap. Some scenes also has triggered content such as sexual assault.


✅ Age gap
✅ Dark romance
✅ Headmaster / student
✅ Vampire / shifter
✅ High sexual tension
✅ Plenty of spicy scenes: intense and explicit ( BDSM, anal plugging, anal, toys, praise)
✅ Triggered content: sexual assault
✅ Trauma, grief

I was really into this book! I think it got more interesting towards the middle, so it does start off slow.

In this book there's an academy where vampires are superior to wolves & they're allowed to feed on them & have their “fun”. The FMC (Susie, a wolf) gets taken advantage of so many times & tries to fight for equality. Here comes the Headmaster (Arken, a vampire) who starts taking an interest in her & everything changes: between them & what goes on in the school.

These two were interesting characters: Susie was incredibly selfless and protective of those who couldn't stand up for themselves. Arken is a vampire who had a terrible past and is haunted by it, but as soon as Susie steps into his life you see he starts to crumble & open up.

There are other major characters, like the King, Henrikk (who is a horrid vampire who has Arken in his clutches) His scenes were a bit hard to read. Not because it was triggering for me, but bc it made me angry. In one scene Arken mentions that the King's son, Nathaniel, will take over soon, so 🤞🏽

The spicy scenes were 🥵 (between the MMC & FMC.) At one point it was dub-con, but it was explained why this happened.

This review is not the most coherent, but I recommend this book 100%.

(I loved how the author included that warning for readers who are sensitive to SA, but still summarized what the chapter contained in a way where it wasn't triggering)

I was in the mood for a spicy paranormal romance with vampires and werewolves, and Bedded by the Headmaster by Darcy Fayton absolutely delivered. I found this book on NetGalley, and it's the first book in the Susie & Arken duet, with the second one expected in December.

This story is told through dual POVs: Susie, a wolf shifter, and Arken, the headmaster of Volmasque Academy, where vampires rule and shifter wolves have been essentially turned into pets. At 18, shifters are brought to the academy to be trained and tamed, living at the mercy of the vampires’ whims. When the headmaster comes to feed on a wolf one night, Susie volunteers herself to spare a first-year student, and from there, things get intense. Their bond brings forbidden love with an age-gap twist, and some sinister things are lurking behind the scenes at the academy.

This book is super spicy—definitely check trigger warnings before diving in. Interestingly, it flips the usual progression by starting off with heat and then diving into a deep emotional connection. I loved the balance, and it kept me engaged the whole time. This was a quick and entertaining read, and I'm excited to see what happens in the next book!

Ok first thing: READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS! This one gets pretty dark, even by my standards.

I started the books in this world a little out of order (I read Nathaniel and Kira's book first... oops) but it was in that book that I met Susie and Arken and immediately needed more of their story. Everything goes both wrong and right at each turn. Each of them grows individually while also blossoming together. The cliffhanger was real, but I look forward to more of Susie's sass in book 2!

My pure, dark, erotic fans, prepare for a wild ride!

We have an Academy for students where vampires have their pets. (Wolf shifters.) Enter an age-gap and student-teacher relationship between us as the reader's most loved fantasy characters. Also, things are pretty fast-paced. You'll jump in feet first, hitting the bottom faster than dropping an anchor.

Worldbuilding is out of the question here. It's very...very minimal. Bedded by the Headmaster mainly focuses on the dark relationship between the headmaster and the student. When I say it's dark, it's ultra dark. There are several trigger warnings listed at the beginning, as well as page breaks warning you before you enter the next chapter. (I actually loved this. Unique, different. A triple heads up.)

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

Wow! I really enjoyed this book, as much as this author’s other book in the same world (Collared by the Vampire Prince). Lots of angst, lots of spice, plus vampires, werewolves, age gap… ate it up in 2 days and now I have to chose which second book of which duology do I read next?!?!

I think I’m just not into the style of these novels. I don’t love the world building or the character development

After having read Kira & Nathenial's duet first, you get a taste of Susie and Arken. Reading their book 2nd was definitely the right order.

Susie is a wolf shifter, and Arken is a vampire. In this world, wolf shifters are at the mercy of vampires and Susie makes it her mission to right the inequality between the 2 species.

This book is VERY spicy and has a chapter on SA, but the author has provided a warning to readers when they get to that chapter that it can be skipped and then a brief synopsis is provided afterwards which doesn't affect the reading experience at all. I loved that this was done.

I enjoyed this book and am thankful for the opportunity to read and review it

4.5 rounded up.

This is my 3rd book from this author that I was able to get from NetGalley and it's definitely my favorite.

First of all I really appreciate how thorough the author is with their trigger warnings. This book includes a chapter that includes a traumatic scene for the MFC that is addressed at the beginning of the book and again when you come to the chapter. You are then given the option of skipping to the end and reading the summary if it's something that you may find triggering. A+ work from the author in my opinion.

The storyline was enough to keep me interested between the 'scenes'. I really liked the main characters. Having read 'Collared by the Vampire Prince' before this one it was cool to see where the storylines lined up.

The book does end on a cliffhanger, but you are warned at the beginning.

This isn’t my normal kind of book, but I thought I would give it a chance. If what you’re looking for is dark academic smut, this is the perfect book for you. The summary enticed me, but it was a little too out there for me.

First of all, I want to thank Darcy Fayton, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op e NetGalley for this eARC. Here my honest opinion.

Well. DNF is not for me, but this time I was really tempted. Unfortunately there was nothing in this book that met my tastes. I wanted to try a paranormal romance, and I’ve always liked vampires. I thought: what's better than a dark erotic romance set in an academy? World building and setting are what disappointed me the most. Characters are boring and predictable, and there are many inconsistencies: in the academy wolfshifters are abused by vampires, because it’s how it always worked, but the headmaster (the headmaster!) is surprised by the lack of true consent! I have nothing against smut without plot, but in this case the smut is nothing special, despite the premises, and that bit of plot that connects the scenes is really bad.
Sorry, but I can’t recommend it.