In Original Sinner, New York is a dark, decadent city ruled by fallen angels who control everything from businesses to social media. Lucifer and his fellow immortals are the elite, pulling the strings in a world where power, corruption, and temptations rule. Charlotte, trying to move on from her past, unexpectedly crosses paths with Lucifer when she lands a job at one of his companies. What starts as a fake relationship soon blurs into something more complicated and intense.

What makes Charlotte stand out as a character is her strength and independence. She doesn’t let Lucifer—or anyone—take control of her life. She stays true to herself, even as her connection with Lucifer grows and the stakes get higher. There’s a lot of character growth here, but Charlotte never loses who she is in the process.

Original Sinner is an addictive, thrilling read that fans of dark romance and supernatural intrigue will love. The blend of steamy chemistry, suspense, and strong character development makes it an engaging read.

This is a dark romance, and there are elements that may be triggering for some readers. The author provides clear content warnings, which I recommend checking before diving into the book.

Thank you to Montlake Publishing, NetGalley, and Kait Ballenger for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

Anything involving Lucifer and Hades is my kryptonite. Add in fake dating? You’ve brought me to the best death bed.

This story was SO GOOD. The seven deadly sins? The religious trauma? The throne? The smut? The modern gods? Perfection.

Lucifer was so dark, so twisted, so dominating that it made me blush. I love him, your honor. Not only was he literally Lucifer, prince of darkness, but he was the Lightbringer and man, oh man, did that bring some tears to my eyes.

Charlotte was a warrior. She was so strong and resilient, even when the worst was happening. I loved watching her growth from nervous little girl to the smart and confident woman who could stand up to Lucifer.

Seriously, this book was incredible. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you so much to Montlake for this ARC 🫶🏻

Just to preface, this is not what I usually read so take this review with a grain of salt. I was lowkey eating this book up in the first half. The premise was really interesting. After Wicked Kingdom I will do anything for the deadly sins, I’m sorry I said it. That being said, the second half started to derail fast. Gradually I started to lose my will to live. I felt like the characterization could have been better, their personalities were kind of all over the place. But that may have been the intention. Some of the lines threw me in for a loop. I got choked up. They were pulling visceral reactions from me. What do you mean God is the ultimate Dom? Hello? I literally choked on my spit. Like girl k would be running too. And some of the intimate scenes in here were very reminiscent of the Idol😬(if you know you know). But if this kind of dark romance is your thing, power to you. But, personally I thought this was kind of wild.

Who doesn’t look a good welcoming line ;)

To the women who felt shame and still turned the page . . . Good girl.

Some of the good stuff:

💖 Spice
💖 Touch her and die vibes
💖 Fmc who is innocent
💖 Morally grey billionaire
💖 Paranormal romance

Triggers
There are elements of religious trauma
Body shaming
Self worth
Sexual abuse
Parental abuse

Overall was a great red great plot amazing characters. The spice was perfect def recommend

interesting love story about a girl in pr and she falls in love with lucifer. we see his siblings and the empire there. very sexy times. I kept picturing tom ellis as the devil.

This was a fun, steamy read with a play on the seven deadly sins. It had intrigue, but I did have to push through some parts of the book. The world-building could have been better.

The characters were ok. Although I feel like we didn't get to build a relationship with Charlotte or Lucifer
All in all, it is an interesting plot.

It's okay, it's entertaining. But it's not that great either. It looked better than it ended up being. Still, it's good to pass the time, I swallowed it in no time.

Now, as a trigger warning, the protagonist is Lucifer, this is a Dark Romance. He's an asshole with daddy issues, he doesn't redeem himself or anything. He'll still be a bastard, but in love.

I liked the girl, Charlotte. She's a good character, although I would have liked to know more about her past. And about her friendship with Jax, very little has come out :(

The book also has a mystery plot. There are two little things going on at the same time, one was very obvious (the messages, bfr), but the other one has driven me crazy. I DIDNT EXPECT IT

3.75/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️

What to expect:
✨ Spice…with kink
✨ Religious undertones
✨ Witty banter
✨ Touch her and you 💀
✨ Billionaire talk, dark and handsome vibes
✨ Innocent FMC


Full Review:
This book is a modern-day take on Lucifer, blending elements of intrigue, romance, and just the right amount of spice. The story is centered around Charlotte, a sheltered and somewhat immature FMC whose background in a strict, religious (and abusive) household shapes her perspective in interesting ways. While her immaturity could have been frustrating, it felt authentic given her age and upbringing.

The plot is engaging and moves at a quick pace, which I appreciated—it didn't drag on unnecessarily. The romance has its spicy moments (🥵🥵), but it's not overdone.

One thing I wish was explored more was the other Originals. They’re such intriguing characters, and I hope future installments dive deeper into their stories and relationships.


TLDR: Overall, Original Sinner kept me hooked and was an enjoyable read, especially if you like stories that balance darkness, redemption, and a bit of steam! Looking forward to seeing where the series goes


***thank you NetGalley and Kait Ballenger for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

Okay, so like, imagine a book where the devil is your boss, and then things just go completely sideways. That’s basically what this story is serving. It’s got all the drama: fake engagements, steamy vibes, family feuds, and oh yeah, a little existential crisis about good vs. evil. Casual, right?

Charlotte was an interesting mix—sweet but carrying all this baggage from her ultra-strict upbringing. Her dynamic with Lucifer (yes, that Lucifer) was intense, messy, and sometimes a little chaotic, but like, in a fun way. He’s the classic morally gray MMC—dark, broody, and giving just enough soft moments to make you swoon. And their chemistry...🔥

Plot-wise, it’s kind of like a spicy soap opera with a dash of romantasy. There’s betrayal, secrets, and so much tension. Honestly, some twists hit, others didn’t, but it kept me turning pages for sure. The world-building was decent, but not groundbreaking. It’s more about the vibes than the mechanics, you know?!

My only gripe is the repetitiveness—like, yes, we get it, he’s devilishly hot and has fangs. But still, it was fun enough to overlook those little things. If you’re here for spice and drama, this one delivers.

Giving it a solid ★★★★. Not perfect, but definitely worth the ride.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Net Galley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Escaping from her abusive overly religious father, Charlotte finds herself working for Lucifer, yes THE Lucifer. And after some bad press, Charlotte and Lucifer begin a fake/PR relationship. As they learn more about each other, and mysterious and slightly spooky circumstances force them together, a connection forms.

I am typically skeptical of Lucifer/Devil/religious books; however, Kat Ballinger did a fabulous job of making Lucifer a likable character. He was still Devilish and evil, but he had humanity and a heart underneath it all. It was also interesting to see other Biblical characters represented in a modern way.

The relationship between Charlotte and Lucifer is complex to say the least, but I really enjoyed the back and forth banter they had. It was lovely to see how they brought out the best (and sometimes the worst) in each other.

Tropes: forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine

This book was not at all what I was expecting, and also exactly what I was expecting if that makes sense. There was definitely spice, and a good bit, but at the same time it just didn’t feel like spice worthy of Lucifer I suppose. That’s not to say the spice wasn’t good because it very much was, I was just kind of expecting something darker I suppose. The actual plot is really what grabbed my attention though, and towards the end there is definitely some mention of gore so if you don’t like that be wary. Overall really great quick fun read, delivered on plot, delivered somewhat on spice, and definitely intrigued me to make me want to figure out what’s gonna happen next.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Kait Ballenger for sending me this eARC, the review you have read is composed entirely of my own thoughts.

Deliciously dark spicy romance. Loved how possessive and unhinged Lucifer is. Plot was engaging with a clear storyline including moments of suspense/danger. I very delightful read. Looking forward to more

Charlotte didn’t realize taking a new PR job in NYC would end with her fake-dating the devil. Years ago, the Seven Sins emerged from Hell and took over New York City in a deal with God to see who could corrupt humanity enough to win His forgiveness. Lucifer, Prince of Pride and the King of Hell, now runs the largest luxury conglomerate in the world, and Charlotte wins a prestigious position at his company. The only problem? After a night of close encounters, Lucifer and Charlotte agree to stage a romance until Lucifer wins his father’s redemption. As their fake relationship heats up in a very real way, Charlotte is forced to confront the religious trauma of her past and come into personal power she never knew she possessed.

Original Sinner combined everything I love about high society and paranormal romance. You’ve got the love interest who isn’t quite human, and the high stakes setting that justifies the action that would otherwise be irrelevant. The magic fit in naturally with the glamorous world the author created. There also had to be something addicting in this book because during an insanely busy week, I somehow managed to read it in less than 48 hours. The pacing was incredible—each and every scene moved the story forward. I never felt bored and the chapters flew by almost like the devil himself drove them.

The romance was incredible. If you’ve read a lot of paranormal romance before, the devil is usually broody and distant. Lucifer was brooding, to be sure (he’s the literal poster-child for daddy issues—what do you expect?), but he didn’t feel emotionally stunted either. The love chemistry Charlotte and Lucifer developed naturally. It certainly wasn’t your traditional romance, but it also didn’t swerve into abuse like some other novels in this genre.

Read if you like…
𓆙 Fake dating (but with actual stakes)
𓆙 A man who is literally a devil in bed
𓆙 A woman learning to come into her own power
𓆙 Suto-enemies-to-lovers because they’re not good at admitting feelings
𓆙 “I hate that I have feelings for you.”
𓆙Women supporting and uplifting other women
𓆙 Serious “touch her and die” vibes
𓆙 Clear consent in… interesting situations
𓆙 Characters who make each other both better and worse at the same time
𓆙 Fast-paced plot with strong action
𓆙 Steaming chemistry with an incredible pay-off

I liked this book way more than I thought I would. This novel was filled with spicy characters, a thrilling plot, and an ending that will have you in tears.

I was enthralled with this novel from the first chapter. We are immediately drawn into Charlotte and Lucifer’s world. Charlotte has just escaped her crazy religious family and has taken refuge in NYC. Charlotte scored an internship at Lucifer’s company but is quickly promoted to the assistant to his head PR girl. She is interacting with Lucifer daily, and after he insults her in the middle of a huge meeting she hides in her office and writes down how he treats her in a journal. She never intends to do anything with it, but when she comes into work the next day it has been published in the newspaper. To spin this in his favor, Lucifer calls it a lovers spat and tells Charlotte she has to play the role of his fiancée until otherwise told.

This novel gave off Kingdom of the Wicked and Fifty Shads of Grey vibes. I just couldn’t get enough.

The way the author crafted these characters made them complex and lovable…even Lucifer (at times). There were even side characters that really added to the story.

There were a couple things I didn’t like. For starters I thought there were too many long and complicated “A” names. I just couldn’t keep them all straight. I also thought it would be better if the Sins were called their sin names. I applaud the author for making them more humanized by giving them different names, but I keep mixing up Gluttony and Lust.

I cannot handle that cliffhanger. I really need the next book in my hands!

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Kait Ballenger and NetGalley for providing me with an Arc! I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What to expect:
- Seven deadly signs
- Spice 🥵🥵🥵
- Playroom 😏😏
- Crazy/Stalker ex
- Innocent fmc (religious background)
- Interesting ending
- ⚠️CHECK TW⚠️

First off shoutout to the author for that amazing dedication! It had me rolling. It definitely did not mislead either because wow this book was spicyyyyyy. Was it hot in there or was it just me. 😏

Anyway, the book was pretty good. I enjoyed the mmc, Lucifer, he was definitely morally gray. I wouldn’t consider him a good guy because he makes some rather questionable choices but hey he’s loyal to Charlotte soooo

And that being me to the fmc, Charlotte. I’m not going to lie and say that I loved her because it didn’t. I didn’t like how innocent and naïve she seemed, while I do understand why she acted as such it was still annoying for me. I swear, she must have blushed AT LEAST 10 times in the beginning of the book.

Moving on from the characters… the plot was actually really interesting. There was a bit of mystery and lots of drama especially between each of the siblings which was fun to unpack. The mystery aspect felt repetitive after a while. Every time the author would try and advance it felt like we were taking a step backward. Definitely giving One Step Forward and Three Steps Back by Olivia Rodrigo.

All in all not bad, recommended. (especially if you like spice 😏😏😏😏)

Thank you so much for this ARC!

Charlotte and Lucifer, my oh my 🥵 their story was amazing! Charlotte went from a woman that everyone could step on to a strong woman standing up for herself. Both of them were interesting characters separately and together. And their tension? Hot as sin. I hope this is a series and we get to read about the rest of the Originals!

This book is a wicked, tantalizing ride through temptation and power. The concept of the seven deadly sins ruling New York City is a fascinating and fresh take on urban fantasy, and Lucifer is absolutely irresistible in his dark, devilish glory. The chemistry between him and Charlotte is off-the-charts electric. What starts as a forced engagement quickly becomes a smoldering battle of wills, with plenty of twists and scorching moments. Watching the heroine discover her own power, all while being pulled into Lucifer’s world, made for an addicting and exciting read. Anyone who loves morally complex characters, sizzling tension, and a bit of devilish drama will devour this one.

This was a cool book! It was like a reverse of the Kingdom Curse mixed with a touch of darkness minus the Hades/Persephone story. Overall it was decent and a great read.


We don't need praise for an author in a book aka you hand picking your favorite reviews. It's wasting paper and time.

Review for the Advanced Readers Copy:

4,5/5 stars for Original Sinner by Kait Ballenger.
Wow. This was AMAZING. This was a dark, sexy book, I fell in love with the writing style and Originals! I did not expect to like it THIS much but I feel OBSESSED and I can't wait to get the physical copy when this book comes out.
The concept of this book is super intriguing; all the sinners being alive and roaming on our world? That was such a fun read.
I also really appreciate to see some Non-Binary and Plus-Size representation, as I think this is unfortunately way too rare still nowadays. The entire diversity in this book was satisfying in general!
Although the FMC sometimes appears a bit slow, other times she can be quick-witted and trying out new sides of herself. I definitely enjoyed that part of her more.
The smut was sexy and not basic! I feel like smut can be very boring/unoriginal nowadays, I did not have that feeling in this book. At times, the romance seemed a bit rushed; the transition from enemies to lovers seemed sudden and the character development was too quick.
I really liked the writing style. It was dark, sexy and full of wit and charm, without feeling forced or boring. At times, towards the end especially, the plot got a bit too chaotic to really see through it all.
However, I could not put this book down! It was addictive and intense all the way through and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel (preferably right NOW).

"I will raze this city to the fucking ground if that's what she asks of me."

This review can also be seen on my Goodreads account.

𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙙. 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮’𝙨 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙣.

Lucifer and Charlottes interactions were.. SO GOOD. I giggled at a few things Lucifer told her 🤭 I enjoyed seeing the way Lucifer and Charlotte brought out sides of eachother that were different & new & kinda scary (to them).

I had the absolute best time reading this. I loved this take on the “original sins”, the vibes kind of reminded me of the show Lucifer (obvs without all the detective stuff). I’m intrigued by the questions left unanswered and excited to get more from this series!

𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄’𝙢 . . . 𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙩. 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙩.