this is book one in the series. so i think there was a fair level of setting up for it and then the others to be done. and at time i felt that this was obvious.
this is also a very definite you need to know what your getting before you start. and you need to CHOOSE this book knowing that. not just read a random book. because there are triggers everywhere. its dealing with huge trauma and post trauma behavior. the event that causes it all is rape. so people really need to know what they are about to read.
i think the author did a good job with the characters and plot. it took you away and towards the topics in good measure. it is definitely dark. and doesn't pull punches. so again you MUST be ready and in the right mindset.
it was a whole new kind of book for me. and im still figuring it out and how i feel about it. but its not wholly bad. just a bit wary of it. but im glad i read it.

Tempting fate is the first book in the Duplicity Trilogy. The story follows Lily and Venom. This story is full of trigger warnings and dark themes. If that is something you enjoy, then this book might be for you. Starting off with the positives, I enjoyed how the book was based in a biker gang, kinda gave Sons of Anarchy vibes (a bit).

Now for how I feel about the book. It wasn't for me, I enjoyed some things within the book but it was REALLY dark at times and the main plot for the story was the abuse that kept happening to FMC. I found the names of the MMC's really annoying and I didn't feel like I connected with any of the characters. I'm okay with dark themes and some times that can be cathartic but there has to be some sort of plot to keep me interested and that just wasn't the case in this book.

Review Release: 21/02/25
Review Platform: GR
Review: I have had to DNF this book at 50%. It’s a great book, don’t get me wrong, I am just not in the correct headspace for this at the current time. I can see the promise of this series and I do love how dark it is, but I just mentally cannot deal at this point in time with some of the content. The spice is fantastic and I adore the characters. I hope to come back to this one day as I really do want to find out what happens with everyone.

I was really intrigued by Tempting Fate and knew from the start that it would explore some difficult themes. While I appreciated the depth and emotion behind the story, I struggled to fully connect with the characters. There were moments that felt powerful and raw, but at times, I found myself feeling detached, which made it harder to stay fully engaged.

The flow of the story was another challenge for me. There’s a lot happening, and while this adds layers to the narrative, it sometimes felt overwhelming. Certain sections contained a lot of information at once, which slowed the pacing and made it harder to stay immersed. With so many different elements at play, some aspects didn’t feel as developed as they could have been.

That said, I can see the intention behind the story and the emotional weight it carries. However, the themes are quite heavy, so check the triggers beforehand.

2.5 star / 2 spice

‘Tempting Fate’ written by Bella Faust is the first novel of the ‘Duplicity Trilogy’.

This book follows a young girl during the aftermath of a brutal rape that nearly left her dead. The first few chapters unfold as her abuser is sentenced to prison before jumping five years into the future. Lily, our heroin, and Zeke the Vice President of a local biker gang are living together and engaged to be married. They have worked together through many of Lily’s traumas although Zeke still carries quite a bit of guilt for the attack as he feels like he should have been able to rescue her. When Lily’s attacker (Alex) is released from prison, his first move is to come after Lily once again. The fresh attack leaves Lily and the biker gang vulnerable. Through the novel, others get caught in the crosshairs and the president of the biker gang (Lily’s father) may not be as trustworthy as he should be as a man in power. Loyalty and resilience are tested, and Zeke/Lily’s relationship is pushed the brink as they fight to stay alive and together.

Lily is a woman with an incredible amount of trauma. Her body was brutalised and violated at a young age which made her resort to cutting. Although sometimes she seems fierce and witty, this character is often being ‘picked up and carried’. Lily is stubborn and acts immature quite often in her relationship with Zeke. She was a character who I struggled to connect with and I wanted to see her rise above and show the potential she carried. It felt like she was a ‘scrapper’ and was on autopilot for a lot of the novel.

Zeke is headstrong, stubborn and has a saviour complex. He carries a lot of guilt for things that were not his fault. Although I wanted to like his character, he too was quite immature even though he is in his 30’s. He is violent and easy to temper. This is expected in a dark romance but sometimes the outlet of his aggression (such as his best friend) did not make sense. He is loyal and brave but was not one I found myself lusting over. Nope, Lily can keep this one.

Personally, this was a hard book to get through. I can normally finish a book in 3 – 4 days but this took me over a week because I did not feel connected to the story, characters, or the writing. I completely understand the characters are bikers from Australia, but the amount of jumpy dialogue and slang seemed to juxtapose the narration. The writing did not flow nicely but felt like it jumped quite a bit and was choppy. The characters were also hard to keep track of as each one seemed to have multiple nicknames. The main character (as an example) is called at least 5 different things: ‘Anna, Lily, Lillianna, Cherub’ and another Hebrew name. It felt like I needed a roadmap just to figure out who was being spoken to or about. I also did not get emotionally connected to any of the characters. I desperately wanted to like Zeke but I felt like he was lacking substance from the moment he was on the page. There was nothing that really drew me into him. Lastly, the book dragged on so much. Multiple chapters could have easily been cut without losing any of the plot. The first 60% of the novel felt repetitive and continued to circle around the same thoughts and feelings. There seemed to be a lot of unnecessary filler. When a character said something, the narration then seemed to repeat the same thing and overanalyse the thoughts/feelings of that character? If I was a quitter, I likely would not have finished this book. I have extreme FOMO when it comes to reading though and I feel like I will miss something if I don’t see it to completion. However, I would not have missed the characters or story if I had not completed this. The last 20% of the book was the best. It was fast paced, did not seem to reiterate/be repetitive and the characters all felt like they had more substance and were becoming more intriguing. I just wish the level of writing in the last 20% of the novel was seen throughout the pages.

If you want to give this novel a go, please do. There are some redeeming elements to it and maybe it simply was not my cup of tea?

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

What to look forward to:
Age gap
Second chance romance
Forbidden love

Dnfed at 43%. I think this is only the second time i dnfed an ARC. A lot went wrong at the start of the book, and i will reiterate them below, but mygosh this was a waste of time i cannot take back. I added a review cause for the significant number of pages I already consumed at 43%.

Firstly, the author bombarded us with information at the getgo, spewing names and details that was unnecessary to me in the storyline and if it was written better can be achieved by adding them bits by bit in the storyline. I get it that MCs story usually has a lot of clans and names needed to be in the book, but that mishap being at the start when world building is crucial, made it hard to grasp them and left me questioning who is who when they are mentioned or new names pops up. I feel so disoriented reading this, i only pushed thru cause i wanted to see how she will fight, but even that was just a flick of a moment. And mygod if it was truly that hard, i wouldn’t left him with just two bullets, her anger was bot sufficient for the trauma she endured, she could’ve shot him pointblank in the head she that chance.

Secondly, the dillydallying was frigging irritating. A lot of it, the was no urgency to the situation, like be for real, she was kidnapped again and the guys were talking shit? Like where was the frantic energy, if the author wanted to convey levelheadedness at the time of crisis, it just appeared nonchalance to someone they claimed to “love” and cherish

Thirdly, what the frick was going on with all the kidnapping, lies and betrayals, then going back to each other still and not resolving anything. Then making it look like the other is atfault. Even the sexual harassment she endured while taken was not addressed well in the story afterwards it happened and they were intimate using the same thing that hurt her.

I’m already halfway in the book and there was no plot, the author was trying to convince us there is, and i know for a fact there will be with Slash idk, but it irritates me how these characters reacts and talks.

I’m sorry but i was sold a mc story with clans and plot, not a webbed of twists and turns trying to pass as story.

As a fan of dark romance, i did enjoy this book!

The angst, the characters who love as intensely as they love their love interest? I love it. And the writing? The writing got me so immersed, and so in my feelings that I embraced not only the pain that was felt in this book, but also the passion.

Do check the trigger warnings though! It does showcase the dark themes that are often associated with dark romance, so please do check the warnings!

DNF@13% - i accidentally skipped the TW and dove into this book completely blind. to say the least, it was a bit too much for me to handle. so moral of the story is: check the TWs before reading.

⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this and flew through it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

⭐️✨

1.5 stars rounded up to 2.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own.

We start the book with Liliana facing a court trial against her ex-boyfriend. Five years later, she is mostly happy; her life is good. She found solace with her fiance, Zeke, who is overprotective and a little sheltered, but her father’s motorcycle club protects her. All is good and comfortable in her buddle until her ex-boyfriend is released from prison, Zeke leaves her, and Zeke’s best friend, slash, declares his love for her.

Check the triggers on the author's website before you pick up the book. This book was definitely a traumance as the author described it. I liked the characters but couldn't connect to the story. I feel like I missed a large part before this book and am missing information. Sometimes, it is hard to keep track of characters because they use nicknames, and you are never told that XYZ’s nickname is ABC, so you are left to figure it out on your own. This also means it gets hard to keep track of the relationships between everyone, romantic or otherwise. The spice in the romance was good; however, most of the story is structured around the character's trauma. If you enjoy a dark and messy romance with heavy themes, you would love this; however, I did not fully connect to this book. I also feel like this book wasn’t what I thought it would be, which is not the author's fault. I just feel like you are shoved to the ground and then repeatedly kicked in reading this book. It feels like nothing good ever happens to the characters, and everything just keeps worsening. I understand this is a series; however, it is supposed to be a romance series, at least partially, and it does not feel that way. Again, I think I was wrong in my expectations for this book going into it, and that is my fault. Maybe if my understanding of the book had been more accurate, I would have enjoyed it more. I also find it very odd that things described in the book's description do not happen until 60% into the book. If anything, it feels like the book gets spoiled before you even start it. I am okay with something mentioned in the description not happening until about 30% into the book, but I don’t think things in the description should still be happening when you are already halfway through the book.

⚠️Again, Check your triggers before you read this book.⚠️

🏍️Love Triangle
🏍️Motorcylce Club
🏍️Forbidden Love
🏍️DRAMA

The story is a tangled love triangle fueled by past wounds and impossible choices. Faust masterfully explores the emotional weight of heartbreak and healing, delivering a story that is as brutal as it is beautiful. The writing is raw and evocative, immersing me in a whirlwind of passion, pain, and resilience. The pacing is relentless, mirroring the chaotic emotions of the characters, one moment simmering with slow-burn tension, the next erupting into high-stakes drama that keeps you turning pages late into the night.

I think one of the novel’s strongest aspects is its unapologetic embrace of dark themes. Tempting Fate does not shy away from the psychological toll of past abuse and trauma, making it a gripping yet emotionally charged read. Readers should heed the content warnings, as the story delves into deeply sensitive topics. However, Faust handles these elements with a keen understanding of character depth, ensuring that the emotional struggles feel authentic rather than gratuitous.

For fans of dark romance who crave stories packed with angst, emotional turmoil, and characters who love as fiercely as they fight, Tempting Fate is an unmissable read.

I was approved for an ARC and this is my review

I was confused for most of this book. I read the synopsis and thought I would like it. My issue was what the synopsis entailed didn't even really happen until almost 60% of the way through. Which okay fine, but I didn't like the MMC or the FMC. I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication troupe and that was pretty much their whole relationship. The spice when it was there was good and I like the side characters so I gave it 3 stars. I don't think I will be following up with the rest of the series.

Rating: ⭐⭐☆☆☆

Unfortunately, I didn’t finish this book, stopping around the 45% mark. While the premise initially intrigued me, the execution didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The pacing felt uneven, and I struggled to connect with the characters or the story.
It’s possible this book simply wasn’t a good fit for me as a reader, but I can see how others might enjoy the characters and the plot. I appreciate the opportunity to give it a try and wish the author success with its release.

⭐️One star for the story and characters, plus an extra one for the spice.⭐️

If you enjoy dark books centered on trauma, love triangles (which have never been my thing), and plenty of spice-but don't mind a chaotic storyline— this might be for you. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

Right from the start, I struggled to connect with the story. It begins so abruptly that I felt like I had missed an entire book before this one. Within the first few paragraphs, there was an overwhelming amount of information thrown at me, making it hard to settle into the story. The pacing was another big issue. Some sections dragged on for too long.

The writing itself felt unpolished, with noticeable grammatical errors and long unending paragraphs that took me out of the story. It's the kind of book that could have benefited from another round of editing and proofreading-both to clean up the technical aspects and tighten the plot better. There were too many overly complicated elements that didn't quite fit together, making the story feel disjointed rather than immersive.

There are a lot of characters and often I lost track of who is who since sometimes they use nicknames and sometimes not. Regarding the FMC and MMCs, they felt a little forced for me-often childish and taking the worst decisions most of the times. Overall no natural feel to them.

That being said, I can see how this book might appeal to certain readers. If you love dark, messy romances filled with angst and heavy themes, and you’re not too concerned with a perfectly structured plot, you might enjoy it more than I did. But for me, it just didn’t come together in a satisfying way.

Thank you NetGalley and DiMi Ink for this ARC❤️

This is my first book by Bella Faust, and it won’t be my last! *Tempting Fate* is the best psychological thriller I’ve ever read. From the moment I started, I couldn’t put it down. The complex backstories of Lily, Venom, and Alex, along with the shocking twists, had me hooked. The characters feel real—like a tight-knit group of bikers with their own code.

But fair warning, this book isn’t for the faint of heart. It deals with heavy themes like assault, and the author gives a clear trigger warning. The story is intense with gang wars, betrayal, and a love triangle, and Lily’s past mistakes may cost her everything. The unpredictable twists will keep you on edge, and you won’t be able to stop once you start.

The cliffhanger at the end left me shocked and eager for more. This series is dark, gripping, and full of twists you won’t see coming. If you can handle the triggers, this is a must-read.

I have mixed feelings aboutit . On one hand, it’s a dark, intense story with plenty of spice that will definitely appeal to fans of edgy romance and suspense. On the other hand, it didn’t fully click for me. The plot has its gripping moments, but it’s also really convoluted. There were parts where I was hooked and others where I felt totally lost. Honestly, it could’ve been shorter, I felt like some sections just dragged on longer than they needed to. Then there are the characters. They’re well-written and definitely flawed, but I couldn’t connect with any of them. More often than not, I found their decisions annoying, which made it hard to root for them. That might work for some readers, but it left me feeling a little detached. That said, if you’re into dark romances with heavy themes and don’t mind a bit of chaos in the storytelling, it’s still worth a read. It’s the kind of book people will either love or struggle with, unfortunately, I fell into the second group but I enjoyed it (to a point)

That was a hell of a spicy book,

The story was amazing, the spice and plot PERFECTION..

Will definitely read the others in the series.

Tempting Fate by Bella Faust is a thrilling start to the Duplicity Trilogy. Packed with twists, sizzling chemistry, and a dash of danger, it keeps you hooked from the first page. While some moments feel a bit predictable, the gripping plot and well-drawn characters make it a must-read for romance and suspense fans.

BELLA FAUST MIGHT JUST BE MY NEW FAVOURITE!!

Gahh— where to start!!

So, before going into this one, I did read Craving Control, which was practically one PITCH BLACK shovel to the face with how hard it hit me— it was like nothing I’ve read before, and though it was a moral train wreck, it was different, gritty, confrontational and the writing freaking consumed me.

Anyway, I digress—
This book is ALOT less dark, though don’t be a silly goose and think you’re a Teflon coated hero and nothing sticks… READ the trigger warnings, this author isn’t sprinkling sugar on sh*t, so read the warnings and then strap yourself in for a crazy, dark and psychological ride.

I love Bella’s writing. She gets right into the nitty gritty and doesn’t hold back. And let’s face it so many of us are snatching up these ‘riskier dark’ reads these days wanting the WOW factor— something different to anything else we’ve read.

Bella does this for me.
Though fiction, she reels me in with her confrontational and uncomfortable scenarios, making me wonder if I need to see a priest or something to fix whatever is broken in me to read about some of the horrors, but the story weaved sucks me right in and the grit is so worth the story!

After the last book, seeing Anna rise up like a freaking phoenix, getting on with her life— Sh*t Yeah!
The chemistry between Venom and Anna, and Anna and Slash is enough to melt a polar ice cap!

There’s alot packed into these pages, but the journey is worth it.

FIVE “Maybe I need an exorcism… and a priest” ⭐️’s

2.50 ⭐️ rounded up. Was this the most well written book, not necessarily. Did I eat that $h!t up, absolutely. This is an extremely convoluted tale that at times I was lost in, and other times I was just lost. It was definitely longer than necessary to adequately tell the story. (Side note: I know the author warned about the use of slang, but the Australian words and phrases didn’t bother me). Be prepared for a ton of far fetched plot lines which may or may not converge.

The way the author began the book was a bit abrupt. It felt like a huge info dump, or like I perhaps missed a previous book. I actually went back to make sure the cover of this said “Book One”, and that I hadn’t accidentally requested a sequel to something. I can perhaps understand the thought behind it, but the style didn’t immediately hook me. There were also times when things that happened in the past were alluded to but never fully explained.

I was confused sometimes regarding aspects of the motorcycle club (MC). It was difficult to keep all of the characters (sooo many characters) in the MC aligned, especially since some people went by a given name and a nickname. By extension, keeping the relationships of characters to each other straight, familial or otherwise, was a challenge.

My feelings on the FMC are mixed. She’s a two dimensional character in a complex story. The PTSD symptoms with regard to her SA seem right on. However, she becomes so immature at times when she doesn’t stand up for herself. I found myself continually disgusted by her choices. If that was the author’s intent then they did a good job there.

The other characters, again there were a lot of them, felt different than the FMC. Putting them into categories of well-rounded versus surface-only would be difficult. The author had good instincts with some, but others just fell flat.

It was an interesting plot at its basic core, but ultimately it had too many complicated components that didn’t neatly fit together.