3.5⭐️
CHECK YOUR TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING THIS BOOK!

If you’re looking for a book with a heavier focus on spice than plot, this is definitely for you! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Billionaire Domhnall helps his friend facilitate a ‘virgin auction’. He gets all his billionaire buddies together and is supposed to just sit back and enjoy the show. Until he recognises the virgin for sale and immediately outbids everyone else in the room… But she has absolutely no idea who he is! He’s intent on making her pay for her crimes against him, but she has no memory of anything prior to the last 2 months.

I’m always a bit skeptical going into dark romance as I am predominantly here for the plot, and although this was very spice heavy in the first half, the plot really thickened in the last half of the book and I was hooked!! I genuinely did not see the twist coming.

I do feel as though the first half of the book could have used more context of the plot sprinkled through it, but it all came together perfectly in the end.

Enemies to lovers is one of my favourite tropes and I have to say this is the first book I’ve read which is true, to the core ‘enemies’ and I loved that about this book! This book broaches incredibly heavy themes including child abuse, dub-con and mental health/psyciatric disorders so please familiarise yourself with the trigger warnings!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with a free ARC e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book, I didn’t enjoy the premise and found some of the writing style lacked the ability to relate to the main characters, I also found some of the terms a little too jarring for me. I stopped reading this book at around 30%, but perhaps it takes a little longer to be able to immerse yourself into.

i thought this book was okay, it wasn’t my favourite but it wasn’t bad either. i’m not the biggest fan of amnesia thing in books and this was no exception. i also didn’t really manage to connect with the characters but i did like the plot, i thought it was unique and interesting. i finished this book in 2 sittings lol it was easy to get into!

47%
DNF
Unfortunately, I had a very hard time getting into the story and connecting with the characters. After the 47% I skipped ahead toward the end and learned the twists. While the twists were interesting and the book is relatively short, I still couldn’t connect with the characters or feel empathy for the them.

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read Cherry Auction in advance.

This dark romance book starts at an auction in a BDSM club where Domnhall, a billionaire, is helping support his friend's club by bringing in all his rich friends for a virgin auction. As the host brings out the virgin, Domnhall loses his mind. It appears to be the girl who ruined and destroyed him in the past, Madison Harper, who is being auctioned off as a virgin named Brooke. The book flips back and forth between the perspectives of Domnhall and Brooke. It turns out Brooke has amnesia and was going to use the virgin auction money to help hire an investigator to figure out who she is. Domnhall ends up buying her from the auction to destroy her. I won't spoil the book by going into any more details.

I will say this book was a little too wild and dark. There was too much going on - all the amnesia stuff, the disassociating, the puppy/kitty play, the sexual abuse as a minor, the torture/abuse from a parent, the sex addiction stuff. I would say pick a lane and stay in it. I get the MMC is Irish - but damn if I had to see the word fecking one more time I was going to lose it. There was so much going on, nothing was really fleshed out. I like smut, but this wasn't for me.

Thank you for allowing me a chance to read this book. I really enjoyed the characters and their development throughout the story. Brooke and Dom's relationship was complicated but ultimately unfolded in a beautiful way that gave their story closure and a happy ending. I especially enjoyed seeing Dom, who is driven by revenge, ultimately come undone because of his love for Brooke. There are a lot of dark topics in this book, but I felt they were handled perfectly. For people who like to know the tropes, this book includes a dark hero, amnesia, enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and lots of kink. :) I would recommend this romance to those who like a dark romance with emotional grit.

Great-ish story but it felt like 50 Shades of Gray if both Main Characters had tons of sexual related trauma. I did enjoy the growth of Brooke and Dom in the end but damn. The aspects of mental health issues were an interesting addition but felt eh about the whole thing. Would recommend if BDSM/Kink Dark Romance with Trauma bonding is your thing but wasn't that high on my enjoyment list.

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for a copy.

Did I lose the memo on change of the angsty's meaning? Because tell me why it say angsty (and it was the selling point for me, and I'm sick and tired of all the fast burns, no judgement to people who like that, I'm more of a angst girly) and the first night they met there is action? Yes I understand because of the plot but then do not promote it as angsty. Does that make sense?

Gripping, edgy romance that explores power dynamics, sensuality, and emotional growth. Brooke, a young woman auctioned off to the highest bidder, finds herself drawn into an intense, complex relationship with the man who wins her. The chemistry between them is electric, full of passion and tension, and the emotional stakes are just as high as the physical ones.

This book is doing a great job in blending darker themes with vulnerability, creating a story that’s both provocative and surprisingly tender. A dark romance that offers enthralling, emotional ride for readers who enjoy high-stakes, power-exchange romances.

This book fills the line of dark romance. There is truly some stuff in it that makes you think and question if you're enjoying it and if you are does that mean you're messed up. It takes a deep dive into some morally Grey sides of BDSM with many different kinks. While also taking a huge dive into mental trauma. It's is definitely a book that will have you questioning yourself.
#CherryAuctionStasiaBlackDarkRomanceEnemiesToLoversHateToLove
#NetGalley

Not for me. It's basically soft porn.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

2.75!

Okay so I sat down and thought about this book and it was just two stars because this was such a weird story and to be honest I enjoyed it, nothing really triggered me that much and I knew what I was going into when I read it but this was so dumb at times that it was funny. Okay so theres like this BDSM club and the main guy and his friend host a "Virgin Auction" 😭 and apparently all the members of the club are veryyyyy trustful and would never harm women.

Okay so Domnhall our main character see's his ex who apparently betrayed him in the worst way possible presenting herself at the auction while playing the role of someone who has amnesia and lmaoo so take revenge he like pays 50 million dollars and gets her and yk how he takes revenge??? by keeping her in his BDSM room and trying stuff with her 😭😭 like come on now!! and the girl (luna 2,0 with the amount of names she has) would act like she didnt like it but of course her body would betray her 🌚 so I would say 2 stars for the laugh.

The twists were there some of them were shocking the others were okayy but I feel like this book took such a long time elaborating and focusing on the characters that I just stopped caring because the first 40% was mainly focused on the sexual stuff and tbh I didn't feel their connection so that was meh as well, this was also very long, like my book was 566 pages and it couldve been chopped up if you removed half of the bdsm scenes like ok I know its a book with that trope but lets move the story as well 😭

Another thing that felt pretty 🤢 to me was how okay the siblings were regarding the subject of sex like the main problem in their family is that they are all addicted to something, so domnhall is addicted to bdsm and addicted to calling himself a masochists while his sister is also addicted to sex🤩 and like the word boundary's and privacy was just very foreign to them because during the auction scene the sister would be having sex with a guy near the stage and dom would literally be in the audience and like she would call him while having sex and like?? get a room please but yeah they were sooo dysfunctional.

Overall, it was just meh, there were scenes that I enjoyed but I know that I mist probably would never read another one of this authors books.

Special adult club, virgin auction, amnesia, past betrayal, BDSM - obviously a lot of spice and secrets unfold. No big surprises, and if you like this trope you will like this one.

Definitely one for the dark romance folks, full of spice, tension and tense atmosphere. I would highly encourage any readers to check out trigger warnings before reading though.

“Cherry Auction” is a solid choice for those who appreciate dark romance, but it won’t be for everyone. The novel delivers a dark, intense romance filled with revenge, secrets, and complex emotions that will appeal to fans of morally gray characters and dramatic tension. The premise is intriguing, and the writing style keeps the story moving with plenty of twists to hold interest.

However, the pacing felt uneven, particularly in the middle section, where the story seemed to drag before picking up again. Additionally, while the themes of dominance, submission, and power imbalance are central to the plot, they may alienate some readers, so it’s important to be mindful of the trigger warnings before starting.

The chemistry between the protagonists, Domhnall and Brooke, also didn’t fully connect for me. Although the emotional stakes were high, I didn’t feel the passion was as palpable as it could have been. Lastly, the ending felt a bit rushed, leaving some of the character development and resolutions feeling incomplete.

This romance was dark, sexy, hot.

I was amazed by the plot the spice in this book.

Be sure to check your triggers before reading but man HOTHOTHOT!

Cherry Auction is the kind of book that takes your brain and your loins on a rollercoaster ride—and somehow manages to satisfy both. Yes, it’s a steamy enemies-to-lovers tale, but it’s also packed with twists, tension, and a storyline that’s surprisingly unique.

The romance? Chef’s kiss. Dom and Madison’s chemistry is sizzling hot, and their dynamic is beautifully written. And while the amnesia twist initially had me raising an eyebrow, it ended up being a fantastic addition. Later discoveries—no spoilers—took me by surprise in the best way.

Now, I’ll be real: some might find the relationship dynamics a bit… problematic. But don’t worry—there are plenty of trigger warnings to help you decide if this book is your vibe. And honestly, the themes of trauma, betrayal, self-discovery, and that oh-so-delicate balance of pleasure and pain make the story richer.

The last third of the book was less steamy, and I did miss the heat. That said, I’ll admit constant sex scenes might’ve gotten repetitive, so the breather wasn’t a dealbreaker. Still, if you’re here for the spice, prepare yourself for a bit of a cooldown.

The ending? Satisfying. It wrapped things up with a twist I absolutely did not see coming. (Seriously, props to Stasia Black for keeping me on my toes!)

My only real critique is that a one point there is a portrayal of a mental health diagnosis that isn’t entirely accurate. That said, it’s consistent with what you might expect from media portrayals, and honestly? It added to the drama and intrigue, so I wasn’t too mad about it.

Final verdict: Cherry Auction is dirty, twisty, and full of heart. If you’re ready for a wild ride, I say go for it. 4 stars!

Well this story didn’t go at all as I expected from the blurb I read.

It’s only a three stars rating for me. I can’t quite pinpoint my exact disappointment. How this book missed my expectations so badly.

So many things just seemed to spiralled. Just when you think things are wrapping up you’re only 80% into the story. That’s when things took a weird turn.

Reading all trigger warnings is a must have prior to diving into this book. It dealt with some heavy shit.

Thank you NetGalley & Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this arc opportunity.

Get ready for a wild ride! This dark romance unfolds with an enigmatic Irish hero and an amnesiac heroine discovering the depths of their tangled love. With layers of deception, conflicting emotions, and shocking revelations, their journey is anything but straightforward. After being sold to a Dom at a virgin auction, our heroine embarks on a gripping 7-day stay at his house, caught between torment and unexpected care. Will she surrender to him or reclaim her freedom? Or is there a way to have both? Dive into the chaos of desire and choice!
Check the TW for the full list.

I was taken with this story and enjoyed it very much. I liked Black's writing style and the characters she crafted. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I plan to tell lots of dark romance book friends about this title!