Okay, so I don’t usually read a lot of BDSM, but between that and the fact that the MMC is a priest—yeah, I was immediately intrigued (and maybe a little unhinged about it). The dynamic between the main characters is straight-up destructive at first—there’s stalking, there’s yearning, and there’s a whole lot of emotional turmoil. And for a guy who hates himself, this priest is surprisingly good at making the FMC feel better (in multiple ways, if you catch my drift).

One of the most emotional parts for me was the discussion around mental illness and whether or not meds actually help balance things. It hit hard, and I might’ve teared up. I wouldn’t necessarily call them “sex lessons,” but whatever they were, they were very interesting. That being said, about 30% in, I started feeling the length—this book is longggg and has a lot of jumping around without much real development.

I don’t have bipolar disorder, so I can’t speak on the accuracy, but reading from the FMC’s perspective was chaotic in a way that felt intentional and intense. Despite the things that didn’t totally work for me, I could not put this book down. It was addictive, messy, and a little bit unhinged—just how I like it. Solid four-star read!

I was looking for something to "read now" and was curious how Unholy Obsession would compare to Priest by Sierra Simone. It wasn't as similar as I expected, but if you enjoyed Priest you'll enjoy this as well.

Book friends, I picked up Unholy Obsession not quite knowing what I was getting myself into! For a quick summary, Bane is a priest with a troubled past and urges he can't seem to fully quench no matter how much he hides behind the collar. Moira is a sex addict who catches Bane's obsession after one night together at club Carnal. The two quickly become inseparable while trying to navigate the consequences of their pasts catching up to them.

This book crams a lot into the narrative, and you are going to get hints and peeks of:
--Billionaire romance
--Mental health issues including bipolar and dissociative identity disorder
--Mafia/kidnapping romance
--Marriage of convenience
--Third act breakup
--Dom/sub power dynamics (alpha male/bratty sub)
--Forbidden romance

I think it is important to note that this book is second of a series. I have not read any others and didn't realize this was not a standalone when I started reading, and so aspects of the narrative were difficult for me to follow without the backstory of why certain relationship dynamics existed. Much of the plot circles around these side characters, such as Moira's brother and his wife, and I didn't really understand a lot of the relationship history, and there were no clues to help me figure it out. I was also surprised that for a book labeled erotica, there really wasn't as much spice as I was expecting/wanting. The plot had a lot of twists and turns and I think that what started as a taboo dark forbidden romance really ended up as something very different and I can't quite track how we got there! I enjoyed Bane as a MMC very much, and I was curious enough about him and his backstory to keep reading!

Unfortunately, although this was a miss for me, readers of the series will likely enjoy it very much and have a deeper perspective on each character's history than I had!

Nothing against the book but it just wasnt for me. I'm not a fan of instant love/lust/obsession and thought that, based on the synopsis, the MCs met way before he became a priest and changed his life around instead of meeting just the night before...

After reading the first page, I was hooked.

It's a very sexy story, with two deeply flawed characters who somehow make each other better.

Moira is a sex addict and her life is spinning out of control. Bane took 180 from how he grew up and became a priest. His life is about to fall apart. He is still plagued by his father's upbringing and even though he did about everything to not turn out like him, he is plagued by it nonetheless. He is massively torn between what he knows is right and what he desires. And the thing he desires the most is Moira. But that lifestyle he so craves doesn't mesh well, with being a priest.

It's not the first in the series, so I felt a bit lost at the start. I want to love the book, but Moira made it almost impossible.. Even though a lot of her issues and behaviors were explained by the end, I still didn't like her character and had a hard time reading because of it. Bane on the other side, is deeply layered, troubled, and just the kind of guy, you end up obsessed with. The chemistry between them was off the charts.

The story is fast-paced and to the point, but I did feel like it could be a lot shorter.

While I liked it, I didn't immensely like it. I think part of it was due to liking the original characters (Domhn and MadAnna) and their storyline more. Bane's storyline conflicts seemed to get cleaned up too easily. I appreciate how the author wrote Moira's mental health struggles. Thanks for the opportunity netgalley and the publisher.

This book had me hooked from the very first page! Unholy Obsession is a forbidden, steamy, and completely addictive read about Father Bane Blackwolf and Moira, the woman who turns his world upside down. Their chemistry is off the charts, and the tension between them is everything.

Bane has dark desires he can’t ignore, so he turns to Carnal, a secret sex club, to satisfy them. That’s where he meets Moira—a woman struggling with sex addiction, trying to regain control of her life. One unforgettable night changes everything, and Bane can’t stop thinking about her. But when Moira shows up at his church, hoping to find redemption and prove herself to her brother, their connection only gets more intense…and way more complicated.

This book is full of angst, temptation, and sizzling tension that keeps you turning the pages. Stasia Black does an amazing job of balancing the forbidden romance with deep emotions, making you feel every struggle and stolen moment between Bane and Moira. If you love dark, taboo, and steamy reads, Unholy Obsession is one you don’t want to miss!

I read and enjoyed the first book in this series but really struggled to get into this book. Moira just seemed so needy and bane gave me “pathetic”. There are so many 5 stars on this book so maybe I’m just not in the right mindset or I’ve been ruined by Pam Godwin’s books giving me the sinner guidebook.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review.

5+++ STARS!! Stasia you have done it again. The gang is back and this book was better than Christmas. It gave me everything I wanted and so much more. That cliffhanger at the end though..!!! 🔥 I need more! If you are looking for another fast paced, delicious installment in this series look no further. I absolutely adored Moira and Bane and their development. I cried with Moira, I felt her pain, the tension and angst was just chef's kiss. READ THIS!!!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Not for me unfortunately. Frankly, it was a mess imo.

Read up to chapter 18 and things didn't improve - if anything, it got wackier and weirder. Even the whole premise and intrigue of a forbidden romance with a priest pretty much died off the moment they were officially together (very early on in the book so I felt there wasn't enough tension or stakes built up).

The rest of the story felt like it didn't know what genre to be - billionaire romance, thriller suspense, marriage of convenience, assassin/mafia storyline, succession vibes in the last quarter??? The lack of direction and plot was further reinforced with random time jumps (including one right in the middle of a spicy scene lol). Even the smut couldn't save this book for me. I stopped caring around the time of the second random time jump (in which nothing plot-wise was actually happening so idk what the point of it was???).

The 'romance' had me scratching my head - there was no chemistry or connection. Lots of mentions of side characters and their individual character arcs which might be interesting to those who have read the author's prior works but the inclusion of all these other characters made me feel that this cannot be read as a standalone.

Appreciated the inclusion of various topics regarding mental health though.

Would not read again.

Overall rating: 0.25/5

The title delivers what it promises and summarises the book perfectly! I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and intense romance novel that felt like an emotional rollercoaster and kept me hooked from the start with its complex characters, suspense, intrigue, danger, sizzling chemistry and hot love scenes. I already knew Moira from the first part of the series, which I really enjoyed, and was curious to find out more about her story. Readers of the previous book „7 Days“ (previously titled „Cherry Auction“) know that Moira is a sex addict and doesn't quite have her life under control. But in the course of this book you realise that there is much more to it than that. Bane also has mental health issues brought on by his childhood with his hedonistic, controlling father. The chemistry between the two sizzles from the start and although they are totally different in nature, they are just right for each other. The other characters from the previous book and other members from the Carnal and previous events also play big roles, so I definitely recommend starting with the first installment of the series.
I can well imagine that some readers might find some scenes offensive or upsetting, that’s why I would advise reading the author's trigger warnings beforehand and taking them seriously.

Bane Blackwolf aka Father Blackwood turned to the priesthood to atone for his sinful and dissolute life under his father’s influence, to control his urges and to find peace. Nevertheless, he secretly visits Carnal in disguise and spends a hot night with Moira, whom he cannot forget afterwards and becomes obsessed with. He secretly observes her during the nights.
Since the incidents of the previous year, Moira's brother Domhn has broken off contact with her and she feels more alone and driven than before. The inner pressure, which she can only control with sex, is getting worse and worse. But after her night with dom Bane, she no longer has any satisfaction from it. On the run from a violent lover, she meets Bane again, who takes her to his parish house and begins her training in self-control and self-discipline...

If you enjoy dark BDSM romances with a lot of depth and emotion, you are sure to enjoy this book!

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

Thank you Stasia Black and NetGalley for letting me read the ARC of this. My spoiler review will come once the book is released.

Why You Should Read This:
- You want a fast paced romance with smut
- You like FMC's who struggle and combat mental health
- You like your spice scenes mixed up and not similar
- You like when the FMC/MC actually like each other
- You want a FMC and MC that match each others freak

Why I gave it 4 Stars
- FMC
- FMC's character arc in the second half
- MC in the second arc
- Second arc

i honestly enjoyed this. it was like a smutty little palette cleanser and just what i was looking for.

Having not read another book from this author, I went into this book and felt like I was missing part of the story, so I wouldn't say this is a "standalone." The FMC doesn't get a great character arc; besides, everything wrong she's done is because of a mental illness diagnosis at the end of the book, and she is incredibly unlikeable. The MMC seems whiny and terrible at communication; while you think his being a priest would significantly impact the story, it doesn't. If you've read from this author before and you're invested in the characters and like her writing style, this book is definitely for you, but I wouldn't recommend it as a first read from her, 2.5 stars!

The title and cover immediately had me wanting to know what this story was about. I'm so pleased with how it unfolded. The characters are flawed but well crafted. The pacing and action moved at a great pace. I didn't want to put this book down. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 5🌶️

Where to start…

So this is my first time reading a book from this author and I have no complaints. The book cover and name pulled my attention but the minute I read the description I was done for and had to add to my kindle 😍

5 things I loved:
1- The MMC (morally grey priest trying to hold onto the expectations of his role) / The FMC (who is portrayed as damaged yet also remains strong)
2-The background characters that don’t just stay as fleeting characters. They all play an important role in the fluidity of the storyline.
3-I just Loved Loved LOVED the introduction to multiple different mental health disorders and the research or personal experience the author must have had to portray it in a way that is realistic and doesn’t contradict the real struggles that people suffer on a daily basis.
4-I loved that I never knew what was going to come next. The story kept me gripped and questioning.
5- I just was not expecting to read about YODA😂and Father BlackWolfs witty response had me thinking about those few lines even when the book was finished.

1 aspect of the book that wasn’t fully spoken about was the tension and angst between the FMC and her brother, their situation was just brushed over and hinted at. I would have loved to see more of them together however I loved the way it ended for them.

Overall a great read 100% recommend