The Ritual: A Dark College Romance

College romance with a dark twist!

So many emotions. Literally the sweetest ending for a book that is filled with so much kinky stuff. This book converted me, I’m a dark romance girly now

It isn’t that I didn’t like this book, I actually ended up getting very hooked but similar to other extra spicy books I’ve read, I was hoping for more plot. The book is primarily spicy scenes and the ones that aren’t, are just violent and reference sex. If you’re into dark romances this is perfect but if that’s not your thing, stay away. About halfway through I started seeing a twisty mystery coming into play and that’s when it really hooked me, I actually very much enjoyed our main characters, Ryat and Blakely, and was really rooting for them to grow into deeper characters. Ultimately, this is an acquired take. This is the first book in a standalone series so I might find my way back into the world of the Lords at some point again.

Book club choice for “smut” on that note it didn’t disappoint. But I loved the story behind the sex!

The Ritual is dark. Like… “question your life choices while reading it” dark. I’m not usually someone who goes this far into dark romance. Morally gray? Sure. I love that. But this? This pushed way past that line and into territory that definitely took some getting used to. The whole concept—secret society, power, control, obsession—is intense from the start. You’re thrown into a world where the rules are twisted and the characters are even worse. It’s uncomfortable at times, and honestly, there were moments where I had to pause and go, “do I like this??” But here’s the thing… I couldn’t stop reading. Even though it was darker than what I normally go for, the story pulls you in. There’s something about the intensity, the chaos, and the sheer “what is happening right now” energy that keeps you turning pages. And by the end? I actually ended up liking it more than I expected. The relationship dynamic is definitely not for everyone—it leans heavily into control, obsession, and power imbalance—but if you can separate fiction from reality, it becomes one of those “this is messed up but I’m invested” reads. That said… the biggest downside for me? The setting. The spoiled, rich college secret society vibe just didn’t hit the way I wanted it to. It made everything feel a little less grounded and harder to fully buy into at times. Final verdict: A very dark, very intense read that pushed my comfort zone—but ended up being more compelling than I expected. Not an easy read, but definitely a memorable one. What I want next: This exact level of intensity and morally gray chaos… but with adults. Give me this same vibe with grown characters, higher stakes, and a setting that feels a little less “rich college kids playing dangerous games” and a little more real-world power and danger.