What do you think?
Rate this book
King of Aces #2
Painful Love
Whaley-
My life has been a series of one nightmare after another. Every day is a fight to be stronger as I try to outrun the past that refuses to give me peace. Somehow, I managed to keep myself under control...
Until Bunky messed it all up.
His soul screams to mine in a way that awakens every part of me, even the parts I’ve tried to keep buried. We’re a jagged fit, a match made in Hell, but I can’t have him because together we’d burn the world to the ground.
Bunky doesn’t see that. He’d rather fuel the toxic fire of obsession than give up, and I don’t know how much longer I can hold out before I cave to the demon that everyone should fear.
Including him.
Bunky-
I’m not what most people would consider normal.
Everything in my life is touched by darkness and shaped by my past. Living life constantly on the brink of being swallowed up by the monster that wants to consume me is exhausting, so I drowned myself in vices to try and smother the memories.
Until I realized all I needed was my missing piece.
Whaley flipped a switch in my brain, making me see he was meant to be mine, but he's not letting us be together like we were made to. He’s too worried we'll destroy everything in our path if we give in to the connection that tethers us together.
Good thing I have no problem watching the world burn if it means I get him.
ᴘᴀɪɴꜰᴜʟ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀɴ ᴀɢᴇ-ɢᴀᴘ, ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴠᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ ᴍᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪꜱ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴘꜱʏᴄʜᴏ. ᴍɪx ɪɴ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏxɪᴄ ᴠɪʙᴇꜱ, ʟᴏᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴘᴀꜱᴛꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀɪɴꜰᴜʟ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɪᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ.
My life has been a series of one nightmare after another. Every day is a fight to be stronger as I try to outrun the past that refuses to give me peace. Somehow, I managed to keep myself under control...
Until Bunky messed it all up.
His soul screams to mine in a way that awakens every part of me, even the parts I’ve tried to keep buried. We’re a jagged fit, a match made in Hell, but I can’t have him because together we’d burn the world to the ground.
Bunky doesn’t see that. He’d rather fuel the toxic fire of obsession than give up, and I don’t know how much longer I can hold out before I cave to the demon that everyone should fear.
Including him.
Bunky-
I’m not what most people would consider normal.
Everything in my life is touched by darkness and shaped by my past. Living life constantly on the brink of being swallowed up by the monster that wants to consume me is exhausting, so I drowned myself in vices to try and smother the memories.
Until I realized all I needed was my missing piece.
Whaley flipped a switch in my brain, making me see he was meant to be mine, but he's not letting us be together like we were made to. He’s too worried we'll destroy everything in our path if we give in to the connection that tethers us together.
Good thing I have no problem watching the world burn if it means I get him.
ᴘᴀɪɴꜰᴜʟ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀɴ ᴀɢᴇ-ɢᴀᴘ, ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴠᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ ᴍᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪꜱ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴘꜱʏᴄʜᴏ. ᴍɪx ɪɴ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏxɪᴄ ᴠɪʙᴇꜱ, ʟᴏᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴘᴀꜱᴛꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀɪɴꜰᴜʟ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɪᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2024
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 10, 2024dnf @ 38% -
the basic reason:
i actually hate whaley. if i ever saw that man in person, it’s fisticuffs !
the prolonged rambling reason:
we start off the book with the wonderful (🙄) trend of one of the mmcs, whaley in this case, treating a woman he just had sex with like shit. it’s a classic case of:
✅ don’t remember her name
✅ ugh i forgot she was even here
✅ rudely staring at the woman and saying nothing until she gets the hint you wouldn’t like a second round instead of, oh idk, just telling her no thanks or explaining you don’t do repeats or whatever. ur weird!
sigh….*insert pic of ben affleck smoking that cigarette* lord help me i’m drainnedddddd
bunky gets obsessed with whaley bc whaley basically has this small intervention and is like yo you need to get ur shit together, i’m saying this bc i care about you. and bunky hears “i care about you” and it turns him into a crazy stalker basically💀💀💀 he’s out here taking pics of whaley thru his bathroom window💀💀💀 stockpiling a bunch of shit he steals from whaley in his closet, like a whaley shrine….bunky’s the type of guy to pluck a hair from whaley’s head and frame it💀 anyway, whaley’s “i care about you” and the fact whaley “lost control” during this intervention and grabbed bunky too hard and bunky’s head spun like omg why do i like this so much, made bunky pretty much be like that yummy commanding mf is MINE. like ok i guess……
whaley, on the other hand, idk why tf he even likes bunky fr. honestly, it feels like we kinda start in the middle of the story bc we fast forward to the point where:
1. whaley has already been being lenient af with bunky, which i suppose can be chalked up to the fact he sees himself in bunky due to similar childhoods and a “darkness” they both seem to have, but that feels like we’re missing something bc we’re dropped in the middle of it and the last book gave me the impression that whaley is being more lenient with bunky bc he likes him, and
2. bunky is already staring at whaley constantly, being a lil menace to do whatever he can to make whaley pay attention to him, and whaley, i guess, has just been screening him as much as possible trying to shake him.
it just leaves us at this weird point where whaley looks at bunky every so often and is like i feel him calling to me, i feel my demon wanting to come out to play…..um ok🤣🤣🤣🤣 lmao major ick every time whaley talks about “his demon”🤢 but anyways, “his demon” aka the part of him that wants to choke, tie up, edge, smack, hurt, bleed, fuck…..is somehow interested in bunky. like literally when did this happen??? idk, which irritates me, bc now we’ve got our two mmcs obsessed with each other based off of basically nothing substantial. like it feels like a lot of being TOLD that they’re obsessed with each other, but i’m not really SEEING much of anything. so now i don’t buy y’all’s feelings.
also, i don’t remember it ever being known that whaley was interested in guys? it’s literally not even mentioned here (obvi i didn’t finish, so maybe it was mentioned later?). was he attracted to guys before bunky or is this his first time being attracted to guys??? who fucking knows. but he knows how to have anal with bunky so…..ig there’s that. it’s not even mentioned in passing. i would’ve liked to have had more info about that really, bc idk if i’m misremembering but i thought whaley was straight based off of the info from the previous book (bc from what i remember, all we get is whaley giving bunky special privilege for some reason)
also, whaley’s supposed to be this hard ass, scary, tough mf leader and he’s just cringe! his inner monologue just gives me so much ick. like this is whaley after bunky asks him to look at his bike that’s “almost done”, and he realizes it’s not even close to done and bunky’s just angling for whaley’s attention:
“He’s lost his damn mind, and he’s wasting my time. Does he not know who I am? I’ve stabbed people for less.” ……*two seconds later* “‘My time is a pretty big deal.’” EUGH BROTHER🤢
oh and btw, whaley ends up losing control here and choking bunky, thinking to himself:
“There must be something wrong with me. I never act this way with my people. Hell, I never lay my hands on them if not absolutely necessary. That’s not the kind of leader I am, but something about this moment with Bunky is working me up.”
really🙄 bc mf loses control constantly!!! which really starts to piss me off. also later in the book, whaley loses control bc one of his people kept asking him about what he’s gonna do with the vipers, the rival gang, bc something needs to be done. and whaley grabs him and tosses him around for “disrespecting him” by “questioning his decisions” …..like???? ew i don’t respect u as a leader. like um, what happened to never laying hands on ur people unless absolutely necessary???? this isn’t even close to absolutely necessary, this is ego driven nonsense. so now i think ur a hypocrite. ugh fucking hypocrisy…..that really ruins dark romances for me. if ur going to do the things you do, then fucking own it.
anyway so yes it pisses me off that whaley’s also a hypocrite and the authors are clearly positioning him to the audience (and aces members) as this great guy, cares about his people, would do anything for them, loyal af……but in reality he’s actually tossing around his own weight, expecting his people to blindly follow his decisions, calling anything and everything he feels like “disrespecting him”, and just generally thinking every decision he makes is correct. like i’m pretty sure in organizations like this, as the good leader you’re portrayed to be, you should value your people’s input??? respect their opinion??? not immediately lose ur mind like a question from one of your people would somehow emasculate you. bc don’t you CARE about ur people??? that would mean caring about what they have to say, yes? like sorry but people don’t fawn over dark romance when the main character is generally unlikable!
anyway, back to the incident with one of his people….so after whaley tosses pike around, he thinks:
“I don’t like using physical force against my own men, but Pike’s been asking what I’ll do with the Vipers for weeks, and he doesn’t get that I’ve got it taken care of. I’m not an idiot, I’m not weak, and I’m not cowardly. What he doesn’t know is that I’m biding my time and waiting for the perfect moment to strike back. If we’re going to start something with the Vipers, it has to be worth it.”
yea, pike doesn’t know that bc you didn’t tell him shit!! u just told him you’re leaving it alone for now like tf how is he supposed to know you’re waiting for the perfect moment to strike??😭😭 my god ur a terrible leader!!! like oh lemme just snap at one of my guys and shove him around bc he has legitimate worries about a rival gang and i refuse to let him know i’ve got a plan. like what??? and then he tells pike:
“‘I respect you, so that’s why I’m not beatin’ the livin’ shit out of you. My word is law, but you gotta trust me. I’m in charge for a fuckin’ reason.’”
um care to share the reason? bc i’m not seeing it😐 i think the main reason i have issues with the way whaley acts, besides being a hypocrite, is bc he thinks he’s giving big, tough, hardcore baddie, when really he’s giving skinny local suburban weed dealer…….and ur acting like this?😬😬😬 secondhand embarrassment ! like listen to this:
“You know what happened last time someone pissed Whaley off?”
Pike nods rapidly. “Yeah…”
The way he trails off isn’t satisfying to me, but Badge reads my mind and thumps the back of Pike’s head. “Tell us. Fuckin’ say what happened.”
“Well?” I press after a moment of silence. “You need me to jog your memory?”
“They…” Pike trails off again and gulps audibly. “Let’s just say, they couldn’t question anythin’ for a while after that.” 🥴🥴🥴🥴
🍅🍅🍅🍅 that’s the CORNIEST thing i’ve ever fucking read🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 i’m just getting extreme ick from whaley from every angle🥴😭😭 like i think part of this just has to do with the way the authors wrote whaley. bc whaley was never giving feared aces gang leader ONCE during what i read. like they’re trying to pull off a softer, caring side with his people while also claiming he’s a ruthless, cutthroat gang leader……okay, sure, but ur failing at both🤷♀️ which puts us smack dab in the middle of corny island !
lmao i’m so fucking off track🤣🤣 okay, back to the scene where bunky asked whaley to look at his bike that’s “almost done” even though it wasn’t even close to done…..after whaley chokes bunky, bunky accidentally cut himself on a part, and looks whaley in the eyes and sucks the blood off his finger like “mmm i love that shit” and “wanna taste me whaley?” and basically that’s got whaley so horned up, he’s running home to jack off like mad and then next interaction they have, they’re fucking.
THAT’S ALL IT TAKES. like build up was atrocious and unbelievable. and they’re fucking bc whaley loses control again bc bunky, who never listens to him in the first place, quote: “Doesn’t. Ever. Listen. My aggravation and frustration finally boils over as I think of Bunky being a goddamn tease, about my lack of mental control, and about the fact that this fucking eighteen-year-old is calling the shots.”🥴🥴🥴
after they fuck, whaley immediately skirts outta there and ignores and avoids bunky for hellas. and then bam, we’ve fast forwarded a month or so and now everyone’s graduated and it’s summer. then, bunky decides to fuck with whaley’s motorcycle so he can’t go on his regularly scheduled once monthly R&R weekend trip to fuck prostitutes🤣🤣 whaley catches bunky and, what do ya know, loses control……ahh yes, here we are again🙄…..they basically argue and bunky goads whaley into fucking him over whaley’s motorcycle. whaley is all like i wanna hurt u and bunky is all like ooo yes pls and then bunky pulls his ass cheeks apart saying:
“Punish me, Whaley. Do it.”
with whaley responding:
“‘I’m gonna do more than punish you,’ I hiss, shoving my fingers inside him without care. I don’t have the patience for proper prep, and knowing the kinky little fucker, he doesn’t either. It’s a courtesy that he doesn’t fucking deserve right now. So I only stretch him out as much as my two fingers allow, scissoring them enough that he won't tear.”
‘It’s a courtesy that he doesn’t fucking deserve right now’……..hmmm…..that doesn’t sit right with me. i don’t care that bunky likes it that way anyway and it seems like he did end up prepping him just enough. maybe i’m nitpicking now, but it’s just giving “i’m mad at u and so whenever i lose control, i can just decide to do to u whatever i think u deserve”. yes, most of it will probably end up lining up with things bunky likes anyway bc he’s into pain. i just don’t like vibe it’s giving off. matter of fact, i just don’t like that whaley is giving immature 12 year old child vibes at every possible moment.
so after they fucked, again whaley is like ugh this can’t happen again. bunky comes into the shop one day to see some woman talking to whaley with her hand on his shoulder. bunky goes apeshit and whaley drags him into his office, where bunky is talking bout “you fucked me, but now you’re gonna fuck her”??? and whaley is like dude i’m not gonna fuck her, but bunky’s not listening and is throwing shit everywhere talking bout “i’m gonna kill her” and all this and whaley’s like bro “you ain’t gonna do shit. you’re acting like…like a fucking psycho”. which just🙄🙄🙄 it’s important to note that whaley has NEVER called bunky a psycho before and scolds people who do. so whaley calling him a psycho clearly cuts bunky deep bc he thought whaley would never hurt him like that. like hmmm, whaley, are we losing control again??? my god, are u EVER in control sir???😭😭 this apparently gets solved when whaley says “you’re—fuck, bunk. you’re my little psycho.” oh resolved then……uh skirrrrrrttttttttt WHAT????🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 ik that’s supposed to be cute, but it’s just sooooo not. but somehow to bunky that translates into omg whaley sees me for who i truly am…..wtf? how?….but ok….. somehow that whole altercation ends with whaley being like we can’t be together and bunky trying to accept that.
except now bunky is depressed and his friends all gather round for an intervention. raid brings landon along, who ends up encouraging bunky to fight for what he loves, bc yes, bunky confesses that he’s IN LOVE with whaley🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣…….okay sure……..✋💀
(btw this is point in the story where that whole whaley pushing around pike scene happens)
so, compelled to get his man, bunky breaks into whaley’s trailer and confesses. at one point he tells whaley:
“I’m not just obsessed with you. I worship you. That strength, that composure, the things you do for people... You’re such a good man.”
COMPOSURE??????????? good man????? so now we’re just lying🤣🤣🤣🤣 lmao goodbye!!!!! i cannot!!!!
and then whaley calls bunky a “psycho saint” and a “fucking psycho” when it’s whaley’s turn to confess his feelings and i guess, again, that’s all okay bc whaley had previously said bunky was HIS psycho…..again, not sure a “good man” would’ve called you a psycho in the first place considering the circumstances…..and “psycho saint” and “fucking psycho” is so not the same as “my little psycho” but whatever, i’m done!!!!
and so i clocked out at 38% after finishing the chapter.
so overall thoughts. whaley is like the temu/shein dupe of a designer dark romance mmc. he missed the mark on all occasions. the contradictions in whaley’s personality fucked his whole character up for me. but the main cause for it all crumbling down so quickly, imo, is the awful build up for the romance. it felt like we were dropped in the middle of their story and it made their feelings unbelievable and therefore, corny and laughable.
the basic reason:
i actually hate whaley. if i ever saw that man in person, it’s fisticuffs !
the prolonged rambling reason:
we start off the book with the wonderful (🙄) trend of one of the mmcs, whaley in this case, treating a woman he just had sex with like shit. it’s a classic case of:
✅ don’t remember her name
✅ ugh i forgot she was even here
✅ rudely staring at the woman and saying nothing until she gets the hint you wouldn’t like a second round instead of, oh idk, just telling her no thanks or explaining you don’t do repeats or whatever. ur weird!
sigh….*insert pic of ben affleck smoking that cigarette* lord help me i’m drainnedddddd
bunky gets obsessed with whaley bc whaley basically has this small intervention and is like yo you need to get ur shit together, i’m saying this bc i care about you. and bunky hears “i care about you” and it turns him into a crazy stalker basically💀💀💀 he’s out here taking pics of whaley thru his bathroom window💀💀💀 stockpiling a bunch of shit he steals from whaley in his closet, like a whaley shrine….bunky’s the type of guy to pluck a hair from whaley’s head and frame it💀 anyway, whaley’s “i care about you” and the fact whaley “lost control” during this intervention and grabbed bunky too hard and bunky’s head spun like omg why do i like this so much, made bunky pretty much be like that yummy commanding mf is MINE. like ok i guess……
whaley, on the other hand, idk why tf he even likes bunky fr. honestly, it feels like we kinda start in the middle of the story bc we fast forward to the point where:
1. whaley has already been being lenient af with bunky, which i suppose can be chalked up to the fact he sees himself in bunky due to similar childhoods and a “darkness” they both seem to have, but that feels like we’re missing something bc we’re dropped in the middle of it and the last book gave me the impression that whaley is being more lenient with bunky bc he likes him, and
2. bunky is already staring at whaley constantly, being a lil menace to do whatever he can to make whaley pay attention to him, and whaley, i guess, has just been screening him as much as possible trying to shake him.
it just leaves us at this weird point where whaley looks at bunky every so often and is like i feel him calling to me, i feel my demon wanting to come out to play…..um ok🤣🤣🤣🤣 lmao major ick every time whaley talks about “his demon”🤢 but anyways, “his demon” aka the part of him that wants to choke, tie up, edge, smack, hurt, bleed, fuck…..is somehow interested in bunky. like literally when did this happen??? idk, which irritates me, bc now we’ve got our two mmcs obsessed with each other based off of basically nothing substantial. like it feels like a lot of being TOLD that they’re obsessed with each other, but i’m not really SEEING much of anything. so now i don’t buy y’all’s feelings.
also, i don’t remember it ever being known that whaley was interested in guys? it’s literally not even mentioned here (obvi i didn’t finish, so maybe it was mentioned later?). was he attracted to guys before bunky or is this his first time being attracted to guys??? who fucking knows. but he knows how to have anal with bunky so…..ig there’s that. it’s not even mentioned in passing. i would’ve liked to have had more info about that really, bc idk if i’m misremembering but i thought whaley was straight based off of the info from the previous book (bc from what i remember, all we get is whaley giving bunky special privilege for some reason)
also, whaley’s supposed to be this hard ass, scary, tough mf leader and he’s just cringe! his inner monologue just gives me so much ick. like this is whaley after bunky asks him to look at his bike that’s “almost done”, and he realizes it’s not even close to done and bunky’s just angling for whaley’s attention:
“He’s lost his damn mind, and he’s wasting my time. Does he not know who I am? I’ve stabbed people for less.” ……*two seconds later* “‘My time is a pretty big deal.’” EUGH BROTHER🤢
oh and btw, whaley ends up losing control here and choking bunky, thinking to himself:
“There must be something wrong with me. I never act this way with my people. Hell, I never lay my hands on them if not absolutely necessary. That’s not the kind of leader I am, but something about this moment with Bunky is working me up.”
really🙄 bc mf loses control constantly!!! which really starts to piss me off. also later in the book, whaley loses control bc one of his people kept asking him about what he’s gonna do with the vipers, the rival gang, bc something needs to be done. and whaley grabs him and tosses him around for “disrespecting him” by “questioning his decisions” …..like???? ew i don’t respect u as a leader. like um, what happened to never laying hands on ur people unless absolutely necessary???? this isn’t even close to absolutely necessary, this is ego driven nonsense. so now i think ur a hypocrite. ugh fucking hypocrisy…..that really ruins dark romances for me. if ur going to do the things you do, then fucking own it.
anyway so yes it pisses me off that whaley’s also a hypocrite and the authors are clearly positioning him to the audience (and aces members) as this great guy, cares about his people, would do anything for them, loyal af……but in reality he’s actually tossing around his own weight, expecting his people to blindly follow his decisions, calling anything and everything he feels like “disrespecting him”, and just generally thinking every decision he makes is correct. like i’m pretty sure in organizations like this, as the good leader you’re portrayed to be, you should value your people’s input??? respect their opinion??? not immediately lose ur mind like a question from one of your people would somehow emasculate you. bc don’t you CARE about ur people??? that would mean caring about what they have to say, yes? like sorry but people don’t fawn over dark romance when the main character is generally unlikable!
anyway, back to the incident with one of his people….so after whaley tosses pike around, he thinks:
“I don’t like using physical force against my own men, but Pike’s been asking what I’ll do with the Vipers for weeks, and he doesn’t get that I’ve got it taken care of. I’m not an idiot, I’m not weak, and I’m not cowardly. What he doesn’t know is that I’m biding my time and waiting for the perfect moment to strike back. If we’re going to start something with the Vipers, it has to be worth it.”
yea, pike doesn’t know that bc you didn’t tell him shit!! u just told him you’re leaving it alone for now like tf how is he supposed to know you’re waiting for the perfect moment to strike??😭😭 my god ur a terrible leader!!! like oh lemme just snap at one of my guys and shove him around bc he has legitimate worries about a rival gang and i refuse to let him know i’ve got a plan. like what??? and then he tells pike:
“‘I respect you, so that’s why I’m not beatin’ the livin’ shit out of you. My word is law, but you gotta trust me. I’m in charge for a fuckin’ reason.’”
um care to share the reason? bc i’m not seeing it😐 i think the main reason i have issues with the way whaley acts, besides being a hypocrite, is bc he thinks he’s giving big, tough, hardcore baddie, when really he’s giving skinny local suburban weed dealer…….and ur acting like this?😬😬😬 secondhand embarrassment ! like listen to this:
“You know what happened last time someone pissed Whaley off?”
Pike nods rapidly. “Yeah…”
The way he trails off isn’t satisfying to me, but Badge reads my mind and thumps the back of Pike’s head. “Tell us. Fuckin’ say what happened.”
“Well?” I press after a moment of silence. “You need me to jog your memory?”
“They…” Pike trails off again and gulps audibly. “Let’s just say, they couldn’t question anythin’ for a while after that.” 🥴🥴🥴🥴
🍅🍅🍅🍅 that’s the CORNIEST thing i’ve ever fucking read🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 i’m just getting extreme ick from whaley from every angle🥴😭😭 like i think part of this just has to do with the way the authors wrote whaley. bc whaley was never giving feared aces gang leader ONCE during what i read. like they’re trying to pull off a softer, caring side with his people while also claiming he’s a ruthless, cutthroat gang leader……okay, sure, but ur failing at both🤷♀️ which puts us smack dab in the middle of corny island !
lmao i’m so fucking off track🤣🤣 okay, back to the scene where bunky asked whaley to look at his bike that’s “almost done” even though it wasn’t even close to done…..after whaley chokes bunky, bunky accidentally cut himself on a part, and looks whaley in the eyes and sucks the blood off his finger like “mmm i love that shit” and “wanna taste me whaley?” and basically that’s got whaley so horned up, he’s running home to jack off like mad and then next interaction they have, they’re fucking.
THAT’S ALL IT TAKES. like build up was atrocious and unbelievable. and they’re fucking bc whaley loses control again bc bunky, who never listens to him in the first place, quote: “Doesn’t. Ever. Listen. My aggravation and frustration finally boils over as I think of Bunky being a goddamn tease, about my lack of mental control, and about the fact that this fucking eighteen-year-old is calling the shots.”🥴🥴🥴
after they fuck, whaley immediately skirts outta there and ignores and avoids bunky for hellas. and then bam, we’ve fast forwarded a month or so and now everyone’s graduated and it’s summer. then, bunky decides to fuck with whaley’s motorcycle so he can’t go on his regularly scheduled once monthly R&R weekend trip to fuck prostitutes🤣🤣 whaley catches bunky and, what do ya know, loses control……ahh yes, here we are again🙄…..they basically argue and bunky goads whaley into fucking him over whaley’s motorcycle. whaley is all like i wanna hurt u and bunky is all like ooo yes pls and then bunky pulls his ass cheeks apart saying:
“Punish me, Whaley. Do it.”
with whaley responding:
“‘I’m gonna do more than punish you,’ I hiss, shoving my fingers inside him without care. I don’t have the patience for proper prep, and knowing the kinky little fucker, he doesn’t either. It’s a courtesy that he doesn’t fucking deserve right now. So I only stretch him out as much as my two fingers allow, scissoring them enough that he won't tear.”
‘It’s a courtesy that he doesn’t fucking deserve right now’……..hmmm…..that doesn’t sit right with me. i don’t care that bunky likes it that way anyway and it seems like he did end up prepping him just enough. maybe i’m nitpicking now, but it’s just giving “i’m mad at u and so whenever i lose control, i can just decide to do to u whatever i think u deserve”. yes, most of it will probably end up lining up with things bunky likes anyway bc he’s into pain. i just don’t like vibe it’s giving off. matter of fact, i just don’t like that whaley is giving immature 12 year old child vibes at every possible moment.
so after they fucked, again whaley is like ugh this can’t happen again. bunky comes into the shop one day to see some woman talking to whaley with her hand on his shoulder. bunky goes apeshit and whaley drags him into his office, where bunky is talking bout “you fucked me, but now you’re gonna fuck her”??? and whaley is like dude i’m not gonna fuck her, but bunky’s not listening and is throwing shit everywhere talking bout “i’m gonna kill her” and all this and whaley’s like bro “you ain’t gonna do shit. you’re acting like…like a fucking psycho”. which just🙄🙄🙄 it’s important to note that whaley has NEVER called bunky a psycho before and scolds people who do. so whaley calling him a psycho clearly cuts bunky deep bc he thought whaley would never hurt him like that. like hmmm, whaley, are we losing control again??? my god, are u EVER in control sir???😭😭 this apparently gets solved when whaley says “you’re—fuck, bunk. you’re my little psycho.” oh resolved then……uh skirrrrrrttttttttt WHAT????🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 ik that’s supposed to be cute, but it’s just sooooo not. but somehow to bunky that translates into omg whaley sees me for who i truly am…..wtf? how?….but ok….. somehow that whole altercation ends with whaley being like we can’t be together and bunky trying to accept that.
except now bunky is depressed and his friends all gather round for an intervention. raid brings landon along, who ends up encouraging bunky to fight for what he loves, bc yes, bunky confesses that he’s IN LOVE with whaley🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣…….okay sure……..✋💀
(btw this is point in the story where that whole whaley pushing around pike scene happens)
so, compelled to get his man, bunky breaks into whaley’s trailer and confesses. at one point he tells whaley:
“I’m not just obsessed with you. I worship you. That strength, that composure, the things you do for people... You’re such a good man.”
COMPOSURE??????????? good man????? so now we’re just lying🤣🤣🤣🤣 lmao goodbye!!!!! i cannot!!!!
and then whaley calls bunky a “psycho saint” and a “fucking psycho” when it’s whaley’s turn to confess his feelings and i guess, again, that’s all okay bc whaley had previously said bunky was HIS psycho…..again, not sure a “good man” would’ve called you a psycho in the first place considering the circumstances…..and “psycho saint” and “fucking psycho” is so not the same as “my little psycho” but whatever, i’m done!!!!
and so i clocked out at 38% after finishing the chapter.
so overall thoughts. whaley is like the temu/shein dupe of a designer dark romance mmc. he missed the mark on all occasions. the contradictions in whaley’s personality fucked his whole character up for me. but the main cause for it all crumbling down so quickly, imo, is the awful build up for the romance. it felt like we were dropped in the middle of their story and it made their feelings unbelievable and therefore, corny and laughable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2024
Whaley and Bunky's romance is one heck of a wild ride. They are two combative, possessive, and darkly unhinged guys who are desperately drawn to one another. Their romance is dark and at times unhealthy, but they love one another fiercely. Their story contains a multitude of moments that question their ability to have a functional relationship, but they force themselves to prove they can make it work.
Overall I enjoyed this dark romance. It is vastly different in tone and substance than the previous entry. This story honors the characters and their journey. There are many surprises along the way that I was not expecting. Painful Love is a wild ride that kept me fascinated by where their story leads.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
Overall I enjoyed this dark romance. It is vastly different in tone and substance than the previous entry. This story honors the characters and their journey. There are many surprises along the way that I was not expecting. Painful Love is a wild ride that kept me fascinated by where their story leads.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
April 20, 2024
"We’re like a lit match and lighter fluid, which is fine separately, but the second they come together, it creates a fire that spreads, burning everything in its path."
Painful Love is book 2 in the co-written Kings of Aces MM romance series by T. Ashleigh and Addison Beck, which is set in a small town, and focuses on a group of trailer park friends/gang/found family. This is Whaley and Bunky's story and it is way darker and grittier than Hateful Love, so consider yourself warned!
What to expect:
❥Dark themes
❥Age gap
❥Mine
❥Toxic
❥Hurt/comfort
❥Forbidden
❥Co-dependency
❥Blood play
I'm excited for book 3 now, Sinful Love, which I'm hoping will be Raid and Landon's story!
Painful Love is book 2 in the co-written Kings of Aces MM romance series by T. Ashleigh and Addison Beck, which is set in a small town, and focuses on a group of trailer park friends/gang/found family. This is Whaley and Bunky's story and it is way darker and grittier than Hateful Love, so consider yourself warned!
What to expect:
❥Dark themes
❥Age gap
❥Mine
❥Toxic
❥Hurt/comfort
❥Forbidden
❥Co-dependency
❥Blood play
I'm excited for book 3 now, Sinful Love, which I'm hoping will be Raid and Landon's story!
March 28, 2024
SO GOOD!!!! I’m completely obsessed with Whaley and his little psycho Bunky! This was everything I wanted in a dark romance. But the MMC’s were completely unhinged as well as obsessed and possessive of each other. I’ve been dying to read their story since finishing Hateful Love and it was everything I wanted and more.
Tropes
🔥 Dark romance
🔥 Age gap
🔥 Ownership
🔥 Forbidden
🔥 Psycho MC
🔥 Emotional scars
Tropes
🔥 Dark romance
🔥 Age gap
🔥 Ownership
🔥 Forbidden
🔥 Psycho MC
🔥 Emotional scars
![Profile Image for hope [semi-hiatus].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1716140798i/102263362._UY200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 10, 2024Dnf at 75%
I can’t take anymore. I thought they were going to make the most amazing toxic couple but I did not like them together at all. They was no build up to their relationship and all of a sudden Bunky was obsessed with Whaley. I wish there would have been more tension created between them. And they were having sex like 15% into the book?? Talk about whiplash. To me they didn’t have chemistry, I don't even know why they liked each other and why they were so obsessed with one another. It was all talk and not showing. I didn’t like Whaley and he just pissed me off with how he treated Bunky. There was SO many sex scenes, I started to skim. This is always a bad sign for me because if I feel the need to skim them it means I’m not really feeling the couple. Idk if it’s just me, but the spice was not hitting for me here? They felt short and unsatisfying, not even the blood kink could save those for me lol. So yeah just felt like I was reading a bunch of couple paged sex scenes…..I’m not sure what it was, but there wasn’t anything there for me to want to root for them. Like yes, they’re both haunted by their trauma and both are in a similar dark place but….I wish we had more of them bonding and talking through it. But ofc we had a book that was prioritizing a physical relationship 🙄 Maybe it happens after the point I dnfed it…. But being at 75% with little to no relationship development was enough for me. I was more excited about seeing Blaine/Silas and the teases about Raid/Landon than Bunky and Whaley.
I guarantee if the execution of their relationship was done a little differently I could have enjoyed this book a lot more.
I can’t take anymore. I thought they were going to make the most amazing toxic couple but I did not like them together at all. They was no build up to their relationship and all of a sudden Bunky was obsessed with Whaley. I wish there would have been more tension created between them. And they were having sex like 15% into the book?? Talk about whiplash. To me they didn’t have chemistry, I don't even know why they liked each other and why they were so obsessed with one another. It was all talk and not showing. I didn’t like Whaley and he just pissed me off with how he treated Bunky. There was SO many sex scenes, I started to skim. This is always a bad sign for me because if I feel the need to skim them it means I’m not really feeling the couple. Idk if it’s just me, but the spice was not hitting for me here? They felt short and unsatisfying, not even the blood kink could save those for me lol. So yeah just felt like I was reading a bunch of couple paged sex scenes…..I’m not sure what it was, but there wasn’t anything there for me to want to root for them. Like yes, they’re both haunted by their trauma and both are in a similar dark place but….I wish we had more of them bonding and talking through it. But ofc we had a book that was prioritizing a physical relationship 🙄 Maybe it happens after the point I dnfed it…. But being at 75% with little to no relationship development was enough for me. I was more excited about seeing Blaine/Silas and the teases about Raid/Landon than Bunky and Whaley.
I guarantee if the execution of their relationship was done a little differently I could have enjoyed this book a lot more.
March 28, 2024
Rating: 5/5 🌟
Spice: 3/5 🌶️
Heroes: Bunky and Whaley
Oh My God. I need time to fully process this. It's like Criminal Minds but from the other perspective and it's everything. These two are absolutely two halves of one soul. And look, it's in the title...there is so much pain. Some heartbreaking, worthy of sobbing pain, and some beautiful pain. I do not suggest reading this at work or in public. I ugly cried a few times.
I am so in love with this series.
Bunky and Whaley both have their own demons that they fight daily. Both have a tragic past that shaped and made them at a very early age. This gives nods to both of them being psychopaths, but not quite. I started out laughing at Bunky and his unique and persistent ways. I'm glad it started out that way because the book quickly becomes emotional. The love is strong, the violence is dark, and the pain truly hurts. Underneath everything it's a story about finding your perfect match and these two men finding real, true love.
The story is dark. There are horrific things that happen so go into it expecting that. It's darker than the first book but fitting for these characters.
I am so excited for the next book!
Now, enjoy my reactions as I was reading it. I feel like I was losing my mind the entire time. I went from laughing to smiling to swooning, to ranting and raving, to crying, to swooning again, then sitting on the edge of my seat and vibrating with anxiety, then sobbing, then swooning again. It's an adrenaline rush.
CHRISTINA’S PREVIOUS UPDATES
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 79% done
I'm cheesy grinning and giggling over a sweet little m*rder baby and how he melts this hardened man.
I don't know what it says about me, but I am loving how absolutely perfect these two are together...no matter how dark and depraved.
— 29 minutes agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina Sturgill is 75% done
Dear god...I'm swooning over these two psychos.
And I am running through the entire range of emotions...quickly. So quickly it has my adrenaline pumping and I know I'm going to feel exhausted at the end of it.
— 38 minutes agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 67% done
Okay, I might have overreacted. This book is fucking me up. But, in a good way.
This series is crazy and so damn good. I'm going to petition for these two authors to write together forever.
— 1 hour, 29 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 64% done
oh my god I'm sobbing like a damn baby, and I am so angry.
I went from fine to feeling like I'm going to hyperventilate and throw up in like 5 seconds.
— 1 hour, 35 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 63% done
I'm going to lose my shit...
— 1 hour, 41 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 54% done
Ever wonder what would happen to the unsub in Criminal Minds if they didn't turn into an unaliver? This feels like that. Is it healthy? No. Is it dangerous? Yes.
But I also cried because these two are two halves of a soul and fit together perfectly.
— 2 hours, 15 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 45% done
— 2 hours, 52 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 32% done
— 3 hours, 26 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 18% done
Oh my god, I love Silas. And I really hope we get Raid's story.
I am thoroughly enjoying this. This duo creates magic together.
Spice: 3/5 🌶️
Heroes: Bunky and Whaley
Oh My God. I need time to fully process this. It's like Criminal Minds but from the other perspective and it's everything. These two are absolutely two halves of one soul. And look, it's in the title...there is so much pain. Some heartbreaking, worthy of sobbing pain, and some beautiful pain. I do not suggest reading this at work or in public. I ugly cried a few times.
I am so in love with this series.
Bunky and Whaley both have their own demons that they fight daily. Both have a tragic past that shaped and made them at a very early age. This gives nods to both of them being psychopaths, but not quite. I started out laughing at Bunky and his unique and persistent ways. I'm glad it started out that way because the book quickly becomes emotional. The love is strong, the violence is dark, and the pain truly hurts. Underneath everything it's a story about finding your perfect match and these two men finding real, true love.
The story is dark. There are horrific things that happen so go into it expecting that. It's darker than the first book but fitting for these characters.
I am so excited for the next book!
Now, enjoy my reactions as I was reading it. I feel like I was losing my mind the entire time. I went from laughing to smiling to swooning, to ranting and raving, to crying, to swooning again, then sitting on the edge of my seat and vibrating with anxiety, then sobbing, then swooning again. It's an adrenaline rush.
CHRISTINA’S PREVIOUS UPDATES
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 79% done
I'm cheesy grinning and giggling over a sweet little m*rder baby and how he melts this hardened man.
I don't know what it says about me, but I am loving how absolutely perfect these two are together...no matter how dark and depraved.
— 29 minutes agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina Sturgill is 75% done
Dear god...I'm swooning over these two psychos.
And I am running through the entire range of emotions...quickly. So quickly it has my adrenaline pumping and I know I'm going to feel exhausted at the end of it.
— 38 minutes agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 67% done
Okay, I might have overreacted. This book is fucking me up. But, in a good way.
This series is crazy and so damn good. I'm going to petition for these two authors to write together forever.
— 1 hour, 29 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 64% done
oh my god I'm sobbing like a damn baby, and I am so angry.
I went from fine to feeling like I'm going to hyperventilate and throw up in like 5 seconds.
— 1 hour, 35 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 63% done
I'm going to lose my shit...
— 1 hour, 41 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 54% done
Ever wonder what would happen to the unsub in Criminal Minds if they didn't turn into an unaliver? This feels like that. Is it healthy? No. Is it dangerous? Yes.
But I also cried because these two are two halves of a soul and fit together perfectly.
— 2 hours, 15 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 45% done
— 2 hours, 52 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 32% done
— 3 hours, 26 min agoPainful Love (Kings of Aces #2)
Christina SturgillChristina Sturgill is 18% done
Oh my god, I love Silas. And I really hope we get Raid's story.
I am thoroughly enjoying this. This duo creates magic together.
March 31, 2024
Painful Love is the second book in the Kings of Aces series. This MM dark romance story is about Whaley and Bunky.
I could not wait to read Whaley and Bunky's story ever since finishing Hateful Love, and it definitley did not disappoint. I knew this book was going to be dark, but I was not expecting it to be so emotional as well. My heart broke after learning about both Whaley and Bunky's traumatic pasts. This gave us a better understanding of what made them into the men they are today and the demons they have to fight daily.
Bunky becomes obsessed with Whaley, and I enjoyed seeing him so bratty and unhinged. Whaley wanted Bunky, but he held himself back and wouldn't admit his feelings for him. He made excuses that he was too old for Bunky and that he had to focus on being the leader of his gang. But there was only so much Whaley could take before he finally gave in. Whaley and Bunky were so obsessed and possessive of each other, and I couldn't get enough of it. With the way they connected and gave each other what they needed, we could see they were the perfect match.
This series has secondary characters that are just as amazing as the main ones. I loved that we got to see Blaine and Silas, and I can't wait to get more of Raid and Landon in the future. Whaley and Bunky take us on a crazy journey to their HEA. It was filled with darkness, pain, and violence. There were tears, but there were also moments that had me laughing, smiling, and swooning over their love for each other. Painful Love is an incredible dark romance and I absolutely loved Whaley and Bucky. I am definitely obsessed with this series and I can't wait for the next book.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
I could not wait to read Whaley and Bunky's story ever since finishing Hateful Love, and it definitley did not disappoint. I knew this book was going to be dark, but I was not expecting it to be so emotional as well. My heart broke after learning about both Whaley and Bunky's traumatic pasts. This gave us a better understanding of what made them into the men they are today and the demons they have to fight daily.
Bunky becomes obsessed with Whaley, and I enjoyed seeing him so bratty and unhinged. Whaley wanted Bunky, but he held himself back and wouldn't admit his feelings for him. He made excuses that he was too old for Bunky and that he had to focus on being the leader of his gang. But there was only so much Whaley could take before he finally gave in. Whaley and Bunky were so obsessed and possessive of each other, and I couldn't get enough of it. With the way they connected and gave each other what they needed, we could see they were the perfect match.
This series has secondary characters that are just as amazing as the main ones. I loved that we got to see Blaine and Silas, and I can't wait to get more of Raid and Landon in the future. Whaley and Bunky take us on a crazy journey to their HEA. It was filled with darkness, pain, and violence. There were tears, but there were also moments that had me laughing, smiling, and swooning over their love for each other. Painful Love is an incredible dark romance and I absolutely loved Whaley and Bucky. I am definitely obsessed with this series and I can't wait for the next book.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
April 10, 2024
3-3.5 stars, rounded. One word describes this book perfectly for me: entertaining. That’s all this was, and I zoomed through most of it very quickly before stalling around the 93% mark.
This was nowhere near the quality of the first book imo, and I wish there was more buildup for Bunky and Whaley. It felt like their feelings for each other just spawned in out of nowhere. I understand that sometimes, people develop out-of-the-blue feelings, but I wanted more development. Bunky was quite adorable, and Whaley was alright. I think Bunky definitely carried this book, but that’s not to say they didn’t BOTH have interesting backgrounds.
It was a pretty dark and toxic book, so the warnings weren’t misplaced, and I wasn’t bothered by that aspect. I was more so unsatisfied with the overall impression I had of the couple. Sure, they had chemistry, but it was missing *something.*
Raid and Landon are next. I am a huge fan of himbo characters, so I hope it’s done justice.
This was nowhere near the quality of the first book imo, and I wish there was more buildup for Bunky and Whaley. It felt like their feelings for each other just spawned in out of nowhere. I understand that sometimes, people develop out-of-the-blue feelings, but I wanted more development. Bunky was quite adorable, and Whaley was alright. I think Bunky definitely carried this book, but that’s not to say they didn’t BOTH have interesting backgrounds.
It was a pretty dark and toxic book, so the warnings weren’t misplaced, and I wasn’t bothered by that aspect. I was more so unsatisfied with the overall impression I had of the couple. Sure, they had chemistry, but it was missing *something.*
Raid and Landon are next. I am a huge fan of himbo characters, so I hope it’s done justice.
March 30, 2024
Oh wow! Just WOW!!! These two guys took a piece of my soul with them. This book is explosive just like our little psycho Bunky. Whaley is daddy psycho! This found family is everything one would want. I loved this book! These two authors are becoming my favorite! Really!
April 11, 2024
This was the dark, obsessive, feral romance I have been needing!!
I loved how Bunky and Whaley really saw each other and just loved each other as they are.
It took a long time to get going which was a little frustrating, but once they got their act together I loved them as a couple.
They both have very dark, gruesome back stories and what Bunky goes through in this book is devastating, so make sure to check the trigger warnings before reading.
This isn't a traditional romance in any sense. It is an obsession that makes sense to two people with a lot of emotional trauma, and it's highly toxic and unhealthy, but for me it made absolute sense for these two. They were never going to be cutesy like Silas and Blaine, and Raid and Landon (next book) have a much more innocent feel to them also. I've loved both couples in this series so far and have no doubt I'll also love Raid and Landon. If all of their relationships developed identically there wouldn't be a point to them all having their own books 🤷🏻♀️
I loved how Bunky and Whaley really saw each other and just loved each other as they are.
It took a long time to get going which was a little frustrating, but once they got their act together I loved them as a couple.
They both have very dark, gruesome back stories and what Bunky goes through in this book is devastating, so make sure to check the trigger warnings before reading.
This isn't a traditional romance in any sense. It is an obsession that makes sense to two people with a lot of emotional trauma, and it's highly toxic and unhealthy, but for me it made absolute sense for these two. They were never going to be cutesy like Silas and Blaine, and Raid and Landon (next book) have a much more innocent feel to them also. I've loved both couples in this series so far and have no doubt I'll also love Raid and Landon. If all of their relationships developed identically there wouldn't be a point to them all having their own books 🤷🏻♀️
April 19, 2024
I swear I was sucked in. My eyes were laser-focused in this book. I either hate or love these kind of books. Bunky and Whaley’s story was entertaining all through out but the last chapters definitely won me over. When the men who are supposed to be strong cried for their love interest to stay with them? I gagged. Soooo fucking good.
April 1, 2024
ARC REVIEW: This was everything I wanted and more! Whaley and Bunky’s story was as chaotic and passionate as I knew it would be. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite worlds to read about. Whaley and Bunky are a match made in Hell and I loved reading about their demons and obsession with each other. I can’t wait for the next in the series!
March 28, 2024
Been looking forward to Bunky and Whaley’s story, and it was exactly what you would expect with those two! Both have been through a lot. They share similar pains and pasts, and just understand one another right down to their souls. Their bit of age gap doesn’t matter when the monsters in their souls recognize the other and call one another mine. It’s like a switch goes off in Bunky one day. Realizing all these things he felt toward Whaley? Love and obsession and recognizing that they are it for one another. For Whaley, while he recognizes it too, he is a little bit stronger in denying those feelings. He isn’t ready to unleash the monster within when he isn’t sure Bunky can truly handle it and be able to still see him if he learns the truth. But Bunky is fearless. And there isn’t anything he won’t do for those he loves. So it’s only a matter of time before he breaks down Whaley’s walls. And once he does? Well, there is no turning back for either of them. Despite the dark vibes of their love story, there is no doubting the feelings they have for one another. It shows in every action between them. Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster with this one. So much happens! I couldn’t put the story down and it just made more excited to get more of these characters. Definitely looking forward to book three!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2024
Holy freaking hell. This book. This book was EVERYTHING!!! It’s dark, moody, bloody, emotional and so intense. This is a love story between two of the most toxic men that are filled with hundreds of issues but together they thrive.
𝐁𝐮���𝐤𝐲 has always been different, he went through so much as a kid and that sticks with him. He has a dark side that is hard for him to control. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐲 is the head of the Ace gang, he was also there to help save Bunky when he was 8 years old. The dark monster in each of them match each other and bring out so much toxic obsession.
There isn’t enough word I could use to explain how much I loved this book. I went into it knowing it would be darker then Hateful Love but my god the last 25% books was dark. This is a book I’d definitely check triggers on. While it was dark it had the most beautiful love story between two people who thought they’d never find love. They found obsession which turned into so much more. Bunky & Whaley own my heart.
𝐁𝐮���𝐤𝐲 has always been different, he went through so much as a kid and that sticks with him. He has a dark side that is hard for him to control. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐲 is the head of the Ace gang, he was also there to help save Bunky when he was 8 years old. The dark monster in each of them match each other and bring out so much toxic obsession.
There isn’t enough word I could use to explain how much I loved this book. I went into it knowing it would be darker then Hateful Love but my god the last 25% books was dark. This is a book I’d definitely check triggers on. While it was dark it had the most beautiful love story between two people who thought they’d never find love. They found obsession which turned into so much more. Bunky & Whaley own my heart.
May 13, 2024
I thought I would love this because I love Bunky but dark romance is not for me. Sooo, with that said, I love Bunky as a character, his past has made him who he is, someone unique, explosive, intense, he’s got a great personality, he is witty and unpredictable but he also has a beautiful heart. Whaley kinda grew on me, but together… mmm idk idk, I think Bunky deserved better.
I think I’ve finally learned my lesson with Dark Romance, It makes me uncomfortable and I will avoid it at all costs.
I think I’ve finally learned my lesson with Dark Romance, It makes me uncomfortable and I will avoid it at all costs.
April 11, 2024
Tropes: dark romance, age gap, motorcycle club, bloodthirsty killer boyfriends, dad's best friend
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 2.5/5
Kinks: rough sex, getting turned on by torture and murder, blood play, dirty talk, piercings, toys
Angst: medium
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: unsafe sex, murder, violence, mental health issues, kidnapping, dead parents, permanent injury, drug dealing, ptsd, suicidal thoughts
2 stars, maybe 2.5 if I'm being generous. This rating is more based on my lack of enjoyment of the content as opposed to the authors' writing. More of a me thing. I don't think I'm a big enough dark romance fan to enjoy how dark this one was.
Bunky is 19. Whaley is 35 and the leader of their gang that deals in drugs. They both have really traumatic backstories. They both witnessed their mothers' murder at age 7 or 8. Whaley was tortured for 3 years after his mom's murder by a bad foster mom. They suffer mentally a lot. They aren't sane. They have nightmares and outbursts and they've coped by developing a bloodlust and pain fetish. Bunky was adopted by Whaley's best friend Badge who was dating Bunky's mom before she died. Badge and Whaley are best friends.
Bunky has always been a wild child and he develops a crush on Whaley. He doggedly pursues Whaley until Whaley starts seeing him sexually, seeing him as an adult and gives in. They have some angst about whether they should be together due to their age gap. Once they eventually get over that though they have a big threat to deal with from a rival gang. Bunky killed the son of the rival gang leader and he wants revenge.
I don't think this was an outright horribly told story. I'd say it's not one I really enjoyed reading. My complaints are mostly about the content and I'll get into that below. I knew this was a dark romance and I've read and enjoyed dark romance before. I don't read dark romance for the kink or the violence though, I read books for the romance and I tolerate the darkness. I like possessive and obsessive love, and sometimes you just get that in a dark romance so it's a trade off, you get some good things and you get some... murder LOL.
I expected a different story for Whaley and Bunky based on the first book being a lot lighter and their appearances in the first book - i e. Whaley's softness towards Bunky in it. I'm disappointed with what we got. I thought that Whaley was going to be a caretaker type of character who has a strong moral code. But in this book, they're making him a bloodthirsty murdering psycho. Whaley and Bunky are basically "murder husbands" who are killing for the enjoyment rather than the purpose. I enjoyed Hateful Love a lot better because the characters were better people. Psychoanalyzing here, but I feel like Whaley and Bunky seeing violence done to their mothers when they were children actually means that as adults they need to get past the bloodthirstiness rather than indulge it.
Also if you want your people to be safe, killing more people puts more of a target on your people's back. They're just going to come for revenge harder because more of their loved ones have been taken out. Sometimes you have to make peace and negotiate with your enemies in order to protect your loved ones. I like my characters to be smart. And these characters weren't very smart, they didn't foresee the consequences of their actions and they suffered unnecessarily because of it. They needed to either make peace to keep people safe or take out their enemies thoroughly so that they wouldn't be able to be hurt by their enemies.
At one point Fox the adopted brother of Bunky is called in to do clean up duty on a person that Bunky bloodthirstily tortured and murdered leaving a wreckage of a bloodbath and mutilated corpse behind. If I was Fox, I would be legitimately concerned for the mental health of my brother and shocked and alarmed that he was capable of this. I don't think I could look at my brother the same way.
SPOILERS - I wasn't a fan of a couple plot decisions either. One of the Vipers turning out to be a mole and helping them find Bunky after he was kidnapped was unrealistic to me. It's a little coincidental. And it reeked of a trap, even though it ended up not being a trap. Also, it seemed nonsensical for Whaley not to tell Bunky that his kidnapper is in their possession (being tortured and made to pay for what he did) and not still out on the streets potentially able to harm Bunky again.
Some notable moments:
"I give his neck a little squeeze in warning before looking at my guys and confirming that they are indeed all looking at us. “Does this answer everyone’s question?” Everyone nods, but no one says a word. “Good. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have to handle somethin’.” Then I drag Bunky by his neck to my office, barely locking the door before pushing him over my desk and showing him just how much mine he is."
"Insecurity bubbles up inside of me again, and the doubt creeps in, nearly suffocating. “How can you want me anymore?” The hands that are holding my face tightens, and his eyes are furious as he leans in close. “I’ll always want you. Old and wrinkly. Batshit and impulsive. Depressed and catatonic. There ain’t ever gonna be a time when that’s not true,” he growls, then his eyes soften as he rolls his forehead against mine, minty tobacco breath ghosting my lips. “Like I said, Bunk, if you’re goin’, you’re takin’ me with you.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 2.5/5
Kinks: rough sex, getting turned on by torture and murder, blood play, dirty talk, piercings, toys
Angst: medium
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: unsafe sex, murder, violence, mental health issues, kidnapping, dead parents, permanent injury, drug dealing, ptsd, suicidal thoughts
2 stars, maybe 2.5 if I'm being generous. This rating is more based on my lack of enjoyment of the content as opposed to the authors' writing. More of a me thing. I don't think I'm a big enough dark romance fan to enjoy how dark this one was.
Bunky is 19. Whaley is 35 and the leader of their gang that deals in drugs. They both have really traumatic backstories. They both witnessed their mothers' murder at age 7 or 8. Whaley was tortured for 3 years after his mom's murder by a bad foster mom. They suffer mentally a lot. They aren't sane. They have nightmares and outbursts and they've coped by developing a bloodlust and pain fetish. Bunky was adopted by Whaley's best friend Badge who was dating Bunky's mom before she died. Badge and Whaley are best friends.
Bunky has always been a wild child and he develops a crush on Whaley. He doggedly pursues Whaley until Whaley starts seeing him sexually, seeing him as an adult and gives in. They have some angst about whether they should be together due to their age gap. Once they eventually get over that though they have a big threat to deal with from a rival gang. Bunky killed the son of the rival gang leader and he wants revenge.
I don't think this was an outright horribly told story. I'd say it's not one I really enjoyed reading. My complaints are mostly about the content and I'll get into that below. I knew this was a dark romance and I've read and enjoyed dark romance before. I don't read dark romance for the kink or the violence though, I read books for the romance and I tolerate the darkness. I like possessive and obsessive love, and sometimes you just get that in a dark romance so it's a trade off, you get some good things and you get some... murder LOL.
I expected a different story for Whaley and Bunky based on the first book being a lot lighter and their appearances in the first book - i e. Whaley's softness towards Bunky in it. I'm disappointed with what we got. I thought that Whaley was going to be a caretaker type of character who has a strong moral code. But in this book, they're making him a bloodthirsty murdering psycho. Whaley and Bunky are basically "murder husbands" who are killing for the enjoyment rather than the purpose. I enjoyed Hateful Love a lot better because the characters were better people. Psychoanalyzing here, but I feel like Whaley and Bunky seeing violence done to their mothers when they were children actually means that as adults they need to get past the bloodthirstiness rather than indulge it.
Also if you want your people to be safe, killing more people puts more of a target on your people's back. They're just going to come for revenge harder because more of their loved ones have been taken out. Sometimes you have to make peace and negotiate with your enemies in order to protect your loved ones. I like my characters to be smart. And these characters weren't very smart, they didn't foresee the consequences of their actions and they suffered unnecessarily because of it. They needed to either make peace to keep people safe or take out their enemies thoroughly so that they wouldn't be able to be hurt by their enemies.
At one point Fox the adopted brother of Bunky is called in to do clean up duty on a person that Bunky bloodthirstily tortured and murdered leaving a wreckage of a bloodbath and mutilated corpse behind. If I was Fox, I would be legitimately concerned for the mental health of my brother and shocked and alarmed that he was capable of this. I don't think I could look at my brother the same way.
SPOILERS - I wasn't a fan of a couple plot decisions either. One of the Vipers turning out to be a mole and helping them find Bunky after he was kidnapped was unrealistic to me. It's a little coincidental. And it reeked of a trap, even though it ended up not being a trap. Also, it seemed nonsensical for Whaley not to tell Bunky that his kidnapper is in their possession (being tortured and made to pay for what he did) and not still out on the streets potentially able to harm Bunky again.
Some notable moments:
"I give his neck a little squeeze in warning before looking at my guys and confirming that they are indeed all looking at us. “Does this answer everyone’s question?” Everyone nods, but no one says a word. “Good. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have to handle somethin’.” Then I drag Bunky by his neck to my office, barely locking the door before pushing him over my desk and showing him just how much mine he is."
"Insecurity bubbles up inside of me again, and the doubt creeps in, nearly suffocating. “How can you want me anymore?” The hands that are holding my face tightens, and his eyes are furious as he leans in close. “I’ll always want you. Old and wrinkly. Batshit and impulsive. Depressed and catatonic. There ain’t ever gonna be a time when that’s not true,” he growls, then his eyes soften as he rolls his forehead against mine, minty tobacco breath ghosting my lips. “Like I said, Bunk, if you’re goin’, you’re takin’ me with you.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2024
2.5⭐
I kinda like this series. I like the characters and the first installment was quite good, but as far as dark romance goes - this book definitely isn't one.
Not only that, it offers two MMCs that try to be psycho but are just severely traumatized. Their dynamic wasn't working for me at all. Good main characters that badly needed a Daddy/boy trope.
🟡 "Dark romance" - these guys just need a lot of therapy
🟣 Age gap - 16 years
🟢 Size difference
🔵 See that guy on the cover? Dex? Bunky is basically a copy of Dex, in image and character
🟣 Now that I think about it, a lot of things seem very similar to Merikan's junkyard series in this book
🟡 Chemistry not really palpable, some deeper moments but overall not as good
🌶️ Good smut but got over repetitive and kinda lost its charm; t/b
Bunky is an 18-19 year old troubled kid who was obsessed with Whaley, the local biker gang's leader (I wouldn't call them a gang and Whaley had to point out he had a gang many times over so it just sounded ridiculous) and we don't really get a good solid prologue/chapter of painting that crazy obsession Bunky had, but find out bits and pieces along the way about Bunky's secret treasure of Whaley's old draws, toothbrush and whatnot, so the guy was pretty... attached.
The moment Bunky got obsessive should've been a bigger deal and all the actions he took to feed that obsession should've been told in one chapter, so that I could really feel his indifference slowly growing to a crazy obsessive love, and maybe it's just me, but I didn't feel it.
For me it seemed like it happened out of nowhere, because the magic wasn't there. The attraction was, but they had to go deep at some point, right? It was just sex and again, I missed the build-up, apparently.
Bunky and Whaley both had their inner demons because they've experienced terrible childhoods and found family with this biker gang, but neither Whaley nor Bunky ever had therapy. Didn't even cross their minds. They both referred to their trauma as "my monster coming out", almost like they had a second person living inside of them.
Whaley looked like a hot daddy and Bunky had a mental illness that was completely undiagnosed so he wanted that safe place with Whaley but their story went in another direction. Their close emotional bond wasn't well developed and them playing supposed psychopaths, especially Bunky, again didn't fit them as characters.
"Maybe I can stab someone? Yeah, that would make Whaley stay. He’d be like ‘Oh shit’ and I’d be all ‘Oh yeah’ and then we’d fuck in some blood and cuddle after."
Because the story wasn't that great to begin with, the little things started to bother me,
like
🟡 Talking about Bunky's prom while trying to fuck him. Groomer much? I don't know, it would work and wouldn't be a problem if the rest of the story was better.
🟡 Whaley kept saying what a badass he was, but there was no show;
🟡 Bunky was mentally ill and needed help and his family kept talking about him being not right in the head yet no one cared to think that maybe he needed a doctor? This guy didn't even get medical or mental help when he was tortured for days and was obviously very broken.
At the end of the book Whaley and Bunky are still broken and not as connected as I would've liked. The ending and the epilogue didn't give me any kind of important closure on things that bothered them, kept them awake at night or prevented them from being normal. Their relationship is up in the air, they have a dynamic that doesn't suit them and they're not taken care of, that's my take on it.
I am looking forward to Landon's book that'll be out next year though.
April 12, 2024
Read in another buddy read with the always lovely Lilly ❤️
⭐︎ 4.5 Painful Stars Rounded Up! ⭐︎
Painful Love is exactly how it sounds. Painful. Not only because of what Bunky and Whaley like in the bedroom together, but also because of what they go through in the past and present in this book. The title perfectly encompasses Bunky and Whaley's story.
First, expect to have in this:
✅ Age gap
✅ Extreme Possessiveness (on both sides)
✅ Obsession (on both sides)
✅ Co-dependency
✅ "Touch him and die"
✅ Blood play
✅ Both being unhinged
✅ Torture (done to others and to one of the MC's)
✅ Murder (that they both like to engage in)
✅ Past trauma that they remember in brief flashbacks
Whaley and Bunky, first of all, are not normal. If you read the first book and are surprised by this, I don't know what to tell you.
These two are nothing like Silas and Blaine from the first book. There's fucked up and then there's these two.
There's a reason that Whaley calls Bunky his "little psycho" because that is an apt description.
But as you learn more about these two, you understand why they are the way they are. They both went through absolute terror when they both weren't even 10 years old yet. The trauma lasts a lifetime, and given that neither of them are in therapy or getting any actual mental health help, they are both loose canons waiting to be let loose at any moment.
Very much heed the TW's that are at the start of this book. If none of that is for you - or it's too much - then do not read this book. This is definitely a Dark Romance.
While Whaley and Bunky absolutely love each other, they're also two fucked up individuals who like killing, like hurting and pain. They absolutely have no remorse over killing. If that is too much for you to handle, do not read his book.
The first third of this book is mainly getting these two together. Thankfully, the book doesn't take forever for that to happen.
They get together when Bunky is 18 and Whaley 35. If that is too big an age gap (or Bunky is too young) then this also is not the book for you. Neither Bunky or Whaley have feelings until Bunky is already 18, but they do know each other since Bunky is 8 years old, so if that also is a hard line for you, this is also not the book for you.
My only reason for .5 stars on this book is two slight niggles.
I don't think this book transitioned from them not having feelings for each other to having feelings - to being obsessed - the best.
Bunky just kind of gets hard at the way Whaley says something and then that starts his lust for Whaley, but we don't really get to see how it becomes that obsession. It just skips past those months from the first book and then Bunky is fully in that obsession stage. Whaley is as well, but he's also trying to deny it as best he can.
I also am giving a bit off because later on, when he and Bunky are together, he's so reluctant to tell Bunky about his past, thinking it'll be too much for Bunky and send him running, but that thinking doesn't make much sense once he talks about his past to Bunky. Nothing he says is all that much worse than what Bunky went through as a kid, so why would he be scared away by something he's so familiar with? Whaley didn't go too dark with his past, so I was kinda confused by his behavior leading up to him telling Bunky about it. Like what about Bunky screams "i'm going to run at your tragic past"? It just confused me, his behavior.
But other than those niggles, I loved the rest of this.
The chemistry was so good, the sex was fucking hot - especially that first time between them - and they were perfectly wrapped up in each other in their co-depending, unhealthy dynamic and I loved it. They were literally like "leave me and I'll kill you" and it was delicious.
The main plot is mainly these two, but also having to deal with the Vipers, especially when Gunner, the Viper leader's son, is still out for Bunky's blood after he slept with his sister the previous year. Things eventually escalate with that situation.
These two might be very, very fucked up, but they are perfectly fucked up together. They're perfect for each other because only the other could truly, 100% understand the darkness in the other and fully embrace it.
Once these two give into each other, there is no one else for them, and they never give up on each other. They are utterly devoted to each other.
This one definitely is a whole new level of Dark compared to the first book, that's for sure. And the third one, which the authors said at the end of this one will not be as heavy/dark as this one was. So if Dark Romance is too much for you, just read the first book and skip this one to read the third when that comes out.
But if you can handle all that's been warned about, then dive right into this one, I definitely recommend it.
Can't wait for Raid and Landon's book next! 😘
My Ratings for the Kings of Aces Series:
★ Hateful Love: 4.75 stars (my review)
★ Painful Love: 4.5 stars
★ Sinful Love: TBR
⭐︎ 4.5 Painful Stars Rounded Up! ⭐︎
Painful Love is exactly how it sounds. Painful. Not only because of what Bunky and Whaley like in the bedroom together, but also because of what they go through in the past and present in this book. The title perfectly encompasses Bunky and Whaley's story.
First, expect to have in this:
✅ Age gap
✅ Extreme Possessiveness (on both sides)
✅ Obsession (on both sides)
✅ Co-dependency
✅ "Touch him and die"
✅ Blood play
✅ Both being unhinged
✅ Torture (done to others and to one of the MC's)
✅ Murder (that they both like to engage in)
✅ Past trauma that they remember in brief flashbacks
Whaley and Bunky, first of all, are not normal. If you read the first book and are surprised by this, I don't know what to tell you.
These two are nothing like Silas and Blaine from the first book. There's fucked up and then there's these two.
There's a reason that Whaley calls Bunky his "little psycho" because that is an apt description.
But as you learn more about these two, you understand why they are the way they are. They both went through absolute terror when they both weren't even 10 years old yet. The trauma lasts a lifetime, and given that neither of them are in therapy or getting any actual mental health help, they are both loose canons waiting to be let loose at any moment.
Very much heed the TW's that are at the start of this book. If none of that is for you - or it's too much - then do not read this book. This is definitely a Dark Romance.
While Whaley and Bunky absolutely love each other, they're also two fucked up individuals who like killing, like hurting and pain. They absolutely have no remorse over killing. If that is too much for you to handle, do not read his book.
The first third of this book is mainly getting these two together. Thankfully, the book doesn't take forever for that to happen.
They get together when Bunky is 18 and Whaley 35. If that is too big an age gap (or Bunky is too young) then this also is not the book for you. Neither Bunky or Whaley have feelings until Bunky is already 18, but they do know each other since Bunky is 8 years old, so if that also is a hard line for you, this is also not the book for you.
My only reason for .5 stars on this book is two slight niggles.
I don't think this book transitioned from them not having feelings for each other to having feelings - to being obsessed - the best.
Bunky just kind of gets hard at the way Whaley says something and then that starts his lust for Whaley, but we don't really get to see how it becomes that obsession. It just skips past those months from the first book and then Bunky is fully in that obsession stage. Whaley is as well, but he's also trying to deny it as best he can.
I also am giving a bit off because later on, when he and Bunky are together, he's so reluctant to tell Bunky about his past, thinking it'll be too much for Bunky and send him running, but that thinking doesn't make much sense once he talks about his past to Bunky. Nothing he says is all that much worse than what Bunky went through as a kid, so why would he be scared away by something he's so familiar with? Whaley didn't go too dark with his past, so I was kinda confused by his behavior leading up to him telling Bunky about it. Like what about Bunky screams "i'm going to run at your tragic past"? It just confused me, his behavior.
But other than those niggles, I loved the rest of this.
The chemistry was so good, the sex was fucking hot - especially that first time between them - and they were perfectly wrapped up in each other in their co-depending, unhealthy dynamic and I loved it. They were literally like "leave me and I'll kill you" and it was delicious.
The main plot is mainly these two, but also having to deal with the Vipers, especially when Gunner, the Viper leader's son, is still out for Bunky's blood after he slept with his sister the previous year. Things eventually escalate with that situation.
These two might be very, very fucked up, but they are perfectly fucked up together. They're perfect for each other because only the other could truly, 100% understand the darkness in the other and fully embrace it.
Once these two give into each other, there is no one else for them, and they never give up on each other. They are utterly devoted to each other.
This one definitely is a whole new level of Dark compared to the first book, that's for sure. And the third one, which the authors said at the end of this one will not be as heavy/dark as this one was. So if Dark Romance is too much for you, just read the first book and skip this one to read the third when that comes out.
But if you can handle all that's been warned about, then dive right into this one, I definitely recommend it.
Can't wait for Raid and Landon's book next! 😘
My Ratings for the Kings of Aces Series:
★ Hateful Love: 4.75 stars (my review)
★ Painful Love: 4.5 stars
★ Sinful Love: TBR
April 2, 2024
This series has become one of my favourite series of this year and the author duo is doing a phenomenal job with the stories of the characters. This book is much darker than the first book of this series with unhinged characters and obsessive and possessive vibes.
We met Bunky and Whaley in the previous books, Bunky was a very interesting character and you could tell behind his smile and stabby attitude he was hiding some demons, while Whaley being the leader of the King of Aces was feared by everyone but had much bigger skeletons in his closet.
Bunky's obsession towards Whaley was very fascinating, I loved his bratty attitude and how only he could behave like that with Whaley. Whaley might have tried hard to resist Bunky because he knew they both together were a destruction to happen but he lost the fight very soon. Though initially there was a push and pull between them, once they were committed gahhh I loved their possessiveness. Their sex scenes were hotter and I loved how they played with each other, there was some blood play which I enjoyed a lot. Whaley and Bunky were perfect for each other, the way they let their demons out for each other and accepted them, was their very own happily ever after.
I loved the cameos of Silas and Blaine, and I am super excited to see Raid and Landon's story in the future. Also loved the scenes with Badge and Fox and I am hoping we get Fox's story.
I am becoming immersed in this series and the world the authors have created and I highly recommend you start this series.
* I received an ARC copy from the authors and this is my honest review *
We met Bunky and Whaley in the previous books, Bunky was a very interesting character and you could tell behind his smile and stabby attitude he was hiding some demons, while Whaley being the leader of the King of Aces was feared by everyone but had much bigger skeletons in his closet.
Bunky's obsession towards Whaley was very fascinating, I loved his bratty attitude and how only he could behave like that with Whaley. Whaley might have tried hard to resist Bunky because he knew they both together were a destruction to happen but he lost the fight very soon. Though initially there was a push and pull between them, once they were committed gahhh I loved their possessiveness. Their sex scenes were hotter and I loved how they played with each other, there was some blood play which I enjoyed a lot. Whaley and Bunky were perfect for each other, the way they let their demons out for each other and accepted them, was their very own happily ever after.
I loved the cameos of Silas and Blaine, and I am super excited to see Raid and Landon's story in the future. Also loved the scenes with Badge and Fox and I am hoping we get Fox's story.
I am becoming immersed in this series and the world the authors have created and I highly recommend you start this series.
* I received an ARC copy from the authors and this is my honest review *
March 29, 2024
I don’t even have the words. I was dying for Whaley and Bunky’s story and this delivered and more! All the emotions were felt, they had me cracking up to almost crying at times. I couldn’t have asked for a better story for them! Now to wait for Raid and Landon 😏
April 9, 2024
A dark age gap romance filled with so much obsession that’s its unhinged which was devoured in one sitting🥵
The dynamic between Whaley and Bunky, ughh 🤌🏼
•••
”It’s like the chaos, the bullshit, every bad thing that makes us who we are just fits together somehow. Like all his frayed edges match my jagged ones so seamlessly. He’s like my imperfect perfect missing piece. I know it doesn’t make sense, and I don’t expect you to understand, but it’s the truth. He’s dug himself beneath all my layers, forced his way in, and now that I know what it’s like to have him, I’m never gonna let him go.”
•••
This book will give you emotional whiplash as their story unfolds but in the most perfect way. It was filled with so much angst and emotion that the book will have you speed reading just to get into the next part. Not to mention the humour throughout will literally have you laughing out loud!
It was an incredible read and one that was written so beautifully, just like Hateful Love and I’m sure the rest of the books in this series will be much the same.
•••
“Would have chased you your entire life. Stalked you until you caved. Carved my name into your skin to show you how serious I was. You’ll never be able to escape me.”
“Fucking’ psycho,”
“Now, fuck me like you’ve missed me. Fuck me like you hate me. Fuck me like you can’t live without me.”
•••
Are you kidding me!!??🥵🔥
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
The dynamic between Whaley and Bunky, ughh 🤌🏼
•••
”It’s like the chaos, the bullshit, every bad thing that makes us who we are just fits together somehow. Like all his frayed edges match my jagged ones so seamlessly. He’s like my imperfect perfect missing piece. I know it doesn’t make sense, and I don’t expect you to understand, but it’s the truth. He’s dug himself beneath all my layers, forced his way in, and now that I know what it’s like to have him, I’m never gonna let him go.”
•••
This book will give you emotional whiplash as their story unfolds but in the most perfect way. It was filled with so much angst and emotion that the book will have you speed reading just to get into the next part. Not to mention the humour throughout will literally have you laughing out loud!
It was an incredible read and one that was written so beautifully, just like Hateful Love and I’m sure the rest of the books in this series will be much the same.
•••
“Would have chased you your entire life. Stalked you until you caved. Carved my name into your skin to show you how serious I was. You’ll never be able to escape me.”
“Fucking’ psycho,”
“Now, fuck me like you’ve missed me. Fuck me like you hate me. Fuck me like you can’t live without me.”
•••
Are you kidding me!!??🥵🔥
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
April 1, 2024
Bunky and Whaley have my heart. Silas and Blaine will always be my ride or die characters but Bunky and Whaley were just so (unfortunately) relatable.
It’s absolutely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s okay. It’s definitely on the darker side with a plethora of trigger warnings but it just works.
Whaley tries to fight it, for obvious reasons, but knows that he and Bunky are both lost to their obsession to each other.
Whaley would burn the world down for him (and kinda does) and Bunky wouldn’t hesitate to light the match.
They’re toxic and codependent and everything I wanted for them. It’s a classic wild child and his wild tamer.
I think their story, however dark, just fits with who they are. I did want more of Bunky’s recovery at the end but the story was consistent and great.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but this is my honest and voluntary opinion! 🖤
It’s absolutely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s okay. It’s definitely on the darker side with a plethora of trigger warnings but it just works.
Whaley tries to fight it, for obvious reasons, but knows that he and Bunky are both lost to their obsession to each other.
Whaley would burn the world down for him (and kinda does) and Bunky wouldn’t hesitate to light the match.
They’re toxic and codependent and everything I wanted for them. It’s a classic wild child and his wild tamer.
I think their story, however dark, just fits with who they are. I did want more of Bunky’s recovery at the end but the story was consistent and great.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but this is my honest and voluntary opinion! 🖤
April 25, 2024
I tried but not a fan
April 10, 2024
WHALEY BUNKY BABIES
Oh my poor heart. This was such a good read and I ate this up in one sitting.
I knew I’d love it after reading the bonus scene of chapter 1 many moons ago and have been eagerly waiting ever since. This was a lot darker than the first. I loved both characters, they were so good 😭 they both went through it and I think could only ever really have made sense together. Bro what Bunky had to go through …towards the end …emotionally drained me. But then Whaley brought him back and I just. 🥰 loved it. And after reading the bonus chapter I am DYING for the other two…
Oh my poor heart. This was such a good read and I ate this up in one sitting.
I knew I’d love it after reading the bonus scene of chapter 1 many moons ago and have been eagerly waiting ever since. This was a lot darker than the first. I loved both characters, they were so good 😭 they both went through it and I think could only ever really have made sense together. Bro what Bunky had to go through …towards the end …emotionally drained me. But then Whaley brought him back and I just. 🥰 loved it. And after reading the bonus chapter I am DYING for the other two…
April 24, 2024
I want to give this 2 stars but that is too low and 3 stars is too high so 2.5 as a compromise…
I don’t know wtf this story is, I just know I didn’t enjoy it which is kind of sad because I liked Hateful love and was excited for this one but oh well! You win some, you loose some I guess
I don’t know wtf this story is, I just know I didn’t enjoy it which is kind of sad because I liked Hateful love and was excited for this one but oh well! You win some, you loose some I guess
May 3, 2024
Jaka to była dobra książka - idealnie dopasowała się do wszystkiego, co uwielbiam w "mrocznych" romansach.
April 10, 2024
3.5 wishing it was more stars
So hateful love (Silas and Blaine’s story) was and still is my favorite read of the year, so naturally I got my hopes up that this would be up to par with it. Surprisingly it wasn’t.
I knew I wasn’t going to like it as much when the prologue is Whaley just getting done having sex with a sex worker. Granted it was 10 years prior to the start of the story but it wasn’t needed and didn’t add to the story in any way.
Also I was super confused on the timeline of this book. The first chapter is the beginning of Bunky’s senior year and then it talks about a few months go by and then the year is over. It never said anything about a span of 9 months so it was confusing.
While I liked both of the characters I wasn’t sure how I liked them together. I mean I love codependency and toxic relationships in my books and that’s not what was wrong with it, it just kind of came from out of no where. Whaley said a few words to Bunky in a certain way and then BAM, obsession on both of their ends. It was a weird transition.
I also didn’t expect this book to be so dark. Bunky was such a silly character in the first book, I wasn’t expecting so much darkness in both his and Whaley’s past. I’m fine with torture in books but when the torture is toward one of the MCs it’s not my jam at all. I mean these two went through so much already and then to have a MC BRUTALLY tortured just took away from the book so much. After it happened I was eager for the book to be over. Also it happened so far into the book that there wasn’t much time left over for him to heal properly and he never even went to the hospital afterwards. There’s no way he was hurt that badly and just healed from being at home.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sex scene in the epilogue either, I always feel like that’s such a waste!!
Also I felt robbed of Whaley not finding out Bunky has a stalker shrine of him in his room!!! Like that would have been a great scene to have in there.
I’m very happy the next book will be so much lighter and we will be getting two MC virgins!!! Love that!! Also if you haven’t read the first one in the series I recommend it because it was so good!!
NO CHEATING
NO OP DRAMA REALLY
NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP
AGE GAP (18-19/35)
OBSESSIVE MCS
CODEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP
GRAPHIC TORTUE
MURDER
DRUG USE
So hateful love (Silas and Blaine’s story) was and still is my favorite read of the year, so naturally I got my hopes up that this would be up to par with it. Surprisingly it wasn’t.
I knew I wasn’t going to like it as much when the prologue is Whaley just getting done having sex with a sex worker. Granted it was 10 years prior to the start of the story but it wasn’t needed and didn’t add to the story in any way.
Also I was super confused on the timeline of this book. The first chapter is the beginning of Bunky’s senior year and then it talks about a few months go by and then the year is over. It never said anything about a span of 9 months so it was confusing.
While I liked both of the characters I wasn’t sure how I liked them together. I mean I love codependency and toxic relationships in my books and that’s not what was wrong with it, it just kind of came from out of no where. Whaley said a few words to Bunky in a certain way and then BAM, obsession on both of their ends. It was a weird transition.
I also didn’t expect this book to be so dark. Bunky was such a silly character in the first book, I wasn’t expecting so much darkness in both his and Whaley’s past. I’m fine with torture in books but when the torture is toward one of the MCs it’s not my jam at all. I mean these two went through so much already and then to have a MC BRUTALLY tortured just took away from the book so much. After it happened I was eager for the book to be over. Also it happened so far into the book that there wasn’t much time left over for him to heal properly and he never even went to the hospital afterwards. There’s no way he was hurt that badly and just healed from being at home.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sex scene in the epilogue either, I always feel like that’s such a waste!!
Also I felt robbed of Whaley not finding out Bunky has a stalker shrine of him in his room!!! Like that would have been a great scene to have in there.
I’m very happy the next book will be so much lighter and we will be getting two MC virgins!!! Love that!! Also if you haven’t read the first one in the series I recommend it because it was so good!!
NO CHEATING
NO OP DRAMA REALLY
NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP
AGE GAP (18-19/35)
OBSESSIVE MCS
CODEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP
GRAPHIC TORTUE
MURDER
DRUG USE
April 25, 2024
What is the romance without a bit of toxicity and obsession, right?! Don't get me wrong, I like some light stories, but every now and then, I crave something darker to feed the black parts of my soul. This was everything I needed. The connection between these characters was so strong that you knew they were going to be each other ride or die. Was is smooth and easy, hell no, but with these two, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Whaley's past is dark. He has demons lurking beneath his skin, having its cravings. Over the years, he learnt how to keep them at bay. But when the stubborn "little plycho" is pushing his buttons, the monster inside him is trying to convince him to take a bite from forbidden fruit. I need to say he was doing a good job trying to not gave into temptation, but once Bunkly's obsession grows, so is Whaley's will getting thinner.
When I've read about Bunkly's past, my perception of him changed. In book one, we got to know him as that over the top friend who always goes too far and doesn't care what's happens next. The trouma he experienced shaped him in the way. He knows the pain it might be the only feeling he understands properly, and he craves it.
There are a lot of dark elements in this story, so make sure to check TW.
I love both of the mc's here. They are complex, unhinged, obsessive, and drowning in the darkness of their trauma, yet together to me, they are beautiful chaos! The book is obviously more on the dark side, but the banter or the fanny dialogue we have between characters gives it a bit of lightness.
I really enjoyed this crazy ride. It's not a sweet love story, and these guys will go through hell to finally reach their hea, but I loved every min of it 🩸
I'm excited for what's to come in book 3.
Whaley's past is dark. He has demons lurking beneath his skin, having its cravings. Over the years, he learnt how to keep them at bay. But when the stubborn "little plycho" is pushing his buttons, the monster inside him is trying to convince him to take a bite from forbidden fruit. I need to say he was doing a good job trying to not gave into temptation, but once Bunkly's obsession grows, so is Whaley's will getting thinner.
When I've read about Bunkly's past, my perception of him changed. In book one, we got to know him as that over the top friend who always goes too far and doesn't care what's happens next. The trouma he experienced shaped him in the way. He knows the pain it might be the only feeling he understands properly, and he craves it.
There are a lot of dark elements in this story, so make sure to check TW.
I love both of the mc's here. They are complex, unhinged, obsessive, and drowning in the darkness of their trauma, yet together to me, they are beautiful chaos! The book is obviously more on the dark side, but the banter or the fanny dialogue we have between characters gives it a bit of lightness.
I really enjoyed this crazy ride. It's not a sweet love story, and these guys will go through hell to finally reach their hea, but I loved every min of it 🩸
I'm excited for what's to come in book 3.
April 9, 2024
Bunky deserves the whole fucking world and it may seem strange what I’m about to say but during the whole book I just couldn’t help but think that Nikolai sokolov would’ve given him the whole world.
Bunky was so sweet and so obsessed I just wanted to cuddle him the whole time.
'I roll off my bed, crawl toward my dingy closet, and fish out the cardboard box tucked in the back. I’m like a dragon appreciating its hoard, little scraps of Whaley I’ve managed to sneak away laid out in front of me.
It’s not creepy, it’s sweet, and I don’t care if people say otherwise.
I start with his comb that he left in his office one day, rubbing it against my cheek, wanting to feel my fingers threading through his hair.
I loved the shrine hahahahaha
Bunky was so sweet and so obsessed I just wanted to cuddle him the whole time.
'I roll off my bed, crawl toward my dingy closet, and fish out the cardboard box tucked in the back. I’m like a dragon appreciating its hoard, little scraps of Whaley I’ve managed to sneak away laid out in front of me.
It’s not creepy, it’s sweet, and I don’t care if people say otherwise.
I start with his comb that he left in his office one day, rubbing it against my cheek, wanting to feel my fingers threading through his hair.
I loved the shrine hahahahaha
April 6, 2024
"We're like a lit match and lighter fluid, which is fine separately, but the second they come together, it creates a fire that spreads, burning everything in its path."
The authors sure weren't kidding when they said this book is darker than book 1. Bunky and Whaley had to go through quite a lot in order to get their Happily Ever After, well as close to happy as two very disturbed individuals can be when they are not lost in a violent rage. These two are the literal definition of red flags. 🚩🚩🚩
"Bunky, you have to be real sure about this. This will change everythin'. Once you're mine, I'll never let you escape."
See what I mean? This is very much a toxic, obsessive, borderline psychopathic romance. If you've read book 1, then you've had a glimpse of Bunky's quirks. What you didn't learn in book 1 is that Whaley is just as unhinged as his much younger lover. He just hides it better is all. It does make sense that they'd be similar in their psyche as their childhood pasts seem to mirror one another's. I can't imagine living through what they did as children and coming out unscathed. I'm actually surprised they are functioning as well as they are and that's saying something!
"I can't explain it. There aren't words. We're a beautiful fucking disaster waitin' to happen, I know it. I know it and yet I can't find it in me to stop what we've started. I won't."
Make sure you read the TW before you begin because when they say torture they mean on page. It got pretty gruesome at points and I did need to take a bit of a breather. While this one ends on sort of a HFN in their epilogue, based on their personalities and things they said, I don't think these two are ever going to part ways, not without one being in a body bag. Their relationship may be toxic AF, but I don't think they would have worked with anyone else but each other.
The authors sure weren't kidding when they said this book is darker than book 1. Bunky and Whaley had to go through quite a lot in order to get their Happily Ever After, well as close to happy as two very disturbed individuals can be when they are not lost in a violent rage. These two are the literal definition of red flags. 🚩🚩🚩
"Bunky, you have to be real sure about this. This will change everythin'. Once you're mine, I'll never let you escape."
See what I mean? This is very much a toxic, obsessive, borderline psychopathic romance. If you've read book 1, then you've had a glimpse of Bunky's quirks. What you didn't learn in book 1 is that Whaley is just as unhinged as his much younger lover. He just hides it better is all. It does make sense that they'd be similar in their psyche as their childhood pasts seem to mirror one another's. I can't imagine living through what they did as children and coming out unscathed. I'm actually surprised they are functioning as well as they are and that's saying something!
"I can't explain it. There aren't words. We're a beautiful fucking disaster waitin' to happen, I know it. I know it and yet I can't find it in me to stop what we've started. I won't."
Make sure you read the TW before you begin because when they say torture they mean on page. It got pretty gruesome at points and I did need to take a bit of a breather. While this one ends on sort of a HFN in their epilogue, based on their personalities and things they said, I don't think these two are ever going to part ways, not without one being in a body bag. Their relationship may be toxic AF, but I don't think they would have worked with anyone else but each other.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews