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Theirs to Ruin

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★★★★★ "Wow! This first book in this new series blew me away!"Two desire me. One loathes me. All three will ruin me…



I’m attending Crimsonvale University with only one goal in mind - win back the family fortune and earn my freedom.



Now I’ve been accused of a crime and three wildly different men are determined to prove my innocence.



My best friend’s brother Kage is the heir to the Irish Mob. Pierced, sexy and deadly, he sees me for all I can be.



Dante, my school counselor, is a tempting enigma. A tattooed philosopher who rides with the local MC, he sees me for all I am.



And Ty, my scarred ex-boyfriend? He's become a bully, determined to break my heart all over again.



I want them all — even if it means they destroy me.

Theirs to Ruin is a dark New Adult college #whychoose romance where the heroine has more than one love interest. It contains themes and situations some readers may find uncomfortable. Please read the Content Warning at the beginning of the book to be sure this story is for you.

______________________★★★★★ "Camille's relationships had me swooning"★★★★★ "...angsty romance, suspense, and incredible steamy scenes..."★★★★★ "A 10 out of 10 stars from me."★★★★★ "...one of my favorites already this year!"★★★★★ "...has love and intrigue and absolutely wonderful characters"★★★★★ "Oh wow this was an absolutely amazing first installment!"

540 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2024

210 people are currently reading
307 people want to read

About the author

Virna DePaul

134 books987 followers
A former prosecutor, Virna DePaul writes "heat, heart, & HEA" for Harlequin and Random House. She is also a bestselling Indie author, with Bedding The Wrong Brother being a top 100 contemporary romance on Amazon with over 150 5* reviews. www.virnadepaul.com

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5 stars
153 (56%)
4 stars
75 (27%)
3 stars
22 (8%)
2 stars
16 (5%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for Dariasreading.
236 reviews13 followers
February 17, 2024
2⭐️
3🌶️

I was provided a copy of this book for a fair and honest review via NetGalley.

Crimsonvale University and a school for the rich and the criminal. Students are the children’s of the world’s criminal elite. Daddy’s a corrupt politician and mommy runs the cartel kind of people. This book follows the story of Camille and three men who are absolutely obsessed with her while she tries to clear her name of murder.

I had a hard time with this book, I found the FMC to have her moments of strength, but over all her character felt incomplete. The men were also superficial lacking depth of character. I can tell the author was attempting to balance mystery with backstory and it missed the mark for me.
44 reviews
April 22, 2024
ARC REVIEW!!

MS.ZZOOOEEEE!!!!! This book had me in a chokehold. I was HOOKED! I laughed. I was clutching my pearls. I was gasping. I had all the emotions. The spice level in this book was everything. Daddy Kage...yes take me now..sweet caring Dante I'm yours....bully Ty...uugghhh...I can see why Camille was in the predicament she was in.

Five stars is not enough for the ride this book took me on. I cursed at the end of the book because I was not ready for it to end that way. Go read this NOW!

Theirs to Rule up next!!
Profile Image for Janet Guzman.
553 reviews11 followers
April 10, 2024
Okay let me say that I was not expecting this to have me in the chokehold I was placed in!!!!!! Holy hells the drama suspense spice the empowerment🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵 dying now for book 2 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 I need to know what happens to Kage!!??!! And what’s gonna happen with Ty & Dante… what have you started Ms Flynn starting this series ** chefs kiss**
Profile Image for DatGirlLele.
10 reviews
January 8, 2025
Oh my goshhh‼️ This was the first book I finished this year😭 Yalllll the slow burn of this book. The way the plot twist twisted me and had me in a choke hold the entire book. I don’t even know what to do now that I’m finished😭 Yallll seee no I can’t with them‼️ I’m going to read book 2 though!
Profile Image for Trish.
361 reviews4 followers
October 4, 2024
Such a good book!

What a great story. I could not stop reading it. Lots of suspense, lots of action, lots of spice! A definite re-read!
Profile Image for Becka.
186 reviews2 followers
May 7, 2024
Theirs to Ruin a dark romance why choose

I felt like the dynamic of a school for the children of various criminals was super interesting. getting to experience Camille trying to navigate excelling in a world that felt too hard for her. her past trauma of heartache and the loss of her mother.
Being to explore herself sexualy and her feelings for Kage, Dante and Ty 🌶🌶🌶🌶
ALL WHILE BEING ACCUSED OF MURDER. a good read for sure.


as always check your trigger warnings 🩷🩷🩷
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Christine Powell.
54 reviews
April 6, 2024
This is a why chose dark romance with murder, attempted murder, choking, explicit sexual activity, and other possible triggers. Read the trigger warning list if you have possible sensitivities. However, if you have a trigger-warning kink, read it just to satisfy yourself.

I'm going to try not to give any spoilers away. The MFC is Camile, a student at Crimsonvalle University which is the school of choice for the wealthy children of prestigious backgrounds and criminal backgrounds alike. Camile and her older sister Bianca are the daughters of a corrupt politician. Camile's roommate, Ava, is the sister of the next head of the Irish mob, Kage, a senior at the college as well as one of the MMCs.

When Ava is killed, Camile is caught in the wake. She is terrified Kage or his family will kill her or that she will become the target of the killer. She is also attracted to Kage. But not just Kage. She is also attracted to Dante, a mysteriously guidance counselor at her school, and she has an old boyfriend, Ty, who dumped her, but whom she is still is conflicted about.

In this swirl of emotional upheaval, Camile is navigating her feelings, the growing relationships with all three men and trying to save her college standings and trying to figure out who killed Ava, while avoiding being killed herself.

As her relationships progress, she is growing in her own sense of self esteem, thanks to Kage's willingness to have her himself, but let her explore her feelings as well. The sex scenes are so hot. This is a 5 🌶 book. The author is skilled at writing hot sex scenes while still perfecting the slow burn. Hard to believe, but trust me, the spicy scenes will leave you beathless.

The book also ends on a cliffhanger. A really heart-rending cliffhanger. But man, I cannot wait for the next book.

Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Cipriana.
99 reviews2 followers
September 15, 2024
*this was free on stuff your kindle day*

I have this a three because it seems really far fetched. I know we all read nonsense but this is really kind of bananas.

Like, one of the male characters is a guidance counselor at a university but he’s also in a biker gang.
Those things don’t go together. 🤣

Some of the language and behavior doesn’t line up with what we’re told to believe or feel about certain characters, and there’s a handful of plot holes, but in all the plot is actually really good.

The story jumps around a bit and it’s hard to pin down what exactly is the driving force for the plot but it doesn’t kind of level out towards the end.

It does end on a cliffhanger and the second book releases is December, I hope.

Profile Image for Manda Jean.
433 reviews8 followers
April 9, 2024
That ENDING ARE YOU SERIOUS! This story had me hooked from the synopsis. As I read this story I could not put it down, this is a dark romance please check your triggers before reading.

The fact the school is for criminal and corrupt government children had me so intrigued so you already know everyone in this story has a questionable moral compass. This school also has a tier system everyone starts at 3 and you need to make it to 1 as soon as possible and stay there and it depends on different factors including grades.

Camille our FMCs main focus is keeping her head down and making tier 1, she also dealing with her own trauma and is dealing with living with her ex best friend. When one night out starts and chain reaction to her life.

There are 3 MC’s Kage who is her ex best friends brother and is also the heir to the Irish Mafia. He saves her from a bad situation she has always had a crush on him but never thought he reciprocated boy was she wrong. I ABSOLUTELY love Kage if I had to choose he is the one.

Dante is a biker and school counselor who has a dark secret there are times you look at him sideways. Even knowing some of his secret I just have a nagging feeling when it comes to him that not everything is what it seems.

Ty is her ex who was madly in love with it after a summer in Rome together, but then he breaks up with her out of nowhere 2 years before this story starts. Ty is annoying he pushes her away at every turn but won’t give her the closure and backpedals often.

I need book 2 yesterday I was sitting there with my mouth wide open at the end of this story.

~~What to Expect~~
🖤Why Choose
🖤Dark Romance
🖤Bully
🖤Trauma
🖤Grief
🖤Touch Her and 💀

~Quotes~
❤️‍🔥Because you have consumed me. Every dream, every touch, every thought I have-it’s you. You, Camille, are all I think about. You’re the one I fantasize about. I don’t know how or why, but you own me. And you have for quite a while.
❤️‍🔥You’re beyond beautiful. Seeing you tonight, it’s like glimpsing, a once-in-a-lifetime comet. I’m just lucky to be in its path.
❤️‍🔥I was in love with a dangerous man whose darkness probably eclipsed more than I could ever imagine but whose light had still managed to revive in me something I thought I’d lost forever.
Profile Image for Thebookimburiedin.
142 reviews4 followers
April 14, 2024
This book is like gossip girl for the corrupts children but with smut, piercings, and unaliving. The fmc Camile and her older sister Bianca are the children of a corrupt politician. When her ex best friend Ava, (who out of the blue started being the world biggest b) dies Camile wants to find out why. Ava's brother Kage, the school counselor Dante, and Camile's ex boytoy (who broke up with her over text) Ty are the men of this story and honestly they're all very confusing to me. They treat her like shit or keep their distance while simultaneously being obsessed with her or loving her desperately.

As her relationships progress she does begin to slightly grow into her own self esteem. In my opinion not much though. The fmc to me is lacking in boldness, strength, and spine. I wish she would have fought some people especially in the beginning. RIP to Ava but the girl deserved a broken nose.

I will say the first about 50% of the book feels a little like it was edging me but when we get them we get some pretty superb smut scenes. Zoe Flynn can write some smut and really freaking well!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Profile Image for Jodie.
155 reviews
February 11, 2024
WARNING: This book contains scenes that depict bullying that some readers may find disturbing. For those who choose to continue, you won’t be disappointed!

MUST READ SERIES! Wow! This first book in this new series blew me away! I was hooked from the very first page and couldn’t put this book down! What an intriguing, suspenseful, and steamy story! The story has love and intrigue and absolutely wonderful characters! I was expecting cliff hangers at a few spots in the book along the way, but I was so glad that wasn’t the case. Zoe doesn’t leave us hanging at all and sets us up for the next book that I personally can’t wait to read!

This perfectly summarizes Camille’s character: “It felt like I was in a dangerous chess game where pieces kept changing on the board and I was constantly put into check.” Crimsonvale University isn’t just a school; it’s a cauldron of secrets, lies, and hidden agendas that will take you on one wild ride! If you love angsty romance, suspense, and incredible steamy scenes, you’ll love this series!
17 reviews
April 11, 2024
Absolutely obsessed with this book from the get go. Could not put it down once I started. The ending is definitely a cliff hanger that leaves you wanting more.
If you love why choose romances this book is definitely for you, having to choose between three men; one whose your ex-bestfriends brother whose the future leader of the Irish mafia, one who is a badass biker and her school counsellor, and one who is her ex who she was in love with after spending a summer in Rome together.
The complexity of the characters and the more secrets that come out as you learn more about them, especially Ty will having you wanting to learn more. Having to deal with a murder and finding out who the killer is real keeps you hooked.
This book not only had all the spice, but mystery, romance, and heartache. Cannot wait for the next book to come out.
*make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading the book
Profile Image for Lauren.
591 reviews5 followers
dnf
February 23, 2024
I DNF'ed at about 20% in. When I read the synopsis, I thought the book sounded incredibly interesting, and I read Dante's relationship to Camille as "school counselor" to mean a guidance counselor or advisor. So I was a little bit thrown to find that he was actually Cami's mental health counselor who she spoke to about the various traumas in her life until she stopped seeing him due to her attraction to him. I think this needs to be edited in the description of the book to make it clear that this is a counselor/patient relationship more than a faculty/student relationship (at least in my opinion).

I will say I REALLY liked Kage, and if I kept reading, it would have been exclusively for him.
373 reviews5 followers
October 3, 2024
Finding her strength

Theirs to Ruin is an intriguing RH. Set in a world that is built around a university that the unsavory underworld sends their kids to. Of course, this means that this story is full of danger, darkness, and three men that make your heart race. And Camille is in the center of all of it.

She'll have to gain her confidence if she's going to make it with the others at CU. Secrets, lies, and betrayal put her at risk, but the thing that's at most risk is her heart. Kage, Dante, and Ty want to protect her but who's going to protect her from them?

Warning the book ends on a cliffhanger so be prepared to curse out the author as you have to wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Sussu {Romance Obsessed}.
249 reviews11 followers
January 16, 2025
Got this for free on stuff your kindle day!

First thing's first: this book was not good.
However, I enjoyed reading it while feeling under the weather.

The plot was super far-fetched....I mean, a school that has seduction 101? Nude drawing lessons? A guidance counselor who is also part of a biking gang and deals drugs? A school matchmaker who pairs up students?
I could go on and on.
It felt like a fever dream, honestly.

The spice was really lacking. Maybe I've been spoiled, but everything felt so boring. So vanilla.
I also really really hate books in the RH genre that don't have the guys "working together" if you get what I mean. What's the point if they're all separate and it's one guy at a time?
Profile Image for Alysia boundnbookd.
24 reviews3 followers
April 6, 2024
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Camille is attending Crimsonvale University. She is determined to make Tier One to win her freedom while also getting back her family fortune. When she is accused of a crime she did not commit. Three very different men are determined to help prove her innocence. Kage is her best friends/roommates brother, Dante is a counselor/ has ties to the local MC, Ty is her ex from years ago only there to vengeance but can’t keep his distance…. Something you should know about CU all its students have a wealthy/criminal family background & there are many secrets kept.
This is book 1 of the series with Theirs to Rule (book 2) releasing on May 14,2024.
Profile Image for Brandy C.
236 reviews5 followers
April 11, 2024
This. Book. Did. Not. Miss!!!

Zoe did SUCH a great job with this story and the characters that I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. I love that there is actually a really great story to go along with the spice.

If you like any or ALL of these…you’re gonna wanna grab this book…
why choose
bully
collegiate
best friends brother
age gap

Why choose is my at the tippy top of my list, so of course I devoured it. The 3 MMCs compliment each other well and you cannot help but want em all. Zoey knows how to edge you, but I promise you do get rewarded. I have no doubt the 2nd book is going to be a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me…this one was almost there.
Profile Image for Kayla.
66 reviews4 followers
April 11, 2024
From beginning to end, I was unable to put this book down. There are 3 MMC…Dante is this biker and school counselor with some dark secrets….so as you know that is obviously a green flag in our book world 😂. Kate, the ex best friends brother and an heir to the Irish mafia…another green flag. Ty is her ex boyfriend, who I’m not a huge fan of, he kind of flip flops and pushes her away but loves her and he’s just not for me…but the other two 🥵. Camille is dealing with her own trauma and living with her ex best friend and is in her own head a lot. I do love me a good bully romance and this for sure had me love it!! All of it!!!
Profile Image for Elyse King.
66 reviews3 followers
May 3, 2024
This book!!!! The secrets, the lies, the love.... it was all AMAZING! Kage stole my heart from the minute he protected her in the bar. Dante and his way of showing her he cares is beautiful. Then there is Ty, I have so many mixed feelings about him...

Camille can't catch a break no matter how hard she tries. Just when you think things might be ok, something comes at her and spins her world out of control. Then you have that ending!!! I love a cliffhanger, pun intended, and this was the kind that has you gripping your seat.
Profile Image for Andrea Gugliotta.
126 reviews1 follower
February 17, 2024
Never read anything by this author before. I’m so glad I decided to give it a try. This book was excellent. It’s a Dark College setting with three different men & one girl Camille who is accused of killing someone. Irish mob Kage,Dark tattooed school counselor Dante and an ex boyfriend who disappeared and now is at the college under a different name. The storyline was excellent and was hot and kept me wanted to read. Can’t wait to read book2
Profile Image for L_raffertysky.Com.
687 reviews3 followers
December 31, 2024
Mixed feelings

This is a hard book to review. There were elements f the plot I really liked but it was just too slow and not convincing. I don't know what genre this fits in perfectly as some of the RH troupes are there but it's just a bit lacking in tension. I got frustrated with the lead female I don't think she was strong enough which made it a bit difficult to connect. The cliff hanger was good at the end.
825 reviews6 followers
February 12, 2024
Not my typical read but I could not put it down! Intrigue, drama, deception and of course a bunch of sex. When a group of college kids whose parents think they run the world are all thrown together what do you think happens? Mayhem. A group of blessed people and those that they deem below them and all of the drama that entails makes for some detailed reading.
Profile Image for Readingwithdesi .
1,332 reviews40 followers
March 28, 2024
HOLY SH!T this book took me for a ride! Not trying to get any spoilers here but we got a pierced. 🍆 we got mafia. We got motorcycles, Club we got the counselor and the client. We have toucher and 💀vibes. THE overprotectiveness in this book is there. This is the most read, if you lack mafia, dark romance.
33 reviews
May 15, 2024
Zoe Flynn nailed it ❣️

Instantly pulls you in. Such a well written story that I didn’t want it to end. I usually skip the university mafia stories because they don’t have a good story line but Zoe Flynn has nailed it! Please write faster, I am looking forward to reading many more from this amazing author.
Profile Image for Katy.
703 reviews8 followers
February 14, 2024
Amazing 👏

Oh wow this was an absolutely amazing first installment, filled with mystery, intrigue, heartache, angst, romance, and top notch spice. And don't be put off by the bully trope only one of the 3 guys bullies her and it's mire of a mild push her away bully.
Profile Image for Emily P.
204 reviews7 followers
April 11, 2024
Really solid start to the series!
Lots to choose from (😏 trope wise too). Everything from College, to motorcycles, to professors, and piercings. Oh and spice. It has a bunch of that too.
This was a pretty wild ride, but it’s just making me want to read book two even more now.
Profile Image for Melissa Khang.
344 reviews3 followers
September 12, 2024
Oh lord.

This book was devoured in less than 24 hours with a late night up. This book definitely got me out of the slump I've been in for month. I love me some Kage and I can't wait for the 2ns installation in this series.
350 reviews5 followers
February 21, 2024
This book was amazing! It is filled with mystery, intrigue, heartache, and spice. It has a little of everything. I can not wait for the next one. This definitely a must read!!
Profile Image for hea booktubes.
1,699 reviews383 followers
z-dnf-2024
April 10, 2024
DNF 60% the next day I just didn’t care to continue.
Profile Image for Brandi Hammel.
83 reviews
April 15, 2024
That ending had me SCREAMING!! Thankfully I don’t have to wait long for the next book. I devoured it. The way these men talk her through everything 🥵 and made sure she uses her words. 🥵 🥵 🥵
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews

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