Beautiful Dark Temptation

Arcadia U #1

by Roxas Winters

Tomás

I’ve lost everything.

Forced into a prison masking as a school, I find myself in the crosshairs of more than one killer. My savior? The arrogant prick who wants to control me. Kieran is a nightmare wrapped in a seductive package and when he sets his sights on me I don’t know whether to fight him or kiss him.

Kieran

I am the eldest bastard of one of the four founders of Arcadia University, and I will do anything to see my family fall.

The secrets I’ve kept hidden behind my heart now threaten to bury me alive with the arrival of Tomás. He consumes my space, my thoughts, my nightmares. I hate him for how he makes me feel. This toxic attraction between us forces me to question what matters most—vengeance, power, love. But Tomas doesn’t fit into my world of lies and violence and I’m not ready to lose it all for a beautiful dark temptation.

Genres: Enemies To Lovers, M M Romance, Dark Romance, LGBT

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 27, 2024

About the author

I write mm romance with characters who might not deserve their HEA but fight for it anyway.

I am a neurodivergent coffee drinker who spends way too much time contemplating how to avoid people. Imaginary people are fine. If I were a character in a book, I'd be the prickly, grumpy one with one shoe.

Some of my favorite authors include JR Ward, Gena Showalter, Nordika Night, Adam Silvera, Alexis Hall, and Rina Kent.

Follow me on IG: roxaswinters

Reviews

[Evie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining and very easily consumable read, but to be totally honest, this was not especially well written and while it had a lot of potential, I found that this book mostly skimmed the surface of what it was capable of, and the plot felt loosely strung together at times and the characters felt like they needed more fleshing out.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, if I was a racoon I would absolutely be frolicking neck deep in the trash pile of over-the-top drama, violence and romance that this book represents, and I will definitely still be reading book 2. I feel like this book scratches the same place in my brain that trashy CW TV shows of the 00s do.

After the assassination of his father (the head of the criminal organisation La Sagrada Sangre) Tomás finds himself being sent to the Arcadia Academy, a prison like school for all the violent bastards from various criminal families. Tomás immediately comes to the attention of The Arc Boys, the most violent and powerful of the student body, but especially gains the attention of their leader Kieran Brennan, a bastard of one of the 4 founding families.

I found that I had to continuously remind myself that these characters were meant to be in a college setting because the whole thing read as VERY high school. I kept feeling as if the author really meant to write this as a mafia high school story but couldn’t do that and have it still be appropriate to include spicy scenes (there are two or three of them, but they are quite mild on the spice scale)

I enjoy the idea of mafia type romances, but I have yet to come across one that really meets the potential of what I wish I could find in this genre, but I didn’t hate my time with this book at all, I just wish it was a little bit more.

[Monikat · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨✨✨✨✨🪄✨✨✨✨✨
Blown away. I want more. I'm patiently (screaming inside) waiting for the next books. I inhaled this book. Perfect for me. A true ,they try to kill each other, enemies to lovers. Just so you know this beauty is a Happy For Now book. Tomas is such an angel and Kieran, so dark. I'm losing my words, it's 4:30 in the morning. Loved it, I tell ya!!!!

I need this story to conclude and then I need Dash and Fox's story.
Roxas Winters, you have written all the puzzle pieces to many stories here, we'll be seeing each other a lot 🤩

✨Reread March 23, 2025✨

I stand by my first review with only one short note that the start of the book was hella' confusing. Story, names, thoughts and time trips made it hard to follow. Thankfully it all fell in place later. This was a well conceived story (up til now)
I hope book two continues to be as good as this was.
Plus, can I just say that Tomàs is an angel to Kieran's darkness. I hope they make it.

[Fen'Harel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! Give me fourteen of them, right away!
Loved this book. Can't express how much this book delighted me. It's like The Foxhole Court was set to 100 and we actually got to see these guys act out a lot.
This story is told in dual POV's so if that's something you're into you, this book is for you!
The story started a little slow - we meet Tomás after learning quite a bit about his life and history (it feels like we're getting quite a bit of information) and then we meet Keiran. I felt like the concept of Tomás going to this college is quite random BUT I enjoyed it as I knew it would be interesting. I think the story picks up after he meets Dasher and starts prepping for school (also if the next book isn't about Dasher I'm going to scream).
Sometimes the plot felt like we missed precious parts of it. Something would happen but it would be off page despite it happening to a main character. It would be something like (I'm making this up so there's no spoilers) Tomás was in science class working and then the next chapter was in Keiran's POV and suddenly he's in a huff because he punched Tomás three times for stealing his lunch. Like when did that happen? Why? Show us, don't tell us!
I loved learning about the friendships Tomás created at school, even if we the readers were stressing about every minute of it!
The only reason we lost a star on this was due to the fact that our lovely protagonist, Tomás, often brought up his past with trauma but it's never really made clear. I feel like it's sexual trauma but he never seems to have any issues. He happily has sex, kisses people, doesn't have PTSD or nightmares. It's only ever brought up in one sexual experience which is dealt with quickly and then the scene continues. I just feel like if a character is going to have perceived sexual trauma, the author needs to really make it realistic and give the character a bit more of a natural response to the trauma.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'll be returning for the next!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Krys · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book so much! I completely recommend this book! It was sooo good ! I can't wait to read more books from this author and I will definitely be recommending this book to all my bookie friends!

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars - Yes, another totally different mafia story! I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, but this was definitely a surprise. It starts out a little slow for the first chapter while things are getting set up. Once Tomás arrives at Arcadia U thought, we get to see a little more of this story shape up. Arcadia U is a school where the mafia and underbelly send their kids. It’s a neutral safe zone where the various families/gangs do not touch. However, it is sort of like the mafia within the mafia, with the family members of the four founding fathers holding the highest rankings. Kieran is the head of the highest house, which is also where Tomás ends up.

This is where things get a little muddy, at least for me they did. The ties between Tomás, Kieran and the rest of the families are somewhat intricate and tangled. Tomás is somewhat lost at times trying to find his place and fit in while uncovering details about his family. Kieran, on the other hand, is a member of a founding family who has a plan, with his friends and “allies,” to take that family out. In the meantime, he is trying to figure out how and where Tomás fits in to the structure. Add to that is the attraction/connection Kieran and Tomás share which complicates things even further.

Kieran is closeted, and for good reason. He cannot let it affect his plans, and if anyone, including his family, find out, things will be very bad for him. Kieran was forced at a young age to be a ruthless killer with no emotion. So, when Tomás evokes feelings he has kept squashed, he doesn’t handle it the best way, and unfortunately, Tomás pays the price. Tomás, on the other hand, while unsure of many aspects of his life, is pretty secure with his sexuality and feelings. He probably takes more than he should from Kieran, wanting to fit in and be taken care of (unlike how he was raised), but he stands up for himself after a time.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this story that make it very interesting. As I said earlier, this is a story within a story with things happening inside Arcadia while things are happening outside. When those two collide, things really get shaken up. People you thought were the bad guys turn out to be not so bad as reasons and details are unveiled. Plans evolve as the story unfolds, and while this ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, we know what direction things are going in. This is my first book by this author, and I am hooked. I was turning pages quickly and didn’t want to put this down. It’s gritty and dark but relationships grow and evolve. Here, the “youngsters” are the main players, and while the elders are still in charge, these guys are looking to make moves. I am really looking forward to the next installment and hope we don’t have to wait too long to get it. Definitely recommend if you like interesting and intricate mafia themed stories a bit different from the rest.

Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.

[Joyffree]

"You, Tomás. You're the last light I have left."
I can not rave enough about what an absolutely ducked-up relationship these two have.
Even at the end, though I am pretty sure it is also the beginning,
these two were so toxic for each other
They were a tailor-made couple - Dark meet Light

"The dead screamed in one unison cry inside of me"
A lot is going on with the different characters, at times we just get teasers or glimpses.
We know very little about them for the first half of the story.
As the storyline progresses more is revealed about who they are and how they are connected
There are a couple of scenes that just threw me a curve from nowhere - major plot twists

"We were the throwaways"
Pretty much a school for the unwanted.
Some families just didnt want them acknowledged
Some had defects, but nothing serious, they just weren't perfect enough
Others were there for their safety, so their sponsors said

"At least in the hood, we fought for respect, family, land area that didnt belong to us. We fought for something."
Tomás stole my heart. Despite the abuse from his mother and the loss of certain family members, he was still so innocent, so honest, and so damn trusting
The sacrifice thing made me so mad!
And then for them to turn around and act that way toward him...
He was a lot more forgiving than I would have been

"The stains of all those suffering bleed on the walls, the floor the ceiling. They scream and nobody listens"
Kieran...
Falls in the morally grey area
However, at the same time, he doesn't
A lot of the things he does and how he responds are his way of protecting the people he cares about as well as responses that have been ingrained into his psyche (I'm trying not to ruin it)
His youth was as bad as Tomás' but in a different way

"It's not that I want you. It's that you are mine."
I just want to circle back to the relationship between these two
Holy Hades...
Tantalizingly Toxic

"My father always said not to go digging for answers I wasn't ready for"
I am so torn with rating this one. I did devour it in one sitting but there were a lot of scenes that brought me out of the storyline and had me looking for answers. A me thing, as I am sure the author left unknowns, and actions to be questioned for a reason and to be answered at a later date. I do wish she had maybe split this into two books or just had more information on things. There are some surprises, some pretty gnarly twists, and some characters that left me with questions

[Emma Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Dark Temptation is a thrilling and evocative start to the Arcadia U series by Roxas Winters, blending dark romance with high-stakes drama that grips you from the first page.

The story follows Tomás, who finds himself in a perilous situation at Arcadia University, a place that resembles a prison more than an institution of learning. He’s lost everything, and the last thing he expects is to become entangled with the arrogant and enigmatic Kieran. Kieran, the eldest son of one of the university’s founders, embodies the very definition of a “bad boy,” and his brooding demeanor coupled with his toxic charm creates an irresistible yet dangerous allure for Tomás.

Winters masterfully crafts a narrative filled with tension and conflicting emotions. The chemistry between Tomás and Kieran is electric, oscillating between hatred and desire, which keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Their interactions are laced with a mixture of passion and animosity that feels genuine and compelling, and you can’t help but root for them despite the chaos surrounding their lives.

The world-building is equally engaging, with Arcadia U serving as a character in its own right. The secrets lurking within its walls and the threats that loom over Tomás heighten the sense of urgency throughout the story. As the plot unfolds, the stakes get higher, making it difficult to put the book down. The exploration of themes like vengeance, power, and the complexity of love adds depth to the narrative, prompting readers to ponder what sacrifices they would make for those they care about.

Winters’ writing style is immersive, painting vivid scenes that evoke a strong sense of place and emotion. The pacing is well-executed, with twists and turns that keep you guessing, while the internal struggles of both Tomás and Kieran are portrayed with nuance and authenticity.

In conclusion, Beautiful Dark Temptation is an enthralling blend of romance, suspense, and dark intrigue that sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting series. With its rich character development and gripping plot, this book is a must-read for fans of dark romance and those who enjoy stories where love and danger collide. Roxas Winters has crafted a tale that will leave you eagerly anticipating the next installment!.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publishing date: 27.09.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Evernight Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Features:
Very edgy edgelords
Unlikable characters everywhere
Over the top toxic romance full of cheesy cheese
Cliches
Mafia elements

Finished this because of my morbid curiosity and the fact that it was entertaining (derogatory). I think my biggest problem with it is that I would have enjoyed it as the cringy 14 year old I once was, and being aware of that fact. It has been years since I stopped finding "edgy" things cool, and this was the epitome of walking cliches and edgelords.

The characters are cliches, all of them. They are also not likeable at all. Seemingly they don't like each other either, and if it seems like they do they are probably lying or hiding something. Most of them lacked depth, those who had were still shallow.

The romance lacked chemistry, but had a little tension regardless. They hated each other, kept hating each other while making out, and kept saying "no homo" at the same time. This is a very toxic romance, and it starts being toxic the moment they meet.

Main story was meh. Not really convincing with the so-called "secrets" everyone was keeping. Still entertaining even if I had to suspend my disbelief.

Final ranking and star rating?
3 stars, C tier. This is a very entertaining book. It has a lot of problems, isn't believable at all (I don't think it was meant to be either), and feels like a book that a younger edgier version of me would enjoy for all the wrong reasons. I got a bit of whiplash back to simpler times when AO3 and Fanfiction was all I consumed (with the edgy and angst tags on). Now that I am grown ... I am not sure if this is up my street anymore.
As entertaining as this was, I am not sure who this is really for. It has too many adult themes to go to the younger edgelords, and it has too many "holes" and "problems" to go to the adult audience that I think it was meant for.

Maybe I should take it less seriously and let this be another entry into the "fast food but book" group. Not anything groundbreaking, but absolutely a treat to turn your brain off.

[SaintDelicate _Edits · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝟑.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆: ꜱᴡɪᴛᴄʜ ʀᴏʟᴇꜱ, ᴏᴘᴇɴ ᴅᴏᴏʀ/ᴛᴡɪᴄᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ
___
I don't care what anyone says, I stayed for Fox and Dasher and the school itself.
The story started out strong but it lost me with their sex scenes that fell flat despite the organic sexual tension between them, I also kinda didn't like them being as lean as the other, as dominant as the other and eventually vers, idk, it's a personal opinion currently and i might change it one of these years and find myself liking books with two twinks falling in love with each other. Today's just not the day. But listen, with it it being a Mafia book I came in with expecting something....phenomenal, something like Fox and Dasher, seriously I'm currently re-reading this book just to see these two. Gosh, Fox has this top energy I think I love him but Dasher to make him grovel hard.

"𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨? 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘰𝘹’𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘒𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘬. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘵."

No! I was actually vomiting because between the fighting, complete and utter dislike for each other and the few times they had sex and didn’t hang out to even talk between themselves, when had there been time or moments for them to fall in love? I mean, the crushes were there and they were epic, tangible beautiful things from both parties but love? Come on, that was lazy writing. Honestly this took away two stars but I remember Fox and all that is that man and baby, I gave a star back because whew, Fox was my star in this book. I hope he gets his own book, I have so many questions. I want to see answered.

Overall, I liked the book, I liked the world building, the actual plot and how it was all carefully written. That part was not lazy at all, especially the Arc boys and all their personalities. I feel like a groupie and the last time I felt like this was with the boys from Rina Kent’s universe. So, I’m invested. I’m really into this series, I can’t wait for Fox. He’s my favorite so far.

[Jessie J melka · Rating 3 out of 5]

{Beautiful Dark Temptation}
Arc review by Jessie Melka
___________•___________


OK so beautiful doc temptation is book one of Arcadia U and I got to say I was more confused than understood anything that was going on. The story itself was very good. I am a sucker for dark romance the story continues in beautiful liar which is booked to. I’m getting through that right now so I’ll report back to you on that one but so far I don’t see a happy ending coming for us in the near future everything seems to just go up and down always it’s one moment “your mine” the next “I can’t be with you” and it’s just a continuous cycle going over and over and over again

I have got to be honest there was a moment. I thought I was gonna have to have to DNF the story altogether, but the more I read them more excited I got about the story like I needed to know what’s gonna happen next are they gonna get together? What’s gonna happen with all this mafia stuff?

Finding out Maddox is actually Tomás brother was so confusing and yet such an eye would like why would this random guy just feel responsible for this teen? He just met but then finding out they were siblings made a lot more sense even though I’m still confused about why he decided to adopt tomás in the first place

This is the first work from this author and I gotta say I’m not disappointed in this debut. I just wish there would’ve been a lot more structure to the story and the formatting. I know that’s not always how you need to rate if a book is good or bad. But I gotta see having the right visual always helps a bunch

I rated this book a 3 out of five and if you are someone who likes dark romance with a twist of mafia and possessiveness this is something I would recommend for you
but remember to form your own opinions and not just listen to me
Until next time, my loves…

Rating: 3/5
Spice: 2,5/5
Angst: 3,5/5
Would I read again: maybe

(I received an advance copy for free and I’m leaving this review voluntarily)
___________•___________

[Ellie Duck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected. I went into it with the misconception that Arcadia University was a school for witchcraft and demi-gods, so I was flummoxed when it turned out to be a mafia romance fic instead, but it was an exciting surprise. This was my first mafia romance fic, too, so it was an interesting exploration into a genre I hadn't tried my hand at before, and I am intrigued to read more in the future.

Beautiful Dark Tempation was a little slow to start, in my opinion, which is insane to say given the events of the prologue alone because that had me chatting with a friend about how the story could possibly escalate beyond the violence and intensity of that opener, but here we are. From the perspective of being a gripping tale, I confess it took me a while to get into this one. I wasn't really 'hooked' until about 50% of the way through (blame the expectation of witches instead of mob bosses' illegitimate sons), but I am also guilty of staying up until the wee small hours on a work night once the romance kicked in.

The plot was fast-paced and action-heavy, the characters a little... flat, maybe? They didn't grab me and inspire empathy for their situations or their arcs.... I think I'd have appreciated a little more chance to gel with them and their experiences (difficult given all they've each been through). Kieran was the hardened dark solider, Tomas the delicate flower in desperate search of a protector, but with some grit under the surface. It had real enemies-to-lovers vibes, everything the genre calls for, but I didn't really gel with either of them. I think my favorite characters might have been the side guys, Fox and Dasher, and I do hope Winters writes their story in the future. I confess the ending was not how I wanted it to go, but no one promised the ending I envisioned, so thems the kicks. The rating system on @netgalley doesn't allow halves, but this one was a 3.5 star read for me.

[ivanareadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley and Evernight Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I really liked this! Beautiful Dark Temptation was not perfect, but imo it was a lot better than some of the books i've read in the MM Mafia sub-genre, so i was pleasantly surprised. Tomás' POV was complex and emotional and gave this story the heart it needed to be more than just a stabby sexy read. Set mostly at a uni for mafia bastards, there was the expected melodrama, some murder, some spice, and OFC that flex for adding killing games to the curriculum in order to hone special ops murder boys.

Lbr, I'd take that over romantasy masquerade Balls any day of the week though js.

And while i would have felt more for Kieran, if his early insta-aggression against Tomás leaned more into his closeted yearning instead of coming off as a-holery, he was still a dynamic and interesting character who had a lot going on in the background that would exhaust even a team at Langley, and ngl i really got that.

This story had a bit of everything these OTT NA romances are typically known for, but where Roxas Winters really shone was in the way she brought the Moyas alive for me. Her narrative truly evoked the palpable intensity in the family dynamics that shaped Tomás' character, and his journey after the death of his father and brothers was more compelling to read because of that evocative depth.

The future of the Arcadia U series will be a wild and entertaining one, if this first installment is anything to go by! Very much looking forward to what the rest of the Ark boys get up to, especially Fox, who was mega ferocious but with a weakness for a certain someone i can't wait to get the whole story on! Can't wait!

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝙸'𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚍, 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍, 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚍. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗, 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚟𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚙𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎.

𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚃𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚜. 𝙼𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗."

Roxas Winters is a new to me author and based on their GR profile this book may be their debut. If so, this author packed a hell of a punch in their first book. I was instantly intrigued by the entire premise of the series. A private hidden college where the criminals sent their family members to hide them from the world. A prison disguised as a school.

"𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎. 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚛𝚎. 𝙱𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚜."

"𝚆𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜"

Things didn't really heat up between our two MCs in the intimate sense until well past the halfway mark. This is very much a darker romance with Keiran and Tomas remaining enemies for a good portion of the story. I'll be honest here. I really disliked Keiran for a lot of the first half. Some of the things he does to Tomas were just plain cruel and I hoped that Tomas would eventually get a chance at a worthy payback.

"𝙷𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚖.

𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚒𝚖.

𝙼𝚎."

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book. There's also a little side plot going on between Fox, one of Keirans "brothers", and another student Dasher. I, like many other reviewers, am hoping we get a book for those two at some point. I have a few guesses about their story, but no concrete answers. Same goes for the romance between Keiran and Tomas, which makes me happy I get to jump into book 2 soon.

[kn_cozy_bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book checked a lot of my boxes in what I like in a book. Danger, suspense, characters with hard pasts, and great world building. Plus enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite and Kieran and Tomas checked that box and then some!

I loved the dynamic between Kieran and Tomas. The hard and the soft, the dark and the light. Thomas wants to belong. Be wanted and protected. Kieran is suppressed. Made to be into a ruthless killer, constantly keeping his emotions at bay.

The plot is intricate. Full of revenge plans, with no room for error or weakness. Plans that have been in the works for years. Tomas enters the scene as a mystery, slowly getting under Kieran’s skin until he is his reason “to breathe, to live, to hope”.

Their journey is a perfect example of hate to love. The purpose of Arcadia is anonymity, secrets, and protection. But go beyond its walls and all bets are off. Kieran and Tomas must unravel who they are in the “real” world, bring the secrets to light, and come to terms with what that means and how it affects their future.

The look we get at the other Arc boys and their relationship to each other and others just made me more invested. I am in the Arcadia world now and I don’t want to leave! I am especially interested in Fox and Dasher…👀

I’ll save you all a trip to the authors website and tell you now Kieran and Tomas’ story continues in book 2. While I wouldn’t say Beautiful Dark Temptation ends on a cliff hanger, it did end in way that left me a little like huh? This isn’t the end right? Lol. I can’t wait for book 2 and more of Kieran and Tomas!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely lives up to it's title: Beautiful, Dark, and Tempting.

It's a enemies to lovers dark mafia romance set inside the mysterious Arcadia University. Tomas finds himself enrolled in this unfamiliar place full of dangerous people after losing everything. He's lost and unsure of his place in the world. That is until he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the dangerous and mysterious Kieran.

Kieran is all kinds of a hot mess wrapped up in an angry bad boy package. He's got a chip on his shoulder and a need to prove himself that could rival even the broodiest of boys. But he feels the pull to Tomas, just as Tomas feels the pull to him - although neither of them understand why.

Arcadia University is almost like a 3rd character, having its own secrets, intrigue, and mysteries revealed as the book progresses.

Heed the trigger warnings as this is a dark romance. There are some series THaD vibes coming from Kieran - Tomas is his! Even if he can't really figure out what that means at first.

This book ends on more of a TBC than a HFN/HEA. Thankfully, the author has said book 2 will pick up with Tomas and Kieran where it left off. Now just to anxiously wait for the 2nd book and hope it comes out sooner than later!

[SNik · Rating 5 out of 5]

First in series (Arcadia U). Adversarial to lovers. Close proximity. Slow burn. Dark themes (mafia, bullying, murder). Dual POV. Cliffhanger. Heed content warnings.

Brought to a special school by the man he tried to kill, Tomás is thrust into a secret society college full of members of criminal families. Kieran is the leader of the top tier group at the school, but he has plans outside of their campus prison, and the beautiful unknown kid that gets placed in his house has him suspicious and unfortunately attracted. An intriguing concept with much more going on than just the surface of being college kids, there is family/political intrigue and all the students come from violent backgrounds.

There is a lot of push and pull between Kieran and Tomás, possessiveness and lust mixed with emotional uncertainty which actually made sense for these two characters. A well written debut, if a little chaotic in the beginning trying to keep track of various names and family members, the story settled into a bully attraction with plenty of secrets and an underlying plot line that will be continuing with future books. I am thoroughly invested and can’t wait for more. 4.5 rounded up

[Ren || Reading What I Want · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓼: lgbtq+, mafia, college, enemies to lovers
𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓮: September 27, 2024
𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
𝓶𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼:

Tomás…where do I even start? He’s a bit reactive, a whole lotta depressed, a little reckless, and DESPERATE for someone to care for him.
Kieran is cold and detached and controlled until he meets Tomás and can’t help but be drawn to the unknown boy.

“𝙎𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙢𝙚.”
“𝘼𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨.”

I’m a bit upset.
This one could’ve been SO GOOD.
We have enemies to lovers, but really it’s bully.
The things Kieran does to Tomás were unforgivable.
Toxic asssssffffff.
I could feel their emotions but they ignored them.
Until the end.
And I’m assuming a cliffhanger?
Not an HEA…kinda just a TBC…
Really?

The writing was pretty good but the story just upset me.
Some things cross a line and there were many things that crossed the line.
I wouldn’t call this a romance.
I’m assuming it’s going to continue?
I’m just not feeling it. 😫
I mean, there were some explicit scenes and the ONE “emotional” sexy scene was glossed over!!!
WTF⁉️

𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣.

[Plaguedoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tomas is a teenager who was raised in a family of gang members. His mom is an addict and hates him, and his only protection is from his older brothers and his father. When he loses them thanks to a rival group, he attempts to get revenge...from then on, his life is forever changed.

Sent to a private college that's more of a prison than a school, he becomes the target of bullying by the school's most famous, powerful students. As his stay becomes more and more unpleasant, he wants to escape but the outside world is now a very dangerous place for him--- and it's also not allowed. His journey trying to free himself leads him on a whirlwind of mysteries, treachery, lies, betrayal.....and love.

I loved this book! It had many elements of some of my favorite books, all mashed together in an intriguing tale. Was it perfect? No. Did it have some inconsistencies? Yes. Did it make much of a difference to me in the long run? NO.

I enjoyed the characters, both the MC's and secondary characters. The spice is relatively mild (for me) but it's there: I'd give it 3/5 for spice, 4/5 overall.

An ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own!

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tomás’ family, (the ones he cared about anyway) were murdered by the man that bought/adopted him. Sent to a prison/school for the bastard, throwaway offspring of mafia kingpins. It’s a world of eat or be eaten and Tomás, ever so slowly, learns to adapt to save his life.

Kieran was the de facto ruler of the prison/school. His family is at the top of the kingpins list. Everyone followed his lead. He was Tomás’ own prince of hell. And Tomás became Kieran’s Beautiful Dark Temptation. Their romance wasn’t beautiful at all but at the same time it had a few sweet moments.

This was a very dark story, murder, mayhem, killer secrets, outright lies, half truths, and more secrets. There is also a twisted version of family that these boys/men live by, even if there’s every possibility they will “accidentally”kill you in your sleep.

Hard to rate this one…the only person I liked was Dasher, and as with all the people in the story I didn’t like him all the time either.

The book was convoluted enough that spoilers aren’t even an issue.

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much I want to say about this book but I cant without spoiling it for you. What I can say was I could not put this down. I was drawn in following Tomas and Kieran. You could feel their chemistry with each other from the start but with everything else going on it did not start out with love.
This was dark, full of violence and at at times graphic but there was also Tomas' take no-nonsense attitude that eased the tension in the story telling. Kieran was a man on a mission and he had his life planned out but he did not plan on Tomas
The secondary characters were well developed and I cannot wait to hear their stories. Written from both Tomas and Kieran's POV had you understand what was going on and gave you the chance to know their backstory. I thought I knew where this story was going, how wrong was I.
Whilst this ended where I thought it may I cannot wait to find out more. Looking at what else this author was written I was surprised that this is their first novel, I am looking forward to see what they come up with next

[⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, where do I begin! I went into this book blind. I never EVER read mafia but this… this has changed my mind. The book blurb is what got me and I was like hmmm ok i’ll give you a go.

The characters, the writing, the descriptions of everything is so perfect. The beginning did make me a bit confused and I was about to just put the book down, but trust me, it’ll make sense when you keep reading—and I’m so glad I did!! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!! There was a spice scene the author wrote and it was like beautiful poetry, it made me feel so giddy and I actually teared up at how gorgeous it was.

I’m so very very excited to continue this series! I want to know more about each and every single one of the Ark boys!! I’m also so keen to learn more about Dasher (awww sweet boy!!)

This author is defs and autoclick buy for me!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful Dark Temptation is a dark mafia story which will stay with you. An enemies to lovers, bully romance, very nicely written. Tomás and Kieran come from the same crime family, albeit different ends. Tomás is a ball of hurt when he comes to Arcadia University, Kieran is the school's top of the food chain. Tomás is 'rescued' by the man who killed his father and brothers, Maddox Brennan. Kieran is Tristan Brennan's illegitimate son, who hates the Brennan crime family. And that's the first three chapters.

That sets the stage for a plot which has all the angst, burning rage and lots of twists. Tomás and Kieran have a strong, sexy chemistry. The other 'inmates' at the school should make for fine stories. The worldbuilding is stark.

More of a HFN ending. Too bad their was no peek into their lives a few years later.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Chase N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot: ✍️✍️✍️.5
Charcters: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This dark, college romance brings to life the intense journey of Kieran and Tomás, two young men trapped in a world of tragedy, violence, and survival. I quickly found myself deeply invested in their story, as their struggles felt raw and real. The pacing is superb, with plenty of tension keeping the plot engaging throughout, though at times the storyline felt a bit convoluted. Despite some odd colloquialisms, the writing remained clear, and the sex scenes were tastefully woven into the narrative without overshadowing the romance. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic worked well, and the ending, while unconventional, offered a satisfying conclusion. Overall, a gripping read that I devoured in just 24 hours! Perfect for fans of dark MM romance.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Rahul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an E-ARC from the author and this is my honest review

Mafia romances are an interesting trope which i unfortunately haven't read much. However Beautiful Dark Temptation has fueled an interest in the genre for me.

Tomás and Kieran come from backgrounds far different, yet the fiery chemistry between them is undeniable. Set against a world of mafia ties and brutal rivalries, their story unfolds with raw intensity, and watching them navigate their tumultuous emotions was both exhilarating and exciting.

Author Roxas Winters narrative is compelling, packed with tension and emotional depth. The push and pull between Tomás and Kieran is filled with moments of pure angst, and their story was suspenseful with each revelation. Despite their violent backgrounds, there is a tenderness in their connection that shines through, making their love story even more captivating. Though the beginning was a bit slow to get into, the pacing picked up, and by the time the story truly unfolded, I was completely hooked.

If you're a fan of bully romances, mafia worlds, and enemies-to-lovers tension, this book will check all the boxes for you. And now i eagerly await Dasher and Fox's story.

[Lea Gesser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally I'm not a fan of mafia-type stories, but this story was just right. The story is about Kieran Romano/Brennan and Tomas. Tomas and Kieran both have quite traumatic pasts. Except Kieran is a killer, trained and raised to kill. Tomas has lived among murderers all his life and yet he still has that little bit of light in him. According to his family, he is too soft and too silly. And that silliness might just save his life. The story is well put together, you really don't see every twist in the story coming and then the emotions. Emotions that you feel until the last page. This book keeps you hooked and you really can't put it down. The characters, Kieran's friends, are also part of this story and weave themselves beautifully into the proceedings. I can't say anything other than go read this, Highly recommended.

[Yvette89 · Rating 4 out of 5]

MM ROMANCE
MAFIA
DARK ROMANCE
COLLEGE AGE

Arcadia U is a a place for mafia kids. It is supposed to be a neutral zone. A safe place for higher education. It seems more like a prison for Tomas. Tomas is trying to survive and fit it somewhere. He finds himself in the sights of the ultimate bad boy, Kiernan. It does not start out well but the end maybe worth it.
Kiernan is living a lie. Tomas threatens his peace and he makes him pay. He made him feels things that got in the way of her purpose. He was raised to be a killer and his feelings can't get in the way.

The character are well developed. The world of Arcadia U and it's inhabitants make for an entertaining read. The plot was good and kept me interested. I enjoyed the story and would definitely read more.

[Pisces · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a debut this was good read but personally that I am not particularly fond of gangs and fighting.

That’s just my preference - so I skimmed some parts- but overall the enimies to lovers was done really good. I have been disappointment many times with this particular theme. Normally they tend to hate each other for a solid two chapters and it starts to get stagnant.

I was a bit apprehensive going in here, wasn’t expecting much, but so I was pleasantly suprised with the results. So much so that, I had to write a review to appreciate the effort.

Apart from this, I am extremely excited to for Fox and D’s story. He looked like a mean steak. Hopefully he won’t be Tomias in his story but another kerian.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Falling in love happened all at once.”

“Beautiful Dark Temptations,” by Roxas Winters

I loved this book. it has so many tropes and themes that I love like mafia, boarding school, M/M, enemies to lovers, bullying, etc. the inner turmoil about being attracted to another man helped explain why the bullying was so bad and the hostility. I loved the personal growth of the characters. I would love to have a book dedicated to the other characters because the side characters were so good too. I absolutely adored it, 5 out of 5 stars.

-Mafia
-M/M
-Boarding School
-Enemies To Lovers
-Bullying

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, sexy and full of angst and rage..absolutely loved this one!! I haven’t read a lot of MM romance and after this I’m wondering why not. It was delicious and I couldn’t put it down.
Tomas goes through so much, finds out so much about himself and his family that it had my head spinning. Kieran I loved, even when he was being a bully. You could just tell that somewhere inside there was someone just wanting to be loved.
This was action packed and the plot twists were great.
Wasn’t a happily ever after exactly but it was the perfect ending for this book!
Highly recommend reading this one if you love your dark, bully romance.

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story weaves together intriguing characters, deft world building, and a plot that blends suspense, peril, and an enemies-to-lovers romance trajectory that manages to be just intense enough. At times, the plot feels a bit more labyrinthine than it really *needs* to be, but it fits the vibe of the narrative and the characters who inhabit it, so it’s hard to really fault it there. This is the first in a series, and the “stay tuned, more to come” vibes are strong (cliffhangerish, even) so I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.