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The Autumn Anarchy
“Every quarter, as the seasons change, the island gifts you a new game.”
Alessia Russo was bred for perfection. The sheltered princess of high society now studies at Harrow University, hosted on an island erased from maps, a playground for billionaire heirs and a secret training ground for the world’s most powerful elite.
Until the black envelope arrives.
Thrown into the island’s lethal seasonal games, her gilded life begins to crack. Threats close in, the countdown to the Autumn Anarchy ticks louder, and the only person who can help her survive is the man she is forbidden to want, her brother’s best friend.
Axel Haydes rules with cruelty and power. Heir to a multibillion-dollar empire, he has carved his throne from fear. When Alessia steps into his game, old vows shatter, and dangerous desires rise.
On an island built on secrets, blood, and power, survival is only the beginning. Loving your enemy may be the deadliest gamble of all.
The Autumn Anarchy is Book One in The Seasons of Anarchy series. This is a dark college romance intended for readers 18+. Please check trigger warnings before diving in.
Tropes you'll find
- Found family
- Deadly games
- Brother's best friend
- Morally grey MMC
- Forced proximity
Alessia Russo was bred for perfection. The sheltered princess of high society now studies at Harrow University, hosted on an island erased from maps, a playground for billionaire heirs and a secret training ground for the world’s most powerful elite.
Until the black envelope arrives.
Thrown into the island’s lethal seasonal games, her gilded life begins to crack. Threats close in, the countdown to the Autumn Anarchy ticks louder, and the only person who can help her survive is the man she is forbidden to want, her brother’s best friend.
Axel Haydes rules with cruelty and power. Heir to a multibillion-dollar empire, he has carved his throne from fear. When Alessia steps into his game, old vows shatter, and dangerous desires rise.
On an island built on secrets, blood, and power, survival is only the beginning. Loving your enemy may be the deadliest gamble of all.
The Autumn Anarchy is Book One in The Seasons of Anarchy series. This is a dark college romance intended for readers 18+. Please check trigger warnings before diving in.
Tropes you'll find
- Found family
- Deadly games
- Brother's best friend
- Morally grey MMC
- Forced proximity
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
51 people are currently reading
588 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 31, 2025
⭐️4.5
This was sooooo good!! So much packed into such a small book!
Imagine if the L.O.R.D.S had a baby with The Purge and The Hunger Games 😂 I don’t know how else to describe it. And that ending!? Excuse me?? 100% going to continue the series 🤌🏼
This was sooooo good!! So much packed into such a small book!
Imagine if the L.O.R.D.S had a baby with The Purge and The Hunger Games 😂 I don’t know how else to describe it. And that ending!? Excuse me?? 100% going to continue the series 🤌🏼
Read
January 6, 2026Dnf 61% I tried but I couldn’t
October 19, 2025
“We’re two broken pieces that only fit each other.”
Do I want a masked man to chase me through the woods.. yes.
I absolutely devoured this book within 24hrs! I loved Axel and all of his red flags, his obsessiveness, his out right what’s mine is mine mentality & how he will literally BLEED for what’s his. The brothers best friend trope is always on of my favourites!!
The other characters are also really interesting! Rio being my absolute favourite! I’m really hoping he ends up being the MMC in the upcoming series! The character building was great, the whole story ran smoothly, not rushed and not too slow so there’s no chance of Boredom creeping in.
I did not see the plot twist coming. I had some theories but ended up speechless & couldn’t have been more wrong!
Honestly I really recommend if you’re a dark romance fan and love the hunt/chase trope!
I can’t wait for the rest of the series!
“My brother thinks he’s shielding me from danger by keeping me under his roof, but in doing so he’s led me straight into the arms of the man who terrifies me most. And the sickest part? I crave it.”
Do I want a masked man to chase me through the woods.. yes.
I absolutely devoured this book within 24hrs! I loved Axel and all of his red flags, his obsessiveness, his out right what’s mine is mine mentality & how he will literally BLEED for what’s his. The brothers best friend trope is always on of my favourites!!
The other characters are also really interesting! Rio being my absolute favourite! I’m really hoping he ends up being the MMC in the upcoming series! The character building was great, the whole story ran smoothly, not rushed and not too slow so there’s no chance of Boredom creeping in.
I did not see the plot twist coming. I had some theories but ended up speechless & couldn’t have been more wrong!
Honestly I really recommend if you’re a dark romance fan and love the hunt/chase trope!
I can’t wait for the rest of the series!
“My brother thinks he’s shielding me from danger by keeping me under his roof, but in doing so he’s led me straight into the arms of the man who terrifies me most. And the sickest part? I crave it.”
March 20, 2026
1.5 ⭐️-
this is the type of dark romance that gives us a bad rep.
tell me why everything was based around sex?
it felt like they didn’t even like each other, the mmc was the root of this.
why was everything so rushed? we hear our mcs talk about things that happened in the past yet never visit that.
i did like the games plot but i think it was executed poorly, once again it was so rushed.
i didn’t understand the plot twist in this, nor did i care.
this is the type of dark romance that gives us a bad rep.
tell me why everything was based around sex?
it felt like they didn’t even like each other, the mmc was the root of this.
why was everything so rushed? we hear our mcs talk about things that happened in the past yet never visit that.
i did like the games plot but i think it was executed poorly, once again it was so rushed.
i didn’t understand the plot twist in this, nor did i care.
October 10, 2025
Loved it!
Such a great read! Axel love blleeeeeedddss for Alessia!! Beautifully written and the plot twist had me speechless! loved all the side characters can't wait to continue the series and follow their stories
Such a great read! Axel love blleeeeeedddss for Alessia!! Beautifully written and the plot twist had me speechless! loved all the side characters can't wait to continue the series and follow their stories
November 2, 2025
Wow my feelings is exapode all over it’s amazing book but only for people whit strong nerves and good fantasy 🤣
I still can’t believe they story turned out this way beginning of book all time I think I am reading nice romance 🫣🫣🤣🤣🤣
I still can’t believe they story turned out this way beginning of book all time I think I am reading nice romance 🫣🫣🤣🤣🤣
Read
January 13, 2026wtf was this goofy book
December 28, 2025
It was so absurd that I actually enjoyed it. It was one of those moments where you laugh at the idea but end up loving it??? The story is disconnected, the characters, especially the mmc isn’t developed well yet I loved it??? I think I’m going crazy because I scrambled my head for logic and thought but it simply wasn’t just there?
Spoilers going forward so you’ve been warned:
Our fmc goes to live in an island that has a private college where she and her bestie Violetta(the name makes me gag and so does her character) have four years in which they can’t go back to the mainland. And there are these hunger games conducted but you need to be “smoked” or be the “smoker” to enter.
Guess what? Our fmc gets smoked. Shocker! And she has this ott protective brother as well who doesn’t do anything except punch our mmc a few times before he gives up. His disapproval only shows when he grunts. Blekh. Boring
And the main twist. The mmc smoked her. Why? Because she accidentally made him a monster. How you ask? Well she texted him to meet her in the woods three years ago and then her then boyfriend tortured the guy. He belived her to have a hand in this but she didn’t actually. It was all a big misunderstanding 😱😱 So he became a sadist after that. Gag. And then bunch of stuff happens and he hands himself to their enemies just to get beatwn up then when fmc confronts him why he smoked her he reveals it.
She goes running back to him and he confesses his love to her????? How??? Do??? You???Love???Her???? All?? Of???A???Sudden??? She also confesses her love to and they have sex in his pool of blood.
He heals nicely and by the next two weeks asks her to marry him. Yes he did. I laughed so hard at this. I promise that despite my complaints I never had this much fun reading such a ridiculous book. Loved it. Mwah. I think the execution needed a little bit of work. The plot was solid but so much was edited out or not explained.
Like if no one is allowed to leave until graduation our fmc is stuck there since it’s her first year. Mind you she’s eighteen. But out mmc is graduating?? How does it work if you’re engaged? Guess the “boys” will figure it out. Gag X 1000z
Spoilers going forward so you’ve been warned:
Our fmc goes to live in an island that has a private college where she and her bestie Violetta(the name makes me gag and so does her character) have four years in which they can’t go back to the mainland. And there are these hunger games conducted but you need to be “smoked” or be the “smoker” to enter.
Guess what? Our fmc gets smoked. Shocker! And she has this ott protective brother as well who doesn’t do anything except punch our mmc a few times before he gives up. His disapproval only shows when he grunts. Blekh. Boring
And the main twist. The mmc smoked her. Why? Because she accidentally made him a monster. How you ask? Well she texted him to meet her in the woods three years ago and then her then boyfriend tortured the guy. He belived her to have a hand in this but she didn’t actually. It was all a big misunderstanding 😱😱 So he became a sadist after that. Gag. And then bunch of stuff happens and he hands himself to their enemies just to get beatwn up then when fmc confronts him why he smoked her he reveals it.
She goes running back to him and he confesses his love to her????? How??? Do??? You???Love???Her???? All?? Of???A???Sudden??? She also confesses her love to and they have sex in his pool of blood.
He heals nicely and by the next two weeks asks her to marry him. Yes he did. I laughed so hard at this. I promise that despite my complaints I never had this much fun reading such a ridiculous book. Loved it. Mwah. I think the execution needed a little bit of work. The plot was solid but so much was edited out or not explained.
Like if no one is allowed to leave until graduation our fmc is stuck there since it’s her first year. Mind you she’s eighteen. But out mmc is graduating?? How does it work if you’re engaged? Guess the “boys” will figure it out. Gag X 1000z
March 10, 2026
The plot was very interesting, and the plot twist was even better. However, I feel like the writing didn’t fully pull me in. At times the pacing was quite fast. For example, the part about her training—which should have been a very important element of the story—was rushed and passed by much too quickly.
I also understand that she had been in love with him for years, but I feel like she should have had a bit more backbone. He was able to do whatever he wanted, while she kept swooning over him, let “her body betray her” aaaall the time , even though she clearly realized that he was cold and calculating. He gave NOTHING to her but few intimate moments (mediocre at best) and small gestures like touching each other’s face or fing and she still thought he was a god just because he “saved” her (MY ASS) 2 times ? GIRL FOR FUCKSAKE
. She is supposed to be inexperienced, so it felt a bit unrealistic that she could process and feel all of these intense …. emotions so quickly. This connects to my previous point about the pacing: maybe these developments make sense over time, but as readers we didn’t really get to experience them with her because the author moved through them too quickly.
As for Axel, I would have liked to see more of the moment when he realized he had changed his mind about her. When exactly did his feelings return? We only get a brief reference to it in his prologue. I understand that the author couldn’t reveal too much because she wanted to preserve the surprise regarding his identity. Still, I think it could have been written in a way that gave us a bit more insight into the emotional background of both characters and maybe a little more about their past.
Finally, the smut was quite moderate by my standards.
However, I will continue the series because I want to read Vi and Hunter’s book. Their story really intrigued me, and I’m curious to learn more about them.
I also understand that she had been in love with him for years, but I feel like she should have had a bit more backbone. He was able to do whatever he wanted, while she kept swooning over him, let “her body betray her” aaaall the time , even though she clearly realized that he was cold and calculating. He gave NOTHING to her but few intimate moments (mediocre at best) and small gestures like touching each other’s face or fing and she still thought he was a god just because he “saved” her (MY ASS) 2 times ? GIRL FOR FUCKSAKE
. She is supposed to be inexperienced, so it felt a bit unrealistic that she could process and feel all of these intense …. emotions so quickly. This connects to my previous point about the pacing: maybe these developments make sense over time, but as readers we didn’t really get to experience them with her because the author moved through them too quickly.
As for Axel, I would have liked to see more of the moment when he realized he had changed his mind about her. When exactly did his feelings return? We only get a brief reference to it in his prologue. I understand that the author couldn’t reveal too much because she wanted to preserve the surprise regarding his identity. Still, I think it could have been written in a way that gave us a bit more insight into the emotional background of both characters and maybe a little more about their past.
Finally, the smut was quite moderate by my standards.
However, I will continue the series because I want to read Vi and Hunter’s book. Their story really intrigued me, and I’m curious to learn more about them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2026
Dark Romance
Secret Society
Morally Grey MMC
Found Family
Deadly Games
Brother Best Friend
Elite University on Private Island
I mean this in the most flattering way possible - HOLY SHIT- that was a damn good book!!!!
♾️⭐️’s
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🚩🚩🚩
I was right, this broke me in so many ways and put me back but not in the same way, yet the only way it could have!!! You have to read it to understand. I do mean you NEED TO READ IT!!!
How can a man be so cruel, vulnerable, hatable and lovable all at the same damn time? Whelp Axel can apparently!!! He is as unhinged as he is broken and obsessed..... He is every red flag that screams green to me. I could read about him in every book for the end of time and be content.
Alessia may have grown up in the world of the elite but her brother kept her sheltered. Well that all ended when she stepped off that plane into the island. She just didn't know the extent it would be.
When she gets selected for the games she gets a rude awakening in how dark their world truly is.
Question is how will she survive and if she does how much of her will turn dark as well? Read to find out what happens.
I am now obsessed with these sisters writing....I don't know why I waited when I got this to read it but I'm so happy I have now. I desperately am waiting to read Winter Anarchy.
Secret Society
Morally Grey MMC
Found Family
Deadly Games
Brother Best Friend
Elite University on Private Island
I mean this in the most flattering way possible - HOLY SHIT- that was a damn good book!!!!
♾️⭐️’s
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🚩🚩🚩
I was right, this broke me in so many ways and put me back but not in the same way, yet the only way it could have!!! You have to read it to understand. I do mean you NEED TO READ IT!!!
How can a man be so cruel, vulnerable, hatable and lovable all at the same damn time? Whelp Axel can apparently!!! He is as unhinged as he is broken and obsessed..... He is every red flag that screams green to me. I could read about him in every book for the end of time and be content.
Alessia may have grown up in the world of the elite but her brother kept her sheltered. Well that all ended when she stepped off that plane into the island. She just didn't know the extent it would be.
When she gets selected for the games she gets a rude awakening in how dark their world truly is.
Question is how will she survive and if she does how much of her will turn dark as well? Read to find out what happens.
I am now obsessed with these sisters writing....I don't know why I waited when I got this to read it but I'm so happy I have now. I desperately am waiting to read Winter Anarchy.
January 1, 2026
We follow Alessia, a rich, sheltered girl who gets accepted into an elite university on a secret island (because of course it’s on a secret island). Everything looks fancy and privileged… until it absolutely isn’t. Enter The Autumn Anarchy, a deadly seasonal game that screams “welcome to campus, hope you survive.
And then there’s Axel Haydes.
Brother’s best friend. Walking red flag. Dark, dangerous, and allergic to emotional stability. The man is basically made of power, violence, and unresolved issues, and yes, I ate it up.
The best part of this book is the constant tension. Romantic tension. Survival tension. “Someone is about to die” tension. Everyone is lying, no one is safe, and the vibes are immaculate if you enjoy chaos served with wealth and trauma. Alessia starts out protected and naïve, but watching her adapt, snap, and grow a backbone was incredibly satisfying.
Is it realistic? Absolutely not.
Is it dramatic? Extremely.
Did I have fun? YES.
The twists had me staring at the page like “you did NOT just do that,” and the ending left me emotionally attacked and ready to continue the series immediately.
🥀TROPES🥀
Dark College Romance
Brother’s Best Friend
Rich & Powerful Elites
Deadly Games
Morally Grey (Okay, Dark) MMC
Forced Proximity
“Touch Her and Die” Energy
And then there’s Axel Haydes.
Brother’s best friend. Walking red flag. Dark, dangerous, and allergic to emotional stability. The man is basically made of power, violence, and unresolved issues, and yes, I ate it up.
The best part of this book is the constant tension. Romantic tension. Survival tension. “Someone is about to die” tension. Everyone is lying, no one is safe, and the vibes are immaculate if you enjoy chaos served with wealth and trauma. Alessia starts out protected and naïve, but watching her adapt, snap, and grow a backbone was incredibly satisfying.
Is it realistic? Absolutely not.
Is it dramatic? Extremely.
Did I have fun? YES.
The twists had me staring at the page like “you did NOT just do that,” and the ending left me emotionally attacked and ready to continue the series immediately.
🥀TROPES🥀
Dark College Romance
Brother’s Best Friend
Rich & Powerful Elites
Deadly Games
Morally Grey (Okay, Dark) MMC
Forced Proximity
“Touch Her and Die” Energy
October 20, 2025
If you like God of Malice & Kill Switch - get on this!
Secret society, brothers best friend, morally grey mmc, dark college romance! I did not see the twist coming at the end I knew something was going to creep up but definitely not what I expected! Be sure to check your trigger warnings also if you’re not a seasoned dark romance reader 🥀📖
Honestly I wish this book was longer! I loved the main characters and the side characters so much that I just wanted more of them and more of their story. More insight into Alessia’s upbringing, her friendship with Daniel, her ballet, her friendship with Vi - I want it all!😂
Also loved how the story gives off such a cosy/autumnal vibe without it being overkill. The absolute perfect balance in my opinion🍂
All in all - super fast paced, will have you hooked until the end. A great spicy time. Thank you to M.J Parks for sending me a copy of the Autumn Anarchy. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series🤎
Secret society, brothers best friend, morally grey mmc, dark college romance! I did not see the twist coming at the end I knew something was going to creep up but definitely not what I expected! Be sure to check your trigger warnings also if you’re not a seasoned dark romance reader 🥀📖
Honestly I wish this book was longer! I loved the main characters and the side characters so much that I just wanted more of them and more of their story. More insight into Alessia’s upbringing, her friendship with Daniel, her ballet, her friendship with Vi - I want it all!😂
Also loved how the story gives off such a cosy/autumnal vibe without it being overkill. The absolute perfect balance in my opinion🍂
All in all - super fast paced, will have you hooked until the end. A great spicy time. Thank you to M.J Parks for sending me a copy of the Autumn Anarchy. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series🤎
October 27, 2025
Unfortunately, this one ended up being a DNF for me. It actually started out really well, and I was excited because it had so much potential. But the MMC didn’t come across as the typical dark, morally grey type, more like just unpleasant without the depth or intensity I was hoping for. The sexual tension also felt forced; there was barely any build-up, and then suddenly things happened out of nowhere. The story itself had a good premise, but the pacing and development just didn’t quite come together for me.
January 5, 2026
3.75
What a fun time! For being a debut novel, this was extremely well done, had great pacing and bonus points for being short. The world was very much a mix between The Purge with a lil bit of Gossip Girl and then a HUGE amount of Legacy of God cues so if you've been craving that series, this is the perfect book. The FMC was giving major Cecily vibes and the MMC was Killian to a tee. Despite not getting a lot of the side characters, they still pulled me in so Im excited to see their story in the following Anarchy games.
What a fun time! For being a debut novel, this was extremely well done, had great pacing and bonus points for being short. The world was very much a mix between The Purge with a lil bit of Gossip Girl and then a HUGE amount of Legacy of God cues so if you've been craving that series, this is the perfect book. The FMC was giving major Cecily vibes and the MMC was Killian to a tee. Despite not getting a lot of the side characters, they still pulled me in so Im excited to see their story in the following Anarchy games.
January 21, 2026
The relationship was sub par. They give Winter Ashby and Damon Torrance vibes, but there’s not really a build up or real connection that you get from them, except their history which is revealed later. Was it a good pallet cleanser? Yes. But I wouldn’t consider it anything more than a short, entertaining little dark romance.
It’s like watching a trashy tv show. You know it’s not actually good but it’s fun to watch.
I did like the trials aspect, and I enjoyed the side characters.
I just wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who wants depth or anything other than a quick read.
It’s like watching a trashy tv show. You know it’s not actually good but it’s fun to watch.
I did like the trials aspect, and I enjoyed the side characters.
I just wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who wants depth or anything other than a quick read.
January 17, 2026
All I have to say is poorly written, no offense to the writer, and the whole plot was confusing as hell. I hated how there wasn’t any form of consent in this book. How confused she was about what he was doing? They made the FMC into almost like a childlike character who can’t stand up for herself or make decisions. I didn’t like this at all. It just didn’t sit right with me because it alll felt like borderline rape
January 14, 2026
Loved it!
A fab debut novel, I saw it recommended on social media and had me intrigued. An excellent start to what I anticipate to be a really good series. It was a super easy & quick read, I loved both the mmc & fmc. I loved the hints of the other couples, hunter & vi have me wanting to know more for sure!
Can’t wait for the next book and to see what couples next.
A fab debut novel, I saw it recommended on social media and had me intrigued. An excellent start to what I anticipate to be a really good series. It was a super easy & quick read, I loved both the mmc & fmc. I loved the hints of the other couples, hunter & vi have me wanting to know more for sure!
Can’t wait for the next book and to see what couples next.
January 17, 2026
This is everything that I would usually love in a book... dark college, games/trials but this one just fell a bit short for me.
It felt a little bit disconnected & jumpy and I felt like sometimes there were bits that assumed the reader knew more than what we did which was confusing. I didn't feel the connection with the mmc and fmc either. Not a bad read but just didn't hit the mark for me.
It felt a little bit disconnected & jumpy and I felt like sometimes there were bits that assumed the reader knew more than what we did which was confusing. I didn't feel the connection with the mmc and fmc either. Not a bad read but just didn't hit the mark for me.
January 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Make sure to read the trigger warnings!!
Dark romance. Elite University. Deadly trials. Brother’s Best Friend.
While I was reading I kept thinking this is a 3 star book for me. When I got to the end of the trials, it turned into a 4 star book for me. I normally see a plot twist coming in this genre, but I didn’t see this.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Make sure to read the trigger warnings!!
Dark romance. Elite University. Deadly trials. Brother’s Best Friend.
While I was reading I kept thinking this is a 3 star book for me. When I got to the end of the trials, it turned into a 4 star book for me. I normally see a plot twist coming in this genre, but I didn’t see this.
February 22, 2026
this was like not great but its a debut and I get what it was tryna do.
There was just a lot of plot holes not enough details and a lot of just jumping around.
The plot itself and story idea was super cool but could have used more build up
There was just a lot of plot holes not enough details and a lot of just jumping around.
The plot itself and story idea was super cool but could have used more build up
March 22, 2026
Dark and Delicious
I loved this book, the darkness and depth of the characters had me enthralled from start to finish, I could not put it down. I cannot wait for the next season of Anarchy.
I loved this book, the darkness and depth of the characters had me enthralled from start to finish, I could not put it down. I cannot wait for the next season of Anarchy.
October 27, 2025
was it a good book or was i just ovulating!? cause huh??
January 5, 2026
it's a 4.5 ⭐ for me
devoured this book
masked men meet the hunger games, lords and the legacy of gods mixed together
roll on the rest of the series
devoured this book
masked men meet the hunger games, lords and the legacy of gods mixed together
roll on the rest of the series
February 2, 2026
I’m a little shock, it’s a quite bit interesting for this book, and so far i enjoy it.
But the story itself really fast, there’s not to many chemistry between the FMC and MMC.
But the story itself really fast, there’s not to many chemistry between the FMC and MMC.
March 11, 2026
It was beautifully written,incredible main and side characters and a good plot twist but I only wish it was longer but anyway I enjoyed every second of the book.
Alex broke my heartt and he calls her ANGEL I'm a goner for the that nickname😩
I can't wait for other characters books..
"Because somehow, my twisted, cruel heart won't stop loving you"
Alex broke my heartt and he calls her ANGEL I'm a goner for the that nickname😩
I can't wait for other characters books..
"Because somehow, my twisted, cruel heart won't stop loving you"
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews