Crave

Pretty Poison #1

by C.F. White

"He was everything I didn't want. Danger dressed in leather. Salvation wrapped in smoke. And once I tasted him, I couldn't stop. He was in my blood. My sweetest poison."

Razor
I control the drugs in East London for a man with a soul darker than the devil’s. Violence kept me breathing. Loyalty kept my sister and her baby fed. Control was the only thing I’d ever owned.

Then he walked into my world and tore it apart.

Tristan Hale-Fitzroy.

Rich. Beautiful. Irresistible. A bloke who should’ve run when he saw me coming. Instead, he stood his ground with lies on his lips and defiance in his eyes. And I was hooked on something far stronger than anything I’d ever peddled on the streets.

I knew he didn’t belong.

I knew he’d ruin me.

I let him anyway.

Tristan
I was born into privilege and raised inside suffocating expectation. Performing perfection on demand kept me obedient. My status kept me in lavish luxury. Until betrayal showed me the truth—I had everything except control.

So I went looking for something real and found him.
Razor Slade.

Rough. Raw. Untouchable. A man carved hard by the streets. He thought I was another transaction in his violent world. I let him believe it, because the truth was far more dangerous.

He wasn’t my escape.

He was my addiction.

I was desperate for another taste.

Crave is the first book in the Pretty Poison Trilogya dark, addictive MM romance set in London’s criminal underworld, about forbidden desire, class collision, moral corruption, and choosing love in a world designed to punish it..

Genres: M M Romance

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 27, 2026

About the author

Brought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.

She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.

She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.

Reviews

[Mirjam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure, Unapologetic Obsession.

This book doesn’t flirt with danger, it drags you into a dark London alley, presses you against the brick, and dares you to look away. The writing is lush and poisonous in the best way. Every line drips with tension, every glance feels like a loaded weapon







Razor and Tristan are everything a dark romance should be: combustible, contradictory, and completely irresistible. One forged by violence and loyalty, the other suffocated by privilege and expectation. Together they’re a collision of class, control, and craving that feels raw down to the bone.
The push and pull between these two men is addictive enough to hurt. Razor’s brutality and reluctant tenderness clash perfectly with Tristan’s polished defiance and hidden desperation. Neither man is safe. Neither is innocent.







This isn’t a love story about redemption; it’s about corruption, about wanting something that will ruin you and choosing it anyway. The criminal underworld setting is immersive and brutal, the emotional stakes are sky-high, and the romance burns slow, dark, and devastating.







If you love morally gray characters, forbidden desire, and stories that feel like a sweetest poison in your veins, Crave will own you. And once it does, you’ll be desperate for the next hit, Corrupt




Part of the Pretty Poison Trilogy, a dark MM romance set in London’s criminal underworld, and must be read in order:

[M. B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crave


Just wow! Another book by the author that just completely swept me off my feet!
Whatever I expected from this book, it wasn’t that, in a good way!

All I could think about was him. The danger. The brutality. And the way he hadn’t cared who I was. It should have scared me. But it didn’t. It turned me on. And worse— I already knew I’d crave it.

It felt so very realistic. Like it could all happen that way. The book centers a lot around a London drug ring. There were so many details around that, which read so real. I can’t imagine how much research the author must do.

In this book we meet Tristan, a nice, rich, law-student MC, who gets sucked into the orbit of a drug lieutenant, Razor.
The class and status difference between them makes the book so very addicting! And if you think “I have read that before” - no, you didn’t. Not like that!
The book is raw and gritty and has some very ugly sides. Both MCs had to endure so much shit and hardship, but in very different ways.

It wasn’t fear I’d felt. It was raw, unfiltered, unholy lust. Burning through reason and making me grateful to be ruined by it.

I’m struggling a bit with how to describe the plot. I’m a fan of going into books blind. I can’t really think of a way to write a synopsis or more details without giving away too much of the plot or even with spoilers, or saying too little and make it sound less amazing than it is. I write my reviews with a bit of time in between to settle my thoughts. With this book this doesn’t work. My mind is still reeling and connecting dots and trying to figure out where the story will head to. That’s why I also usually read CF White’s book twice before reviewing, but unfortunately I don’t have time for a reread before the release. So I’ll probably update this when I can.
I see a lot of heartache and cursing in the future…

I’d felt it then. That terrifying rightness in something so completely wrong.

What I really want to add: I love how Tristan and Razor get to know each other. How they start to trust each other and open up. From the outside it doesn’t really make sense that they’re so drawn to each other. But if you get to know them slowly while reading it just clicks in place and it totally makes sense.

He was in my blood, in my bones. Threaded through me like the sweetest poison I’d ever tasted. [...] I couldn’t afford to fall in love with a man like him. I would just have to learn how to live with the craving.

There’s only one reason why anyone shouldn’t pick up this book immediately: It takes three books for Tristan and Razor to find their HEA. And the other two books aren’t out yet… But you’ll know the wait will be worth it and anticipation is half the joy.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Razor is second in command in East London's drug trade... not because he wanted to be, but because it's where he ended up. Once he was in - there was too much to sacrifice to find an exit. His mother... his little sister...his baby niece are the family he has, and he can't risk their safety. He's already got heart-breaking loss in his past that he struggles to deal with.

Then Razor meets Tristan Hale-Fitzroy. Tristan might as well be from the moon. He's posh and educated; he's had a path set out for him since the day he was born. Anything in Tristan's life can be solved with money or with a wave of his powerful father's hand.

Both men are trapped in their own way; tied to a path that is leading them somewhere they don't want to go. Razor is moving up in the drug business and Tristan's family want him locked into a career in law like all the men in his family.

C.F. White is a fantastic writer - one of my favourite authors, but her sweet spot is dark romance - the kind of romance that is intricate, thoughtful, edgy and thoroughly engaging. (or obsessions worthy) There is always a great story, a solid plot to prop up the perfectly tweaked romance and this book is no exception.

The difference between Tristan and Razor are epic, but at the same time, White manages to write them in a way that brings out things they have in common. There are two leads in this book, and they are both battling their way out from under the weight of where history and family have driven them. Both men are wanting something other, something more, something different. Maybe they are that for each other. Maybe they are going to be the death of each other as their lives collide.

The sparks fly when Razor and Tristan first encounter one another but the relationship transitions quickly from sexual to something far more dangerous for both men. What if they have feelings for one another? What if they become important in some way? I have already had tears in my eyes reading book one, so I know I'm in for an emotional roller coaster.

White has promised 3 books in the Pretty Poison series - and if book one is any indication of how things are going to go. I am so here for it.

If you read White's "To Love a Psycho" series - you should hop on this one!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captivated me from the start and left me eager for more! Learning about the two MC's, who they are and what shaped them, as well as the vast, intense emotions and deep moments in this book, will keep you engaged. We also get to know some secondary characters who play various roles in the lives of our MC's - some help us understand more of who the MC's are, while others are the ones who helped shape who the MC's are and/or who they will evolve into.

This is the first book of a trilogy that follows the same two men who will have vastly different, but by no means insignificant struggles to overcome before they can get what looks to be a very hard earned HEA in the final book.

Razor is twenty-six, he grew up and still lives in the harsh side of London, and is fairly deeply involved in the drug trade. It is a choice he made after a dangerous situation and out of necessity, one that helps him protect and provide for his mother and young sister and niece. Due to this line of work, there is some danger and violence involved - although this book doesn't have a huge amount.

Tristan is twenty-three and was born into a wealthy family, one that has huge expectations and certain rules that must be followed. For the most part, he goes along with what is expected of him, but deep down, he truly wants to carve out his own path. He managed to make a bit of a side step, but part of that blew up in his face. This situation is one that ends up bringing him into contact with Razor, a brief interaction that was meant to be quickly forgotten. However, neither man is able to forget the other, and thus begins the development of a connection nobody could have predicted - not even them.

I would absolutely recommend this book.

I received an ARC of this book, this review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

[Savy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book just made me crave (ha!) more!

I was a little apprehensive to start this book. I just discovered this author last year with another series, which I really loved. I was afraid this new series might let me down.

Nothing like that happened. I was just blown away from the very start. It amazed me how real everything felt. White really puts in a lot of time and effort to immerse a reader into the world building. Not in an overwhelming way, but in a realistic way. I felt like I was there in London, walking the streets with the main characters Tristan and Razor. I know nothing about drug trade, but everything felt like it could really happen. It felt like the author had done tons of research to get all the little details right, making everything that much more believable.

Also the characters. Tristan and Razor are from two opposite worlds. They met by change, and while there's instant lust and attraction, it takes a while before the emotional attachment is developing. Again, these characters felt real. They had their own hopes and dreams, their struggles and their failures. I love the slow build up between the two, knowing that I can trust this author to deliver a HEA at the end of the series.
There is a bit of a Romeo and Juliet vibe, with Tristan being a rich kid, and Razor being a thug from the streets. They are on opposite sides of the law, yet something draws them together, changing them. I can already feel a lot of heartache and challenges coming their way.

I'm really looking forward to the other books in this series. And for those afraid to start a serie that isn't finished yet, don't worry. The other two books in this series are already written and will be published in the upcoming months.

[Melissa Polk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, I've never read a CF White book that didn't gut me in the very best way and this one was no exception.

This story is gritty in a realistic way (I say knowing nothing of London streets or drug dealing). It's not vigilantes and assassins and psychopaths. It's real people with real lives and real problems. Somehow it becomes relatable despite the main characters being a wrong-side-of-the-tracks drug dealer and a trust fund college boy. No matter their extreme circumstances, they're facing the same problems so many of us do: providing for family, shouldering expectations, finding our place in a system that is fundamentally broken.

The action in this one is slowish and that's actually a good thing. It gives you time to sink into the world and what's going on. Lets you meet all the side characters without getting overwhelmed. I'm also pleased to say that I couldn't predict some of the things that happened (to avoid spoilers, here's a vague example: there's a thing mentioned between Tristan's father and brother that I thought might go a different way than it did).

What I love most about CF White's books is the emotional depth of the characters and their interactions. It pulls me in and holds sharp edges to my heart but I know in the end, I'll be pleased despite any bruises or nicks.

So very excited to see where this series goes.

[Canadian Girl Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙, 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄’𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩.⁣
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I have become a huge fan of C F White over the past year, and when I saw she was releasing a new trilogy, I was excited to dive in.⁣
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Razor and Tristan are opposite in every way. Razor is a lieutenant in an organized crime ring, and Tristan is the heir to a family full of lawyers. The forbiddeness of each other continues to draw them together, no matter how dangerous being together could be. ⁣
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I am loving the morally grey, forbidden aspect of Razor and Tristan’s relationship, and love how, even though they barely know each other, they are willing to risk everything for the other.⁣
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I am completely invested in this new trilogy and cannot wait to see what happens next. I am expecting some twists and turns to pop up.⁣
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Take a chance and join Razor and Tristan on the first part of their journey if you vibe with…⁣⁣⁣
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♥️ ⁣⁣MM⁣
🖤 ⁣⁣Dark | Organized Crime⁣
♥️ ⁣⁣Opposites⁣
🖤 ⁣⁣Size Difference⁣
♥️ ⁣⁣Forbidden⁣
🖤 ⁣⁣Morally Grey⁣
⁣⁣
🍁🍁🍁🍁.5⁣⁣⁣
🥵🥵🥵⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯; 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah man! C F White has sucked me hook line and sinker into another dark world and I cannot tell you how much I hate being wrenched out of it. I finished this book days ago and I’m still thinking about it. Danger, lust, greed - the haves the have nots and the takers. The puppeteers and those who are trapped in their strings. From East London’s gritty drug lines to Mayfairs glitz and power, worlds collides when these men who should never have met and intrinsically connected and cannot break loose.

Tristan, born in immense privilege but with an unfortunately empathetic heart putting him almost always on the outside. No matter how much he rebels his family legacy doggedly chases him and he still colours within the lines. Until one night he meets Razor, who could not have come from a world more different than his, yet these men are both trapped and they start breaking the chains surreptitiously almost without realising it.

There is threat and danger around every corner, these two are forbidden, there is betrayal, comeuppance, shady deals, violence, edge if your seat action and plot twists - and in the midst if all this is the lust, chemistry, the click that locks into place for them.

Cannot wait to read more! These three books have a fast release schedule and I for one am highly anticipating them

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Outside, London staggered past the window looking exactly how the night felt: half-cut, mascara-smudged, spilling sins across wet pavements. Neon bled into the rain-slick glass until the city became a blur of grime and light. A place where anything could happen and usually did. And we were here to take what it offered."

Wow, this was amazing! I have no idea why Crave was the first book I have read by C.F. White but it certainly won't be the last. The writing was stellar, I adored the characters and Tristan and Razor's storyline has got me completely and utterly hooked!

Be warned, there are some very dark themes running through the story, and this is only book 1 in the author's Pretty Poison trilogy, so there is no HEA here - and honestly, who knows how these boys' story will end...we can but hope!

"Then he looked down, eyes locking on mine, and he was so close I could see the flecks of gold glinting through the velvet brown like light catching on broken glass. Every nerve burnt. My pulse went feral. And in that split second, I couldn’t tell if he meant to hurt me or kiss me."

What To Expect:

🖤MM romance
🖤Dark themes
🖤London criminal underworld
🖤Opposites attract
🖤Forbidden desires
🖤"Mine"
🖤Steamy
🖤Cliff-hanger

ALL THE STARS 🌟

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing this incredible book, I immediately found myself needing book two.



True to its title, Crave perfectly captures the intense, undeniable desire between Tristan and Richie—also known as Razor. The powerful connection they share, both emotional and physical, kept me completely riveted from beginning to end. Their journey is a collision of opposites—the good side of the law versus the bad—and that tension only deepens the pull between them.



The author writes their emotional and physical cravings with such depth and intensity that you can practically feel them. The chemistry is electric, raw, and impossible to ignore. I found myself craving more with every chapter—and now I’m absolutely craving the next book.



Set against the gritty realism of Landon’s backstreets and dark alleyways—where deals are made, blood is spilled, and danger lurks at every turn—the story feels vivid and authentic. It’s intense, emotional, and unapologetically raw.



I honestly couldn’t get enough of this book. It’s far beyond five stars for me.

[AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Un)holy smokes! I loved everything about this new facet to CF White’s writing!
The narration sets the mood of the story perfectly and there is no romnaticizing the gritty, ugly parts.
The MCs are both fleshed out just right and we get a true deep dive into who they are as people, but also can see the challenges and inner conflicts in brilliant detali! There is no perfection or glossing over anything. There’s hard truth and believable, gritty emotions put out there in just the right words to make you want to flip the page over and over.
There was no putting the book down for me and I need part two immediately. And however many more there are, because I don’t see myself getting tired of the vibe this story has. 100% recommend if you are after a genuine story with lots of bumps, bruises and hurt along the way.

[Mommysuz]

BUCKLE UP your in for a ride!

When Razor and Tristan first meet, let's say it’s basically a case of mistaken. These two could not be more different. Tristan comes from wealth and privilege, while Razor is deep in the drug world. Absolutely no way this should work.

And yet they’re completely drawn to each other. They’re toxic and magnetic at the same time.

You can just feel the heartache coming, and I am not emotionally prepared for what’s ahead. This is not your typical mushy love story. It’s gritty and raw. It pulls you in from the very first page and does not let go.

Fair warning this is NOT a standalone. There are two more books coming in the series and I am already dying having to wait two months between each release because I need to know what happens next.

I received this book from Book Sirens for my honest opinion.

[Ju · Rating 5 out of 5]

CF White does it again. Crave the first book of a new trilogy Pretty Poison, introduces us to Razor and Tristan. Living in the same city, separated by social divide, but both living a life that has been forged from circumstance rather than choice. From the first chapter you are invested in the story of two men who should never have met, a connection that should never have been made and a divide that neither can cross.

I look forward to the next two installments Corrupt and Claim coming April and June 2026. Knowing the author's style I expect a turbulent path for both, before we get to the ending.

I received an ARC from the author, this review is freely given and without influence from the author.

[Sarah Thornburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became a fan of CF White after reading her 'To Love a Psycho' series. Her writing is beautifully dark, and her characters pop off the page. Tristen and Razor couldn't be more different, as they come from opposite sides of London -- Tristen's from money and a posh upbringing. Razor grew up in East London, in rough-and-tumble neighborhoods, looking after his mother and sister after a deadly incident with his father left them without their father and husband. And now, an unexpected run-in between Razor and Tristen outside an unexpected place in Razor's neighborhood leaves both men questioning their feelings. Tristen is enrolled in law school and lives with a couple of roommates, one of whom gets involved in the drug scene that Razor runs. When their paths cross again in the most unlikely of ways, they start to think that karma wants them together. Circumstances involving Tristan's family shape his future, and he faces serious decisions. Razor has his own decisions to make involving his family and his drug-running business, and they could implode their tentative relationship.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crave is the first book in the Pretty Poison trilogy. Set between London's posh neighborhoods and the underworld, it tells the first part of the story of Razor, the second-in-command to a drug lord, and Tristan, a posh boy.

They meet one night when Tristan confirms that his boyfriend is cheating on him and Razor is looking for a rent boy.

A passion arises between them that is destined to burn out quickly and leave its mark on them. Their worlds become intertwined through crime and passion.

I hope to read the second one soon, because I can't leave it at that.

Another great book by the author.

[Fernanda Parente]

What a great and tough book, not an easy story, not easy relationship.
But Razor and Tristan (Tricky for Razor) are amazing together. Razor is such a complex character with a tough life and Tristan is also complex but with an easy and a privilege life but he didn't fit in it
I love this first book and can't wait for the next one

[Sammy Standing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me captivated from the very first page and this was such a phenomenal read. I absolutely loved these characters and their journey throughout this story; I could not put this down for even a second.

[Jolanda van Osch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a story, this story was amazing from beginning to end and could not stop reading.

[confessorblue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Author

5 stars.

WOW. I know why I always want my hands on C.F. White’s novels, this author has done it again.

Razor, perfect morally gray character. He and Tristan had so much chemistry. Both of them as characters just did it for me, I didn’t ever feel like they weren’t fleshed out even at the first chapter of the book. C.F. White knows how to write deep, broken, amazing characters. It never ceases to amaze me.


I need the next book! I have to know what is going to happen next.