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Enticed: A Dark Bully Forbidden Romance
They were never supposed to live under the same roof.
And this time… there’s nowhere to run.
I spent the summer trying to forget Roman Hale.
Two months of distance. Silence. Reinvention.
I told myself that when I came back, everything would be different.
I was wrong.
Now my mother is moving in with his father, and Roman is no longer just the boy I tried to erase - he’s the one controlling the air I breathe. Every hallway, every shared wall, every forced car ride becomes another battlefield in a house that will never feel like home.
Roman is colder and crueler than before.
And he wants me to pay for intruding on his life.
What no one sees is how thin the line is between hatred and want…
Or how dangerous it becomes when secrets, proximity, and unfinished feelings collide.
Because surviving him is one thing.
Wanting him again might destroy us both.
ENTICED is the explosive conclusion to The Hale Duet - a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers forbidden romance filled with tension, obsession, and emotional payoff.
Inside this
Enemies to lovers
Forbidden / almost-stepsibling romance
Bully romance (cruel, controlling MMC)
Forced proximity / living under one roof
Secrets, power struggles, and emotional warfare
Slow burn tension → high-heat payoff
Dual POV
Guaranteed HEA
Perfect for readers who love dark-leaning romance where the line between control and desire blurs with a guaranteed HEA.
Readers are
"What a mind blowing story. Couldn't wait to read the conclusion of this series. So dark and explicit. My emotions were all over the place with this story. Secrets. drama. danger. suspense. This book was detailed and action packed. Way better than five stars!!!!!"
"Enticed was everything I hoped for and more. As the sequel to Entitled, this book completely pulled me in and refused to let go."
"Enticed, book two following Entitled, picked up seamlessly right where the first book left off. The high school drama intensified, emotions ran high, and relationships were truly put to the test. The story kept me fully invested from start to finish, and I loved how everything ultimately came together in a satisfying conclusion."
Please note...
This book contains explicit sexual content and explores themes of power imbalance, emotional manipulation, betrayal, and family conflict within the context of a slow burn forbidden romance. While the story includes dark and challenging moments, it ultimately resolves with a consensual relationship and a HEA. Reader discretion advised.
And this time… there’s nowhere to run.
I spent the summer trying to forget Roman Hale.
Two months of distance. Silence. Reinvention.
I told myself that when I came back, everything would be different.
I was wrong.
Now my mother is moving in with his father, and Roman is no longer just the boy I tried to erase - he’s the one controlling the air I breathe. Every hallway, every shared wall, every forced car ride becomes another battlefield in a house that will never feel like home.
Roman is colder and crueler than before.
And he wants me to pay for intruding on his life.
What no one sees is how thin the line is between hatred and want…
Or how dangerous it becomes when secrets, proximity, and unfinished feelings collide.
Because surviving him is one thing.
Wanting him again might destroy us both.
ENTICED is the explosive conclusion to The Hale Duet - a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers forbidden romance filled with tension, obsession, and emotional payoff.
Inside this
Enemies to lovers
Forbidden / almost-stepsibling romance
Bully romance (cruel, controlling MMC)
Forced proximity / living under one roof
Secrets, power struggles, and emotional warfare
Slow burn tension → high-heat payoff
Dual POV
Guaranteed HEA
Perfect for readers who love dark-leaning romance where the line between control and desire blurs with a guaranteed HEA.
Readers are
"What a mind blowing story. Couldn't wait to read the conclusion of this series. So dark and explicit. My emotions were all over the place with this story. Secrets. drama. danger. suspense. This book was detailed and action packed. Way better than five stars!!!!!"
"Enticed was everything I hoped for and more. As the sequel to Entitled, this book completely pulled me in and refused to let go."
"Enticed, book two following Entitled, picked up seamlessly right where the first book left off. The high school drama intensified, emotions ran high, and relationships were truly put to the test. The story kept me fully invested from start to finish, and I loved how everything ultimately came together in a satisfying conclusion."
Please note...
This book contains explicit sexual content and explores themes of power imbalance, emotional manipulation, betrayal, and family conflict within the context of a slow burn forbidden romance. While the story includes dark and challenging moments, it ultimately resolves with a consensual relationship and a HEA. Reader discretion advised.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 29, 2026
4 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 31, 2026
The book, much like the previous one, reads smoothly and the writing style is decent - save for some repetitiveness at times. Despite that, I was not as emotionally invested in the story as I expected to be - maybe I’m simply getting too old for high school drama. It’s not that I didn’t like the storyline, but I do feel it might be more fitting for a younger audience in this case (me being in my early thirties).
Entitled ended with the ‘cliffhanger’ that Roman convinced Verta to help break up their parents, so I assumed this would be the setup for Enticed’s storyline. The story went in a completely different direction though with their parents moving in together, which was way more interesting in my opinion. Having read Enticed now, I do feel like the revelation about the move would have been a better cliffhanger to end book one with - especially since the ‘sabotage’ is hardly mentioned anymore.
I did like this book more than the previous one in the beginning, but it fell flat for me somewhere halfway through. I didn’t feel like it was really going somewhere. Verta and Roman went from keeping their distance to giving in to each other to keeping their distance again, rinse and repeat. The push and pull between them wasn’t as captivating as it was in Entitled. The story, again, leaned in heavily on the high school drama - which is totally understandable given the setting, but about halfway through it was becoming way too much for me.
The characters are overall consistent with how we know them from Entitled. Verta is careful but stands her ground when she needs to, even more so than in the previous book. Roman tries to keep up his asshole mask but his soft side shines through, especially during his POVs.
Just like with the last book, there were a few continuity errors (Verta being surprised about Mia and Jack when they were already dating at the end of Entitled, Verta arriving at Luke’s house while the party was at Jack’s, Roman taking off a shirt he wasn’t wearing). While I was able to overlook most of the inconsistencies in the last book since they were mostly contained in the earlier chapters, they did annoy me quite a bit more in this one where they were more scattered throughout the whole book - to the point where it affected my enjoyment of the story. It’s not so easy to overlook when the same scene differs when the POV is switched (Verta being the big spoon in Roman’s POV but the other way around in hers, Verta being in the kitchen when she gets the acceptance email in Roman’s POV but in her bedroom in hers).
As someone who primarily reads dark romance, I still didn’t think this was very dark. Forbidden romance? Yes. Bully romance? Yes, more so than the first book in my opinion. But not at all dark.
I liked the premise, but the execution was not my cup of tea. The combined inconsistencies had an impact on my reading experience as well. Though, I think this could be a great book for the right audience - especially with a bit of extra editing to address the continuity and POV inconsistencies. The books are advertised as being dark romance, but I think that sets readers up with the wrong expectations - besides maybe the fact that the MMC is a bit of a bully, there is nothing particularly dark about these books. Since the spice is very limited and not that explicit, I think it would be more fitting to market these books as YA or NA.
All of these things considered, I can personally only give two stars, but I do see more potential.
Entitled ended with the ‘cliffhanger’ that Roman convinced Verta to help break up their parents, so I assumed this would be the setup for Enticed’s storyline. The story went in a completely different direction though with their parents moving in together, which was way more interesting in my opinion. Having read Enticed now, I do feel like the revelation about the move would have been a better cliffhanger to end book one with - especially since the ‘sabotage’ is hardly mentioned anymore.
I did like this book more than the previous one in the beginning, but it fell flat for me somewhere halfway through. I didn’t feel like it was really going somewhere. Verta and Roman went from keeping their distance to giving in to each other to keeping their distance again, rinse and repeat. The push and pull between them wasn’t as captivating as it was in Entitled. The story, again, leaned in heavily on the high school drama - which is totally understandable given the setting, but about halfway through it was becoming way too much for me.
The characters are overall consistent with how we know them from Entitled. Verta is careful but stands her ground when she needs to, even more so than in the previous book. Roman tries to keep up his asshole mask but his soft side shines through, especially during his POVs.
Just like with the last book, there were a few continuity errors (Verta being surprised about Mia and Jack when they were already dating at the end of Entitled, Verta arriving at Luke’s house while the party was at Jack’s, Roman taking off a shirt he wasn’t wearing). While I was able to overlook most of the inconsistencies in the last book since they were mostly contained in the earlier chapters, they did annoy me quite a bit more in this one where they were more scattered throughout the whole book - to the point where it affected my enjoyment of the story. It’s not so easy to overlook when the same scene differs when the POV is switched (Verta being the big spoon in Roman’s POV but the other way around in hers, Verta being in the kitchen when she gets the acceptance email in Roman’s POV but in her bedroom in hers).
As someone who primarily reads dark romance, I still didn’t think this was very dark. Forbidden romance? Yes. Bully romance? Yes, more so than the first book in my opinion. But not at all dark.
I liked the premise, but the execution was not my cup of tea. The combined inconsistencies had an impact on my reading experience as well. Though, I think this could be a great book for the right audience - especially with a bit of extra editing to address the continuity and POV inconsistencies. The books are advertised as being dark romance, but I think that sets readers up with the wrong expectations - besides maybe the fact that the MMC is a bit of a bully, there is nothing particularly dark about these books. Since the spice is very limited and not that explicit, I think it would be more fitting to market these books as YA or NA.
All of these things considered, I can personally only give two stars, but I do see more potential.
January 14, 2026
I was lucky enough to be gifted a complimentary copy of this book from the author and it has been a journey.
Following on from book 1, this book will not be afraid to keep you on your toes guessing what will come next between the main characters. A lovely ending to the book leaves me wondering what will come next.
Fingers crossed that there is a book 3 coming soon 🤞🏻
Following on from book 1, this book will not be afraid to keep you on your toes guessing what will come next between the main characters. A lovely ending to the book leaves me wondering what will come next.
Fingers crossed that there is a book 3 coming soon 🤞🏻
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was excited to jump straight into Enticed after finishing the first book, and I appreciated how it picked up quickly from where the story left off.
I’m still not a fan of bullies in general, but I have to admit the MMC was well written for what could have easily been a cliché rich, popular high school character. He had depth, clear internal conflicts, and his growth felt genuine, inspiring, and heartfelt by the end. Watching him slowly confront his flaws was one of the strongest aspects of the book.
Unfortunately, the FMC felt a bit flat to me. I struggled to fully connect with her, and the writing could have benefited from less redundancy and fewer time skips, which occasionally pulled me out of the story.
That said, the friendships truly stood out. The friend group dynamics were top-tier and easily some of the best parts of the book—supportive, realistic, and genuinely enjoyable to read.
Overall, this was a good conclusion to the duology. While it didn’t completely win me over in every aspect, I can definitely see this as a solid recommendation for readers looking to start exploring bully romance.
I’m still not a fan of bullies in general, but I have to admit the MMC was well written for what could have easily been a cliché rich, popular high school character. He had depth, clear internal conflicts, and his growth felt genuine, inspiring, and heartfelt by the end. Watching him slowly confront his flaws was one of the strongest aspects of the book.
Unfortunately, the FMC felt a bit flat to me. I struggled to fully connect with her, and the writing could have benefited from less redundancy and fewer time skips, which occasionally pulled me out of the story.
That said, the friendships truly stood out. The friend group dynamics were top-tier and easily some of the best parts of the book—supportive, realistic, and genuinely enjoyable to read.
Overall, this was a good conclusion to the duology. While it didn’t completely win me over in every aspect, I can definitely see this as a solid recommendation for readers looking to start exploring bully romance.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoyed this second book so much more. Don't get me wrong I liked the first one however, I felt this one dived in deeper and really wrapped everything up well. I found I got the ability to feel more for the MMC in this book.
This was well written, with more angst, spice and character development. The emotional turmoil and tension will keep you turning the page. I found I grew more respect for Verta's mom in this book too, in the first one I cringed at the amount of times Verta would say she was "fine, just tired". As a mom I saw that as a red flag with how often she used the reply. I hope in my life I can see the signs!
I enjoyed the pace of this book, not rushed but real. The ending was good and I liked the added epilogue. I would follow Roman and Verta into a third book just to see how their story continues. I loved seeing both of them grow into their own in this one.
I received this book as an ARC and I thank you for letting me step into your world.
This was well written, with more angst, spice and character development. The emotional turmoil and tension will keep you turning the page. I found I grew more respect for Verta's mom in this book too, in the first one I cringed at the amount of times Verta would say she was "fine, just tired". As a mom I saw that as a red flag with how often she used the reply. I hope in my life I can see the signs!
I enjoyed the pace of this book, not rushed but real. The ending was good and I liked the added epilogue. I would follow Roman and Verta into a third book just to see how their story continues. I loved seeing both of them grow into their own in this one.
I received this book as an ARC and I thank you for letting me step into your world.
January 29, 2026
ARC REVIEW
I was lucky enough to receive both books as ARC’s for this duet and they did not disappoint. I couldn’t put it down, I needed to know what was going to happen next!
I do love myself a bully romance and this one was up there for me. The perfect amount of tension and angst!
My heart was hurting for poor Verta throughout this whole book but I absolutely loved seeing her growth in this second book! She became so strong and I love that for her! The way she handled herself throughout this whole was incredible.
I wanted to scream at Roman and his father😅 and Alice for a hot minute, but she’s such a sweetie and I shouldn’t have doubted her!
I need to know what happens next with Verta and Roman!!
I was lucky enough to receive both books as ARC’s for this duet and they did not disappoint. I couldn’t put it down, I needed to know what was going to happen next!
I do love myself a bully romance and this one was up there for me. The perfect amount of tension and angst!
My heart was hurting for poor Verta throughout this whole book but I absolutely loved seeing her growth in this second book! She became so strong and I love that for her! The way she handled herself throughout this whole was incredible.
I wanted to scream at Roman and his father😅 and Alice for a hot minute, but she’s such a sweetie and I shouldn’t have doubted her!
I need to know what happens next with Verta and Roman!!
January 20, 2026
I was lucky enough to receive the advanced copy of the book one and book two. I loved everything about this book. There was tension, angst, spice, emotional turmoil, character development and everything else we can look for in a bully romance. I loved the pace, how everything was so well written. It didn’t feel unreal or too much at any point of time. Most importantly the ending wasn’t rushed, not even sugarcoated. It gives you a space to analyse the situation, the consequences and to me it was more like an open ending or should I say anticipation of book 3. Roman and Verta definitely deserves a third book.❤️
January 26, 2026
She tried to erase him and he tried to forget her……clearly the emotional bond was too strong. I thought this book was written better than book 1. The struggles were so real, the betrayal (ouch!!) and the secrets ( be ready for). Spice level 🌶️ but was enough to keep the enemies to lovers exciting. The Halloween party was the best part in the book 🖤🌶️ I read it in one day straight after book 1 because I needed to know where this Forbidden Love was going. I was a little disappointed with the ending, I felt it was rushed and left too much unanswered….who knows perhaps a Book 3 will come 🖤 Thankyou for letting me enjoy your journey Eva Elliot.
January 29, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars
Enticed was everything I hoped for and more. As the sequel to Entitled, this book completely pulled me in and refused to let go.
The characters, the tension, and the emotional depth all felt even stronger in this instalment. I genuinely didn’t want the story to end, and by the final page I was already wishing for a third book.
I was incredibly grateful to read this as an ARC, and it was such a rewarding experience to continue this story early. This was a captivating, satisfying, and unforgettable read — easily five stars.
Enticed was everything I hoped for and more. As the sequel to Entitled, this book completely pulled me in and refused to let go.
The characters, the tension, and the emotional depth all felt even stronger in this instalment. I genuinely didn’t want the story to end, and by the final page I was already wishing for a third book.
I was incredibly grateful to read this as an ARC, and it was such a rewarding experience to continue this story early. This was a captivating, satisfying, and unforgettable read — easily five stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was kindly given advance copies of both the first book and this book, and let me say this book is so much better than the first one, its way more enticing, the characters have more depth and, in general, it was written better, the story was easy to follow and enjoyable.
the only reason it isn't quite a five star is because, as much as I liked the ending, it came across as a bit rushed.
Massive thankyou again to Eva!
the only reason it isn't quite a five star is because, as much as I liked the ending, it came across as a bit rushed.
Massive thankyou again to Eva!
Review of advance copy
I was lucky enough to receive ARCs for both entitled and enticed.
I loved this book following on from book 1.
It’s a constant roller coaster of emotions.
More spice than book one, but book one was a great building block for this.
I think this both of these books portray how tough school can be and how nasty kids can be, especially to protect their image.
Great character development all throughout.
Great story.
Fingers crossed for a 3rd book!
I loved this book following on from book 1.
It’s a constant roller coaster of emotions.
More spice than book one, but book one was a great building block for this.
I think this both of these books portray how tough school can be and how nasty kids can be, especially to protect their image.
Great character development all throughout.
Great story.
Fingers crossed for a 3rd book!
February 8, 2026
An emotionally intense rollercoaster.
I enjoyed the spice, rhythm, volley of character perspectives, and story, but wished Verta had grown more or at least leaned on her friends for help. Roman’s actions and words enraged me at times, but his growth and depth was great. I was glad Verta’s friends didn’t just disappear like they didn’t exist any more. Enemies to Lovers isn’t my favorite trope, but I feel Eva Elliot writes it well.
I enjoyed the spice, rhythm, volley of character perspectives, and story, but wished Verta had grown more or at least leaned on her friends for help. Roman’s actions and words enraged me at times, but his growth and depth was great. I was glad Verta’s friends didn’t just disappear like they didn’t exist any more. Enemies to Lovers isn’t my favorite trope, but I feel Eva Elliot writes it well.
January 21, 2026
Enticed, book two following Entitled, picked up seamlessly right where the first book left off. The high school drama intensified, emotions ran high, and relationships were truly put to the test. The story kept me fully invested from start to finish, and I loved how everything ultimately came together in a satisfying conclusion.
January 30, 2026
This is the second book in the series, and as much as I enjoyed the first one this was so much better.
The tension just poured off the pages and I had to know what happened.
Verta and Roman a forbidden relationship. I would live there to be another book but I suppose that’s is the sign of good writing, you always want more.
I was gifted this book as an arc
The tension just poured off the pages and I had to know what happened.
Verta and Roman a forbidden relationship. I would live there to be another book but I suppose that’s is the sign of good writing, you always want more.
I was gifted this book as an arc
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wow! I wasn't sure whether Roman and Verta would get a happy ending or how everything would work out.
This was probably the best ending I have read in a while. I am glad both Verta and Roman found themselves.
Such a heartbreaking book. I hope Alice found happiness.
This was probably the best ending I have read in a while. I am glad both Verta and Roman found themselves.
Such a heartbreaking book. I hope Alice found happiness.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Roman and Verta are becoming closer in secret, while Roman still controls the narrative as to what Verta can say to her friends or their family. It all comes crashing down, will Roman rise to the opportunity or continue to follow in his father's footsteps.
February 14, 2026
• Entitled: ★★★☆☆
• Enticed: ★★★½☆
If I’m being completely honest, Book 1 didn’t grab me. It wasn’t bad — just fine. A bit “meh.” But somehow, despite not being fully hooked, I still found myself picking up Book 2… and thankfully, that one landed better.
Across both books, the two main characters are clearly meant to carry the emotional weight, but their dynamic never quite hit the mark for me. He’s exhaustingly dramatic and she’s smart but frustratingly naive, and their chemistry sits somewhere between too slow, toxic, and why are we doing this again.
Surprisingly, the standout for me wasn’t either of them — it was the uncle, who appears briefly but still manages to be the most compelling person in the entire series because he took that dramatic boy and pushed him to be better.
Plot-wise, neither book truly hooked me but I did appreciate one thing: seeing both the FMC and her mum finally stand up to the men around them. That moment of empowerment was a bright spot for me in the books.
Still, if you’re curious, or if you like your romance messy, slow, and a little toxic, you might find something here that works for you
• Enticed: ★★★½☆
If I’m being completely honest, Book 1 didn’t grab me. It wasn’t bad — just fine. A bit “meh.” But somehow, despite not being fully hooked, I still found myself picking up Book 2… and thankfully, that one landed better.
Across both books, the two main characters are clearly meant to carry the emotional weight, but their dynamic never quite hit the mark for me. He’s exhaustingly dramatic and she’s smart but frustratingly naive, and their chemistry sits somewhere between too slow, toxic, and why are we doing this again.
Surprisingly, the standout for me wasn’t either of them — it was the uncle, who appears briefly but still manages to be the most compelling person in the entire series because he took that dramatic boy and pushed him to be better.
Plot-wise, neither book truly hooked me but I did appreciate one thing: seeing both the FMC and her mum finally stand up to the men around them. That moment of empowerment was a bright spot for me in the books.
Still, if you’re curious, or if you like your romance messy, slow, and a little toxic, you might find something here that works for you
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2026
This was such a captivating read in so many ways!
There were so many twists in Roman and Verta’s story that i could barely put the book down in anticipation.
Both characters grew so much throughout the book in terms of personal development which was really good to see.
Thanks again to Eva Elliot and The Naughty Nook for the ARC!!🫶🏻
There were so many twists in Roman and Verta’s story that i could barely put the book down in anticipation.
Both characters grew so much throughout the book in terms of personal development which was really good to see.
Thanks again to Eva Elliot and The Naughty Nook for the ARC!!🫶🏻
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews