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veryone is a little broken

Dark Island holds secrets. In the summer months when the sunny weather draws in members of the boat club, the castle is filled with laughter and good times. As winter brings icy wind through Alexandria Bay, New York, the halls fall silent.

Four lonely hearts alone in the castle are drawn together by voices of the dead when they send up an alarm that someone is on the island who shouldn’t be. What begins with solitude has them coming together to protect their secrets.

If they can survive the harsh winter, the silent attacks in the night, and their own emotional baggage, there might just be a happy ending for the new year. IF they can survive.

***

This is a polyamorous LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2026

48 people are currently reading
128 people want to read

About the author

Crea Reitan

116 books1,168 followers
Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. When she can't fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center - and utterly swoon-worthy! Don't ask her how many book boyfriends she has...

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don't even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Charlotte.s.library.
504 reviews16 followers
March 26, 2026
Infinite stars. Infinite stars for sure.

OMG, I have been curious about Matty since I've met him in "Graduation No Face" and the time for me to read this book couldn't come soon enough.

Idk what Crea puts in these books but I am obsessed.

These four, omg, I don't know how they did it, but they made me fall in love with each and every one of them, Liam included. I love them as individuals, and I adore them as a group. Each and every one of them bring something so unique into this relationship that if one of them is missing it wouldn't work...

I love how easy D and Zeph fell into their physical relationship without too much fuss, and how from a friends with benefits situation a beautiful friendship bloomed. Because see... first and foremost they become friends. Their foundation was slowly building when Matty burst into their life in the middle of the night, and I think that foundation was what made this relationship stand. Also, the love between Liam and Matty helped with this as well.

Liam was... he was somehow, not necessarily, harder to love, but it wasn't easy to not judge him. I totally get his POV and my heart hurts for him. He just wanted Matty to share his life with him, no secrets, and they ended up in that unfortunate situation. The good thing is what came out of all of it in the end. Darwin and Zephyr needed a bit of time to warm up to him, but when they did... oh, it was so nice to see.

The plot of this book was also so, so, so good. I feel like something was non stop happening and I've read this book in one sitting. I just couldn't get enough. I for sure will come back and re-read it, and when the audiobook will drop I'll put my phone on DND and let myself go back to Dark Island.

If these is something Crea can do and does it well is create these islands that are like a dream. Ugh, we have Kala on one hand that is a paradise, and then we have the Dark Island that's full of ghosts, traps, and has a dark history. One Island is freedom, the other one is a jail. These two islands are the perfect example what the Creaverse has to offer. SIGN ME INNNNN.

I could talk 9345263 years about this book. I love Crea's poly books, and For Your Love is one of my fav books of all time. I didn't think anything will make me feel like that book made me feel in this universe yet these 4 came in, they said hold my beer, and made me fall madly in love with them. These two books now fight for the space on that 1st steps of the podium and I think I need to build another one cuz it is getting crowded in these.

I am ready for the next book in the series. I am SO READY.
Profile Image for Wicked River Reads.
313 reviews11 followers
March 11, 2026
This was such a great time! I loved Matty so much and I really appreciated how Zephyer and Darwin were there for him when Liam couldn’t be. Matty was most definitely the heart of this bunch and it was sweet to see their individual relationships with him as well as their collective one. I liked the relationship development. No one was unfairly treated but no one was automatically trusted either so seeing them learn each other and earn the respect and trust of one another was nice. I always love Van Doren cameos and the paranormal aspect to this was fun. I’m glad I picked this up!

🖤ARC REVIEW🩶

☑️ Trigger Warnings
Profile Image for R.
2,136 reviews
Review of advance copy
March 7, 2026
Dead Nights is part of the Van Doren Universe, where majority of the characters are psychopaths or morally grey, but always entertaining, (the Van Doren’s play small parts here).

Zephyr, son of (loving?) psychopaths, as well balanced as any one in his situation can be. On the families island for the summer he just doesn’t leave. He’s not sure why he’s stuck around, but he’s really glad he did when another resident, Darwin, proposes a friends with benefits arrangement. Darwin discovers Zephyr isn’t the ahole he presents to the world. They begin what might be called a relationship.

Matty refused to kill a man. His punishment for that is death. His boyfriend Liam kept him from being killed and Matty is made a prisoner on the island. Liam leaves Matty alone for long periods of time. Matty sees ghosts and the island is full of them, sinking Matty into hell. They torment him unceasingly. Zephyr and Darwin befriend Matty. And he becomes a welcome voyeur to their intimacy’s. Liam returns to the island and is not happy with what he finds. Matty is his! These men have no right to him. But do they?

This author has once again taken borderline personalities and made them human as they find love. In this case that’s four very different men. None of them are Van Doren’s but their cult still has impact on the story. Yes, I said cult.

I didn’t expect to like Liam but I felt he redeemed himself. Zephyr and Darwin’s (with) benefits morphed into true feelings. Matty, even though he lived in, and with hell, became the catalyst for the relationships. He is very definitely the center of the story. He may be the best character the author has created. His relationships with the “ghosts” was sort of like CCTV. They saw all and and helped Matty protect his men. Blood was spilled without remorse and spicy times just kept getting spicier.

A couple of mysteries remained unanswered. Zephyr’s sister’s death and just what is up with that tower? Patiently waiting for the next book which I think will explain Zephry’s sister.

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
Profile Image for True Loveislovereview.
2,923 reviews1 follower
March 19, 2026
I love how all these books by this author are connected. There are always familiar faces to find.
Still, they can be read and enjoyed as stand-alone. I think it’s a good thing when you read Graduation No Face first. You’ll understand Dead Nights better.

Zephyr is somewhat depressed, Jude, his best friend, left the Dark Island. He and all the others left the castle, left Dark Island, and returned home. Normally, they are together, but Jude now has a boyfriend and returned home with him.

Darwin is also at the castle. Zephyr and Darwin aren’t close, but they made a deal. Friends with benefits, and oh boy, do they act on it. They become friends, they sleep, cook, and eat together, and have the same interests.

The castle and Dark Island have sinister secrets and a mysterious society.

There’s also Matty at the castle, who can never leave. He’s trapped because he knows secrets. Matty and Liam have a heartbreaking story.
Matty is left alone by Liam, with all the ghosts around. He sees and hears people, dead people.
One night, he’s afraid and needy and joins Darwin and Zephyr in bed.
Darwin is amazing with Matty’s angst. I loved how he handled it. I loved how they were with Matty.

Then there’s Liam, who returns to the Island. He’s burdened by the guilt of what happened to Matty. His presence does not amuse Darwin and Zephyr.
Sweet Matty is the centre of their relationship.

Intruders are entering the Dark Island, people who have no business being there.

The story is told from four different perspectives. I loved the dynamic. Don’t forget it’s a romance!
The spicy side of this story gets really spicier.
While they interact, we get to know them better, not just somewhat, but truly better, their lives, their families, their hopes, the hurt they’ve been through.
There’s still enough to discover, we will find out more with the stories to come.
Overall, it was an entertaining story, clearly written and well-developed. It’s emotional, bloody, and mysterious.

Review also on Love Bytes LGBTQ reviews
Profile Image for Sabrina.
1,520 reviews119 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 10, 2026
To start off, if you haven’t read Graduation No Face yet, do so! That was a big introduction to these characters and Dark Island and you will go into Dead Nights with a way better understanding of what these guys are facing! So our story follows Zephyr, Darwin, Matty, and Liam. When Zephyr’s best friend falls in love, Zephyr finds himself facing a bit of heartache and change he didn’t expect. He wasn’t in love with his best friend, but he feels like he is losing him nonetheless. Figuring out what to do and his feelings, he stays behind at Dark Island. But he isn’t alone. Darwin is staying as well because Dark Island has a secret society and everyone takes their turn watching over it. Zephyr and Darwin never really interacted much despite being part of the same group, but being there together, they find themselves in a friends with benefits situation that surprises the both of them when not only is their chemistry insane, but the things they have in common. The two of them are waking up and realizing that maybe they missed something that was in front of them all this time. But it isn’t just them in the castle either. Matty has been stuck on Dark Island for the last two years. His boyfriend, Liam, is part of the society and in his hope to bring Matty fully into his life and no secrets, he tries to bring Matty into the society. But it backfires. Scarring both of them in ways neither have healed from. They may still love one another, but Liam is punishing himself in the guilt he feels for breaking Matty. And Matty is dealing with a very interesting side effect. He can see the spirits that are on the Island. With Liam currently away, Matty finds himself actually keeping company with Zephyr and Darwin. And it isn’t long until the two of them realize that the society handle Matty’s situation horribly. They’re protective of him. And when Liam returns to the island, well things start to change for all of them. It’s a journey of healing and falling in love and forgiveness. But that’s not all. People are being sent to the island to discover its secrets and they get bolder and bolder. They’ll have to stop them once and for all. But can they take it on alone? I actually really loved this story. I was curious about all these characters for various reasons. And I was even more curious to see how the four of them would end up together. It was this almost slowburn emotionally as they figured who they were to one another and how it could work between them. I really adored all of them and the supernatural aspect of the story only made it that much more interesting! I can’t wait for the next book!


I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for BooksBooksandmoreBooks69.
2,048 reviews41 followers
March 21, 2026
My Review

Dead Nights by Crea Reitan is a new series, but still in her “Creaverse”. It’s a polyamorous MMMM romance that blends paranormal mystery, gothic isolation, and intense emotional/heated dynamics.

Set in a remote castle on Dark Island in Alexandria Bay, New York, during a brutal winter, it follows four broken men, Zephyr, Darwin, Matty, and Liam, who are drawn together by ghostly warnings of an intruder threatening their secrets!

The story unfolds through multiple POVs, which works well to showcase each character’s inner turmoil, past traumas, and growing connections.

The backstory is great…. a haunted, snowbound castle where the dead speak up to protect the living (or themselves?), silent nighttime attacks add suspense, and the men must confront their emotional baggage while fending off danger!

Tropes like hook ups to lovers, second chance (with Matty and Liam’s history), touch starved vulnerability, and “broken boys” are delivered with the author’s own flair, with Matty often positioned as the emotional center that binds the group.

The romance is central and steamy, you can expect high spice levels with elements like DP, group scenes, exhibitionism, and evolving poly dynamics that were 🥵 amid the tension.

The author’s ability to balance mystery, blood, emotion, and eroticism without losing pace makes her an automatic on click for me. The writing is as clear, well developed, and entertaining, with interconnected nods to Reitan’s broader “Creaverse” universe (familiar faces pop up and I love it).

If you’re into dark, atmospheric MM+ romance with paranormal elements, haunted settings, found family vibes, and unapologetic spice, this delivers.

It’s not light reading, expect graphic content, trauma, and intensity, (there are trigger warning, please read before coming in) but it promises a satisfying read…. if the group survives their winter of secrets!

Perfect for fans of poly romance and gothic-tinged suspense.

The “Creaverse” just keeps getting bigger and better. Cameos/mentions of past/present and possible future characters are given a mention..
How the author keeps it all in order I have no idea (but I do marvel at her way of thinking.)
Is this new series of hers a little darker? Possibly, but if you read her Van Doren series, then you’ll know those stories can be a little darker.

It’s a strong start to the Legacy of Deth series.

🦋
Profile Image for VicReads.
1,628 reviews49 followers
Review of advance copy
March 18, 2026
𝙳𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙽𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜

𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠

5/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️

↓↓
Look I have come to love every single book I have read from Crea but I did not expect to be utterly consumed by this book as much as I was.

Zephyr and Darwin are left at the castle to stand guard and to protect their secrets. The last thing they expected was to start up a friends with benefits situationship but my goodness did they have this chemistry that was so hard to deny.

Matty is condemned to the island due to an initiation gone wrong. My heart absolutely broke for him and what he went through. I instantly loved him and as time went on, I think I fell in love with him even more. Definitely my favorite one of the book.

I was right there with Zeph and Darwin in the feelings for Liam. I couldn't stand him at first for what he did with Matty. As time went on though, my opinions completely changed. He was so full of guilt and remorse that he was tearing himself up day and night. By the end of the book I was rooting from him to heal and have his HEA.

The connection and bond these four have is incredible. When things began to shift to more between them all and they started opening up more on a deeper level, you could just feel the love between them.

Liam mentioned that he thinks they were each a little broken. I couldn't agree more. They were all a little bit broken and watching them all heal together was absolutely beautiful. When they all fought for Matty to leave and ensured that no matter what, all four of them would be leaving the island together, I was kicking and giggling, I was so happy.

This new series and the first book was the perfect mix of suspense, romance, spooky vibes, trauma, healing and most of all love. I can not wait for Erez book next in this series.

𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃
❄️Poly MMMM
🩵More Dead Than Living
❄️Forced Proximity
🩵Intruders With Knives
❄️Hookups to Lovers
🩵Stormed In
❄️Secret Society
🩵Broken Boys
❄️Broken Boys
Profile Image for angie_bookrecs.
288 reviews49 followers
Review of advance copy
March 9, 2026
One of the things I love most about reading anything in the Creaverse is how it constantly reminds me why I fell in love with this world in the first place. Every new book adds more depth, more heart, and more characters that you can’t help but fall in love with.
This book was no exception.

Dead Nights was such a perfect mix of spooky atmosphere, emotional healing, chaotic relationships, and some crazy action.

The setting alone pulled me in immediately. A creepy castle on a remote island, underground tunnels, rumors of ghosts, and a group of people with way too many secrets? Yeah…sign me the fuck up!
The whole Dark Island vibe felt eerie, but also strangely cozy at the same time.

What I really loved though was the characters. Zephyr and Darwin both feel so lonely in their own ways. Zephyr feels like he's constantly being left behind by the people he loves, while Darwin is quietly drowning under the pressure of his family's legacy. Watching them slowly open up to each other was honestly one of my favorite parts of the story.

Then there's Matty & Liam, whose story is just…heartbreaking. The trauma they carry, the way they're still trying to heal from everything that happened to them, it adds so much emotional weight to the book.

I didn’t think Zephyr & Darwin would ever be able to bridge the gap between them and their resentment towards Liam. I was very happy to be proven wrong.

The relationships in this story are messy and complicated, but that's exactly what makes them feel real. There's a lot of healing happening between these men, and it's beautiful to watch them find comfort and love with each other in ways they never expected.

If you like queer poly romance, spooky island settings, broken characters trying to heal, and a story that blends emotional depth with some very hot moments, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Profile Image for Ashley | adhdandread.
143 reviews10 followers
March 23, 2026
Dead Nights by Crea Reitan
Legacy of Deth #1
Length: 377 pages
Source: Chaotic Creatives
Publication date: March 19, 2026

5 ⭐⁣⁣⁣
5 🌶️⁣⁣⁣

WHAT TO EXPECT
🖤 Poly MMMM romance
🖤 Secret society
🖤 Murder island
🖤 Hookup to lovers
🖤 Animosity to lovers
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Broken Boys

AUTHOR'S BLURB
Everyone is a little broken

Dark Island holds secrets. In the summer months when the sunny weather draws in members of the boat club, the castle is filled with laughter and good times. As winter brings icy wind through Alexandria Bay, New York, the halls fall silent.
Four lonely hearts alone in the castle are drawn together by voices of the dead when they send up an alarm that someone is on the island who shouldn’t be. What begins with solitude has them coming together to protect their secrets.
If they can survive the harsh winter, the silent attacks in the night, and their own emotional baggage, there might just be a happy ending for the new year. IF they can survive.

MY THOUGHTS
Y’all, this book. This booooook! Amazing read. The poly dynamic is sooooo good. I enjoy when all of the relationships feel equitable in terms of what they each get from their partners, no matter what that looks like for them & their connection to each other. I want all partners equally valued and adored! Crea does a fantastic job, as always, with that.

BOTTOM LINE
Yep, for sure

CONTENT WARNINGS
This author is great about providing complete lists of CWs in her books, so check there before reading

–A🩷

Thanks to Chaotic Creatives and Crea Reitan for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, and Fable.
Profile Image for Noa Ashley .
477 reviews10 followers
March 19, 2026
"I crave affection. I’m so hungry for touch from someone who wants me." - Matty 

"Sometimes we’re really caught up in our lives and don’t see what’s right in front of us." - Darwin 

"You enjoy being broken far more than any vanilla person I’ve ever met." - Zephyr

"Don’t put a wall between you and them because you think you need to deal with your feelings on your own." - Liam

Matty has been stuck with ghosts on Dark Island for a while. Some ghosts are mean, but most of them are nice and even helped keep Matty and his boyfriends safe. It starts as Matty & Liam being together as well as Darwin & Zephyr and turns into all of them being together as well. I love that Darwin & Zephyr eventually treated Matty so much better than Liam has done in a while. I understand why they don't like him. Liam and the others had a lot of healing to go through, and they worked on that together. They just did what felt right, and I truly believe that Matty brought them all together. He's definitely my favorite, and I'm very glad that he learned how to feel comfortable with the ghosts, with himself, and with his partners. There are a lot of secret things going on, which was very interesting and exciting to learn something new from a different perspective! I totally love a dark vibe in the books that I read, but it is also still a romance with a deep connection. I'm very glad that their future is going to look different now. Matty is finally going to do all the things that he wants while being in love.

I received an ARC copy of this book.
68 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 19, 2026
I’m really loving the Society of the No Face! A remote island with a castle, a tower, and underground tunnels? I need the next book immediately!

Darwin and Zephyr are left to tend to the castle on Dark Island for the winter, and when people start showing up uninvited, they will do whatever it takes to protect the island and all the secrets it holds.

Zeph feels like he’s being left behind, while Darwin worries that he won’t live up to his family’s legacy. They aren’t alone though, Matty is also on the island, exiled after a failed initiation led to a breakdown where he began seeing the dead who inhabit the island. Per the rules of the Society he shouldn’t have been able to live, he knew too much, but his fiance Liam convinced them to let him live. But it cost Matty his freedom.

Darwin and Zeph had a strong urge to protect Matty, and yeah I understood their frustration with Liam, but I did feel like they were a bit hard on him at times. I mean no one else spoke up when Matty’s fate was decided. And Liam has beat himself up day in and day out over what happened with Matty.

But what I loved the most was the growth of all of these men. I loved how they were all able to help each other heal in their own ways. And they each gave each other something different. The evolution of their relationship was truly beautiful.

I received a copy from the author and am voluntarily sharing my honest opinion.
1,628 reviews11 followers
March 22, 2026
Dark island is full of surprises, twists, secrets suspense and the steam was steamy. We first met these characters in Graduation No Face and everything about Dark Island was intriguing. Zephyr has stayed on the island past the time he was going to leave due to emotions he can't explain, he is feeling lost and confused about his best friend finding the love of his life. He had always thought they would be single and thriving together. Matty has been trapped in the house since he failed initiation trapped in his thoughts and the ghosts around him. Darwin is taking his shift looking after the house through the holidays. When Darwin see's Zephyr they find each other in a friends with benefits arrangement which keeps bringing them closer until Matty shows ups telling them they have an invader on the island. This brings the three of them together. I loved the progression these three make, the kindness and love they show Matty bringing him out of the shadows and into the main part of the house, they show him so much kindness and help him heal. In comes Liam Matty's fiance, Darwin and Zephyr really let him have it on how he treated Matty. These three all have some emotional issues, guilt and some family problems. the story is fast paced and full of action packed moments. I loved the growth these characters all have and how they healed each other. I am so excited to get more of this series. I was given this book as an ARC for my honest review.
Profile Image for Richelle Zirkle.
2,196 reviews14 followers
March 20, 2026
I’m going to preface this one by saying it might be the ‘first in series’ for Legacy of Deth, but I feel like the reading experience will be best having read Graduation No Face first. So much of this world is introduced there. Dark Island is once again a huge character in its own right. Our characters face conflict in part because of the island, but they get some assistance from island ‘inhabitants’ as well. Zephyr has chosen to stay behind when everyone else leaves at the end of summer because he’s struggling with the impact to his life since his best friend found love and things look different than what he was expecting for the future. Darwin was tasked with babysitting duty for Dark Island so Zephyr isn’t alone, but the two were never close. They discover they have a surprising amount in common, not the least of which is their desire to make Matty’s situation better. Matty is many things—a failed initiate, the resident ghost whisperer, and now a friend, voyeur, and partner in crime. The island is under attack, and Matty’s unique ability to speak with the spirits is a boon, but Liam’s return and the increasing attacks mean that everything is going to come to a head. I was on the edge of my seat right through the fantastic ending!
Profile Image for Autumn L.
377 reviews
March 26, 2026
I’ve got to say Crea did it again with another amazing book and a start to a series. I know I’m going to love this series because, you have the second generation of the children from Crea pass books. This one had mystery, spice, polyamory, and ghost. I love all the characters together. Because they all bring something different into the group and there relationship. I’m not gonna lie. I do like the fact that they’re a little broken inside. Because that brings me to my next thing I love the fact that they heal one another in different ways. I also like that there is a little bit of mystery on the island. The ghosts that Matty see are helpful. But there are some awful ghosts there on island. I do like the fact that this group acknowledges the fact that he can see them and communicate with them. He’s not crazy that this whole group will stand with each other. And will not back down if one of them gets hurt. Zephyr found love that he didn’t realize he needed. Darwin found a life that he can live for himself and not live in the shadow of his parents. Liam is learning to forgive himself and letting others in to the relationship. For them being together, they have good communication skills. And they’re learning to trust one another. And also realizing just how much they’ve been independent and not being friends with anybody else in the club. For their families, you get to see them and how they interact and how happy they are for their children. Overall, I did enjoy the whole book. I cannot wait to read this whole series.
Profile Image for lmreadsromance.
392 reviews5 followers
March 19, 2026
I was introduced to Dark Island and the Society of the No Face in the novella Graduation No Face and I could not wait to learn more about the characters we met there. I absolutely devoured this book, I could not put it down!

The remote island and its castle are a huge mystery, with the watchtower, underground tunnels, secret society alongside so very many secrets and hauntings, it sets up an amazing premise for this extended universe. With each book in Crea’s universe we are gifted more characters, links and in this case a second generation and I absolutely love it.

This book focuses of the relationship between the characters, we get pieces of information about the secret society, however it is not the focus of this book.

Zephyr, Darwin, Matty and Liam all find themselves on dark island for the winter for very different reasons. They were all carrying their own emotional trauma, hurt, confusion, guilt, loneliness and watching them slowly open up to each other was everything.

I like the way they focused on individual relationships just as much as developing their poly relationship. I fell in love with each character at different points throughout the story. There was so much healing that happened so they could all move forward together.

I loved the balance of dark, emotional and paranormal elements and how they were interwoven, creating a beautiful balanced story.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series after all the clues and hints in this story. I’m so happy we’ll be getting a story for each of the Deth brothers, featuring of course the Van Doren’s and others from Crea’s universe.
Profile Image for Mikaela (risqué.romance).
507 reviews22 followers
Review of advance copy
March 17, 2026
Dead Nights - Crea Reitan
5/5✨🌟

* SPOILERS *

This has to be my absolutely favorite book that Crea has written. I was sucked in from beginning to end a this was such an interesting and lovely story. I love me a good poly relationship, especially when the guys come together when they least expect it.

Matty has to be my favorite just because he’s just the sweetest and I just love how Zephyr and Darwin when Liam couldn’t be. I just loved how all three guys would do anything to protect Matty no matter the consequences.

I’m a huge fan of touch starved. I need more books with that trope and I was here for all the cuddles and hugs and just everything in between.

All I’m going to say is the storyline is amazing and you love Crea and her writing, you need to pick up this book. I wasn’t prepared by how good this was going to be from the whole hookups to lovers to the other couple and just how they all came together.

Also, mixing in paranormal vibes and protection, yes please. I love how we get some other cameos too. I cannot wait for the next installment of this series like right now.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Moncerie .
14 reviews
March 29, 2026
2,5⭐️
I really wanted to like this, but I ended up considering DNFing it multiple times while reading.

The book lost me almost immediately with an overwhelming info dump. There are so many names, relatives, and connections thrown at the reader in the first few chapters that it becomes difficult to stay oriented or emotionally invested. At some point, I just stopped trying to keep track.

What frustrated me most is the imbalance. While we get extensive details about family relationships, the actually intriguing elements like no face secret society and the island are barely explored. These aspects had so much potential, but they never felt fully developed. Maybe it is already in another book I did not read. I didn’t realize beforehand that this book is part of the creaverse and how vast it is. If you haven’t read any of the other books, you might feel just as lost as I did. I constantly felt like I was missing context the story expected me to already understand, instead of building it naturally.

The storytelling relies heavily on telling rather than showing, which made it hard for me to connect with story outside the relationships between the MMCs. I kept waiting for things to click, but they never really did.

I’d only recommend this to readers who are already familiar with the other connected books in authors universe.
Profile Image for Ashley Anders.
210 reviews2 followers
March 21, 2026
love love love

We get so much from this book! First, the Legacy kids, then more into No Face, and Matty! As soon as Matty was introduced, I needed to know his story. I’m so happy that he got his HEA—not only with Liam, but also with Zephyr and Darwin!

The castle is never left unattended. Darwin is doing his rounds when he finds that Zephyr has stayed behind. They end up keeping each other company and become friends with benefits. One night, they are woken up by Matty, who has his own room in the basement. Matty is hysterical, saying there are intruders on the island trying to get into the castle. All three go to investigate, and sure enough, there is a boat at the pier just like Matty said.

After that, Matty doesn’t go back down to the basement. When Liam returns, he’s shocked to see how much Matty has improved in such a short amount of time. It takes a while—and several more intruders—before Liam not only earns Zephyr and Darwin’s trust, but their love as well.
Profile Image for Emmi (bookish_redpanda).
882 reviews45 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 18, 2026
Format: 📱 eBook 📱 (ARC)
Check CWs before reading

This follows on from Reitan's recently released "Graduation No Face", and I love how that novella set up the story for Dead Nights by introducing the main players. I was so intrigued by Zephyr, Matty and Liam in that novella, so to get a full story featuring them - plus the addition of Darwin - made me slightly giddy.

Boy, did Reitan deliver! DN is this fantastic mix of spicy romance, falling for people unexpectedly, enemies-t0-lovers within a duaric polycule, with an element of suspense, all set on the background of these odd, paranormal happenings plaguing Matty. I LOVE how Reitan approached the mental health aspect related to all the characters (not just Matty) in regard to the "ghosts", and overall this was such a fun read, even with the heavy elements thrown in.

As always, I love that we're seeing the ongoing generations of the many families and characters we know from the Creaverse, and I love getting the throwback to other couples in the original gens - especially as we learn new things about them from these newer stories!

I am so so curious to see where the rest of the Legacy of Deth/No Face storyline goes with upcoming books - this series is definitely going to be one I'm hooked onto (as with the rest of the Creaverse).

Thank you to the author for the eARC opportunity. These are my honest thoughts that I have provided voluntarily.
Profile Image for Rachel Watkinson.
246 reviews6 followers
March 19, 2026
ARC Review
Dead Nights
By Crea Reitan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay, I LOVE that this whole book takes place in the castle.
Matty is my absolute favourite character as well as Mrs. Callendale by far! And the ghosts? Oh, heck, yes. I love that they help them and keep them safe. But I also hate what the really bad ones do to Matty
Zephyr and Darwin two unlikely friends agree to occupy their time as friends with benefits, neither of them wanting a relationship...that is until Matty joins them
I wanted to be mad at Liam the entire time, but what he does for Zephyr when Darwin got hurt 🫠 and the way he'll do anything to make up for what he did to Liam

I absolutely loved this book! After I signed up for it, I completely forgot what the story was about, and I'm actually glad because this whole book was so so good
Profile Image for Jasmine.
292 reviews7 followers
March 21, 2026
Dead Nights was a dark, emotionally layered read that pulled me in more than I expected.

The dynamic between Matty, Zephyr, Liam, and Darwin is complex and messy in a way that feels intentional. It’s not a traditional romance, but the emotional depth is definitely there.

I especially appreciated how the story balanced darker themes with character-driven moments that made me care about what was happening.

The ending doesn’t feel like a traditional cliffhanger, but it does leave some things unresolved. It made me enjoy the book while also leaving me with questions and wondering if we’ll get those answers in the next book in the series.

⭐️ Overall Rating: 4/5
🔥 Burn Level: 4/5
🌶️ Spice Level: 4/5
💧 Emotional Impact: 5/5
75 reviews2 followers
March 25, 2026
I loved this story. We head back to Dark Island (which if you don't follow the different series, is a creepy haunted island with a castle, boat club, secret society, & murder). The book is filled with a lot of personal growth, healing, action, heat, humor, & ghosts. I loved Matty and agree with the guys that he's the heart of the pack. Having multiple POV meant we got to see the healing of Matty, Liam, Zephyr, & Darwin from their own POV, but also, the others. I loved seeing the guys open up their hearts and fall in love. I also loved the cameos from other No Face(the secret society) members and family. I also love polyamorous why choose type books, so this book really had it all for me. I can't wait to read the next books in the series. Definitely recommend!
Profile Image for Danielle stories_and_coffee_.
257 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 11, 2026
I enjoyed this! While it took me a minute to get into it, that's kind of my own fault because this was my first venture into Crea Reitan's work, so with the casual way some things/characters were mentioned I felt like I needed to do some further research, but that went away as I became more familiar with the characters. I did like how all of our MCs in this almost had to learn how to get out of their own way in different ways in order to find their happy endings. The character growth in each was also great, however I must say that Matty's arch made me the happiest! I'll be excited to get my hands on the next book whenever it's ready, I'd love to know more about Erez and his story!
Profile Image for Jordan Fiest.
2,315 reviews34 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 16, 2026
Dead Nights is book one of the Legacy of Deth Series.

This takes on a complex dynamic within the relationships of those on Dark Island. Zephyr and Darwin develop a bit of a relationship together. Matty and Liam have a relationship developed already, but Liam leaves Matty for an extended period of time which makes Matty become tormented by the ghosts on the island. Seeking solace somewhere, Matty becomes closer to Zephyr and Darwin. However, when Liam comes back to the island, he feels the slight loss of Matty and will do anything to get him back to his. Matty seems to be the glue that holds the group together and with him in the picture they were able to form a great group together.
823 reviews1 follower
March 22, 2026
This is the first book in the Legacy of Deth series, but the characters were introduced in Graduation No Face. I would recommend that you read that book first as it gives some background into the Dark Island and its inhabitants. I loved, loved this book. Matty was hands down my favorite. He was so broken mentally from what happened to him but he was so lonely. Zeph and Darwin helped ground him and protect him. We learn a little more in this book about the island and the “cult”, but there’s so much more to find out. The story has mysteries, blood, psychopaths, ghosts and of course, a poly love story. Their story was fascinating and kept me riveted throughout.
Profile Image for bookingcrazzyy.
84 reviews1 follower
March 26, 2026
MMMM books are typically a hit or miss for me because I feel like too many people and someone gets left out. NOT IN THIS BOOK!!! I love how we got to know each individual man and how they all contributed someone unique to the relationship.

The relationship as a whole wasn’t easy to bloom, but some of the parts of it were easier. A certain man definitely had more resistance to the group than others.

The island is full of darkness and secrets and its no surprise that out Matty needed help navigating through it. The 3 form a bond and relationship, but when Liam returns it becomes something else.

I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Ashley.
655 reviews16 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 11, 2026
I loved this book so much. This may have dethroned Loren as my favorite in the creaverse. I love Matty so much. He really is the glue that makes this story. His ghosts are so cool, too. I loved seeing him interact with the dead and letting them help him to protect the island. This was so beautifully done. I loved this so much. Darwin and Zeph were so cute together, and I loved that Matty was originally kind of a creeper. He was so lonely. Poor baby. Seeing him get more comfortable and come out of his shell was so perfect. I am so excited for this new series.
Profile Image for Marissa.
162 reviews5 followers
March 25, 2026
When I first started this book, I had not yet read Graduation No Face and was a little lost. At about the 25% mark, I had to go back and read Graduation No Face before continuing on. I also had to use the authors website quite a few times to figure out who was who and how everyone was related. Aside from that issue, I really did enjoy the book and the dynamic between the 4 MMCs. While a little gruesome (which is advised in the TWs), I thought the story was very told and was different from normal books (which I enjoy about Crea's books).
Profile Image for Velvet Wrapped Smut.
183 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 14, 2026
ARC review

Oh this one was gooooood! I love a poly romance, and this was spicy, sweet and contained a good mystery too!
The introduction of these characters came in another of Crea's books and I am so glad we got such a quick follow up - Matty has lived in my head since we first met him. And I'm so glad he and Liam get their HEA.
Definitely keen to see more of the Deth brothers, and the rest of Crea's cast of psychopaths and sad Bois.
Profile Image for Kalexreads.
1,307 reviews7 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 14, 2026
I loved this deeper look into the happenings on Dark Island! Hot and steamy that turned into healing, forgiveness, and love. Dark and suspenseful. Zephyr, Darwin, Matty, and Liam knew each other peripherally, but it wasn’t until they were spending some of the winter season on the island that things heated up for them. A little bit of paranormal and a good bit of danger really amplified things for them. Be sure to check the trigger warnings. Loved it!!!
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