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Dark Side of the Cloth
(The Righteous #1)
by
Groomed from birth to take over the Cartel, darkness was all Dean knew. Except he had no interest in running a gang, and even less in being the next El Chapo like his abusive father.
So, he ran.
That’s when the Army found him. He was highly sought after for his unique skill set, and quickly became a valued member. Finally, he found a place where he belonged. Until The Right ...more
So, he ran.
That’s when the Army found him. He was highly sought after for his unique skill set, and quickly became a valued member. Finally, he found a place where he belonged. Until The Right ...more
Kindle Edition, 286 pages
Published
September 3rd 2021
(first published September 2nd 2021)
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Start your review of Dark Side of the Cloth (The Righteous, #1)

I haven't read many vigilante books, but I obviously am missing out! This started out so heartbreaking, but soon your heart pounded for a different reason.
Yasmine's life was not for the faint of heart. Despite so many soul crushing experiences, she grew up to be one special woman. Loved by all. Her job was to make all who passed away rest easy after leaving her funeral home. She followed in her families footsteps and took over the business.
Dean also had a heartbreaking past. What he went throu ...more
Yasmine's life was not for the faint of heart. Despite so many soul crushing experiences, she grew up to be one special woman. Loved by all. Her job was to make all who passed away rest easy after leaving her funeral home. She followed in her families footsteps and took over the business.
Dean also had a heartbreaking past. What he went throu ...more

Who doesn't love a good Vigilante? I always enjoy a good one, and this book is under that list. I do believe this is the author's debut novel. On my dark scale, it's gray to dark gray.
Dean groomed to take over the family’s cartel raised by a monster of a father. After he runs away, he joined the armed services, then retires as a priest in a small town where he meets Yasmine.
Yasmine is a local who owns the funeral parlor in town, who secretly is attracted to Fr. Dean, but he is no holy man. Yas ...more

3.5-star
The GOOD: ***SPOILERS***
Before 85-90%, it had good pacing/rom/S chem/hot S scenes/chars/emo-pull. Liked the unique pairing of 25yo funeral-director h (who's still suffering a lot of guilt & grief her twin sister being abducted & later found dead when they were both 8yo and their mom blaming h for her sister being abducted & committing suicide soon after her sister's body was found) & late-20s "priest" H (who's actually an ex-Army-Delta-Force vigilante-assassin who killed the pedophile p ...more
The GOOD: ***SPOILERS***
Before 85-90%, it had good pacing/rom/S chem/hot S scenes/chars/emo-pull. Liked the unique pairing of 25yo funeral-director h (who's still suffering a lot of guilt & grief her twin sister being abducted & later found dead when they were both 8yo and their mom blaming h for her sister being abducted & committing suicide soon after her sister's body was found) & late-20s "priest" H (who's actually an ex-Army-Delta-Force vigilante-assassin who killed the pedophile p ...more

This book was amazing! I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did but holy hell it is so good!
Keeping this as spoiler free as possible - I loved the dynamics in this book. Dean is something else entirely and was probably the most unexpected character I’ve read all year. I usually steer clear of books seeped in religion but I’m SO GLAD I real this one!
Yazmine was an awesome character. Strong but kind, she deals with life as it happens, and does her best to take care of those around her.
Lite ...more
Keeping this as spoiler free as possible - I loved the dynamics in this book. Dean is something else entirely and was probably the most unexpected character I’ve read all year. I usually steer clear of books seeped in religion but I’m SO GLAD I real this one!
Yazmine was an awesome character. Strong but kind, she deals with life as it happens, and does her best to take care of those around her.
Lite ...more

•Oh this book just made me sin! •
Lord have mercy (pun intended), but this book is deliciously sinful in all ways!
Dirty thoughts upon dirty thoughts piled up until some sweet secret reveal but it still made me pray for the Lord's forgiveness! Hahaha
Do yourself a favor and have a taste of something forbidden that is this book!
...more
Lord have mercy (pun intended), but this book is deliciously sinful in all ways!
Dirty thoughts upon dirty thoughts piled up until some sweet secret reveal but it still made me pray for the Lord's forgiveness! Hahaha
Do yourself a favor and have a taste of something forbidden that is this book!
...more

LORD HAVE MERCY.
This book is HOT as sin 😅🥵😈
Imma need to get myself a priest 😂
On a serious note, its heartbreaking what Yasmine went through as a child, losing a twin I imagine is unbearable. But Dean didn't have it easy, in fact my heart hurt for him. What a massive prick his dad was, the things he put Dean through as a kid is unthinkable. Then everything that happened in the military on that mission...Two broken souls, gravitating towards each other, who knew it could be so hot?!... I actual ...more
This book is HOT as sin 😅🥵😈
Imma need to get myself a priest 😂
On a serious note, its heartbreaking what Yasmine went through as a child, losing a twin I imagine is unbearable. But Dean didn't have it easy, in fact my heart hurt for him. What a massive prick his dad was, the things he put Dean through as a kid is unthinkable. Then everything that happened in the military on that mission...Two broken souls, gravitating towards each other, who knew it could be so hot?!... I actual ...more

This book knocked my socks off! Just blew me away!
Yasmines life has been one tragedy after another. When her twin sister was kidnapped and murdered when they were little girls she has dealt with survivors guilt because she ran to get help and didn’t stay with her sister.
Dean is the son of a Cartel King, who wants him to take over after him. Dean escapes to the military but is injured but becomes a small town priest to hide from his father. It’s really just a cover for a vigilante group he belon ...more
Yasmines life has been one tragedy after another. When her twin sister was kidnapped and murdered when they were little girls she has dealt with survivors guilt because she ran to get help and didn’t stay with her sister.
Dean is the son of a Cartel King, who wants him to take over after him. Dean escapes to the military but is injured but becomes a small town priest to hide from his father. It’s really just a cover for a vigilante group he belon ...more

I absolutely loved everything about this book!
Dean completely surprised me. I quickly fell in love with his character. I loved that their relationship progresses slowly, and boy are they hot together. That confessional scene.🥵
Dean and Yazzy are two broken souls who find their missing piece. Someone who understands their pain and knows it's unfixable. I was really hoping we'd see Dean's dad again, because he stuck in my brain after he was introduced. I can't wait for book two!!! ...more
Dean completely surprised me. I quickly fell in love with his character. I loved that their relationship progresses slowly, and boy are they hot together. That confessional scene.🥵
Dean and Yazzy are two broken souls who find their missing piece. Someone who understands their pain and knows it's unfixable. I was really hoping we'd see Dean's dad again, because he stuck in my brain after he was introduced. I can't wait for book two!!! ...more

What's more delicious than a priest who isn't really a priest and looking scrumptious while doing it? Oh and he kills bad guys in his own thrilling ways.
Too bad this book just wasn't doing it for me :(
Once again, the heroine made me quit. ...more
Too bad this book just wasn't doing it for me :(
Once again, the heroine made me quit. ...more

How do I keep getting sucked into these novels I normally don't read? Yet again, I am SO not the target audience for this. So, why the heck did I read it? Well, disclaimer, I know the author. Still, I can try my best to remain an unbiased reviewer.
Dean and Yasmine have seen some serious sh*t in their lives. But it takes Dean showing up as the minister in Yasmine's town for them to (pardon the pun) cross paths. Sex and violence ensues, not necessarily in that order.
Yasmine is an intriguing charac ...more
Dean and Yasmine have seen some serious sh*t in their lives. But it takes Dean showing up as the minister in Yasmine's town for them to (pardon the pun) cross paths. Sex and violence ensues, not necessarily in that order.
Yasmine is an intriguing charac ...more

Brooklyn Cross absolutely KILLS it with this debut!
My God...
I never thought I'd be drooling over a man wearing a holy collar but daaaayum. Dean gave me all the feels. And by feels I mean... well, you know ;)
LOVE that man.
One thing I love about Brooklyn is how brave her writing is. She can push you into reading something so dark and twisted and come out freaking loving it. Writing a book like this, mixing it with a religious undertone, while including the dark romance aspect, and hints of naughty ...more
My God...
I never thought I'd be drooling over a man wearing a holy collar but daaaayum. Dean gave me all the feels. And by feels I mean... well, you know ;)
LOVE that man.
One thing I love about Brooklyn is how brave her writing is. She can push you into reading something so dark and twisted and come out freaking loving it. Writing a book like this, mixing it with a religious undertone, while including the dark romance aspect, and hints of naughty ...more

I’ve read several books about vigilante justice lately, and DARK SIDE OF THE CLOTH is one of them. While it features an overarching theme like some of the others, it also has enough to make it unique and enjoyable.
Dean ran from his home, father, and his future as a cartel leader as soon as he could. He joined the military and later the special forces. After his time was up, the Righteous recruited him and now he lives his life as a priest in a small town providing comfort to his parishioners and ...more
Dean ran from his home, father, and his future as a cartel leader as soon as he could. He joined the military and later the special forces. After his time was up, the Righteous recruited him and now he lives his life as a priest in a small town providing comfort to his parishioners and ...more

This book is the perfect example of broken souls finding each other in an attempt to complete themselves again. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this book, it was a bit darker than I thought but it kind of reminded me of listening to a good murder podcast. With a bit more steam, tension, and emotions.
I enjoyed learning about the past of these characters, seeing how their pasts shaped the person they had become, and then following their journey together. We were able to watch their relat ...more
I enjoyed learning about the past of these characters, seeing how their pasts shaped the person they had become, and then following their journey together. We were able to watch their relat ...more

This book was deliciously dark and sinful in so many ways...
Lord please forgive me, for I have sinned.... and it felt amazing!
The characters, storyline, steam, and everything was so vividly detailed, that I felt like I was in the book with them!
Go into this series blind.... I promise you will definitely not be disappointed!
Lord please forgive me, for I have sinned.... and it felt amazing!
The characters, storyline, steam, and everything was so vividly detailed, that I felt like I was in the book with them!
Go into this series blind.... I promise you will definitely not be disappointed!

Review: Dark Side Of The Cloth (The Righteous Book 1)
By: Brooklyn Cross
Stars:5/5⭐️
@author_brooklyncross this book was so good. To be perfectly honest I really did’n expect this book to be how it was. It’s dark, raw, heartbreaking, and funny. I just like the fact ( if this makes me a weirdo, then oh well🙃) that the fmc has the HOTTS for a man who she thanks is a priest, but he really isn’t!. Guys I really do recommend this book to anyone who reads this review. It may be different, it may not b ...more
By: Brooklyn Cross
Stars:5/5⭐️
@author_brooklyncross this book was so good. To be perfectly honest I really did’n expect this book to be how it was. It’s dark, raw, heartbreaking, and funny. I just like the fact ( if this makes me a weirdo, then oh well🙃) that the fmc has the HOTTS for a man who she thanks is a priest, but he really isn’t!. Guys I really do recommend this book to anyone who reads this review. It may be different, it may not b ...more

Dark and forbidden!
This book was a ride from beginning to end. Dean and Yasmine are both survivors of painful childhoods and backgrounds. Dean's upbringing was filled with abuse at the hands of his vicious father, who wanted him to take over as the leader of the cartel. Yasmine has survivor's guilt as her twin sister was abducted and murdered when they were children, a fact her mother never stopped holding against her.
They meet later as adults, Dean posing as the Father in the church, and Yasmi ...more
This book was a ride from beginning to end. Dean and Yasmine are both survivors of painful childhoods and backgrounds. Dean's upbringing was filled with abuse at the hands of his vicious father, who wanted him to take over as the leader of the cartel. Yasmine has survivor's guilt as her twin sister was abducted and murdered when they were children, a fact her mother never stopped holding against her.
They meet later as adults, Dean posing as the Father in the church, and Yasmi ...more

I don’t even know where to start except to say I could not get enough of this book . Brooklyn was a new author to me , by wow just wow , if this is any indication of what her books are like it will not be my last . I so lover every minute of Dean and Yazzy’s love story . One of my favorite things about their romance was that it did not progress at a fast pace . They took time to get to know one another and then fall in love . And Dean , I fell for his character pretty quickly. These two are far
...more

I liked how different this story line was from anything I’ve read so far. It was a steamy and fast paced original story that kept me engaged throughout reading it. Dean’s character had a lot of good things going for him once you get to know him and I enjoyed his real occupation and his storyline. Yasmine’s storyline was pretty tragic and it was impressive that she was so moral and sweet after everything that she’s gone through. They definitely made an interesting couple but it worked for them. I
...more

Loved this!!!
The experiences that both Yasmine and Dean have had to go through in their lives are both heartbreaking and gut wrenching. Two broken souls who complete on another but just didn’t know it yet. Their attraction to one another while forbidden is undeniable and complete fire. Deans character actually surprised the heck out of me and I didn’t really expect his character to go the way it did which turned out to be a huge plus. Yasmine has had one tragedy after another and you couldn’t h ...more
The experiences that both Yasmine and Dean have had to go through in their lives are both heartbreaking and gut wrenching. Two broken souls who complete on another but just didn’t know it yet. Their attraction to one another while forbidden is undeniable and complete fire. Deans character actually surprised the heck out of me and I didn’t really expect his character to go the way it did which turned out to be a huge plus. Yasmine has had one tragedy after another and you couldn’t h ...more

What a debut from Brooklyn.
I was instantly captivated by the mystery of this sleepy little town. I don't usually like books written in third person but once I got used to it the story flowed and I struggled to put it down.
After retiring from the armed forces Dean retires to a small town where he meets Yasmine but not is all as it seems, Dean isn't the strait-laced priest she thinks he is.
Yasmine's back story isn't a nice one and once Father Dean gets wind of what has happened to her, he makes i ...more
I was instantly captivated by the mystery of this sleepy little town. I don't usually like books written in third person but once I got used to it the story flowed and I struggled to put it down.
After retiring from the armed forces Dean retires to a small town where he meets Yasmine but not is all as it seems, Dean isn't the strait-laced priest she thinks he is.
Yasmine's back story isn't a nice one and once Father Dean gets wind of what has happened to her, he makes i ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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My first but certainly not my last read by this author. I felt I needed a fan while reading some parts of this.
Dean and Yasmine.. two broken souls. I felt my heart breaking for both of them.
If your looking for a well written vigilante read then I highly recommend this story.
I’m really looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Dean and Yasmine.. two broken souls. I felt my heart breaking for both of them.
If your looking for a well written vigilante read then I highly recommend this story.
I’m really looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Welll welll welll, where has this story been hiding?! This was a brilliant tale featuring my favorite- a priest! I love these kinds of tabooesque stories! I was sitting on the edge of my seat for most of the book, drooling over how it unfolded.
The emotion was raw, I loved how damaged the two main characters were.
There were elements in this book that made it so original even when I was having some serious dexter vibes the whole time!
This is my first time reading this author and I’m hooked!
The emotion was raw, I loved how damaged the two main characters were.
There were elements in this book that made it so original even when I was having some serious dexter vibes the whole time!
This is my first time reading this author and I’m hooked!

This book was hot! I was highly anticipating this book after reading the blurb and I loved it!
The characters Yasmine and Dean were such strong characters despite their pasts and I not only felt for them, but also fell in love with the characters. Yasmine was the epitome of strength and Dean was the anti-hero that I thought was amazing in this book. The characters were pleasantly surprising and I loved the journey these two broken souls went through together. Their relationship was forbidden, but ...more
The characters Yasmine and Dean were such strong characters despite their pasts and I not only felt for them, but also fell in love with the characters. Yasmine was the epitome of strength and Dean was the anti-hero that I thought was amazing in this book. The characters were pleasantly surprising and I loved the journey these two broken souls went through together. Their relationship was forbidden, but ...more

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this book, sure I had seen teasers and was interested, but was a little iffy on if I would like it. I had no reason to be! This book was a really good read! The story is interesting and will keep you turning the pages until the last one. It’s full of triggers and dirty sex scenes - so if you like dark- this is definitely something to look into.

This book is HOT! 🥵 Who doesn't love a good vigilante story?! This one will have you feeling ALL of the feels. It blew me away!
From the first chapter on, I couldn't get enough. The chemistry between Dean & Yazzy is off the charts. Yazzy's life has been tragic, but Dean didn't have it easy either.
This was dark, suspenseful, steamy, all of the things. The twist will keep you guessing. Great 1st book, can't wait for the next! ...more
From the first chapter on, I couldn't get enough. The chemistry between Dean & Yazzy is off the charts. Yazzy's life has been tragic, but Dean didn't have it easy either.
This was dark, suspenseful, steamy, all of the things. The twist will keep you guessing. Great 1st book, can't wait for the next! ...more

Oh my this book was HOT! This book has twist and turns and drama redemption and so much more. Both backstories of Dean and Yasmine are heartbreaking. This is the first book I have read of Brooklyn Cross and I'm hooked. This book does leave off on a cliffhanger and I can't wait for book two.
...more

You can hate the sin, but you'll love the Sinner
I’m generally not a huge fan of the religious taboo trope (it tends to be a little predictable) but every once in a while I like to make an exception…and I’m so glad this was one of them!!!
I went into this expecting the traditional forbidden romance trope but oh was this so much more!
It’s hard to explain how great this book is without spoilers, but I will say the book took twists and turns I never expected. (There’s trigger warnings for a reason) ...more
I’m generally not a huge fan of the religious taboo trope (it tends to be a little predictable) but every once in a while I like to make an exception…and I’m so glad this was one of them!!!
I went into this expecting the traditional forbidden romance trope but oh was this so much more!
It’s hard to explain how great this book is without spoilers, but I will say the book took twists and turns I never expected. (There’s trigger warnings for a reason) ...more
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Brooklyn Cross has always had a deep passion for writing that stemmed from a wild imagination. When she is not busy typing away about the next character you will fall in love with, you can find her walking with her dogs on the farm and sipping a hot cup of coffee.
In addition to getting her degree in business she was highly competitive in the equestrian sport of dressage, with aspirations of an Oly ...more
In addition to getting her degree in business she was highly competitive in the equestrian sport of dressage, with aspirations of an Oly ...more
Other books in the series
The Righteous
(3 books)
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