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Shadows of London #4
Truth or Dare
America. The land of the free. Unless you're a latent.
Kage is missing. Alexander Kempthorne would prefer he stay that way. Life at the new-look Kempthorne & Co agency is difficult enough without adding a missing American to the mix. But John "Dom" Domenici won't abandon someone who was once their friend, even if Kage is technically an enemy.
But as the team investigate Kage's disappearance, his traumatic, hidden past comes to light. And a missing persons case soon turns into a fight for survival for Dom and Kempthorne, in a land not-so-free.
***
Breathless action, suspenseful mystery, and steamy romance combine in the fast-paced gay adventure series from the author acclaimed for their enemies-to-lovers, epic twists, and morally conflicted characters.
Please note the Shadows of London series is predominantly set in London with British characters. Although the series has been edited in US English for the US market, to include US spelling and grammar, many English slang words and spelling remain as part of the character of the work.
Kage is missing. Alexander Kempthorne would prefer he stay that way. Life at the new-look Kempthorne & Co agency is difficult enough without adding a missing American to the mix. But John "Dom" Domenici won't abandon someone who was once their friend, even if Kage is technically an enemy.
But as the team investigate Kage's disappearance, his traumatic, hidden past comes to light. And a missing persons case soon turns into a fight for survival for Dom and Kempthorne, in a land not-so-free.
***
Breathless action, suspenseful mystery, and steamy romance combine in the fast-paced gay adventure series from the author acclaimed for their enemies-to-lovers, epic twists, and morally conflicted characters.
Please note the Shadows of London series is predominantly set in London with British characters. Although the series has been edited in US English for the US market, to include US spelling and grammar, many English slang words and spelling remain as part of the character of the work.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2022
111 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Ariana Nash
51 books2,243 followersBorn to wolves, Ariana Nash only ventures from the Cornish moors when the moon is fat and the night alive with myths and legends. She captures those myths in glass jars and returning home, weaves them into stories filled with forbidden desires, fantasy realms, and wicked delights.
Her debut novel Silk & Steel hit Amazon's:
#1 LGBT Bestsellers Horror
#1 LGBT Bestsellers Fantasy
#1 LGBT Fantasy Hot New Releases
#1 LGBT Horror Hot New Releases - for 3 months!
Join her Goodreads group here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Sign up to her newsletter here: https://www.subscribepage.com/silk-steel
Her debut novel Silk & Steel hit Amazon's:
#1 LGBT Bestsellers Horror
#1 LGBT Bestsellers Fantasy
#1 LGBT Fantasy Hot New Releases
#1 LGBT Horror Hot New Releases - for 3 months!
Join her Goodreads group here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Sign up to her newsletter here: https://www.subscribepage.com/silk-steel
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
August 21, 2024
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
❗️❗️ This review contains spoilers for the third book of the series: Trial by Fire.
✅ Characters
✅ 2 POVs
✅ Twists
✅ Action and pace
✅ Expansion of the world-building
✅ Powers / Magic
✅ Romance and smut (MM)
✅🆗 Plot
With Kage missing, Kempthorne's status as a latent revealed to the world, and mysterious people stalking and even attacking them, Dom and Kempthorne do not have much time to rest and enjoy each other's company after the Wordsworth crisis. After finding Kage's apartment turned inside out, and after being not-so-subtly accused of killing someone, again, Dom knows that he will not be able to let go of this new mystery, and he needs to go to America to find answers, and hopefully find Kage too. Alex was very happy with the fact that Kage was out of their lives, but he cannot let Dom go to America by himself, especially not with the way latents are treated over there. So the two of them embark on a new adventure where their search for answers might very well put their life and their relationship in danger.
I do feel like this book was maybe not long enough for me to really and fully appreciate the new setting, and the intrigue and mystery part of the plot, but that being said, I still adored this book and read it in 24 hours both times.
The segregation between latents and non-latents in America was so frustrating! And I mean that in the sense that the author did a good job of creating this hatred and contempt for latents that was just everywhere. From "latents sections" in restaurants, to latents being wrongfully accused of any crime or having special IDs so everyone knows what they are… I hated the way Dom and Alex were treated, and I couldn't wait for them to finally be able to go back home and live happily ever after... But of course, things are not ever that simple with them.
We get to know more about Kage's past and it helps us understand why he is the way he is. I like the fact that he does not follow every order just because they're orders, he can think for himself, and is willing to risk much to help Dom (and also Kempthorne, but just because he's traveling with Dom), but he also has resentment and rage left undealt with when it comes to those two, so it puts them all in an awkward situation where they don’t know if they can trust each other or no. Kage is also mysterious and shady enough that we cannot know what his true intentions are until the end of the book, which I adored because it created uncertainty and added a twist near the end.
The tension and jealousy between Alex and Kage are still there, and it made me laugh how Alex just wanted to get rid of Kage but tried to keep it inside and hidden because he also wanted to make Dom happy. He knows that Dom is not in love with Kage, but he also knows that Dom still cares for Kage and cannot abandon him if he's in trouble, which bothers Alex even if he does not want to admit it because he doesn't want to be that jealous guy.
The relationship between Dom and Alex (it's still weird to call him "Alex"... I think Alex will always be Kempthorne for me...) continues to progress and it becomes more serious. They are so cute together, and also so intense! Alex has a wild and reckless side that I was not fully expecting when it comes to smut and sexy times, but I am not complaining AT ALL. His intensity and protectiveness when it comes to Dom is admirable, but at the same time, it is so intense that it might very well cause problems for them in the future because Kempthorne will not hesitate to kill for Dom.
I loved how we still had chapters from Dom and Alex's POV and how we could see so clearly that they were falling hard for each other, and how they were so obviously in love, yet so afraid to have their heart crushed that they kept pretending like this was a casual romantic relationship, just like any other, and that it might or might not become something more... It was SO OBVIOUS how much they loved each other, and I couldn't wait for them to finally be open and honest about their feelings. I wanted to scream at them a few times to "Just tell him that you love him, you moron!".
Oh! The joys of being too involved in a fictive relationship between fictive characters...
Seriously, the author did an amazing job with the development of Dom and Alex's relationship as a couple. We could see the openness and vulnerability of Dom, as well as the walls and masks that Alex was so used to wearing starting to crumble as he becomes more authentic and spontaneous with Dom. They had their funny and cute moments, and they also had their hot as-f*ck and sexy moments, so my romantic and my smut-lover sides were both satisfied with this book.
I have to say that I missed Gina though. I feel that in the third book, she was already starting to be less present in the plot, and she was mostly absent from this book. I know it makes sense because they were not even in the same country for most of the story, but I still miss the cute dynamic between Gina and Dom, and I do hope that she will be more involved in the plot of the next and final book.
Overall, I am still in love with this series, and I definitely recommend it to any paranormal MM lover out there looking for their next addictive series and favorite couple.
1. Twisted Pretty Things ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
2. Tide of Tricks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Trial by Fire ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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❗️❗️ This review contains spoilers for the third book of the series: Trial by Fire.
✅ Characters
✅ 2 POVs
✅ Twists
✅ Action and pace
✅ Expansion of the world-building
✅ Powers / Magic
✅ Romance and smut (MM)
✅🆗 Plot
You know you’ve pissed off the wrong people when you get a Molotov cocktail thrown through the window.
With Kage missing, Kempthorne's status as a latent revealed to the world, and mysterious people stalking and even attacking them, Dom and Kempthorne do not have much time to rest and enjoy each other's company after the Wordsworth crisis. After finding Kage's apartment turned inside out, and after being not-so-subtly accused of killing someone, again, Dom knows that he will not be able to let go of this new mystery, and he needs to go to America to find answers, and hopefully find Kage too. Alex was very happy with the fact that Kage was out of their lives, but he cannot let Dom go to America by himself, especially not with the way latents are treated over there. So the two of them embark on a new adventure where their search for answers might very well put their life and their relationship in danger.
I do feel like this book was maybe not long enough for me to really and fully appreciate the new setting, and the intrigue and mystery part of the plot, but that being said, I still adored this book and read it in 24 hours both times.
The segregation between latents and non-latents in America was so frustrating! And I mean that in the sense that the author did a good job of creating this hatred and contempt for latents that was just everywhere. From "latents sections" in restaurants, to latents being wrongfully accused of any crime or having special IDs so everyone knows what they are… I hated the way Dom and Alex were treated, and I couldn't wait for them to finally be able to go back home and live happily ever after... But of course, things are not ever that simple with them.
“We have gone to great lengths to find you. You could at least be grateful.”
“I told you not to come.”
“That note?!” Kempthorne scoffed. “Please. Such an obvious cry for help.”
What was happening? We were being tailed by LOA agents who’d proven they’d kill to get what they wanted, and Alex and Kage were bickering? “Stop arguing like a pair of old women. We need a plan.”
“I don’t think he’s an enemy.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“What does that mean?”
“When it comes to Kage Mitchell, you have a blind spot.” He smiled a little, so the words were softened, but they still held a barb to them.
We get to know more about Kage's past and it helps us understand why he is the way he is. I like the fact that he does not follow every order just because they're orders, he can think for himself, and is willing to risk much to help Dom (and also Kempthorne, but just because he's traveling with Dom), but he also has resentment and rage left undealt with when it comes to those two, so it puts them all in an awkward situation where they don’t know if they can trust each other or no. Kage is also mysterious and shady enough that we cannot know what his true intentions are until the end of the book, which I adored because it created uncertainty and added a twist near the end.
“He wasn’t there. But this was.” He tossed a slip of creased, stained paper onto the coffee table.
“Oh God. Is that blood?” Gina picked it up, turned ashen, and passed it to Cassie.
Maybe it was a suicide note? One could hope. Good Lord, I’m a horrible person.
The tension and jealousy between Alex and Kage are still there, and it made me laugh how Alex just wanted to get rid of Kage but tried to keep it inside and hidden because he also wanted to make Dom happy. He knows that Dom is not in love with Kage, but he also knows that Dom still cares for Kage and cannot abandon him if he's in trouble, which bothers Alex even if he does not want to admit it because he doesn't want to be that jealous guy.
This Kempthorne, the one who looked as though he wanted to devour all of me in one bite, was a very close second place on my list of Top Kempthorne Personalities. In first place was the morning-after Kempthorne, who fumbled his words and carried a sheet around his waist and invited me to a dinner we still hadn’t had— Christ, that man killed me every time I woke up next to him, which had been most mornings.
Nothing was like Kempthorne. Like he burned me up every time we touched.
The relationship between Dom and Alex (it's still weird to call him "Alex"... I think Alex will always be Kempthorne for me...) continues to progress and it becomes more serious. They are so cute together, and also so intense! Alex has a wild and reckless side that I was not fully expecting when it comes to smut and sexy times, but I am not complaining AT ALL. His intensity and protectiveness when it comes to Dom is admirable, but at the same time, it is so intense that it might very well cause problems for them in the future because Kempthorne will not hesitate to kill for Dom.
I did trust him, more than anyone. So much it was terrifying. Because he had no idea how he held my heart in his rough hands, where it could so easily be crushed.
The lust I could handle. Most days it was all I could think about. But the quiet, soft, hand holding, fluttering kisses, and gentle stroking… that filled my heart full of fear and doubt and stupid ideas about keeping him. About there being a Me and Him. An Alex and John.
I loved how we still had chapters from Dom and Alex's POV and how we could see so clearly that they were falling hard for each other, and how they were so obviously in love, yet so afraid to have their heart crushed that they kept pretending like this was a casual romantic relationship, just like any other, and that it might or might not become something more... It was SO OBVIOUS how much they loved each other, and I couldn't wait for them to finally be open and honest about their feelings. I wanted to scream at them a few times to "Just tell him that you love him, you moron!".
Oh! The joys of being too involved in a fictive relationship between fictive characters...
“Dayam, Kempthorne. You do own cuffs.”
“Mostly for their intended purpose—”
“Who the hell have you handcuffed? Did a board meeting get out of hand?”
“Do you remember I was once Tasered at the theater?”
“Yeah, which you still haven’t explained—”
“Oh, well, that same night I was forced to get rather creative with a pair of handcuffs.” He smiled at the memory, making me wish I’d been there.
“You have to tell me everything.”
Seriously, the author did an amazing job with the development of Dom and Alex's relationship as a couple. We could see the openness and vulnerability of Dom, as well as the walls and masks that Alex was so used to wearing starting to crumble as he becomes more authentic and spontaneous with Dom. They had their funny and cute moments, and they also had their hot as-f*ck and sexy moments, so my romantic and my smut-lover sides were both satisfied with this book.
I have to say that I missed Gina though. I feel that in the third book, she was already starting to be less present in the plot, and she was mostly absent from this book. I know it makes sense because they were not even in the same country for most of the story, but I still miss the cute dynamic between Gina and Dom, and I do hope that she will be more involved in the plot of the next and final book.
I’d burn the world for him. I’d raze cities for him. I’d kill without hesitating for him. And that… that was dangerous.
Overall, I am still in love with this series, and I definitely recommend it to any paranormal MM lover out there looking for their next addictive series and favorite couple.
1. Twisted Pretty Things ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
2. Tide of Tricks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Trial by Fire ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Follow me on Instagram 🙂
Read
April 22, 2022OUT NOW!
✔ More HEAT (now the guys are together!)
✔ More adventures (this time, across the pond in the USA).
✔ More Dom being awesome (of course!)
✔ More of Kage's backstory (why is he this way?)
America. The land of the free. Unless you're a latent.
Relationships are tested and old fears come back to haunt Dom in this all new Shadows of London adventure.
HUGE Book #3 spoilers below - READ AT OWN RISK - Seriously, it's huge, do not read!
Seriously! Do not read the below if you don’t want to know!
The answers lie in America, where latents are separated from society and treated with suspicion and fear. Because while the shadows began in London, they've become something else entirely across the Atlantic.
✔ More HEAT (now the guys are together!)
✔ More adventures (this time, across the pond in the USA).
✔ More Dom being awesome (of course!)
✔ More of Kage's backstory (why is he this way?)
America. The land of the free. Unless you're a latent.
Relationships are tested and old fears come back to haunt Dom in this all new Shadows of London adventure.
HUGE Book #3 spoilers below - READ AT OWN RISK - Seriously, it's huge, do not read!
Seriously! Do not read the below if you don’t want to know!
The answers lie in America, where latents are separated from society and treated with suspicion and fear. Because while the shadows began in London, they've become something else entirely across the Atlantic.
![Profile Image for moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645500038i%2F37448930._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 9, 2022
4.5 stars ☆
I cupped his face in my hands and forced him to look up. He smiled, then laughed and swooped in. "I'm not sharing you with anyone, ever," he growled against my mouth, then kissed me hard.
✧ first of all, before anything else... i better see Dom and Kempthorne have the dinner-date they planned to have (but everyone else kept getting in the way of) before the series is over. they🗣️deserve🗣️it🗣️ anyways.
✧ this series was such a pleasant surprise!! i started off being indifferent with the first two books, but book 3 was when it felt like something clicked and i finally saw the appeal... and it's only getting better and better (*cough* let's hope i'm not about to jinx myself with the final book), but maybe i shouldn't have been that surprised bc, with the exception of Primal Sin, AN's first books in her trilogies or series often starts out okay for me and they get better from book two onwards.
✧ not me living for the jealousy and possessive moments Dom and Kempthorne had throughout this book. 😭 these two have me on a chokehold. <3
✧ the two gifs pretty much represent my feelings towards everyone in this series (excluding Dom, Kempthorne, Gina and Cassie):
✧ every time Dom and Kempthorne called each other by their first names??
✧ in my review of the previous book, i wrote .
- my fav moments -
🏹 "Jesus, Alex," Dom growled, reading my unguarded face. "I know you don't like him, but he could be dead."
"How terrible."
Kempthorne being indifferent is truly what i live to see. <3
🏹 "I'm afraid you don't know me well enough to know my type." I wasn't sure I had a type. I had Dom. And that was all there had ever been. Every other encounter in my life had been out of passing need, nothing near what I had with him. John Domenici was my only type.
🏹 "Shit... you really don't like bagels, huh."
Trent barely fit. His knees were up near his ears. I wasn't even sure how Kempthorne had squeezed him in there. With a whole lot of persuasion probably.
I raised my eyebrows. "Wait, is this some kinky sex thing?"
"Good lord, no." Kempthorne said, then arched an eyebrow. "Unless you want it to be?"
"What?"
"No?"
"No."
"All right." He cleared his throat. "So we're clear."
🏹 I caught his arm, jolting him to a stop. "I'll get it. You wait here. We aren't done."
He frowned as I let him go. Hopefully, he assumed my voice trembled from anger and not the panic running like ice water through my veins. We weren't done. No way. He was everything—I loved the prick. He didn't get to brush us aside as though we were a weekend fuck and nothing more. I'd literally dragged him back to life with my own bare hands. I wasn't backing down, and I wasn't fucking walking away. Not from him. Not from us.
i love how Dom is all in for Kempthorne and vice versa!! 🥺
I cupped his face in my hands and forced him to look up. He smiled, then laughed and swooped in. "I'm not sharing you with anyone, ever," he growled against my mouth, then kissed me hard.
✧ first of all, before anything else... i better see Dom and Kempthorne have the dinner-date they planned to have (but everyone else kept getting in the way of) before the series is over. they🗣️deserve🗣️it🗣️ anyways.
✧ this series was such a pleasant surprise!! i started off being indifferent with the first two books, but book 3 was when it felt like something clicked and i finally saw the appeal... and it's only getting better and better (*cough* let's hope i'm not about to jinx myself with the final book), but maybe i shouldn't have been that surprised bc, with the exception of Primal Sin, AN's first books in her trilogies or series often starts out okay for me and they get better from book two onwards.
✧ not me living for the jealousy and possessive moments Dom and Kempthorne had throughout this book. 😭 these two have me on a chokehold. <3
✧ the two gifs pretty much represent my feelings towards everyone in this series (excluding Dom, Kempthorne, Gina and Cassie):
✧ every time Dom and Kempthorne called each other by their first names??
✧ in my review of the previous book, i wrote .
- my fav moments -
🏹 "Jesus, Alex," Dom growled, reading my unguarded face. "I know you don't like him, but he could be dead."
"How terrible."
Kempthorne being indifferent is truly what i live to see. <3
🏹 "I'm afraid you don't know me well enough to know my type." I wasn't sure I had a type. I had Dom. And that was all there had ever been. Every other encounter in my life had been out of passing need, nothing near what I had with him. John Domenici was my only type.
🏹 "Shit... you really don't like bagels, huh."
Trent barely fit. His knees were up near his ears. I wasn't even sure how Kempthorne had squeezed him in there. With a whole lot of persuasion probably.
I raised my eyebrows. "Wait, is this some kinky sex thing?"
"Good lord, no." Kempthorne said, then arched an eyebrow. "Unless you want it to be?"
"What?"
"No?"
"No."
"All right." He cleared his throat. "So we're clear."
🏹 I caught his arm, jolting him to a stop. "I'll get it. You wait here. We aren't done."
He frowned as I let him go. Hopefully, he assumed my voice trembled from anger and not the panic running like ice water through my veins. We weren't done. No way. He was everything—I loved the prick. He didn't get to brush us aside as though we were a weekend fuck and nothing more. I'd literally dragged him back to life with my own bare hands. I wasn't backing down, and I wasn't fucking walking away. Not from him. Not from us.
i love how Dom is all in for Kempthorne and vice versa!! 🥺
May 3, 2022
"Once he was fired up like this, I couldn't think around him. He became everything. My world. To touch and taste and bite and make him moan."
I'm going to put it out there from the start - Dom and Kempthorne are total couple goals ❣
Truth or Dare is book 4 in the Shadows of London series by the wonderful Ariana Nash, and we rejoin our boys John 'Dom' Domenici and Alexander Kempthorne as they are on the trail of the missing American hottie, Kage 'Hollywood' Mitchell.
If you haven't read the previous three books, stop reading now, go and download book 1 in the series Twisted Pretty Things and come back when you get to the end of Trial by Fire 🤩.
So......Dom and Kempthorne are still 'a thing', and whilst Dom no longer has 'romantic' feelings for Kage, he still cares enough to want to find out who has taken him and why. Kempthorne (oh, how I love him 😍) has a completely different set of feelings on the issue! 😁
"Maybe it was a suicide note? One could hope. Good Lord, I'm a horrible person."
The search for Kage takes the boys to the US where latents are feared, mistrusted and persecuted, and they find themselves embroiled in some dangerous, high-stakes action, caught in the cross hairs of Kage's previous life. This is an Ariana Nash book, so you know there are going to be twists and turns and murder and mayhem - and nobody is safe.
The steam level is turned up several notches in this installment - and let me tell you, Dom and Kempthorne are SMOKING HOT. This slow-burn read is starting to combust! 🔥🔥🔥
"Something complicated crossed his face, then he was kissing me, hard and brutal. He struck like a tidal wave, rolling in and over me."
I loved every single page.
ALL. THE. STARS. ✨✨✨✨✨
I'm going to put it out there from the start - Dom and Kempthorne are total couple goals ❣
Truth or Dare is book 4 in the Shadows of London series by the wonderful Ariana Nash, and we rejoin our boys John 'Dom' Domenici and Alexander Kempthorne as they are on the trail of the missing American hottie, Kage 'Hollywood' Mitchell.
If you haven't read the previous three books, stop reading now, go and download book 1 in the series Twisted Pretty Things and come back when you get to the end of Trial by Fire 🤩.
So......Dom and Kempthorne are still 'a thing', and whilst Dom no longer has 'romantic' feelings for Kage, he still cares enough to want to find out who has taken him and why. Kempthorne (oh, how I love him 😍) has a completely different set of feelings on the issue! 😁
"Maybe it was a suicide note? One could hope. Good Lord, I'm a horrible person."
The search for Kage takes the boys to the US where latents are feared, mistrusted and persecuted, and they find themselves embroiled in some dangerous, high-stakes action, caught in the cross hairs of Kage's previous life. This is an Ariana Nash book, so you know there are going to be twists and turns and murder and mayhem - and nobody is safe.
The steam level is turned up several notches in this installment - and let me tell you, Dom and Kempthorne are SMOKING HOT. This slow-burn read is starting to combust! 🔥🔥🔥
"Something complicated crossed his face, then he was kissing me, hard and brutal. He struck like a tidal wave, rolling in and over me."
I loved every single page.
ALL. THE. STARS. ✨✨✨✨✨
October 11, 2025
You know when your love for a series just takes over every everything and you don’t even care for the story anymore because every second you’re with these MCs is just a blessing??
That’s where I’m at.
What happened in this book plot wise??
Not a fucking clue.
What do I remember??
WHEN DOM QUIETLY FUCKS KEMPTHORNE WHILST ON THE PHONE, HELL YEAH I REMEMBER THAT.
What else happens??
AS IF I REMEMBER, BUT THESE TWO COULDN’T KEEP THEIR FILTHY PAWS OFF EACHOTHER AND FUCK
I just love them and wanna spend every second I can with them.
I’d read a book where all they do is grocery shop and do taxes and I’d be slobbering all over it because I just love Dom and Kempthorne.
May everyone have a series that makes you feel the way that I feel about these silly men.
And maybe tell me what that series is for you, so I have more ideas of what to read next ahhaha 🥹💖✨
That’s where I’m at.
What happened in this book plot wise??
Not a fucking clue.
What do I remember??
WHEN DOM QUIETLY FUCKS KEMPTHORNE WHILST ON THE PHONE, HELL YEAH I REMEMBER THAT.
What else happens??
AS IF I REMEMBER, BUT THESE TWO COULDN’T KEEP THEIR FILTHY PAWS OFF EACHOTHER AND FUCK
I just love them and wanna spend every second I can with them.
I’d read a book where all they do is grocery shop and do taxes and I’d be slobbering all over it because I just love Dom and Kempthorne.
May everyone have a series that makes you feel the way that I feel about these silly men.
And maybe tell me what that series is for you, so I have more ideas of what to read next ahhaha 🥹💖✨
June 5, 2022
“Wait, is this some kinky sex thing?”
“Good lord, no,” Kempthorne said, then arched an eyebrow. “Unless you want it to be?”
“What?”
“No?”
“No.”
“All right.” He cleared his throat. “So we’re clear.”
I love Ariana Nash's books (and this series in particular) so much I'd sell my left kidney for a shot to read the fifth book in this series … Cause you know, I love her books a normal amount 😙✌️
January 2, 2023
In Truth or Dare Dom and Alexander head to America when Kage mysteriously disappears. Things for latents are even worse in America, they are tracked upon entry and if they incur three infractions they're arrested.
I'm really enjoying this series, however, the constant discrimination our characters receive whether it's because they are latent or gay (most of the time it's for both), is tiring.
This penultimate entry adds a fresh new curveball and I can't wait to see how it all plays out in the final book.
I'm really enjoying this series, however, the constant discrimination our characters receive whether it's because they are latent or gay (most of the time it's for both), is tiring.
This penultimate entry adds a fresh new curveball and I can't wait to see how it all plays out in the final book.
June 23, 2022
THIS SERIES —!!! ❤️💃🎉
These boys are not fucking around. They’re all in, they’re freaking intense, they’re ‘it’ for each other, and I LOVED IT SO MUCH. 💘😭
I stand by what I said before: Ariana Nash is magical. The way she whips up amazing, original, fast-paced stories with great MCs, and swoon-worthy romance to top it off, is just impossible. 🤯 And when you think it can’t get any better? She proves you wrong and ups her game.
“I kissed him like none of this was real, like we were in a dream and I’d wake up too soon. […] He was my impossible dream; he was everything people like me didn’t get. He was the reason I was still breathing.”
“He was mine. He’d always be mine. And perhaps what I felt was wrong, too much, too overpowering, but I didn’t care. I’d destroy anyone who dared try and take John Domenici from me.”
“I’d do anything for you. I hope you understand what that means. I’ve never let anyone in the way I have you.”
These boys are not fucking around. They’re all in, they’re freaking intense, they’re ‘it’ for each other, and I LOVED IT SO MUCH. 💘😭
I stand by what I said before: Ariana Nash is magical. The way she whips up amazing, original, fast-paced stories with great MCs, and swoon-worthy romance to top it off, is just impossible. 🤯 And when you think it can’t get any better? She proves you wrong and ups her game.
July 21, 2022
This series just gets yummier with every new book.😁😁😁 And, although it was strange to see Kempthorne being insecure about his relationship with Dom, I think it made me feel good too.
Now, let's talk about Hollywood...I can't even believe I was ever cheering for him and DOM... nopesie. At the start, I liked this screwed love triangle but now I wanted Hollywood to just disappear from this world and let my babies live in peace. Surprisingly though I am okay with the ending and will happily love to wait for the next book.
Now, let's talk about Hollywood...I can't even believe I was ever cheering for him and DOM... nopesie. At the start, I liked this screwed love triangle but now I wanted Hollywood to just disappear from this world and let my babies live in peace. Surprisingly though I am okay with the ending and will happily love to wait for the next book.
April 25, 2022
4.5 Stars
September 5, 2022
4.5 stars! These two are so good together.
March 15, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
This book’s pace is much slower than the previous one, but it compensates with plenty of steamy moments—perhaps at the expense of a solid plot. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the whole American adventure. Judging by other reviews, I might be in the minority here, but I found Dom’s stubbornness and blind spots when it came to Kage frustrating. Some of his actions had me wondering if he’d left his brain behind somewhere.
On the other hand, my love for Kempthorne only deepened. His unhinged nature, his vulnerability, his fierce possessiveness, and, of course, his scheming kept me hooked. He’s the kind of character who commands every scene he’s in.
Together, though, Dom and Kempthorne are undeniably compelling. Whether they’re fighting side by side, saving each other, or falling hard while believing they’re unworthy of love, their dynamic is electric. Despite my frustrations with parts of the book, I couldn’t help but be drawn in by their connection.
This book’s pace is much slower than the previous one, but it compensates with plenty of steamy moments—perhaps at the expense of a solid plot. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the whole American adventure. Judging by other reviews, I might be in the minority here, but I found Dom’s stubbornness and blind spots when it came to Kage frustrating. Some of his actions had me wondering if he’d left his brain behind somewhere.
On the other hand, my love for Kempthorne only deepened. His unhinged nature, his vulnerability, his fierce possessiveness, and, of course, his scheming kept me hooked. He’s the kind of character who commands every scene he’s in.
Together, though, Dom and Kempthorne are undeniably compelling. Whether they’re fighting side by side, saving each other, or falling hard while believing they’re unworthy of love, their dynamic is electric. Despite my frustrations with parts of the book, I couldn’t help but be drawn in by their connection.
April 10, 2022
The first new book I've finished since Tal's You and Me.
Gahh Ariana my dear....thank you for this book.
If you're a fan of:
Urban Fantasy with magic MCs
Amazing world building
Nuanced characters and character development
Intricate plot
Twists, secrets and turns
Medium steam
Couple goals
Monogamous established couple (Thank God! No shaming but it's my preference)
Did I say twists and turns already? Because damn.
HFN
I can't WAIT for the last book! 😩
Gahh Ariana my dear....thank you for this book.
If you're a fan of:
Urban Fantasy with magic MCs
Amazing world building
Nuanced characters and character development
Intricate plot
Twists, secrets and turns
Medium steam
Couple goals
Monogamous established couple (Thank God! No shaming but it's my preference)
Did I say twists and turns already? Because damn.
HFN
I can't WAIT for the last book! 😩
April 16, 2022
“Wait, is this some kinky sex thing?”
“Good lord, no,” Kempthorne said, then arched an eyebrow. “Unless you want it to be?”
“What?”
“No?”
“No.”
“All right.”
When you thought London was a horrible place for latents to live in, New York comes, proving that it could always be worse. But that won’t stop the crew from trying to find out what happened to Kage. New country means new rules and also new characters. Luckily, I already learnt my lesson (I hope so) with previous books by this author and didn’t start shipping or getting attached to them right away. Would there be redemption for some of them in the next installment? I can’t wait to know!
Alex and Dom are pretty much an established couple at this point. And you know what that means, more smut for us to enjoy! There are still some doubts, mostly from Alex, about their relationship but I’m glad it wasn't overused. Just the understandable amount from two characters with troubled pasts. Also, their chemistry in the field, even with all the secrets that are yet to be revealed, is so good. I will never get tired of them together in any aspect of their relationship.
There’s only one book left to conclude this amazing series and I just can’t wait for the next twits this story’s going to take.
*Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a free and honest review*
August 29, 2025
Good lawd that was good
My head's spinning with the amount of stuff that happens in this instalment!
The tension and adrenaline rush is off the charts from the start and things only get more and more dangerous the more the story unfolds.
The continuing theme of betrayal and trust really embedded itself here, as Dom and Alex head to America looking for Kage.
Kage Mitchell, a man I still cannot decide if he's genuinely trying to do what he thinks is the right thing, or if he's so beyond seeing anything clearly that he's become obsessed with trying to fix his own guilty feelings.
On the relationship front though, ooooh boy do we go through the mill, even while the spice level raises the roof, these two are still incapable of just talking things out!
Book five, the final chapter, and I can honestly say I've got absolutely no clue what might happen!
Can't wait to find out.
My head's spinning with the amount of stuff that happens in this instalment!
The tension and adrenaline rush is off the charts from the start and things only get more and more dangerous the more the story unfolds.
The continuing theme of betrayal and trust really embedded itself here, as Dom and Alex head to America looking for Kage.
Kage Mitchell, a man I still cannot decide if he's genuinely trying to do what he thinks is the right thing, or if he's so beyond seeing anything clearly that he's become obsessed with trying to fix his own guilty feelings.
On the relationship front though, ooooh boy do we go through the mill, even while the spice level raises the roof, these two are still incapable of just talking things out!
Book five, the final chapter, and I can honestly say I've got absolutely no clue what might happen!
Can't wait to find out.
September 12, 2022
I am fucking obsessed with this
April 5, 2022
This series is giving me trust issues, more anxiety, and is making me become the Protect Dom Squad leader.
Truth or Dare was one hell of a rollercoaster, not only because of what the characters went through, but mostly for what their decisions made me go through. I was suffering, full of anxiety, waiting for chaos to explode. And it did, many times. So many little twists that didn't allow me to stop reading, always reading one page, one chapter more, because I needed to know exactly what was going to happen. I needed to know if Kage deserved my trust or not, if Alex was going to be insufferable for no reason, or if Dom was going to let his muddle feelings not to enjoy one of the best things life threw at him, aka Alexander.
I was so scared almost the whole book. Ariana Nash knows how to keep you truly invested in every single page. You can't just stop and relax, no, not even with the many, let me repeat, many steamy scenes. I do love that those two are finally figuring out their feelings and I hope these feelings will only grow in the next and last book. Please, do not let anything bad happened to them. That poor Alexander died already twice, don't let it be Dom's time now. I'm not scared, I'm terrified. I could've slapped a new very hateful character, kick another, shake some sense into characters we already knew and scream in the face of one of them. Scream WHY at the top of my lungs.
It was a very emotional book and I loved every second of it. My heart won't recover easily. And THAT ENDING? Yeah, until I read the last book I won't rest peacefully.
Truth or Dare was one hell of a rollercoaster, not only because of what the characters went through, but mostly for what their decisions made me go through. I was suffering, full of anxiety, waiting for chaos to explode. And it did, many times. So many little twists that didn't allow me to stop reading, always reading one page, one chapter more, because I needed to know exactly what was going to happen. I needed to know if Kage deserved my trust or not, if Alex was going to be insufferable for no reason, or if Dom was going to let his muddle feelings not to enjoy one of the best things life threw at him, aka Alexander.
I was so scared almost the whole book. Ariana Nash knows how to keep you truly invested in every single page. You can't just stop and relax, no, not even with the many, let me repeat, many steamy scenes. I do love that those two are finally figuring out their feelings and I hope these feelings will only grow in the next and last book. Please, do not let anything bad happened to them. That poor Alexander died already twice, don't let it be Dom's time now. I'm not scared, I'm terrified. I could've slapped a new very hateful character, kick another, shake some sense into characters we already knew and scream in the face of one of them. Scream WHY at the top of my lungs.
It was a very emotional book and I loved every second of it. My heart won't recover easily. And THAT ENDING? Yeah, until I read the last book I won't rest peacefully.
April 23, 2022
What a RIDE. Oh my GOD, this was my favorite one yet, and I have a feeling I'll end up going back and rereading the full series, because as much as I've enjoyed it as it's being published, I feel like it will have an even greater emotional impact read in order.
Dom and Alex won my heart, and there was never a point in this book where I felt like I knew what was going to happen next, or who was going to be involved. I thought I did a couple of times, but I was wrong. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book, and cannot wait for the next one.
This is NOT a standalone. You do need to read all the books in order, and as much as I recommend this one, you may want to wait until the final book is published to even start, because while only a couple end in truly suspenseful cliffhangers, the momentum of the story is interrupted.
At any rate, however you read them, READ them.
Dom and Alex won my heart, and there was never a point in this book where I felt like I knew what was going to happen next, or who was going to be involved. I thought I did a couple of times, but I was wrong. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book, and cannot wait for the next one.
This is NOT a standalone. You do need to read all the books in order, and as much as I recommend this one, you may want to wait until the final book is published to even start, because while only a couple end in truly suspenseful cliffhangers, the momentum of the story is interrupted.
At any rate, however you read them, READ them.
April 25, 2022
I am so happy that I started this one on my work free day as I couldn't put it down and read it within half a day.
This one is a real roller coaster and in typical Ariana Nash fashion there are good developments, great developments and some real nasty ones.I have still hope that one of these nasty ones will turn around .. or maybe that ship has sailed.
There is a lot of action and turns but also a lot of feelings, so much feels and I absolutely loved that.
Dom and Alex are great together and I loved how vulnerable they got with each other.
This book is a great fourth book in this series and definitely no standalone.
The writing is fabulous as always and definitely one of the best I read this year. I absolutely loved it.
I can't wait to get my hands on the last book.
Many thanks to GRR for providing me with an ARC for this one
This one is a real roller coaster and in typical Ariana Nash fashion there are good developments, great developments and some real nasty ones.I have still hope that one of these nasty ones will turn around .. or maybe that ship has sailed.
There is a lot of action and turns but also a lot of feelings, so much feels and I absolutely loved that.
Dom and Alex are great together and I loved how vulnerable they got with each other.
This book is a great fourth book in this series and definitely no standalone.
The writing is fabulous as always and definitely one of the best I read this year. I absolutely loved it.
I can't wait to get my hands on the last book.
Many thanks to GRR for providing me with an ARC for this one
April 6, 2022
Truth or Dare takes us to America, where latents are second class citizens subjected to severe punishments for minor or even imagined infractions.
While Dom doesn't have romantic feelings for Kage anymore, he can't let the man go and their hunt for him sets a long line of dominoes tumbling.
This book is far steamier than the previous ones. Kempthorne and Dom together have combustible chemistry leading to a number of hot scenes and a connection that speaks of a deeper purpose.
My mind is spinning from the implications of what has happened and the finale is going to be something wild. No one is safe in an Ariana Nash book!
Dom and Kempthorne have made too many enemies for this to be anything but world changing and I can't wait for it.
While Dom doesn't have romantic feelings for Kage anymore, he can't let the man go and their hunt for him sets a long line of dominoes tumbling.
This book is far steamier than the previous ones. Kempthorne and Dom together have combustible chemistry leading to a number of hot scenes and a connection that speaks of a deeper purpose.
My mind is spinning from the implications of what has happened and the finale is going to be something wild. No one is safe in an Ariana Nash book!
Dom and Kempthorne have made too many enemies for this to be anything but world changing and I can't wait for it.
January 9, 2023
Amazing again, this series is just a ball of energy and suspense! Note to self, NO Christmas card for Kage Mitchell ever!
March 31, 2022
I started this book the second I got my grubby hands on it, and as always was unable to do literally anything else until I'd finished it. If like me, you thought this was the end of the series, YOU ARE WRONG. Don't go into thinking everything's done after this one because at the 90% mark you'll be like, but what?!? Instead go into it realizing,
a. Dom and Alex are EVERYTHING. I mean, the absolute pining they do over each other is just so ridiculous. I want to call it cute, but if you've read this story you know these two are not cute men. They're definitely clueless though, and it just hits me right in the feels. This also has more steam than the previous books and it is fire.
b. America sucks (I'm American, this is hyperbole and related to the book, please don't @me). That's right, we're across the pond and life is MUCH different for our two favorite men here. It's definitely an adjustment, and someone, not naming names, okay we all know it's Dom, is not handling it well. Plus there's the weasel Trent. We hate him, just an FYI. The worst.
c. You'll get answers about Kage. Whether you love or hate the American who tried to make sure we didn't get the pairing we all needed (which side do I fall on you wonder?), you get to see more of him here and what has shaped him into who he is.
d. Ariana Nash writes amazing plots that keep you up all night. Answers questions you have been dying to know, while also giving you new ones to continuously think about.
e. It's almost over and that is depressing but also exciting. Seriously, I'm convinced we have NO idea what is coming, but it sure is going to be fun to find out.
a. Dom and Alex are EVERYTHING. I mean, the absolute pining they do over each other is just so ridiculous. I want to call it cute, but if you've read this story you know these two are not cute men. They're definitely clueless though, and it just hits me right in the feels. This also has more steam than the previous books and it is fire.
b. America sucks (I'm American, this is hyperbole and related to the book, please don't @me). That's right, we're across the pond and life is MUCH different for our two favorite men here. It's definitely an adjustment, and someone, not naming names, okay we all know it's Dom, is not handling it well. Plus there's the weasel Trent. We hate him, just an FYI. The worst.
c. You'll get answers about Kage. Whether you love or hate the American who tried to make sure we didn't get the pairing we all needed (which side do I fall on you wonder?), you get to see more of him here and what has shaped him into who he is.
d. Ariana Nash writes amazing plots that keep you up all night. Answers questions you have been dying to know, while also giving you new ones to continuously think about.
e. It's almost over and that is depressing but also exciting. Seriously, I'm convinced we have NO idea what is coming, but it sure is going to be fun to find out.
May 22, 2022
I think this part might be my favorite so far
A very dynamic plot: loved the tension and sexy moments. A good balance of action and romance. Looking forward to reading the last book.
A very dynamic plot: loved the tension and sexy moments. A good balance of action and romance. Looking forward to reading the last book.
May 6, 2022
I didn’t want to finish this book, because the final one isn‘t released yet. I LOVE Alex and Dom! 😍 Shadows of London is my favorite series by Nash. Can’t wait for the grand final.
October 5, 2025
Dom and Kempthorne leaves for the US to try to find Kage. If things were bad in UK - here they're awful. This was definitely my least favourite in this series. 3 ⭐⭐⭐
April 23, 2022
Dom and Kempthorne are back in another thrilling installment of the Shadows of London series. With new enemies stalking them and challenges to their developing relationship arising, keeping their heads above water is getting harder and harder. Fans of the series will absolutely love the twists and turns Nash is known for. And is it one of her books if you don't shout, "Holy shit!" at the end?
May 5, 2022
Okay so more tender moments between John & Alex so no complaints from me there. I can’t say I really liked that ending though. I am not convinced yet but Ariana Nash tends to be good at convincing me of plot points I initially didn’t like.
April 4, 2022
Well, what a ride.
This was much better than I expected. I wasn't sure I was going to like the new storyline since I was fairly satisfied with the ending of book three, but actually, I might have ended up liking this latest installment more? Actually, scratch that, this might be my favourite book in this series so far. And it's all because of Alexander Kempthorne: he carries this whole series on his scheming, broken, clever, brilliant shoulders. (And okay, also because we get so little Kage Mitchell *happy dance* Sorry, I just cannot stand him.)
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
"Truth or Dare" is an action-packed, emotional ride. It's so much richer, so much romantic, so much more high-stakes than any of the previous books, and although I sorely missed Gina (and Robin too, because I'm going to be forever in denial about her death and pretend she's happily bickering about custard creams alive and whole) and London, I really appreciated the change in scenery because it gave Alexander and Dom so much more room to grow as individuals and together.
If you've read my review for the previous book, you'll know that two of main worries for this fourth book were the dreaded love triangle (and Kage) rearing their ugly heads again, and Alexander and Dom's relationship being needlessly tested with frustrating communication issues and Dom's frustrating habit of being fickle and quick to judge. Thankfully, neither one of those things make (much of) an appearance, although I won't rest easy until I read the final book.
Needless to say, the thing I loved most in this fourth book was Alexander Kempthorne (and his relationship with Dom).
Alexander, I love you with my whole heart, don't ever change.
Alex, Dom: *heart eyes* Those two had me sighing happy sighs, swooning and screaming with frustration (yes, Dom's still a little unfair and acts a little shitty even when Alexander doesn't deserve it!), but all in all I was VERY happy with them and the point they've reached in their lives. Also, there's a bit of jealous possessive behaviour from both of them, so double kudos. So why not 5 stars? Mainly, I'm still not the biggest Dom fan and that ending left me feeling a mix of angry and unsatisfied.
Anyways. This fourth book was my favourite by far. Less Kage, more Dom/Alexander = a very happy reader.
"Truth or Dare" is action and tension and high-stakes, life-or-death moments from start to finish and I managed to devour it in less than a day. It's got romance and humour and steam, betrayals and twists-and-turns and all the usual latent magical shenanigans. Alexander and Dom are more powerful and ruthless and united than ever and I couldn't be happier. Hopefully it stays that way.
Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review.
This was much better than I expected. I wasn't sure I was going to like the new storyline since I was fairly satisfied with the ending of book three, but actually, I might have ended up liking this latest installment more? Actually, scratch that, this might be my favourite book in this series so far. And it's all because of Alexander Kempthorne: he carries this whole series on his scheming, broken, clever, brilliant shoulders. (And okay, also because we get so little Kage Mitchell *happy dance* Sorry, I just cannot stand him.)
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
"Truth or Dare" is an action-packed, emotional ride. It's so much richer, so much romantic, so much more high-stakes than any of the previous books, and although I sorely missed Gina (and Robin too, because I'm going to be forever in denial about her death and pretend she's happily bickering about custard creams alive and whole) and London, I really appreciated the change in scenery because it gave Alexander and Dom so much more room to grow as individuals and together.
If you've read my review for the previous book, you'll know that two of main worries for this fourth book were the dreaded love triangle (and Kage) rearing their ugly heads again, and Alexander and Dom's relationship being needlessly tested with frustrating communication issues and Dom's frustrating habit of being fickle and quick to judge. Thankfully, neither one of those things make (much of) an appearance, although I won't rest easy until I read the final book.
Needless to say, the thing I loved most in this fourth book was Alexander Kempthorne (and his relationship with Dom).
Alexander, I love you with my whole heart, don't ever change.
Alex, Dom: *heart eyes* Those two had me sighing happy sighs, swooning and screaming with frustration (yes, Dom's still a little unfair and acts a little shitty even when Alexander doesn't deserve it!), but all in all I was VERY happy with them and the point they've reached in their lives. Also, there's a bit of jealous possessive behaviour from both of them, so double kudos. So why not 5 stars? Mainly, I'm still not the biggest Dom fan and that ending left me feeling a mix of angry and unsatisfied.
Anyways. This fourth book was my favourite by far. Less Kage, more Dom/Alexander = a very happy reader.
"Truth or Dare" is action and tension and high-stakes, life-or-death moments from start to finish and I managed to devour it in less than a day. It's got romance and humour and steam, betrayals and twists-and-turns and all the usual latent magical shenanigans. Alexander and Dom are more powerful and ruthless and united than ever and I couldn't be happier. Hopefully it stays that way.
Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2022
I’m so obsessed with this series! The relationship between Dom and Kempthorne is everything to me, I love their dynamic! The plot is so complex I still feel like I’m missing things but I’m so excited to see what happens next. Can’t wait for the fifth book and the conclusion! I think book #3 in the series is my favorite still but this one was excellent!
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