Review: Scorn

 

Title: Scorn

Series: The Huntsmen

Author: P. Mulholland

Release Date: January 15, 2023

Like a good daughter, I'll wear my scar proudly on my mom's wedding day.

Hell, it's not like I can hide it. The red line runs from an inch under my left eye down my cheek to the corner of my mouth. It's a reminder of where I've been, how far I've come, and who I killed to get here.

My mom is marrying Robert Huntsman—rich, elitist, and handsome, if you close one eye. And soon I'll have two arrogant, attractive stepbrothers to avoid-Royce and Dalzell, and their sullen, mysterious cousin, Layne. Jock kings of Addington University. Perfect sons. Handsome devils who can do no wrong. That's what my mom says anyway.

The plan was to come for the ceremony and fly back home the following day. But that's before I stumbled across something sinister in the forest on the morning of the happiest day of my mom's life.

I saw what those boys did.

And now that I'm a witness to their crime, they won't let me leave.

The Huntsmen is a dark, gritty, enemies to lovers, reverse harem romance series, meaning the FMC will have more than one love interest. The Main Characters are in their early 20's. Single POV. Three book series set at Addington University.

Author's note: This series contains bullying, fighting, cussing, violence, murder, explicit sex scenes, and drug use. Ends on a cliffy.

So, I have been in a book funk off and on all year & struggling to find books to pull me out. And this time was no different. I must have picked up and put down a handful or two of books before I picked up Scorn. 

I added this book to my TBR a few months ago, not only because I love the cover, but because I love dark, why choose, and stepbrother romances. 

This book follows Charlotte, who was only supposed to be in town for her mom's wedding. But when she stumbles upon something she shouldn't have- her new step brothers refuse to let her leave. Now forced to keep her mouth shut, and her head down, she desperately is searching for a way to escape... But as she settles in to her new life, maybe it won't be so bad if she stays for awhile...

So Charlotte is strong. The story keeps hinting at something she has been through in her past- the reason why she left town to begin with all those years ago, and had the scars to prove it. She's a fighter, which is something I love in my fmcs. She also is always on the hunt for answers, and doesn't stop searching for them. 

Her step brothers are rich and powerful- sons of their father. But have no problem getting their hands dirty, and playing in the dark. 

There was a couple minor inconsistencies, and at times the relationships or dynamic between the fmc & mmcs felt a little rushed, but overall it was a fairly good, quick read at under 300 pages. Even though it wasn't my favorite stepbrothers or dark why choose romance, & I am unsure if I will be continuing the series or not, it was still a good read. 

3.5 ⭐ out of 5⭐. 

3🌶️ out of 5🌶️. - multiple detailed scenes throughout. 

Tropes: 

→ dark romance

→ contemporary romance

→ why choose romance 

→ step brother romance 

→ enemies to lovers 

Trigger Warnings