Penelope Douglas’ Corrupt is the first book in the Devil’s Night series and it is the third book by this author that I have read. This is a standalone novel; a few characters of the story being introduced in Punk 57.
This is not a light read. And not for the lighthearted. If there is one word I would use for this novel—it is INTENSE!
This is not the typical good girl falls for the bad boy romance, although it appears to start that way. And Steamy is not a word that does this novel justice in the least. This sensual, spicy, sweltering story is filled with twists and suspense and an intense, cinematic climax, and an epilogue that ties up to the theme of the story so well that you will have goosebumps.
Erika Fane is the beautiful and sexy, seemingly good girl, who has the hots for the blazing bad boy, basketball hunk Michael Crist. While both of them have had each other’s eyes since childhood, Michael’s cold shoulder pushes her to the arms of his brother Trevor. But Erika’s indomitable spirit isn’t one that can be tamed by a controlling boyfriend.
The night before Halloween, the Devil’s Night, when pranks are indistinguishable from crime and all bets are off, this insane story begins. We read two timelines alternating between that Devil’s Night and the time three years in the future as Erika starts a new chapter in her life in a new city, in a new college, away from Trevor’s possessiveness. Here, she finds Michael and his mates, Damon, Will and Kai hovering with a twisted agenda. The obvious sexual tension between the protagonists is only aggravated by the insanely crooked and uncomfortably sadistic encounters the five characters have. Erika refuses to bow and give up and matches blow for blow and shows strength and chaos unlike any female protagonists I have read.
Corrupt is a layered story and it does not end when it feels like it should (when Erika and Michael have inevitably had sex). There is a lot to enjoy and to be surprised by throughout.
The author’s writing is amazing. The immersive language makes this book hard to put down.
This book is a must read for the rebels at heart who can stomach unfiltered rage and hatred side by side with fiercely lascivious passion AND if you aren’t much concerned about morality and right and wrong when it comes to teenagers.
Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3Okge4F