If you can’t beat the rich boys…Fck them.Lily Anna Oakes and I share everything.We have the same billion-dollar name, the same designer clothes, and the same messed up problems.But Lily Anna and I will never meet. She died years ago. This town broke her. I’ll burn it to the ground before I let that happen to me.In Eden Falls, I’m forced to attend a school for the elite. The Firstborns own this … forced to attend a school for the elite. The Firstborns own this place and they think they own me, too. It’s not long before Dexter, Caspian, Lai, and Julian become the bane of my existence.
There are only two people I’m afraid of – my strict father, and my malevolent fiancé. Unfortunately for me, my husband-to-be is one of the Firstborns ruining my life.
Dexter Booth and I will marry on my birthday to secure our families’ bond.
Every woman in this damn town wants to be Dexter’s toy. Except me.
Dex and his Eden Falls Prep cronies have forced me to give up my body. I know my betrothed wants my mind next.
I play along… But soon, I’ll leave the beautiful jerk behind without the thing he wants most from me.
His heir.
**
A HURT SO SWEET Volume One is the first book in a series of full-length novels following Pandora Oakes and Dexter Booth.
This book ends in a cliffhanger and has dark themes throughout.
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This is a good start for the series. The plot needs to be cleaned up a little bit but it is off to a good start. The characters are good. It does have family drama and dark sexual themes that may be a problem for some. I can’t wait to find out what is going to happen in the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If finding out her entire life was a lie wasn’t bad enough now Pandora finds herself back in her hometown and although her stature may mean she is part of the elite she feels like an outsider. Forced to a live a life she never wanted she now finds herself replacing Lily Ann, who took her own life, and that includes taking Lily Ann’s fiance as her own.
Dexter may appear to be living a privileged life, but appearances can be deceiving as all he has known is loss. He accepts that Pandora will be his fiance, but that doesn’t mean he has stopped loving Lily Ann or that he will make the transition easy. His intention is to show her how little she means to him and that is something he excels at.
This is a bully story of two people who start out hating each other and the situation they are in but can’t deny their attraction to each other. With so many twists and unanswered questions leading up to a startling cliffhanger it leaves you wondering what the future holds.
I ate this book up like candy! I enjoyed every written word! Dexter was beyond anything I was prepared for! But I loved it anyhoo. Can’t wait to get my hands on volume 2! I’ll be counting down the days!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Pandora and Dex!
Going into the book, I had so many questions running through my mind right from the first page. It was deliciously dark and hot with a rollercoaster of emotions.
Learning a little bit about Pandora in another series by Betti, I couldn’t wait to know more about her character and what she has gone through especially with her new family and life. I loved how stubborn and defiant she was, though I did feel that she gave in way too easily to Dex at times even though she swore to herself she wouldn’t (but I mean, who wouldn’t want to give in to Dex?!). I loved her interactions with the rest of the Firstborns especially with Dex’s friends – Julian, Caspian and Lai (those scenes were very hot even if they were all a-holes).
I would’ve loved more of a back story for both Dex and Pandora, being the first book, so I hope we get more of the it in the upcoming volumes. I also wished there were more chapters from Dex’s POV, I loved getting inside his head and knowing the amount of jealousy he had in him when it came to Pandora and some of the reasons he did what he’d done (and that secret he keeps at home?! I need more!).
I did feel like there were some gaps within the story where there wasn’t much of a plot at all so it was a bit up and down for me, and also where things were different to what was previously said/done. But nonetheless, I still loved and enjoyed the book very much
Wow!! Just wow!!! This book is a bully romance with dark scenes. It’s very good but I’m left with unanswered questions that I’m hoping they tell us more information in the second book. Plus it felt like there were some missing words and I ended up having to re-read sentences to figure out what was being said. But I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait to read the second book.
~ Books & Magic Shop Reviews ~
This book was literally so dirty and so sexy and oh so deliciously dark, I gobbled Pandora and Dex’s story in just a day! I’ve been having a reading rut where nothing was really keeping my attention, but A Hurt So Sweet cured that literally with just the opening pages.
If you come in with an open and fantasizing mind, you’ll be drooling for this book. I’m just so glad Dex has friends because hopefully that could mean we get more from these dark princes.
What I also loved besides the dark romance was the character development. A Hurt So Sweet was originally just supposed to be one book (if I remember correctly), but Betti wrote so much that she ended up deciding to split the book up. Because of this, I thought it was going to be difficult to see any growth until all the books were completed, but I was thrilled to be able to kind of pick through both Dex and Pandora’s head just enough to get a sense of them, but also to still have mystery shroud them.
I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on volume 2!!
Thank you so much for the arc, I am leaving a voluntary review.
5 stars
I love bully romances so this fit the bill quite nicely!! Pandora was a good character but she was bothersome at times but Dex I can’t put into words how much I loved him and his sick sense of well everything lol. Pandora hates him with a passion but her body has missed the memo totally lol. The dark factor along with grittiness if this book had me hooked and I can’t wait for more
I voluntarily reviewed a advanced readers copy of this book
A town full of elite and the richest.
Beautiful first born that rules.
Tradition and rules to be followed.
But that’s just smoke screen.
The ugly, dark, depraved truth are lot worst that you ever imagine.
Dexter is not a hero. He is the devil spawn him self.
And Pandora…. More than anything in this book, she’s a dissapointment for me. Naive, fool and talk too much without any bite what so ever, I just can’t with her.
Overall I admire the way the author so brave with her writing that hold nothing back. This book is crazy dark and I can’t see any light with the way Pandora handle things.
Dexter definitly a hero. I can’t say if he is anti hero also. Gonna have to wait till the next book to decide that.
And the ending! Omg never have that kind of cliffy!
Pandora… She’s bull headed, reckless. Really wish she’s stronger and smarter. Cause all that bark with no bite? It’s borring up until the end
This dark and twisted story will have you siding with Pandora and her needs of revenge. Her father is strict and the man she is to marry is one of the bullies that makes her life difficult. You are pulled into the story right from the start and the drama has your emotions all over the place and leaves you looking forward to what’s coming next!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a dark and twisted tale of bullies and revenge. I am looking forward to following Pandora and Dexter to the conclusion. I recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
SON OF A….
What. The. F. Just. Happened?
Seriously, Betti? What the hell? What did I ever do to you?
I can’t… GAH!!!!
How could you?…
MY HEART… MY POOR STUPID HEART!
Woah… Okay, so this isn’t the first book by Betti I have read. I started reading her from the beginning, and just like the first books I read, this was just as amazing. In saying that, this is the first book in this series and it is a little different from her other work under this pen name, still holds a lot of the same elements but this one? It taps into the darker side. It’s a dark and twisted bully romance and holy crap…, it was everything I want when it comes to these tropes. I’ve become a little bit obsessed with bully romances, it’s become a guilty pleasure, then add in dark and twisted, which are two elements to a story I crave most… Well, you get this masterpiece.
FIRSTLY, be prepared for twists, be prepared for darkness, be prepared for the unknown… I went into this book thinking I knew what I was up against, but oh how wrong was I… SO VERY WRONG.
This book slayed me to pieces. It was dark, it was twisted and it had my emotions strung the hell out… Anger, hate, pain… It was raw I’m not 100% sure why, but when it comes to Betti’s darker side to romance, as in her older work that was listed under Fawn Bailey and Isabella Starling, I have found that they play on my emotions. I can’t exactly explain it, but reading this book bought me back to what first made me fall in love with this author. The darkness… The twisted things you don’t see coming, that feeling in the pit of your stomach… The anxiety and the build-up, the suspense and angst… It was all there and it was
E. V. E. R. Y. T. H. I. N. G!
I have been so eager to dive into this, the anticipation growing in bounds every time I saw a teaser, or the cover… and when I got it in my hands… I was almost scared to start it… In fears that I had built it up too much, that it wouldn’t be able to live up to her other books… BUT… Not only did it, but it also exceeded all expectation and to be honest I think this book is the best one she has written in any of her pen names, to date… And I don’t say that lightly because her other work is AMAZING! But this just up this crazy game…
Pandora was a complex character… She is returning home from 4 years away for school and in her world, appearance is everything. She’s not thrilled to be returning, but she has no choice other than to smile and act as though life is nothing but perfect… but in reality, all the dark and dirty secrets are just hidden away behind the closed doors. It’s not a fun life to live and now she is back, she has to live in the shadow of a dead girl… Even going as far as having to marry the dead girls’ ex’s boyfriend..and all she wants to do is go back to her old life away from this place that has become her very own personal prison. Her father forbids it, he wants to keep her there, pawn her off to marry a man she doesn’t love, Dexter. She hates him, she despises him, she loathes him, but to make the two families stronger and to produce an heir she must marry. Firstborns were like royalty in this town, Pandora was a firstborn, but she was an outcast, and she was treated like one, brutally…It really isn’t a life to live. She feels imprisoned, she feels stuck, but with those feelings, her strength rises above and she pushes.. and she pushes against her fathers commends… Even though everyone around her is working against her… She still tries, but the more she tries the more she seems to be getting punished… It was like everyone was always there to push her down. Some of the things that were done to her were cruel, brutal and were messed up and it hurt to read it, yet I couldn’t look away… Even though each time this girl was pushed down it broke my heart… I was obsessed. As the book progressed, more and more questions came with it, and more and more secrets were made…
Dex and Pandora’s story was insane, beautiful, messed up and all kinds of twisted. But something about these two drew me in. The hatred, the loathing, and the constant push and pull, it was addictive and enough to send the sanest of people crazy. I couldn’t get enough. It was dirty, dark, disturbing and deliciously so!
And as messed up as it was, I couldn’t get enough of Dex and Pandora,… That familiar tug, the push, and pull, the tension, the hate, the lust, the loathing… ALL OF IT!
?!
?
I have a love to hate and hate to love kind of thing going on with cliffhangers and this one has gotten me screwed
. . .
.
I swear Ms. Rosewood may get a little joy out of having her readers this strung out and bent out of shape… I feel she is sitting there with a smirk on her face knowing exactly what games are being played, and for that? I have to bow down to her. Everyone, the Queen is BACK… Well, she never really went anywhere but honestly, I think when it comes to her books, it is this kind of romance where she shines bright and where she’s in her element.
This was insane, it left wanting to punch something and someone, it left me wanting to scream and throw things… Yet it left me craving more. Which is exactly what this author does time and time again.
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Format: Kindle Edition
Wow! You want a ride? Well here you go.. this book will take you places you didn’t know you wanted to go. Betti knows how to write and take you to dark places and you will love it. You think you know what you are going to get when you read Betti but you really have no clue. The only thing I didn’t like was the cliffhanger. A must read!
I voluntarily read this as an advanced readers copy
What?? Just happened? This is twisted, dark and so so very deviant. I am left gasping in awe of this author. Her mind is a vortex of swirling devious desires and twisted fantasies. I LOVE it. It ends on such a cliffhanger. This town is wack. The founding fathers are demented and sick. I need more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Fantastic read! I didn’t want to put it down, but i work haha. I was a little disappointed with the heroine because she had parts where she either spoke to much or didn’t speak enough. Now what i mean is she would say things that in my opinion made her seem weak and at other times she didn’t speak up when she should have, to seem stronger. That may not make much since, but I wont give any spoilers I’m not that type of reviewer. I loved Dexter! he is a great Alpha male and probably one of my favorites ever! I’m so excited for book 2!
I’m always looking forward to a new dark romance read with seemingly unredeemable hero and strong feisty heroine. That was also what I expected from this book based on blurb. However, I don’t even know where to begin with how disappointed I am. I keep giving this author a chance but it’s not worth it anymore.
All characters were poorly portrayed without any depth. I didn’t see strong Pandora I was promised from the blurb. She was weak and spineless. I was waiting for her to fight back but nothing. She was too wishy-washy and was just constantly crying.
Storyline and writing seemed all over the place. There were so many things without any explanation that I felt like I was missing paragraphs and pages. It all felt really disconnected. In the end the storyline also ended up being bland and predictable. And that poor excuse for a cliffhanger..I don’t know what more to say.
This book was just a complete mess and I’m being generous with 2 stars rating.
I received an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Crazy good read that will have you glued too your kindle. Amazing story with twists you won’t see coming and of course amazing characters. Another amazing read that everyone must one click.
This was truly a book that I had to keep turning the pages. Twisted is the best descriptor for the sexual bullying. It is far out: unbelievable! I would have rated it a five except for 1) the whole plot was one after the other of gross abuse and 2) this is going to be the first of several cliffhangers, which I hate. However, this author has me hooked, but good! I am on pins and needles waiting for Volume two and following. I volunteered this review from an ARC.
Received ARC for honest review!
I was ecstatic to get this ARC and it was a fast-paced, twisted trip the entire way. The book starts out introducing us to our female lead, Pandora, uhmmm, ok will the real “Lily Anna Oakes”, who, thru a set of circumstances lived quite a different life from the one she is thrust into via her bloodline.
Sent off to be properly cultivated for society, she spends 4 years largely isolated in one prison only to be taken to her new one at Oakes’ Mansion.
If you like dark drama and suspense then look no further, this is worth the time. Dexter Booth and Lily Anna Oakes push each other’s buttons and it is fireworks throughout the book.
The last few months I’ve been on a bully romance or RH kick and this hit all the right notes. I understood going in that it was Book 1 so like all cruel mistresses with a pen, we are left hanging and yearning for more.
The title says it all, “A Hurt so Sweet” and I went down willingly.
Two thumbs UP, way UP~
This book left me with my jaw unhinged and begging for more!
It’s a different concept when it comes to bully romances, a switched at birth twist, or doppelgänger element. So hot and sexy!!
Dexter is so cruel and I don’t know if he truly hates her or if he just misses Lily so much and is angry.
This book will sooth you high school bully romance needs and then make you yearn for more!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A bully romance filled with hate, drama, suspense and heat. Pandora finds herself in a complicated situation filled with so much tension and drama. Her chemistry with Dexter is a love/hate one that I want her to find a HEA with even at times I hated his character. I need answers now in this newest release that will have you salivating for the next book.