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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Loved the story, world and characters. The book keeps your interest in turning pages to see what will happen next.
I am OBSESSED with Betti Rosewood and her out of the norm writing style. She completely annihilates me.
I can’t even express how much I love her writing. This book had me completely twisted beyond my means. I was grossly obsessed with Dex and Pandora. This story was definitely a story that fascinated me from start to end.
I love this trope and I can’t seem to get enough. I love the bully romances because in some you get the strong heroine that even though she keeps getting pushed and pushed, she finds ways to push back and only takes what she can and she will strike back when she finds it appropriate to do so.
Pandora might have taken a lot of crap from these boys and her family but she also knew when she could push back with all of them.
The ending to this book had me completely internally screaming. I absolutely love cliffhangers because I know that there is more to the story that we obviously need more answers to and it just makes me anticipate the book even more!
So good! All the feels…intrique, suspense, steaminess, meanness…so many plot twists and turns. Pandora and Dex come alive under Ms. Rosewood’s pen. Definitely recommend this book. Waiting patiently on the next installment.
Sick and depraved. The people of Eden Falls are monsters. Pandora has been taken away from the family that raised her as their own. But then it was found out that she wasn’t really their daughter. Two girls were switched. (the story never did say how). Then she had to go by the name LilyAnn and has been forced to go to a fancy elitist prep school. Now she’s in her father’s home and forced to marry another rich kid from the town. But she hates him and he hates her. Her father, her half-brother, and all of the rich kids are cruel. This story includes a lot of bullying, forced sex, beatings, and other cruelty. Pandora wants out but she is trapped. Can she ever escape? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
5 DARK AND TWISTED STARS!! I was captivated with this Dark and twisted story. I could not look away….you know you should, but you need more and you keep reading. Dexter and Pandora speak the same language….to hurt each other, but they need each other just as much. OMG….the ending is killing me, I can’t breathe right now. I need Book 2.
OMG! What the heck did I just read here? I’m speechless, oh and lets add breathless while I’m at it. There are so many feels with this book, you will be sucked in from the start with this one, holy crap, you have no idea what you are in for. This book is unputdownable, I know it’s probably not a word, but oh well, it is now. Dex and Pandora’s story is delectably delicious, wickedly devious, dark and twisted perfection. Pandora loathes Dexter with every part of her body, but sometimes we betray ourselves and that’s what he’s hoping for. So many twists and turns, pantie melting hot, suspenseful page turner that you won’t put down. My hat goes off to this author for her amazing read, and what we are left with will leave you asking yourself, “what just happened?” Now we wait for the next book in this new series by Bettie Rosewood.
Oh man. Such a dark, twisty, bully romance. I haven’t read too many bully-romance, but there is just something about it, that grabs my attention. I was sucked in from the first page.
This town just seems too much, albeit believable, with all the crazy things that go on. I love that Pandora continues to fight back, to try and remain strong, even though she slowly seems to be learning how things are run in Eden Falls. She begins succumbing, with little acts of defiance still thrown in. I’m curious about Dexter and some of his secrets. Even though I have moments I hate him, I’m drawn like a moth to a flame, and I just keep going back for more.
There are plenty of hot, angsty moments in this first installment. Oh man….and that ending… Let’s just say, I was reeling a bit, and can’t wait to see what happens next.
Ohhh these kids are nasty little things! They are mean and spiteful! Just how I like my bully romances. I devoured this in just a couple hours. I think I might have figured out a secret… shhh! I can’t wait to read the next volume… I’m hooked!!
Aarrgghh, cliffhanger! But sooo good!!
Pandora/Lily Anna has come home to Eden Falls. A strange little town full of the elite and their strange rules. She hates it, but she also craves the twisted games she finds herself playing. She especially hates her fiance, Dexter. He plays with her cruelly and calls her ‘toy’. She wants to resist but her body does not cooperate. Pandora has been thrown into this snakepit and now she has to fight for her survival in the lap of luxury. A family who seem to hate her. A society of people who don’t seem to blink an eye at depravity in plain sight. People who smile with friendliness as they drive a knife in your back. And the fiance she is unwillingly drawn to and his cruel pack of followers. And what mystery is Dexter hiding?! I can’t wait for the next book!! Betti gave us all the dark depravity and ended on a cliffie!! The torture is painfully good!! I received a review copy. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Okay so I am going to be the odd review out here but this is my honest opinion.
The blurb and the plot are what really pulled me to this story, I was excited to read a dark story about a strong woman, someone who stands up for herself and conquers “evil.” The story line sounded unique, dark and delicious. I was pulled into the story during the first chapter and was really enjoying it, but after a few more chapters I lost my desire. I did finish this book but more than likely will not continue. It does end with a cliffhanger as it is a series, but what didn’t work for me was the author’s focus during the story.
What worked for me: The plot was good and I loved the broken Cinderella/fairy tale like story line. The darkness was nice in the plot (with a few exceptions). The house in which she lived and the characters were all interesting; I liked the dynamics of the different worlds and how the main character had to work within one to get back to another. The academy in which the author created had me very interested and I would like to know more about the inner workings of the father’s business. I still have questions and there is a bit of a mystery here that the author reveals slowly. It was intriguing and kept me interested.
However, what didn’t work for me was a bit more then what did. I feel like the author had the opportunity to create a detailed and wonderful plot that unfortunately didn’t come to fruition because of the over focus on the steamy scenes. Now this might be because this is book one of a series and those detailed might not be reveled until a later book, but there was not enough in this book for my full enjoyment.
The steamy scenes were hot, there is no denying that, but they felt like the only part of the story the author developed fully. I didn’t feel like some of the scenes fit the story line (they didn’t flow for me), they seemed to be put in for entertainment value rather than story development.
Also the main character Pandora felt very unbalanced. She has this fire inside of her at times that made me cheer and root for her and then at random times she was so shy and broken (mood swings rather than emotions relating to her situation).
While I do think others will enjoy this story, it just didn’t work for me. I think I might give it another try once all the books are release so that I can get the entire story at once. That might change my opinion, you never know. I received an ARC and am leaving my honest review.
OH MY GOD! Talk about dark and absolutely twisted A Hurt So Sweet is just that. Bettie Rosewood never fails to give you a story that will capture your senses right from the beginning, keep you on your toes and even aroused throughout the whole book with strong, emotional characters.
Pandora’s life is so turned upside down that she’s not sure if she’s coming or going. Rippped from her family and thrown into a crazy, fanatical, wealthy family and promised off to a man who only wants to use and hurt her in every way he can.
Dexter is a 19 year old young man who’s inherited his family’s fortune. Living in a town that only honors the firstborns of each family as If they are Gods. He takes and uses whoever and however he wants without any emotional connection at all until he’s promised Pandora.
This book left me hanging on by my nails to a small vine attached to the biggest cliffhanger I’ve had the privilege of reading. Just Wow. I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next installment. Well played Ms Rosewood, well played.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Pandora has been away for 4 years, thought to be an outcast, she’s actually the heiress of her family’s fortune. She must return and take on the duties of Lily Anna, specifically marrying Dexter and producing an heir to unite their families. Pandora hates Dexter, and the games he and his friends play with her, but there is definitely a pull between them. She grapples with her feelings as she plots her revenge.
This book is full of so many twists and turns. I thought I knew where it was going, but I was dead wrong. And then the ending! Betti really does you in when there’s a cliffhanger. I had been waiting in anticipation to get my hands on this book, and it did not disappoint. But be warned, it is DARK and twisted. If either of those things offend you, turn back now. I however am eagerly awaiting book 2.
I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Just Holy wow!! That was super intense and mind blowing, never a dull moment these boys are pure evil and mean. I could not put this down it sucks you right in from the very first page and leaves you saying no way throughout it all. I need more stat I’m now addicted
Deliciously hot and intriguing with just the right twist of darkness A Hurt So Sweet took me a bit by surprise in the best of ways. I didn’t expect to love Pandora right from the start but there was just something about her that drew me in. She definitely needed to learn how to pick her battles yet I enjoyed her defiance and unwillingness to just fall in line. Dexter Booth was so much more complex than I was expecting. As much as I wanted to throttle him quite often I still couldn’t help but wonder why was truly driving him. The sparks that flew all over the place throughout this book were enough to keep me on the edge of my chair with my heart racing eagerly awaiting how things would play out. I loved the twists thrown into their story along the way and after this twisted, suspenseful, angsty, and sexy introduction to the Elite of Eden Falls Prep I can’t wait to see what’s in store next.
Fantastic dark read – you cannot expect anything less from this author – brilliant start to the series!
It hurt but it wasn’t sweet and the cliffhanger got me screaming. I wanted to break something. It’s not fair to finish book in such a moment. I don’t want to give anything away but this one was brutally hot and steamy. I loved how quick was the plot and that there are some mysteries to be revealed and the story just started. For me it was like a kind of prequel before we deep dive into to the lives of Pandora and Dex.
Currently I hate Dex and Pandora’s dad dearly and love her and cheer for her very much. I hope she will soon show them all where their place is. Waiting for more of this very intriguing, darkish and quite cruel story.
This book is totally something else. I have read Ms. Rosewood’s books before, also those written under her pen names, and always loved them. But this book puts dark and twisted and kinky on a whole new level!
I’ve never read about protagonists that effed up, never read a plot so dark…
Wow… just W.O.W! Volume two can’t come fast enough! I need to read more about Eden Falls Prep, about Pandora and Dexter and everybody else…
Dang, I would hate to be a resident of Eden Falls, especially if I wasn’t a Firstborn! I couldn’t put this book down until I was done, and what do I get at the end?? A cliffhanger, arghhhh! I can’t wait til the next book! I know it’s already billed as a dark bully romance, but be prepared…..it’s not an exaggeration. If you have triggers regarding dubious consent with multiple partners (even if they don’t go “all the way”), tread carefully.
I just wish Pandora were stronger and would stand up for herself more. I understand being under Dexter’s “spell”, but please, please, please stop letting him treat you that way! As I said, can’t wait til the next one! Hurry up November!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
HOT DAMN!! What a nasty, dark and so delicious book.. I love it when Betti brings out the dark side. This book blew my mind. I don’t want to say nothing that gives anything away. This is one of these books that you need to go in blind and be just as surprised as I was. This is going to leave the worst book hangover and that CLIFFHANGER is going to mess you up but just wait the nextra book will be out soon..
FRIEND REVIEWS (2)u20024.00 average rating
This one is a messed up, twisted, dark tale of two young person’s rocky road to falling in love. A story where there is a thin line between hate and love, where you have to obey to rules made those around you. Every. Rule.
Dex was nasty yet I wait to fully understand the motivations and driving force behind him. I liked how Lily Anna just came back like nothing happened. It is a confusing thing for me. She just went then came back and everybody acts like nothing happened. I don’t want to spoil the fun, so you have to read it, but dang.
The relationship is very complicated and when Betti promised dark… well, we got the dark just right. Aside from every little thing that confused or a little bit threw me off it was a delightful, wonderful read. I truly recommend it.
And oh yeah, the cliffhanger at the end… That just kill me. As much as I love Betti I also hate her to leave it just like this. I need the next one. Like now.
Woah woah woah! A dark, twisted, hateful, emotional spellbinding book! I COULD NOT put it down! I was breathless with a racing heart reading this suspenseful intriguing story! These characters were all kinds of messed up and I loved it! I’m dying to continue reading this series and can’t take not knowing what happens next! Stellar job Betti!