Meet the Devil of Blackthorne Manor …
When I was a little girl, I dreamed a handsome knight would come and rescue me from my wretched mother. He’d ride up on his white steed and break the curse I’ve been fated to carry since the day I was born.
Funny how things changed over time. How the fairy tale twisted into something far more crooked, darker than I ever imagined.
In reality, my knight is … imagined.
In reality, my knight is scarred and broken, living alone in a castle of bones that overlooks the sea. He isn’t searching for me. He never was.
Lucian Blackthorne is as cursed as I am, and equally shunned by the locals, the fishers of men, who believe him to be the devil in the flesh.
Perhaps he is, with the way his amber eyes draw me in, ignite me like an infernal blaze. And the sins he whispers in my ear are as wickedly intoxicating as the man himself.
Yet, his touch is heaven and his will is my weakness.
He calls us forbidden, an unsalvageable tragedy, with no happy end. Maybe we are. But in this story, he’s the one who needs saving.
Master of Salt & Bones is a dark modern gothic contemporary standalone romance.
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What I first started this book I checked to see howamy chapters there are, let me tell you i was not expecting a number in the 50s! For a book to be the long it would have to be continuously riveting. I did not want this book to end. From the very beginning it grips you and it holds on tight! The darkness in this story really keeps you turning the page. And the unexpected plots! I was not expecting alot of it to turn out the way it did! This is one of those stories you’ll want to reread!
This Story was a mix of light and dark. It grabs you tight and holds you close even while trying to push you away. A story to remind us not to listen to everything we hear. A story that reminds us that without darkness there is no light. A story that reminds us to take a closer look to see what is really going on. Lucian is darkness personified. He has an intimidating air around him that keeps everyone at a distance. But in walks Isadora. A woman willing to take a chance to better her own life is a woman who will stand toe to toe with anyone. Lucian and Isadora together are a match burning the flame. So many emotions in this story. And twists you don’t see coming. Absolutely loved it for so many reasons!!! Could not put it down!!!!
“…the heart is a dangerous organ that isn’t meant to be free. Why else would God have built a cage for it…”
All the dark stars in the wide world. OMG, I think I just found my favorite book in the entire literary world!! How on earth have I managed to live without Keri’s writing? Well I have no idea. Let me tell you something, I had several books by Keri in my TBR list but NOTHING prepared me for Master of Salt & Bones, It’s like I was transported to another place, another time and became someone entirely different, books like this are the reason I love being a book addict and an introvert, great stories like this are the ones that make us wish to be the character, and I couldn’t be more amazed with this story.
Isadora has been struggling with her past her whole life, the town she grew up to, has made her feel like nothing, nothing but garbage, so the moment she get a new job at the Blackthorne Manor, she knows it’s her scape to the life she´s always wanted. She expected it to be different, like her, but nothing prepared her for the Devil of Bonesalt, as the town calls him, the monster with the scars and the tragic life, she knows better than to believe all the gossip. Because just like her, there is something beneath his surface that only an equal can identify and learn to appreciate.
Lucian Blackthorne grew up thinking that there was something wrong with him, just like his father; the need of something different, the love to suffer, to hurt; that’s the only thing he knew that could be similar to love; when he lost everything and there wasn’t anything left for him to fight, he knew that it will end with him. Until Isa saw something more than scars, and all the madness became matches that needed to be lighted by her.
Thank you Keri for bringing back my faith in love stories, I have no idea how I am going to move on to the next book without feeling a pang in my heart, I can honestly say there are few characters that I will carry with me forever and Lucian and Isadora now have a special place. You set the bar SO HIGH with this story and for that I am forever grateful. I was losing myself and this book brought me back to life, so thank you again for making me feel like ME again!!
So this was my first Keri Lake read, and what an introduction! I have to admit that when I’m starting a new book, I immediately check to see how long it is, and I was a bit hesitant when I saw how long this particular book is, but once I got started, I found myself pulled into the story and didn’t really think about how long the book is.
This story is told in dual POV, both in present time and flashbacks (during Lucian’s narration). Both he and Isadora are broken in their own way; although Lucian is definitely the more broken between the two, given how his father treated him when he was younger. There is definitely a “Beauty and the Beast” feel to this book, with a lot more darkness spread from beginning to end. Not to mention the mystery of what happened to the wife and son a few years prior. There are several layers to this story and I enjoyed peeling back each one to see how everything would play out and whether or not Lucian would ever get a HEA.
I’m Dumbfounded!! Seriously, I don’t know what to say or think anymore.
Words are pitiful to describe the brilliance of Keri’s work. My friends have been urging me to read her, but my tbr is taller than Jack’s beanstalk and long story short, I got this book and it blew my mind!!
“The way it’s haunting. Delicate. Perilous, yet somehow alluring.”
I’m a dark romance lover and this book just spoke to me. It opened up its secrets and hidden messages one layer at a time. As I descended down floor upon floor of this labyrinthine plot, I got just sucked into the intrigue and savage history of Bonesalt in Tempest Cove.
“You either find pleasure in doling pain, or receiving it.”
Oh, There’s pain alright. One that morphs into pleasure and one that echoes as screams in the shifting walls
The story oscillators between Isadora Quinn and Lucian Blackthorne’s POV and that for me was a bonus point. It balanced the narration. Keri doesn’t bind her imagination in defined boundaries and bravely ventures into the deeper, darker waters of psychological thriller trope. There’s some scenes which had me cringing, but with a wide smile on my face b/c now I’ve found an author after my own heart. She doesn’t shy away from lifting the gauze and showing the rotten wounds and scars mottled on Castle walls in the catacombs.
“What a wondrous place it must be inside his mind. A dark and wicked place, brimming with the bizarre and peculiar, just like the song.”
The story is complex and tortuous, so many Tangled webs interweave, so many flies caught in them. As the pages turn the picture becomes larger and gruesome. I felt like the story was balanced on parallel realms. There’s tangible truths right in front of the eye and there’s imperceptible concepts of conjured up truths. It drives the characters mad and it drove me insane. The plot flips till the last page and some twists I had an inkling of, some completely stunned me stupid. At one point I gasped so loud, damn near scared my son!!
The characters are so multifaceted it was a delight to see them shine. Esp Lucian, who had me bowled over.
His contrasting behaviors made me admire him and fear him in equal measures. his abrasive nature hides beneath a cracked heart and a betrayed soul. To see him as an involuntary, floating participant in the heinous scheme of inheritence, it just wanted me to jump in salvage his tattered heart.
“She’s whipping winds and half-torn rooftops, treacherous waves and dangerous undertows,”
Isadora is the perfect Beauty to tame him, but she gets mauled in the rescue mission herself. Isa’s naive beauty is like a siren call for the Black Thorne heir, hiding behind the thick walls of a castle . Her Beauty feeds his madness and lures the man in him.
“I should’ve known better than to get involved with a man like him—a deity of wrath and flames, when I’m nothing but a mortal, playing with fire.”
Well crafted plot, precise and taut narration, well researched, fast paced, this twisted story will feed your dark cravings and leave you begging for more..
It’s phenomenal story sketched in Grey shades of psychosis, paranoia, dementia and hallucinations. The book is chock full with a closet full of secrets, an armoire of dolls, castle full of haunted noises and a cove drowning in rising tides, that will leave you with Goosebumps on your skin and hair standing on end…hold your thumping heart, lest it jump out of your chest and on to the scream filled pages. don’t say you weren’t warned!!!
5 stars for Le Petit Morte
4 1/2 awesome dark stars!
Totally blown away with this dark romance! Kari Lake soared above my expectations on a novel of this genre! The story line was captivating and full of dark, suspenseful mystery that kept you hooked on continuing to read.
Lucian is wonderfully dark and mysteriously twisted and I loved his character from the very beginning. The telling of the secrets of his past intertwined with the present made this book gloriously intense and addictive.
If you love dark, suspenseful, somewhat twisted romance, I certainly recommend grabbing this one up. It is a long story, but it was definitely a mind blowing read.
Checks all the boxes of dark, twisted, gothic and erotic. Little long in the tooth but full of shocking and sick revelations.
Keri Lake is a new author to me. This was the very first book that I read by her. And after what I’ve just read? I. NEED. MORE.
No, really. I have never read a book so crisp, so sharp, so intelligent and so masterful.
The tale of Lucian and Isadora is a wild one. Each character has their demons. Each demon bringing depth and a side to these individuals that have you feeling so deeply connected to them. You feel each hurt, each pain, each and every awakening of their souls as they make their path together.
I have never read a book quite like this one before. EVER. It’s one I’ll never forget, and one that I definitely need to have on my bookshelf. Paperback, hardcover, framed and signed and with a spotlight on it. Because this book was astonishing and completely… Everything.
“You’re my curse. Staying away from you, is like trying to hold my breath when the tide is rising … I want to drown in you.”
…wrote a few lines and then deleted them… wrote a few more, deleted those too…
I just can not find the right words to express how I felt about Master of Salt & Bones.
It is hauntingly beatiful, with characters deeply developed, carying a soul. With the plot so twisted, dark, cruel and sick, Master of Salt & Bones holds you captive until you’ve read the very last letter of the very last chapter.
The author presented Lucian Blackthorne masterfully. The more you read the more layers of the man he trully is you find. And you’re going to love him. Isa on the other hand is not as mystical, mysterious, nor dark or demanding. She is simple, even though her life is anything but.
The things that happen inside that castle, what castle represents… You’re going to question yourself even if only for a second.
This story is epic in every way!
I’m fairly new to Keri Lake’s books and for me, this is her best work to date. It was gripping from the beginning to the very end.
Who doesn’t love a good fairy tale with lots of angst, dark edges, lots of bone-chilling twists, and oh so sexy? This book had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end while I was reading and I love a book that can give me that kind of feels. My only complaint about this book is that it ended.
Lucian is a tortured, dark man with a painful past living in a castle. Isadora comes from a life of poverty and abuse from family. She chooses to move into the castle to take care of Lucian’s ailing mother. Once the two meet an attraction flares between them. Lucian is willing to let down his walls for Isa. Can this couple come together for love or will the past tear them apart?
“What kind of curiosities plague the mind of a devil?”
This was a cornucopia of emotions
– loss – anger – fear – pain – love – hope – desire – sacrifice
It was all here, overflowing within the pages
It wasn’t just a romance. You know; two souls who were lost and fought against the odds and ended up sappily in love. This was so much more.
There was trauma. There were secrets.
There were some pretty disgusting and/or misdirected bad guys/gals (I’m not telling).
There was a little push, then a little pull
There were twists wrought with “who done it” moments that left my heart beating a little faster – my palms a little sweaty
“When you feel dead inside, you inevitably reach for things that make you feel alive, Pain. Adrenaline. Drugs. That’s how vices are born. That’s how you became my obsession.”
Lucian’s past was so haunting.
It was an actual presence that cloaked his being.
A chill that never leaves your bones.
There was so much to Lucian.
His fractured mind. His experiences real or imagined. His loss.
My heart broke for the child that could have been.
For the man that was.
“Like a breath of air after drowning”
Isadora was such a vibrant breath of air. She had her demons as well but she was young and her view of the world was not quite as skewed as Lucian’s.
She still held a bit of sunshine and hope.
She still believed in her dreams.
I will say I wish the story was a touch longer –
No, this time it isn’t just me being greedy. There were scenes both current and background that I wish we had gotten to spend some more time exploring
I would have liked more time spent with the Isadora and her family.
More time watching her and Lucian come to terms with “them”.
Definitely would have liked more on Lucian’s family and his childhood.
Did I want more of the why’s? “How”‘s?
How could you/they?
I got the base idea but still why?
To what end?
Maybe I am just being greedy…
What did I just read!! Words cannot truly express how magnificent this book is. If I could give a book more than five stars, this book would be it! This isn’t your typical dark romance, it is so much more. My heart melted, broke and was put back together so many times. Lucian Blackthorne has a bit of a reputation, and whether you believe it or not remains to be seen. He is a dark, complex character who isn’t perfect, but as you read, you just know that he does have a heart beating somewhere in that body of his. When Isa comes to work for him, she doesn’t know all that much about him, just rumors which she pays no attention to as she needs this job. While Isa is young, she is completely wise beyond her years and has gone thru so much in such a short life. My heart actually hurt for her.
These two characters are a force to be reckoned with and I fell in love with both of them. I wasn’t anticipating getting so emotionally involved in this story until I started to read and with the way this author writes, I could feel every emotion going thru these characters. I literally cried at parts, cringed at others, and held my breath many times. You need to prepare yourself for a wild ride of which you will never want to get off from. I’m not sure what else I need to say to get everyone to read this amazing story, just that I’ve read many, many books in my life, and this one is definitely in my top favorites. I look forward to reading more by this author. Please do yourself a favor and read this brilliant story, you need it in your life.
What a totally riveting read! A clever combination of thriller, gothic, romance, mystery and warped fairy tale, this book was, for me, a non-stop read which pulled me in and didn’t let go. The feel of isolation combined with the aggressive inhabitants of the town nearby, the mad scientists, secrets and lies all serve to create an atmosphere of a time and location in a time/ place of its own. Substitute horses for cars/ motor bikes and pitch forks for crosses and you have an aura of separation which pervades the whole book. Lucian, Isa, Aunt Midge, Rand and Laura are well drawn and part of a cast which contains characteristics of beauty, stoicism, courage, corruption and vice in a heady, enthralling mix.
Rich in eccentricity and incident, heart break, intrigue, fear, loss and love, and you have a book which provides rich entertainment which I just gobbled up! Brilliant!
Keri Lake is truly a master story teller. Master of Salt and Bones is a brilliant read and had me captivated from beginning to end. Such a compelling story with lots of mystery and twists that will blow you mind away until the very last page. This book is very dark and it has some damaged characters but the outcome is not what I was expecting, although something I suspected ended up being the truth, the rest of the story was not what I had been thinking at all. The sex scenes are sizzling hot and quite graphic in explanation which truly does not leave much to the imagination. And then, of course, we have Lucian and Isa who are both damaged in their own way and I longed for every scene that brought them together because all their interactions were beyond the realm of explosive and also quite dark and mysterious. My heart literally broke for them both on a number of occasions and there were many times that I had to reach for my tissues. There are not enough words to really describe this book apart from brilliant, amazing, magnificent and the list goes on. Prepare yourself for a roller coaster ride because that is exactly what this book will do to your emotions.
Bravo Keri Lake on another excellent book. I am sure this will definitely be on the bestseller list upon it’s release. A 10 star read. Do yourself a favour and read this book.I look forward to reading many more of Keri Lake’s books in the future.
I received an arc copy and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Master of Salt and Bones was a dark and complex romance that gave my Beauty and the Beast- loving heart all the feels. I enjoyed the darker feel to the story as I attempted to figure out the mysteries in Lucian and Isa’s life. With so many secrets surrounding them I was quickly riveted by their story and all the twists and turns it took. Some I figured out quickly while others left me shocked and admittedly a bit teary eyed. Mysterious, intriguing, dark and a bit eerie Master of Salt and Bones was a gripping whirlwind read that left me a bit mindblown and hopeful there’s more to come.
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I loved the concept of this story, a bit of a Beast tale that has been completely . The madness and imaginative twists that you experience within these pages keep this adventure fresh and new.
There is a castle on the hill, a castle said to be built upon the bones of their enemies. There are all types of gossip and whispers amongst the small town of Tempest Cove about the tragedies that have fallen the Blackstones. When Isadora Quinn takes a position as the companion to Lucian Blackthorne’s mother, she doesn’t believe the rumors but upon spending some time within the estate, there seems to be something sinister going on within the walls of Blackstone Manor, and the whole family seems to be completely bat shit crazy.
Lucian Blackthorne, the Devil of Bonesalt, is a lethal dangerous and dark monster whose family has buried secrets for generations. There is a term – “with money brings madness”, and the Blackthornes definitely aren’t lacking in either definition.
I’m not going to give you a playbook of the story, I just want to say that this story was quite an enchanting type of read, a compelling page turner that garnered my interest to see where the story would go. I love the darker psychological thrilling reads and Master of Salt & Bones did not disappoint with the twists that just kept coming. I really would have loved it if the author would have kicked up the darkness a notch, I think the story could have used more depth into the sinister, but that is my personal preference.
Master of Salt and Bones was an engrossing tale that will hold your interest from start to finish. This was a dark and layered romance between a tortured hero and a sassy young heroine. Filled with secrets, mystery and suspense, the story was heart breaking at times and will evoke a range of emotions from you. The story dealt with varying degrees of hallucinations, psychosis, paranoia, dementia and was told in both the present day and the past. With twists and turns around every corner this tale was a great read and I would recommend it to all lovers of dark romance.
ARC RECEIVED!!
Everything Keri writes is & will always be phenomenal! Both h & H with troubled pasts, a dark and twisted crime read & thrillingly bizarre. I can’t put it down. Her odd sense of writing always seemed to draw me into the story more and more everytime she releases a book and it’s such a treat. To all dark & twisted lovers, this one is definitely for you.
With Master of Salt & Bones, Keri Lake sent me into the most intriguing, mysterious, eerie whirlwind. In other words she blew my mind!!!
If I can recommend you one thing, it is to experience this story without any prior knowledge of the plot. I did, and wow, it was so good!
Let the author transport you to the Blackthorne Manor. Let the atmosphere surround you, let the characters suffocate you. Let the weight of the island haunt you. And let the sensuality warm your body.
Be warned, the universe of Master of Salt & Bones is dark. It gripped me from the very beginning and until the last page.
The alternating between present and past kept me wondering… Oh! Did I doubt…who to trust? What is real, what is not? What happened? Trying to elaborate theories was really fun, as the rumors and superstitions play with your head.
I still have goosebumps thinking about the concepts Mrs Lake approached. Whoah…Once again she showed a frightening side of science!
Lucian and Isa carried the plot with brio. Their personalities never left me unfeeling. Damaged souls, the scars telling of their demons, they know what they want and go after it. They cultivate the well-kept secrets. Both of them played their cards with intelligence, as the twists, menaces, revelations are exposed.
The sizzling sexual attraction had sparks flying! Although the connection was indeniable and evident, I love that they took their time.
Join Lucian and Isadora for a gripping and breathtaking realization. Enjoy!