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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“him – a deity of wrath and flames, when I’m nothing but a mortal, playing with fire.”
I found myself from the off, intrigued, engrossed and a little bit obsessed as to what was going on in that Castle. It toyed with my mind, so many scenarios playing out.
This is a dark and mysterious story, with cruel and horrific events
Lucian is a mysterious man, with years of gossip and tales about him and his family strewn through the village.
Isa is trying to make ends meet when she takes a job at the castle, a companion to Mrs Blackthorne.
With mystery and speculation about the castle and family, it’s not long before Isa suspects things are not at all as they seem.
Captivating and spellbinding, my head was all over the place with possibilities throughout.
I needed to know, but didn’t want it to end. I couldn’t put it down.
I’m not ashamed to say I became a little enchanted even with all the darkness. I’m a little lost now.
4.5 stars
Holy Wow! This is my first time reading a book by Keri Lake and I have to say, it will not be my last. This story drew my in right from the very first page.
Lucian Blackthorne, aka The Mad Son, aka The Devil of Bonesalt, is aloof and mysterious. Numerous rumors circle about him but Isadora (Isa) doesn’t believe a word the small town spews about him and his family. He is a broken man who lives like a recluse. He has scars outside as well as on the inside.He isn’t the only one fighting demons of their own.
Going to work for the family, taking care of Lucian’s mother, puts Isa right into the lion’s den and there’s no stopping Lucian once he wants something. These two will sizzle right off the pages.Slowly, Isa tries to unravel the mystery behind Lucian and his castle.
You definitely will want to one-click this!
Master of Salt & Bones is a story driven by mystery and suspicion, set in a world where it’s occupants are as calculating as they are devious.
The Devil of Bonesalt, Lucian Blackthorne has a reputation that terrifies many a grown adult. Rarely seen but widely gossiped about, Isadora Quinn is as fascinated by her new employer as she is terrified. Although worlds apart, Isadora can identify to the feeling of being on the outside looking in. She too has secrets, and as scary as he may first appear, she soon sees the man beneath the mask.
Gothic in its telling, Master of Salt & Bones is a love story that cultivates in the dark. Lucian is plagued by ghosts of the past, but it’s the future he wants with Isadora that force him to excise them.
A masterfully woven tale of suspense and intrigue, Lake’s character & story building is as immense as the world she creates.
I will say the beginning sucked me in but after a few chapters there were some things that weren’t working for me like the past/present chapters and how long/slow of the story’s progression. I couldn’t even completely figure out the main plot of the story. It was mainly a long suspense/mystery of both H/h characters background. Sadly to say, I didn’t get the main attraction/chemistry between the main couple. I didn’t really like anyone in the story and by 40 mins left (according to my kindle) I wanted the story to be over with. So this book should’ve been cut down a bit in my opinion. I’m still unsure of how I feel about the revelation. I will say Keri DOES know how to write some imagery though and painted the scenes very well. I look forward to more coming from her.
This COVER must be my all time favorite for 2020 so far!!!! Its so beautiful <3
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
It was my mother who first told me that there was no such thing as fairy tales with happy endings. That’s because she spent her whole life waiting for the white knight to come and rescue her from the life she so desperately tried to escape.
How does Keri Lake make me feel so much, Every. Single. Time?!?
Lake pulls emotions from her readers with every book, every story, every scene she writes. Whether that be outrage, disgust, fear, overwhelming sadness, swoon-inducing heart palpitations or ovary-bursting delight, her readers feel it all.
I went in search of the villain, instead, and found him alone and in pain, living in a castle of bones.
‘Master of Salt & Bones’ reminded me a bit of the fairytale Beauty and The Beast, but in a darker, more tormented, and demented way.
A darker version of my mother’s knight, whose armor had dents and cracks, and his hands sullied with blood.
Isadora Quinn was a music virtuoso, raised by her aunt after having been abandoned by her drug-addicted mother – her father wasn’t in the picture, and Isa didn’t know who he was. There was a mystery surrounding her father’s identity. While life was better with her aunt, it still wasn’t great. The two barely scraped by most days. Isa may have been musically gifted, but she was too poor to leave the lazy seaside town in which she grew up to pursue a career in music. So when a job became available working at the town’s only castle, Isa saw it as a way out, even though the town’s rumors warned against it.
A broken man who tasted of salt and depravity, and who took me selfishly, without apology.
Lucian was raised in that castle of horrors, living alongside his demented father and psychopath of a mother, his life was doomed to the chaos and misery he was destined to share. Not even the son was immune to the tortures that lay within. There was, however, more than a shred humanity beneath his stone-cold exterior. Although he kept it well guarded, other than when he hired someone to take care of his mother, it lay bubbling beneath the surface, waiting to be set free.
He’s the curse my mother warned me about. The Devil of Bonesalt, the Mad Son,
Either this was tamer than her other romance titles, or I’m becoming immune, but this story didn’t make me read only in daylight with my hands over my eyes. And I’m so grateful, because right now, with the way things are in our world, I needed a consuming read that didn’t completely disturb my mind while reading it.
‘Master of Salt & Bones’ was a chilling, passionate, and consuming dark romance that will leave you believing there’s good in everyone, and that even the darkest souls need love.
I loved every minutes of this intense ride. It’s definitely a book the dark romance lovers don’t want to miss.
Highly recommended!
Lucian and Isas story was deliciously dark and raw and perfect. Both harboring secrets from the world they are opposites and he is dark and scary and doesn’t understand for once there’s someone who doesn’t tremble at his presence and he’s not sure if he likes it or not but knows even though there’s no way they can work he is extremely intrigued by her and there intense chemistry.
Keri Lake’s newest release, Master of Salt & Bones, is a twisted and suspenseful dark romance. It may not be as dark as her other books, but it showcases the craft of Keri’s talent in writing unique stories.
Master of Salt and Bones tells a tale about a man’s family and the rumors that surround them. He is known as the Devil of Bonesalt and he truly has no qualms living up to that name. Lucian’s family own’s one the country’s largest shipping companies but everyone believes there is more than the family business. The town’s people tell tales and rumors of what happens at Blackthorne Castle but none truly know of the horrors that hide all that stone, glass and salt.
Isa is hired as companion for Lucian’s mother. Isa is determined to get out of their town and leave her past behind. She has an extraordinary gift being about to memorize music but what good does it do her when she has no money. She is hoping that money she makes working for Blackthorne family will get her out of town quickly and never have to return. What she never intended was to feel at peace and home within the castle where the devil reigns.
Isa is an intriguing surprise to Lucian. He is used to everyone cowering to him, avoiding him or in the least doing what he requests. Isa is snarky, challenging and even daring toward Lucian. As much as he warns her away, she is determined to not back down.
Lucian and Isa are quite an intriguing pair. They are both harboring secrets from everyone; secrets that have kept them from going over the edge. But what happens when those two people are able to poke holes through the other’s walls and yet still find the balance to keep them standing??
Keri weaves a very haunting story that she slowly unwinds as pieces start to fall. There were times that the story moved slower than I would have liked, but I still enjoyed every bit of it. I loved how Keri carves these tortured characters into ones you find yourself loving. She is a master at her craft and not one story, character or plot is ever the same.
Master of Salt & Bones is another masterpiece from Keri Lake.
3.5 stars. Isadora Quinn has been hired by Lucian Blackthorne as a companion or babysitter for his mother, Laura. They living in a small fishing town where Isadora is shunned by her fellow peers and Lucian’s family is obscenely wealthy. However, the Blackthornes have a reputation as well and there’s all kinds of rumors about them. The book has a bit of a haunted feel, because the mansion is macabre in its atmosphere and holds a lot of secrets.
I knew the story would be dark, but it wound up being more of a psychological thriller with erotica scenes rather than a dark romance. I liked both Isa and Lucian individually, but their relationship development lacked a lot of elements to it in order to make it a believable dynamic. I could see the attraction, lust and temptation, and there were some moments of vulnerability, but I can’t really say I knew when exactly it all transitioned to feelings of something deeper and lasting.
Lucian’s past is pretty well delineated since there are multiple chapters devoted to it so the reader gets a good feel for his character. But yet, there were some aspects that I didn’t find enough of an explanation for. Isa’s past, however, had barely any exploration so I am still not certain I have a good grasp of her experience that plagued her so horribly because it seemed like I was supposed to read between the lines. The plot is set up so that there’s a lot of occurrences that the reader has to question if they are real or not real because even the characters are not totally sure and the mansion is so creepy with a heavy history that anything is possible.
The descriptions are elaborate and provide a very good visual of what is being portrayed. The twists come at unexpected times and kept me on my toes guessing as to what would happen next. And just when the puzzle felt solved, the puzzle is still incomplete because another new revelation would make itself known. I’ve always loved Keri Lake’s writing and this one was no exception, but psychological thrillers are personally not my jam, but this could very well be yours.
Master of Salt and Bones is the teetering balance of walking a tightrope of pleasure and pain. In the distance you’re drawn to the edge of the light only to find more comfort in the darkness. Lucian is the Master who radiates power, wealth, making everyone cringe with fear or desire. He is damaged bone deep until he meets the balm to his raging thoughts.
Isadora embodies the courage and beauty of a soul destined to survive against all odds. Her talents are many as are her scars and repressed memories of the past. Together, Lucian and Isa dredge up the secrets of their past and face the madness head on.
Keri Lake holds nothing back in MoSaB. Be prepared to scream out loud, tear up, and take deep breathes page by page. This is not a leisurely Sunday drive readers! You will feel it all. I wish I could give it 10 stars easily.
Lucian Blackthorne is the sole heir to his family’s shipping business, but he is known to be a recluse and monster to some. With mystery and rumor surrounding his family, Lucian operates in the shadows and has secrets to protect. When nineteen-year old Isadora Quinn begins working at the Blackthorne estate, she is skeptical of rumors but her curiosity about Lucian is peaked. However, she soon learns that the past has a way of resurfacing.
Told in dual POV and with a shifting present/past timeline, this story unfolds at a measured pace with various plot points intersecting until it all starts to unwind during the last quarter of the book. Together, Lucian and Isadora try to find a common ground, and find it physically, but ambiguity remains that can permanently wedge them apart.
There were elements of this story that I enjoyed. With Lucian, I liked how he was afflicted with pain and loss yet maintained his own belief system. At first, I admired Isadora’s tenacity, but there were certain incongruities that didn’t mesh for me. Though the story at times lost its momentum which lessened the impact of certain revelations, the murky secrets and unscrupulous ways of the Blackthorne family were intriguing.
Master of Salt & Bones is dark romance steeped in a plot with scheming and shadowy characters that operate without limits. This book would appeal to those seeking a tormented anti-hero in a mysterious setting.
Mystery, intrigue, danger, secrets, lies, betrayals, pain and twisted mind games that kept me gripped throughout. This book is packed full of it from start to finish and I loved it!
Keri Lake is a new author for me, but I loved her writing style, it was easy and flowed really well. Written in dual pov, it spans the past and present. Lucian’s past was integral to the present and was both fascinating and horrific. He’s a recluse, damaged physically and mentally but amongst all the rumours that surround him, is he really the devil he’s portrayed as or is there a lot more to his dark past? Nineteen year old Isadora is hired to be a companion to Lucian’s ailing mother. She’s a talented pianist but there are shadows around her soul too and she’s sassy, not the usual meek hire. She becomes harder and harder for Lucian to ignore, dangerous as that might be for both of them. He lives for danger though, but despite the dark heat they generate and the secrets that surround them, can either really be trusted?
Make no mistake, this is a long book, but with the length comes a depth and detail you wouldn’t normally get and I never stopped wanting to keep turning the pages. The plot twisted and turned, Lucian and Isa’s love is dark, raw, obsessive and hard fought for, absolutely not fluffy bunnies and flowers. I loved it and their story kept me enthralled throughout. If this book is any indication, I’m definitely going to need to read more by this author!
5 dark, destructive twisted stars
This book was absolute dark perfection! It was long, it was twisty, just when you think you have things figured out, you realize you’re completely wrong.
Lucian and Isa are like 2 sides of the same coin. They’re about as different as you can be, but they’ve both had tragic, messed up childhoods. Neither of them are strangers to darkness, isolation or pain. I absolutely loved them both, and was completely engrossed in their story! You have to read this book, it was amazing! The twists and turns, the suspense and mystery, the tragedy and unexpected romance…this book has all the elements of the perfect dark romance!!
Rated 4.5 Stars
Master of Salt & Bones was amazing. It’s very atmospheric, creepy, twisty and suspense filled. I loved it. It’s the perfect blend of gothic, contemporary and dark romance. I loved the main characters, Isa and Lucian, they complemented each other well. There are some slow parts especially at the beginning but I highly recommend this book.
Copy provided by author
Master of Salt & Bones is truly a masterpiece of imagery and emotions.
Lucian Blackthorne and Isadora Quinn are living in their own dark void reaching for the next thing to make them feel alive. Not my words, the author’s, and so accurately convey the emotional essence of this beautifully written story.
“When you feel dead inside, you inevitably reach for things that make you feel alive….You are what makes me feel alive. Like a breath of air after drowning.” ~Lucian
A complex maze of lies and truth, wrong and right, heartbreak and healing, when you finally reach the center you find a slow burn love story that will mend your tattered pieces.
If you haven’t found Keri Lake yet, I suggest you start here.
Holy shiiiit. This book just blew me away! I love Keri Lake and all of her depraved darkness. I knew I’d love Master of Salt & Bones and it definitely did not disappoint. From the beginning, this book held me tightly in its grip and never let go. I never wanted this story to end! The mystery and creepy suspense is off the charts. Lucian is the most perfect, broken, reclusive hero. Isa is a strong and unique heroine. I just loved these characters and their chemistry.
I am so head over heels in love with the setting of this book. It is basically set in my ultimate dream residence… a creepy af, gothic castle on a cliff, in a small town full of secrets and mystery. Gah! So amazing! I felt like I was really there.
Also, this book is super thought-provoking. I mean the premise of this “group” is just so wrong, but so interesting! I found myself thinking about it constantly when I could not be reading. I would definitely read more books in this series, if Keri decides to keep it going.
If you enjoy dark romance and/or romantic suspense, you must, must, MUST read Master of Salt & Bones. I can’t recommend it enough!!
I have been so enthralled with Keri Lake and her writing since reading Ricochet a few years ago. For that reason when I heard she was writing another dark romance I could not jump on this story fast enough. Master of Salt & Bones (MoSaB) was pure perfection. Isa and Lucian were absolutely amazing and I could not devour this story fast enough.
MoSaB was not a quick story from point A to B but a riveting and enthralling journey between two people with a world of secrets between them. I FLOVED this story. It was dark and edgy but also filled with so many emotions and a myriad of twists and turns and gut punches galore. I can’t say much about it as this story is best enjoyed blind, but it is a true fact that MoSaB is just another perfect example of Lake’s astonishing and wonderful storytelling ability. I loved this story with everything I am! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Isadora Quinn’s life had not been easy. When she got the opportunity to work for Lucian Blackthorne’s family, she took it without hesitation, ignoring the town’s rumor of the family’s sullied reputation. Soon enough, she learned that there were much more sinister secrets behind the castle walls that she could ever imagine.
This book has Beauty and the Beast vibe with a dark Gothic undertone. Even though I figured out the majority of them, I enjoyed the mystery and the gloomy ambiance surrounding the mansion and the Blackthornes. I did struggle a little with the length especially when I felt a certain aspect of the book needed more rationale.
The idea that I’ve stirred this lack of control, made him want me to the point of savagery, it almost feels like too much power in my hands. Like I’m holding the reins of an untamable beast. Like I’m the one in control.
I loved living through Lucian’s family history. Some were sinister while others were heartbreaking. Even though Isa had her own sets of issues, I like how she didn’t let it hold her back.
Master of Salt & Bones is a story of secrets and healing. It would appeal to readers who enjoy Dark Romance with elements of mystery.
Master of Salt & Bones is the latest release by Keri Lake, and if you’ve been following my reviews you would know that Keri’s books work for me every time. There is just something about her story telling that grabs me from page 1 and doesn’t let got till the end, and believe me this latest story was no different. Lucian and Isadora’s story is a slow unveiling of deceit and a secret society. The story moves from past to present which can be frustrating but I admit it adds so much richness to a story. Lucian and Isadora’s chemistry can be felt from the moment they meet. Although Isadora’s only 19 at no time does she feel immature. There is a moment towards the end where I wanted to strangle her but once I thought about it I completely understood her actions.
***ARC provided by Author***
Keri Lake never ceases to blow me away. The ability she has to string together common words into such a beautiful web of darkness, lust, and raw emotion always leaves me in awe. She has an incredible ability to transport you right into the story she creates, loving each moment right next to the very characters she’s breathed life into. Master of Salt & Bones is no different.
While a romance book, there are a lot of layers to this story. It’s a thriller, it’s erotica, it’s mysterious. There’s a lot at play here. Once you crack this one open, buckle up because it’s one heck of a ride.
Both Lucian and Isa are such wonderfully tragic, beautifully raw characters. Your heart will be aching for them time and again for the heartache they’ve both had to endure in their pasts. Pasts that threaten to drown them in gossip and ridicule. But it’s in that gossip that you’ll start to wonder who it is that you can trust, and what the truth really is. You’ll be dizzy once you start to connect the pieces together, wondering how they could all make sense. Some pieces do, some pieces don’t. Some pieces will leave you absolutely blown away.
Lucian and Isa’s connection is immediate, deep and powerful. You can taste it, palpable to anyone who is in the same room as them. You’re so invested in them as both individuals and as a couple, a testament to Lake’s writing.
I will say though, as much as I loved this story, there were some parts that seemed to drag on a bit more than I’d have liked. It hurt the momentum of the story, in my opinion. I understand that with all the pieces moving about, you want to make sure you’re giving enough to your reader, but I feel like it was almost too much in some spots. Overall, the story and the relationship between Lucian and Isa made this book what it is, but it did get a bit too… wordy.