I stumbled upon 'His Cruel Design' a while back when I was deep into psychological thrillers, and it absolutely blew my mind. The author, Caroline Peckham, has this knack for crafting stories that grip you from the first page and don’t let go. She co-wrote it with Susanne Valenti, and together, they’ve created this dark, twisted world that’s impossible to forget. What I love about their writing is how they balance brutal, almost visceral scenes with these moments of unexpected vulnerability. It’s like they know exactly how to mess with your emotions.
Peckham and Valenti are best known for the 'Zodiac Academy' series, which has this cult following for its blend of fantasy and ruthless power struggles. 'His Cruel Design' feels like a natural extension of their style—unapologetically dark, packed with morally gray characters, and dripping with tension. If you’re into books where you’re never quite sure who to root for, this one’s a gem. I still think about some of the twists weeks later.
Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti penned 'His Cruel Design,' and honestly, their collaboration is pure gold. These two have this uncanny ability to weave stories that feel chaotic yet meticulously planned—like watching a car crash in slow motion, but in the best way possible. If you’ve read their other work, you’ll recognize their signature blend of cruelty and charm. The book’s got this addictive quality; once you start, good luck putting it down. Their characters linger in your head like ghosts you don’t mind haunting you.
2026-06-20 01:44:03
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Design of Fate
Shana Allen
10
26.6K
Book Two of the Dark Moon Series.
Beta Jackson Anderson lives for his pack and family. They mean everything to him, but there is still a part of him that longs for his mate and feels unfulfilled each year that passes without finding her. He is definitely surprised when he finds her for two reasons. One, she is not a shifter. Two, she is running for her life.
Imeela Precoza has been on the run for the past ten years because she escaped the massacre of her coven, the royal coven of the vampire world. Countless bounty hunters come after her, forcing her to either evade them or kill them before they kill her. She becomes a master of hiding, especially with the use of her abilities, but she wonders if this is how her life will always be – running, escaping, and surviving while being utterly alone in this world.
Fate presents the perfect opportunity that will cause these mates' paths to converge. A man who wants nothing more than to protect and care for his mate, and a woman who is terrified of anyone else getting hurt because of her.
It is the design of fate that takes everyone by surprise. Secrets from the past will come to light, showing the truth about why Imeela's coven was slaughtered in the first place. What does this have to do with the prophecy foretold in Book One regarding Brynn's destiny to slay a vile evil?
Imeela is tired or running and decides it is time to fight back against a tyrant who has destroyed too much in her life. She is not alone any longer and has the help of a multitude of powerful individuals.
Can Imeela and Jackson overcome the adversities in their path?
Bound with the blood of the leading MOB families in New York, Gabriela Santoro scuffles to find her way out of the life that is already planned for her. Guns and danger always flare in her direction. Choices are considered being privileges and peace is always not given even her marriage is now being manipulated into a gamble between debt and power.
Sold into their rival family, Gabriela finds herself being entangled with the beast of all beasts. Dark and arrogant, he slipped a gold ring into her fingers. The only difference is that it wasn’t a covenant of his love, but a testament to his ownership of her.
He’s Giovanni Dela Vin, and he’s her greatest nightmare.
Isabel Mays has spent her whole life being the daughter nobody mentioned, the girl they hid behind closed doors while her sister wore the gold and her mother wore the smiles. She survived by being brilliant in silence, building a cure for epilepsy inside a hospital that felt more like home than anywhere her family ever lived.
Then Aiden Black walked into her lab at two in the morning and changed everything. He his
Cold, commanding, and dangerous in the way only a man with nothing left to lose can be. He didn't ask for her help, he told her she was going to give it. His brother was dying, and Isabel was the only person alive who could save him. She said yes for all the wrong reasons and climbed into his car before she could talk herself out of it.
She had no idea she had just walked into the middle of a war, because Aiden Black didn't just want her cure. He wanted to destroy her biological father, the same man whose blood runs through her veins, the same man whose secrets buried her mother, silenced her past and put a target on her back long before she ever knew his name, and the worst part? Aiden knew exactly who she was before he ever set foot in that lab.
Two people with one revenge, and a love neither of them planned for, built on top of the most beautiful lies either of them has ever told.
The question is not whether they will fall. The question is what will be left standing when the truth finally hits the ground.
"Li..am he.. he r..a..p.e.." before I could finish my sentence he cut me off."Pathetic girls like you are meant to be fucked by those men, why are you complaining anyways? I fucked you, he fucked you just the size would be different, I am sure you enjoyed it as much as you enjoyed my dick" he said smirking looking at my broken form." How can you say this? " I shouted at him with tears flowing down my eyes. " Oh shut up you orphan bitch, dont fucking ever raise your voice at me and after this lesson, if you want more, I have many other men like him," he said laughing at meWhat happens when an orphan girl with the purest soul meets a man who from the start had played her, used her, and threw her ?? What happens when she finds the truth about the man whom she loved with all her heart? Most importantly what will happen when destiny throws her into a maze which ends only at one place misery But between all this, the most important question is 'will she ever be loved ?' Join the journey of Natasha and the man who had played her well Liam Knights.
His eyes softened so full of emotions, his hands on my waist holding me tighter, pulling me closer to him. "You're my forever." He whispered.
A smile reached my lips as I wrapped my hands around his neck, "forever is a long time, Hudson."
He only leaned down kissing my lips, softly. Only for a second, then he laid a kiss on my nose, then my cheeks, my temple, on top of my head. He pulled me against his chest his lips brushing against my ears.
"I sure damn hope so."
꧁𒊹︎꧂
Independent Olivia Keith, a free Spirit. Full of confidence. With a surprising sense of humor. College graduate. Just now having a kick start on her career working in one of the richest car companies in the New York.
Alexander Hudson young CEO by day, notorious playboy by night. Vowed to never fall in love again due to his past relationship hardships.
She was stubborn, and he was persistent.
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Cruel Fate is a story that centers around a beautiful lady who happens to be a victim of circumstances and went through a lot of difficulties.
Her Dad left both her and her mother and fled away with another woman. A few years later, destiny decide to show its power as she was about to get married.
She finds out that her father is the already son-in-law to the family she's about to get married into.
She decides to run away from everything but Fate is not on her side.
'Cruel Devil' is one of those titles that pops up in niche manga circles, often whispered about for its dark themes and raw storytelling. From what I've gathered, it's penned by Shuzo Oshimi, the same genius behind works like 'The Flowers of Evil' and 'Blood on the Tracks'. Oshimi has this uncanny ability to delve into psychological horror and twisted human relationships, and 'Cruel Devil' feels like another deep dive into that unsettling territory. I stumbled upon it while hunting for manga that didn’t shy away from moral ambiguity, and Oshimi’s name kept coming up in forums dissecting its themes.
What fascinates me is how his art style—deceptively simple at first glance—slowly morphs to mirror the characters’ unraveling minds. If you’re into stories that leave you questioning humanity’s darker corners, his works are a must. Just don’t expect to sleep soundly after reading.
I recently stumbled upon 'The Price to Pay My Cruel' while browsing through some dark romance recommendations, and it instantly caught my attention. The author behind this gripping tale is Eris V. Selene, a relatively new but incredibly talented writer who specializes in morally complex, emotionally charged stories. What I love about Selene's work is how she weaves raw human emotions into fantastical settings—her characters feel painfully real, even when the world around them is steeped in supernatural elements. The way she explores themes of redemption and sacrifice in this particular book left me thinking about it for days.
Selene has a knack for crafting antiheroes you can't help but root for, and 'The Price to Pay My Cruel' is no exception. The protagonist’s journey from vengeance to vulnerability is handled with such nuance that it almost feels like a character study. If you enjoy authors like V.E. Schwab or Holly Black, Selene’s style will probably resonate with you too. I’m honestly excited to see what she writes next—there’s a rare depth to her storytelling that makes her stand out in the crowded dark fantasy romance genre.
I stumbled upon 'My Devilish Desires' while browsing for new romance novels last year, and it instantly caught my eye with its gorgeous cover. After digging around, I found out it was written by an author who goes by the pen name Luna Voss. She's relatively new to the scene but has already built a dedicated following for her steamy, character-driven stories. What I love about her work is how she balances intense emotional moments with just the right amount of humor—it never feels too heavy. Her social media is full of behind-the-scenes tidbits about the book, which makes the whole experience feel more personal. If you're into enemies-to-lovers tropes with a supernatural twist, this one's a blast.
I later discovered she also wrote under another name for a different genre, which explains why her style feels so polished. It's cool to see authors experiment like that. The book community on Reddit had some wild theories about her identity at first, but she eventually did a fun Q&A that cleared things up. Now I'm low-key obsessed with tracking down her other works.