Enemy of the State

The Enemy Duet #1

by B.H. Eastwood

Ending up in a top-secret, maximum-security prison in the Pacific Ocean was not on my bingo card. Neither was having my entire world upended by the head torturer of said prison. Although, I suppose life would be boring without a little, albeit violent, excitement.

I simply need to be patient and wait for him.

They think they can break me. They think they can make me talk. They think I’ll crack. Well, the jokes on them. I refuse to bend. I refuse to shatter. I refuse to die—not here, not like this. I have too much to protect to be anything other than impenetrable. But, if anyone can do it, it’s him…the one in the mouthless mask, he’s the one to watch.

I’m biding my time. He’s coming for me.

Who will get to me first?

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Contemporary Romance

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 10, 2025

Reviews

[Vee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If you have to, make me your villain, your personal demon, the enemy of your state. Go to war with me if you must, but you will not break like this.” I don’t know how to sum up this book…but if a forbidden Guantánamo Bay-esque romance sounds good to you, then yeah…. that's the vibe.

This romance kicked off in the most unexpected of places and centred around two extremely f*cked-up individuals. Needless to say, I was here for it. I loved it. I devoured it. I’m going to reread it.

The heroine was deranged 🙌 She woke up in a high-security prison for the worst of the worst offenders, and her reaction can only be described as ‘unfazed’. A slight inconvenience to her day.

Personally, this heroine is exactly my brand of crazy. I loved never knowing what she’d do next or how she’d react - it added a whole extra layer of excitement to the story. She actually reminded me a bit of Raina from Alluring Darkness - a totally different vibe, but I loved that book too (if you haven’t read it, you should).

She was obviously ingrained in the criminal world and highly trained in combat, weapons and withstanding torture. She enjoyed playing mind games with her captors and it was fun to watch these stern military men, who are trained to remain expressionless, show small signs of shock by her behaviour.

One of her captors Digs, was definitely enamoured by her. As I said this man was a little f*cked up. He enjoyed causing bad people pain and Lou (fmc) was a nut he couldn’t crack. Her beauty, wit and overall deranged personality make them a match made in heaven 🙌

As the romance unfolds, you’ll see how feelings are formed and then denied, but those reservations are exactly what I love about a forbidden romance. They both had duties to the different sides they served, but then they forged their own path. Also, a shoutout to Jace, who was a great best friend to have. He supported all of Dig’s frankly terrible decisions.

I was so engaged throughout this whole book. The premise felt unique to me and I honestly can’t name another book (that I’ve read) that is similar(If you have a similar rec, please share!). The dynamic was bizarre, but I wanted to see how far they pushed each other. I loved that they both craved pain and had this darkness within them. I also loved the random bouts of Finnish swear words that came of nowhere.

FYI. This is a dark romance and includes dubcon and torture, so read the triggers beforehand ✨

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS

✿ 𝐄N𝐄M𝐘 𝐎F T𝐇E S𝐓A𝐓E ✿ Is the first dark romance book in (The Enemy) duet by new to me author B.H. Eastwood. Ends on a cliffy. Louhi (28) Digs (31)

I’d had my eye on this since I saw it popping up all on my socials, grabbed it, jumped in, and holy heck this was inhaled at record speeds. This pulled me in straight away. Never knowing which path this author would take me down. Dark, gritty, and oh so addictive!

There is so much to unpack in this book, this ticked all my boxes, from our morally grey hero over to our slightly deranged heroine whose as tough as nails and like no other character I've ever encountered before. To the prison setting which is the end of the line for these inmates, it's where the worst of the worst criminals are sent in an unknown location on exile island located somewhere in Hawaii, totally off the grid, to the msk wearing guards that man it and dish out their daily interrogations and beatings.

And this is where Louhi finds herself, captured and thrown into a cell, interrogated, treated to unimaginable horrors in the hopes that she would break, and the man responsible to make her scream is Digs. '𝙸'𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚎, 𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝙸 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝙻𝚞𝚌𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.'

He runs this joint with an iron fist, his punishments are brutal and unforgiving, but what he doesn't know about Louhi is that she'll never break, she'd rather die first protecting the one person she has left in this world and that's her older brother. "𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝙳𝚒𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢, 𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚐 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚜."A beat of silence before he answers me. "𝚂𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙳𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚘𝚛𝚢." "𝚂𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚕 𝚊𝚜 '𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛' 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗.

...'𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍-𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛-𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍,
𝚋𝚞𝚢-𝚢𝚘𝚞-𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚜,
𝚌𝚞𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎-𝚢𝚘𝚞-𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑-𝚝𝚑𝚎-𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝,
𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕-𝚢𝚘𝚞-𝚊𝚕𝚕-𝚖𝚢-𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖,
𝚏𝚞𝚣𝚣𝚢-𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐-𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚐𝚞𝚢.
𝙸'𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚙 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚜.
𝙰 𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏, 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛, 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎.'

..
Do yourself a favour, if you see this book jumping over your feeds, don't think about it just click that b#tch on Amazon and dive in...Seriously you won't regret it. You can thank me later.. And I'm taking my own advice and checking out this author's other books.

Email ಇ Twitter ಇ Instagram ಇ Blog ಇ Facebook ಇ Amazon 
ಇ Pinterest 

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly the Most enemies to lovers enemies to lovers saga I’ve ever laid eyes on

Let me start by saying, I have never read anything like this book. It’s insane. It’s brilliant. It’s absolutely unhinged in the best way. It felt like such a fresh story so super unique.

We’ve got two characters both bordering, morally black. He’s torturing her because he thinks she’s a terrorist (also he’s a sadist) but things start to get… muddled.
*Torture… but make it foreplay*
somehow, this dynamic becomes lowkey romantic? I don’t even know how we got here, but I’m not mad about it. And either was Lou😂 My girl didn’t even know what he looked like and somehow she fell for him between the ripping off the toenails and the burning of the flesh…. She’s like is he flirting with me????

Like this man is straight up torturing her for information (waterboarding, scorpions, and a lot of nipple clamping, whipping) the whole torture buffet .Then he turns around and patches her up. Burn cream, antiseptic, bandages. He’s braiding her hair so it stays out of the cuts. He’s touching her toes at night to make sure she’s not freezing in her sleep. What is this behavior?? I like it 😂😂
Hurt her. Heal her. Repeat
My final assessment on Diggs
He is most twisted simp to ever simp

Lou is the epitome of an ultimate book baddie, it’s giving strong independent woman it’s giving assassin It’s giving you cannot break her. IM OBSESSED WITH THIS DIVA❤️‍🔥

“Digs, you may be an alpha, but I’m an apex predator. I’m most dangerous when I’m hungry, and right now I’m bloody starving.”

This is peak dark romance, and it gave me everything I wanted and more. I was fully invested in the story in the characters and I NEED answers!!! if you want something that’s gonna keep you fully entertained between the incredible banter, unhinged characters and all around plot. It’s this book right here!! Standing ovation I swallowed this book whole 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Courtenay (ceelovesbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I’m about to shove this book down everyone’s throats mkay? I’ve made it my life’s mission to get everyone I know to read this absolute masterpiece and enjoy the absolute terror, morally blackness that is both Digs and Lou. They’re two f*cked up peas from the same pod. And they were delicious.

One thing about this book, as with most romantic suspense books is that A) you need to go in blind. Read the blurb if you must. And B) I’m not here to spoil anything for you but I will tell you that sh.*t gets absolutely wild and I had the best time while reading this entire book. From the first chapter.

Louhi finds herself at Exile Island. A prison where no one leaves. You come in, you go out in a body bag. This place houses the worst of the worst criminals in the USA. How she got here? Well that’s a long story. Let’s just call it a favour for a friend.

Digs runs this joint. He’s Mr.Hotshot around the prison. He’s tasked with getting Lou to talk. And she’s not talking. So, he’s gotta dig deep to get the answers before everyone gets fired, or worse.

Unfortunately for Digs, he might be the hotshot in prison, but Lou is the hotshot of her LIFE. She takes zero sh*t from any man or woman. She’s a bad b. And she’s not about to take any from Digs. Her lips are sealed. Good luck Digs.

These two right here.. they’re dark. They’re twisted. They feed off one another’s darkness. They call to one another like a really messed up siren song. They’re HOT. They’re INTENSE. And they’re perfect. This entire book was a wild ride, beginning to end. And it called to every part of me that I didn’t even know I had.

This is part 1 of a duet. There is NO cliffhanger. Part 2 will be a continuation.. but if you choose to read this one on its own, you won’t be feeling like you’re really missing much by the end. Maybe a couple answers to some questions, but nothing that makes you want to throw your kindle at the wall.

I’ve never been more grateful for Instagram giving me this author as I am right now. This was phenomenal, and I’ll be reading from Bryn for years to come. Please check the long list of TWs before reading if you have any triggers. If not, enjoy yourself. I know I did.

Honey Eyes for Prez. 😂😌

[Erika Braga · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS BOOK !!!!

Yep it is good good. I first saw this in one of my girlies Goodreads and she has the same taste as me, still I was a little hesitant about it, it looked a little like a political non fictional book, but it is not. It is in fact a dark romance full of angst and dire situations.
This is the story of Lou an assassin with connections with the Bratva, her older brother is a “terrorist” and somehow, we don’t learn how in this book, but she ends up in Exile Island which is a secret prison for terrorists and the worst of the worst criminals, when they go there they are perceived as dead to society, so basically the government can do whatever they want with them and they do the most horrific types of torture to get the information they need and then they terminate the convict. The prison is disgusting, they make sure to have the worst possible cells for the prisoners, they are in a concrete cell with no bed, not mattress on the floor, no blanket/sheets, no toilet. They literally have to lay or sit on the hard floor and do whatever they need in a hole on the floor inside their cells. The cells are moldy, wet, cold and the smell of urine, feces and body odor is THE WORST. The prisoners are there for maximum discomfort, they are only allowed to shower or brush their teeth once in 3 weeks or sometimes a month, depending on the prisoner even longer . DISGUSTING 🤢
Heavy metal song in a deafening volume is played 24/7 just to drive the prisoners insane. They are only allowed one small cup of water a day and you can imagine the food. Plus they have daily torture sessions….
And the man in charge of this hell on earth is Sean Diggory aka Diggs aka the torture master. He is known for being able to extract any information through the various most excruciating forms of torture he is a legend in the army for his skills. So there we have the soldier and his new toy, he didn’t initially know she was a woman and when he saw her he thought his job was done before it even began, but he had no idea the endurance, strength, loyalty and persistence of Lou, she wouldn’t break for him no matter the type of torture and from there they start their journey and somehow amongst this disgusting prison and inhuman torture chamber they felt in love. How? Well he is a sadist, a morally grey character with no problem inflicting pain, in fact he is aroused by and she is a morally pitchy black character that is not afraid to dance with darkness. He has ALL to lose and she has nothing to lose since she’s to die in 6 months and her brother who was supposed to rescue her immediately, hasn’t shown up. Why ? We don’t know and for sure it’ll be the story of the second book since this is a duet. INCREDIBLE story, can’t wait for the second book. The book ends in a cliffhanger but one that doesn’t make you angry, it’s a cliffhanger that’s totally ok to wait for the second book. This book is not a 5⭐️ just because it’s too short, I wanted more story. I wanted a background of their lives and I want also more about Jace aka “honey eyes” the best friend, I hope he is part of the second book.

[Britney ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yall this freaking book.

Literally the moment I read the blurb I knew I needed this in my brain. Not just for that large list of trigger warning that I read like a shopping list but because the plot sounded so good. Don't worry it didn't disappoint.

The plot definitely moved quickly but not so fast that things felt rushed. I'm just greedy and I like long books 😌. Lou was by far my favorite. Is she an assassin? Yeah. Is she also a precious angel that deserves good things?? Yes. One of those good things is Dig because 👀. If she can get over all the torture I mean.

The spice was SPICING. Dig definitely knows what he's doing and Lou was all about it. I wanted her to just jump all over him. Absolutely can't wait for book two.

[Gracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a wild, morally grey, tension-drenched romantic suspense that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go—Enemy of the State is exactly that and more. This book is a brutal, intoxicating ride from page one, featuring two of the most unhinged, captivating characters I’ve read in a long time.

Louhi finds herself on Exile Island—a prison so dangerous, you don’t leave unless it’s in a body bag. It’s the last stop for the worst of the worst, and Lou’s arrival? Let’s just say it wasn’t voluntary. Enter Digs, the man who runs the prison like a god, charged with getting Lou to talk. But Lou’s not just some damsel in distress—she’s deadly, silent, and absolutely unshakable.

What unfolds between them is an intense, electric dynamic. Digs might rule the island, but Lou rules the page. Their chemistry is dark, explosive, and addictive. They’re twisted, morally bankrupt, and utterly perfect for each other—like two cursed stars colliding.

This book is best enjoyed blind, so avoid spoilers and just dive in. It’s hot, terrifying, and unrelenting in all the best ways. From the prison politics to the psychological warfare to the undeniable heat between Digs and Lou, Enemy of the State is the kind of story that leaves a mark. If you like your romance served with danger, darkness, and a dash of insanity, this is your next obsession.

[Leanna Streeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished Enemy of the State by B.H. Eastwood, and boy, was it dark—and I absolutely loved it. I’m not sure what that says about me. This dark romance pulls you in from the start, with an FMC, Lou, who is bold, sultry, and impossible not to love. The banter is sharp, the tension is high, and Sean? Well, let’s just say the sexy masked man will have you hooked.

This book is spicy, sweet, and downright shocking all at once. Be sure to check the two-page trigger warning—this is a true dark romance, but if that’s your thing, you’re in for a wild ride. I devoured it in less than 24 hours, and the story was absolutely solid. Enemy of the State releases April 10! Huge thanks to the NerdFam for the gifted ARC.

[Morally Grey Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entré con la idea de que él la iba a cuidar e iba a ser un militar sensiblon, no pensando que iba a ser el torturador. A pesar de eso, me sorprendió gratamente que no sea de esos protagonistas masculinos que quieran hacer pagar a una mujer por el simple hecho de ser mujer, y la torture por placer. De hecho, la torturaba sintiéndose mal (excitandose un poco porque es sádico, pero no cuando ella la estaba pasando verdaderamente mal🎀)

Louhi es una prota con una moralidad negra y Sean es moralmente gris. Son tan lindos al finalll, el aftercare de Sean después de las torturas sabiendo que no tenia que hacerlo porque iba en contra del código. Qué hombre🫦

Y Honey Eyessss, que lindo Jace, lo quiero mucho. Fue tierno todo el libro🩷 Hagan trío, se necesita🙌🏻

“There’s a darkness inside you, Sean Diggory, and I’m going to dance within it.”- Louhi🔥

"I’ve deserted my life, my career, my friends, my family. I’m a traitor.
And I’ve done it all for the woman in front of me."- Sean✨️

Ya quiero leer el libro 2, este fue super ligero, corto y con smut🙈

...

I started the book with the idea that he was going to take care of her and be a sensitive soldier, not thinking he was going to be the torturer. Despite that, I was pleasantly surprised that he wasn't one of those MMC who wants to make a woman pay for simply being a woman, and tortures her for pleasure. In fact, he tortured her when he felt bad (getting a little turned on because he's a sadist, but not when she was really feeling bad🎀)

Louhi is a FMC morally BLACK, and Sean is morally gray. They're so cute at the end, Sean's aftercare after the torture, knowing he shouldn't have done it because it was against the code. What a MAN🫦

And Honey Eyessss, how cute. I love him so much🩷 Have a trio, it's needed🙌🏻

“There’s a darkness inside you, Sean Diggory, and I’m going to dance within it.”- Louhi🔥

"I've deserted my life, my career, my friends, my family. I'm a traitor.
And I've done it all for the woman in front of me." - Sean✨️

I already want to read book 2, this one was super short and pretty smutty🙈

[Bbecca_marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review 📖⛓️

thank you so much @authorbheastwood for the gifted copy!

Enemy of the State
by B. H. Eastwood

About the book 👇🏽

Ending up in a top-secret, maximum-security prison in the Pacific Ocean was not on my bingo card. Neither was having my entire world upended by the head torturer of said prison. Although, I suppose life would be boring without a little, albeit violent, excitement.

I simply need to be patient and wait for him.
They think they can break me. They think they can make me talk. They think I’ll crack. Well, the jokes on them. I refuse to bend. I refuse to shatter. I refuse to die—not here, not like this. I have too much to protect to be anything other than impenetrable. But, if anyone can do it, it’s him…the one in the mouthless mask, he’s the one to watch.
I’m biding my time. He’s coming for me.
Who will get to me first?

⛓️ My thoughts:

Full transparency, I don’t regularly read dark romance. But a few things make a lot of sense now if I can use this book as a proxy. This was super fast paced and probably one of the quickest books I’ve ever read. I really enjoyed that the storyline and the spice was fluid and seamless, really not skipping a beat. The characters were mysterious in the way I’d expect (in a good way) for a a story like this and truthfully… I really need to see what happens after an ending like that!! If you like your romance dark, your reads fast, and incredible debuts, you’ll need to get your hands on a copy. Enemy of the State is out 4/10/25!

Happy reading 📖⛓️

[Paige (wingsandsmut) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captured my attention from the first chapter and I needed to keep reading! It is the first book in a duet and I cannot wait for the continuation of this story!

Lou ends up in Exile Island, a secret military prison where the only way out is death, and Digs is on a mission to make her talk. What he didn’t expect was for it to be so difficult trying to break her. And man do I love her sassiness and how fierce she is! She is one strong FMC and not afraid to get a bit stabby…which is only fitting given her background.

The tension, the suspense, and the spice all had me on the edge of my seat an dI couldn’t help but love how both of their dark sides play so well together.

Check your TW if needed, but this releases April 10th and is definitely a book to add to the TBR if you love dark romance!

What to expect:
❤️‍🔥 Forbidden romance
❤️‍🔥 Morally grey characters
❤️‍🔥 Feminine Rage
❤️‍🔥 Sadistic Doberman MMC
❤️‍🔥 Secret prison setting

Thank you so much to B.H. Eastwood for letting me read and review an ARC of this book!

[Kay Norm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legitimate enemies to lovers - she is an inmate & he is tasked with torturing her for information, except he falls HARD. The last 15% or so percent is WILD and I can’t wait for book two!

•morally black MCs
•literal torture as a kind of foreplay
•he falls first
•badass FMC
•masked man MMC

“I will be the only one to break you, and when I do, I promise to put you back together.”

[Urtė Caspo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kaaažkokia sadistų mazochistų knyga (ne gerąja prasme). Žudikė / recidyvistė uždaroma į slaptą valstijos kalėjimą, kur ją kankina vienas kareivis. Jis su šlapenkės peiliu nupjauna jai kelis kojų pirštus, bet tarp jų aistra, chemija, biologija... skaitydama šitą nesąmonę, kuri realiai neturi jokio istorijos dėstymo, svasčiau, kad kartais moteris PRIVALO atsisakyt meilės iš gražaus sadisto su bicepsais...😩

[Maddie Vaters]

DNF @47%

I don’t know what is in the air this month but I seem to be dnf-ing books left and right.🫣 Now this one I was super interested in based on the premise, and honestly it was pretty good up until the spicy scenes. I’m just not really down for the type of sadism that the MMC was into.

[Michelle | the_unexpected_reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review: Enemy of the State
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice: 🌶️🌶️1/2

Enemy of the State is a fast-paced, dark romance that delivers both tension and intrigue, culminating in a cliffhanger. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The dynamic between Louhi and Sean evolves in a fascinating way—what starts as cold-blooded and brutal gradually shifts into something undeniably intense (and twistedly romantic). Their interactions kept me hooked, and the slow transformation of their relationship felt well-paced and earned.

Beyond the romance, the plot itself was engaging and well-balanced, offering enough action and suspense to stand strong on its own. The setting—a maximum-security prison in the middle of the Pacific—adds a unique, high-stakes element that enhances the story’s intensity.

I highly recommend this to fans of dark romance who appreciate strong storytelling, but also to those who enjoy action-packed narratives with complex character dynamics. Definitely one to check out if you like your romance with a side of danger and psychological warfare!

Thank you to the @thenerdfam for the gifted eARC.

[crusadeannihilation · Rating 4 out of 5]

She's a delicious poison that you know will hurt you in the end, but that possibility doesn't stop you from desperately wanting to guzzle down the venom. 🖤🐍

[starlvcies ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was neither good or bad you feel me? like i was invested in what was happening because honestly it was kinda interesting but it wasn’t mind blowing? idk it just wasn’t anything at all lmao

[Tracy Hanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bryn sent me the most fantastic PR box for this book, and the second I read the description, I was all in. And let me just say, this was a solid five-star read for me. It’s been a minute since I’ve been this locked into a story. I devoured it.

This is a dark psychological romance—and when I say dark, I mean dark. Definitely check your triggers before diving in. That said… WHAT. A. RIDE.

I still can’t believe this is B.H. Eastwood’s debut. Like, how?? I was honestly blown away.

Our girl Louhi is a snarky, tough-as-nails assassin who ends up in a U.S. black site, basically a hidden prison where the worst criminals are taken to be tortured for intel. And that’s where she meets Sean, who’s been assigned to do just that: break her to get the information the government needs to stop an attack.

Both Louhi and Sean are morally black characters, and their dynamic is so intense. The entire book takes place in one location, and it somehow never gets stale. The tension is constant, the pacing is tight, and the emotional build-up between them is wild. There’s this dark pull between them that’s hard to explain—it’s twisted, but you feel it.

Also, just a heads up, yes, our FMC is literally tortured, so again, not for the faint of heart. But if you’re into dark romance with psychological depth and complex, broken characters, this one will grab you.

I’m seriously dying to see how book two plays out. I’m not ready to let go of these characters yet.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a FANTASTIC debut. Dark prison settings are very quickly becoming a favourite of mine. Our FMC prisoner is gorgeous and formidable and her military enforcer is sadism incarnate. I need the second book in the Duet NOW. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

“The smile I give them through the bars is malicious, unnatural, feral even. It’s an expression that promises death. And I always keep my promises.”

[Mer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ rtc

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book… holy hell. Bryn did a brilliant job creating this world on Exile Island, her character development and overall storyline are spectacular. I had a really hard time putting the book down, I was completely sucked into this world she created. This book follows the mysterious Louhi and her prison guard/torturer Sean through their obvious attraction and subsequent budding relationship. Lou is something else… she’s a woman full of rage who’s witty and resilient, and if I’m being honest I think I fell in love with her a little bit! Sean is a career soldier who allowed his country to turn him into a monster that makes questionable decisions. While the way the main characters come together is very unconventional, it REALLY works - the entire story line is thrilling. I’m not usually a fan of a cliffhanger but the way she did it really worked for the story. And I can’t wait for the continuation! I cannot thank Bryn enough for allowing me to be a part of her ARC team for her debut novel! It releases later this week on April 10! You NEED to get a copy!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

fast paced and incredible

Woah! That was one heck of a story!

Imagine finding yourself in a secret location that technically doesn’t exist, you’re a prisoner who’s surrounded by dangerous criminals, but it’s the guards that you need to fear more.

That’s pretty much what happened to Louhi. She’s being held prisoner at an undisclosed military site, and the punishments are rough! This is a dark read. She’s subjected to some pretty torturous things, but the strength in this woman was admirable, and her thirst for revenge was terrifying. She’s vicious and she’s proud of it which made me love her more. Speaking of vicious, enter Digs, the head guy at the prison she’s being held at who has an equally dark side that craves violence. Put those two in a room together and it’s a battle of wills, and perseverance that’s laced with a thick and glorious tension that can be felt off the pages. It honestly had everything! Plot, amazing characters, banter, dark and twisted loveliness, and perfect spice. Definitely gonna need to read the next one. That cliffhanger at the end is gonna have me wondering.

[April Benoit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book blind and had NO IDEA what this book was going to be about. Let me just say.. i’m not disappointed AT ALL!!!

Lou our fierce fmc was written so perfectly like i’m 100% so obsessed with her and i caught myself laughing a lot because what do you mean you started to feel things for a man who quite literally TOOK YOUR TOE NAILS OFF??? i mean sure it was a big man wearing a mask so like i get it? but also like what 😭

Diggs oh diggs i was NOT expecting you to be a hardcore simp for our girl and i truly loved how fast he started to take care of her like he felt guilty for doing what he needed to do.. the man is literally doing his job but also falling for a person who is said to be one of the most dangerous person out there.

seeing my besties read and love this book so much definitely influenced me to read this, which i am so glad i did because this was good and i can’t wait to force all my dark romance besties to read this too!!!

[Readwitheme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is exactly what you want from a short, dark, smutty romance book. Check those trigger warnings because this is DARK. I really loved that both the FMC and MMC are morally black. It really made all the darker smutty scenes work. Louhi is so unhinged and it was fun being inside her head. My only complaint is that I needed some background for Louhi. There's some mentions about her being a mercenary and her brother, but I just needed a little more about how she ended up in this prison.

Prisoner x Guard - Very Very Dark - Taboo/Kinky - Morally Black MCs - Check TWs

[Allyson Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay hold up. What did I just read and where can I get more of it?! I am not experienced in the world of dark romance by any means but I ate this book up!!! The prison element is by far one of my favorite parts about this book. It was so well done. Louhi and Diggs relationship was messy at best but I LIVED for it. The spicy scenes were also SPICIN!!! Definitely give this one a try but do check your trigger warnings!! Or go in blind like me 😆❤️

[Makayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was really good! I loved Lou and her snarkyness. Honey Eyes intrigues me the most, tbh. it's always the characters that don't have a huge role or are just mysterious that get me so hooked. 😅

I was hoping for more to happen/be revealed, but it is a rather short book, so I'm assuming more will be touched on in the next book. this one seemed more of a vibe read, but it's dark and twisty so make sure you check the trigger warnings!

thank you to B.H. Eastwood & The Nerd Fam for providing me an e-arc.

[Erica Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterpiece!!

This is a true enemies to lovers!! This was such a unique read I’ve never read a book like this before and it kept my attention from the beginning!

It’s filled with tension, spice and suspense and these characters are both morally gray/black. Lou and Digs are so unhinged and I’m here for it! I can’t wait for the second book!!

B.H Eastwood out did herself!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this book down for the first little while, definitely devoured it. Unfortunately, I almost got whiplash from the sudden change in the MMC’s thought process toward the end. I was pretty confused by where his indecisiveness and doubt suddenly came from?

[Alix · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCUSE ME MA’AM!!!

Ok first of all.. THIS IS A DEBUT? what are yall drinking to be able to write this well for a debut?

The writing flowed beautifully. Technically speaking, I have no notes. The characters were well defined and individual which is something I notice a lot of authors lack the skill to demonstrate the first time around. It’s just something that comes with practice. Not a problem here.

And the plot… he is her designated t0rturer, who gets off on inflicting pain. And she he’ll never cave. COME ON!! What’s not to love?

Louhi is hilarious, she’s badass, despite being in a vulnerable position. Digs is dreamy, and respectfully….i need more honey eyes in the next one. Please and thank you HAHA.

I was hooked from the beginning, and I’m genuinely
Interested to see where it goes next.

Count me in where ever they may be!

[Kreature · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon