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Twisted Games #1
The Kiss Game
I have a monster.
His name is Malachy, and he lost his mind on the same day I almost lost my life.
He has no boundaries. He has no morals. He doesn’t live by the same code as most folks.
Ten years ago he messed me up. I wanted to believe it was an accident, but ignoring what’s staring me in the face would be like missing the writing on the wall when it’s painted in bright red crimson blood.
My blood. Which just happens to be what he’s out for.
My fear is his drug. My protests excite him. And my life? Well that’s been in his hands since the day he walked back into it.
Kiss, cuddle or torture?
That’s the game we started.
Pity we never got to finish it before he changed the rules.
The Kiss Game is Book 1 in a new mature Dark Bully Romance series. Each book follows a different couple and includes a HEA, however there is an overarching story that continues throughout. No real cliffhangers. Please note this is intended for mature audiences and contains material that some readers may find triggering / upsetting.
His name is Malachy, and he lost his mind on the same day I almost lost my life.
He has no boundaries. He has no morals. He doesn’t live by the same code as most folks.
Ten years ago he messed me up. I wanted to believe it was an accident, but ignoring what’s staring me in the face would be like missing the writing on the wall when it’s painted in bright red crimson blood.
My blood. Which just happens to be what he’s out for.
My fear is his drug. My protests excite him. And my life? Well that’s been in his hands since the day he walked back into it.
Kiss, cuddle or torture?
That’s the game we started.
Pity we never got to finish it before he changed the rules.
The Kiss Game is Book 1 in a new mature Dark Bully Romance series. Each book follows a different couple and includes a HEA, however there is an overarching story that continues throughout. No real cliffhangers. Please note this is intended for mature audiences and contains material that some readers may find triggering / upsetting.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2019
About the author
Esme Devlin
26 books330 followersEsme is a Scottish romance author who writes books about demanding and possessive alpha-heros. Or anti-heros, when the mood takes her. They're usually gruff and hard, but that is until they meet the women who bring them to their knees.
In her spare time Esme writes sci-fi romance and sometimes remembers to eat. She's a mum of two very fiesty heroines and a wolf-hybrid, and she lives with her very own highlander-husband who she is trying to convince to do her audiobooks ;-)
You can keep up to date by subscribing to her spam-free mailing list (honestly, she is a tech-phobe). https://www.subscribepage.com/x2k2t8
In her spare time Esme writes sci-fi romance and sometimes remembers to eat. She's a mum of two very fiesty heroines and a wolf-hybrid, and she lives with her very own highlander-husband who she is trying to convince to do her audiobooks ;-)
You can keep up to date by subscribing to her spam-free mailing list (honestly, she is a tech-phobe). https://www.subscribepage.com/x2k2t8
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
November 1, 2019
4.5 Stars!
The Kiss game was pure bully goodness
It was dark and disturbing but oh so addicting. I obsessed with Malachy and Grace and could not stop reading! I seriously can not wait for more! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
The Kiss game was pure bully goodness
It was dark and disturbing but oh so addicting. I obsessed with Malachy and Grace and could not stop reading! I seriously can not wait for more! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
July 1, 2021
This could have been very close to a positive 3 star rating if the plot and characters had been more fully-developed. If this is one of the author's earlier books, I would encourage her to keep writing/developing her craft.
I adore the idea of kids bullying/being mean to each other when they're 10 years of age or younger and then meeting again when they're college-aged and having to sort things out. The execution went haywire for me in this book for multiple reasons. I'm not sure I feel up to writing a proper critique, and I'm not sure it's worth my time. I'd rather just start reading the next book in the queue.
I adore the idea of kids bullying/being mean to each other when they're 10 years of age or younger and then meeting again when they're college-aged and having to sort things out. The execution went haywire for me in this book for multiple reasons. I'm not sure I feel up to writing a proper critique, and I'm not sure it's worth my time. I'd rather just start reading the next book in the queue.
October 15, 2019
This is my favorite NA bully romance to date. Malachy pulled me in with just the right amount of mean, and he had alll the right reasons which is what I think really makes this book stand out. Grace impressed me just as much. The plot is fresh, dark, and kept me on my toes, and overall I freaking loved this story! Definite must read.
April 24, 2020
Ok so I love dark romance and since this book was on Kindle Unlimited I decided to give it a chance. So shortly after downloading the book, I noticed a playlist to the book, something I have only seen on Wattpad, and I already got worried. (maybe this was a Wattpad book before it was published on Amazon I do not know...but Wattpad books are never good or nothing worthy to be published...)
Anyway continuing on, the prologue had a lot of repetition in paragraphs and some grammatical errors but I decided to move forward, hoping to overlook the mistakes in the writing and the annoying mentions of 'wee rocks' but that is just a personal hatred of mine.
Continue on to chapter one, I enjoy the first few paragraphs but slowly I begin to hate the female lead, as all she can do is pretty much say 'F*ck' in her head in different ways and look at the male leads 'cracking arse' as the author put it, even though she knows it was the boy who hurt her as a child, making her have a head injury ten years ago.
She did not once recoil in fear or have some sense of danger even though the last time they met he hurt her but then again his arse and chiseled jaw make everything better.
Then everything felt rushed, with mentions of Mr. Hunter wanting a suit, then his wife coming in the shop wanting her own dresses, and then Mr. Hunter's son who randomly shows to help his stepmother, Mac something? I don't know it was a name I never personally heard it before. (Side Note: His name is Malachy. I had to go back and check.)
Of course, in order to be a bad boy, you have to have some tattoos, dark hair, and be 6 feet and 5 inches tall, and have a fat bank account. Typical cliche even though there is nothing wrong with it... it just happens to be used a lot in romance novels concerning the bad boy trope.
And all the female lead can think as she stares at him in this shop is that she is some hussy. Its mentioned three or four times in the chapter, I do not know, but I know it was said more than once which is annoying repetition, and I already don't like it.
*Sigh* Maybe I am being too harsh... but I decide to read further. I didn't even plan to leave a bad review...but the more I continued I knew I had to. It has how authors grow and learn from their mistakes. For one, an editor would have made things a lot better for this novel.
Chapter two is in the male leads POV, I like it even though the inner dialogue is just like Grace's and there is a lot of swearing. I expect swearing in these types of books obviously but when you're trying to mention detail like the forest it can get a bit tedious, again that might be just a personal opinion, I'm not sure.
I read further into chapter two, and here are some turn-offs I found on the male leads part, such as he leans back on the couch the author mentions he slouches his arse on the cool leather. Can't you just put he leans back??
More reading, just like Grace there is sooo much swearing, almost in every other paragraph, it gets a bit annoying when the word 'F*cking' and 'Sh*it' is already bought up into the paragraphs even when not needed.
This book has already given me so much of a headache even though I tried to like it...I really did but I have since dropped this book at 11%. I already ranted enough...so this is the end of my review as I am not continuing any further, and I need to find better dark romance books to read.
Anyway continuing on, the prologue had a lot of repetition in paragraphs and some grammatical errors but I decided to move forward, hoping to overlook the mistakes in the writing and the annoying mentions of 'wee rocks' but that is just a personal hatred of mine.
Continue on to chapter one, I enjoy the first few paragraphs but slowly I begin to hate the female lead, as all she can do is pretty much say 'F*ck' in her head in different ways and look at the male leads 'cracking arse' as the author put it, even though she knows it was the boy who hurt her as a child, making her have a head injury ten years ago.
She did not once recoil in fear or have some sense of danger even though the last time they met he hurt her but then again his arse and chiseled jaw make everything better.
Then everything felt rushed, with mentions of Mr. Hunter wanting a suit, then his wife coming in the shop wanting her own dresses, and then Mr. Hunter's son who randomly shows to help his stepmother, Mac something? I don't know it was a name I never personally heard it before. (Side Note: His name is Malachy. I had to go back and check.)
Of course, in order to be a bad boy, you have to have some tattoos, dark hair, and be 6 feet and 5 inches tall, and have a fat bank account. Typical cliche even though there is nothing wrong with it... it just happens to be used a lot in romance novels concerning the bad boy trope.
And all the female lead can think as she stares at him in this shop is that she is some hussy. Its mentioned three or four times in the chapter, I do not know, but I know it was said more than once which is annoying repetition, and I already don't like it.
*Sigh* Maybe I am being too harsh... but I decide to read further. I didn't even plan to leave a bad review...but the more I continued I knew I had to. It has how authors grow and learn from their mistakes. For one, an editor would have made things a lot better for this novel.
Chapter two is in the male leads POV, I like it even though the inner dialogue is just like Grace's and there is a lot of swearing. I expect swearing in these types of books obviously but when you're trying to mention detail like the forest it can get a bit tedious, again that might be just a personal opinion, I'm not sure.
I read further into chapter two, and here are some turn-offs I found on the male leads part, such as he leans back on the couch the author mentions he slouches his arse on the cool leather. Can't you just put he leans back??
More reading, just like Grace there is sooo much swearing, almost in every other paragraph, it gets a bit annoying when the word 'F*cking' and 'Sh*it' is already bought up into the paragraphs even when not needed.
This book has already given me so much of a headache even though I tried to like it...I really did but I have since dropped this book at 11%. I already ranted enough...so this is the end of my review as I am not continuing any further, and I need to find better dark romance books to read.
October 11, 2019
Just a bit meh for me...
Okay, so I’m actually kind of annoyed. This book had so much promise, but it was so rushed! If the author had filled it with some actual detail, it could’ve been amazing! There’s loads of mention about tattoos, but no detail. Mentioning of what the kids get up to in their spare time - kind of ridiculous for a bunch of 17-19 year olds, but whatever. There’s no detail about why they do it though. The ending was just terrible. There was a birthday party and so many different things happened and it all lasted about 3 pages. Where’s the detail!? There’s so much going on, but like nothing at the same time. I feel really let down to be honest.
I feel like Malachy is that bad boy you love to hate and Grace was that tough cookie we all want for our heroines! They were both great main characters. The side characters were obviously needed, but I didn’t feel connected to them in any way.
As I’ve found with other books by this author, it’s just her style, but I really don’t like the formatting. It drives me a little insane with all the dropped paragraphs. What’s the point of it apart from making a book seem longer than it actually is? I pretty much read the whole thing within a few hours. There were a couple of errors here and there, but nothing to distracted from the story.
Overall, it was okay. Could’ve been way better though. I’m not sure I’ll read the next book, but I guess we’ll see.
Okay, so I’m actually kind of annoyed. This book had so much promise, but it was so rushed! If the author had filled it with some actual detail, it could’ve been amazing! There’s loads of mention about tattoos, but no detail. Mentioning of what the kids get up to in their spare time - kind of ridiculous for a bunch of 17-19 year olds, but whatever. There’s no detail about why they do it though. The ending was just terrible. There was a birthday party and so many different things happened and it all lasted about 3 pages. Where’s the detail!? There’s so much going on, but like nothing at the same time. I feel really let down to be honest.
I feel like Malachy is that bad boy you love to hate and Grace was that tough cookie we all want for our heroines! They were both great main characters. The side characters were obviously needed, but I didn’t feel connected to them in any way.
As I’ve found with other books by this author, it’s just her style, but I really don’t like the formatting. It drives me a little insane with all the dropped paragraphs. What’s the point of it apart from making a book seem longer than it actually is? I pretty much read the whole thing within a few hours. There were a couple of errors here and there, but nothing to distracted from the story.
Overall, it was okay. Could’ve been way better though. I’m not sure I’ll read the next book, but I guess we’ll see.
January 24, 2022
Holy mother of god.
October 17, 2019
Super excited for the next book. This book was dark, sexy and vicious. It pulled me in and didn't let go and now I am waiting for the next book.
January 17, 2023
Wat een zootje... Hij is gestoord... Ze lijkt sterk, maar is ook opzich makkelijk... Te snel te simp... Omdat ze trauma van vroeger had en hij de schuld ervan kreeg, liep iedereen op zn teentjes bij haar... Dat haar broer en zn vriend logen, was echt heftig... Ze waren allemaal nog geen 10 toen.. wow...
Geen condooms en hij wilde al een baby maken... Ze was niet eens 18...geen perzik dingen gelukkig... Einde was wel afgeraffeld. Vond het ook echt gestoord en creepy dat hij zo geobsedeerd was en had van pijn en struggle hield... Rape fantasy achtig... En ofc weer maagd vs walking red flag... Wilde ook dat ze bij hem ging wonen
Geen condooms en hij wilde al een baby maken... Ze was niet eens 18...geen perzik dingen gelukkig... Einde was wel afgeraffeld. Vond het ook echt gestoord en creepy dat hij zo geobsedeerd was en had van pijn en struggle hield... Rape fantasy achtig... En ofc weer maagd vs walking red flag... Wilde ook dat ze bij hem ging wonen
October 9, 2020
Esme has hooked me again
I love all of Esme’s books and the kids game did not disappoint. Malachy is a sexy dark tatted dude with a ten year grudge and Grace is a sweet innocent broken girl with ten years of nightmares, but it is not how it seems. The way the story unravels and their relationship grows is done quickly, but with tact. I didn’t feel as though it was too rushed and all end were tied up. Cannot wait for her next one!!
I love all of Esme’s books and the kids game did not disappoint. Malachy is a sexy dark tatted dude with a ten year grudge and Grace is a sweet innocent broken girl with ten years of nightmares, but it is not how it seems. The way the story unravels and their relationship grows is done quickly, but with tact. I didn’t feel as though it was too rushed and all end were tied up. Cannot wait for her next one!!
October 12, 2020
Loved this dark romance.
This all started when they were young with a game, only Grace got hurt and Malachy was accused of doing bad things to her. Grace has lived with nightmares and having everyone around her great her like this breakable china doll. It's been ten years and Malachy wants his revenge, only when he sees Grace again his plans for her change and he plays for keeps. This is a great read and I highly recommend it!
This all started when they were young with a game, only Grace got hurt and Malachy was accused of doing bad things to her. Grace has lived with nightmares and having everyone around her great her like this breakable china doll. It's been ten years and Malachy wants his revenge, only when he sees Grace again his plans for her change and he plays for keeps. This is a great read and I highly recommend it!
October 20, 2020
Dark and twisted!
Another really enjoyable read from Esme! This was dark and twisted, just the way i like them.It did start of slow but I think it was needed to give you some back story. I just loved some of the twists and turns with these characters. Malachy is definitely one of the most broody and twisted heroes I've read in a while!
Can't wait to read more from this author.
Another really enjoyable read from Esme! This was dark and twisted, just the way i like them.It did start of slow but I think it was needed to give you some back story. I just loved some of the twists and turns with these characters. Malachy is definitely one of the most broody and twisted heroes I've read in a while!
Can't wait to read more from this author.
December 4, 2020
A great dark read that really keptmy interest once it got going. It may have been a little slow in the beginning, however that provided the backdrop for the rest of the book. Well crafted dark tale with complex characters in true bully style, I look forward to the next one as Esme writes some delicious dark novels
January 3, 2021
Can't see the forest for the trees
This a story about 10 years old playing a game and 10 years a kid blamed for something he did not do. 10 years past and now the boy is a man and the girl is a young woman. And want and need has taken place with hate, and blame. This is a good novel.
This a story about 10 years old playing a game and 10 years a kid blamed for something he did not do. 10 years past and now the boy is a man and the girl is a young woman. And want and need has taken place with hate, and blame. This is a good novel.
February 13, 2021
Half way through this book and I must say I am really enjoying it. Tho being British I feel like an American as written this while googling British words for stuff. It’s football here. No one would ever use the word soccer. That words are bugging me abit but the story line is excellent.
Anyhow going back to reading now, just needed to get that out lol
Anyhow going back to reading now, just needed to get that out lol
October 17, 2022
Still working on it but at the halfway mark had to write a review. The characters are making me cringe so bad, this is just full of actions with no real reasoning and I hate the literal r*pe fantasies the dude has. The MC is also infuriatingly stupid.
Finished it and my OG rating stands. Did not enjoy and skimmed thru the last few chapters just wanted to finish it
Finished it and my OG rating stands. Did not enjoy and skimmed thru the last few chapters just wanted to finish it
March 21, 2021
Worth the Read
This book is entertaining. Certainly a little dark, but in a good way. The heroine is a bit too mature for an 18 year old, but is probably the reason I liked the book.
This book is entertaining. Certainly a little dark, but in a good way. The heroine is a bit too mature for an 18 year old, but is probably the reason I liked the book.
October 23, 2020
Empieza ok, pero a medida que va avanzando se va poniendo demasiado estupido 🤦🏻♀️
November 29, 2020
Malachy is what I invision when I read a bully romance. He gave the rough, the mean, the down right awful side! This book was well worth the read!
April 3, 2021
Rounding up! The parts I liked I really liked! Not the meatiest story. Loved the Scots slang.
August 14, 2022
what. the FUCK. did i just read??????
January 31, 2023
DNF. Held high hopes after hearing good reviews; I hoped the writing would get better if I got further into the book. I made it to the bath tub scene and immediately deleted it from my library.
Want to read
April 13, 2023to-read
February 21, 2020
MORE MORE MORE!!!!
I love this chick!!! Her writing creates delicious amazing characters!!!! I want to get lost in her FANTABULOUS worlds!! I’ve bought everything in her name!!!
I love this chick!!! Her writing creates delicious amazing characters!!!! I want to get lost in her FANTABULOUS worlds!! I’ve bought everything in her name!!!
January 10, 2020
Enjoyed reading this quick, delightful, bully romance. I loved Graces strength of character and Malachy was an ok anti-hero but their Romance wasn’t slow burn and the story seemed to end in a rush. Looking forward to read more to see further the storylines :)
December 21, 2019
Bully romance
The language used in the book is broken slang English. You can tell that author is starting out, since their is no reference to her slang words for the book. I do believe that she will be one to watch later for future books, but this
book needs work. The book was choppy and sentences were immature but plot was good.
Here we have Malchay who is considered rich and well off. He has a past with Grace a seamstress that makes dresses. There is a ugly early past for these two, that has caused people to hate him and for Grace to be afraid of him. The relationship between these 2 felt a little off, maybe it was his language of not understanding what these words meant. Sometimes Grace did sound a little immature and annoying. Malchay character wAs the reason I kept reading.
The language used in the book is broken slang English. You can tell that author is starting out, since their is no reference to her slang words for the book. I do believe that she will be one to watch later for future books, but this
book needs work. The book was choppy and sentences were immature but plot was good.
Here we have Malchay who is considered rich and well off. He has a past with Grace a seamstress that makes dresses. There is a ugly early past for these two, that has caused people to hate him and for Grace to be afraid of him. The relationship between these 2 felt a little off, maybe it was his language of not understanding what these words meant. Sometimes Grace did sound a little immature and annoying. Malchay character wAs the reason I kept reading.
October 15, 2019
When a devil falls in love, it’s the most hauntingly beautiful thing ever..This is different from Esme Devlin's usual books but it intrigued me right from the blurb and held my heart in the end.I love bullies but Malachy seems very different and he was more beautiful and dark.He had his reasons to act that way which initially wasn't very clear but when it did I was all for him and Grace..Such a beautiful name for the female lead and she stood tall and beautiful with all her grace..
I love Esme Devlin's writing style..There is something unique that grabs my attention and this story was more beautiful when written in that style..All the devil needs is a chance and when given he never fails to impress!!
I love Esme Devlin's writing style..There is something unique that grabs my attention and this story was more beautiful when written in that style..All the devil needs is a chance and when given he never fails to impress!!
November 15, 2019
This book started with lots of promise but then quickly took the same twists and turns as most other bully romance novels. Ho humm ...The protagonists always, ALWAYS end up fall for the female that they profess to hate so, so much. And this book wrapped up with the most bizarre fairytale sickly sweet ending it hardly made the rest of the book worth reading. Malachy completely took his eye of his vengeful prize. And as for Grace!!! Girl, for someone with a smart mouth she relented to his wishes and his behaviour with out question... why, because she went through a pretty lame childhood trauma and felt over protected and smothered by her family...And what the hell happened to Scott & Jamie???? Set up for second book.? 🤔
October 6, 2019
Wow!!
This book is action packed from start to finish! It’s gritty, raw, dark and deep!
Mal isn’t who or what you initially think he is, I mean he is unhinged for sure, but there is a softer, poetic and romantic side to him that you see with Grace, and a side to her that even she didn’t know she possessed until Mal brought it out of her and now there’s no way of going back into the shadows!
Looking forward to seeing who the next book couple are and their perception on how the story continues! Plenty of questions to look for answers to coming up! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This book is action packed from start to finish! It’s gritty, raw, dark and deep!
Mal isn’t who or what you initially think he is, I mean he is unhinged for sure, but there is a softer, poetic and romantic side to him that you see with Grace, and a side to her that even she didn’t know she possessed until Mal brought it out of her and now there’s no way of going back into the shadows!
Looking forward to seeing who the next book couple are and their perception on how the story continues! Plenty of questions to look for answers to coming up! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
November 6, 2019
I liked the darkness of the hero and the magnanimity of the heroine and even the intrigue and mystery surrounding the story. But by 50%, the book seemed to not have arrive to its point. It read in a very disjointed manner as well. I would have liked to have discovered the truth of the incident that transpired between the heroine and hero 10 years ago, but couldn't continue under this books' disjointed style and frankly slow pace. It also lacked character development. Skimmed until DNF at 60% and unfortunately, returned the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews