Her Soul to Take: A Paranormal Dark Academia Romance (Souls Trilogy)

How did I get to this book? Believe it or not, my Chat GPT recommended it to me as a great dark romance read. I thought, why not? Let’s try it. And apparently, he knows me very well. I’ve never really been into fantasy — dragons, vampires, werewolves, all that. But a demon? Now that sounded interesting. And on top of that, the book was translated into Czech, which is incredibly rare for this genre. A shame, really. The story itself is engaging right from the beginning. No unnecessary fluff, no drawn-out descriptions — just straight into the atmosphere. Leon isn’t my physical type, but personality-wise? Exactly what I need. A small (okay, in this case not so small) confident bastard — the kind you’re not sure whether you want to jump on him or punch him in the face. Rae took me a while to figure out. I couldn’t decide if she was brave, reckless, or had absolutely zero self-preservation. But whatever anyone thinks of her, in the end I was rooting for her. The book is spicy — very spicy — but balanced perfectly, so the whole experience just flows. This first part works as a fast standalone read, but since the books are connected, I definitely recommend reading them in order for the best experience. For me, it was a very enjoyable read and I absolutely recommend it. This book is dark. make sure to read trigger warnings first, just so you know, what kind of ride you're getting into.

I almost never write reviews, but I felt this trilogy deserved one. I thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy- each subsequent book more than the last. The first book in the trilogy had the weakest writing. I might not have continued with the trilogy except there was some hook in the first book that persuaded me to read the second. Harley Laroux's writing matured with each book. Not only did the plot develop, but her character development deepened. Each couple's feelings and motivations were drawn clearer and showed how their relationships grew. There was a lot of spice in each book but not at the expense of the plot. While I enjoyed each book, I was especially pleased with the third. Callum and Everly make a wonderful couple and the story wraps up with a very satisfying ending.

Loved the characters but dies have graphic sexual content that may bother some but it is a necessary part of the plot to get s deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations I really enjoyed it if you like paranormal and witches and demons you will enjoy this I finished it in 4 days Starting book 2 now lol

I rate this 3.5. The best part of the book was the demon , he really brought this book to life. Great plot and well written , I docked points because I didn’t see much of a build of romance or connection with the mmc and fmc but I will say the plot was good and the smut scenes were so good 🌶️

Oh my goodness! I absolutely loved this book. So incredibly well written. Had me hooked from page one. The plot was plotting and the 🌶️ was 🌶️ing! Everything felt very cohesive, nothing felt like it was thrown in as filler and I was captivated the entire time. Immediately ordered the next two books because I must know more about other characters and the towns lore

"Her Soul to Take" was my first real dive into dark romance, and I have to say—I was not prepared! Harley Laroux delivers a gripping, eerie, and intense story that kept me hooked from start to finish. I really enjoyed the main characters; they were compelling and had great chemistry. However, I felt like the love story developed a bit quickly, which made it a little harder to fully connect with their relationship. That said, the atmosphere, supernatural elements, and dark themes were all really well done. If you’re looking for a truly dark and steamy read, this one definitely delivers.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ This is a dark, intoxicating ride that blends horror, romance, and raw sensuality into something unforgettable. The story pulls you into a world of demons, secrets, and dangerous bargains, where the line between fear and desire blurs beautifully. Harley Laroux doesn’t hold back—her writing is lush and atmospheric, painting eerie gothic settings while balancing it with scorching, open-door spice that is both unapologetically kinky and emotionally charged. The chemistry between the characters crackles, and the tension is addictive, keeping you hooked page after page. This isn’t just a dark romance—it’s a seductive descent into the forbidden, and every moment feels both dangerous and irresistible. If you crave morally gray characters, supernatural danger, and spice that pushes boundaries, this book delivers it all. Tropes you’ll love: • 🖤 Demon romance / paranormal bargains • 🖤 Morally gray love interest • 🖤 Small-town gothic horror • 🖤 Dangerous protector vibes • 🖤 Forbidden attraction with irresistible pull Spice level (🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️): Expect everything from deliciously dark dominance and submission to edgy kinks that push the boundaries of comfort while still being consensual. Some standout moments include: • 🔥 A powerfully charged scene where consent and control intertwine in a way that’s both dangerous and intoxicating. • 🔥 Wickedly creative use of restraints, adding to the push-pull tension between fear and desire. • 🔥 A mix of tenderness and corruption that makes every spicy encounter feel meaningful, not just physical. Dark, seductive, and unforgettable—this book is an experience.

Entrega rápida, buen empaque. Amo esta edición, tiene bonitos detalles, además de que tiene un capítulo extra. Se verá muy bien con mis demás ediciones especiales.

I was surprised how good the story actually was

This book is so stunning! The papers are feeling fine, light and sturdy at the same time. It's pleasantly to hold in your hand and to look at! And so far the story is taking a great start! Zero regrets 😊

An adorable love story. Well written. But with all those trigger warnings l was a bit let down on that department XD. Will probably read the rest two in the series as it where a great read and the two others are about characters you meet in this book but their timeline.

This review will not contain any major spoilers. Her Soul to Take is the first novel in the Souls Trilogy from Harley Laroux, a fun and entertaining contemporary romance between demon and human (m/f) with supernatural and light horror elements mixed in. I really love the smalltown/rural mythology angle! I found this through Amazon recommendations when browsing through the selection of Dark Romance books. I’m rather picky when it comes to what the synopsis itself states so I went through a couple before finally settling on this and I was not disappointed! Well, the funny thing is I was actually more convinced to purchase this through the content warning on the Amazon page rather than the description of the story itself, as I am much more a person for medieval/fantasy settings instead of contemporary and I like extreme content (push it to the limit!). However, the author has handled the modernity brilliantly and I quickly became engrossed in the story of Rae and Leon. So, what everyone wants to know about: The SPICE! How spicy is it? The various scenes range from (f) solo play to full on rear entry and even some that mixed pain and pleasure together, which I enjoyed. Overall, I was satisfied by the variety of spice included in the novel. I had hoped for harder kink (as mentioned previously, the content warning of “hard kink” included on the Amazon store page was one of the main drawing points for me), however that doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the story as a whole or the spiciness included within it. The first spicy scene between Rae and Leon is a favorite of mine. The smut is well written and as everyone may attest to; the various “situations” that the characters find themselves in are very spicy and erotic! The author does a wonderful job of realizing their vision here. The book is told from two perspectives and while I loved both, I preferred Leon’s POV most of the time and would have liked to see/hear more of his thoughts. However, this doesn’t take away from the overall story or plot itself. Everything is explained well and the reader is not left with a “fear of missing out” on important story bits. I would have liked more chapters with Leon but again, that is a personal preference rather than a general complaint. I very much enjoyed Rae as a character as well, she was just slightly edged out by Leon as his gruff and armored exterior being melted by Rae was heart-warming (considering where he had spent most of his time in the last years before meeting her). My favorite characters are Zane and Leon. Zane and Leon know each other from before the events of the book but their chemistry and attitudes towards one another was actually super sweet in a big bad demon kind of way. Zane is also the MMC of the next book in the series so perhaps that might be why I have a slightly biased view on that. I do enjoy how the author has made all major protagonist characters bisexual so it opens up so many more options for spicy situations to occur (hence why I mentioned the first spicy scene between Rae and Leon). One of my favorite moments in the book was when Leon went to Zane and spoke to him regarding an important matter, admitting that he wasn’t a very good tracker (aww cute!) however the favored moment comes when Leon arrives at the destination given by Zane. Leon meets characters who are no doubt going to be fascinating and incredibly exciting to read about in the third book of the series (not yet released as of the writing of this review). I can’t wait for that! Onto the pacing of the book: I felt like there were rarely any moments that dragged on too much or felt out of place. I had a blast reading about Rae and Leon and towards the end I was clutching on for dear life, hoping it would be a HEA! I loved the book so much that I think I finished it in about 2 weeks, I am a relatively slow reader so take from that what you will. If I love a particular book, I’ll be bingeing it as much as possible! I am currently reading the next part of the Souls trilogy which focuses on Juniper and Zane and I absolutely cannot wait for the third instalment. 5 stars, 90/10 spice. A wonderful and entertaining read. Highly recommended!