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Poppy St. John
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Cruel Dominion: A Dark Second Chance Romance (Kings and Consorts) Kindle Edition

by Poppy St. John (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 2,971 ratings
Anna

Carter Cole. Brutal. Billionaire. Breaker of hearts.
They say he climbed a mountain of corpses to get to the top.
And still, every woman wants the title of Mrs. Cole.
They can have him.
I didn’t come home for Carter.
No matter what he says and does when he finds out I’m back.
The bastard may have stolen all my firsts…
But there’s no way I’m giving him a second chance.

Carter

Anna Vaughn was minefrom the first moment I saw her.
She’s still mine. I just have to show her.
I’m not that f*cked-up kid she met on the midnight beach anymore.
Not someone who can be blackmailed into breaking hearts.
I’ll fix everything I shattered between us.
Eliminate the obstacles.
I let Anna get away once.
I won’t make the same mistake twice.

Cruel Dominion is a dark romance with a morally black anti-hero who will stop at nothing to have the girl who got away.

Please note this standalone novel has content that may be triggering to some readers. For a full list of TWs please check the author’s website.
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  1. Part of series
    Kings and Consorts
  2. Print length
    335 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    August 26, 2024
  6. File size
    3.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 3 books in this series.
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DB6P3PM4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Petal and Thorn Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 26, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 335 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1989723500
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Kings and Consorts
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 2,971 ratings

About the author

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Poppy St. John

Poppy St. John

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Romance Without Restraint

Please click "+Follow" to be notified when the author has a new release.

Poppy writes steamy contemporary romance with a focus on all things forbidden, dark, and taboo. She likes her main men morally gray and has always had a thing for bad boys who will do anything to win the hearts of the women they love. All her stories end with a hard-won HEA ♡

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
2,971 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers love this dark second chance romance, describing it as an amazing love story with lots of steamy scenes. The book receives positive feedback for its well-written characters, readability, and ability to evoke various emotions. While customers find the writing quality good, some mention it can be a bit slow at times.

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Story qualityReadabilityEmotion levelWriting qualityCharacter developmentSteamy contentEntertainment valuePacing
27 customers mention "Story quality"24 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in this book, particularly appreciating the second chance narrative and young love theme, with one customer noting the dark but unyielding love between the characters.

"...Definitely a great story." Read more

"...Carter just shines a lot brighter than she does. The ending was perfect...." Read more

"...Good read with a decent story. Spice was involved here and there. Not over doing it which was nice. I enjoyed the overall book and would recommend." Read more

"...I don’t get bored and the storyline was so good. Her dad made me want to punch him in the throat, but in the end he got what was coming to him...." Read more

26 customers mention "Readability"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, with one customer particularly appreciating the possessiveness theme.

"...All in all, a good read!..." Read more

"It was a really good read, and a little less gory of twisted devotion. Which is not a bad thing...." Read more

"...A few problems with the narrative or lose ends but overall good book" Read more

"Carter + Anna are my favorites right now. Loved this book. Very emotional back stories & loved how it all came together." Read more

10 customers mention "Emotion level"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, describing it as dark and intense, with one customer noting how it moves from sadness to joy.

"Anna & Carter's story gave me every single emotion. From sadness to joy. From anger to happiness. The sexy scenes were an added bonus...." Read more

"...I really liked the dark parts of the book. The thing I didn’t like was a lot of the in-betweens...." Read more

"...I’m not going to read you the triggers.. but take a look. Pretty dang dark and beautiful.." Read more

"Well written book. Characters were believable and relatable but I couldn't get past all of the flash backs...." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read, describing it as a quick read.

"Quick read at a bit over 300 pages. The rich girl, poor guy who meet when young story...." Read more

"Well written book. Characters were believable and relatable but I couldn't get past all of the flash backs...." Read more

"...My first Poppy St. John book. It was a good book. Easy to read palate cleanser with a few typos...." Read more

"Such a cute little love story that's beautifully written with great character development and how I felt for the FMC with her daddy issues!!!!!..." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one mentioning the morally ambiguous male protagonist.

"...You get that in this book, along with good characters. Our MMC is fantastic. I love him...." Read more

"Well written book. Characters were believable and relatable but I couldn't get past all of the flash backs...." Read more

"...-morally grey MMC This book featured a morally ambiguous male protagonist and a female protagonist, both of whom elicited strong emotions..." Read more

"...a cute little love story that's beautifully written with great character development and how I felt for the FMC with her daddy issues!!!!!..." Read more

6 customers mention "Steamy content"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the steamy content of the book, describing it as hot and spicy with good scenes.

"...From sadness to joy. From anger to happiness. The sexy scenes were an added bonus...." Read more

"I really liked Carter and Anna together. The steamy scenes were really good...." Read more

"If we want obsessive mmc Carter definitely hits the spot. This book was spicy, dark, maybe a dash unhinged but it just made the ride all the more..." Read more

"...Damn this book was hot has hell. Amazing story line." Read more

4 customers mention "Entertainment value"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining, with one mentioning it provides a great happy ending.

"...It's good. It kept me turning the page and kept me entertained. The conflict is nice and steady throughout...." Read more

"...book was spicy, dark, maybe a dash unhinged but it just made the ride all the more fun! Definitely recommend it!!!" Read more

"...Steamy hot. With a great happy every after." Read more

"A Good Kind of Crazy..." Read more

6 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it a little slow at times, while one customer mentions it kept them turning the page.

"...It's good. It kept me turning the page and kept me entertained. The conflict is nice and steady throughout...." Read more

"...Which is not a bad thing. I felt like it was a little slow at times in the book but it quickly picked back up...." Read more

"...of many.. or first and last.. reading this i felt so entrance.. so immersed.. thought i was watching a movie.. its honestly why i love to read....." Read more

"...The beginning was incredibly slow, I skimmed… Then the plot picked up a bit once they finally met. And then it once again slowed down...." Read more

You’re mine…
5 out of 5 stars
You’re mine…
I couldn’t put this book down! It had a good mix of showing their past to add to the story line. The connection between them was fire. Before I was done reading I purchased the other two books. Definitely recommend for those that like possessive, dominant MMCs with lots of hot fire and spice!!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Aundrea
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is something you read after reading a long epic series, and you need a break from that type of thing. It's good. It kept me turning the page and kept me entertained. The conflict is nice and steady throughout. I like the fact that this doesn't sugarcoat the nitty gritty like some books do. I want the action, the descriptions of every little messed up thing. If he's breaking hands; i want to hear bones popping in my head. Some of these books never put our damsel in distress, and I hate it. Throw her to the wolves so someone can swoop in and be a hero. That's great conflict and exactly what I want to read. You get that in this book, along with good characters. Our MMC is fantastic. I love him. I think our FMC could've been better, but there's nothing wrong with her either. Carter just shines a lot brighter than she does. The ending was perfect. I can't stand when they skip a few years later, and everyone is happy, and they DRAG it out. Look, give me short and sweet. I don't really care about the end. I care about the conflict. So, well done, and it's worth a quick read.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Joeleen
    4.0 out of 5 stars it was a decent read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I really think it missed some depth and possibilities for more but simply said. Good read with a decent story. Spice was involved here and there. Not over doing it which was nice. I enjoyed the overall book and would recommend.
    Helpful
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  • VanBookworm
    3.0 out of 5 stars Easy & Interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Quick read at a bit over 300 pages. The rich girl, poor guy who meet when young story.
    Of course now he’s rich & powerful and still obsessed with her. The one that got away.
    A few problems with the narrative or lose ends but overall good book
    Helpful
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  • Diedra Price
    5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific 💖💖💖💖💖
    Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Anna & Carter's story gave me every single emotion. From sadness to joy. From anger to happiness. The sexy scenes were an added bonus. Anna's Dad was the devil and got what he deserved just as Carter's Dad and Anna's ex got what they deserved too. And her Mom was most definitely Spider Woman. A terrific ride of a book Ms. St. John.
    Helpful
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  • Geennnjh
    4.0 out of 5 stars glad I stumbled upon this book.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I was looking for a pallet cleanser after I read an extra dark book and I’m glad I stumbled upon this one. Carter and Anna’s love was apparent the entire book and I was here for it. Carter was OTTJP and I was here for it. I don’t get bored and the storyline was so good. Her dad made me want to punch him in the throat, but in the end he got what was coming to him. Cant wait to read another one of her books soon.

    Tropes-
    Second chance
    Young love
    FMC on the run
    Be33ding
    And so much more!
    One person found this helpful
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  • JeepLovingMomma
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very gripping read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I was a little worried this was gonna be an anxiety-fueled drama but the story hooked me from the beginning. OTT male lead was possessive in the best way. I also loved how the author moved from the past and present in such a cohesive way, I never once felt confused or annoyed with the switch. Highly recommend this book if you love an MML who will burn the world for his woman.
    Helpful
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  • Kaylee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read
    Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Was recommended this book on tiktok a d can say with one hundred percent certainty i am glad I read it. Was done in less than a day and a very good story will be recommending to others.
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  • Jennifer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Mixed feelings
    Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I really liked Carter and Anna together. The steamy scenes were really good. And I liked the interactions between C and A. There are triggers in this book, make sure you look at them before reading. I really liked the dark parts of the book. The thing I didn’t like was a lot of the in-betweens. Anna particularly bored me when she wasn’t with Carter. I only liked them together. I also didn’t like how much was skipped at the end. It felt like a rushed ending. Carters goal was for Anna to trust him and he spent the entire book at odds with her. Then they skip to 6 weeks? That just rubbed me the wrong way. I would have liked the book to be pieced together better since Carter and Anna were so wonderful together.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Gigi23
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Really enjoyed this book! It's my first book by Poppy and I loved Anna and Carter's st9ry.
    Full of twists and turns I'd definitely recommend it!
    Report
  • Ahalyaa Namid
    1.0 out of 5 stars Meh
    Reviewed in India on January 7, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The FMC was irritating and spoilt. Build up was too slow for me. 100 pages in the book and still have no idea why MMC was obsessed with FMC and their relationship.
    Report
  • lynz
    4.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what you'd expect from the title.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 12, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This was a new author to me. I enjoyed the tension. And the relationship between both characters was really good and interesting. I liked the subplot of the Ex boyfriend and the life that Anna had been leading as Annie.
    Report
  • Ileana Weynberg
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Lots of twists and turns. Great depth of characters. Not sure I would recommend it purely due to some of the scenes in the book could be triggering to others. Good story though.
    Report
  • Xratedreads
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Phenomenal!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Spice 🔥🔥🔥

    Poppy St. John has truly outdone herself with her latest masterpiece, Cruel Dominion. As a massive fan of Poppy's work, this book exceeded every one of my high expectations! From the moment I started, I was hooked. Carter is the epitome of a morally grey character obsessive, possessive, and unapologetically intense. He’s a deliciously dark, dirty-talking MMC that you can’t help but be drawn to.

    This second-chance romance is nothing short of perfection. The chemistry between Carter and Anna is electric. Their story, which began six years ago with Anna as the daughter of a senator and Carter a boy from the wrong side of town, is beautifully unravelled as they reconnect in the present. Now, Carter is a billionaire willing to go to any lengths to win Anna back, and every twist and turn kept me on the edge of my seat. The alternating past and present chapters add depth to their relationship, and I absolutely loved how their history was slowly revealed. My only tiny wish is that the past chapters were more clearly marked at the beginning, but even that didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

    I devoured this book in hours, it’s dark, dangerous, and utterly captivating, yet it also weaves a beautiful and emotional story. If you’re a fan of billionaire romances with a morally grey hero, this book is an absolute must-read. I can’t wait to see what Poppy St. John has in store for us next!

    Five stars all the way! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

    Tropes

    - Morally Black MMC
    - Billionaire
    - Dark Romance (read TWs)
    - Second Chance
    - OTT, Possessive, Touch her & die (literally)
    - Steamy/Spicy
    - Past and Present Scenes
    - Dual 1st Person POVs
    - Breeding Kink
    Report

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