- The Ritual: A Dark College Romance

Another book that I am asking myself why? Why did I wait so long to read this? I NEEDED this book, I have been in my fantasy era for so long, that I was starting to get bored again and this book woke me right up and got me out of an impending reading slump. So let’s get in to It: “I Vow, You Vow, We Vow” As always, this review will be as spoiler free as possible, there may be some personal thoughts on parts of the book near the end of my review that could contain some spoilers however but I will warn you beforehand so you have time to turn back. Tropes ❤️ ⛓️college romance ⛓️secret society ⛓️forced proximity ⛓️arranged marriage ⛓️touch her & ☠️ This book has me legit questioning my sanity. We start off learning about the secret society that the mmc is a part of, “The Lords”. Then we learn about the college that this secret society pretty much owns, Barrington University, where all the rich kids end up as it is a private institution. Enter the fmc, Blakely, a rich girl who did not want to go to this university but was forced to by her parents. And in this world, as they are all “the elite”, arranged marriages are common and Blake is already promised to another and so is our mmc. But there are no contracts that are legally binding, so yeah. lol, from there, you can pretty much guess what happens. But it is a wild ride, that I was loving the entire time. Now there may be possible spoilers below, you have been warned. What I liked about the book: - The spice, it was def spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 imo - The character development of both Ryat and Blake. Ryat was just a stubborn individual who was stuck in his ways and was harsh sometimes and did not believe in love what so ever. But eventually he gets “softer”, he is still him, just softer. And Blake in turn gets stronger from everything she endures with Ryat and I love that for her. - The suspense, there was A LOT and I was constantly gasping and screaming and was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The suspense is definitely intense. - The overall story. I love when a dark romance also has an amazing plot and this book delivered just that. I loved the store in between the spicy scenes. It kept me even more invested in the book. What I didn’t like: - The amount of times Blake was drugged, like how is she even still functioning at this point? - The accidental pregnancy trope 🤮 I could understand if they just talked about them having babies in the epilogue, but why did she have to get pregnant during a super intense finale? It was just an ick for me. Both of these dislikes though did not change my final rating, as everything else was so good, that those 2 minor things did not affect my overall thoughts on the book. This book will probably be a re-read every single year. Read this book if you want to read a dark romance, with a secret society, an amazing plot, excellent character development, and relatable characters. Happy Reading :)

Okay… let me just say it: this book is absolutely unhinged and I AM HERE FOR IT🔥 This is hands down the darkest, kinkiest, most scandalous book I’ve picked up so far—and I devoured every single page. The Lords aren’t just a secret society… they’re more like a twisted brotherhood built on power, dominance, loyalty, and dangerous traditions. These men are ruthless, controlling, and completely unapologetic about it. Imagine a group of elite alpha males who will do anything—and I mean anything—to prove their loyalty and keep their status. And then there’s Ryat. Tall. Dark. Dominant. Piercing green eyes that basically promise trouble the second you meet him. From the moment he chooses Blakely, it’s clear she’s no longer living a normal life. Ryat doesn’t just want her… he claims her. Protecting her, controlling her, consuming her attention until she’s completely wrapped up in his world. Blakely may start out innocent, but beneath that innocence is curiosity—and a desire to step into something darker. Ryat becomes the one who pulls her into that world… a world filled with power plays, secrets, obsession, and danger. And the thing is… the deeper she falls, the harder it is to look away. This story is packed with suspense, betrayal, revenge, crime, obsession, and a very dark kind of romance. The tension between the characters is intense, the stakes are deadly, and the chemistry is ridiculously off the charts. Every Lord is fighting for power, pride, and dominance—and they’ll cross nearly every line to obtain the highest “Lord” status. This book is dark romance at its wildest. It’s addictive. It’s intense. And it will absolutely leave you saying “what did I just read… and why do I need the next book immediately?” Shantel Tessier did not come to play with this one. 😮‍🔥 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ritual is a sweltering hot, dark, and intense masterpiece that will have you hooked from the very first page. If you've been looking for a book to completely consume you, grab a cold drink and clear your schedule, because this is it. The story drops you right into the twisted world of Barrington University, where a mysterious secret society called The House of Lords rules everything. We meet Blakely, a woman seeking revenge on her cheating ex, and Ryat Archer, an alpha-to-the-max Lord who chooses Blakely to be his "Chosen." Why You'll Be Obsessed A Plot That Will Blow Your Mind: This book is packed with lies, secrets, and so many plot twists that your head will be spinning in the best way possible. Just when you think you have it all figured out, another shocker hits. Despite its length, every single word serves a purpose, making for a gripping, unputdownable read that perfectly balances suspense and steam. Chemistry Off the Charts: Ryat and Blakely have a chemistry that is pure fire. Ryat is the possessive, dominant anti-hero you’ll love to hate and then love unconditionally. And Blakely is a queen—she's strong, spunky, and fearlessly takes what she wants. Their banter is top-notch, but what really sets this book apart is the enthusiastic consent and genuine love that grows between them. Next-Level Spice: Be prepared. The author truly stepped up her game with this one. With D/s themes and juicy kinks, the steam is next-level hot. Your kindle is at risk of catching fire, so you might want to charge your batteries and read it with a partner on standby! If you are a fan of dark romance, secret societies, and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat, The Ritual is a must-read (or a must-listen!). Just be sure to check the trigger warnings first—they are there for a reason, but for those who love their books dark and twisted, you will not be disappointed.

The side was damaged. The packaging and delivery was fine. im annoyed cause it was a birthday present for a friend and its damaged. Maybe in the future, use more bubble wrap for a book that is thick and has some weight?

O livro chegou muito rápido e bem embalado. A unica coisa que eu não gostei é que as páginas são brancas ao invés de amarelas. Mas vem com páginas dos capitulos pretas. Sobre a história: eu amo os livros da shantel e já li todos que ela publicou, estou relendo agora na espera de Chaotic. Com certeza as histórias dela não são pra todo mundo, mas tem meu coração. Eu gosto da escrita dela e como o plot vai se desenvolvendo em todos os livros da saga. A Blake não é minha FMC favorita da serie, mas mesmo assim eu amo esse livro.

Seems as if the glue binding the pages completely gave out. Highly irritating during reading. Won't say anything about the plot, because I'm not finished with the book yet

"I made a vow to protect you, Blake, and I’ll show anyone who tries to hurt you my version of hell.” Ryat Archer will always have my heart! I love this book so much. It was one of my first ever dark romance books and it’s still one of my absolute favorites. This book has all the darkness, spice, suspense and emotional elements that will have you hooked. Ryat is dark, protective and possessive, and Blake is strong, resilient and stands up for herself. I loved that even with the intense spice, the tension between them was addictive. I loved how their relationship developed as the story progressed. Loyalty, vengeance, and sacrifice added so much suspense and tension. What started as an enemies to lovers progressed to emotionally charged moments between two people who are in love and obsessed with each other. This was such a rollercoaster and I will never get over the last few chapters of the book. I couldn’t put the book down. To this day it is one of my favourite books in the series. 🖤 Secret society 🖤 Dark college romance 🖤 Arranged marriage 🖤 Possessive hero 🖤 Enemies to lovers

I don’t know how I managed to hold off on reading this for so long! Ryat…that’s all…just Ryat! I enjoyed this one, it was dark, mysterious, unhinged and addictive! It felt like twist after twist, and I couldn’t stop reading-I need to know what would happen next, how one thing would be solved only to discover something else! Ryat was next level, this man was slightly messed up all the red flag, but I just loved his character! And my goodness was he swoony for Blakely. Protective and possessive in all the best ways. I loved how Blakely’s character shined once she accepted being Ryat’s chosen. They more she was able to be true to herself wit Ryat by her side, standup for herself and fight for what she wanted made me so happy! The whole premise of the LORDS and secret society kept me intrigued and was described very well. Onloook forward to reading more of this series, and see what other twists and turns it takes you on. **please be sure to check TWs and CWs before reading** 4.75 stars