In this darkly romantic reimagining of the Minotaur myth, a sorceress and a demon are entwined in sensual battle to escape a deadly maze and reclaim their freedom.
In this deadly maze, the most dangerous thing may be the passion between them.
Sadaré wakes in a labyrinth, remembering nothing except that she is a powerful sorceress. Her only companion is a hostile immortal named Daesra—beautiful, dangerous, and demonic—who bound his divine soul for power and revenge.
Despite their animosity, the two have no choice but to work together to reach the center and defeat the monster who prevents their escape. But the longer they wander, the more deadly and alive the maze becomes—and the more Sadaré finds herself drawn to Daesra in ways she can’t explain.
As sorceress and demon develop a tenuous truce, the labyrinth gives Sadaré glimpses of their shared history of passion and pain that make her question everything she knows. Unlocking the secrets of her past may be the only way to survive and heal their entwined fates—but as she learns more about the betrayals that brought them to the labyrinth, Sadaré begins to fear that the monster at the center could be Daesra … or even herself.
Praise for Exquisite Ruin:
“A dark and twisty mythopoetic journey of a romance … honed to the sharpest edge of desire.” – New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Carey
“Unique, sexy, and action-packed, EXQUISITE RUIN is a thrill for any romantasy fan.” – New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten
“Grab those horns in both hands and get ready for a wild ride at turns both sharp and tender, sexy and sweet.” – New York Times bestselling author Delilah S. Dawson
“AdriAnne May’s lyrical prose weaves an epic story of love, betrayal, and the depths we are willing to explore in order to untangle the complexities of the human heart … an exquisite masterpiece that one will savor long after the final page is turned.” – Sunday Times bestselling author Analeigh Sbrana
Content Warning for Exquisite Ruin:
This book is a fantasy intended for adults only. Reader discretion is advised, since it contains explicit sex, violence, mild gore/body horror, attempted rape (past), parent death (past, off-page), animal injury (not death), abduction/captivity, self-harm (only for magical purposes), and various kinks and fetishes in a fantasy setting, including: CNC (consensual non-consent), dominance and submission, sadomasochism, erotic degradation/humiliation, primal play, choking, gagging, rope bondage, spanking and other impact play, blood play, needle play, foot fetishization, monstrous anatomy, and raw/unprotected sex. All characters depicted are adults, and the activities depicted are not realistic representations of safe sexual activity or risk-aware consensual kink/BDSM.