My Tears of Tess Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters launches the Monsters in the Dark series with a story that is as harrowing as it is unforgettable. Tess Snow is a twenty-year-old Australian expecting a relaxing vacation in Mexico with her sweet but predictable boyfriend, Brax. What she gets instead is a nightmare: kidnapped, branded, and trafficked, Tess is thrown into a world of slavery and terror. Sold across borders, she lands in a French mansion as the property of Q Mercer—a stunning, dangerous man who is both her tormentor and, somehow, her only hope. The book is relentless in its depiction of Tess’s fight for survival, but it also dives deep into her psyche as she discovers strength and urges she never knew she had. The lines between pain and pleasure, captivity and desire, blur as Tess and Q’s relationship steers into dangerous emotional territory. The story is unflinching and raw, but at its core is Tess’s persistence and will to reclaim her identity no matter how impossible things seem.
Why I Love This Book
I love how Tears of Tess doesn’t hold anything back. I was all-in, heart pounding, sometimes horrified and sometimes mesmerized, page after page. Tess is one of those heroines I can’t forget; her courage is real, raw, and messy—she won’t back down even when the odds are stacked against her. I felt every moment of her pain, her anger, her confusion, and even her curiosity about Q. What surprised me most is how deeply the book explores trauma and survival; it never feels clean or easy, but it’s honest. Q is magnetic and horrifying at the same time, and I love that I couldn’t quite figure him out—he’s brutal, but also unbelievably broken and compelling. The relationship between Tess and Q is wild and unpredictable, full of danger, twisted desire, and the constant threat of losing yourself to the darkness. This book made me question everything—what it means to want, to survive, to love in a world that wants to break you. It’s sentimental and brutal in equal measure, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it long after I finished.
Who Will Like This Book
If you want dark, psychological romance that is absolutely unflinching—with all the pain, taboo, and complexity that comes with it—this book is for you. It’s best for readers who are comfortable with stories about non-consent, trafficking, and morally gray characters. If you appreciate complex heroines, anti-heroes, and stories that blend horror with heat, you’ll probably be hooked. This is not for anyone who needs a safe, cozy, or “clean” romance—and it’s definitely not for readers sensitive to graphic and disturbing content.
⚠️ Trigger warning: Tears of Tess contains kidnapping, sexual slavery, non-consensual acts, graphic violence, psychological and physical abuse, and Stockholm syndrome themes. The story is intense, disturbing, and raw. Check all trigger warnings carefully before you read.
Tagged As
dark romance, psychological romance, kidnapping, sexual slavery, Stockholm syndrome, captivity, anti-hero, tortured hero, enemies to lovers, trauma, non-con, power dynamics, forbidden romance, explicit, BDSM elements, open-door romance, HEA, series, indie romance, kindle unlimited, morally gray, French hero, new adult, broken hero, survival, revenge
Steam Level
The heat in Tears of Tess is as intense as it is taboo—frequent, graphic, and often intertwined with violence, trauma, and psychological power play. The steam isn’t safe or gentle; it’s dark, sometimes shocking, and always boundary-pushing. If you crave explicit content with heavy emotional and psychological stakes, this book absolutely delivers—but read with caution.
