My The Villain Duology Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
The Villain Duology by Victoria Vale is a dark, erotic Regency duet set in the remote wilds of Scotland. In The Villain, Lady Daphne Fairchild travels from London determined to confront the man who ruined her family. But his price for the truth shocks her: thirty nights in the bed of the Earl of Hartmoor. As she consents, she discovers nothing is as she expected. In The Dove, Daphne returns to London tainted by scandal—yet Adam, the Earl, can’t forget her. He makes a choice: continue his vendetta, or protect the woman who has become essential to him. The story weaves mystery, revenge, and desire, all in a shadowed, gothic Regency setting.
Why I Love This Book
I love how the vengeance trope is dark and twisted yet emotionally intense. I feel the suspense when Daphne steps into the Earl’s world—I’m pulled into her fear and curiosity. I love Adam’s domination, brutal and unrelenting, and yet I catch glimmers of something more beneath his wrath. I love Daphne’s fierce bravery—she’s broken, but not without fight. I love how the erotic scenes are raw, abundant, and exactly what the story needs to be—dark and urgent. And I love that despite it all, there’s a sliver of hope, a beat of redemption hiding in the shadows.
Who Will Like This Book
If you're drawn to historical romance with a deeply dark edge, wrought with revenge, twisted desire, and taboo allure—you’ll find this addicting. If you want alpha antiheroes, Gothic settings, and a heroine who fights even when she's broken—this fits. Proceed with caution if dark, erotic intensity is triggering.
⚠️ Trigger warning: This duet includes elements of dubious consent, psychological manipulation, deeply flawed characters, power imbalance, and explicit erotic scenes. The emotional weight is heavy and the heat is intense.
Tagged As
historical romance, dark Regency, Gothic romance, enemies to lovers, erotic romance, dark vengeance, antihero, alpha male, virgin heroine, slow burn, high steam, indie romance, duet, morally grey, revenge fantasy
Steam Level
The passion here is unapologetic and explicit. The eroticism is bold, abundant, and central to the story’s dark intensity. It’s not for the faint of heart—and that's why it grabbed me.
