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Sabre Security #1

Corpse Roads

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In therapy, they tell you to use your senses.
List the things you know.

Sermons recited with malice. A blood-soaked ritual. The sting of tears and gasping sobs of the dying. Rotting flesh.

I grew up in a cage, tortured by the Lord Almighty's most twisted servant. Death and despair became my close companions as I watched years of slaughter at Pastor Michaels’ hand.

Eighteen girls. Dead.
Eighteen lives. Ended.
Eighteen futures. Stolen.

After years of captivity, I don't recognise the world I'm suddenly thrust into. The road in front of me is lined with corpses, demanding vengeance from beyond the grave.

I escaped… but they didn’t.
Now, I have to live for them.

Sabre Security offers me a lifeline in the dark. They want to find the killer before another girl dies, but their protection comes with a price.

My soul must be excavated, one sinful memory at a time.

The Hunter will become the Hunted.

Author Note: Corpse Roads (Sabre Security #1) is a contemporary reverse harem romance set in the same universe as Blackwood Institute, which is recommended to be read first but not compulsory.

460 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 26, 2022

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About the author

J. Rose

22 books1,177 followers
J Rose is an independent dark romance author from the United Kingdom. She writes challenging, plot-driven stories packed full of angst, heartbreak and broken characters fighting for their happily ever afters.

She’s an introverted bookworm at heart with a caffeine addiction, penchant for cursing and an unhealthy attachment to fictional characters.

Feel free to reach out on social media, J Rose loves talking to her readers!

Enquiries: j_roseauthor@yahoo.com

Stalk J Rose here:
www.jroseauthor.com/socials

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Buy J Rose's books:
www.jroseauthor.com/books

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 377 reviews
Profile Image for  ⚔Irunía⚔ .
431 reviews3,973 followers
December 21, 2022
3 'only for the plot' stars. Another day, another futile attempt to love a reverse harem book as much I did Lords of Pain. 🤡

LOP is an exception, after all. This subgenre is so unconvincing, mostly due to the fact that many authors simply don't possess adequate attributes to make this sort of relationship sound credible and, eh, swoonworthy.

But back to the book in question: I have to admit it proved to be much more entertaining than I initially expected. When I scrolled through this book's page on Goodreads and saw that it's filled to the brim with praising 4-5 star arc reviews, I felt disheartened. Believe me, nothing is more suss than not being able to find a single bad review of the book. This is downright creepy. Not a single nitpicking bitch crying about how bad the book is? No critical feedback?? No frustration??? Demands for recompensation???? No nothing????? Is this even the Goodreads I know and love? 😔

SUSS.

I knew I was possibly setting myself up for a disaster of epic proportions and even searched for the perfect meme that would fit the occasion in advance (just in case ya know):




But now I can't even use it because I didn't hate the book. 🥲
With one aspect of it I wasn't entirely disappointed:

the plot is pretty gripping. It was the only thing that prevented me from bailing out after 40% mark because when it came down to the romance aspect? I wasn't sold on it.

THE PLOT

For as long as Harlow (h) can remember, a dark, filthy cell in the basement is the only place she's ever known. The place where she eats, sleeps, matures and watches her dad maim, rape, torture and murder young women in a cell adjacent to hers. 💀

Some of the girls before her screamed when Pastor Michaels knelt between their legs, unclipping his belt buckle. Others didn’t.


To punish those girls for their sins, Harlow's daddy, who is also a religious fanatic pastor, commits his own: rapes them brutally before he forces bloody rituals—having their skin carved with religious iconography and, sometimes, removed—upon them.

Harlow's mom, like a good little wifey she is, cleans after her hubby's post-ceremonial mess. That is, when she doesn't beat the shit out of her daughter, who is also forced to accompany her in the noble cause and scrub the place clean after yet another bloodbath. 🙂

Nothing too alarming, just a nice little routine in their cozy psycho-friendly household.

One lucky day, little Harlow escapes the haunted place where she's been kept against her will for decades — some abandoned chapel's basement in the middle of nowhere as it turns out — but not without the help of her dad's last victim's femur that she takes — rotten flesh on it and all — with her. 💀

I look down at the bone in my arms. She’s still with me, her essence distilled into blood-stained calcium. Laura died believing that I’d get out one day. I can’t let her down.


But don't rush to pull your handkerchiefs out of your pockets just yet, guys. There's another place and time for tears. Turns out our girl Harlow has won the lottery of life, she just doesn't know it yet. 😌

Otherwise, how would you explain that this traumatized girl ends up landing not one, not even two, but FOUR potential BOYFRIENDS who also happen to be (well, three of them) private investigators at Sabre Security that have been working on the notorious serial killer (who happens to be her daddy dearest) case for years?

From that point onwards, her life takes a drastic turn as she embarks on a long path of mental and physical healing. As the only surviving victim and witness, she turns into a major connecting dot between the serial killer and the murder investigation, with her memories playing the key role in helping Sabre Security find and stop the murderous psychopath from killing even more women.

Soon comes a minor plot twist that
was entirely too predictable:

we learn that Harlow isn't pastor Michael's real daughter. She was kidnapped by him when she was only nine years old and brainwashed into believing that he and his wife were her parents.

Harlow not being blood related to those psychopaths was quite obvious due to the fact that a girl who, purportedly, has never even seen the light of day is able to adjust to her new life — digital devices, hospital facilities and normal home — with surprising ease. It's not like she had Internet access, TV or books in her cell to get all the information about the outside world, and there's only so much a person could learn from their fellow prisoners, so her behavior and reactions make it clear that there was a time when she didn't have to live locked in the basement.

(Her adapting so quickly was still weird as hell to me considering that she was taken hostage as a child and kept in captivity for 13 years, but whatever 🌞)

THE GOOD

✧ The writing style and the plot were pretty engaging. Eventually, I started losing interest (at 40% mark), yet something kept pulling me back in.

I want to see how the plot unravels in the second book because let's be honest here: at the end of this one we know just as much about pastor Michaels as we did at the beginning. 🌝

I don't mean to say that the book dragged (it's dynamic and eventful), but the author definitely withholds big events and revelations till the second book. I'm just not particularly fond of having a major mystery/conflict dragged out. If Agatha Christie's characters could solve a murder mystery in less that 300 pages, then why can't characters here do the same? 🤡 *cough*

✧ The main characters didn't annoy me (much), but all you need to know is that I have to take a moment and look up their names before I proceed. 💀

Hunter (the main in their reverse harem group): cold asshole with tough exterior but soft heart 🕵️

Enzo: overly protective mother hen (possessive yet willing to share with his besties. 🥰 what a generous man)

Theo: computer geek with social anxiety 🧍🏽‍♂️

Leighton (Hunter's bro): laid-back fuckboy with an easy smile but a dark past. 🌚🌝

And sure enough, all the heroes share common trauma that made them fucked up.

They aren't bad hero material per se, but they definitely come across as characters who can be easily put into labelled boxes. I love the feeling when characters sound like real people with nuanced personalities and not just popular romance hero archetypes. As a side note, I know I'm asking too much, don't worry.

✧ Loved the ending because it made me even more curious about the pastor Michaels' ulterior motives. Why is he so obsessed with Harlow specifically?? Why did he choose to play daddy for her and never raped/tried to kill her? Did he use his "wife" so he could play family with Harlow?

(seems to be a popular question with me: why is everyone so damn obsessed with that girl?🤡)

THE BAD

Romance. Romance. Romance. 💀

~not character-driven (like... how can one pull off writing a RH book without it being character-driven?? we're supposed to believe that 5 people love each other deeply, each of them having some sort of a bond with four other ppl in the group. this is not credible at all unless you FORCE us to believe 💀)

~ insta-lusty and insta-lovey (bitch, why when?? how is the h even special?)

~ bland (where's the tension zzz)

~ quirky dialogues and unoriginal inside jokes

✧ When I already started to take this book seriously, it slipped into an unbelievable, of the fairytale sort, joke of romance between a girl suffering from intense PTSD and four men, obsessed with her for no obvious reason at all. I ignored some warning signs of insta-nonsense at the beginning, but the things only got progressively worse.

As in, the romantic line was overall glossed over (only slightly hinted here and implied there) in favor of the plot (AND I LOVED THAT. IT SHOULD HAVE STAYED THAT WAY TILL THE END), and then all of a sudden four guys end up being so smitten with Harlow that they can't imagine their lives without her any more. 🤡

✧ Not to be an unfeeling asshole of the unspeakable kind, but...

what is so special about Harlow, besides dissociative amnesia and PTSD, to have that kind of effect on 3 crime investigators and one ex-convict? Surely they've seen worse in their practice, hehe. 💀

On a serious note: the heroes don't uncover even one-tenth of what lies beneath deep layers of Harlow's pain and trauma so them saying we're obsessed with her, we can't let her go, she shall be ours sounded like the author's desperate attempt to turn this story about healing and facing one's worst nightmares into a whirlwind obsessive romance. I was reading their cheesy love declarations with my resting bitch face in place, wondering about "where did that just come from, bitch?? how did we come from crime mystery to that corny piece of nonsense, omg".💀

Enzo: falls in love with Harlow the moment he enters her hospital room. I'm not even exaggerating, he is the weirdest weirdo of the group, and that's not a compliment.

Is he that impressed with the photos of the scars covering her body paired with her vulnerable state?? His POV reeked of male interest from their first encounter. Instead of sounding endearingly sweet, his instant protectiveness rubbed me the wrong way: crushing on a serial killer's victim at first sight? How cute creepy. 💀 He doesn't even know anything about her yet at the time. His insta-feelings have some shallow aftertaste to them, making me wonder would he react the same way if it was any other girl in her place? Authors' obsession with writing tropes (boy obsessed) versa detailed character arcs cheapens the romance aspect of their books.

Hunter: an unfeeling, abrasive asshole that treats Harlow like a job until one random moment he just stops and turns into a simpering mess at Harlow's feet. 💀 Yeah, the timeline is fine — it happens in the second half of the book when he's already known her for a while — yet the transition on its own is so abrupt and misplaced: from a jerk who snaps at her and orders her around one day to boy obsessed another. The turning point, where? The change spurred on by what exactly? The relationship development, where? When Hunter professes that he's loved Harlow from the very moment he set his eyes on her and only acted coldly toward her to keep a safe distance, his character was kinda ruined for me. 🌝 Whoa, I thought you were deeper than that, Hunter.

Theo: the guy doesn't even have much page time at all, let alone any quality time with Harlow, but he, too, is portrayed as completely pussy whipped? Insta-love/insta-lust/insta-obsession must be contagious. The fact that the other guys mention him being super fixated on the investigation and Harlow's past only confirms that the romance between Harlow and the guys is written in a way that makes it look bad — trauma-based at best and shallow at worst.

Throughout the book, I just couldn't shake off the feeling that Hunter, Enzo and Theo only take an interest in Harlow because she's a victim of the murder case (that shaped her personality in a lot of ways, too) that the guys have already been obsessed with.

As in, the way their obsession with Harlow was written, it gave me the impression that their feelings for her weren't born out of their admiration for Harlow as a person but rather coming from misplaced protective instincts directed at their ward/girl who needed protection.

Yeah, there are scenes where they talk, watch movies, have breakfast and work on the investigation together, but none of them come close to giving me a glimpse of something special going on between them. Each time one of the guys would start paying attention to Harlow sexually, I felt annoyed and exasperated. Not to mention, weird. Reign in your dicks and let this girl heal properly first. She keeps tearing locks of her hair out on a daily basis to deal with her trauma and you lot want to stuff her with your dicks?? Bye —💀

✧ Same is true for Harlow: why does she wind up craving to kiss each of them? Giiirl, don't you think it's even a tiny bit weird all of them want you and you want all of them back? They act like monogamy isn't even the norm. 💀

Also, sometimes it appeared as if Harlow was using the guys' physical attraction as a coping mechanism to distract herself from the traumatic past. I can't believe how casual the reverse harem aspect is handled in this book, taking into account the sensitive topics it raises.

✧ It didn't help the matters (read: convince me all of them are super special and perfect for each other) that the guys already had a woman they loved deeply before... Not just a casual fling they'd share for fun from time to time, but their "soulmate" whose death left them devastated. Them falling for Harlow felt like some sort of trauma bonding experience for each party involved dressed up as "love/obsession".

Leighton: the only guy whose feelings don't come across as something 100 percent random. At least him and Harlow spend some quality time together. Plus, he was never part of the initial harem with the dead ex in the first place too busy serving his sentence in jail sjsjsj. That made their relationship with Harlow sound more or less authentic. Yet again, what's so special about Harlow for him to give up on his manwhoring ways? It didn't make sense to me how fast he transforms from playboy into smitten kitten. Their bond with Harlow isn't even that deep.

The whole romantic storyline only stands on one pillar: the author's wish to write about four lovesick guys panting after one girl rather than a logical progression of the plot.

In my opinion, this book lacks proper relationship development and any buildup: romance is too fast, underdeveloped, two steps at a time, rushed. Characters' feelings need to be developed through more showing and less telling. Otherwise, all the tension and intensity sip away.

It'd have made more sense (considering how plot-driven the story is and what delicate themes it explores: mental health, physical abuse, self harm, lose of a loved one) if the author only depicted the growing pull and attraction between the main characters in this book, and postponed any cheesy, trope-driven declarations until the next installments. Focusing on character development and building bonds between the h and each H one step at a time would have definitely given a romantic storyline more depth, authenticity and development.

Reverse harem is such a difficult subgenre to handle. I understand why RH authors prefer duets and trilogies to standalones. But they still keep rushing things, which doesn't help their books sound at least a little bit credible. Realistic? I stopped needing that in the romance genre a while ago I mean did you even see real life men, lol? No one wants that in fiction, too. There's still a limit to how much belief readers might be willing to suspend.

(I guess I have to be grateful that at least the author didn't turn the book into porn fest. In fact there are no sex scenes yet, besides some heavy petting and groping. Small mercies)

✧ On a side note, I didn't like yet another kidnapping the heroine has to endure at the very end — a super forced and unwelcome means to create additional drama. Couldn't care less about it. 🙄
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,323 reviews9,245 followers
August 30, 2023
thumbnail-IMG-0079-2-copy-2 📚 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐏𝐒𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐒 📚 Is the first full length romance book within the (Sabre Security) series by author J. Rose.
Spoken in Multiple POV's. Ends in a cliffy.

After having my eye on this for a while, picking up and putting down numerous others that couldn’t keep my attention I decided to bump this one up and jump in, and I’m so glad I took that plunge.

Straight away I was pulled in

A little bit gritty
A little bit dark.

I loved how this book played out, like a puzzle, piece by piece we were given snippets of Harlow’s captivity, held captive for thirteen years by pastor Michaels, taken in broad daylight at the age of nine as she walked home from school, she's been abused, tortured, many others didn’t survive, butchered right beside her own cage.

Harlow does manage to escape, making her the only living survivor for this very reason she's placed under the care of these four men.

Hunter: Is the fearless groups leader, highly intelligent, goodlooking, glacial, completely deaf in his right ear
Enzo: He's second in command and Hunters best friend. the brawn to his brains, the emotional one out of the group.
Theo: Is the groups tech guy, he can hack into any system. He's awkward, prefers to be behind a computer and wrapped up in textbooks, rather than surrounding himself with people.
Leighton: You always have that one clown within a group, lighthearted and carefree, he loves his trash tv, along with his trash food, is a huge fan of friends, and even though he's done a stint in prison he's not all dark and moody like one would expect.

Harlow is way stronger than she gives herself credit for, I have a few question marks where she's concerned, Harlow was the name given to her by her captives, why not change it? Why was she saved above all the others, Why is she so important to Pastor Michael? Others were sexually abused and she wasn't? She ended one life, did she end others?

A little bit sick
A little bit twisted
A little bit of a slow burn

The men are all so different, each have little broken pieces within themselves.

Until her

Piece by piece, bit by bit she puts them back together again. Things are slowly building up/heating up between her and these guys, you can feel it simmering in the background.

These guys are the best at what they do, running a top notch private security investigators who are tracking down one of Britain's most notorious serial killers who has butchered eighteen young girls. The victims come from working class backgrounds.

So this does end on a cliffy, bonus the others are out in the wide world. Byyyyeeeeeee. I'm off to start the next book!! I need answers to all my questions!!
 
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Profile Image for Crystal (Crystalreads2) .
872 reviews806 followers
November 16, 2022


4.5 Stars

Yet again, the author delivered a fantastic book. To say I was hooked from the start is an understatement—so many emotions. At times it's heartbreaking; I couldn't stop crying. It’s also intense and equally delightful.


I’m in such awe of our heroine, Harlow. The horrors she witnessed and went through and survived. She is a lot stronger than what she gives herself. Do not underestimate her.

Then the men. Each one is equally important to Harlow. Hunter is a hard one to crack but loves deeply. Enzo is brutal but very much soft, and Harlow has his heart. Theo is borderline obsessed but tries to keep a safe distance. Leighton is comical and more light-hearted in the group. Each one with their demons and is fiercely protective of Harlow. It's hard to pick one favorite in this group.

Corpse Road starts dark; on my dark scale, it's black. It does not stop throughout the book. I was worried the darkness would fizzle, but it didn't. Seriously, I should have known better about the author. The plot is fantastic, with a sadistic religious setting of a serial killer.

Now to wait for the next book to see what happens; I can't wait.

Profile Image for allie aurelia.
174 reviews11 followers
June 12, 2023
I really wanted to like this book, but there were some parts I couldn't look past.

I want to preface and say that I have no issue with Harlow whatsoever, she's not the problem I have with this book. My problem is the men (as it usually always is).

Semi spoilers ahead? Idk.

Harlow was kidnapped when she was 9 years old, and help captive for around 13 years. This would put her at about 22 years of age. Despite having lived for 9 years as a free person, Harlow does not remember much from those 9 years at all. There's a lot she doesn't know; for example what vampires are or what certain foods she likes or dislikes. My point is that when she escapes, she is severely traumatized and has to learn to acclimate to society. Now the 4 dildos who are "protecting" her, see her as subhuman. They are protecting her, but only from physical harm. They show little to no care for her mental health, often pushing her past her limits for the sake of catching the serial killer who tortured her. Hunter speaks cruelly towards her, insisting she is just "their job" which makes her thinks she hates him, because why would she think anything else? Enzo is nice towards her but gets wayyyy to attached to her too quickly, and is the first one to start looking at her sexually. This happens when she's only just gotten out of the hospital btw. Leighton literally sees Harlow SUCKING HER THUMB in her sleep, and is like yeah that's all woman right there. Like??? and even Theo is disgusting. When the men where pushing her to give them information, he literally thought to himself that he bets she isn't as innocent as she seems. One can only assume he is talking about sexually. Is he referring to how she has to watch her 'dad' rape 18 women?? Because what else could he be referring to?

They keep her holed up in their house. I understand she needs to be hidden while her captor is still at large, I get it. But instead of putting her in SCHOOL, because I don't think that girl could even remember what she learned prior to her abduction, they don't really help her at all. They should be focusing on her therapy sessions, because she is ripping her hair out as a form of self harm. They could put her in online school or something, because even though she remembers how to write it looks like if a 3 year old picked up a pencil. But instead, they mistreat her and lust after her. She is somewhat intimate with 3 of them at different points and it's really difficult for me to see it as anything consensual. When she was with Hunter, he was like "I want you to cum" or something like that and she's like "huh?" SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEANS????? It's hard for me to not see it as them taking advantage of her. She is so traumatized, uneducated, and practically a child.

To make everything 100000 times worse, the 4 predators SHARED A WOMAN BEFORE. They were in love with her, and she died. They are looking to fill the void, and they are using Harlow to do that. It came across very icky. I'm not a fan of the dead spouse trope, but with the context of this book it was even WORSE.

Anyways, this review is very messy but I had a lot of feelings and needed to vent them out lol. I do not plan on continuing the series. If you enjoyed it, good for you. Please don't feel bad if you enjoyed it just bc I didn't lol.
Profile Image for Kates.
72 reviews22 followers
November 27, 2022
I am not okay and i loved it.
 
Returning to university means that I don’t often have time to read a lot but i devoured this in a day. I think that just shows how addictive J Rose’s writing and storytelling is. I was completely bewitched by the disturbing and intense plot driven narrative, with plot twists and turns keeping my attention throughout. 
 
These characters have my heart. I loved Harlow and even when she is broken and down, she crawls if she can’t run, and keeps going. Not to mention her four crutches who are always on hand to help her. My favourite of the group changed all the time, first Enzo, then Leighton, then Hunter, and then Theo. I loved them all. 
 
The christmas scenes were the cutest and i’m such a sucker for hurt/comfort scenes, so i was spoiled with this. Building their little found family, they come together to protect and safeguard each other, whilst also going absolute alpha male on Harlow if even a hair was out of place on her head.  
 
Also, I love love loved seeing Brooklyn and the gang again, my babies are thriving and i love to see the outcome of their growth. 

- plot driven, dark, plot twists and turns
- escaped a serial killer/hunting a killer
- for fans of true crime
- traumatised but hella strong heroine
- four protective and possessive alpha men
- private security agency
- hurt/comfort
- grumpy/sunshine
- lots of suspense
- ANGST

I’ve loved everything I’ve read from this author, always a hit!
Profile Image for mia.
554 reviews260 followers
November 30, 2022
(Thank you Peachy Keen and the author J. Rose for the eARC in exchange for a spoiler free review)

Please check trigger warnings before reading.

When I saw that this book was connected to Blackwood Institute, I had to apply for this ARC. I read two books out of the series and fairly enjoyed it so I was curious about this book.

Reverse harem set in a crime world? Sign me up. I loved how brave and determined Harlow was, it is not easy to be in her shoes and go through whatever she did yet emerge because she is a winner. As with Blackwood Institute, the harem in this book also had their own flaws and strengths. I knew this book would be a slow burn so that the harem’s dynamics are shown and I do agree with that. It takes time to built trust and rapport when you have so many traumas and pain in you. I liked that this book was quite dark and it was maintained throughout the book.

I do think this book also had a good balance of character and plot development which is hard to find in a book. Though some twists were predictable, I liked that there was even a twist in this book because given the serial killer plotline it isn’t easy to combine that with all the trauma the different characters have. I appreciate this aspect greatly!

This book was a great start and I am looking forward to the next book!

Blackwood Institute ratings
Twisted Heathens
Sacrificial Sinners
Profile Image for Joy  Avery.
1,246 reviews117 followers
January 9, 2023
Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

Angst: 😈😡😢🧐

Cliffhanger? ✅️

Trigger Warnings: ☠️ ☠️ ☠️ ☠️ ☠️ 

Tropes: dark why choose, contemporary, grumpy sunshine, hurt/comfort, serial killer hunt

In therapy, you are guided to use your senses and list the facts you know. 1) Sermons recited with malice 2) bloody rituals 3) sobs of the dying 4) rotting flesh. Harlow grew up in a cage as she was tortured by the most sadistic and twisted servant of God, Pastor Michaels. Eighteen girls lives were stolen. After years of captivity, she escaped but doesn't recognize the world as it is now. The road she finds herself on is lined with corpses demanding vengeance from the grave. Since she was the only one to escape, she will live for them. A lifeline is offered by Sabre Security but she'll have to live through that hell all over again as each supressed memory to pulled from her, one at a time. The Hunter will become The Hunted.

This was not an easy journey to follow. It will drag you through the darkest of sick and twisted deeds as Harlow relives everything she witnessed. Four men become her lifeline. Enzo, Leighton, Hunter and Theo each help her heal in their own way as she wins back each piece of herself. Her beginning journey is emotionally dark and gritty but the plot is weaved with twists and turns, edge of your seat suspense, unbelievable acts, and angst. I am addicted to true crime shows so this book was right up my alley and I loved the suspense aspect and I have so many questions. I am dying for answers and am along for the ride from start to finish. I'm still relatively new to J. Rose's work but I've been very satisfied so far. Please don't read this if you are not a dark romance fan. This is my honest opinion, freely given. 
Profile Image for Natalie .
2,836 reviews30 followers
December 6, 2022
DNF @ 52%. I'm stopping there for now. I have no feeling to return to finish the other half. The story was interesting. But one character can ruin it all and for me, that was Hunter. Harlow is a victim but treated as a disposable lead to the police and the press. Hunter was full on and not in a good way. I preferred his fun-loving brother. Enzo felt more like an imprint comfort romance. Another time, another mood I might give this one a go. The press and Hunter's control over Harlow pissed me off. Might give Blackwood institute a go first.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Neelakshi.
460 reviews354 followers
July 25, 2023
Great plot.
Romance needs to convince me more because the plot was so wide stretched it overpowered the romance dynamic.
But BUT
Good nonetheless.

I want Harlow to shoot that pastor right between his eyes while she chants a prayer.
God bless gimme


*rereading because the third book just came out and i wanted to experience the whole thing sksks. I love*
Profile Image for Fabienne.
104 reviews341 followers
February 1, 2023
review coming later

---

J—you never disappoint. Corpse Roads is thrilling, emotionally heavy, nerve-wrecking and bittersweet. I loved this new reverse harem with a dark and criminal twist to it. The journey Harlow has been through and still is going through was written beautifully as well as devastatingly painful.

Her nightmares, her trauma, her horrible past did not make her any less strong. Harlow was no meek girl. Her resilience and the way J wrote her character was utter brilliance. J’s respectful deliverance of Harlow’s story was at times unpleasant though necessary for the plot. But most of all Harlow’s arch was heart-wrenching and I felt for her.

The most surprising aspect about this dark why choose romance is that is is a slow burn. And I think it was the best choice for this type of story. It made sense and it felt organic. Harlow coming to terms with who she was, is and who she will be in the group needed this slower exploration of sorts.

Anyways—a heartbreaking yet authentic crime story with themes such as New Age indoctrination, physical (sexual) and mental abuse. Respectfully written and even poetic at times. Great characterization and distinction of characters. Written from first person pov with multiple perspectives. Not entirely spicy yet, but for sure tension-filled and steamy. Would for sure recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Willie Mercedes.
849 reviews77 followers
November 26, 2022
TW/Tropes: physical and psychological abuse, torture, sexual assault and abuse, imprisonment, violence, serial murder, PTSD, religious trauma, Trichotillomania (self-harm by hair pulling), why choose

Corpse Roads is a dark why choose romance. This is a slow burn romance, so the relationships will develop over time, and the spice level will build up with each book. Hunter, Theo, Enzo and Leighton were born of wild hope -they are not heroes, but people capable of taking something intrinsically broken and piecing it back together. If you’ve read The Blackwood Institute, you would have meet them. Harlow, is the only surviving victim of a serial killer who has killed over 18 girls. She escaped captivity and came under the protection of Sabre Security. The plot is amazing - I can't wait for the next book to find out more and to find out who this religious serial killer is. I love the cameos of Brooklyn and her boys!
Profile Image for Mandyloves2read.
1,514 reviews165 followers
December 3, 2022
Wow this author never disappoints with her stories! I am speechless! Her writing sucks you in this one is filled with trauma darkness and emotions it’s dark twisted and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through I am hooked that ending left me wanting so much more and I can’t wait for the next book already! Phenomenal read!
Profile Image for Micky Luciano NefariousReads.
335 reviews46 followers
November 28, 2022
4.5/5 Stars!

First off, I am a sucker for anything that contains a dark religious theme such as a religious cult, and I am also a sucker for true crime vibes. When I tell you this book's plot was exhilarating, I mean to say I think the author crafted it with me in mind! This book was intense right off that bat with a heroine who has the strength to escape something truly evil after years of captivity. We get the infamous why choose romance when she lands herself in protective custody of men who are enamored and protective of such a fierce fighter, but also men afraid to loose something so special.

I loved that this heroine who goes through something so traumatic shows a lot of strength, but also shows a lot of struggle and growth. It made her heartbreaking story feel more real, and I appreciated the mental health and awareness the author incorporated into the story. We get to see growth in the men as well, and I love when an author can create complex characters, with complex emotions, and then grow them as the story and plot grows. This book is a bit a slow burn, but I promise with the high action plot and massive amounts of secrets you will hardly notice slow build in heat between the love interests.

This book is full of amazing characters, tons of secrets, and a type of darkness that call to me. This book is great for those who like why choose romances, slow burns, dark religious themes, true crime vibes, and found family as a trope. I can not wait to continue the series, and I hope to get into more from the author soon!
Profile Image for booklover1816.
345 reviews45 followers
November 15, 2022
Corpse Roads is yet another wickedly addictive masterpiece from the brilliant and twisted mind of J. Rose. I was deliriously consumed from the start to finish, obsessed in every way with these complicated characters and their twisted world- the angst, all the twists, and all that yummy drama!

This author is without a doubt one of my top authors to read. AND THIS BOOK is just one example of why. I can always count on her to give me a character (or characters!) that I'm going to fall in love with. She writes some seriously amazing heroines and the kind of heroes that you end up swooning over!

This is one of those books where I can only say so much without giving the goods away. But, let me tell you, this is an experience you do not want to miss! If you’re looking for a book that will have you completely immersed into its world unable to walk away, this is a must read for you.
Profile Image for kim_is_bookish.
525 reviews19 followers
November 26, 2022
ARC REVIEW

J Rose is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint with this book! I slid in her DMs on Instagram almost immediately and gave her regular updates. At 36%, I was emotional and cried. I absolutely loved it and I can’t wait for book 2! If you’ve read the Blackwood Institute series, this is set in the same world and we even get cameos from our favorite characters! While this book contains dark themes, a heavily traumatized main female characters and emotionally damaged men, I consider this book on the softer side of dark romance! There is a lot of caring involved for the FMC by the men and the healing journey for everyone is a main part of the story! That being said, please read the TWs listed at the beginning of the book.
Profile Image for evelynn kate.
510 reviews
June 12, 2023
Plot 3/5⭐️
Spice 2/5🌶️
Romance 2/5💘
Tension 3/5🥵
Vibes 4/5👏🏻

Forgot that I read this a few weeks ago. Binged in one night so it definitely hooked me. But the characters aren't very memorable and I couldn't tell you much about them. Started reading book 2 the next day but haven't quite finished it.
Profile Image for BookTrovert.
143 reviews19 followers
February 3, 2024
TW. The story started good, but as it progressed, things would seem to happen off the book, and the author just expected you to know, like the relationship stuff. They hardly know each other, but then all of a sudden, they have all these feelings. It's just not believable.
Profile Image for Sara.
173 reviews56 followers
February 23, 2024
This is my review for all 3 books in this series.

I have been so nervous about starting this series because I love as in loooove Blackwood Institute. But of course I should have known there was nothing to worry about because J Rose absolutely smashed it.

I don't think anything will beat Blackwood Institute, I mean it's no. 2 on my all time favorites list and I don't see anything knocking it off the podium anytime soon.

But this was so good. I was so happy to be semi back in this world. I enjoyed seeing old characters again. More importantly I enjoyed this new world of J Rose's.

Usually in books I like the male character more than the girl, but here I loved Harlow so much. I loved seeing her grow. She went from quiet and scared to strong, resilient and brave. She was damn brave, she didn't think twice about sacrificing herself to save those she loved and I was so here for it.

I loved the guys too of course. I think Leighton was my favorite. He was so sweet and funny. I felt like each of the guys gave something to Harlow that she needed in order to grow into herself.

I'm sad this whole world is over but man have I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for yulia✰.
54 reviews2 followers
August 10, 2023
After reading only the beginning, I thought the book would be too violent for me and thought about stopping reading. but I don't regret continuing. the characters are as always on top, all interesting and so broken. the plot is also very intriguing. a separate big plus is my kids from blackwood, I cried when I saw the mention of brooklyn. the only minus (for me personally) is a lot of references to the past, there are really a lot of them, although it all happened a long time ago.
Profile Image for Raven Badini.
64 reviews2 followers
March 4, 2024
WOW. Another 5 star read from J Rose, I’m not surprised at all… Definitely read Blackwood Institue first to fully appreciate the characters of the authors shared universe! It was so cool to see Brooklyns character development from Blackwood to Saber Security.
September 19, 2023
Oh my this was one crazy read. While I'm used to and love a good crazy character (like in Blackwood Institute) this book revolves more around a heroine who escapes a true psychopath and tries to find her place in the world. Harlow is scarred in more ways than one but manages to adjust to the world rather well for someone whose not seen sun in over ten years. Luckily in her daring escape the guys of Sabre Security take over the case and work to keep Harlow safe and get her tormentor caught and sentenced. Personally I think things move a little fast for Harlow given her history but she knows what she can handle I guess. By the end there is no capture of the big bad but he is super duper mad and it makes him surprisingly more dangerous. I think at this point the guys are rather obsessed with Harlow and already don't want to let her go. Here's to hoping their HEA isn't too horrible.
Profile Image for Ashley.
282 reviews11 followers
December 16, 2022
After seeing the rating (which I admittedly put way to much credence in when picking my next read) and reading the blurb... I couldn't download this fast enough on KU.

I went into this with high expectations and thats probably why I was so disappointed by this book.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good enough read but it had a few things that I just can't stand in my romance books so I had a hard time staying interested.
👉🏼Heroes pining after another woman
👉🏼OTT dramas
I wanted to DNF this so bad, but I didn't. Though I did skim quite a bit towards the end.

I really liked the premise of this... the rescued/escaped from captivity is probably one of my favorite tropes.
The first half was great.

Then they mentioned Alyson...



At least half the guys in Harlow's harem are still pining after their lost love... their soulmate
Yeah. No thanks.

I felt offended on Harlow's behalf even though she was like "oh Alyson? Cool." (she didn't really say that... fyi)
Anyways.

I get it, they have pasts... Harlow's not gonna be the first woman they've ever been with, but when she's essentially just a replacement...


I'm good.

They were constantly comparing Harlow and still mourning Alyson.

Then around the 75ish percent mark something happens and I was done.
I kept reading because I figured I may as well just finish by this point, but I essentially skimmed those last chapters because I had fully checked out of the story.



Yeah, I'm not buying it either.

There's also the fact that Harlow literally just spent the last thirteen years in a dungeon watching other women being .
I found it hard to believe that she would so willingly jump into romantic relationships with at least 3 different guys within a few weeks/months of her escape.

Also, the development of the relationships were kind of lacking outside of Harlow and Leighton. We see them hanging out and getting to know each other. He takes the time to understand her.
With Enzo it was more of an instant thing... he saw her and immediately felt this protectiveness over Harlow.
With Hunter... it didn't make much sense to me. He says at one point in the book that from the moment he saw her he wanted her, but that doesn't make sense because the first time he saw her, she was beaten and bruised in the hospital. Then he uses her, uncaring of her trauma, and was honestly kind of a d*ck.
Then there's Theo who stayed hidden at HQ for nearly the entire book, still grieving of Alyson. All of a sudden he and Harlow are reading buddies and we're expected to believe there's some connection between the two and... I just wasn't feeling it.

I think I'm being nitpicky though... so ignore me.

Anyways.

Aside from that... it was well written.
I will say that if you didn't read the Blackwood Institute series before reading this, you might be a little lost because the characters from that series play a significant role in this book and it's just assumed that you know the characters.
I did not know them and tbh... I found them a little annoying.
I suspect that has a lot to do with the fact that I did not read their books.
But whatever. My bad.

I won't be continuing this series... but that has more to do with my own personal preferences than it does with the actual book. There's a very good chance that if you aren't me, you'll love this story. I just kind of can't stand when the main female character isn't the focal point in RH... and even though Alyson isn't technically a part of this story, she also kind of is.
Profile Image for Stephanie Gillespie.
378 reviews201 followers
December 2, 2022
Content Warning: physical abuse, sexual assault, rape, graphic torture, detail murders, dismemberment, violence, religious trauma, PTSD, self harm.

Please note this is not a standalone, it is the first book in a duet set in the same world as the Blackwood Institute.

🥀 Dark Romance
🥀 Slow Burn Why Choose
🥀 Serial killer investigation
🥀 Found family
🥀 Hurt/Comfort

“The devil whispers to me sometimes, telling me to fight back.”

J Rose knows how to write dark emotional stories. This book starts out very dark, with Harlow our main female protagonist being held captive in a cage by Pastor Michaels, she has been tortured and abused for years. The horrors she has witnessed, others girls being raped and tortured. She finally gets her chance to escape captivity and is now under the protection of Sabre.

Sabre Security has been investigating these murders for along time without any leads, until Harlow. She did not only witness the murders but actually became aquatinted with the victims. Sabre is made up of Enzo, Theo and Hunter. They have been broken by the loss of someone they loved. Taking in Harlow forces then to open up to someone again.

Harlow does not want to remain a victim, she wants to bring justice to all the girls who have been murdered and prevent any more deaths. The way JRose writes trauma feels very authentic. Again I am blow away by her writing!!

“Monsters can wear many masks, and the kindest smiles often hide the sickest of souls.”

Author’s Note: Corpse Roads (Sabre Security #1) is a contemporary reverse harem romance set in the same universe as the Blackwood Institute series, which can be read first but is not compulsory.
Profile Image for Laura (lady_h_reads).
517 reviews147 followers
November 20, 2022
Holy moly! I knew this was going to be good, having read J Rose’s dark romance series Blackwood Institute earlier this year. She delivered once again with an excellent dive into the darkness of the human mind and the fractured pieces that remain after trauma.

The FMC, Harlow, is the only surviving victim of a serial killer who has killed over 18 girls. She escaped captivity and came under the protection of Sabre Security, who has been tirelessly working on the case. She is broken physically and mentally, and the line separating reality from her past keeps wavering. But she does not want to remain a victim; she wants to help bring justice to all the girls who have been killed and prevent any further deaths.

It is a slow-burn romance. Harlow is recovering from the physical and mental @buse she has suffered for 13 years and is not mentally prepared for anything further. That part was extremely well done and faithful to reality. It would have been fantastical to have her act any differently – and the MMCs were respectful, never pushing her.

Harlow isn’t the only one who needs healing. The men of Sabre have been broken by the loss of someone they loved years before. What once was a family is now a group of friends who overwork themselves and rarely come home to their shared house, if they return at all. Taking Harlow in forces them to open up again and live. Something about her draws them back out of the haze they’ve been living in for years.

I loved watching them transition from her being a client they needed to protect, to someone whose inner strength they respected, to a friend, and finally, someone they couldn’t live without.

While not required, I recommend reading the Blackwood Institute series before diving into Corpse Roads. We are first introduced to Sabre in that series, and several characters return to play roles in this series. Plus, it really is a great read that I highly recommend in its own right.

This book is very dark. TW are listed at the beginning of the book. Please read if required.
Profile Image for Kade Gulluscio.
934 reviews57 followers
February 23, 2023
2-2-23; I just HAD to read this again right before I dove into the ARC for book two [ Skeletal Hearts. ] I wanted to give myself a quick refresher and remind myself just how much I adored this book. I'm so glad I did. I fell in love with Harlow, Leighton and the rest of the guys all over again. J Rose is .. so insanely talented with words. I'm not sure I can do her justice with my words, but man. Her books? Beautiful. She truly writes books for those of us who understand trauma. The character development is everything I've ever wanted. The world building? Brilliant. If you're into reverse harems with troubled / traumatized / damaged characters, these are the books for you. Pick it up asap!

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Let me start by saying that I absolutely adore J Rose and all of her books. She is amazingly talented, and that talent followed her into this book as well. Corpse Roads is utterly amazing. Be warned, this book is DARK. The subject matter, the plot, everything - it's dark, and it holds onto that darkness until the end. So be sure to read trigger warnings.

The character development in this book is... -chef's kiss.- Whether you loved or hated these characters, you can't deny that J Rose did a fabulous job at making us get to know them as people.
And the world development?! Holy cow man. I felt like I was THERE, watching everything unfold in real time. What an unique storyline too.. a super religious.. almost cult like serial killer setting.

Our FMC Harlow is... so incredibly strong. Her journey is heartbreaking but admirable. She experienced things no human should have to, and yet she came out of it all even stronger. She never gave in, she never gave up hope.
The men..... where to begin. Each of these men are unique. They are rough around the edges, have their own trauma, but they each bring so much to the table for Harlow. I sincerely love how protective they are of Harlow. Be still my heart.

Seriously. Read this book. Especially if you loved J Roses' other books.
Profile Image for Ashley.
179 reviews11 followers
November 27, 2022
I could not put this book down. I think J Rose put drugs or something in this book because I was immediately addicted. I read this in a day which doesn't happen to me that often because I am such a slow reader at times. So many emotions while reading this!? The suspense I felt, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. Think criminal minds mixed with an RH. So good!?!
Profile Image for Kelly.
319 reviews
May 25, 2023
There's suspension of disbelief

And then there's this. All spoilers from chapters 1-5.
Harlow is an extremely sympathetic character--for the purposes of this story, too much so. She's released from the hospital after a handful of days...this girl would be in the hospital for ~months~. She's going to have daily if not twice daily psych sessions. She's going to have PT and OT. There are multiple reconstructive surgeries in her future. Maybe most disappointing was that Rose couldn't be bothered to look up treatment s for extreme malnutrition. I'll tell you, it isn't protein shakes and jelly.
Really, she shouldn't be a narrator. What she is and isn't supposed to recognize about society impedes the flow of the story. Harlow, as much as I want to know more about her, is not going to be entertaining multiple men physically, let alone psychologically, for years, if she's ever able to do so. Insta love isn't clearing this hurdle.
Profile Image for M♡LLY’S LIBR☆RY.
234 reviews8 followers
December 12, 2023
Harlow doesn’t know what a cell phone is, but she knows (and recognizes) what a hearing aid is? She doesn’t know what the word vampire means, but she’ll compliment a home’s modern amenities? I know I can’t be the only one who notices details like this.

This was actually very good, I read it in one sitting, but it’s incredibly dark. CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS 🆘
Profile Image for _Britts_Books_.
113 reviews10 followers
January 12, 2024
The plot for this book sounded intriguing as a fan of the WITSEC series. However, the relationships between her and the guys is off it feels like they’re farther along than I typically see in a first book in a series and I feel like there hasn’t been enough on page interaction to get to this point for Harlow and the guys.

One character, Theo, had so little interaction it took me a moment to realize he was apart of the RH and then it’s like he joins all the sudden despite having a lot of issues with the other members of the group. I’m still curious to see how it’s going to end cause the plot itself is crazy/intense.

I can see the potential I feel like the author really did have a thought process for it but there was a disconnect putting it to paper. Idk I’ll have to think it over if I want to continue the series but I’m not feeling any urge to get to the next book at this time.
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