Heartless Heathens by Santana Knox: A Dark Romance Obsession

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They warned me. Said Heartless Heathens would swallow me whole—and they were right. If you’ve found yourself spiraling deeper into the world of gothic romance, this is the book you’ve likely heard whispered about—rightfully so. Santana Knox doesn’t write stories. She crafts obsessions.

And Heartless Heathens is the kind of dark, atmospheric read that doesn’t just pull you in—it drags you under. This dark gothic romance blends danger, desire, and chaos with the kind of tension that lingers long after the last page.

Knox weaves rich, unflinching content—elemental romance, brutal heat, broken boys, and choices that don’t come clean. Whether you’re new to her books or already haunted by her words, this story cuts deep and carves its place into your bloodstream like only a true gothic romance can.

Title: Heartless Heathens

Author: Santana Knox

Publisher: Baneful Ink Publishing

Format: eBook(Kindle Unlimited)

Genre: Dark Romance, Reverse Harem, Gothic Romance

Release Date: December 26, 2022

Pages: 406

Star Rating: 4.5 stars

Spice Rating: 5 chili peppers

The Dark Will Call to You…

There’s something about Heartless Heathens that crept up on me. It didn’t scream for my attention—it seduced it. Quietly at first. A glance. A shift. A line that lingered a little too long in my chest. But before I knew it, I was in too deep. Santana Knox has a way of writing romance (and let’s not forget about MMCs) that feels of reckless grace. The kind that pulls you toward the fire, even as you feel it starting to burn.

This isn’t just a dark romance. It’s emotional warfare dressed in a gothic atmosphere and sacred tension. There’s a weight to this story—heavy and holy. It gave me Hunchback of Notre Dame vibes in the best possible way. Not because it’s a retelling (it’s not), or a fractured fairytale (it’s definitely not), but because it shares that same haunting ache. The feeling of wanting what you shouldn’t have, of being looked at like a savior and a sinner, all at once. It’s the slow unraveling. The forbidden longing. The ruin that feels almost holy.

“You call out God’s name one more time while I’m between your legs, and even he won’t be able to save you, little lamb,” he rumbled into my ear.

Every page of this book dared me to trust its direction, and every time I did, it broke me a little more beautifully.

And then there are the men. Because yes, this is a why-choose-romance, and Santana doesn’t hold back. This isn’t the kind of story where the spice trickles in halfway through. It’s here, often, in almost every chapter.

Tap…tap…tap…

*Side note* Truthfully, this is all smut; there is just barely a plot. But sometimes a girl just needs to enjoy the moment. Let the men be unhinged. Let the world burn a little. Allow yourself to feel wanted.

Ok, back to your regularly scheduled review.

Sometimes it’s soft. Sometimes it’s a storm. But it’s always charged, always possessive, and never just for show. The tension isn’t just physical—it’s emotional, territorial, feral.

Each of the guys offers something wildly different, but all of them are tethered to Romina in ways that feel messy and magnetic.

“Once you’d begun to toy with the very fabric of your own sanity, all you could do is grab a sled and slide down that steep slope like the Devil himself was on your back.”

Sonny is the asshole—you’ll hate him until you don’t, and even then, you’ll question why you do. He’s sharp edges and sharp words, all designed to cut.

Felix is the golden retriever with blood on his teeth—loyal, sweet, but unhinged in the best ways when it comes to protecting what’s his.

“I don’t know, Pet. I’m not a monster. I’m a son of the Devil. I don’t ask for anything; it’s offered to me freely.”

And then there’s Corvin. My favorite—not because he falls the hardest (though he does), but because of how he sees her. Corvin isn’t just falling—he’s fighting for Romina to reclaim something that was stolen. Her power. Voice. Her agency. And he does it not by rescuing her, but by standing beside her. Steady. Unshakable. Watching her burn the world down and whispering, Do it again.

But for all the spice, chaos, and possessive love, the ache stays. The quiet moments, the broken edges, the soft, sacred reminders that healing doesn’t always come in gentle hands. Sometimes, it comes from being seen at your most unlovable and still being chosen, not fixed, not saved, but chosen.

Romina isn’t a perfect heroine. She’s not polished or passive. She’s messy. Angry. Wounded. And that’s exactly why she feels so real. Her story isn’t about falling in love but reclaiming herself, standing back up in the wreckage, and daring to want more. It left my heart pounding in ways I didn’t expect. It made me feel found.

“Oh my sweet little pet, make no mistake: I am that abomination,” he said, reaching out to caress my face. “And it is your soul I will devour.”

This book isn’t safe. It’s not soft. But if you’re someone who craves stories that cut a little deeper—if you’ve ever wanted to be shattered and worshipped in the same breath—Heartless Heathens will leave its mark. And maybe, if you’re lucky, it’ll carve out a piece of you that feels a little more whole than it did before.

So, who would I recommend Heartless Heathens to? Heartless Heathens is the kind of book that doesn’t ask you to love it—it dares you to. It doesn’t hold your hand; it grips your throat. Santana Knox has crafted a story that’s as brutal as it is beautiful, layered in smoke, scars, and a kind of devotion that doesn’t beg for forgiveness.

If you’re craving a gothic romance where the men are unhinged, the heroine is rising from the ashes, and the love is as dangerous as it is divine, this book doesn’t just deliver. It devours. And when it’s over, you won’t be the same. You’ll crave more. You’ll feel marked. And if you’re anything like me… you’ll turn the last page and whisper, I’d let them break me and build me up again.

Don’t forget to shop at your local indie bookstore and pick up a copy of Heartless Heathens.

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