Sophie Lark

I Couldn’t Kill Mara…

But that doesn’t mean Shaw won’t.

She’s living in my house, always with me, always under my control.

The more I push her, the more she pushes back.

She’s peeling away my secrets, one by one. And I’m tempting her to do things she never thought she’d do…

Shaw won’t stop hunting her.

When the time comes to act, will Mara be ready?


The Lark Notes:
I was so pleased how many women identified with Mara’s character - with her sensory issues and history of trauma. It sounds crazy to call this an “inspirational story of murder”, but at the end of part two, I hope you will indeed feel inspired by Mara’s journey. — Sophie

"There Is No Devil” is the second half of the Sinners Duet. Reader be warned: this is a dark and steamy serial killer romance that may be triggering to some.

Sinners Duet: Book 2

There Is No Devil 

Hailey

aliza

this was so fucking amazing ? two art geniuses who kill tgt ? i did not know i needed that in a dark romance this was perfect !

honya

this actually took me forever to read. i absolutely ADOREEEEE the quotes in this book but idk it was kinda boring😭 the first book was a 5 stars tho so altogether i‘d give this dualogy a 4 stars (mara SLAYSSS and cole omfg)

Skye

“I only want what I’m not supposed to have.”

•

if you saw my review of the first book — 
  There Are No Saints
 — you know it wasn’t my favorite, but it was a quick read, and I needed to see how the story ended. so, here we are. I liked There Is No Devil more than the first one because I got to know more about the main characters. I still didn’t find myself caring about them all that much, but I didn’t appreciate getting the deeper insight of them. the themes and content are very dark, so check out trigger warnings.

•

read if you like:

♡ dark romance 
♡ possessive 
♡ serial killer romance 
♡ art / art scene 
♡ anti-hero
♡ praise 
♡ flashbacks
♡ revenge 

trigger warnings:
 
☞ kidnapping 
☞ suicide
☞ stalking 
☞ brutal murder 
☞ gory descriptions 
☞ child abuse
☞ sexual assault (adults and minors)
 
•

Allison Freedman

“Mara is my other half. Not my twin, but the parts of me that were missing.”

I LOVED this duology! The connection between Mara and Cole was RIVETING and had me utterly captivated the entire read. I was addicted to them. The spice definitely gets turnt up in this one, HELLO the pottery wheel scene?! Their character growth and communication were very much similar to my favorite dark romance couple, Zade and Addie, so I absolutely recommend reading if you were a fan of Haunting. I am a sucker for a good cheesy HEA ending, but the epilogue was so fitting. I couldn’t have asked for a more suitable ending for our twisted couple. I’m going to miss these two so much. Definitely diving into more books by this author!

Lorna Beckett

aizea

this book just proved to me what i already know, anything sophie lark writes is absolutely incredible.

Caroll-Ann

Just like the last book, the smut threw me off a whole lot. I usually like a little smut but considering that he’s a serial killer made it all so cringey to me. 

Anyway, the story itself is okay, just like the first book. I’m okay with having read it but I now know that I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to anyone.

Penelope Held

cris 🫀

3.5


  There Is No Devil es la continuación de There Are No Saints, en este segundo libro seguimos viendo la historia de Cole y Mara, como se desarrolla su relación románticamente y el proceso por el que tienen que pasar para conocerse el uno al otro; además de lo que harán para enfrentarse a Shaw.


Este segundo libro la verdad es que sí me gustó, aquí es donde conocemos las personalidades de los protagonistas. 

Mara es una artista muy sensible, plasma sus sentimientos y desnuda su alma para que el mundo la vea, en este libro vemos como va creciendo y tomando reconocimiento en el mundo artístico, todo de la mano de Cole.

Cole por su parte es un personaje muy interesante, con un pasado un tanto trágico. Aquí él nos cuenta cómo fue su infancia y nos revela, ¡oh sorpresa! que es un psicópata (literalmente hablando), pero no es sorpresa para nadie después de leer el primer libro. Sin embargo esta "verdad" resulta de gran importancia para un acontecimiento de su infancia.

Conociendo el pasado tanto de él como de Mara, me permitió llegar a conectar con los personajes. Y he de decir, que a diferencia del primer libro, la dinámica de la relación en este segundo me gustó mucho. Ahora sí vemos el lado "romántico" de la obsesión de Cole con Mara. Vemos como ambos comienzan a desarrollar sus sentimientos, como a él le encantaba mimarla y como ella gracias a todo su pasado estaba deseosa de ese tipo de afecto. Sinceramente es todo un contraste con el primer libro. 

 Quiero dejar en claro algo, cuando digo lado romántico de una obsesión me refiero al contexto de la relación del libro y del género dark romance, bajo ninguna circunstancia estoy romantizando una obsesión en la vida real, porque bueno no hace falta decirlo pero ESTÁ MAL ROMANTIZAR ESO VERDADERAMENTE. Dejando claro eso, procedo.

En cuanto al desarrollo del problema, es decir todo el asunto de Shaw, me pasó justo como con el primer tomo. Se pierde un poco y queda detrás del desarrollo de la relación de Cole y Mara. Hubiera sido mejor que el desarrollo de ellos girara entorno al asunto de Shaw, así todo se complementaba bien.

Me gustó como Mara conoció su verdadero "yo", como pudo ser ella misma con Cole sin miedo a que se avergonzara de ella. Como Cole se abrió con Maray, como se permitió amarla y conocerla. Lo que no me gustó es la forma en que se solucionó todo, i mean, había un serio problema y muchos inconvenientes y de repente se acaba el capítulo, abre uno nuevo y todo ya está solucionado. ¿Cómo? de una forma conveniente que te resumen en dos párrafos. 

¿Recomiendo estos libros? Sí, pero sólo si estás consiente que todo el primer libro va a ser tratado desde un punto de vista obsesivo, pongo el ejemplo de nuevo de la serie YOU. Para mí la historia vale la pena una vez que se lee este segundo libro, por eso es una lástima que Sophie los separara, porque la primera parte se siente totalmente incompleta sin esta segunda.

Abigail Joyann

Daniella Cuesta

Ok so I fucking sped read through this entire thing and this isn’t a spoiler but honestly 70% of this book was Mara getting absolutely piped down by Cole and while Usually I wouldn’t complain, this book deserved more plot. I think there are ways that the story could have gone to make it as gritty and dark as the first. Don’t get me wrong, there is a moment in which we see Cole truly unhinged and Mara is there to finally see him in all his narcissistic and unempathetic glory but I would dare to say that there could have been more to see. I also think the rivalry between Shaw and Cole could have been more emotional. I was waiting for the homoerotic undertones of Hannibal ( I think everything should be like NBCs Hannibal) but I didn’t get it. I felt like the story between them could have been nastier and grittier as well. But surely that is all preference on my part. Overall the story was good and wasn’t something to easily put down so it is definitely worth the 4 stars. I think I just like my killers a bit… more???!

kris

I don’t have much else to say than… Holy crap. Im not sure why I took so long to start reading Sophie Larks books but I can say with out a doubt i’m hooked. I love love LOVE when fmcs get in touch with their dark side, using all of that harbored rage.. cant get enough.

nory

2.5 i enjoyed the first book a lot more but i love maracole so this was fun

Jacquelyn Hood

Absolutely devoured this book, after loving the first one so much. There is no Devil was amazing for answering any lingering questions that I had after the first book in the duet. I loved learning more on Coles back story. 
Their love is so twisted and frayed but perfectly them. The way Lark wrote them I felt perfectly captured the story like puzzle pieces fitting together. The ending was beautiful and everything they deserved.

Sarah Crouse

How was the first one so good and this one so bad? 

The ending is so RUSHED. Disappointed.

Zehra

I didn’t want to read it tbh but it was better than the first book 

Maggie Hepditch

The overall vibe of this book is "I support women's rights but I also support women's wrongs" except, tbh, not a single thing she did was wrong. The character development was fantastic, I rolled my eyes at some parts but the ending was so thrilling it made up for everything else. I love how much they love each other.

Kristen Gillis

“The devil himself. Eyes as black as pits, always burning. Face as beautiful as sin. Mouth forever hungry, swallowing me whole”

Do serial killers and murders deserve a happy ending? The answer is yes!

Cole pushes and pushes Mara, he wants to see how far he can go until she breaks. Boy does she break in the most beautiful way, she no longer hides away in the cage she’s created for herself.

Cole and Mara were absolutely made for each other, they have complete and undeniable chemistry. He really helps her move past her trauma in a way that only Cole could.

This book was the perfect way to wrap up this duet

Anna Bush

Phenomenal. Even better than the first! The story alone is so captivating and watching Mara and Cole grow into the full versions of themselves is intoxicating. They smut is amazing and it doesn’t overshadow the storyline. It’s a perfect balance. I love this book, I couldn’t put it down. 

Emma B

4.5 ★ 

well wow. just wow. all that I was missing from book 1 came to me in color in book 2. I got everything I needed & more from Cole & Mara. the character development of both characters was truly beautiful & even made me ache in some ways. I loved everything about book 2, but truly watching Cole become more was just wonderful to see. I love the depth of the characters & how it seemed I was literally in their heads throughout the whole story. I enjoyed all of the analyzing & the plot & the spice. 

I am a believer now. Go read this duet immediately peeps.

Yasmim Linhares

** spoiler alert **
           Goddamit what an amazing ending to the story! I love it so fucking much. And it's so touching too, how Mara and Cole find themselves and each other, how they change each other for the better. Even with all the killing hahah I'm gonna miss them. Sophie Lark, you amazing queen, thank you for another perfect book!

Tanya 

This is the ending that Cole & Mara deserved. I loved book one so much I was actually scared book 2 would let me down & THANK GOD IT DIDN’T.

So coming from pt.1 of the duet we know two things: Mara & Cole are falling in love w/ each other & two they both have an enemy that needs to go.

I absolutely adored the growth that we get to see in both of them with this book. As opposed to book one where we learn about their differences and what’s pulling them together. Here we get to see how well they are together as a couple. The obsession went both ways and I was eating that shit up. Getting to know more about both or their pasts was sad yet refreshing because it gives us a lot of insight to our MCs.

I LOVED how supportive and loving Cole was for Mara he literally only wanted to lift her up and help her find the best version of herself as uncomfortable as that may be. The writing was absolutely beautiful I just enjoyed this so much. 70% mark had me shaking in my boots about how this would all end and I’m so happy with the way that it ended. The love, passion, understanding & kinship that these two have is everything. You guys should definitely read this duet. Thank you for the ARC Sophie

Alexandra 

Phenomenal ending to this Sinner Duet. I can't even comprehend how much I love these two books. Could not get anymore perfect. We get so much more of a backstory of Mara and Cole's childhood that really helps us understand how they were both shaped so drastically. 

What I loved the most of this duet is that while it is absolutely a serial killer dark romance - Mara stole the entire show and Cole was HAPPY to let her do it. Cole's obsession with Mara from the perspective of a possible future victim's of his morphs rather drastically when she stands up for herself against him. This impresses Cole and from that point forward he wants to keep challenging her, refining her talent, because he sees what shes capable of...he sees the level of greatness she can achieve. He never tries to change her but instead forces her to look in the mirror and acknowledge her potential as an artist but also....a possible killer herself. Cole lifts her up, praises her, but also takes care of her when SHE needs it. 

The moment when you see Cole starts falling for her is when he is staring at her while shes in the window basically completely bare to him and he just looks at her and says "YOURE A GODDESS" - I simply passed away 

Cole shows her what he is fully capable of to make sure she is comfortable with what they have to do wit Shaw and it works. She conquers her abusers in a spectacular way. 

Cole and Mara were MADE for each other. The epilogue was simply perfect - how Mara just took care of "things" for Cole simply. Im sad we won't see these 2 again but I am so thankful that they now exist in our minds. 

5/5 - PLOT 
3.5/5 -Spice 

** received ARC for honest review **

Maya Federman

It's not often that I am rendered truly awestruck by a book, but Sophie managed to knock me on my ass once again with book 2 of the Sinner's Duet.

TIND picks up right where TANS left off, with Mara going to live with Cole as they figure out their next move regarding Shaw. This forced proximity vibe not only allows Cole to keep a close eye on Mara's every move but also allows for any remaining barriers between the two of them to evaporate. They're singularly able to see into the deepest parts of each other, flaws and all, and wholeheartedly accept each other regardless of perceived flaws.

We witness a good deal of Cole's growth in book 1, but his evolution into a compassionate, equal partner to Mara is staggering here. He's still a few points removed from living in his emotions, but being with Mara has enabled him to experience joy and happiness and empathy for likely the first time, and that shit made me emotional. And Cole's playful side? BYE.

Mara comes into her own as well in this finale--both artistically and in taking back the reins to her life. Again, I absolutely love that Mara deals with sensory sensitivities because as someone with similar sensitivities it's very comforting to see that represented in such a bad bitch of a character. 

This book was flawless and had one of the most satisfying endings I think I've ever read. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Sophie Lark is a genius and I can't wait to see what she does next.

There Is No Devil Sinners Duet: Book 2

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