Cruel Beginnings

Cruel World, Book 1

By: Lili St. Germain, Lyra Parish

Narrated by: Michelle Sparks, Blake Lockheart

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

I’m not a girl who expects to be saved.

I gave up on fairytales a long time ago.

So when my knight in shining Armani stalks into town and delivers me from my tragic fate, I’m grateful.

Darius Prince shouldn’t be in the seedy strip club where I’m paying off my mother’s debts, one piece of my soul at a time. And he definitely shouldn’t be the one who claims me in exchange for a suitcase full of trust fund cash and a deal inked in blood.

His dark eyes shine with a hatred so deadly, I wonder why he wants me at all. Especially when I find out he thinks I’m somehow connected to his twin sister’s disappearance.

Darius doesn’t rescue me. Instead, he drags me into his web of tragic secrets and forbidden desires. He binds me so tight, I can’t find my way out of his grasp. Not that it would make a difference. Escaping my fate isn’t an option.

They say every ending is a new beginning. I just didn’t expect my beginning to be so cruel.

Proceed with caution: This isn’t just an enemies-to-lovers dark romance. Listener's discretion is advised. Cruel Beginnings features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. For all content warnings, check the author's websites. Cruel Beginnings is book one of Darius and Birdie's story. It is a trilogy, and the books must be heard in order.

©2023 Lyra Parish, Lili St. Germain (P)2023 Lyra Parish, Lili St. Germain

What in the What?!?!?

This book is WILD! I’ve read dark, I love dark and this is DARK. The emotional rollercoaster of enemies to not quite lovers. The bully aspects that dominate the end of this book. Check your triggers!!!!! The storyline is very interesting and will be interesting to see where it goes from here. Birdie, poor poor Birdie. This girl cannot catch a break and yet she is so strong. Darius has an intense darkness to him. This whole island is massively F—-up. This was my first time listening to Blake and he did a great job conveying that intensity of Darius. This being a dual narrative he also had to do the female lines and for a having a deeper voice his female voice was great. Michelle is magnificent as always bringing out her characters form.

Be warn! Ooooooo

I highly recommend not listening until book 2 is out! The wait is killing me!.

Just wow!

I could not stop listening!! Cruel Beginnings kept me on edge. Birdie is such a strong and fierce FMC! And I honestly couldn’t help but have a soft spot for Darius. Michelle and Blake did phenomenal with narration! But holy cliffy… I need book two asap.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️DELICIOUSLY DARk⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️And oh so twisted!! I don’t write many reviews, but when it comes to Lilli , I feel I must!!
Definitely not for the faint of Heart! If you are looking for a feel good romance, this is NOT for you!! But if you want a wicked walk on the wild side, hide under your bed thrilling, and deeply dark ,heart pounding experience, this is it!! Thank you Lilli for another fabulous can’t put it down story!! Lyla Parish is new to me but I will delve in deeper with her after this !( and please hurry the f—k up with the rest of the story )!Yes it is a dreaded cliffhanger.
The narrators do a five+ star performance in bringing these tremendously twisted characters to life, which can’t be easy! Bravo!!
Worth a credit or coin? F—k yes!! All day long! Go ahead take a chance, and buckle up….you won’t be sorry!!

Read the triggers warnings carefully

First, I will say that the narrators did an excellent job. Next, this book ends on a cliffhanger.

So, there was a bit to unpack with this story. There are some scenes, especially in the last 30 minutes of the book, which are difficult to listen to. It's so much more than a rape scene. It's the detailed collection of evidence and sex scene almost immediately afterward between the main characters. While everyone deals with trauma differently, these two characters didn't have the trust and intimacy to make it believable to me. I felt like the whole thing was rushed and incomplete.

I don't understand why these two characters went from hate to love. How? When? He went from insisting that she knew some information to suddenly being okay with the fact that she didn't. The earlier scenes were just swept under the rug. Also, the female lead was very confusing. Her actions and emotions were all over the place. She was suicidal one moment and then suddenly was "fine". Because of this, I didn't connect with the main characters.

I don't think I'll be reading another book by this author.