Interesting and drama-filled retelling of the seven deadly sins… with a lot of spice. I would have liked more exploration of the other Originals and would recommend checking TWs but would say it’s worth giving a read

There are definitely some things to like about this book. It's a fresh take on the Seven Deadly Sins and I enjoyed the main character, Charlotte, for her spunk and reliability (finally, a FMC who doesn't turn down a shopping trip). The spice was good, though not my personal tastes, and there were some good twists toward the end.

⚠️Possible Spoilers Ahead⚠️

Some tropes I enjoyed:
- Stalker ex (so, so good)
- Religious undertones
- Touch her and you burn in hell
- Billionaire MMC

However, a few things took the book down IMO:
- Occasionally, it almost felt like the sentences were out of order. I don't know if this is a formatting thing or a story thing but I found myself having to reread pages simply because they didn't make sense
- Sometimes, it felt like things were explained too much, which would take me out of my reading but then other parts confused me (like Lilith's connection).
- I felt like we forgot about her friends towards the end. I wanted to see more of Jax and Imani!
- This is so minor but the main character is from Topeka, Kansas. As someone who grew up very near Topeka, it's clear that the author has never been there as Kansas doesn't really have megachurches, at least not like the ones that the author kept describing. And certainly not Topeka, which isn't the goody-two-shoes town she kept describing. Super small but it took me out of the story from time to time.

*Thanks to Kait Ballenger and Net Galley for the ARC! My review is freely given and all opinions are my own.

Dark urban romantasy with the Original Sinners. This was enchanting and spicy!
The story takes place in a dystopian NYC were the Sinners has the power and God is nowere to be found. Would you make a deal with Lucifer?

Be aware of trigga warnings and very spicy scenes!


Post on IG the 3.jan 2025

What's a girl with a traumatic and hyper religious upbringing to do when she ends up fake dating the literal ruler of hell? Fake it till she makes it, I guess. Fresh from escaping the cult she was raised in, Charlotte's new job at Lucifer's billion dollar company starts with her impressing Lucifer's personal assistant, Imani. I've been reading romance novels for decades and something I appreciate so much in modern stories is female friendships. Charlotte has a roommate and dear friend in Jax, who we meet later, and Imani, who wants the best for Charlotte personally and professionally. The side characters in this one really stood out. So many stories I hope we get told. Charlotte's relationship with Lucifer's starts complicated and toxic and takes a long time to get to a point where I'd consider it romantic. She's very inexperienced in relationships and understandably so. He's also inexperienced in relationships because he's never allowed himself to care before. What starts as an infatuation and exploration into consensual kink turns into a very messy relationship between two very angry people who have no one to lash out to besides each other. I was taken aback by how prominent Christianity and discussions of God were in this book. I wasn't expecting that but it added a layer of thoughtfulness and realism to a world where the literal children of God rule New York City. Lucifer and Charlotte have beautifully written kinky sex and are horrible to each other until they finally decide to act their ages and not their shoe sizes. There's a little mystery to solve in the background as we watch these two idiots figure out how to love each other and lots of little moments with characters I hope we get a lot more time with in future books.

Ce livre ne sortira qu'en mars 2025 mais j'ai eu la possibilité de le lire en avance!

Nous allons suivre Charlotte qui est recrutée pour être l'assistante de la community manager de Lucifer. Mais quand quelqu'un publie son article sans autorisation, elle va devoir se faire passer pour la fausse petite copine de l'ange déchu... Mais à force de vouloir jouer avec le diable, on peut se brûler les ailes...

C'est donc le premier tome de cette série et il y a vraiment un bon potentiel avec un univers qui est assez vaste et complexe. L'histoire tiens la route avec beaucoup de rebondissements mais peut-être un peu trop de scènes spicy... J'ai eu beaucoup de mal avec le personnage de Charlotte que j'ai trouvé beaucoup trop naïve, idem pour Lucifer, il se la jouait parfois un peu trop caïd pour se radoucir deux lignes en dessous... L'alchimie est palpable entre ces deux là mais on verra ce que donnera la suite de la série

En bref, un premier tome qui a du potentiel

Imagine the show Lucifer, but with more spice. Original Sinner definitely gives off that vibe!

Just a heads up, this book has multiple trigger warnings so I will keep my synopsis brief: Charlotte starts a new PR job at a pretty big company but she recognizes her new boss from a night out on the town. Turns out her new boss, Lucifer, owns one of the most popular nightclubs in town and is trying to earn his fathers redemption. In a turn of events they find themselves in a fake romance which may be turning into something more.

Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the banter in this book between the characters and the roles the seven deadly sins play within the city. While it did seem a little odd they all lived and existed in one mortal city it makes sense for the book. Overall this book keeps you hooked and you want to know what happens next. I also loved the authors forward which really sets up the book and the anticipation of the story line going in.

I must say, this is a very sexy book right from the beginning. I was a little taken aback that the eroticism began before I knew the FMC's name - but I can see this was certainly to set the tone for the rest of the book. For dark romantic fantasy readers, this will be an absolute gem. Sexy read overall!

Spicy, dark romance with a paranormal twist. Who wouldn't want to date Lucifer?!

I really appreciated the authors note at the start, as it really set up the themes in the novel and made it really obvious that it isn't for a school library (unless a teacher wants a recommendation, and I would recommend this book to an adult who is after a bit of spice and kink). The seven deadly sins as adults is an interesting concept especially when the author introduces the main female character as Charlotte, slightly innocent but used by the church which is meant to be preaching to learnings of their dad.

There was a nod to Fifty Shades of Grey that had me worried at first but Kait Ballenger definitely made this world her own and I'm here for it. Thank you for the opportunity to read this before it's published and I will be keen to read the rest of the series.

I almost decided not to read the book after reading the TW page at the start of the book but since it was a Netgalley read I decided to try it.
The blurb does not make it clear that the "seven deadly sins" are fallen angels, also known here as the"Original Sinners ". It's not my style of book at all, I dislike books about angels and demons, or books that specifically attack religion.
The book features both racially and sexually diverse characters.
The frequent casual (almost pun like) references to hell/heaven were clever, and I admired the amount of times the author was able to fit them in naturally.
The book explored who Lucifer is, whether he can change, and whether the devil has any good inside him after all. Lucifer is not morally grey, he's more like a villain who falls in love. His love for Charlotte is freeing and empowering to her because she's finally able to let go of who she was before.
The story has a satisfactory conclusion but there are a lot of threads left untied and an interesting tease into the next book.
Minor bdsm kink, 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Yes please to the next and next and next! I can’t wait to read more! I was so mad at the mmc and then I was couldn’t believe what happened next!!! This was on the edge of my seat so amazing and twists and turns, great book amazing plot!

In Original Sinner, New York is a dark, decadent city ruled by fallen angels who control everything from businesses to social media. Lucifer and his fellow immortals are the elite, pulling the strings in a world where power, corruption, and temptations rule. Charlotte, trying to move on from her past, unexpectedly crosses paths with Lucifer when she lands a job at one of his companies. What starts as a fake relationship soon blurs into something more complicated and intense.

What makes Charlotte stand out as a character is her strength and independence. She doesn’t let Lucifer—or anyone—take control of her life. She stays true to herself, even as her connection with Lucifer grows and the stakes get higher. There’s a lot of character growth here, but Charlotte never loses who she is in the process.

Original Sinner is an addictive, thrilling read that fans of dark romance and supernatural intrigue will love. The blend of steamy chemistry, suspense, and strong character development makes it an engaging read.

This is a dark romance, and there are elements that may be triggering for some readers. The author provides clear content warnings, which I recommend checking before diving into the book.

Thank you to Montlake Publishing, NetGalley, and Kait Ballenger for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

Anything involving Lucifer and Hades is my kryptonite. Add in fake dating? You’ve brought me to the best death bed.

This story was SO GOOD. The seven deadly sins? The religious trauma? The throne? The smut? The modern gods? Perfection.

Lucifer was so dark, so twisted, so dominating that it made me blush. I love him, your honor. Not only was he literally Lucifer, prince of darkness, but he was the Lightbringer and man, oh man, did that bring some tears to my eyes.

Charlotte was a warrior. She was so strong and resilient, even when the worst was happening. I loved watching her growth from nervous little girl to the smart and confident woman who could stand up to Lucifer.

Seriously, this book was incredible. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you so much to Montlake for this ARC 🫶🏻

Just to preface, this is not what I usually read so take this review with a grain of salt. I was lowkey eating this book up in the first half. The premise was really interesting. After Wicked Kingdom I will do anything for the deadly sins, I’m sorry I said it. That being said, the second half started to derail fast. Gradually I started to lose my will to live. I felt like the characterization could have been better, their personalities were kind of all over the place. But that may have been the intention. Some of the lines threw me in for a loop. I got choked up. They were pulling visceral reactions from me. What do you mean God is the ultimate Dom? Hello? I literally choked on my spit. Like girl k would be running too. And some of the intimate scenes in here were very reminiscent of the Idol😬(if you know you know). But if this kind of dark romance is your thing, power to you. But, personally I thought this was kind of wild.

interesting love story about a girl in pr and she falls in love with lucifer. we see his siblings and the empire there. very sexy times. I kept picturing tom ellis as the devil.

This was a fun, steamy read with a play on the seven deadly sins. It had intrigue, but I did have to push through some parts of the book. The world-building could have been better.

The characters were ok. Although I feel like we didn't get to build a relationship with Charlotte or Lucifer
All in all, it is an interesting plot.

It's okay, it's entertaining. But it's not that great either. It looked better than it ended up being. Still, it's good to pass the time, I swallowed it in no time.

Now, as a trigger warning, the protagonist is Lucifer, this is a Dark Romance. He's an asshole with daddy issues, he doesn't redeem himself or anything. He'll still be a bastard, but in love.

I liked the girl, Charlotte. She's a good character, although I would have liked to know more about her past. And about her friendship with Jax, very little has come out :(

The book also has a mystery plot. There are two little things going on at the same time, one was very obvious (the messages, bfr), but the other one has driven me crazy. I DIDNT EXPECT IT

3.75/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️

What to expect:
✨ Spice…with kink
✨ Religious undertones
✨ Witty banter
✨ Touch her and you 💀
✨ Billionaire talk, dark and handsome vibes
✨ Innocent FMC


Full Review:
This book is a modern-day take on Lucifer, blending elements of intrigue, romance, and just the right amount of spice. The story is centered around Charlotte, a sheltered and somewhat immature FMC whose background in a strict, religious (and abusive) household shapes her perspective in interesting ways. While her immaturity could have been frustrating, it felt authentic given her age and upbringing.

The plot is engaging and moves at a quick pace, which I appreciated—it didn't drag on unnecessarily. The romance has its spicy moments (🥵🥵), but it's not overdone.

One thing I wish was explored more was the other Originals. They’re such intriguing characters, and I hope future installments dive deeper into their stories and relationships.


TLDR: Overall, Original Sinner kept me hooked and was an enjoyable read, especially if you like stories that balance darkness, redemption, and a bit of steam! Looking forward to seeing where the series goes


***thank you NetGalley and Kait Ballenger for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

Okay, so like, imagine a book where the devil is your boss, and then things just go completely sideways. That’s basically what this story is serving. It’s got all the drama: fake engagements, steamy vibes, family feuds, and oh yeah, a little existential crisis about good vs. evil. Casual, right?

Charlotte was an interesting mix—sweet but carrying all this baggage from her ultra-strict upbringing. Her dynamic with Lucifer (yes, that Lucifer) was intense, messy, and sometimes a little chaotic, but like, in a fun way. He’s the classic morally gray MMC—dark, broody, and giving just enough soft moments to make you swoon. And their chemistry...🔥

Plot-wise, it’s kind of like a spicy soap opera with a dash of romantasy. There’s betrayal, secrets, and so much tension. Honestly, some twists hit, others didn’t, but it kept me turning pages for sure. The world-building was decent, but not groundbreaking. It’s more about the vibes than the mechanics, you know?!

My only gripe is the repetitiveness—like, yes, we get it, he’s devilishly hot and has fangs. But still, it was fun enough to overlook those little things. If you’re here for spice and drama, this one delivers.

Giving it a solid ★★★★. Not perfect, but definitely worth the ride.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Net Galley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Escaping from her abusive overly religious father, Charlotte finds herself working for Lucifer, yes THE Lucifer. And after some bad press, Charlotte and Lucifer begin a fake/PR relationship. As they learn more about each other, and mysterious and slightly spooky circumstances force them together, a connection forms.

I am typically skeptical of Lucifer/Devil/religious books; however, Kat Ballinger did a fabulous job of making Lucifer a likable character. He was still Devilish and evil, but he had humanity and a heart underneath it all. It was also interesting to see other Biblical characters represented in a modern way.

The relationship between Charlotte and Lucifer is complex to say the least, but I really enjoyed the back and forth banter they had. It was lovely to see how they brought out the best (and sometimes the worst) in each other.

Tropes: forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine

This book was not at all what I was expecting, and also exactly what I was expecting if that makes sense. There was definitely spice, and a good bit, but at the same time it just didn’t feel like spice worthy of Lucifer I suppose. That’s not to say the spice wasn’t good because it very much was, I was just kind of expecting something darker I suppose. The actual plot is really what grabbed my attention though, and towards the end there is definitely some mention of gore so if you don’t like that be wary. Overall really great quick fun read, delivered on plot, delivered somewhat on spice, and definitely intrigued me to make me want to figure out what’s gonna happen next.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Kait Ballenger for sending me this eARC, the review you have read is composed entirely of my own thoughts.