I loved continuing this series and seeing where these characters went, how they navigated the dangerous world that they live in. Bastien is still giving "touch her and die" and the spice was great.

Still dealing with divorce drama and getting some political elements in here complicated their growth together and moving towards freedom.

This was a solid three-star listen for me. Not terrible but it felt like the story was less focused than in the previous book in the series The Butcher.

This one starts and ends in the middle of the story with no real resolution at the end. I likely will keep listening to the series to find out what happens with our MCs.

The audio was good, but I found that the French accents for some of the characters were overkill since all characters are French-speaking and based in Paris.

Lots of spice though, so if you’re looking for an easy listen with lots of heat you’ll enjoy The Carver.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Penelope Sky for an early review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

I really enjoyed this book is was hooked. The characters bastien and fleur were good and only got better as the story continued. Its a very well written story.

Absolutely riveting! The narrators had me hooked from the first word, pure magic. A heart-pounding sequel to The Butcher that left me breathless. I need more of Fleur and Bastien… Bring on the next book!

3.5-4⭐️

As soon as I hit play on the audiobook, I realized how much I missed Ramona Master’s voice. This one started a bit slow but consistently picks up speed. That ending!! Holy Moly….book 3 is going to be crazy.

The Carver had plenty of potential, but for me it ended up being an uneven listen. While the darkness of it all kept me interested, overall I felt the plot lines were lost a little and the pacing was uneven. Sometimes it felt like nothing was happening and then everything was happening all at one. When it finally picked up, it was at the very end.

I also struggled with the characters themselves. Fleur and Bastien had chemistry, but their dynamic leaned too heavily on repetition without much growth. Bastien, in particular, came across as a character who should have been groveling, yet instead demanded it from Fleur, which made their romance harder to root for. I didn't love the random French accents as they felt awkward and distracting, pulling me out of the story instead of immersing me further into its Parisian setting.

That said, I can see why fans of Penelope Sky’s style enjoy this series. The intensity, the power plays, and the emotional drama are all there, even if not always executed as smoothly as they could be. For me, though, the lack of depth in both character and plot keeps this one at a solid 3 stars. It was entertaining, but I'm not eager to pick up the next book.

2.75 ⭐

Okay, so I'm DNF'ing this halfway through as this really isn't for me. I liked the first book okay-ish but I couldn't connect with the writing and character development in this book at all. I think for people who like their spice spicy and a lot of it and their characters somewhat unreasonable, this will work. For me it doesn't and that's okay, too.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook for The Carver. I enjoyed listening to the book while also following along on my kindle. This book is a continuation of book 1 the Butcher in this series following the characters Fleur and Bastian. I thought the narrators in the audiobook were great. I thought it made the story so much more interesting. The spice level was good. There was an even split of plot and spice in my opinion. Bastian love for Fleur is pulling at the heart strings for all he does for her. She woke up in the middle of the night from a terrible nightmare and she called him and he was there in 10 minutes ready to comfort and hold Fleur. The ending of the book was definitely touch her and you’ll die situation and I’m here for it. Excited to read the next book to figure out and see where their story goes.

It's hard not to be completely swept away by Penelope Sky's latest, The Carver. This book pulls you right into a world of Parisian power and danger, and once you're in, there's no turning back. The central romance between the protagonist and Bastien is incredibly compelling. He’s the ultimate alpha male—a kingpin who rules the city, yet he’s completely devoted to her. Their dynamic is the heart of the story, and it's easy to see why the main character falls for him so hard, despite all the red flags. The way he "fixes all her problems" with a simple wave of his hand is both thrilling and a little concerning, but it's what makes their connection so magnetic.
The plot thickens with the introduction of the Aristocrats and the constant meddling of the protagonist's ex-husband, Adrien. While the initial conflict seems to be about Adrien's refusal to accept the divorce, it quickly escalates into something far more dangerous. The shift from Adrien being the target to the protagonist herself is a clever twist that raises the stakes significantly. It makes you genuinely worry for her safety and wonder how Bastien will handle the new threat.
However, the introduction of The Butcher, the French Emperor, felt a little rushed and convenient. He’s presented as this all-powerful figure who will do anything for the protagonist, and while it adds to the high-stakes drama, it almost feels like a magical fix-all for the new problem. The summary ends on a cliffhanger that promises more action, and I'm sure the next book will flesh out his character, but for this installment, it felt a bit like a deus ex machina.
Overall, The Carver is a gripping, fast-paced read that will have you on the edge of your seat. The romance is intense, the world-building is intriguing, and the plot has some great twists. While the ending sets up the next book well, the sudden introduction of a new, all-powerful savior slightly detracts from the satisfaction of this installment. Still, fans of dark romance and high-stakes thrillers will love this one, and I'm already eager to see what happens next.

I was so upset when I missed this audio in this book on netgalley because I waited too long! Missed it by one day but quickly went on Amazon and got the whole series and binged it all! I am in love with Bastien and Fleur! Their devotion and love in the second book really hits and nothing compares! I was so invested in their relationship/life events. So much happened in each book, but the second has a lot and the ending had me quickly grabbing the next and starting it. Only complaint in not just this one but all three I’ve read so far, is I feel like some statements or things are repeated a few times even in the same book. Other than that I love them and will be suggesting to my dark romance loving friends and can’t wait for the fourth to come out or hopefully get the chance to read and review it as an arc! Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the read in turn for my honest opinion!

I was approved for this ARC on net galley so I actually went and read book one of the series, The Butcher. I’m really glad I did that because you have to read the series in order. That being said, I am now obsessed with this series.

While the first book mainly focused on the relationship between the MMC and FMC, this book really explained the plot of what else was going on in his line of work and her past. This added dimension definitely has me hooked on the series and I can’t wait to keep reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the audio listen.

This was my first book by Penelope but the cover and description of the book tempted me to give her a try. I hadn't read the first book so went in blind. I do think that reading the first book would have helped with my enjoyment of this book.

I thought the narrators were awesome and especially loved the accent of the MMC. This book is heavy on the spice and less on the story but the last quarter of the book picked up for me and the book ended with a cliffhanger and now I will be listening to the third book when it's released. I appreciate the consistency of the same narrators across all three books.

Obviously devoured this right after finishing The Butcher! The second book had more action and less at the same time somehow. The story was already laid out from the first book and it took a while for the action to kick in but when Bastian wants something - he gets it! Again steamy like book one and we learn more about Bastian’s origin story which was interesting. Ugh! Now we wait for book 3!

I didn’t think I could fall any harder for Bastien… and yet here we are.
The Carver takes the dark, dangerous Paris underworld and wraps it around a romance that’s equal parts fierce and intoxicating. Bastien is the kind of man who doesn’t just protect you he eliminates the threat entirely. And watching him go to war for the woman he loves? Goosebumps.
This book had me hooked from the first page. The tension, the power plays, the way love becomes both a weapon and a shield it’s addicting. Penelope Sky delivers that perfect mix of danger, loyalty, and romance that makes you read “just one more chapter” until you’ve devoured the whole thing.

If you love protective anti-heroes, high-stakes drama, and a love story that makes you feel every beat of the fight, The Carver is a must-read.

This was my first read by Penelope and it won't be my last. The audiobook was very good. Id reccomend this to all my reader friends(with similar tastes ;))

This is book two in the connected series surrounding Fleur and Bastion. We did get a little more insight into Bastion and his… background. There is a lot going on in this book - lots of drama and back and forth between Fleur and Bastion. Still spicy. I could not get over how Bastion made Fleur work her way back into his good graces. He should have been groveling - my opinion!
I’m still thrown off by some random people having French accents in the audiobook. Maybe to have differences between different characters without having just the pitch change? I’m not sure, but it was awkward. Then I need to remember that this book is set in Paris, and these are French characters. Maybe a stylistic choice when bringing it to English? And maybe this clouds my opinion of the book? Now I’m just thinking out loud.
⭐️Dark romance
⭐️Mafia romance
⭐️Touch her & 💀
⭐️Book 2 in connected series

This book continues the story between Bastien and Fleur. I loved The Butcher, so I was excited to continue the series. Of course this book didn’t disappoint. I loved that I got to hear Bastien’s back story a bit. Definitely left me wanting to run and grab the next book! Love this book, the story, and of course the spice.

First of all let me just say that the model on the cover is 🔥 And yes, the cover made me request the ALC on NetGalley and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

When requesting The Carver I wasn't aware that this is book 2 of the series. However, I was able to follow the story without any problems. This is the second series that I read from the author and in true Penelope Sky fashion the material is good, however drawn out to produce as many books as possible. Honestly I didn't start to get invested in the story until the end where I was immediately disappointed that we'd reached the end.

It’s my understanding that in book 1 Fleur discovers her husband Adrien cheated on her. She moves out and meets Bastien at a bar that she's working at.

The Carver starts with Fleur arriving at the courthouse ready to get a divorce from Adrien. Bastian sends over an attorney that is already paid for by him to help Fleur in the proceedings. The book continues with Fleur trying to come to terms that she's falling for a criminal as well as parts of Bastian's past with his father and brother are revealed where we dive deeper into what made Bastian who he is today.

✨Spoilers✨
The book ends when Fleur is kidnapped because of her ex-husbands art theft. The kidnapper wants information from Adrien which he doesn't want to reveal. As punishment Fleur is buried alive because the kidnapper believes that Fleur is still important to Adrien. Bastian finds Fleur and saves her just in time.

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & Penelope Sky for the opportunity to review this audiobook. I enjoyed listening to the audio, however I would have preferred a duet style with these narrators.

Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Dark and intense

What an amazing listen. I sure hope Penelope is planning on a 3rd book for the Fifth Republic series

Fleur is battling getting her divorce with Adrien done, and Adrian doesn’t want to let her have it. Bastien has her by the heart well for the most part when she isn’t questioning if she wants to stay with him. She is 100% done with Adrien due to him cheating and Adrien just can’t seem to let her go. All of this while living the criminal empire in Paris.

3.5 stars. I’m enjoying this series it’s just not the most amazing writing. It keeps my attention for the most part. I like the twists that come with the mafia side of the storyline.