Immoral Games

Immoral #2

by Marissa Farrar

I’ve been stranded in a cabin in the wilderness with my two gorgeous but damaged stepbrothers, and my overprotective stepfather.
We’ve crossed boundaries that in normal society would never be traversed, and now we can never go back to what we were.
We thought the biggest threat to our lives was Mother Nature.
We were wrong.
In desperation, we tried to reach safety, but a new danger has emerged.
Now we’ve been taken by gun-runners who know who we are.
They force us to play their games for their own entertainment while they try to figure out what to do with us.
The relationships that saved our lives are being tested to the extreme.
They’re trying to break us, but we won’t give up.
Not when we have each other.

Immoral Games is a dark contemporary why choose romance

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Why Choose, Romance, Forced Proximity, Contemporary, Survival

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2023

About the author

Marissa Farrar is a multi-published romance and fantasy author. She was born in Devon, England, loves to travel and has lived in both Australia and Spain. She now resides in the countryside with her husband, three children, a crazy Spanish dog, two rescue cats and six hens. She has a degree in Zoology, but her true love has always been writing.

Marissa is the author of sixteen novels, including the dark vampire ‘Serenity’ series. Her short stories have been accepted for a number of anthologies including, Their Dark Masters, Red Skies Press, Masters of Horror: Damned If You Don’t, Triskaideka Books; and 2013: The Aftermath, Pill Hill Press.

If you want to know more about Marissa, then please visit her website at www.marissa-farrar.blogspot.com. You can also find her at her facebook page, www.facebook.com/marissa.farrar.author or follow her on twitter @marissafarrar.
She loves to hear from readers and can be emailed at marissafarrar@hotmail.co.uk.

Reviews

[Becca · Rating 1 out of 5]

It did get worse, yes

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Immoral Games is the second book in this reverse harem (RH) trilogy featuring a young woman, her former stepfather and stepbrothers stranded in the wilderness following a plane crash in book one. The taboo aspect is on the lower end: her stepfather only knew her briefly as a kid before leaving her mom and she didn't encounter him again and had never met the stepbros at all until just shy of 18. As usual, the relationship/emotional development was too fast for me to really feel it in book one, and that carries over into this one, where the circumstances they are in is the bigger part of the plot/book over any romantic activity. I love all of the plot ideas, but it feels like it could be so much better with more development. There are dark actions in this book (of the content warning variety) but overall the tone of the book is not dark at all and they don't have the impact that you'd think they would - everything from the relationships to the dark content seems even keel and surface level, like it is paying lip service to what it is trying to be or being careful to avoid judgment, when what it needs is to dig in in all areas to deepen the book and the reading experience. I still like the plot ideas and the author's voice, but part of me feels like I am rating on potential more than the actuality. I will definitely read the third and final book though, and not only because I hate to not finish things - I do want to see what happens for this group back in the real world.

[Sarah Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Far out! This had me on the edge of my seat, chewing my fingers to the bone. What an intense ride fuelled with adrenaline. Book 2 of The Immoral Series is not an easy read. Dark, grim things happen and Laney and her step-father and step-brothers are tested to their limits. I really really need Book 3 now as I am in desperate need of a happy ending. Can’t wait!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rae-Ann Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I’d thought the moment when our plane went down, and I’d believed we were all about to die, was the most terrifying of my life, But not I’m questioning everything”


X
X


Honestly it was great but I got bored half-way through it’s got super slow progression unlike the first book. I would say it was a pretty decent book.

I didn’t finish it but might reflect and retry it at a later time.


Rae💋

[Kim Whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had some excitement to it! Entertaining!

[Mandy Robitaille · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so good! devoured it. but omg I can tell the 3rd book is going to be angsty.

[Kaelyn Rogerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt much more like an action novel than a romance novel. It was kinda annoying. And then that ending? UGH. I need a break before I read number 3

[Aris Sykes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this took a turn! Great plot - got pretty dark in this book. Loved it!

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

dark disturbing and I devoured it! shiver & shadow vibes but not as good. suspense survival and taboo forced proximity 💯🔥‼️

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a rough one, I read the triggers and thought I'd be fine cause I've read other books with the same ones but this was brutal. I had to skim at one point which I hate doing, so just beware lol I feel like it could have been more sexy at least. But even most of the smut I wanted to cry through lol it wasn't a good time.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved book 2 of the Immoral Series. The book picks right back up from the end of book 1. Laney and her men come face to face with the enemy while trying to find help away from their cabin sanctuary. As winter approaches they felt is was time to try and find help. The stash of the attic brings dangerous men who are brutal, dangerous and criminals. Cade is suffering, Darius feels helpless and Reed tries to stay strong for the family. Laney is vulnerable, abused and so afraid. This captive journey is heart wrenching, however family sticks together. Bring on book 3 like yesterday.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Poetry Drive · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more after the cliffhanger from book 1. The stakes totally dropped and tried to lift up again, but honestly fell short of the thrill from book 1.

The villains were kind of expected and the darker themes in this book make sense… it just took too long to happen. The forced proximity wasn’t executed well and lasted way too long.

Kinda disappointed at the turn this story is taking.

[Courtney · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 75%

i already wasn't hugely into this book. but once one of the MMC's got mad at the FMC for not leaving, which he says lead to her being SA'd (even though their captors would have done whatever they wanted anyways) i was baffled. and then he tells her it's her fault that he now has to live with that knowledge?????? yeah, gtfo of here with that lol.

[Hatshepsut · Rating 1 out of 5]

No words about how bad this was. Except for those seven ones right here.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled with how to rate this book. The author included trigger warnings in the beginning warning me of the kinds of things I'd see in this book, so I can't exactly get mad that I then went on to read it and saw those things. But I didn't enjoy this book, in large part because of the direction the story took, which involved those warnings. And I don't feel like the warning was quite...prescriptive enough.

So, I'm just going to go ahead and say it here, so that other people can be properly warned. The trigger warning says the book has sexual assault in it, but that could mean anything from THREATS of sexual assault, to groping, to full blown rape.

Let me demystify this for you - the heroine is fully raped by one filthy, disgusting criminal. And is raped with an inanimate object by another criminal while he performs oral sex on her.

There's nothing "implied" about any of this. It happens on page and is just as awful as you can imagine.

And, call me crazy, but that's just not the kind of stuff I like to read about in my recreational time. And even though the author did her part to try to warn me with the trigger statement at the beginning, I still feel a bit like this was a bait and switch. NOTHING in the first book in the series indicated this was where the story was headed.

This isn't a "dark romance" series where the hero is some cruel mafia hitman or whatever who is brutal and punishing all along. The first book was about a perfectly normal reverse harem with normal guys and that's the story I was invested in. It was a fun, action romance type book, what with them surviving the plane crash and having to figure out how to get food in the wilderness, etc. So, even though that book ended with gun smugglers taking them hostage, I had every reason to expect this book would continue in the same vein.

I thought that our three heroes who desperately loved the heroine would protect her from these smugglers. That maybe she'd have a few close calls on the SA front, but her men would ultimately prevail...but they didn't. The men were basically useless and the heroine paid the price. That might be realistic, but I obviously don't read these books for realism. I read them for escapist enjoyment. And I did NOT enjoy the direction this book went.

So, I settled on 2 stars for my rating because, while for me it's a 1 star, I can't fault the author for not meeting my preferences when she tried to warn me, albeit too obliquely.


This book picks up exactly where the old one left off. Cade is knocked out and the rest of the group is being held at gunpoint. The smugglers decide to take them hostage and they all have to troop back to the cabin they just left. Darius and Reed have to carry Cade because he's totally out of it.

Back at the cabin, they lay Cade down on the mattresses and he proceeds to stay there, unconscious for almost the entire rest of the book. This is not really believable unless he had life-ending brain injuries, but it's the story we're given.

Cade's incapacity is used to keep the rest of the group in line. One or all of them might be able to escape if they made a run for it, but it would mean leaving Cade behind and the smugglers assure them they'd put a bullet in him if they did. Plus, even if they did manage to get away, it would be into the unforgiving wilderness where they'd probably starve to death before finding help anyway.

So, they basically sit there, not doing anything to escape. Although, Darius does try to bribe the villains by identifying himself as the famous missing musician and promising to give them $500k if they take them back to civilization. The smugglers are interested, but don't trust that Darius will really pay them. Still, its enough to keep them from being outright killed.

Layne quickly becomes the focus of the smuggler's lascivious attentions. The first thing they do is demand Layne and Reed have sex in front of everyone. Reed tries to protest but Layne is terrified of Reed being killed if they refuse, so she begs him to just do it. Reed reluctantly agrees and we're expected to believe that they both reached orgasm, despite the circumstances.

Next day, Reed and Darius are taken outside to get more firewood and Reed tries to use the axe to kill the one out there with them. But the villain avoids the blow and fires a shot at Reed, grazing his cheek in the meantime. Back inside, the smugglers say that they're going to be punished for this infraction. Only LAYNE is the one to bear the punishment, so that Reed feels maximum guilt about it. The villain who has been more in charge, Smith, takes Layne into the bedroom and uses his gun barrel to rape her while he sucks on her clit. Again, we're asked to believe she orgasmed from this event, which brings her great shame. Smith then jerks off across her bare legs.

This. This right here, this was my line. If this is the worst that had happened to Layne, I would have been okay. She was violated, and that would carry trauma with it, but she wasn't fully raped to the extend of having a strange man forcing his dick into her vagina. It would have given us all the emotions associated with sexual assault, without having to cross that line. But, unfortunately, the author didn't stop there.

One of the other smugglers, Axel, has been getting increasingly angry that Smith has gotten to have all the fun with Layne. And he says that Smith isn't the boss, they're all equal partners. I had hoped this would lead to some in-fighting between the criminals that our MCs could use to make their escape, but sadly no. Instead, Axel makes an excuse to take Layne down to the river by himself and he rapes her on the ground. It's not too graphically described, but it's pretty brutal all the same.

When they get back to the cabin, everyone knows what happened and Layne can't look at anyone. Reed and Darius feel ashamed that they failed to protect her. Layne has some anger at them for the same reason, but mostly just feels dirty and wonders if Reed and the brothers will still want her now that she's tainted.

That night, Cade finally opens his eyes. He's got a blinding headache, but its the first time he's regained consciousness since his injury. Layne tells him to keep pretending to be unconscious because if the villains knew he was waking up, they might use other means to restrain the rest of them.

A few more days pass with the family trying to sneak Cade water and food to bring his strength up while also continuing to hide the fact that he's awake. Meanwhile, the smugglers are getting antsy because their buyer is late. They debate whether to wait longer and discuss Darius's "rescue fee" as a possible alternative to the money they would have gotten from the sale of the guns.

Eventually, the villains decide they want a little game of manhunter and send Layne and Darius out into the woods with a head start and then try to hunt them down. They manage to circle around back to the cabin, where only one of the bad guys has been left to guard Cade and Reed. They make a noise to get the guy to come outside and then hit him with a log. Then they grab Cade and half drag him to a boat on the river, which belongs to the smugglers.

They don't have the key for the engine, so they have to row away. The smugglers get to the river as they're drifting away and shoot at them, but they don't get hit and are soon out of range. They follow the river for a while until they come to a waterfall. Which doesn't make sense since you can't drive a boat UP a waterfall, so if it was there, how did the smugglers get the boat to the cabin in the first place? But don't think about that part.

The boat gets wrecked going over the falls and Reed drowns but is retrieved and resuscitated. Round about here, Cade finds out that Layne was raped and he completely loses the plot. He rages at her for "allowing" herself to be raped. Saying that she should have run away. That he would have rather died than be used as a way to force her to allow herself to be raped. He yells that she "took that choice away from him" and he'll never forgive her for that.

Yes, you read that right. He blamed her for "allowing" herself to be raped, and made out that HE was the victim in the situation because she hadn't allowed him to be killed instead.

Holy fucking shit, what an irredeemable ASSHOLE!

He's also kind of mad at Darius and Reed for not protecting her better, but he doesn't even yell at them. He saves 100% of his vitriol for Layne.

Next thing we know, they hear chainsaws and follow the noise to a logging operation that gets them back to civilization.

Here the book lost me again. Our MCs say they need to get their story straight. And they quickly decide to LIE to the authorities about what happened. To keep the whole smuggler situation out of their tale and instead just say that they had been living at the cabin and then decided they needed to find help before winter and hiked out.

There isn't really a good reason for this. They say that Smith and the other men will die in the cabin over the winter without provisions and that's what they deserve. If they tell the authorities about them, the cops will go and arrest the smugglers which would be bad because....vague reasons? Like, they say it's because the smugglers had figured out their secret that they were all sleeping together, but like, who would listen to them? They're criminals? And they could even have told the truth - that Reed and Layne had been forced at gunpoint to have sex? It's not really that big of a deal.

Layne, understandably, also doesn't want the world to know she was raped by the repugnant Axel, so she also votes for lying about that part. And that's what they do. They lie and are deliberately vague about where the cabin was, even though by doing so they're preventing the plane wreckage from being found, which means the bodies of the flight crew remain unrecovered.

The first night at the logging camp, before the authorities can make it all the way out there, Cade goes to apologize to Layne. He seems to have had an off-page epiphany that he was a complete dick about her getting raped, but still manages to make it all about himself. Even in his apology he's talking about how mad he was at the thought of that other man's hands on her. And that he's angry Reed and Darius let it happen. He never asks how SHE is doing. He also tries to get frisky with her but she sends him away.

Then they're rescued and taken to the hospital. There a man comes into Layne's room and starts asking her questions. She assumes it's a cop but when the man starts asking if "anything" happened while she was all alone with three adult men, and asking if she blamed Reed for putting her through this ordeal, she realizes the guy is a reporter. She starts screaming for help and Cade rushes in to throw the guy out bodily. (No explanation for where the fuck all the hospital staff are...). He then tries to get Layne to agree to let him sleep in her hospital bed with her. She refuses though, terrified of the world finding out that they're all in a poly relationship together.

Once they get back, our MCs are put in separate hotel rooms, but they all congregate in a single room. They'd spent the last month sleeping in the same room and never being separated from each other. It doesn't feel right to split up now.

Cade suggests they all have sex with Layne and even she is up for it, despite still being mad at Cade. Oh, and there's the slight matter that SHE WAS FUCKING RAPED just a few days ago. Yeah, none of the men even pause to think that MAYBE it might be too fucking soon for this? That maybe she should get some counseling first? None of them has any hesitation about sleeping with her either. Like, you might think they'd have some self loathing for failing to protect her? Especially Reed. I mean, Cade was unconscious and Darius is fucking blind. Reed was the only one who had half a chance of doing something, and as their father he really had the responsibility to, but he failed. You'd think he'd feel some "I don't deserve her" feelings? Nope. They're fine.

Cade suggests they play a game of dick roulette with her. Where they blindfold her and then see if she can tell whose dick is inside her by feel alone. They do this for a little while but then the, you know, SEXUAL FUCKING TRAUMA rears its ugly head and Layne gets freaked out and says she has to stop.

Next day, the airline offers each one of them a $12 million settlement and they accept and fly back to the US. Here Layne says she wants to go home to her trailer. She's been gone for a month. She never even got a chance to bury her mother's body. And she needs some space from the men. She needs to think.

And that's pretty much the end of the book. It's another cliffhanger.

They're still kind of a poly group, but Layne is exhausted and upset with Cade. She's been raped and has a lot of mixed feelings about that and the role the men played in it. But she can't talk to anyone about it because she's terrified of people finding out about their relationship. She knows they'd all be dragged through the mud. People would call her a whore and Reed a groomer. Darius's career would be over. And she feels compelled to protect them from that, even while being angry that she is once again the one suffering in order to keep them safe.

The men, however, still feel 100% that Layne belongs to them and they're never letting her go. Cade is still angry about everything. Reed feels guilty. And Darius is coldly remote. He hadn't played a note while they were away, even though he had his violin. He'd told Layne that he wouldn't play until they were home safe. But then the smugglers had come and they broke his violin in punishment of him refusing to assault Layne with the bow. Now they were back and, although the airline had provided him with a new violin that was an exact replica of the old one, he still couldn't play...but has accepted an offer to do a concert in two days.

And that's where we leave things in book two.

This one wasn't very enjoyable overall. It wasn't an action romance anymore. Our MCs never really had sex or did anything sexy. It was just trauma an abuse and then guilt and resentment. Not the kind of thing I enjoy reading about. But, I did pick up the final installment because I was invested enough in the story to want to see how the relationship survived.

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Immoral Stepfamily...
Part 2

Genre: Forbidden Why Choose
Tropes: 18-year-old FMC, age gap, poor FMC, rich MMC's, morally grey, forbidden, step brothers, step father, found family, plane crash, survival, captivity, MFMM
Spice: 3/5
Content Warnings: violence, noncon
POV: 1st person POV, alternating between 3 MMC's and FMC
Medium: ebook on Kindle Unlimited

We pick up the story right where book 1 ends. Laney and her stepfamily have been captured by the gunrunners, who have returned to the cabin to sell their stash of weapons to a buyer. The criminals drag our main characters back to the cabin, sure that they will get a big payday from the famous Darius.

While they wait for their weapons buyer, they pass the time by tormenting their captives, mostly Laney. In hopes that the criminals will spare the lives of her stepfamily, she endures multiple sexual assaults and degradation. Cade is injured and remains unconscious. Darius and Reed make one stupid decision after the next, and only make things worse for themselves.

Once Cade awakens, they all escape and make their way into the vast forest. If the gunrunners don't kill them, the savage wilderness will! What is to become of Laney and the boys? Will our Immoral Steps make it back to civilization?

What did I like about the book? I am a fan of angst, trauma, and doing what it takes to survive. Poor Laney is put through the ringer. I also like the great outdoors aspect of the story.

Unfortunately, that is where the good comments end. Spoilers ahead...

---

This book had me rolling my eyes every 2 seconds. First of all, our MMCs suffer from a condition called TSTL (Too Stupid To Live). They repeatedly do and say really stupid stuff that will get them killed. Usually in romance novels, it is the FMC who has this problem. Alas, in Immoral Games, it is the Riviera men. Like when Darius destroys his violin instead of playing for his captors. Or when Reed unsuccessfully attacks one of the villains with an ax.

Next, we arrive at Cade, who is perhaps in the villain category also, considering how he treats Laney. He victim-blames and pushes her away, and in the next breath, he tells her that he would die for her. We could blame it on the head injury, but he was a douche bag before that happened, too. Oh, and he calls her "Cuckoo."

Then we have Laney and rambling thoughts. At times, the author will go off on unneeded disposition in the middle something and it will totally break the tension of the scene. Like when the villains are assaulting her and they say something about how thin she is, Laney goes off on a multi-paragraph inner dialogue about how she was raised without a lot of food and she never had much weight on her to begin with, and so on...in the middle of a sexual assault! And her unending circular internal dialogue about the Steps...She loves them but she can't be with them, but she loves them and she wants to be a part of their family, but if the people knew they would judge them, but she can't be separated from them, and she should tell them that she was assaulted, but she can't tell them because they'll go ballistic, but she doesn't want to live a lie, but they might not look at her the same, and so on and on. I skimmed quite a few paragraphs like this.

And next on the list is the inappropriately timed sex. Dax and Laney are literally running for their lives, but they hook up in the forest. Laney asks Reed for cockwarming, just so she can feel close to him after getting assaulted. I feel like the author wanted to have a cockwarming scene, so she shoehorned it in there (pun not intended! ha!). And after they find the logging camp, they are half-starved, hypothermic and injured, but they have a 3-way in the bunkhouse (with no prep, no foreplay and no lube, I might add!!). This FMC is Traumatized with a capital T, but she continues to get it on with her guys at every moment. Does not seem realistic.

There was a scene where the criminals forced Laney and Reed to copulate in front of them. The captors were going for taboo degradation, but it was just a hook-up for Laney and Reed. Now imagine if that had actually been their first time together, and Laney as a virgin? The tension would have been through the roof. Anyway, just an idea.

And my final point...Why didn't the Steps leave the cabin in the same condition as when they arrived? It's like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Who's been sleeping in my bed?! They left the mattresses on the living room floor, a mess in the kitchen, embers in the fire and fresh wood stacked outside. One of the reasons why they decided to leave was to avoid the owners of the cabin, but they didn't even try to cover their tracks.

Ok, one more! The "roof space" this, the "roof space" that. It's called an ATTIC!!

Despite all of this, I'm curious about how it all wraps up, so I'll keep going.

[Chandra Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes surviving the wilderness is only the beginning of the nightmare.

Immoral Games by Marissa Farrar picks up immediately where Immoral Steps left off, plunging readers back into Laney’s brutal fight for survival with the only family she has left—her stepfather Reed and stepbrothers Cade and Darius. What began as an isolated struggle against nature quickly becomes something far darker and far more dangerous.

After the crash and their desperate attempt to survive the wilderness, the group believes their greatest enemy is the unforgiving landscape around them. Winter is closing in, supplies are limited, and hope of rescue feels distant. When they finally try to leave their cabin sanctuary and find help, they stumble into something far worse.

Gun-runners.

Suddenly survival isn’t about the cold or starvation anymore—it’s about enduring the cruelty of men who see them as entertainment and leverage. Forced into a dangerous game by brutal criminals, the fragile stability they built in the cabin begins to fracture under unimaginable pressure.

This installment dives deeper into the psychological and emotional toll on each character. Cade struggles with his own suffering, Darius battles the helplessness of not being able to protect those he loves, and Reed carries the crushing responsibility of keeping their fractured family together. Meanwhile, Laney—still barely eighteen and already scarred by a lifetime of hardship—faces the most heartbreaking challenges of all.

What makes this story powerful is the unwavering loyalty between them. Their relationships may be unconventional and taboo, but the bond they share becomes their only defense against the cruelty surrounding them. In a world trying to tear them apart, they cling to each other with fierce determination.

The story does not shy away from difficult themes or harsh realities. Readers should be aware that some scenes are deeply intense and emotionally heavy, and checking the trigger warnings beforehand is important. Marissa Farrar writes these moments with raw honesty, showing just how much trauma can test even the strongest bonds.

Despite the darkness, the heart of the book remains the same: survival through connection. No matter how brutal the circumstances become, this broken group refuses to abandon one another.

Laney’s character, in particular, stands out as someone you can’t help but root for. After a lifetime filled with pain, betrayal, and struggle, all you want is for her to finally find some peace and happiness.

Immoral Games raises the stakes of the series dramatically and leaves readers on a gripping cliffhanger that promises even darker emotional territory ahead.

If you enjoy:

dark romance with intense emotional stakes

survival stories that push characters to their limits

taboo relationship dynamics

found-family bonds forged through hardship

suspenseful stories that refuse to play it safe

this installment delivers a gripping, gut-wrenching continuation of Laney’s journey.

Because sometimes the only way to survive the darkness…
is to hold onto the people who refuse to let you face it alone.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Diana Martins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of reach.

The story picks up right where the cliffhanger left off—and I can tell you it wasn’t in a good place.

This second book is darker than the first and deals with some very heavy situations. You may want to check the TW beforehand.

It’s often said that we shouldn’t judge how people react to situations we’ve never experienced ourselves. I agree with that.
However, with the number of movies we watch and books we read, we sometimes think we’re capable of forming opinions and judging characters’ choices.

While reading this book, I often felt caught between thinking I knew what should or shouldn’t be done to avoid certain situations, and knowing that everyone reacts differently. No reaction is necessarily right or wrong—they are simply human responses.
What I do know is that nothing—absolutely nothing—gives anyone the right to take something from another person without consent.

At times, reading this book felt like watching a train slowly heading toward disaster: seeing all the warning signs but being unable to stop what’s coming.
You can probably tell that this second book really got into my head.

Our main characters will face very complicated and painful situations, so prepare yourselves for a wide range of dark emotions.

It also ends on another cliffhanger that leaves us wondering: what now?

Audiobook:
The narrators continue their spectacular work.
Narrated in duet by a female and a male voice, they truly bring the characters to life—both the main characters we’ve been following since the first book and the others who evoke darker and more unsettling emotions.

[A. Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 2 in the Immoral series. You do need to read the first book to fully understand what's going on in this novel. This novel, specifically, may be hard for people to read because there are some really bad things that happen. Check the trigger warnings in the book. It explains what's going to happen. I'm not going to reveal what happens because it would ruin this entire novel for other people. This book is considered taboo because Laney is involved in a relationship with her stepfather, Reed, and her stepbrothers, Cade and Darius. This novel they all really struggle to survive mentally and physically. Some of them more than others. A lot happens in this novel. I like that they are all fiercely protective of one another. I also like that each man is represented on the covers. You wouldn't know which man though, unless you read the series. I hope Laney can find some happiness in her life because she deserves it. She's barely 18 and has known nothing but struggle, strife, and disappointment. I really feel sorry for Laney's character more than the others. I feel like the next book in the series may get pretty dark mentally, just based on how this book ends. I think Marissa isn't afraid to show how her characters struggle. This book ends on a cliffhanger. If your familiar with Marissa Fararr's work, you won't be disappointed in this series. If your not familiar with Marissa's work, this series may be a little dark and shocking.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boy, this book did get worse after the first one. The characters just seemed to go along with what they were told, even Laney. The lack of chemistry that I had with them continued to this book, and it still feels like the author is trying to force the situations into what she wants, rather than something a little more natural... or believable.

Plot holes. There are several plot holes here that don't really work. The cell phone that they found. Even if they had tried to use it, they are nowhere near a tower, so they wouldn't have been able to make any phone calls. Being mad at him for hiding it, sure, but you can't be mad that he potentially could have gotten you rescued. This was even mentioned that there wouldn't be any service, and yet they are still all upset over it, even though it wouldn't have helped to begin with.

It felt like the four of them (three, really, since Cade was unconscious most of the book) just went along with the bad guys. Especially Laney. It felt like she just went along with it and didn't really fight back much. Considering what they were doing to her, even with the threats, it seems like someone would fight back more.

Now, at the end, she wants to separate? It all feels like manufactured drama. I'll finish the trilogy, but I am not very happy with how this author does things, so far.

[Casi McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tbh for me this book was about the same as the last one. It’s still good enough to keep me interested I’m just it’s crazy to me how they seem so smart in one moment and then oblivious the next.

They found the guns, they knew someone was prob looking yet they never thought about protection or anything once they left the cabin and in turn only hurt themselves. Idk it just irks my nerves a little bc a lotta their decisions seem so different from the persons they are made out to be and all their characteristics. Idk just my opinion.

Overall this book was good. The story progressed really ncie, it was crazy how hurt Cade got and helpless Darius felt and how much Reed struggled and all the trauma Laney went thru. It was really raw and real and vulnerable reading each of their perspectives and how they viewed what was happening. I both enjoyed it and was heartbroken too bc of everything they each went thru but more so with what happened with the FMC and after that it was just wow truly.

I did enjoy the end and how they finally just did it and got away. I’m intrigued to see where the author will take the book from here and if they’ll truly escape.

[Lilibet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immoral Games is Book 2 with a whychoose stepbrother/stepfather romance with darker themes*

At the end of Immoral Steps.....

After the plane crash and surviving in the cabin in the wilderness. They had decided to try and find the nearest town instead of attempting to survive a winter foraging and hunting for food. Only things didn't go to plan and they ended up being captured by armed gun runners who had been using the cabin originally........ Will they ever get back home?

After being left on that cliffhanger in book 1. I had to read book 2 to find out what happened!!

Immoral Games is a dark, intense, emotional and nail-biting read. A battle of survival, whilst running on empty. It's not for the weak willed or for the faint of heart!

*Please read trigger warnings if you have triggers and if you don't like taboo subjects then this isn't for you. *

**However, if like me you've read book 1 and want to find out what happened, then get stuck in and hold on tight! **

[Ines · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Immoral Games" is the second book in the Immoral series, and I'm truly fascinated with this dark and taboo why choose romance! Where the first book was mostly taboo, with an interesting relationship development between Laney, her stepfather and her stepbrothers, book two adds more darkness to the storyline. I definitely want to advice to check the TW, if you have any.

It sounds weird to say I loved the story development, because this book definitely adds some trauma on top of everything Laney already experienced in the past. But I was truly fascinated with everything happening in this book, and the struggle Laney and her men experienced to free themselves out of the hands of criminals. A lot of the things that happened are bound to leave (mental) scars and I'm curious to see how they will deal with those in the future. With the way book one ends, I would say it will probably take some time.

I'm already curious to find out how their story will end in the third and final book of this series!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immoral Games is book two in the Immoral Series. It's dark, twisted, savage, cruel, and raw. A full-length standalone novel with no cheating and ends on cliffhanger. A brilliantly written story with four broken people and storyline that captures the reader from the start and keeps you hooked and invested, and turning the pages with it's non-stop twists and turns and gut-wrenching drama. Immoral Games brings so more depth to the story. It takes a dramatic shift of trauma and torture as Laney, Cade, Darius, and Reed stumble upon some hardened criminal and fight survive yet again. There's danger, violence, drama, darkness, heartaches, survival, taboo, forbidden romance, stepbrothers/stepsister relationship, steam, stepfather/daughter relationship, passion, lust, enemies, emotions, tensions, anger, hatred, resentment, and so much. An unputdownable, addicting, pulse-pounding and rollercoaster. The ends on mind-blowing cliffhanger.

I received an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Wishy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Taboo Why Choose
Spice: 🥵 yes
Series: Immoral series, book 2

Thoughts - picking up where book 1 leaves this book is absolutely a story about survival, both physically, mentally and emotionally. Having secured their relationship this really tests the bonds they have formed with each other when the unthinkable happens. There is Non Con in the story so please check your triggers and read responsibly. By the end though I felt like I’d taken every hard step with them all so was a little anxious over how it wraps up. Thankfully book 3 is ready and waiting, and so is my HEA!!

Plot - deciding to trying and walk out of the mountains before winter sets in the group sets off only to be confronted by the men who owns the guns they found in the roof. They have no choice but do what they say, even wig that comes with a cost.

* Found family
* Survival
* Why choose
* Disability Rep
* Non Con
* Slow burn
* Taboo
* Stepfather/stepbrother
* Mountains
* ⚠️ trigger warnings

“ Without her, I might as well just turn to dust and blow away in the breeze.”

[Vy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited for this book to come out. I've read a lot of dark RH, a lot of forbidden type of books, but I haven't read a book like this before. Book 1 ended on a cliffhanger that had me gasping in the middle of the night. This picked up right where it left off and it hits the ground running. It felt a little bit slower to me but it worked for the plot. It does have some moments of yikes (in terms of triggers not in terms of quality) but it just felt right for the direction of the story. Each character is suffering in some way and you can see how they're each affected by it differently. And how connected they've become through the trauma bond. Each person has a strength and a weakness that's highlighted in this book. And you see how much they really need each other because of those "weaknesses".

Idk, I can't really put into words how much I enjoyed this book and how much I need the next one. I can't wait to see where this goes next.

[Amber Keehn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love me some Marissa Farrar, her books are usually (very) dark but some can be a little more on the light-hearted or funny side. This book, my friends, is not, and check TW/CW because there are some very disturbing scenes in this book. Immoral Games picks up right where Book 1 left off with Laney and her men being surrounded by the arms dealers (who are also armed). They incapacitate Cade and march everyone back to the cabin. The book then follows their time in captivity and subsequent fallout. There's not much else one can say about that without major spoilers, but I can say this book is very well written and one of the more emotional ones I have read from this author. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and looks like there's a book 3- where I am hoping Laney and her men get an HEA!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sseulegi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 2 was different and that's not a bad thing per se, but I was kind of surprised at how high the stakes were. While Immoral Steps was primarily about survival, Immoral Games came across as more of a thriller. With the addition of three new characters, they were all put into some pretty dark positions.

Cade was unconscious for most of the book, Darius was mostly lost with his lack of sight and the destruction of his beloved violin, and Reed was hotheaded, making things so much worse for Laney, who was trying to do whatever it took to survive. Now that I think about it, Laney was really the star of this book. She went through unspeakable things to keep everyone safe and handled it like a champ.

I actually enjoyed this, but definitely check the trigger warnings. I'm going to be picking up the third book because I'm dying to see where Laney's story ends.

[Catlou · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ Stars ⭐⭐⭐🌟 IMMORAL GAMES begins where “Steps” ended, with Reed, Darius, Cade, and Laney captured and kidnapped by 3 amoral gun runners. They survived a plane crash and one month stranded in the woods and now this! What comes next is at times extremely difficult to read. The emotions run high from start to finish with moments of heart-pounding suspense, fear, and excitement in equal measures. Even once things begin to look like there may be an end to their travails, there’s going to be unresolved conflict that will break your heart. Although it’s not always a comfortable tale, it’s certainly one that will capture your interest, keeping you thoroughly involved and leaving you anxious to know what’s next for these four.

[Merilu Keenum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!! Laney, Reed, Darius, and Cade have decided to hike out before the weather changes. They hike right into dangerous criminals who have no problem hurting their captives. The cabin becomes their prison, torture chamber for Laney, and a place for Cade to heal.

Marissa ramps up the direness of their situation, the emotional connection, and they learn how far they’re willing to go to survive. Escape brings more danger, stress levels strain the relationship, and love may not be enough. Their sexual attraction is filthy hot, but the real world would never understand. I’m really impatient for the next book!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.