A darkly enchanting read.
Nothing exciting ever happens to Nicole, a young woman from a small Pennsylvania farming town. She has aspirations and goals, but her family isn’t wealthy and her opportunities are limited. This particular October, however, brings more than chilly autumn weather. A local reporter has a story that will change Nicole’s life: Darlington Circus is in town! No ordinary three-ring spectacle, the elusive Darlington Circus is said to have real magic within its tents. Though tickets are prohibitively expensive, nothing will prevent Nicole from meeting her destiny, even if she doesn’t yet understand the significance of it. So she steps through a mysterious doorway into a world more fantastical than any newscaster could ever convey. It turns out that Nicole isn’t just visiting this traveling circus, she is an integral part of the community. Shocking truths come rushing in, revealing that Nicole is so much more than the nineteen-year-old art student she thought she was. She is a reincarnated wife, submissive to the dominant ringmaster, Bellamy. The entire circus has been cursed with immortality, except for Nicole, and not everyone is happy about it. As she settles back into the role she was born to play, details about her past lives, including events leading to her most recent death, slowly come to light. With conflicted feelings, Nicole learns that even when most of your friends are immortal, death isn’t the only thing that hurts.
Prepare for a spectacle like no other because the kinkiest show on Earth has arrived in the dark romantasy novel, Darlington Circus. A nomadic circus with a broader purpose, this traveling show is only one aspect of the magical world SK Hinkley invites readers to revel in. Ancient conflicts drive the action and plot, while powerful relationships shape the tone of this supernatural tale. Nicole is the center of attention, but her loyalties extend to friends, lovers, and her mortal family. Some relationships push hard against traditional boundaries, as with Nicole, the husband who claims her, and the vampire who will do anything for her. Others pull at heartstrings, such as Nicole’s connection with her dear friend Eve and with her younger brother. For fans of dark romance, explicit scenes will leave you torn between desire and outrage as they challenge social conventions. Beyond Nicole’s compelling journey of self-discovery is the broader storyline surrounding the stability of the circus and the magic that fuels it. The author has a talent for building suspense and expanding the mesmerizing world while laying the groundwork for future installments. An urban fantasy novel suitable for mature audiences, Darlington Circus is a darkly enchanting read that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next incarnation.
