4.7 (5,494 ratings)

Sweet Ruin

Name: Sweet Ruin
Rating: 4.7 (5494 reviews)
Author: Kresley Cole
ISBN: B014I4BJGW

by Kresley Cole

shifters

About this book

Josephine is a woman defined by loss, a foundling with mysterious powers who has spent her entire life protecting her brother. When he is stolen from her, her world shatters, turning her from a desperate guardian into a lethal, enchanting villain. She is a force of nature, living in the shadows and waiting for the right moment to strike back at those who took everything from her.

Enter Archer Rune, a Baneblood enforcer whose reputation is as sharp as his blade. He is tasked with eliminating a target, but his mission takes a volatile turn when he encounters Jo. After she steals his forbidden blood, their fates become irrevocably entwined. Forced into proximity by circumstance and mutual suspicion, they find themselves locked in a high-stakes battle of wills where duty wars with an intoxicating, dangerous attraction.

This addition to the Immortals After Dark series is a masterclass in urban fantasy, delivering a dark romance filled with forbidden love and a slow-burn tension that crackles off the page. As Jo and Rune navigate a landscape of betrayal and secrets, they must decide if their growing passion is a salvation or their ultimate, sweet ruin. For readers craving intense, paranormal stakes, this is an unmissable journey.

Publication Date: May 25, 2026
ASIN: B014I4BJGW

Reader Reviews

Awesome addition to the IAD series

January 5, 2016

***I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.*** Sweet Ruin by Kresley Cole is book sixteen in her Immortals After Dark (IAD) series and follows the story of Josephine and Rune the Baneblood as they find their happily ever after (HEA) in the chaotic time leading/ during the Accession. To newcomers to Cole’s books, in particular this series, do not worry, this book can be read as a standalone....

Bittersweet End

January 17, 2017

4.75 stars for the bittersweet end of the IAD series (at least for me-for now). This is a hard review to write since KC is probably one of my favorite authors, and the IAD series is HANDS-DOWN my favorite PNR series. On top of that, Sweet Ruin is (IMO) in the top 3 books of the series, including (sorry I don’t know the exact names of them) the one with Bowen and Mariketa and the one with Malcom and Carrow, AND Lothaire. Yesss, I know that’s four, but Lothaire and Rune tie for Number one on my...

loved the story but broken heart - spoilers marked

December 2, 2015

I loved the story except the parts with Rune getting physical with OW which not only broke Jo's heart but mine as well. I would have given a five star rating if he had been faithful to her. I liked reading about Jo as a child. I could not help but admire her endurance and ability to survive and take care of her baby brother at such as young age. How she came into her powers was interesting and like the whole story, kept my attention. While a few characters from other books occasionally had...

\"What won't we do for the people we love.\"

December 1, 2015

\"She was a killer with blood on her hands, but she wanted to give her heart away . . .Jo yearned for her other half with all the desperation of someone who'd always known something was missing.\" FINAL DECISION: The story of two lonely immortals desperately needing connection, SWEET RUIN demonstrates the best in the Immortals After Dark series: humor, adventure, hot sex and deep loving bonds. THE STORY: Rune Darklight is the assassin of the Morior (the group of ancient immortals coming to...

Another AMAZING hawt epic win in the IAD series!

December 17, 2015

I am a huge fan of everything this author writes. So much action, adventure, romance, hot heroes, amazing worlds, epic battles. If you haven't read this series before, go back and knock these books out one by one. You totally will not regret it. Not. At. All. Rune, the H, is a Baneblood and total and complete manwhore or maybe it’s a Lorewhore? Here’s the twist, his blood is beyond toxic. One taste of any bodily fluid and you’re dead. This, as you can imagine, is a real bummer for him as he’s...