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Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment
Graphic: Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol
Let’s get this out of the way first: Yes, this book is problematic. There are aspects that directly contradict my personal values—like the fact that Tiernan is technically still blood-related to Jake, Noah, and Caleb. Even though it’s a step-cousin/step-uncle situation, Jake and Tiernan’s father were blood brothers, which means there’s still a biological connection. Thinking too hard about that part makes it uncomfortable, so I had to mentally shove that under the rug just to enjoy the story.
Then there’s the fact that Tiernan was still a minor when some of the intimate situations began unfolding. The uncle-niece, cousin relationships were unsettling at times, and it took some effort to overlook those details. However, once I separated myself from the real-world implications and focused on the characters, their growth, and the story’s development, I fell completely in love with it.
One of my favorite things about Credence is how every character evolves throughout the story.
• Tiernan starts out as this emotionally detached girl, completely isolated from the world because of her parents’ neglect. Her parents’ obsessive love for each other was so deep that there was no room left for her. That kind of love is rare and passionate, but also damaging when it excludes a child. It shaped Tiernan into someone who felt small, unimportant , and unworthy of love. But as the story unfolds, she grows into someone stronger, more self-aware, and independent. She learns what she wants, what she doesn’t, and makes her own choices—good or bad, they’re hers to make.
• Jake also undergoes huge character growth. At first, he’s possessive and controlling, but by the end, he realizes that he has to let go—not just of Tiernan, but also of his sons. He learns that he can’t keep people tied down just to avoid being alone.
• Noah had my heart at some points, and honestly, I felt bad for him because his feelings for Tiernan seemed so genuine. But there was closure for me when, at the end, he realizes he’s actually in love with racing. That moment made me feel better about how things turned out for him. He deserved his own path, and I love that he followed his dreams instead of clinging to something that wasn’t meant to be.
• Caleb was wild from the very beginning. His introduction into the story was feral, chaotic, and borderline terrifying, but the way his character was written—silent but expressive—made me fall for him over time. He didn’t need words to show how much he cared for Tiernan. He was always watching, always there, even in his quietness. And what really sealed it for me was the moment he chose not to stay in that car—the same place his mother abandoned him in when he was four. That was the turning point. He refused to let his trauma define him any longer. He spoke up, he communicated, he fought for Tiernan. That moment showed how much he truly loved her and how far he had come.
Unlike other dark romance books (cough Den of Vipers cough), Credence didn’t just romanticize toxicity—it showed that messy relationships like that don’t end well. There was a realization that what they had at the cabin wasn’t sustainable, and I loved that.
Everyone got a proper resolution:
• Tiernan finished school and built a career for herself.
• Noah pursued his passion for racing.
• Jake and Mirai found love.
• And most importantly, Tiernan and Caleb built a family—one built on love, not trauma.
After reading Den of Vipers, which leaned way too hard into violence and toxicity without any real resolution, Credence felt like a better dark romance. It had its controversial moments, but it also had growth, healing, and closure.
Yes, it’s still problematic in many ways. Yes, the entire “I slept with three men from the same household” situation is insane to think about in a real-life context. But in the end, the story worked. The characters made sense together. The relationships developed, and their arcs felt satisfying.
Would I recommend Credence? Yes, but with caution. It’s not for the faint of heart. You have to be comfortable with dark, taboo themes and willing to separate fiction from reality. If you go into it knowing it’s a dark, twisted, toxic romance with a deep emotional core, you’ll be hooked—just like I was.
Graphic: Incest, Sexual content
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Alcohol
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment
Minor: Violence, Pregnancy
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail