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4.67 AVERAGE
4.67 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Zoriah seems to drift through life from one tragedy to the next, praying that death will take mercy on her soul.
That is till her saviours find her and guide her out of the darkness and they awaken something within Zoriah that is sinfully brutal.
But, it doesn't stop the shadows from creeping back into Zoriah's mind. She knows she was never meant to escape their grasp, and now that she's escaped they'll do whatever they have to to get her back.
Will Zoriah manage to survive the sacrifice? Or Will she just be another long-forgotten soul?
YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and take the trigger warnings seriously, reader discretion is highly advised. There are some themes and scenes that are not suitable for all readers. And there are some scenes that could be triggering for some readers. Please remember that your mental health always comes first.
Themes & Tropes: Pitch Black Romance, Captivity and Trauma, Trauma Bonding, Brother's Best Friend, Multiple Love Interests (Roman, Ben, Huxley, Lance), BDSM/Submissive Awakening, Consent as Healing, Found Power through Surrender, and Dark Smut with Emotional Weight.
“She was broken open—and inside the ruin, she found her power.”
Sacrificing Zoriah A Dark Billionaire Romance by Emily Klepp is not for everyone and you are going to have to be strong of heart to read this book. This book is raw, brutal, and absolutely drenched in so much pain. But, at the same time, this book is one of the most beautifully and emotionally honest portraits of survival I have ever read.
Emily doesn't pull away from anything in this book and she doesn't soften the blows. Emily throws you into the deep end into the deepest darkest depths of human depravity – and among it all, Emily still manages to ink out a story full of resilience, healing, and reclaiming your life, in whatever form that may take.
Zoriah's story truly begins when she was six years old. She had been out with her mom and upon arriving home, they found two men in their home and her mom calls Zoriah's dad and he tries to rush home. All the way he has to listen to his wife and daughter being assaulted over and over again. And then a shot rings out. When he arrives home, he finds his wife is gone and she has protected their daughter Zoriah.
Years later Zoriah finds herself being kidnapped by her so-called best friend Haley, her brother Huxley, and their dad. She's taken into a cult, subjected to being branded and violence that I can't put words to and she's robbed of all her autonomy and she's left as a shattered soul, wandering through her mind, just trying to survive and get out.
Then out of the darkness comes Huxley, Haley's brother, and she learns another victim of the cult. Together they are bonded by their shared trauma, it's morethann just shared pain though – Huxley is a flicker of hope for Zoriah, a connection to humanity and a chance that maybe she could escape.
Emily doesn't stop with that though. She gives us something in the second half and shifts it into something powerful. When Zoriah doesn't show up for work that Monday her boss Roman and Ben his loyal assistant go searching for her. When she escapes and finds herself at his gate, Roman does everything he can to protect her and take care of her. And together Roman and Ben start to be her rebirth. There is no linear healing for Zoriah. There is no such thing as linear healing for anyone. Healing is a messy, complicated thing and for Zoriah it is also erotic and ever so beautifully consensual. And it's through her surrender, she finds her true freedom and in her submissio,n she discovers she has choice and through her choice of lover,s she finds her authentic self.
This book is not a romance and it's not built on rescue. Rather this book is built on mutual respect, control, and letting go. And in the most reverent and honest way this is the pitchest black of smut.
Zoriah finds her power in the dark kink, power exchange, submission thatis driven by her consent, she finds that in her pain and pleasur,e she is finding both punishment and therapy. And in all these scenes they mean something so much more, there is such an emotional depth and precision to these scenes that it made my heart ache so much.
This book is hard to read, it is violent, and I shuddered at the violence and I cried, it's erotic and it's a gut punchthate pulls at your soul. The heart of the story is not only of ruin,but it's the story of love and redemption and finding your true self. This isn't clean or neat, but this is the kind of story where you have to see each and every scar and know there's a reason for it.
I loved Zoriah's story. This was truly a story of finding your strength – in surviving, choosing, and most of all in letting go of the pain of your past and the things that hold you back.
Sacrificing Zoriah is truly a romance that will forever live in the shadows and will find the light through youitss readers. This is a book that I highly recommend and one that you'll never forget and want to read over and over again. And Emily Klepp is an authorwhomt I can't recommend enough. I love the way she promotes mental health through her writing.
That is till her saviours find her and guide her out of the darkness and they awaken something within Zoriah that is sinfully brutal.
But, it doesn't stop the shadows from creeping back into Zoriah's mind. She knows she was never meant to escape their grasp, and now that she's escaped they'll do whatever they have to to get her back.
Will Zoriah manage to survive the sacrifice? Or Will she just be another long-forgotten soul?
YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and take the trigger warnings seriously, reader discretion is highly advised. There are some themes and scenes that are not suitable for all readers. And there are some scenes that could be triggering for some readers. Please remember that your mental health always comes first.
Themes & Tropes: Pitch Black Romance, Captivity and Trauma, Trauma Bonding, Brother's Best Friend, Multiple Love Interests (Roman, Ben, Huxley, Lance), BDSM/Submissive Awakening, Consent as Healing, Found Power through Surrender, and Dark Smut with Emotional Weight.
“She was broken open—and inside the ruin, she found her power.”
Sacrificing Zoriah A Dark Billionaire Romance by Emily Klepp is not for everyone and you are going to have to be strong of heart to read this book. This book is raw, brutal, and absolutely drenched in so much pain. But, at the same time, this book is one of the most beautifully and emotionally honest portraits of survival I have ever read.
Emily doesn't pull away from anything in this book and she doesn't soften the blows. Emily throws you into the deep end into the deepest darkest depths of human depravity – and among it all, Emily still manages to ink out a story full of resilience, healing, and reclaiming your life, in whatever form that may take.
Zoriah's story truly begins when she was six years old. She had been out with her mom and upon arriving home, they found two men in their home and her mom calls Zoriah's dad and he tries to rush home. All the way he has to listen to his wife and daughter being assaulted over and over again. And then a shot rings out. When he arrives home, he finds his wife is gone and she has protected their daughter Zoriah.
Years later Zoriah finds herself being kidnapped by her so-called best friend Haley, her brother Huxley, and their dad. She's taken into a cult, subjected to being branded and violence that I can't put words to and she's robbed of all her autonomy and she's left as a shattered soul, wandering through her mind, just trying to survive and get out.
Then out of the darkness comes Huxley, Haley's brother, and she learns another victim of the cult. Together they are bonded by their shared trauma, it's morethann just shared pain though – Huxley is a flicker of hope for Zoriah, a connection to humanity and a chance that maybe she could escape.
Emily doesn't stop with that though. She gives us something in the second half and shifts it into something powerful. When Zoriah doesn't show up for work that Monday her boss Roman and Ben his loyal assistant go searching for her. When she escapes and finds herself at his gate, Roman does everything he can to protect her and take care of her. And together Roman and Ben start to be her rebirth. There is no linear healing for Zoriah. There is no such thing as linear healing for anyone. Healing is a messy, complicated thing and for Zoriah it is also erotic and ever so beautifully consensual. And it's through her surrender, she finds her true freedom and in her submissio,n she discovers she has choice and through her choice of lover,s she finds her authentic self.
This book is not a romance and it's not built on rescue. Rather this book is built on mutual respect, control, and letting go. And in the most reverent and honest way this is the pitchest black of smut.
Zoriah finds her power in the dark kink, power exchange, submission thatis driven by her consent, she finds that in her pain and pleasur,e she is finding both punishment and therapy. And in all these scenes they mean something so much more, there is such an emotional depth and precision to these scenes that it made my heart ache so much.
This book is hard to read, it is violent, and I shuddered at the violence and I cried, it's erotic and it's a gut punchthate pulls at your soul. The heart of the story is not only of ruin,but it's the story of love and redemption and finding your true self. This isn't clean or neat, but this is the kind of story where you have to see each and every scar and know there's a reason for it.
I loved Zoriah's story. This was truly a story of finding your strength – in surviving, choosing, and most of all in letting go of the pain of your past and the things that hold you back.
Sacrificing Zoriah is truly a romance that will forever live in the shadows and will find the light through youitss readers. This is a book that I highly recommend and one that you'll never forget and want to read over and over again. And Emily Klepp is an authorwhomt I can't recommend enough. I love the way she promotes mental health through her writing.
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
All I can say is this book is a roller coaster of emotions. The betrayal and terror Zoriah felt is awful but the fact that she can heal and move on is inspiring. I enjoyed the why-choose element that was brought into the dynamic, everything was for Zoriah’s pleasure and healing. Definitely a good read but check your triggers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I absolutely loved this story. Not only did it have a few twists and turns, but it kept me on edge the whole time. I do wish we would have gotten an epilogue, though, in how everyone was doing after the ending. Either way, I loved Zoriah. Definitely check triggers as there are some very dark topics that may be too much for some.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Blood, Death of parent
Minor: Kidnapping
This was such a good dark book .. I love that zoriah learns to fight and each of her men give her different things she needs and the way her brother and dad have unconditional love and care
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I dunno why or how this book is harsher than any Emily Klepp’s other book, but it definitely is. This is top 5 most depraved book I’ve read. Some aspects def had me uncomfortable, but I knew what I was getting into when I got this book, and through it all I still couldn’t put it down. If your looking for dark and smutty look no further.
So this book starts off on a good foot, domineering boss, self conscious executive assistant no qualms all good. Then you get to chapter 2 and it goes to hell in a second. Zoriah and Huxley , wow all I can say, the things they had to go through. Yet, they all crawled themselves out of their holes and came out the other side.
Key points in no particular order:
– betrayal
– kidnapping
– parental death
– SA F/F & M/F M/M MMFM
– morally grey MMC’s
– alcoholism
– bodily function play
– multi POV
– incest
– CNC for rough b. d. s. m. MMFMc’s
– shame/praise k!*k
– RH
– breathe play/passing out
– as HEA as it can get
– Murder
– Trauma bonding
– trauma healing
– familial death
So this book starts off on a good foot, domineering boss, self conscious executive assistant no qualms all good. Then you get to chapter 2 and it goes to hell in a second. Zoriah and Huxley , wow all I can say, the things they had to go through. Yet, they all crawled themselves out of their holes and came out the other side.
Key points in no particular order:
– betrayal
– kidnapping
– parental death
– SA F/F & M/F M/M MMFM
– morally grey MMC’s
– alcoholism
– bodily function play
– multi POV
– incest
– CNC for rough b. d. s. m. MMFMc’s
– shame/praise k!*k
– RH
– breathe play/passing out
– as HEA as it can get
– Murder
– Trauma bonding
– trauma healing
– familial death
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
this book wrecked me. the amount of trauma that Zoriah faced would have broken any other character but she finds the way to face down all of her demons. definitely needed some tissues in a few places and a good cuddle with my dog because you really feel for these characters.
it’s hard to explain why this book is so beautifully written without spoiling it for the next reader but the pain Zoriah goes through can be felt on and off the page. this really is a dark romance but there are thriller aspects that make this a fast paced journey. I wouldn’t make plans once you start because you’re not going to want to put it down.
there are so many triggers it would be hard to list them all - this is definitely one of Emily’s darker books. the way Emily works through dark themes and mental awareness to trauma is what makes her an amazing author.
** also, Haley sucks.
it’s hard to explain why this book is so beautifully written without spoiling it for the next reader but the pain Zoriah goes through can be felt on and off the page. this really is a dark romance but there are thriller aspects that make this a fast paced journey. I wouldn’t make plans once you start because you’re not going to want to put it down.
there are so many triggers it would be hard to list them all - this is definitely one of Emily’s darker books. the way Emily works through dark themes and mental awareness to trauma is what makes her an amazing author.
** also, Haley sucks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Kidnapping
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
ARC Review
5 stars! Omg I’m GAGGED!
Pub Date: July 25, 2025
Format: Kindle
Oh my god! This was so intense and so spicy lots of nasty scenes of sex and this deals with very heavy topics… please do not read this if you are light hearted and look up the trigger warnings because this cuts deep. Regardless of the triggers to me, this was so good from start to finish, crazy things happened and I loved the characters. I really felt what Zoriah went through. Very good book.
5 stars! Omg I’m GAGGED!
Pub Date: July 25, 2025
Format: Kindle
Oh my god! This was so intense and so spicy lots of nasty scenes of sex and this deals with very heavy topics… please do not read this if you are light hearted and look up the trigger warnings because this cuts deep. Regardless of the triggers to me, this was so good from start to finish, crazy things happened and I loved the characters. I really felt what Zoriah went through. Very good book.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Phew! Please read the triggers before as there are acts of 🍇 and SA.
Little did she know as her brain had put it in a box, until it is triggered when she is kidnapped by a cult bringing forth a multitude of memories and nightmares. She escapes to her boss’s house, from her on out she seeks out being in a controlled situation with all her guys. Still the cult is on the move and with the one love who helped her escape. Will her nightmares continue? Will she find her love? Can she break the cycle?
Once again Emily, pulls you into this world of trauma and the fight to come out the other side by whatever means the FMC needs to cope. I couldn’t put this down mainly because I was right there with Zoriah mentally giving her the strength to carry on and seek her revenge. I actually wish this bit had been drawn out a lot more, like really ensuring they felt everything that was done to her and Huxley 😈
Little did she know as her brain had put it in a box, until it is triggered when she is kidnapped by a cult bringing forth a multitude of memories and nightmares. She escapes to her boss’s house, from her on out she seeks out being in a controlled situation with all her guys. Still the cult is on the move and with the one love who helped her escape. Will her nightmares continue? Will she find her love? Can she break the cycle?
Once again Emily, pulls you into this world of trauma and the fight to come out the other side by whatever means the FMC needs to cope. I couldn’t put this down mainly because I was right there with Zoriah mentally giving her the strength to carry on and seek her revenge. I actually wish this bit had been drawn out a lot more, like really ensuring they felt everything that was done to her and Huxley 😈