Twisted Beauty by Maggie Blackbird

In a society where every day is a struggle for survival, a warrior seeking vengeance meets a loner with just as much strength and cunning. Chassis and Hunter move quickly from enemies to lovers, with an undeniable connection if they can make it work. Twisted Beauty is an engaging Own Voices book from Maggie Blackbird with action and steam.

From the blurb:

His community or his enemy. He can’t have both.

Deep in the badlands, Hunter patrols the area as the war chief for his Lakota community. His latest mission is to hunt down a marauder who robbed his neighbors of their precious goods. He’ll act as this man’s judge, jury, and executioner.

Having lost everything at his former Ojibway encampment, Chassis is far from home. He wanders the badlands, a grim reaper bringing death to those who possess what he needs to survive. But there is one man courageous enough to challenge him.

When the duo faces off, neither expects the sizzling chemistry to erupt between them, nor for their duel to touch what both have denied themselves. Now they must choose to either remain together and sacrifice their personal beliefs, or part ways, losing what they’ve spent their lives searching for—love.

Warning: Dubious consent and violence.

SNik's Review:

Standalone dystopian. Enemies to lovers. POC representation. Dual POV. Heed content warnings. 

For years, Chassis has wandered and does what he needs to survive, stealing and killing if needed. Hunter is a warrior that protects his community, and while pursuing Chassis, he meets his match. But between the two men bargaining and fighting for survival, they have a deep and immediate connection that causes them both to compromise their personal rules and begin to work together. 

Outside forces put pressure on any chance of a relationship, and Chassis is committed to being on the road while Hunter can’t imagine leaving his home. 

Every interaction between Chassis and Hunter was tense, and in this Mad Max-like world build there were some expected and some unexpected scenes which kept me engaged. 

Twisted Beauty was an entertaining read, with honor, betrayal, loyalty and insta-love that couldn’t be denied between Chassis and Hunter.

Rating: 4.25 Stars

Twisted Beauty is available to buy in Kindle and paperback formats.