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Our Favourite books of 2025: Dark Water series by Xanthe Walter

Dark Water Series

An MM Romantic Thriller (Dark Water Book 4)

Sold. Prostituted. Broken. Until him.

ll About Romance Favourite Book 2025 ⭐

Four books. One devastating story. Two men fighting for justice, survival, and each other.

London, 2095. The world drowned. The system broke. And people became property.

Enslaved and microchipped, Alexander Lytton survived by creating the perfect mask: blank, obedient, invisible. Behind it, he was safe. One slip, and he was dead.

Detective Josiah Raine hasn’t touched another man since his husband’s brutal murder seven years ago. He’s a ghost investigating ghosts, running on empty, barely holding himself together.

When Alex’s master is murdered, their worlds collide. What begins as a murder investigation becomes something far more dangerous: a love that could destroy them both—or save them.

Across four books, follow Alex and Josiah as they navigate:

A devastating revelation that shatters everything Josiah thought he knew about his husband’s death
Alex’s desperate fight for survival as a pawn in Ghost Eye City
An impossible choice between justice and love in the cold grey waters of a lost zone
A final showdown in the Quarterlands, where buried secrets demand their reckoning

In a world where Alex isn’t Josiah’s to love—he’s property, evidence, forbidden—two broken men must decide: can they build a future on a foundation of lies? Or will the truth destroy everything they’ve fought for?

Dark water. Deadly secrets. A love worth fighting for.

⚠️ Contains dark themes intended for mature readers—see Author’s Notes for content advisory.

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What readers are saying:

“This series is going to be a frequent reread for me for the foreseeable future.” – Alissa ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This series just continues to sink its hooks into me at every turn, throwing out curveballs and keeping my cortisol levels consistently high. It’s an exhausting and exhilarating experience, but I love it!” – Dana, Rainbow Romance Reader ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Just when you think you have everything figured out, Xanthe Walter comes in and turns everything upside down and sideways.” – Dani ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I read this in a single sitting, unable to set it aside for real life. Truths finally emerge, and the ripple effect caused by those revelations impacts everyone down to their core. Highly recommended series with wonderful twists and turns all the way through.” – Karen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Did I cry for like half of this book? Yes. Would I do this to myself again? Also yes. This series will stay in my mind for a long time…” – Vesta ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The complete Dark Water series – all four books, one unforgettable journey.

Ricochet

A Standalone MM BDSM Romance

He’s sworn off collaring forever. Until the wrong sub needs saving.

Rick is a dom who longs for love but won’t bed the same sub twice. Matt is a sub who longs to submit but can’t give up control.

There’s no way these two belong together.

Matt and Rick are big stars on the hit TV show Collar Crime. As two of the most successful young actors in LA, they seem to have everything. Except love.

Their fiery love-hate relationship sends sparks flying on set, but neither of them is prepared to budge an inch in matters of the heart.

To uptight perfectionist Matt, chaotic bad boy Rick is the opposite of what a good dom should be. Drop-dead gorgeous Rick knows he can have any sub in town – why would he choose an obsessive control freak like Matt?

Haunted by past mistakes, Rick has sworn never to collar a sub of his own. But everything changes when Matt falls under the spell of a manipulative billionaire.

With time running out and a collaring ceremony looming, Rick faces an impossible choice: let Matt fall into the hands of a cruel master, or finally confront the feelings he’s been running from all along.

A sizzling MM BDSM romance set in a world where everyone identifies as dom or sub.

Perfect for readers who love friends-to-lovers, opposites attract, celebrity romance, forced proximity, hidden feelings, and BDSM world-building with heart.

Readers are saying:

“I’ve loved this story since I first bought it. It’s one of my comfort rereads.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“She is probably the BEST m/m BDSM writer out there. I’m always excited when she puts out new work.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This is the first time I have taken time to write a review about a book, but I felt I had to because I was so enthralled with it.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“It’s such a page-turner that I whizzed through it and couldn’t put it down. I kept wanting to find out what would happen next!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click to read a preview.

Download Ricochet today – a sizzling MM romance from Xanthe Walter.
Available in Kindle Unlimited

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A Willing Lad

A FREE Spicy Gay BDSM Pirate Romance

A lusty pirate ship captain, a mysterious stranger, and the start of a steamy adventure…

Pirate captain Luke Jenkins has claimed countless treasures. None have ever claimed him back.

When Luke pulls a mysterious stranger from the ocean, he expects answers. What he gets is Sebastian—beautiful, enigmatic, and unnervingly perceptive about Luke’s darkest desires.

Sebastian isn’t just a shipwreck survivor. He’s something else entirely. Something dangerous.

As their attraction ignites into a scorching exploration of dominance and submission, Luke discovers Sebastian knows exactly how to unravel him. But every question Luke asks is met with another secret.

Who is Sebastian? What does he want? And why does dominating him feel like the most dangerous treasure Luke has ever pursued?

Mystery, magic, and dark desires collide in this steamy gay pirate romance.

Tropes:

Captive to captivated
Paranormal meets BDSM
Pirate captain meets his match
Loving, consensual power exchange

Claim your FREE copy of A Willing Lad, by subscribing to Xanthe’s newsletter now! You’ll receive priority updates on all the latest releases, news from Xanthe’s world, and bonus booty exclusive only to mailing list members.

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About Xanthe

Xanthe is an award-winning novelist who has been writing MM romances for decades. She crafts genre-defying gay romances, skilfully weaving murder mysteries, sci-fi, and fantasy into compelling love stories. Her books often contain plenty of spice, as well as a pinch of kink. Join Xanthe’s newsletter to step into her world.

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