As someone who doesn’t read a lot of dark fantasy, I was impressed by how much this book was able to pack in—a dark sapphic romance, dark academia, demon/fallen angel lore, morally grey heroines, found family, magical trials, soul contracts, gothic elements, and lots of high-stakes action. This was my first book by Ruby Roe and the first installment in the Deals of Dark Desire duet. The book title refers to one of the twin angels, Architecti, while book two is named after her darker twin sister, Interitus. Even though the angel twins are central to the story, the protagonists are two fiery women: Mercedes Midnight, a human reaper who made a deal with the devil, and Lucy Corvine, a demon professor bound by a contract she never agreed to with her devil father, Ignatius. Their paths cross very early in the story, and what begins as a chance encounter quickly turns into a HEATED, forbidden sapphic romance that’s very difficult not to get invested in.

The story is mostly told through the first-person POVs of Midnight and Lucy, with interspersed chapters from Architecti that slowly reveal how she became a fallen angel and the complicated relationship she has with her darker twin, Interitus. I was immediately drawn into Midnight’s story as she begins the book celebrating her final birthday (before Hell comes to collect her soul 😢) and is once again denied entry into Finis Academy—the only place where she has any hope of ending her contract of death. A chance meeting with Lucy at a graveyard rave leads to one very heated night together that they both think is a one-night stand. But fate has other plans when Midnight is unexpectedly accepted into Finis Academy, only to discover Lucy is one of its professors.

From there, the book expands to include a memorable cast of characters. Lucy’s father, Ignatius, is not only the powerful devil who controls her contract but also has complicated ties to Midnight. I loved the friendships that Midnight forms with fellow students like Lex and Bastian—their bond felt immediate and gave off major found family vibes. Add in morally questionable professors, lots of intriguing lore about the Academy’s Tower, and the seven floors above and below ground, and I was completely immersed. The chemistry between Midnight and Lucy is so intense that it literally sizzles off the page, but their relationship is very much forbidden and comes with enormous risks to both of their lives—so they both try to control themselves, but it’s often a failed effort and the spice gets spicing!

There are also magical trials throughout the story that reminded me a bit of some of the trials in Phantasma (IFYKYK). Before students can even attend classes at Finis Academy, they must survive a BRUTAL Severance Ritual involving three trials—there’s a lot of tense buildup and some graphic scenes that will have you on EDGE! The Veil separating worlds is another major topic, as frequent tears have allowed wraiths and other creatures to slip through. Ignatius claims to have killed Architecti years ago after she became a threat to the city and a war erupted, causing the remaining angels to leave—but his version of events is immediately questionable. Architecti’s chapters let readers know right away that she’s not dead, but instead trapped somewhere. There are also flashbacks of Architecti in the Celestial Realm, and I sense that the mythology described will become even more important in the sequel. Paying attention to the clues during her POV is also helpful for predicting some of the reveals later on!

The pacing of this story is pretty relentless, often jumping months ahead with no warning, but it’s always easy to follow. The short chapters, which often end on cliffhangers or dramatic mini-reveals, make it easy to binge-read. My only minor criticism is that there’s a LOT of spice, with some intimate scenes taking up almost an entire chapter. I would have traded some of that for more time exploring Midnight’s magic classes, learning more about how her threading magic works, and understanding how characters travel back and forth through the Veil.

That said, the character development is strong. The flashbacks showing Midnight’s life ten years earlier add a lot of emotional weight to her story. She’s a bit frustrating to follow at times, as her impulsiveness and obsession with love spiral into her deal with the devil and eventual life as a reaper. I also loved how the mystery surrounding Lucy’s contract runes (on her neck) was slowly revealed.

The story’s multiple threads come crashing together in the final act, and the ending delivers a major twist and an explosive, high-stakes cliffhanger that has me eager to pick up Interitus immediately—stay tuned for my review coming soon.

If you’re an audiobook listener, you’re in for a treat. Narrators Allie Rose (aka Charlie Albers), Vivienne LaRue, and Aria Holland (aka Zura Johnson) each voice one of the POVs and do an incredible job bringing their characters to life and commanding your full attention from start to finish, elevating this already exciting story to another level!