L.O.R.D.S. Series by Shantel Tessier – A Partial Series Review
⭐ Overall Rating: 2.75/5
Quick Summary
The L.O.R.D.S. series is a dark, erotic romance saga filled with secret societies, power struggles, and high-stakes tension. While it delivers on spice, danger, and twisted relationships, the series ultimately lacks the character development and strong storytelling needed to make its plots compelling. After three books—The Ritual, The Sinner, and The Sacrifice—I’ve decided not to continue the series, as the writing style, character depth, and convoluted plots just didn’t work for me.
What I Liked About the Series
Well-Performed Audiobooks: The duet narration in the audiobooks was consistently well done, making the listening experience more engaging.
Strong Spice Factor: If you’re looking for high heat and boundary-pushing dark romance, this series delivers. The spice is well-executed and undeniably steamy.
Intriguing Concepts: The secret society premise had the potential to be fascinating, and while the execution didn’t work for me, I can see the appeal for those who enjoy dark, power-driven romance plots.
What Didn’t Work for Me
Severely Lacking Character Development: Across all three books, characters felt flat and underdeveloped, making it hard to connect with them or invest in their journeys. In The Sinner especially, Sin’s backstory and motivations were never properly explained, leaving his character feeling hollow.
Plots That Prioritize Shock Over Substance: The series relies heavily on trauma, violence, and convoluted twists without enough payoff. The Sinner was particularly confusing and overlong, making it hard to stay engaged.
Excessive Song References: This is a personal pet peeve, but the near-constant name-dropping of songs pulled me out of the story rather than enhancing the atmosphere. It felt forced and amateurish rather than a natural way to set the mood.
Exploitative Overtones: While I don’t mind extreme dark romance, the series often felt like it was trying too hard to push boundaries without properly developing emotional stakes. The result was shock value over storytelling, making many scenes feel repetitive rather than impactful.
Book Breakdown
📖 The Ritual – 2.75/5 Stars
A plot-light, spice-heavy introduction to the L.O.R.D.S. world. Ryat and Blakely lacked depth, and the book relied too much on explicit scenes over actual storytelling. Also, way too many song references.
📖 The Sinner – 1.5/5 Stars
Basically trauma porn with a convoluted, confusing plot that dragged on for far too long. Sin was one-dimensional, and while Ellie had some development, it wasn’t enough to salvage the book. The only reason I finished it was because I needed answers—but even those took way too long to arrive.
📖 The Sacrifice – 3/5 Stars
Marginally better than the first two books, with a slightly more engaging plot and characters, though it still suffered from convoluted twists and shallow development. This was the book that confirmed for me that Shantel Tessier’s writing just isn’t my thing.
Who Should Read This Series?
If you’re looking for highly erotic dark romance with secret societies, power plays, and boundary-pushing content, you might enjoy this series. However, if you need well-developed characters, strong emotional depth, or tight storytelling, this series will likely disappoint.
Final Thoughts
After three books, I’ve decided not to continue the L.O.R.D.S. series, as the lack of character development, excessive reliance on shock value, and overly convoluted plots just didn’t work for me. While it has its audience, I personally found it frustrating, underwhelming, and not worth continuing. If you’re curious about the series, I’d proceed with caution—and maybe pick up a sample first to see if the writing style suits you.
