This book was devilishly good 😈 A true Slytherin romance indeed!I was hooked just from reading the first couple of sentences (and that’s something that rarely happens) Like who starts their story off with death(?!?!) but still somehow manages to reel you in with so much force! Well this book did just that.Alessandra, our beautiful and brainy MC. I loved the confidence she exerted and the self awareness that she had. She knows exactly what she is - beautiful, smart, unapologetic, cunning, intelligent, goal driven - and used all that & so much more to her advantage. She was someone all the men wanted and who all the women wanted to be. She has a nic for fashion, which was one of the things that helped her stand out from the crowd when first meeting the Shadow King, and it was that fashion taste that had all the women copying her every outfit piece. She was definitely a force to be reckoned with. She’s definitely not your typical female MC - she’s arrogant, remorseless, selfish, demanding, scheming, will do anything to get her way and what she wants, and surprisingly, she wasn’t the only character in the book who was like that. Despite her being that way, she was also very caring and protective towards those she really cares about. I loved her transition from anti-hero to hero in this story, but still keeping the anti-hero characteristics, because Alessandra wasn’t inherently bad, but she wasn’t all that good either.Kallias, our untouchable and deliciously yummy ML, whom we call The Shadow King. He, just like Alessandra, was just as ambitious. He’s not your typical new king in this book (a king who’s usually nice, cares for his people, a great leader, and blah blah blah) NO - Kallias is selfish, ruthless, power hungry, and I mean this man don’t give a fuccc. He will kill anyone who gets in his way, or to make a point to others. He keeps to himself, scared to open up because of the dangers he faces as a new king, and being touched is a BIG nono. His shadows are his greatest strength, but it is his weakness too. Despite all that, deep down inside, he’s a big softie. Throughout the book, I found him so charming, and I loved that he fights for what he wants as a king, and is not bad but not good either; he still cares for his subjects, but is not afraid to be a ruthless leader to get what he wants. Honestly, morally gray characters, just like Alessandra and Kallias, will always be my favorite kind of characters.I loved their relationship. They actually communicate about their feelings... COMMUNICATE!!! Even during their ruse as a “couple”, they talked, they opened up, and that helped them see a whole new different side of each other. The slow building romance, the sexual tension, the understanding and acceptance of one another despite all the flaws - OH HOW I LOVED IT. I loved their playful and funny banter, and when Kallias found out what Alessandra did, HE LAUGHED. He laughed like he hadn’t done so before, and even that surprised me. His openness towards Alessandras sex life - her past flings and romances, he didn’t care, and vice versa. & when you not only have one but TWO morally gray characters IN A RELATIONSHIP ✨chefs kiss✨ He sees her as his equal, his confidante, and he gave her the power to rule beside him - something that she always wanted, and something that she would literally KILL for.I loved how the book talked about how women should not be judged based on their bedroom life and who they’ve been with; how they can be unapologetic about it just as men are. ✨“I’m a sexually empowered woman, and there is nothing wrong with that.”✨ YES AND YES! Definitely my favorite Alessandra quote in the whole book.It was a quick read, but throughout the book you could guess what would happen next. Too many reveals and not much mystery. THE ENDING, I wasn’t satisfied with it. I felt like there could’ve been so much more to it, but it just didn’t sit well with me. Honestly I didn’t like it; it felt rushed and not what I expected. But it is what it is 🤷🏻‍♀️ Despite that, it was a great standalone book that I enjoyed reading!