by M.K. Lobb
First published 2026
In a world where sin manifests as a fatal disease, the wealthy have found their solution: hire the desperate poor to carry out their darkest desires and bear the deadly consequences. The system works perfectly until forbidden attraction blooms between one of these hired sinners and an enigmatic stranger whose true identity remains hidden. Their growing connection defies every rule of this brutal hierarchy. As their romance deepens, it threatens to unravel the entire structure that keeps the rich clean and the poor expendable. The sinner must choose between survival in a world that treats people as disposable vessels for corruption, and a love that could destroy the only life they have ever known. This noir fantasy explores what happens when human connection challenges a system built on exploitation and moral decay.
Genres: fiction, dystopia, romance, fantasy, dark-fantasy, dark-romance
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, gritty, intimate, morally-complex, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forbidden-romance, hidden-identity, slow-burn
Paperback
Content warnings: death, violence