From internet sensation and Amazon bestseller Lindsay Straube comes the first book in the sexy, biting Split or Swallow series, featuring dangerous basilisks, competitive seduction, and a love triangle that could destroy kingdoms.
Twenty-year-old Temperance Verus has never been kissed. But that's what the basilisk is for.
Along with thirteen other contestants, Tem must train with a basilisk to learn the power of seduction and win the prince's hand in marriage. When Tem is matched with Caspen, the Serpent King, she realizes she might actually stand a chance.
But with tensions rising between the basilisks and the humans, Tem is suddenly torn in two directions. As her bond with Caspen deepens, so does her connection with the prince. When she uncovers a terrible secret about the royal family, Tem finds herself caught between two worlds, neither of which she can survive without.
The series
In the Split or Swallow series, trust is a dangerous game, and love is a gamble with life and death. Temperance Verus, a sharp-witted, emotionally scarred young woman, enters a world where basilisks—serpent-like creatures with intelligence and deadly power—are more than mere beasts. They are mentors, rivals, and threats, forcing those who engage with them to confront their deepest fears and desires.
Read full series description
The first book, Kiss of the Basilisk, draws readers into a world where power is seductive, and every choice leads down a path of temptation and ruin. Here, ancient rituals, dark romance, and high-stakes competition collide. Temperance must navigate a brutal contest to claim the prince’s hand, all while training with a basilisk bound by unspoken secrets. It’s a place where human and basilisk relationships blur the lines between mastery and manipulation, and each interaction could be her last.
Straube’s writing is as sharp and intoxicating as the creatures she weaves into her world. Her characters, flawed and complex, grapple with love, betrayal, and the cost of ambition in a kingdom where every betrayal carries a heavy price. The series' dark romance and slow-burn tension hold a mirror to the harsh realities of survival in a world where even the smallest act can tip the scales between life and death.
The series grows with each new twist, pushing boundaries and exploring what it truly means to wield power, not just over others, but over one’s self. With Split or Swallow, readers are plunged into a narrative that feels both dangerous and intimate, offering a deep dive into a realm where every choice leaves a mark, and every kiss might be your last.
For those who crave intricate world-building, morally gray characters, and romance that’s anything but predictable, Split or Swallow offers a dark, thrilling ride. It's a journey through desire, danger, and deception, where the stakes couldn’t be higher—and no one escapes unscathed.
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