From internet sensation and USA Today bestseller Lindsay Straube comes the second book in the sexy, biting Split or Swallow series, featuring dangerous basilisks, competitive seduction, and a love triangle that could destroy kingdoms.
Tem never thought she'd fall in love.
But now she's caught between the Serpent King and the newly crowned human king…
And the war that is brewing between the basilisks and the humans.
Tem led a simple life on the family chicken farm, but now, her eyes had been opened―to love, to lust, to the pull of power, gold, obligation, and the violence of greed and war.
When Tem embraced her basilisk half and crested Leo, she thought she'd set him free. Though it nearly broke her, now he could find his first love again, and she could be happy with Caspen.
But love is complicated. As much as Tem embraces her serpent side, rules and loopholes keep her beholden to Leo…despite her marriage to Caspen.
And as it becomes clearer that her decision may not be so simple, their desire continues to smolder…and if one tinder flickers into flame, it could set the entire kingdom on fire.
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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