Reblogged from AWellReadWomanBlog
The harder you try to escape, the more darkness pulls you under.
Art school dropout Ona Price is forced to clean up after a near-fatal overdose on a Manhattan sidewalk. While in recovery, she lands a job as the assistant to Antoni Azarov, the world-famous sculptor known as The Hands of God. Though he is difficult and brooding, his extraordinary talent reawakens Ona’s passion for art, giving her life the meaning she so desperately craved. An undeniable attraction develops as they work together, but Antoni keeps his physical distance at all costs. When the predatory wife of a wealthy benefactor decides she wants the sculptor for herself, the monstrous secret that fuels Antoni’s art threatens to destroy all.
Oblivion Black is a lush transgressive fairy tale with the Gothic appeal of a Brontë novel. Literary fiction, romance, and thriller fans will appreciate this intense dive into existential confusion, intoxication, eroticism, and the volatile power of beauty.
Tropes & Themes
- Morally Gray / Skewed Moral Compass
- Dark and Broody MMC
- Artist and Muse
- Boss and Assistant
- “Touch her and die.”
- Secrets
- Mental Health Representation
- Greek Mythology 》The Apple of Discord/ Venus
- Temptress Antagonist
- Addiction and Recovery
Genre:
- Dark Romance
- Dark Fiction
- Suspense Thriller
- Literary Fiction
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
“It was Oblivion, but blacker than that. There was no end or beginning, no body, no self. I was nothing and everything. I never was but always was. But then something touched my spirit, and like a flame to a wick, lit up my consciousness.” — Christa Wojciechowski
After Ona experiences a bleak peek at the deep, dark void of the afterlife after overdosing on a city street surrounded by gawking onlookers, she, with the support of her mother and zany aunt, (who are absolutely a hoot, btw), seeks help at a drug treatment center. Ona detoxes, then moves on to live and work with her aunt, at a Civil War-Style home Bed and Breakfast, while attending NA meetings and taking her daily dose of medication at the clinic every morning. Eventually, and while still in recovery, she is hired as an assistant to an eccentric Russian artist named Antoni. His passion for clay sculpting reignites Ona’s own for painting —one of many things taken from her because of her addiction; her joy and love for creating art. Ona keeps focused, busying herself in an effort to prevent relapse — to prevent “Oblivion Black” and keep her away from her old flame, gangster and dealer JoJo.
Moreover, her new boss provides for a welcome distraction, between his undeniable good looks to his artistic skill and mastery with clay, Ona is once again hooked. And when he abruptly fires the nude model hired for the month for an upcoming piece to a charity organization, he gruffly tells Ona, she will pose. 🔥 🔥 🔥
Oblivion Black is a slow-burn dark romance between two characters with slightly skewed moral compasses and a whole lot of baggage between them. Ona and Antoni’s love story is dark, violent, erotic, artful, glamorous and opulent, full of thrilling highs and devastating lows. The “black moment” shattered my heart to pieces, but the ending sealed their fate, and my heart back together — a tragic occurrence changing the directions of their lives, bringing them back together with enlightened, almost hypnotic understanding.
I was intrigued by Antoni’s backstory and felt the mental health representation was handled extremely well. The introduction of the raven-haired, black-jeweled-eyed vixen in crimson was like an additional layer on a chocolate cake, with whipped cream and strawberries. I love a temptress antagonist and Sonia really brings up the heat and the suspense/intensity of this story. This read hits all the high notes for multidimensional characters who feel realistic.
Artist and famous sculptor Antoni Asharov wins all the medals for broody, morally-gray book boyfriend. TWs galore: Antoni is no Cinnamon-Roll-Romance-Hero (and all the dark romance girlies rejoice — if you know, you know). He rides a Ducati, smokes cigarettes in the same swoon-worthy way as Mr. Cool himself, James Dean, and he has a troubled past that emerges in vile, ugly ways.
Fans of dark romance with artist and muse, and boss and assistant themes, will fall in lust with this book. Extremely recommended. I look forward to reading the next installment and continuing the story with Hierarchy of Needs!
About the Author
USA 🇺🇸 KU
Thanks to April L. Wood for her insights on Oblivion Black.
