Bound together by magic...

Ellie has worked her sundress-loving ass off for the chance to train the most aggressive racehorses alive—those cursed with darkness-bound Nocturne magic. But all work and no play has left her flirting game sorely lacking. So, when she encounters a Nocturne-cursed centaur lady while waiting for the acceptance letter that will make her an official trainer, Ellie finally pushes herself out of her comfort zone.

Nadine knows that no one will ever love her for who she is, not with her Nocturne curse; she’s fully prepared for Ellie’s adorably clumsy advances to be a moment of fun before she’s left in the dust again. But when their fling accidentally links them together with a Passion Mark—a permanent, magical brand which binds their vitality to their physical relationship—Nadine wonders if this is her chance at true love.

True love seems out of the question, however, because having a Nocturne’s Passion Mark disqualifies Ellie from racing. As Nadine helps Ellie search for a way to remove their Passion Marks, they stumble into the dark truths of the racetrack life, including an illegal nocturne arena that wants Nadine as its central attraction, willingly or not. Soon both women find themselves questioning everything they thought they believed about their lives—and each other.

Passion Marked features night and day aesthetic magic, a twist on the idea of soulmates with a less harsh version of the "mate or die" trope, and a front and center romance between an ambitious, disabled lesbian and a bisexual demi-woman centaur. It is fun and emotional, with themes of chasing your dreams and dismantling systemic oppression. Primary content warnings include using self-harm for the purpose of drawing blood, a partially witnessed rape attempt on an unnamed character, and implied animal cruelty. There are also three explicit sex scenes, involving a light sub/dom kink, only ever featuring the human aspects of the centaur character.

Sign up now to get the most out of Books2Read

Discover something great at Books2Read.

Thanks for signing up for Books2Read notifications!