Review: ‘Conclave’ by Penelope Douglas
Conclave
by Penelope DouglasSeries: Devil's Night #3.5
Published by Self-Published on November 23, 2019
SubGenres: Dark Romance, Romantic Suspense
Format: Paperback
Pages: 96
Source: Purchased
Audience: 18+/Adult
Add to Goodreads
Purchase at Amazon
DAMON
Will is gone. He hasn’t been seen in months, and the texts coming from his phone are almost certainly forged. Something’s wrong. We need to act now.
Michael is ready to tear down The Cove, Rika’s hiding something, Evans Crist is a threat, and Winter’s father is still out there.
Everyone is off in a million directions, and we’re vulnerable.It’s time to do this.
It’s time to claim our place.
RIKA
A few years ago, I never thought I’d be here. On board Pithom. Miles out at sea. At a table with Michael Crist, Kai Mori, and Damon Torrance—men I now consider family.
We’ve locked ourselves on this yacht for however long it takes to address our agenda, and we won’t leave until everything is on the table.
Even things I don’t want to talk about. Things Michael doesn’t know.
We will find Will. We will solidify our plans, and we will remove any threats.
If we survive Conclave.
*Conclave is a 27,000 word novella that is available for FREE on the author's website and on her Wattpad. You do not have to pay for it. But for those of you who would love this as part of your ebook and/or paperback libraries, it has been made available in both formats. Please be aware it takes place between Kill Switch (Devil’s Night #3) and Nightfall (Devil’s Night #4) and is only suitable for readers 18+. Please read Corrupt, Hideaway, and Kill Switch prior to reading this novella.
Conclave is a novella in between Kill Switch and Nightfall. It’s short, so it didn’t take long for me to read it. In this case, it’s actually my second time reading Conclave because I needed a refresher before finally reading Will’s book. I’ve been holding off long enough on reading Will’s book, and I’m finally making time, especially with Nightfall being published with Berkley and with a new cover.
I was excited to dive into this novella and find out what the Devil’s Night characters were doing after what happened in Kill Switch. What I got, though, was an emotional rollercoaster of a novella where there was tension between the characters, and they needed to gather to figure out their next steps and correct some things.
First, this book is told solely in Damon and Rika’s POVs. No others ever get POVs. I loved getting to read Damon’s POV again because he’s definitely making further moves to change things in Thunder Bay with the help of Rika and whoever else he deems worthy. Lives changed after his book once secrets were revealed. Big Ones that definitely involved him and Rika. He’s definitely become over-protective over another character and not just Banks and Winter.
I know some readers don’t like Rika in the series, but she’s never bothered me. In this novella, Rika has issues with Michael that need to be addressed, and it’s a good thing everyone is on the yacht to have this happen. Rika has a secret she’s been holding on to that could very well break her and Michael, and it’s an emotional one. I felt for her character and definitely understood her hesitation in holding back with Michael. Rika is also the new mayor, and she has a lot on her shoulders, and it’s all due to what happened in Kill Switch. She’s doing it all, though, and I’m proud of her character growth.
I can’t wait to finally read Will’s book because, in this novella, it’s addressed that no one has heard from him in thirteen months, and it’s time to start looking for him. Even his cousin, Misha (from Punk 57), makes an appearance and is worried about Will. I loved having Misha and his girlfriend, Ryen, show up in this novella because I loved their characters in Punk 57. (If you enjoy Bully Romances, then that book is a must-read.)
Conclave is a quick read, so it doesn’t take long to read, and it’s spicy, even when it’s a novella. If you read the previous books in the series, you’ll understand that Penelope likes to throw spice into their books, even novellas, and this novella has a really spicy scene that involves a lot of characters.
Standalone or Part of Series: Part of series and I would recommend reading the series in order.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you are a fan of Dark Romantic Suspense and enjoy novellas, then I would recommend Conclave. If you are used to Penelope Douglas’s twisted and dark storylines, then you’ll enjoy this novella.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale. It will help sponsor future giveaways but costs you nothing extra. You can read the full disclosure underneath the Privacy Policy.
About Penelope Douglas
Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Their books have been translated into nineteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, Credence, and Tryst Six Venom. Please look for The Hellbent Series, coming next.
They live in New England with their husband and daughter.
Related Posts
My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
- Happy Release Day + Giveaway: ‘Bracing The Storm’ by J.C. Reed - May 27, 2025
- ARC Review: ‘Restless Hawke’ by Gwyn McNamee - May 26, 2025
- ARC Review: ‘From Drummer to Gamer’ by Emberlynn Raine - May 25, 2025