Barons of Decay by Angel Lawson is the tenth book in the Royals of Forsyth series, but the first in the Barons trilogy. I have read all the previous portions of this series, the Lords, the Dukes, and the Princes, and while each piece follows different characters, the overarching story does build on prior events. This probably could be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend starting at the beginning.
Barons of Decay continues with the why choose trope of the previous Forsyth books, featuring three love interests. This particular story also has age gap elements and the dark, twisty vibes that readers have come to love from the most chaotic college ever imagined.
Arianette is set to marry the Baron King, a role her uncle has been grooming her for since she was a child. She was taught to be whoever the Baron King wanted her to be, and he wants her to not only be his wife, but also the Baroness to his men, Hunter and Damon. The only rule is that she must remain a virgin until their wedding day.
With a serial kidnapper and murderer terrorizing the Forsyth campus, one who Arianatte has just escaped, the Barons and their King are on edge. Things are changing in Forsyth, and somehow their Baroness has found herself right in the middle of the mayhem.
As is typical in this universe, none of these characters are right in the head. They are all supremely messed up and dysfunctional in their own ways, with pounds of baggage and deeply unhealthy coping mechanisms to match.
The Barons are known in Forsyth as the house that surrounds death, and these characters very much reflect that with their unsettling vibes. Despite the fact that all these people are completely unhinged, they are all carefully distinct and interesting characters.
Barons of Decay is dark, toxic, and over-the-top, just what I’ve come to expect from the Royals of Forsyth. There is a certain amount of suspension of disbelief required when dealing with the most insane Greek system imaginable, where the fraternities are actually organized crime syndicates.
The plot lines are violent and messy and the story is constantly moving, which makes for a fast-paced read. The plot is wild, to be sure, but the story is also very spice-forward.
The spice in Barons of Decay contains a lot of non-con, in the same vein as Rina Kent’s books. It’s a dark, taboo kind of sex with a certain kind of violence to it. This series is for dark romance readers who aren’t afraid of strange kinks and crossed boundaries.
Barons of Decay is a fun and exciting read in keeping with the rest of the Forsyth series. If you can get down with a truly insane world that tests the limits of what is possible, or what makes sense, this series is a wild ride that’s undeniably entertaining.
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