Fruit of the Flesh

By: I.V. Ophelia

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Luna Rey

Instant USA Today bestseller.

Behind the glamour of Gilded Age New York, a marriage of convenience between an artisan and a ballerina masks their shared appetite for revenge in this darkly seductive gothic romance.

In early 1900s New York, former ballerina Petronille De Villier makes an unconventional choice: Marry struggling sculptor Arkady Kamenev. For her, it’s an escape from her family’s unsavory legacy. For him, the De Villier name promises the patronage his art desperately needs. It should be a simple arrangement.

But beneath their marriage of convenience lurks a darker recognition. In each other, they see a reflection of their own dangerous appetites. As buried secrets surface and bodies begin disappearing, Petronille and Arkady discover their union runs deeper than social advantage. Their shared obsessions draw them into an intoxicating dance of predator and prey, though it’s never quite clear who is which.

Bound by law, God, and blood, they must decide if their monstrous natures will tear them apart or forge them into something terribly wonderful together. In a world where nothing is quite what it seems, two creatures of shadow learn that true love requires a taste for the macabre.

©2026 by I.V. Ophelia. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Ophelia crafts a genuinely eerie atmosphere and some deeply sensual love scenes on the way to a conclusion that packs a punch. Horror romance fans will find plenty to enjoy.”—Publishers Weekly

“I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, and this story was glued to my hand from the very first chapter. I.V. Ophelia transported me into Gilded Age New York and I never wanted to leave. It was dark, gripping, and compelling—entirely enthralling!”—Olivia Rose Darling, New York Times bestselling author of the Fear the Flames series

Wow what a twist

Hey so actually the plot was way cooler than I anticipated, this was awesome. I have no words. The main leads are perfect for each other and the narration was amazing

Secrets…

During this entire read i couldn’t figure out the FMC’s secret for the life of me haha. But this was an interesting story. Took a lot of turns i wasn’t expecting, including the admiration of the MMC later on. I did feel the story was dragged out a bit but still a good read nonetheless. 3.8/5 !!

The audiobook makes it

I ate this book up!

This book follows Petronille de Villier, a 24yr old ex ballerina from a rich family. Petronille has lived a very privileged life, however, she grew up experiencing various forms of abuse from her parents. When her parents try to marry her off to one of the rich men they’ve selected for her, she marries Arkady Kamenev, a poor clay sculptor, in spite of her parents.
As Petronille and Arkady spend time together, they uncover dark secrets about each other that bond them together, closer than they ever thought.

If you’re coming to this book after reading The Poisoner, and waiting for Arachnid (like me), just know, it’s a bit slower! That’s the only issue I had with it. I felt like some of the book was filler, and it took a while to get to the point, but it did start to pick up through the middle! Having the audiobook saved the book for me!
I also felt like the marriage could’ve been written about more. I think it was skimmed over, and we basically start out with an already married couple.

The descriptions and details that IV Ophelia incorporates into her writing, elevates the story so much! I’m obsessed with the vibes. A gothic, New York City Victorian era romance… Stunning!

Fabulous!

I loved this dark twist on a gilded age romance. It was so steamy and entertaining I had so much fun.

Gilded Age meets smut and murder

Fruit of the Flesh has a setting that immediately hooked me, I’m a huge fan of The Gilded Age, and this book perfectly captures that atmosphere and social tension. The spice was well-balanced; present, satisfying, and never distracting from the plot or the historical setting.

The FMC and MMC truly felt made for each other in ways neither of them fully understood at first. Meeting on their wedding day created an immediate, palpable tension, and watching them slowly connect, build trust, and grow together as the story unfolded was incredibly satisfying. By the end, their emotional payoff felt earned and deeply rewarding.