Think twice if…
- Content warnings: Human trafficking, Slavery, Kidnapping, Captivity, Grooming, Abuse, Sexual assault, Dubious consent, Graphic violence, Violence, Childhood trauma, Grief, Parental death, Sexual content, Gaslighting
The Auction
by Sadie Kincaid
Book 1 in Wages of Sin
A gothic Beauty and the Beast riff for the Belle girlies who want the mansion, the mask, the body count, and the slow-burn payoff to get filthy.
goodreads 3.66/5 8,465 ratings
storykind_community 0.5/5 1 rating
Quick fit
Is this story right for you?
A decision-first view of the reading experience.
Length384 pages
Series statusOngoing series
Spice5/5 · Taboo / forbidden
PacingMedium
Story profile
What the story promises
The strongest reviewed signals about romance, fantasy, and the reading experience.
Romance promise
- Captor/captive
- Male/female pairing (M/F)
- Medium burn
- High
- Taboo / forbidden
- The angst delivered
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- Billionaire / CEO
- Forbidden love
- Possessive / claiming
- Book hangover incoming
- Morally gray
- Age gap romance
- Dominant vibes
- Addictive read
- Dark/tortured soul
- Morally gray love interest (LI)
- Possessive/protective
- The swoon
- Possessive alpha
- Possessive love interest
- Tension
- Mysterious stranger
- Protective love interest
- Longing glances
- Beast / monster
- Power imbalance
- Anticipation
- Possessive
- Power exchange
- Rough/aggressive intimacy
- Auction / sold themes
- Dubious consent elements
Fantasy promise
- Dark romance
- Manor house / estate
- Contemporary
- Humans only
- Captive romance
- Secret society / club
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- Gothic
- Beauty and the beast
- Fairytale retelling
- Hidden identity
- Mafia romance
- Billionaire romance
- Touch her and die
- Forced proximity
Reading experience
- Dual POV
- Medium
- Dark
- Heavy
- Survivor
- Older love interest (LI) (40+)
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- Tense
- Suspenseful
- Innocent / sheltered
- Scarred main character or love interest (MC/LI)
- Seductive
- Emotional
- Angsty
- Atmospheric
- Dangerous
- Yearning
- Beauty and the Beast retelling
- Phantom of the Opera retelling
- Forbidden desire
- Cliffhanger warning
- Slow descent into darkness
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Matched by the most important shared story signals, with the tradeoffs made explicit.
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Similar because
Beauty and the beast · Fairytale retelling · Beast / monster
Different because
Spice is lower (4/5 vs 5/5).
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Similar because
Mysterious stranger · Beast / monster · Gothic
Different because
It is standalone rather than completed. Spice is lower (4/5 vs 5/5).
Book details
- Length
- 384 pages
- Language
- English
- Format
- Book