I found myself shouting at this book more times than I can count, but rather than getting ahead of myself, let’s rewind to the very beginning. From the outset, I was utterly captivated by the Dungeons & Dragons elements woven into the story. The moments when the party engaged in their bustling town activities were delightful, each small interaction brimming with life and camaraderie. The author clearly understood the nuances of D&D, incorporating them in a way that felt authentic and not merely as a superficial label.

The banter among the characters flowed effortlessly, creating a dynamic that felt both genuine and relatable. Their journey wasn’t always smooth sailing; you could sense the underlying tensions and connections simmering beneath their surface interactions. When the narrative took a turn into Hell, the echoes of Dante's Inferno and the myth of Orpheus resonated throughout the text, beautifully layered without falling into the trap of mere imitation.

The balance between plot progression and character development was expertly achieved, immersing me so completely that I lost myself in the story. This is the hallmark of a truly engaging book—when the characters feel so vivid and ‘alive’ that you find yourself instinctively yelling at them in frustration over their reckless choices. The representation of Hell was intricately crafted, giving it the depth of an expansive realm rather than a mere backdrop. Often in literature, such settings can feel flat and artificial, but here, it was vividly rendered, complete with its complex political systems, unpredictable weather, varied landscapes, and rich societal culture.

Even though I had not yet ventured into the first installment of the series, I appreciated the author's effort to summarize critical events for newcomers. However, these explanations bore the subtlety of an elephant in a porcelain shop, jarring me out of the flow of the narrative. Still, they succeeded in making this book a standalone experience; I never felt adrift despite my lack of prior knowledge.

The ultimate praise I can offer this work is for its solid writing quality. The atmosphere it conjures is striking, particularly in its aesthetic choices and its chilling body horror elements that occasionally evoke eerie cosmic-horror vibes. Yet, despite these strengths, I struggled with the pacing and plot structure, which often left me disengaged. The storyline unfolded like a checklist from a video game: set a goal, converse with this NPC, complete a side quest, unlock the next area, engage in a battle, acquire a new macguffin, and then repeat. I found it challenging to forge a connection with the characters or the unfolding action, and the dense, sprawling narrative frequently left me bewildered as to how the cast had arrived at their latest predicament.

Did I enjoy this book? 1000%.
Do I also love all of the books and stories it’s based on? Yes.

We Were Men Once is a book that I think will reach a much larger audience than originally intended, if that makes sense. I love Dungeons & Dragons, and I also appreciate a slow build. This story balances romance and horror in such a unique way, romantic without being overtly mushy, yet horrific enough to keep you hooked. Morris pulled off something really special.

Xaraan, now Suneelon, is such a compelling “almost antagonist.” He never meant to be the bad guy, but now he’s the perfect picture of one. Meanwhile, his husband Kyarlin was a bit mopey, not that I blame him, but still.

Building a story like this takes time, and I think the slow build was necessary. But once it picks up? IT PICKS UP. As a reader, you enter Hell and it’s all systems GO.

I would’ve loved to see even more of the hellscape, but overall this is a striking love story, an odyssey-like adventure that uses the love between two men as its driving force.

I would definitely recommend this book!

I will be posting my review on Amazon, and Goodreads.
First off, you could read this as a standalone if you wish. But I would highly recommend read the first one like I should’ve done. It did get a little confusing because in the first one you get more in depth with the characters that are in this one now. And what kind of world this is what kind of relationships are there. This book does have a D&D feel with quest and the found family. Kyarlin will do anything to get his love back. Even if that means going to hell and making deals for him. But it comes with a big cost. Xaraan is now Suneelon serves one of the rulers of hell that he tried to kill when he was living. I like how Kyarlin would do anything for his love. And accepts all of him and whatever form he comes in. What I like about Suneelon he knew something was missing inside of him. When he became a demon. And he knew in his heart that he had a fight for that little feeling. The group that travels into hell to take down the leader. There are so many hardships to come, even death. What I like the most was the ending of the book because of what Kyarlin said was true.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Overall this story did not grip me the way I wish it would have and I don’t know if it is because I did not read the first book but in the description for this book it did say this could be read as a standalone. I do feel like I would have enjoyed this story more if I liked D&D. It is very much set up in that style.

I am not going to lie the first half of the book did have me wanting to DNF it. It was very slow pace and I did not connect with the characters as much as I had hoped I would. The love story was there and I really thought it would redeem this book but the main character was just very unlikable.

The writing wasn’t awful, I think that is what saved me from DNFing this book, I just did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Absolutely love the cover design though!

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

We Were Men Once is a fun, intense romp through Hell. It is fast paced, perhaps too fast for its own good, but I found that when I really got into the flow of reading it, it was fine. This world is heavily D&D inspired, and I appreciated the time and effort that went into it. I was very invested in the world that this book (and by extension the previous book) built up and felt engaged with it. The characters were fun, although I do wish that outside the main pairing + Lynn, we had more time to explore their characters. I know that there's a third book in the making, but I just felt that certain characters were just cut off completely before they could do much.

Overall though, I felt We Were Men Once was a great time!

I didn’t realize We Were Men Once was a sequel until the end, and while it can be read as a standalone, I do wish I’d had the background from the first book. The writing and world-building were captivating, blending dark fantasy with touches that reminded me of Dante’s Inferno and D&D. I enjoyed the tragic romance at the core, though the characters’ frustrating choices and lack of tender moments sometimes pulled me out of the story. Overall, while engaging, the pacing and some confusing plot elements kept it from fully landing for me. So overall, I'd give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars, but I'll round it up because I like the cover so much.

If you like dantes inferno and video games this is for you. Poetic justice served up for real. True love served up on a dark and dangerous platter. What this character goes through just to get his one and only back and his memories… i was on the edge of my seat. My heart pounding, aching. You felt true pain reading this. BUT the references to the symbolism were loose i wish there were some deep psychological quotes i could have maybe pulled from the book. But this is a very unique original idea.

So unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. :( I will say that the writing and the atmosphere of the story were both great! The characters seemed like they were multilayered and had interesting stories despite the fact that it felt like I was coming into their story in what felt like the middle. The main characters all have history together that is mentioned but that I was not given full context for and the main couple that the story focuses have no context for their love or their need to make it back together. When it came to the characters relationships with each other it felt like I was being told they care for eachother instead of shown. I think it does a disservice to this story to advertise it as a stand alone since technically it does have a book that comes before it. Upon looking into this further it seems that on most sites it is listed as a standalone (like good reads and fable) while on here it’s listed as Book 2. I don’t remember if it said that when I requested the book but either way. I feel if I had read the 1st book before I would have had a stronger connection to the characters and their world. If I have the time to backtrack and read the first book and then come back to this one with new eyes I might give it a shot and higher review.

I really wanted to love this one, but the pacing was a bit slow and the characters didn’t grip me the way I wanted them to. I unfortunately ended up DNF-ing this one.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Before diving into the review, I want to note that We Were Men Once is the second installment in a series. However, I read it as a standalone, so my impressions are based solely on this novel without prior knowledge of the established worldbuilding.

We Were Men Once is a dark and atmospheric blend of Dante’s Inferno and the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, with clear influences from Dungeons & Dragons. Morris crafts a haunting, tragic tale centered on Kyarlin’s desperate quest to find his husband, Xaraan — a man who sacrificed himself to defeat the archdevil Astaroth and whose soul has since been cast into Hell. A year after Xaraan’s death and rebirth as Suneelon, a memory wiped duke of Hell bound to Astaroth’s will, Kyarlin begins his journey into the underworld.

The writing is competent and immersive, effectively capturing the bleak tone and emotional weight of the story. That said, the first half of the novel feels heavily influenced by DnD-style questing — assembling a party, gathering items, facing mini-bosses — which, at times, made the pacing feel sluggish. There were moments I considered DNFing simply because the plot felt stuck in side-quest mode.

Fortunately, the narrative picks up significantly once the characters descend into Hell. From that point on, the story becomes an emotionally gripping exploration of love, memory, political intrigue, and sacrifice. The second half more than makes up for the earlier drag and delivers a powerful and resonant climax.

Despite the slow start, I ultimately found We Were Men Once to be a compelling and moving tale. If you can stick through the early pacing issues, there’s a beautifully dark payoff awaiting you.

I love that it reads like a dungeons and dragons campaign. It feels like im playing Baulders Gate Three but emphasizing the tragedy of it all

I will preface this by saying I did not realize this was a sequel when I started to read it. I'd rate the first 40% of the book 3 stars and the rest 4 stars.

After sacrificing himself to destroy the archdevil he made a pact with Xaraan finds himself reborn in hell as Suneelon, bound to that same archdevil, Astaroth.

His husband, Kyarlin, cannot accept his death and goes on a mission to bring his soul back from Hell. He, along with Xaraan's sister and a couple other allies devise a plan to not only get Xaraan's soul back but also destroy Astaroth for good.

Even without reading the previous book We Were Men Once did a nice job explaining everything and made the plot easy to follow. The first 40% of the story did drag on a bit. Kyarlin's self-deprecation and self harm did grow a bit old rather quickly.

Things picked up after the group made it into Hell. The author does a wonderful job of being descriptive and giving a real feeling for the surroundings. There was a lot of sneaking and scheming in Hell and it was fun to read. Be warned there is quite a bit of body horror throughout the story.

I especially enjoyed Suneelon's perspective in Hell, preferring his POV to Kyarlin's. This is a story where nothing can stop true love, not even Hell.

This is an adventure, fantasy and romance all rolled into one dark story.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

i was sooo sure i was going to love this, but unfortunately i was quite disappointed :(
review on goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7802535047

My first thought when I started reading was that this book is perfect for anyone who enjoys playing D&D because the book uses the same magic system. I feel like I had a better grasp on the characters and their archetypes because of my experience playing D&D which other readers might be left out of if they don’t play, but of course that context isn’t necessary. My second impression was that I felt like I was immediately pushed into the world and the characters without introduction. I felt like I was missing context from the world and it wasn’t until I finished the book and saw the author’s note stating that this was a sequel that I realized why I was missing context.

Unfortunately, the blurb on NetGalley did not disclose to me that this was a sequel, so I did not have proper context on the characters or the situation. While the book did go back and clarify some situations from the past, it also thrust the reader into the story already because it assumes you’ve read the first book, which I hadn’t because it wasn’t clearly communicated to me that this wasn’t a standalone or the first book.

My other main gripe with the book is how unlikable the main character is, Kyarlin, and how he is not held accountable for his actions. He stands true to his primary goal and will do anything to get it at the cost of anything else, and there will be times when the other characters will confront him, but then the situation will quickly diffuse without consequence. It was incredibly frustrating to read, especially because he was constantly said to be this “pure, morally good” cleric and then all his actions were him being the most selfish person ever and not at all being pure or moral.

Overall, the writing in the book wasn’t bad, however I disliked Kyarlin so much that it impacted my ability to want to continue reading. I do still think We Were Men Once is a good book for someone who enjoys D&D, the idea of Dante’s Inferno, and Orpheus and Eurydice — or perhaps the idea of utter devotion from a partner.

Firstly, let me start by pointing out that this is apparently a sequel to Malediction’s Embrace which was news to me until I got to the very end of the book. I do wish I had known this before I read this ARC because I would’ve totally purchased the first book to get a bit more background regarding the characters and their motivations. I noticed later the author added a note stating that while it is a sequel it can be read as a standalone which does make me feel better.
We Were Men Once was pure fantasy the likes I haven’t read in a while. It felt like a tumultuous affair between Dante’s Inferno, D&D and What Dreams May Come. I found myself captivated by the world building and the writing style. It is very well written and provides enough details for the reader to understand the world early on.
I was immersed in what I thought was a destructive sort of love between the two main characters. It was all tragically romantic but also quite frustrating. The actions of both MMCs were at times just plain silly…infuriatingly silly. Yes, in theory, the story is set up for the reader to understand why the characters make their choices but at times I just wanted to scream at both MMCs to get their heads out of their behinds. I wish there had been more sweet moments.
While I enjoyed the story overall, a blatant downfall was the frequent logistical inadequacies. It could be that I am just an overthinker and yes, this is fantasy, but I felt like there were big parts of the plot that just didn’t belong or make sense. Maybe this could be remedied if I had read the first book in the series but since it is supposed to be read as a standalone, I wish some of the scenes had been fleshed out more. At times the characters do feel confusing, and the pacing tittered back and forth between fast and snail-like. It was discombobulated and just as frustrating as the character’s inability to make good choices.

In summary, it was not a bad book, but it was not what I was hoping it would be. I do appreciate NetGalley for providing me with a virtual copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so intrigued by the title of this book that I just needed to know more. I have never experienced a DND read before, but this was easy to follow and a good read.

Oh, this one stings. As a massive DnD nerd who should have been the target audience for a dark romantasy inspired by Dante's Inferno with actual campaign mechanics, I'm genuinely disappointed this didn't work for me.

Let's address the elephant in the room that every other reviewer has mentioned: this was secretly a sequel. The fact that this crucial detail is buried at the very end of the book like some sort of literary gotcha feels disingenuous at best. While they have since updated everything to say Book 2, it still really left a bad taste in my mouth.

But even setting aside that particular publishing sleight-of-hand, what you get is a book that's technically competent but emotionally hollow. Morris clearly knows her DnD mechanics, and the hellscape worldbuilding is genuinely atmospheric when it leans into cosmic horror elements. The writing itself is perfectly readable.

The problem? The plot reads like someone's campaign notes: go here, talk to this NPC, complete side quest, unlock new area, repeat. It's methodical in a way that makes you painfully aware you're reading a story rather than experiencing one. For something supposedly about transcendent love, I spent more time thinking about party logistics than emotional stakes.

The romance that should anchor this whole thing gets buried under exposition. I kept waiting to care about Kyarlin's desperate mission to save his transformed husband, but the emotional beats felt as mechanical as the plot progression. At the end of the day, this was a book that I was excited about and looked forward to reading and it just didn't hit.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this just didn't hit for me. The writing is good, I had no fault in that but I just wasn't invested in the characters at all. I'm sure other people will absolutely love this book but unfortunately it just wasn't the one for me.

2.5/5 Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am glad to have had the chance to read it even though it wasn’t the story for me. Not every story will be for everyone. I am still happy for the opportunity thank you.

We Were Men Once is a dark D&D-inspired MM romantasy that blends intense questing, complex characters, and some seriously vivid worldbuilding. Once the story dives into Hell, it gets even better—Hell feels like a real place with politics, culture, and atmosphere, not just a creepy backdrop.

The D&D elements are spot-on. You can tell the author actually knows the game, and the party dynamics are great. The banter, the tension, the little in-town moments—it all feels authentic and fun to read.

The romance is messy, emotional, and a bit chaotic. You’ll probably end up yelling at the characters for making bad decisions, but that’s part of what makes them feel real.

One thing to know before jumping in: this is a sequel, which isn’t made super clear. That might trip up new readers early on.

Overall, if you’re into dark fantasy, mythological vibes, and D&D-style storytelling with a heavy dose of emotion, this one’s worth checking out.