The Uprising has overthrown Avon's monarchial rulers, and a decree has been issued. Candidates for the first presidential election will be selected by the completion of a special task: to kill the former monarch of their home province.
Callum, the son of the recently dethroned king, is determined to be in the running. But coming to terms with patricide will require the help of Lady Caterine, a Gifted courtesan at La Puissance, Avon’s premiere sex club.
Lady Caterine has always had the magical ability to manipulate the emotions of anyone who experiences an orgasm in her presence. If Callum can only open up to Cate, he will be able to commit the newly fated murder without suffering the guilt and take his place as the rightful candidate from his province. But Callum has a deep-seated mistrust of the Gifted. And the last thing he expects is to be confronted with an undeniable connection with Cate that neither of them understands or wants.
With the fate of the country at stake, Callum and Cate search for ways to bare themselves to each other, and discover a darker force building within La Puissance, one that might ruin the future of Avon forever. To stop Avon from falling to ashes, they must sacrifice everything they have . . . even if it requires betraying each other.
One of Paste’s Most Anticipated Romantasy Books of Fall 2025
"Popular romance author Falon Ballard dips her toe into the world of romantasy with Something Wicked, a Moulin Rouge meets Macbeth story about sex, love, and murder." —Paste Magazine
"[Something Wicked] is plenty entertaining, the pace is swift, and the eventual romance between the leads is satisfyingly erotic." —Publishers Weekly
"Sizzling . . . The publisher bills Something Wicked as Macbeth meets Moulin Rouge!, and the book delivers some seriously spicy moments that weave together those stories' themes." —Booklist
"Falon Ballard left no prisoners with Something Wicked. Dark, dramatic, and oh, so sexy, this book oozed with delicious tension. I couldn't get enough." —Nisha J Tuli, International bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen
"Something Wicked kept me hooked from start to finish. It's intricate, sensual, and filled with all the best elements romantasy has to offer. Falon Ballard makes a skillful debut in the genre!" —India Holton, bestselling author of The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love
"Sensual and magical! Moulin Rouge meets Shakespeare in Ballard’s romantasy debut. The worldbuilding is as interesting as the characters, and the romance between Cate and Callum was beautifully drawn. I loved this sexy, angsty, page-turning read, and I can’t wait for more!" —Sarah Hawley, USA Today bestselling author of Servant of Earth
Falon Ballard is the USA Today bestselling author of several rom-coms and the cohost of the Happy to Meet Cute podcast. When she's not writing a romance book, reading a romance book, or talking about romance books, you can probably find her at Disneyland. Ballard lives in the Los Angeles area.
View titles by Falon Ballard
The Uprising has overthrown Avon's monarchial rulers, and a decree has been issued. Candidates for the first presidential election will be selected by the completion of a special task: to kill the former monarch of their home province.
Callum, the son of the recently dethroned king, is determined to be in the running. But coming to terms with patricide will require the help of Lady Caterine, a Gifted courtesan at La Puissance, Avon’s premiere sex club.
Lady Caterine has always had the magical ability to manipulate the emotions of anyone who experiences an orgasm in her presence. If Callum can only open up to Cate, he will be able to commit the newly fated murder without suffering the guilt and take his place as the rightful candidate from his province. But Callum has a deep-seated mistrust of the Gifted. And the last thing he expects is to be confronted with an undeniable connection with Cate that neither of them understands or wants.
With the fate of the country at stake, Callum and Cate search for ways to bare themselves to each other, and discover a darker force building within La Puissance, one that might ruin the future of Avon forever. To stop Avon from falling to ashes, they must sacrifice everything they have . . . even if it requires betraying each other.
Praise
One of Paste’s Most Anticipated Romantasy Books of Fall 2025
"Popular romance author Falon Ballard dips her toe into the world of romantasy with Something Wicked, a Moulin Rouge meets Macbeth story about sex, love, and murder." —Paste Magazine
"[Something Wicked] is plenty entertaining, the pace is swift, and the eventual romance between the leads is satisfyingly erotic." —Publishers Weekly
"Sizzling . . . The publisher bills Something Wicked as Macbeth meets Moulin Rouge!, and the book delivers some seriously spicy moments that weave together those stories' themes." —Booklist
"Falon Ballard left no prisoners with Something Wicked. Dark, dramatic, and oh, so sexy, this book oozed with delicious tension. I couldn't get enough." —Nisha J Tuli, International bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen
"Something Wicked kept me hooked from start to finish. It's intricate, sensual, and filled with all the best elements romantasy has to offer. Falon Ballard makes a skillful debut in the genre!" —India Holton, bestselling author of The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love
"Sensual and magical! Moulin Rouge meets Shakespeare in Ballard’s romantasy debut. The worldbuilding is as interesting as the characters, and the romance between Cate and Callum was beautifully drawn. I loved this sexy, angsty, page-turning read, and I can’t wait for more!" —Sarah Hawley, USA Today bestselling author of Servant of Earth
Falon Ballard is the USA Today bestselling author of several rom-coms and the cohost of the Happy to Meet Cute podcast. When she's not writing a romance book, reading a romance book, or talking about romance books, you can probably find her at Disneyland. Ballard lives in the Los Angeles area.
View titles by Falon Ballard
