Romantasy Bookstore

The Ritual: A Dark College Romance by Shantel Tessier

$25.00 USD

Sale Sold out

Shipping calculated at checkout.

Romantasy Bookstore Bestseller and an all-new dark standalone from USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Shantel Tessier—The Ritual drops you straight into a world where vows are currency… and power is paid for in blood.

If you want dark college romance where power is a currency and consent gets weaponized, The Ritual drops you straight into Barrington University—where vows are binding, violence buys influence, and the men at the top don’t lose. This one is intense, possessive, and built like a slow, brutal spiral.

The vibe

Barrington is home to the Lords: a secret society of the most untouchable men in the world. Senior year, they’re “rewarded” with a chosen one—and it sounds like a fairy tale until you realize it’s a contract you don’t get to break.

She grew up with money, rules, and a life planned down to the last breath… until Ryat Alexander Archer offered her something she’d never had: freedom. She chose to be his—or at least she thought she did. Because at Barrington, choice is just another weapon, and the Lords are experts at making you believe you’re in control right up until the moment you’re not.

Tropes & tags

Dark college romance
Secret society / elite power games
“Chosen one” contract
Jealous/possessive OTT hero
Psychological tension + survival stakes
MF
Standalone

Perfect for readers of:

Dark academia vibes with teeth
Possessive heroes and high-control dynamics
Secret society romances that go full unhinged
Stories where the “game” turns deadly

Heads up (content)

Dark themes. Please read the author’s trigger warnings/author note before starting.

View full details