Slaycation · 2024
Sinners RetreatSpice level, tropes & is it dark romance?
by Lauren Biel
Spice 4/5 (Explicit) · Darkness 4/5 (Pitch) · 1 trigger warning flagged
Sinners Retreat is book 1 of Slaycation by Lauren Biel. It came out in 2024. It sits in the serial killer corner of the shelf. Spice is explicit (4 of 5) and the darkness is pitch dark (4 of 5). We could not find the author's own warning list yet, so check it before you start. This note is ours. It is not a publisher blurb.
First published: 27 September 2024 (first publication, per Goodreads). Book 1 of Slaycation.
Sinners Retreat tropes
On this shelf, Sinners Retreat is filed under Serial killer romance. Each tag opens more books with that trope.
Sinners Retreat spice level
Is Sinners Retreat dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Sinners Retreat scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch).
Spice and darkness are separate scores. More pitch books. How we rate.
Sinners Retreat trigger warnings
Warnings not yet verified. We could not find the author's own content warning list for this book, so the flags here are only what the publisher's description makes clear. Check the author's note before you start.
Graphic (0) — open before you read
Open this before you read. These are the flags most likely to be a hard stop.
None flagged in this band.
Minor (0)
Present, and usually not the reason someone puts the book down.
None flagged in this band.
Full Sinners Retreat trigger warnings
Slaycation reading order
Sinners Retreat is book 1 of 2 in Lauren Biel's Slaycation series. Start here.
- Book 1 Sinners Retreat (this book) · 2024
- Book 2 Slay Ride · 2025
Order checked against the Goodreads Slaycation series page on 13 October 2026. The Slaycation series in order.
Who it's for
Shelf note written for this site. We do not copy reviews or publisher blurbs. Outbound links are search pages, not quoted ratings. Kindle Unlimited and endings are only flagged when we were willing to mark them. How we rate.
Missing a book? Suggest it.
Books like Sinners Retreat
Matched on shared tropes, then the closest spice and darkness scores. Other books in the same series are listed above, not here.
- Born, Darkly
Born, Darkly
Trisha Wolfe
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Serial killer romance
- Born, Madly
Born, Madly
Trisha Wolfe
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Serial killer romance
- Across State Lines
Across State Lines
Lauren Biel
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Serial killer romance
- Slay Ride
Slay Ride
Lauren Biel
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Serial killer romance
- The Reaper Incarnate
The Reaper Incarnate
C.A. Rene
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Serial killer romance
- A Heart of Bitter Poison
A Heart of Bitter Poison
Brynne Weaver
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Serial killer romance
- A History of Violence
A History of Violence
Mallory Fox
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Serial killer romance
- Black Sheep
Black Sheep
Skye Warren
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Serial killer romance
Books like Sinners Retreat, with a reason for each
Questions readers actually ask
What is the spice level of Sinners Retreat?
Sinners Retreat spice level is 4 of 5 (Explicit). On-page sex, clearly written. Darkness is a separate score: 4 of 5 (Pitch).
What are the Sinners Retreat trigger warnings?
Graphic: none flagged. Moderate: Murder. Minor: none flagged. Warnings not yet verified against the author's own list. Check it before you start.
Is Sinners Retreat dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Sinners Retreat scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch). Bleak on purpose. Comfort is not the job.
What tropes are in Sinners Retreat?
On this shelf Sinners Retreat is filed under Serial killer romance.
Who is Sinners Retreat for?
For a reader who wants a killer for a love interest. Spice is explicit. Darkness is pitch. Warnings are not yet verified, so check the author's note first.
What are some books like Sinners Retreat?
Matched on shared tropes and similar spice and darkness: Born, Darkly by Trisha Wolfe; Born, Madly by Trisha Wolfe; Across State Lines by Lauren Biel; Slay Ride by Lauren Biel; The Reaper Incarnate by C.A. Rene; A Heart of Bitter Poison by Brynne Weaver. More read-alikes, each with a reason, are on zademasked.com/like/sinners-retreat.
Is Sinners Retreat a standalone?
No. Sinners Retreat is book 1 of 2 in the Slaycation series by Lauren Biel.
What order should I read the Slaycation series in?
1. Sinners Retreat; 2. Slay Ride.
How many books are in the Slaycation series?
The Slaycation series by Lauren Biel has 2 main books.
What is the Sinners Retreat age rating?
We'd say 18+. Spice sits at 4/5 (explicit) and darkness at 4/5 (pitch). That's our recommendation, not an official rating, so read the trigger warnings as well.
Join on Patreon for the Zade Masked serial.