How to Read the Wicked Villains Series
For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to read Katee Robert’s Wicked Villains series in its publication order. While each novel focuses on a different romantic pairing or polyamorous relationship and can technically stand alone, they share a continuous, evolving backdrop set in Carver City. Reappearing characters, shifts in territory ownership, and political alliances develop from book to book, meaning reading them out of order will spoil earlier plotlines.
Here is the recommended reading path for the series:
- Desperate Measures (2019)
- Learn My Lesson (2019)
- A Worthy Opponent (2020)
- The Beast (2020)
- The Sea Witch (2020)
- Queen Takes Rose (2020)
- Wicked Villain Shorts (2020)
Wicked Villains Book-by-Book Breakdown
1. Desperate Measures (2019)
The series begins with the story of Yasmina (a contemporary reimagining of Jasmine) and Jafar. In a modern metropolis where power is everything, Jafar is a ruthless territory boss who seizes the empire of Yasmina’s father. Yasmina is presented with a choice: submit to Jafar’s rules or lose her freedom entirely. As she enters his dark, dominant world, she discovers that submission under Jafar’s strict terms offers a strange kind of freedom. This book establishes the BDSM themes, consent negotiations, and gritty power struggles that define the rest of Carver City.
2. Learn My Lesson (2019)
Taking inspiration from Disney’s Hercules, this installment introduces a steamy, polyamorous MMF throuple featuring Hades, Megaera (Meg), and Hercules. Hades rules The Underworld, the central BDSM club of Carver City, and Meg is a woman trying to pay off a debt. When Hercules enters the equation as a threat to Hades's territory, the power dynamics shift into an intense, three-way struggle of trust, vulnerability, and forbidden desire. The story is highly praised for its emotional depth and exploration of boundaries within a polyamorous relationship.
3. A Worthy Opponent (2020)
This book shifts the spotlight to Captain Hook (James) and Tinker Bell (Helen). Hook has spent years plotting revenge against his long-time rival, Peter Pan. Tink is a fiercely independent woman caught in the crossfire of this rivalry. When James captures Helen, he expects a simple hostage situation, but he meets his match in her sharp tongue and unyielding spirit. Their enemies-to-lovers story is filled with sizzling tension, showing a softer side to the notorious pirate while retaining the dark, edgy tone of the series.
4. The Beast (2020)
In a spicy, polyamorous MMF retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Isabelle finds herself caught between two powerful men: the Beast (a crime boss) and Gaeton (his second-in-command). Bound by past trauma, secrets, and a shared history of heartbreak, the three characters must navigate their deep-seated desires and the dangers of Carver City. As they build a new dynamic together, the novel focuses heavily on trust, communication, and emotional healing alongside high-intensity romance.
5. The Sea Witch (2020)
Taking inspiration from The Little Mermaid, this book presents a complex FFM ménage relationship featuring Ursa (Ursula), Alaric (King Triton/Eric hybrid representation), and Zurielle (Ariel representation). Set in the coastal regions and docks of Carver City, the story follows Ursa as she plays a dangerous political game. When Zurielle and Alaric enter her orbit, the boundaries between captor, protector, and lover blur in a web of secrets, political survival, and deep erotic connection.
6. Queen Takes Rose (2020)
The main narrative arc of the series concludes with a sapphic (FF) dark romance reimagining of Sleeping Beauty. It pairs Malone (a female interpretation of Maleficent) and Aurora. Driven by vengeance and a desire to dismantle the corrupt power structures of Carver City, Malone targets Aurora, the daughter of her enemy. However, their physical chemistry and emotional connection quickly complicate Malone's plans. The book offers a satisfying, high-stakes conclusion to the overarching Carver City power struggle, blending passion and retribution.
7. Wicked Villain Shorts (2020)
As a companion volume, this book brings together sixteen bonus short stories and epilogues featuring the characters from the previous six books. Originally shared with Katee Robert's newsletter subscribers and Patreon supporters, these vignettes check in on the couples and throuples as they celebrate holidays, navigate domestic life, and explore further kinks. It serves as a warm, satisfying farewell to the characters of Carver City.
Carver City: What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into the series, it is crucial to understand that these books are contemporary erotica and dark romance, not fantasy. There is no magic, no magic carpets, and no talking animals. Instead, Carver City is a modern, gritty metropolis divided into territories, each ruled by a ruthless crime boss. The central hub for many of these characters is The Underworld, a high-end BDSM club owned by Hades, which serves as a safe space where consent is absolute and fantasies are realized.
Readers should also be prepared for explicit sexual content, including BDSM (bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism), polyamory, throuples, and sapphic romance. Robert handles these themes with a strong emphasis on consent, check-ins, and safe words, ensuring that despite the dark themes and power exchanges, the relationships are grounded in mutual respect.
Transitioning to Other Katee Robert Series
If you finish the Wicked Villains books and are looking for similar steamy retellings, Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series is the logical next step. Beginning with Neon Gods (a Hades and Persephone retelling), this series takes place in a modern, mythological setting with a similar blend of political intrigue, high spice, and dark themes. While there are no direct character crossovers, the style, pacing, and relationship dynamics will feel instantly familiar and highly satisfying to fans of Carver City.