Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Bully romance and fae politics with devastating cliffhangers
By Ember · Updated July 2, 2026
Key elements
- Dark bully romance with genuine cruelty before redemption
- Fae academy settings with zodiac-based magic systems
- Reverse harem with complex multi-partner dynamics
- Cliffhangers that make readers scream and immediately buy the next book
- Found family built through shared trauma
Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti are sister co-authors who write as a seamless unit, producing dark paranormal romance that's become a BookTok phenomenon. Their Zodiac Academy series follows twins Tory and Darcy Vega who discover they're fae royalty and must defend their throne from four Heirs who want to claim it through brutal bullying and psychological warfare.
The Twisted Sisters, as fans call them, write bully romance that doesn't soften the bullying. The Heirs are genuinely cruel in early books, making the eventual character development and romance feel earned rather than excused. The appeal is watching enemies become lovers through hundreds of thousands of words where both sides grow, suffer, and slowly recognize the attraction they've been fighting. The slow burn is glacial, the tension is agonizing, and readers love them for refusing to rush.
Their world-building is extensive. Zodiac-based magic, fae politics, academy dynamics, and a cast of dozens with their own arcs. The books are long (500-900 pages each) and the series is longer (8+ books in Zodiac Academy alone). They write for readers who want to live in a world rather than visit it, who want relationship development that takes real time, and who are willing to suffer through devastating cliffhangers because the payoff eventually arrives.
Quick answer
Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti are sister co-authors known as the Twisted Sisters, #1 Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestsellers with over 15 million copies sold. Known for Zodiac Academy (dark bully fae romance), Ruthless Boys series, and 50+ novels across dark romance and fantasy. Features include brutal bullying before redemption, reverse harem dynamics, zodiac-based magic, devastating cliffhangers, and slow-burn romance across multi-book series. Co-own King's Hollow publishing house.
Bully romance and fae politics with devastating cliffhangers
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Zodiac Academy phenomenon and sister co-authors
Zodiac Academy has sold over 15 million copies and created a devoted fandom that tracks character birthdays, makes fanart, and discusses the books with obsessive detail. The series length and cliffhangers create sustained engagement. You can't casually read one book. You're committing to the series, and that commitment creates community among readers suffering through the same emotional devastation.
The co-author dynamic between sisters is unusual in romance and clearly effective. They've published over 50 novels spanning multiple series including Ruthless Boys, Harlequin Crew, and The Damned Brotherhood. They own King's Hollow publishing house and work from an office in the English countryside. The prolific output and consistent quality across series shows their collaboration works.
Their books are for readers who want dark paranormal romance with length and complexity. The fae aren't sparkly, the romance involves genuine hate before love, the cliffhangers hurt, and the eventual happy endings feel earned through hundreds of pages of suffering. The reverse harem dynamics mean the heroine ends up with multiple love interests rather than choosing one, which appeals to readers who want polyamorous representation or just can't choose between the Heirs.
The reader take
Start with The Awakening if you want to commit to an 8+ book series with slow-burn reverse harem romance, fae academy bullying, and cliffhangers that hurt. Expect long books (500-900 pages), genuine cruelty before character development, and payoff that arrives after hundreds of thousands of words. The sisters write for readers who want to live in a world and suffer through the journey with a devoted fandom.
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Book recommendations
The Awakening
by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
First in Zodiac Academy. Twins discover they're fae royalty and enter an academy where four Heirs want them gone. Start here for the series that made them famous. Expect slow burn, brutal bullying, and a cliffhanger.
Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac
by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Their other major series. Similar paranormal academy, bully romance, and zodiac magic. Standalone world from Zodiac Academy. Start here if you want their formula with different characters.
Darkmore Penitentiary
by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Paranormal prison romance in the Zodiac Academy universe. Can be read after Zodiac Academy for readers who want more of that world or standalone for new readers willing to miss context.
Zodiac Academy: The Awakening As Told By The Boys
by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Retelling of first book from the Heirs' perspectives. Only read after finishing the main series. Shows their thought process during the bullying and adds depth to character development.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
by Sarah J. Maas
If you love Zodiac Academy's fae politics and slow-burn romance, ACOTAR is lighter but shares the fae world-building and relationship development across multiple books. Gateway to Peckham & Valenti for readers coming from less dark romance.
Common questions
What order should I read Zodiac Academy?
Publication order starting with The Awakening, then Ruthless Fae, The Reckoning, Shadow Princess, Cursed Fates, Fated Throne, Heartless Sky, Restless Stars. The series must be read in order. Each book ends on a cliffhanger leading to the next.
Are Peckham & Valenti books spicy?
Yes, eventually. The slow burn means intimate scenes arrive late in the series. When they do, they're explicit. The focus is on emotional development and tension building for hundreds of pages before the physical payoff.
Why do people love books that end on cliffhangers?
The cliffhangers create urgency and emotional investment. You're not satisfied after one book, you need the next immediately. The sustained tension across multiple books makes the eventual payoff more rewarding. Plus the fandom bonds over shared suffering.
Is Zodiac Academy reverse harem or does the heroine choose?
Reverse harem. Both twins end up with multiple love interests rather than choosing one. If you need the heroine to pick one hero, this won't satisfy you. If you're fine with polyamorous dynamics or just want all the Heirs, the series delivers.
Ready for your story? Imagine living it.
Peckham & Valenti readers want slow-burn romance with genuine obstacles and found family. Ember can't replicate reverse harem or multi-book cliffhangers, but it can build relationships where hate-to-love feels earned, where found family matters, and where the romance develops through genuine growth rather than circumstance. Love stories that respect the journey as much as the destination.
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