REVIEW: Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Courtney W Dixon (Thornbridge Academy #1)

- October 06, 2026

EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN

Thornbridge Academy - Book One

by Courtney W. Dixon

Release Date: October 6, 2026

Review

It bears repeating…this is incredibly dark and twisted.

It’s written with Courtney’s adept style. Which I truly appreciate. But I will say, this went a little further than I normally enjoy.

It’s hard to describe without giving things away, but two young men find themselves in the web of one of their fathers and need to battle a lot to get their happy ever after.

If you like really dark, you will definitely enjoy.

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Synopsis

Always remember. Never forget.

What happens to the mind when you start losing your grip on reality?

What happens when you don’t know who to trust?

What happens when you’re isolated with no one to turn to?

You’re told you have a mental health disorder. You’re told that what you know is real with every fiber of your being doesn’t exist. That the very person you love was a figment of your imagination. Your broken mind made it all up.

But I remember. He was ripped away from me. His name is inked all over my scarred skin. Theo.

I’m forced to attend Thornridge Academy, which is not only a college but also an innovative treatment facility for mental health and disruptive behavior. So why am I getting worse?

Theo, the love of my life, is here now and has forgotten me.

He’s my father’s adopted son.

He’s my adopted brother.

He’s my enemy.

Theo will soon learn that we exist in this world only for each other. He’ll remember, too. I’ll make sure of it.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn is an MM dark college romance, set in a fictional town and school, with found family, obsessive characters, and friends-to lovers-to enemies-to lovers. It's a story full of twists and turns, keeping you guessing what's real or not. This is potentially part of a series.

About Courtney W. Dixon

Courtney W. Dixon loves to write erotic romance. She writes both m/f and m/m stories all in one series to add a variety to her characters. Though there are erotic elements to her stories, they are rich with relationship growth. Even those enemies to lovers, a favorite of hers. Her characters are filled with deep POVs with trouble pasts, full of depth and emotion. She tries to give them complexity and growth as their stories move. And her favorite is to break her main characters down to lift them back up in order to give them their HEA's.

Courtney is also a mixed media artist who's primarily been focused on writing lately. You can find her working in Central Texas with her husband, two boys and two crazy dogs, none of whom know how to knock on a door while she's working.

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