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Wayward Sons #1
Body Count
Death is his business, and I live to serve.
Theo
Mortician River Laskin is a monster, a narcissistic sociopath with blood on his hands, but he’s also my savior.
When he rescues me from a human trafficking ring, the last thing on my mind is vengeance. I need to pull my life together and figure out how to survive in a world where I don’t exist. Without someone to tell me what to do, I’m lost. River is all I have to cling to, the only thing that makes sense in this terrifying new world.
But he and his family of murderous psychopaths have other plans, mafia connections, and murder on their minds.
River
I knew from the moment I saw him that Theo was mine. Mine to protect, mine to break, mine to put back together again.
My favorite toy.
I will use every resource at my disposal to find the men who hurt him and make them pay, whether he wants me to or not. It’s not up to him.
I’ll burn every bridge, turn over every stone, dig up every body until I get what I want.
And what I want now is vengeance for Theo. The Devil himself couldn’t stop me. I dare him to try.
Body Count is the first novel in the Wayward Sons series, a series standalone of dark MM romances that follows the Laskin brothers as they battle their inner demons and find love.
Theo
Mortician River Laskin is a monster, a narcissistic sociopath with blood on his hands, but he’s also my savior.
When he rescues me from a human trafficking ring, the last thing on my mind is vengeance. I need to pull my life together and figure out how to survive in a world where I don’t exist. Without someone to tell me what to do, I’m lost. River is all I have to cling to, the only thing that makes sense in this terrifying new world.
But he and his family of murderous psychopaths have other plans, mafia connections, and murder on their minds.
River
I knew from the moment I saw him that Theo was mine. Mine to protect, mine to break, mine to put back together again.
My favorite toy.
I will use every resource at my disposal to find the men who hurt him and make them pay, whether he wants me to or not. It’s not up to him.
I’ll burn every bridge, turn over every stone, dig up every body until I get what I want.
And what I want now is vengeance for Theo. The Devil himself couldn’t stop me. I dare him to try.
Body Count is the first novel in the Wayward Sons series, a series standalone of dark MM romances that follows the Laskin brothers as they battle their inner demons and find love.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2023
731 people are currently reading
1838 people want to read
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Did Not Finish
July 20, 2025Update July 2025: I've tried this one again, hoping to get into it better this time, but I had no luck. I'm going to just shelve it DNF. Plus, I looked at the others in the series and I don't think I'll be interested in going forward. 🤷♀️
October 2023
DNF 46% Just not feeling it right now. I will come back later when I'm in a better mood for it. I understood Theo's character and got a sense of who he was and what he'd been through, but I'm not connecting with River. I think he's supposed to be a sociopath or a psychopath, but his thoughts and feelings towards Theo just didn't add up to me. I don't know...
I will say, so far, I do not see this as a knock-off of Onley James' Necessary Evil series, and I don't think it's fair to compare them. I've read the first book several times, and I do not see them as Noah and Adam. If anything, River is too soft to be anywhere near Adam. Were there a few similarities? Sure, but to call it plagiarism, I think, is a little far-fetched. And surely, we cannot have too many books along those lines. I'm unapologetically all for the co-dependency, obsession, and touch him and die vibes. Just not today apparently....
October 2023
DNF 46% Just not feeling it right now. I will come back later when I'm in a better mood for it. I understood Theo's character and got a sense of who he was and what he'd been through, but I'm not connecting with River. I think he's supposed to be a sociopath or a psychopath, but his thoughts and feelings towards Theo just didn't add up to me. I don't know...
I will say, so far, I do not see this as a knock-off of Onley James' Necessary Evil series, and I don't think it's fair to compare them. I've read the first book several times, and I do not see them as Noah and Adam. If anything, River is too soft to be anywhere near Adam. Were there a few similarities? Sure, but to call it plagiarism, I think, is a little far-fetched. And surely, we cannot have too many books along those lines. I'm unapologetically all for the co-dependency, obsession, and touch him and die vibes. Just not today apparently....
October 16, 2023
More like 3.5 but I round up cause I'm nice.
This was basically Unhinged by Onley James & Paladin by Onley James mixed together. I would be SHOCKED if this author didn't pull influence (a lot of influence) from the entire Necessary Evils series by Onley James. (ETA: I don't think it's plagiarism or anything. It was just recced to me as similar and yeah... lots of similarities. But different enough that it isn't a total copy or anything).
Both feature a found family of psychopaths/murderers who kill channel their murderous impulses into killing bad guys. Paladin features a boy rescued from human traffickers (same here) who works with them to take down the entire ring (same here). The dynamic (psychopath & and fragile victim who enjoy empowering rough sxx) is the same as in Unhinged, as are their personalities though Adam and Noah (from Unhinged) just work better together than River and Theo
Only the other books are...better than this. Not that this is bad necessarily. It was just one of those "omg how long is this book" experiences because they kept having the same conversations over and over. Even though the book wasn't long at all lol.
The nickname "little finch" felt kinda forced and out of character for the murderer hero. And the trafficked hero would go from nervous and shy to having a potty mouth and language choices that also felt very strange and out of character for the way he'd been written. Then he'd go back to quiet and anxious. Whiplash.
I'll continue with the series though because I'm intrigued by the next hero with OCD & the brother with DID. But I do hope the author works at editing it a little bit to cut out the extras and vamp up the relationships to a slightly more believable level.
This was basically Unhinged by Onley James & Paladin by Onley James mixed together. I would be SHOCKED if this author didn't pull influence (a lot of influence) from the entire Necessary Evils series by Onley James. (ETA: I don't think it's plagiarism or anything. It was just recced to me as similar and yeah... lots of similarities. But different enough that it isn't a total copy or anything).
Both feature a found family of psychopaths/murderers who kill channel their murderous impulses into killing bad guys. Paladin features a boy rescued from human traffickers (same here) who works with them to take down the entire ring (same here). The dynamic (psychopath & and fragile victim who enjoy empowering rough sxx) is the same as in Unhinged, as are their personalities though Adam and Noah (from Unhinged) just work better together than River and Theo
Only the other books are...better than this. Not that this is bad necessarily. It was just one of those "omg how long is this book" experiences because they kept having the same conversations over and over. Even though the book wasn't long at all lol.
The nickname "little finch" felt kinda forced and out of character for the murderer hero. And the trafficked hero would go from nervous and shy to having a potty mouth and language choices that also felt very strange and out of character for the way he'd been written. Then he'd go back to quiet and anxious. Whiplash.
I'll continue with the series though because I'm intrigued by the next hero with OCD & the brother with DID. But I do hope the author works at editing it a little bit to cut out the extras and vamp up the relationships to a slightly more believable level.
May 31, 2024
this is totally like the necessary evils series by onley james just better.
September 19, 2023
A STEAMY dark MM romance with a sweet relationship, busting a Human trafficking ring, torturing villains 🤭, HEA & Sets up the series start nicely. I like the cover. Love River & Theo! I was gonna wait till release but then saw Eve's (new to me!) newsletter about R's family & couldn't resist. Had to get the #ARC & I'm glad I did! Devoured in around 8hrs (over 2days).
River is a sociopath, works in funeral house & has a fascinating family of mobsters & killers (good kind)! He's a mushroom lover, matter-of-fact, Possesive, impulsive & oddly sweet! From the moment he sees Theo, he knows T's meant to be his.
Theo is 20, my heart aches for him 😭. Victim of human trafficking as a kid, this life all he knows. But he gets a chance at life when River saves him. He's cautious, & his reactions are realistic. As T gets out of his shell, he's resilient, simple & wonderous.
From a connection-at-first-sight, their relationship grows steadily with not many bumps. They're also SO sexy together, love me a vers couple! Some kinkiness too 😘. The emotional trauma's addressed, while hunt for the traffickers is on. Some bad guys murder & torture scenes, YES. The climax is good & HEA so sweet. I'm excited for War's book! It's interesting that each of the bros has a mental disorder. RTC.
Story Ratings:
POV: 1st person, Dual POV
1) Overall Enjoyment—> 5/5
2) The Characters: 5/5
3) Top feels: 😳🥰🥺😡😈🤤🥵🔥😃😘😉
4) Steamy scenes: 5/5
5) Levels: Cute+Swoon: 4.25/5
Angst: 2.5/5
Dark: 3.5/5
6) Creativity + world: 4.7/5
7) Plot arc: (Sweet "All in" Relationship & Hunting villains) 4.5/5
8) Writing style + pace: 4.6/5
River is a sociopath, works in funeral house & has a fascinating family of mobsters & killers (good kind)! He's a mushroom lover, matter-of-fact, Possesive, impulsive & oddly sweet! From the moment he sees Theo, he knows T's meant to be his.
Theo is 20, my heart aches for him 😭. Victim of human trafficking as a kid, this life all he knows. But he gets a chance at life when River saves him. He's cautious, & his reactions are realistic. As T gets out of his shell, he's resilient, simple & wonderous.
From a connection-at-first-sight, their relationship grows steadily with not many bumps. They're also SO sexy together, love me a vers couple! Some kinkiness too 😘. The emotional trauma's addressed, while hunt for the traffickers is on. Some bad guys murder & torture scenes, YES. The climax is good & HEA so sweet. I'm excited for War's book! It's interesting that each of the bros has a mental disorder. RTC.
Story Ratings:
POV: 1st person, Dual POV
1) Overall Enjoyment—> 5/5
2) The Characters: 5/5
3) Top feels: 😳🥰🥺😡😈🤤🥵🔥😃😘😉
4) Steamy scenes: 5/5
5) Levels: Cute+Swoon: 4.25/5
Angst: 2.5/5
Dark: 3.5/5
6) Creativity + world: 4.7/5
7) Plot arc: (Sweet "All in" Relationship & Hunting villains) 4.5/5
8) Writing style + pace: 4.6/5
January 18, 2024
(DEUTSCH WEITER UNTEN)
Oh folks .... make yourselves a cup of tea/coffee, lean back and listen.
I feel like I have a thousand notes in my Kindle and I’m going to take you on a journey. Spoilers will be labelled, as always.
In general, I didn’t like the writing style that much, as I often came across too many repeated words. Otherwise, the sentence structure and everything else was quite nice ... but the repetition of words just made my toenails curl up - ugh.
Also, I knew what I was getting into - from the content warnings and the blurb, but I didn’t think it would be ANY more problematic than the topics already are.
Please remember:
River is full-on crass sociopath (his family is made up of serial killers) and per se, Theo is just a plaything to him. (Supposedly he’s also a narcissist, but we don’t notice any of that in the book. But of course it’s „always good“ to shoot out as many disorders as possible in the descriptions).
Theo grew up as a sex slave in a human trafficking ring, has massive traumas and has never known a life in freedom.
Here we go:
I sat up and looked down at the unfamiliar clothes, taking in the unfamiliar bedroom. This is my home now. River’s going to take care of me. The thought shouldn’t have been as comforting as it was. I’d watched him kill a man the night before.
Let’s just call it Stockholm syndrome. It really gets on my ovaries and is SO unrealistic. SO SO unworldly.
All I cared about was Theo. He was mine, had been mine since I first spotted him across the bar. The only thing that mattered was keeping him safe and near me. War wouldn’t understand that.
We’re still in the first 24 or 48 hours and I don’t understand it either, River.
“You do realize, River, that most people don’t consider murder a romantic gesture?” War asked. “Most people are boring.”
That’s so exaggerated again, tbh. I can only roll my eyes at that.
“It wasn’t an orgy,” Xander insisted. “There were only like five people. Besides, I can’t help it if literally everyone thinks I’m hot.
It feels like a 12-year-old person really wants to show off in a role-playing game (RPG). These are statements that may have been cool in puberty, but now just seem ridiculous.
But if I was going to have enough space to figure things out, that meant creating it where I could. I needed to learn how to think and function without River so I could make decisions with a clear head.
I always have such rational and productive thoughts during a panic attack, of course. Especially after I was freed from prostitution 48 hours or so ago.
„What about sex?“
Page 118, after a conversation with a psychologist who is very close to River. It was about Theo and his traumas from human trafficking and that he was sold for sex and has been for as long as he can remember. River’s question is OF COURSE whether he can still sleep with Theo in good conscience without opening up old wounds. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??
“No,” I said at length. “You’re right, River. Some people don’t deserve to live. If no one else is going to do anything to help, why can’t you do it in your own way? You saved me.” I sighed. “Tell me how I can help.”
I would also be so utterly relaxed if my non-boyfriend, who bought me and then killed someone, told me that his family consisted of serial killers. You would too, wouldn’t you? It’s completely normal.
I ground myself against his thigh, savoring the taste of him, the answering hardness of his cock against me. “What was the alarm for?” he asked groggily between kisses. “I have to go to work,” I replied and kissed him again. “What time do you have to work?” “Soon.” I reached between us, slotting our cocks together in my fist. “But it’s not the end of the world if I’m late this once.”
What, one of our MMCs had a lot of trauma and dissociates regularly and has been sold to the highest bidder for as long as he can remember? Never mind, now he has River and all that is no longer a problem. Theo loves sex and needs it. WTF
God, he was so perfect, so out of my league. I almost couldn’t believe he was real. Maybe I was asleep in my old room, and this was all the most wonderful dream. If it was, I didn’t want to wake up.
Sounds like fully logical thoughts from a victim of sexual and physical violence who continues to be in danger. Theo, you are so strong, you just don’t give a shit about your traumas.
REALLY ... just leave it alone? If you’re going to write a backstory like that, you need to deal with it and not fabricate crap like that. I’m so pissed off.
→ S.195 “Forget normal. Fuck me like I’m your whore.” Something dark flashed in River’s eyes. “Is that what you want to be, Theo?” he asked, speeding the pace of his fingers until I was panting and squirming. “My whore? Just for me?” I licked my lips. “Yes. Only for you.” I shouldn’t have liked to be called that. I should’ve hated it, and I knew it, but I didn’t. I was his whore. He’d paid for me with cash.
It makes me want to puke.
“The things I would do in your name… There isn’t any line I wouldn’t cross for you. You understand that, don’t you? I’d burn this whole world to ash just to have you. I own you, but you own me too, Theo.”
They have known each other for about 11 days. 11 DAYS.
“What does my beautiful, strong, River think about when I tell him he’s so goddamn perfect that he looks like a god when the moon hits him just right?”
How long have they known each other? 11 days? 11 days since Theo escaped a life of captivity and torture and abuse? WTF
By the way, Theo shortly before dissociated because he couldn’t cope with the current situation, but now they can fuck.
My jaw trembled. “How do you know?” “I know because it’s what I would do.” His gaze softened and he brushed a hand through my hair. “Why do you think I’m so good at hunting and killing these parasites? Because I can think like them. For normal people like you, it’d be unthinkable. But for monsters like me?” He shook his head. “I’d be like them if not for Mom and Dad.” “You’re nothing like them, River,” I exclaimed and threw my arms around his neck. “You’re not a monster! Stop saying that!”
Of course he’s not a monster. He only slaughters people and you haven’t even known each other for a fortnight.
“I want to remember what it feels like to be alive, dammit!” My fists flew to my forehead as if I could somehow fight my own mind. River’s hands closed gently over my tight fists and eased them down into my lap. “I think I can help with that part,” he offered quietly. “At least tonight.”
Who needs therapy when you can have sex with someone you’ve known for less than two weeks and love like there’s no tomorrow?
The next few days were routine, or at least as routine as they could be. Theo and I woke up, fucked, went to work, ate food, fucked some more.
The trauma and Theo’s past were probably run over and left on the side of the road.
There’s more, but I just can’t take any more ... I’m so angry.
Write dark romance, I don’t care ... but don’t deal with such serious topics like this. Even the dark romance genre is no justification for dealing with illness/trauma etc in such a glorifying and romanticised way.
It just makes me sick ...
Of course there were some „good“ moments in the book where we got to see Theo struggle, but all that was thrown out the window so quickly that I’d love to throw something not so nice after it.
(DEUTSCH)
Oh Leute .... macht euch nen Tee/Kaffee, lehnt euch zurück und hört zu.
Ich hab gefühlt tausend Notizen in meinem Kindle und werde euch jetzt auf eine Reise mitnehmen. Spoiler werden gekennzeichnet, wie immer.
Allgemein hat mir der Schreibstil nicht so gut gefallen, da mir oft einfach zu viele Wortwiederholungen untergekommen sind. Ansonsten war der Satzbau und alles ganz nett ... aber bei Wortwiederholungen rollen sich mir halt die Zehennägel auf – ugh.
Auch wusste ich, auf was ich mich einlasse – anhand der Inhaltswarnungen und der Inhaltsbeschreibung, aber das es dann NOCH problematischer wird, als die Themen eh schon sind, hätte ich nicht gedacht.
Bitte denkt daran:
River ist voll der krasse Soziopath (seine Familie besteht aus Serienkillern) und an sich ist Theo nur ein Spielzeug für ihn. (Angeblich soll er auch ein Narzisst sein, aber davon merken wir im Buch nichts. Ist aber natürlich „immer gut“ in seinen Beschreibungen so viele Störungsbilder wie möglich rauszuballern.)
Theo ist in einem Menschenhandel Ring als Sexsklave großgeworden, hat massive Traumata und kennt kein Leben in Freiheit.
Los geht’s:
I sat up and looked down at the unfamiliar clothes, taking in the unfamiliar bedroom. This is my home now. River’s going to take care of me. The thought shouldn’t have been as comforting as it was. I’d watched him kill a man the night before.
Nennen wir einfach mal Stockholmsyndrom. Geht mir dezent auf die Eierstöcke und ist SO unrealistisch. SO SO weltfremd.
All I cared about was Theo. He was mine, had been mine since I first spotted him across the bar. The only thing that mattered was keeping him safe and near me. War wouldn’t understand that.
Wir befinden uns noch immer in den ersten 24 oder 48 Stunden und ich versteh es auch nicht, River.
“You do realize, River, that most people don’t consider murder a romantic gesture?” War asked. “Most people are boring.”
Das ist wieder so übertrieben dargestellt, tbh. Da kann ich nur die Augen rollen.
“It wasn’t an orgy,” Xander insisted. “There were only like five people. Besides, I can’t help it if literally everyone thinks I’m hot.
Das fühlt sich an, als würde eine 12jährige Person im Rollenspiel (RPG) mal so richtig angeben wollen. Das sind so aussagen, die vllt in der Pubertät cool waren, jetzt aber nur noch lächerlich wirken.
But if I was going to have enough space to figure things out, that meant creating it where I could. I needed to learn how to think and function without River so I could make decisions with a clear head.
Während ner Panikattacke hab ich auch immer so rationale und produktive Gedanken, ja ne is klar. Vor allem, nachdem ich vor 48 Stunden oder so aus der Prostitution befreit wurde.
„What about sex?“
Seite 118, nach einem Gespräch mit einem Psychologen, der River sehr nahesteht. Es ging um Theo und seine Traumata aus dem Menschenhandel und das er für Sex verkauft wurde und das, seitdem er denken kann. Rivers Frage ist NATÜRLICH, ob er dennoch guten Gewissens mit Theo schlafen kann, ohne alte Wunden aufzureißen. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?
“No,” I said at length. “You’re right, River. Some people don’t deserve to live. If no one else is going to do anything to help, why can’t you do it in your own way? You saved me.” I sighed. “Tell me how I can help.”
Seite 142. Ich würde auch so voll gechillt reagieren, wenn mir mein nicht boyfriend, der mich gekauft und dann jemand gekillt hat, mir erzählt, dass seine Familie aus Serienmördern besteht. Ihr doch auch, oder? Ist doch ganz normal.
I ground myself against his thigh, savoring the taste of him, the answering hardness of his cock against me. “What was the alarm for?” he asked groggily between kisses. “I have to go to work,” I replied and kissed him again. “What time do you have to work?” “Soon.” I reached between us, slotting our cocks together in my fist. “But it’s not the end of the world if I’m late this once.”
Was, einer unserer MMC hatte voll viele Traumata und dissoziiert regelmäßig und wurde, seit er denken kann für Geld an den Meistbietenden verkauft? Ach, ist doch egal, jetzt hat er River und all das ist kein Problem mehr. Theo liebt Sex und hat es auch nötig. WTF
God, he was so perfect, so out of my league. I almost couldn’t believe he was real. Maybe I was asleep in my old room, and this was all the most wonderful dream. If it was, I didn’t want to wake up.
Klingt nach voll logischen Gedanken von einem Opfer sexueller und physischer Gewalt, das auch weiterhin in Gefahr schwebt. Theo, du bist so stark, du scheißt einfach auf deine Traumata.
WIRKLICH ... lasst es doch einfach? Wenn man so eine Vorgeschichte schreibt, dann muss man auch damit umgehen und nicht so einen Mist fabrizieren. Ich bin so sauer.
→ S.195 “Forget normal. Fuck me like I’m your whore.” Something dark flashed in River’s eyes. “Is that what you want to be, Theo?” he asked, speeding the pace of his fingers until I was panting and squirming. “My whore? Just for me?” I licked my lips. “Yes. Only for you.” I shouldn’t have liked to be called that. I should’ve hated it, and I knew it, but I didn’t. I was his whore. He’d paid for me with cash.
Ich krieg so das kotzen.
“The things I would do in your name… There isn’t any line I wouldn’t cross for you. You understand that, don’t you? I’d burn this whole world to ash just to have you. I own you, but you own me too, Theo.”
Sie kennen sich ungefähr 11 Tage. 11 TAGE.
“What does my beautiful, strong, River think about when I tell him he’s so goddamn perfect that he looks like a god when the moon hits him just right?”
Wie lang kennen die sich jetzt? 11 Tage? 11 Tage, seitdem Theo einem Leben in Gefangenschaft und Folter und Missbrauch entkommen ist? WTF
Theo ist übrigens kurz davor dissoziiert, weil er mit der aktuellen Situation nicht klargekommen ist, aber nun kann gef*ckt werden.
My jaw trembled. “How do you know?” “I know because it’s what I would do.” His gaze softened and he brushed a hand through my hair. “Why do you think I’m so good at hunting and killing these parasites? Because I can think like them. For normal people like you, it’d be unthinkable. But for monsters like me?” He shook his head. “I’d be like them if not for Mom and Dad.” “You’re nothing like them, River,” I exclaimed and threw my arms around his neck. “You’re not a monster! Stop saying that!”
Natürlich ist er kein Monster. Er schlachtet ja nur Menschen ab und ihr kennt euch noch nichtmal zwei Wochen.
“I want to remember what it feels like to be alive, dammit!” My fists flew to my forehead as if I could somehow fight my own mind. River’s hands closed gently over my tight fists and eased them down into my lap. “I think I can help with that part,” he offered quietly. “At least tonight.”
Wer braucht Therapie, wenn er Sex haben kann und das mit jemandem, den er noch nichtmal zwei Wochen kennt und den er liebt, als gäbe es kein Morgen mehr.
The next few days were routine, or at least as routine as they could be. Theo and I woke up, fucked, went to work, ate food, fucked some more.
Das Trauma und Theos Vergangenheit wurde glaube überfahren und am Straßenrand liegen gelassen.
Da ist noch mehr, aber ich kann einfach nicht mehr ... ich bin so wütend.
Schreibt Dark Romance, mir egal ... aber geht nicht so mit so ernsten Thematiken um. Auch das Dark Romance Genre ist keine Rechtfertigung dafür, so verherrlichend und romantisierend mit Erkrankungen/Traumata etc umzugehen.
Es macht mich einfach nur noch krank ...
Natürlich gab es einige „gute“ Momente im Buch, wo wir sehen durften, wie Theo struggelt, aber all das wurde so schnell über Bord geworfen, dass ich am liebsten was nicht so nettes hinterherwerfen würde.
Oh folks .... make yourselves a cup of tea/coffee, lean back and listen.
I feel like I have a thousand notes in my Kindle and I’m going to take you on a journey. Spoilers will be labelled, as always.
In general, I didn’t like the writing style that much, as I often came across too many repeated words. Otherwise, the sentence structure and everything else was quite nice ... but the repetition of words just made my toenails curl up - ugh.
Also, I knew what I was getting into - from the content warnings and the blurb, but I didn’t think it would be ANY more problematic than the topics already are.
Please remember:
River is full-on crass sociopath (his family is made up of serial killers) and per se, Theo is just a plaything to him. (Supposedly he’s also a narcissist, but we don’t notice any of that in the book. But of course it’s „always good“ to shoot out as many disorders as possible in the descriptions).
Theo grew up as a sex slave in a human trafficking ring, has massive traumas and has never known a life in freedom.
Here we go:
I sat up and looked down at the unfamiliar clothes, taking in the unfamiliar bedroom. This is my home now. River’s going to take care of me. The thought shouldn’t have been as comforting as it was. I’d watched him kill a man the night before.
Let’s just call it Stockholm syndrome. It really gets on my ovaries and is SO unrealistic. SO SO unworldly.
All I cared about was Theo. He was mine, had been mine since I first spotted him across the bar. The only thing that mattered was keeping him safe and near me. War wouldn’t understand that.
We’re still in the first 24 or 48 hours and I don’t understand it either, River.
“You do realize, River, that most people don’t consider murder a romantic gesture?” War asked. “Most people are boring.”
That’s so exaggerated again, tbh. I can only roll my eyes at that.
“It wasn’t an orgy,” Xander insisted. “There were only like five people. Besides, I can’t help it if literally everyone thinks I’m hot.
It feels like a 12-year-old person really wants to show off in a role-playing game (RPG). These are statements that may have been cool in puberty, but now just seem ridiculous.
But if I was going to have enough space to figure things out, that meant creating it where I could. I needed to learn how to think and function without River so I could make decisions with a clear head.
I always have such rational and productive thoughts during a panic attack, of course. Especially after I was freed from prostitution 48 hours or so ago.
„What about sex?“
Page 118, after a conversation with a psychologist who is very close to River. It was about Theo and his traumas from human trafficking and that he was sold for sex and has been for as long as he can remember. River’s question is OF COURSE whether he can still sleep with Theo in good conscience without opening up old wounds. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??
“No,” I said at length. “You’re right, River. Some people don’t deserve to live. If no one else is going to do anything to help, why can’t you do it in your own way? You saved me.” I sighed. “Tell me how I can help.”
I would also be so utterly relaxed if my non-boyfriend, who bought me and then killed someone, told me that his family consisted of serial killers. You would too, wouldn’t you? It’s completely normal.
I ground myself against his thigh, savoring the taste of him, the answering hardness of his cock against me. “What was the alarm for?” he asked groggily between kisses. “I have to go to work,” I replied and kissed him again. “What time do you have to work?” “Soon.” I reached between us, slotting our cocks together in my fist. “But it’s not the end of the world if I’m late this once.”
What, one of our MMCs had a lot of trauma and dissociates regularly and has been sold to the highest bidder for as long as he can remember? Never mind, now he has River and all that is no longer a problem. Theo loves sex and needs it. WTF
God, he was so perfect, so out of my league. I almost couldn’t believe he was real. Maybe I was asleep in my old room, and this was all the most wonderful dream. If it was, I didn’t want to wake up.
Sounds like fully logical thoughts from a victim of sexual and physical violence who continues to be in danger. Theo, you are so strong, you just don’t give a shit about your traumas.
REALLY ... just leave it alone? If you’re going to write a backstory like that, you need to deal with it and not fabricate crap like that. I’m so pissed off.
→ S.195 “Forget normal. Fuck me like I’m your whore.” Something dark flashed in River’s eyes. “Is that what you want to be, Theo?” he asked, speeding the pace of his fingers until I was panting and squirming. “My whore? Just for me?” I licked my lips. “Yes. Only for you.” I shouldn’t have liked to be called that. I should’ve hated it, and I knew it, but I didn’t. I was his whore. He’d paid for me with cash.
It makes me want to puke.
“The things I would do in your name… There isn’t any line I wouldn’t cross for you. You understand that, don’t you? I’d burn this whole world to ash just to have you. I own you, but you own me too, Theo.”
They have known each other for about 11 days. 11 DAYS.
“What does my beautiful, strong, River think about when I tell him he’s so goddamn perfect that he looks like a god when the moon hits him just right?”
How long have they known each other? 11 days? 11 days since Theo escaped a life of captivity and torture and abuse? WTF
By the way, Theo shortly before dissociated because he couldn’t cope with the current situation, but now they can fuck.
My jaw trembled. “How do you know?” “I know because it’s what I would do.” His gaze softened and he brushed a hand through my hair. “Why do you think I’m so good at hunting and killing these parasites? Because I can think like them. For normal people like you, it’d be unthinkable. But for monsters like me?” He shook his head. “I’d be like them if not for Mom and Dad.” “You’re nothing like them, River,” I exclaimed and threw my arms around his neck. “You’re not a monster! Stop saying that!”
Of course he’s not a monster. He only slaughters people and you haven’t even known each other for a fortnight.
“I want to remember what it feels like to be alive, dammit!” My fists flew to my forehead as if I could somehow fight my own mind. River’s hands closed gently over my tight fists and eased them down into my lap. “I think I can help with that part,” he offered quietly. “At least tonight.”
Who needs therapy when you can have sex with someone you’ve known for less than two weeks and love like there’s no tomorrow?
The next few days were routine, or at least as routine as they could be. Theo and I woke up, fucked, went to work, ate food, fucked some more.
The trauma and Theo’s past were probably run over and left on the side of the road.
There’s more, but I just can’t take any more ... I’m so angry.
Write dark romance, I don’t care ... but don’t deal with such serious topics like this. Even the dark romance genre is no justification for dealing with illness/trauma etc in such a glorifying and romanticised way.
It just makes me sick ...
Of course there were some „good“ moments in the book where we got to see Theo struggle, but all that was thrown out the window so quickly that I’d love to throw something not so nice after it.
(DEUTSCH)
Oh Leute .... macht euch nen Tee/Kaffee, lehnt euch zurück und hört zu.
Ich hab gefühlt tausend Notizen in meinem Kindle und werde euch jetzt auf eine Reise mitnehmen. Spoiler werden gekennzeichnet, wie immer.
Allgemein hat mir der Schreibstil nicht so gut gefallen, da mir oft einfach zu viele Wortwiederholungen untergekommen sind. Ansonsten war der Satzbau und alles ganz nett ... aber bei Wortwiederholungen rollen sich mir halt die Zehennägel auf – ugh.
Auch wusste ich, auf was ich mich einlasse – anhand der Inhaltswarnungen und der Inhaltsbeschreibung, aber das es dann NOCH problematischer wird, als die Themen eh schon sind, hätte ich nicht gedacht.
Bitte denkt daran:
River ist voll der krasse Soziopath (seine Familie besteht aus Serienkillern) und an sich ist Theo nur ein Spielzeug für ihn. (Angeblich soll er auch ein Narzisst sein, aber davon merken wir im Buch nichts. Ist aber natürlich „immer gut“ in seinen Beschreibungen so viele Störungsbilder wie möglich rauszuballern.)
Theo ist in einem Menschenhandel Ring als Sexsklave großgeworden, hat massive Traumata und kennt kein Leben in Freiheit.
Los geht’s:
I sat up and looked down at the unfamiliar clothes, taking in the unfamiliar bedroom. This is my home now. River’s going to take care of me. The thought shouldn’t have been as comforting as it was. I’d watched him kill a man the night before.
Nennen wir einfach mal Stockholmsyndrom. Geht mir dezent auf die Eierstöcke und ist SO unrealistisch. SO SO weltfremd.
All I cared about was Theo. He was mine, had been mine since I first spotted him across the bar. The only thing that mattered was keeping him safe and near me. War wouldn’t understand that.
Wir befinden uns noch immer in den ersten 24 oder 48 Stunden und ich versteh es auch nicht, River.
“You do realize, River, that most people don’t consider murder a romantic gesture?” War asked. “Most people are boring.”
Das ist wieder so übertrieben dargestellt, tbh. Da kann ich nur die Augen rollen.
“It wasn’t an orgy,” Xander insisted. “There were only like five people. Besides, I can’t help it if literally everyone thinks I’m hot.
Das fühlt sich an, als würde eine 12jährige Person im Rollenspiel (RPG) mal so richtig angeben wollen. Das sind so aussagen, die vllt in der Pubertät cool waren, jetzt aber nur noch lächerlich wirken.
But if I was going to have enough space to figure things out, that meant creating it where I could. I needed to learn how to think and function without River so I could make decisions with a clear head.
Während ner Panikattacke hab ich auch immer so rationale und produktive Gedanken, ja ne is klar. Vor allem, nachdem ich vor 48 Stunden oder so aus der Prostitution befreit wurde.
„What about sex?“
Seite 118, nach einem Gespräch mit einem Psychologen, der River sehr nahesteht. Es ging um Theo und seine Traumata aus dem Menschenhandel und das er für Sex verkauft wurde und das, seitdem er denken kann. Rivers Frage ist NATÜRLICH, ob er dennoch guten Gewissens mit Theo schlafen kann, ohne alte Wunden aufzureißen. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?
“No,” I said at length. “You’re right, River. Some people don’t deserve to live. If no one else is going to do anything to help, why can’t you do it in your own way? You saved me.” I sighed. “Tell me how I can help.”
Seite 142. Ich würde auch so voll gechillt reagieren, wenn mir mein nicht boyfriend, der mich gekauft und dann jemand gekillt hat, mir erzählt, dass seine Familie aus Serienmördern besteht. Ihr doch auch, oder? Ist doch ganz normal.
I ground myself against his thigh, savoring the taste of him, the answering hardness of his cock against me. “What was the alarm for?” he asked groggily between kisses. “I have to go to work,” I replied and kissed him again. “What time do you have to work?” “Soon.” I reached between us, slotting our cocks together in my fist. “But it’s not the end of the world if I’m late this once.”
Was, einer unserer MMC hatte voll viele Traumata und dissoziiert regelmäßig und wurde, seit er denken kann für Geld an den Meistbietenden verkauft? Ach, ist doch egal, jetzt hat er River und all das ist kein Problem mehr. Theo liebt Sex und hat es auch nötig. WTF
God, he was so perfect, so out of my league. I almost couldn’t believe he was real. Maybe I was asleep in my old room, and this was all the most wonderful dream. If it was, I didn’t want to wake up.
Klingt nach voll logischen Gedanken von einem Opfer sexueller und physischer Gewalt, das auch weiterhin in Gefahr schwebt. Theo, du bist so stark, du scheißt einfach auf deine Traumata.
WIRKLICH ... lasst es doch einfach? Wenn man so eine Vorgeschichte schreibt, dann muss man auch damit umgehen und nicht so einen Mist fabrizieren. Ich bin so sauer.
→ S.195 “Forget normal. Fuck me like I’m your whore.” Something dark flashed in River’s eyes. “Is that what you want to be, Theo?” he asked, speeding the pace of his fingers until I was panting and squirming. “My whore? Just for me?” I licked my lips. “Yes. Only for you.” I shouldn’t have liked to be called that. I should’ve hated it, and I knew it, but I didn’t. I was his whore. He’d paid for me with cash.
Ich krieg so das kotzen.
“The things I would do in your name… There isn’t any line I wouldn’t cross for you. You understand that, don’t you? I’d burn this whole world to ash just to have you. I own you, but you own me too, Theo.”
Sie kennen sich ungefähr 11 Tage. 11 TAGE.
“What does my beautiful, strong, River think about when I tell him he’s so goddamn perfect that he looks like a god when the moon hits him just right?”
Wie lang kennen die sich jetzt? 11 Tage? 11 Tage, seitdem Theo einem Leben in Gefangenschaft und Folter und Missbrauch entkommen ist? WTF
Theo ist übrigens kurz davor dissoziiert, weil er mit der aktuellen Situation nicht klargekommen ist, aber nun kann gef*ckt werden.
My jaw trembled. “How do you know?” “I know because it’s what I would do.” His gaze softened and he brushed a hand through my hair. “Why do you think I’m so good at hunting and killing these parasites? Because I can think like them. For normal people like you, it’d be unthinkable. But for monsters like me?” He shook his head. “I’d be like them if not for Mom and Dad.” “You’re nothing like them, River,” I exclaimed and threw my arms around his neck. “You’re not a monster! Stop saying that!”
Natürlich ist er kein Monster. Er schlachtet ja nur Menschen ab und ihr kennt euch noch nichtmal zwei Wochen.
“I want to remember what it feels like to be alive, dammit!” My fists flew to my forehead as if I could somehow fight my own mind. River’s hands closed gently over my tight fists and eased them down into my lap. “I think I can help with that part,” he offered quietly. “At least tonight.”
Wer braucht Therapie, wenn er Sex haben kann und das mit jemandem, den er noch nichtmal zwei Wochen kennt und den er liebt, als gäbe es kein Morgen mehr.
The next few days were routine, or at least as routine as they could be. Theo and I woke up, fucked, went to work, ate food, fucked some more.
Das Trauma und Theos Vergangenheit wurde glaube überfahren und am Straßenrand liegen gelassen.
Da ist noch mehr, aber ich kann einfach nicht mehr ... ich bin so wütend.
Schreibt Dark Romance, mir egal ... aber geht nicht so mit so ernsten Thematiken um. Auch das Dark Romance Genre ist keine Rechtfertigung dafür, so verherrlichend und romantisierend mit Erkrankungen/Traumata etc umzugehen.
Es macht mich einfach nur noch krank ...
Natürlich gab es einige „gute“ Momente im Buch, wo wir sehen durften, wie Theo struggelt, aber all das wurde so schnell über Bord geworfen, dass ich am liebsten was nicht so nettes hinterherwerfen würde.
December 14, 2023
If not for all the unnecessary sex scenes this would have been a 5 star read!! I can't wait for the other books in this series to become available!!!!
April 22, 2024
This was okay, but didn't fully grab me. I feel that everything that was presented, and it was a lot, was just surface-deep. A bunch of family members (most with their own personality/brain disorders), a couple of extended mob families, horrific abuse via human trafficking including Theo's trauma and River being a sociopath are all thrown into the mix here.
At times I was invested, other times I was bored and skimmed as people were being introduced for later installments. I wish more attention was paid to helping Theo cope, but then again the plot plays out over approximately two weeks.
Will I pick up the next book? I'm not sure, although I am intrigued by River's brothers and their own psychological issues.
At times I was invested, other times I was bored and skimmed as people were being introduced for later installments. I wish more attention was paid to helping Theo cope, but then again the plot plays out over approximately two weeks.
Will I pick up the next book? I'm not sure, although I am intrigued by River's brothers and their own psychological issues.
October 1, 2023
I can not be the only one who thinks this is a complete rip off of Necessary Evils. It's one thing to be inspired by another author but this is straight up plagiarism.
September 28, 2023
River and his family aren’t your regular daily neighbors. They are murderous, psychopaths, sociopaths, schizophrenics, or have DID.
Still, River was the one who saved Theo. Claimed him as his, to protect, and took him with him.
Theo is conflicted and confused, it’s freaking him out, living outside an unknown world he was used to from when he was a little boy. River is different from his Master, still, he’s kept, owned, not free.
River wants to burn down everything and everyone who ever kept and/or touched Theo.
“Don’t go somewhere I can’t follow”
When the body of a young guy is found coming from the same Master and house who exploited Theo and kept him, River and his family are determined to find the core and exterminate them.
Yes, they are vengeful and will make sure those people will die, but not before they’ve suffered.
It felt like a Stephen King story, not just downright brutal, but with an intelligent swing.
I enjoyed the horrific scenes counterbalanced with some sweetness and sexiness.
Theo and River were well pictured, Theo’s head is a mess.
When you love morally grey (dark) stories, and you can watch torture without puking, this is definitely something for you.
Still, River was the one who saved Theo. Claimed him as his, to protect, and took him with him.
Theo is conflicted and confused, it’s freaking him out, living outside an unknown world he was used to from when he was a little boy. River is different from his Master, still, he’s kept, owned, not free.
River wants to burn down everything and everyone who ever kept and/or touched Theo.
“Don’t go somewhere I can’t follow”
When the body of a young guy is found coming from the same Master and house who exploited Theo and kept him, River and his family are determined to find the core and exterminate them.
Yes, they are vengeful and will make sure those people will die, but not before they’ve suffered.
It felt like a Stephen King story, not just downright brutal, but with an intelligent swing.
I enjoyed the horrific scenes counterbalanced with some sweetness and sexiness.
Theo and River were well pictured, Theo’s head is a mess.
When you love morally grey (dark) stories, and you can watch torture without puking, this is definitely something for you.
Read
January 25, 2024DNF at 15% - This would maaaaybe be entertaining enough to attempt a full read if I hadn’t already read Necessary Evils by Onley James.
This is just a less interesting, less enticing version of that. Literally the exact same plot. However, unlike Necessary Evils, neither MC in this is likable or relatable in any way.
I’d rather just reread Unhinged.
This is just a less interesting, less enticing version of that. Literally the exact same plot. However, unlike Necessary Evils, neither MC in this is likable or relatable in any way.
I’d rather just reread Unhinged.
October 2, 2024
No full review needed. Necessary Evils 2.0
April 16, 2024
“The things I would do in your name… There isn’t any line I wouldn’t cross for you. You understand that, don’t you? I’d burn this whole world to ash just to have you. I own you, but you own me too, Theo.”
Ehhh… It was ok. I didn’t connect with the MCs. River was a dick hole and not in the hot way. I felt nothing for them besides saddness for Theo.
“The only reason I took care of him was because it benefitted me.”
🙄this is at like 80%
“I was going mad with need. I wanted him enough that I was starting not to care.
^
Theos been sexually abused his whole life….
I felt uncomfy during their sexy times.
Tons of TWs.
Glad the master fucker died.
I will keep an eye out for Shepherds story tho. He’s was interesting.
Ehhh… It was ok. I didn’t connect with the MCs. River was a dick hole and not in the hot way. I felt nothing for them besides saddness for Theo.
“The only reason I took care of him was because it benefitted me.”
🙄this is at like 80%
“I was going mad with need. I wanted him enough that I was starting not to care.
^
Theos been sexually abused his whole life….
I felt uncomfy during their sexy times.
Tons of TWs.
Glad the master fucker died.
I will keep an eye out for Shepherds story tho. He’s was interesting.
November 6, 2024
This is a very sad story the more I think about it.
I shook my head. “I don’t want to die. I just don’t want living to hurt anymore. I’m so tired, River. I’m tired of the flashbacks and the nightmares and flinching every time someone touches me. Living like this is worse than being dead. I’m trapped in this state of half-existence, surviving but not living, and I don’t know how to make it stop. I want to remember what it feels like to be alive, dammit!” My fists flew to my forehead as if I could somehow fight my own mind.
This pretty much sums up how I felt about the situation. It is still a fun read. The family is so crazy but still grounded.
I might continue the series.
I shook my head. “I don’t want to die. I just don’t want living to hurt anymore. I’m so tired, River. I’m tired of the flashbacks and the nightmares and flinching every time someone touches me. Living like this is worse than being dead. I’m trapped in this state of half-existence, surviving but not living, and I don’t know how to make it stop. I want to remember what it feels like to be alive, dammit!” My fists flew to my forehead as if I could somehow fight my own mind.
This pretty much sums up how I felt about the situation. It is still a fun read. The family is so crazy but still grounded.
I might continue the series.
February 18, 2026
As others have mentioned the details in this story are very similar to Onley James books, not a bad thing, just a trope to read if you like these types of stories. I enjoyed it very much and read in one sitting. River is described in the blurb as a 'monster', I beg to differ 😊 He is an absolute sweetheart who doesn't know it😁 He cares and does everything he can in trying to give Theo (sex trafficking survivor) everything he needs to heal. This was book one and there are many interesting side characters waiting for their story to be told.
A lot of urgent sex was had in this book😎
A lot of urgent sex was had in this book😎
September 15, 2023
This is my second novel by the author I've read so far. And I loved it so much and the book is a solid 5* read!
I loved the dark elements, the character history, and the overall family dynamic. Theo was such an amazing character and I loved the way he grew out of his shell.
River is a psycho but he cherishes Theo so fricking much. The obsessiveness, possessiveness, the D/s elements in the bedroom, the fact that they are versatile, and the mutual co-dependency was just what I needed. Yes, it is insta-love (one sided, though Theo starts to warm to River fairly soon).
There were only some bits that bothered me:
- the fact that in one of the chapters near the end, the author introduces so many new characters and just focuses on their history and how they are related... I did not like that. It slowed down the pace and was borderline boring.
- at one point, our MCs kidnap a guy from a club, but there is no explanation how they did it. (At the end of a chapter they are in the club, in the next chapter they are out...) And it really bothered me, I was curious about how they managed to just sneak this guy out. That would be maybe impossible.
(- and one more thing I was a bit disappointed about: when River shows his mushroom collection for the first time, I wished we got a bit more descriptions of that. I guess it reflects Theo's POV who does not really give a damn about them, but I was still interested.)
some tropes and topics:
interracial couple,
hurt/comfort,
sex trafficking/child trafficking,
psycho MCs,
found family,
possessivenes + obsessiveness,
touch him and you 🔪,
mineminemine vibes,
no third act break up,
no cheating,
vers couple,
D/s dynamic,
blood play,
roleplaying in bed (CNC),
importance of consent...
aaaaand that's about everything that I can think of! Nevertheless, check the triggers at the beginning of the book.
I received an e-ARC copy - thank you so much!!! - in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the dark elements, the character history, and the overall family dynamic. Theo was such an amazing character and I loved the way he grew out of his shell.
River is a psycho but he cherishes Theo so fricking much. The obsessiveness, possessiveness, the D/s elements in the bedroom, the fact that they are versatile, and the mutual co-dependency was just what I needed. Yes, it is insta-love (one sided, though Theo starts to warm to River fairly soon).
There were only some bits that bothered me:
- the fact that in one of the chapters near the end, the author introduces so many new characters and just focuses on their history and how they are related... I did not like that. It slowed down the pace and was borderline boring.
- at one point, our MCs kidnap a guy from a club, but there is no explanation how they did it. (At the end of a chapter they are in the club, in the next chapter they are out...) And it really bothered me, I was curious about how they managed to just sneak this guy out. That would be maybe impossible.
(- and one more thing I was a bit disappointed about: when River shows his mushroom collection for the first time, I wished we got a bit more descriptions of that. I guess it reflects Theo's POV who does not really give a damn about them, but I was still interested.)
some tropes and topics:
interracial couple,
hurt/comfort,
sex trafficking/child trafficking,
psycho MCs,
found family,
possessivenes + obsessiveness,
touch him and you 🔪,
mineminemine vibes,
no third act break up,
no cheating,
vers couple,
D/s dynamic,
blood play,
roleplaying in bed (CNC),
importance of consent...
aaaaand that's about everything that I can think of! Nevertheless, check the triggers at the beginning of the book.
I received an e-ARC copy - thank you so much!!! - in exchange for my honest review.
November 11, 2024
3/5. Highlights may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
Content Warnings for book: Death, child sexual assault, human trafficking, drug addiction, mental illness, ableism, torture, murder, descriptive gore, blood, kidnapping, sex worker shaming, misogyny, child endangerment, discussion of infant death, gun violence
Kink: Blood play, rough sex, light bondage, CNC, switching, primal play, edging
Note: revising my review a bit after some further self reflection
First time reading this author - I hear the monster stuff is more lighthearted, but I’m definitely going to check it out.
There’s a lot I could say but the brainpower to type it all is a lot. So, I’ll go with this:
I really enjoyed the dynamic between River and Theo, their different perspectives and issues were explored, and the giddy feeling that came from good romance as the two came together.
Not all of the side characters and their personalities are my favorite, but I’m interested in many stories: Izzy, Xander, Shepherd are the top three I want to read about in my mind.
If you enjoy dark romances where the possessiveness and connection is turned up to the max, I definitely recommend this read.
I’ll also say I’ve read Onley James series, yes, and there are similarities. I also enjoyed this one more, but I think they both fall into the issue of using mental illness as an explanation in of violence instead of leaning into the political vigilante aspect. This does, unfortunately, continue to contribute to stigmatization.
Content Warnings for book: Death, child sexual assault, human trafficking, drug addiction, mental illness, ableism, torture, murder, descriptive gore, blood, kidnapping, sex worker shaming, misogyny, child endangerment, discussion of infant death, gun violence
Kink: Blood play, rough sex, light bondage, CNC, switching, primal play, edging
Note: revising my review a bit after some further self reflection
First time reading this author - I hear the monster stuff is more lighthearted, but I’m definitely going to check it out.
There’s a lot I could say but the brainpower to type it all is a lot. So, I’ll go with this:
I really enjoyed the dynamic between River and Theo, their different perspectives and issues were explored, and the giddy feeling that came from good romance as the two came together.
Not all of the side characters and their personalities are my favorite, but I’m interested in many stories: Izzy, Xander, Shepherd are the top three I want to read about in my mind.
If you enjoy dark romances where the possessiveness and connection is turned up to the max, I definitely recommend this read.
I’ll also say I’ve read Onley James series, yes, and there are similarities. I also enjoyed this one more, but I think they both fall into the issue of using mental illness as an explanation in of violence instead of leaning into the political vigilante aspect. This does, unfortunately, continue to contribute to stigmatization.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2024
It’s so hard for me to give an accurate review of this book because the whole time I was comparing it to Unhinged by Onley James. I enjoyed the book but I couldn’t escape the similarities. I’m giving it a 4⭐️ and 3🌶️. I liked it but the rating feels generous. I plan to continue the series as I’ve heard the second book is better. Fingers crossed it’s not similar to any other books.
November 26, 2024
Cheating: no
Other person drama: no
Breakup: no
POV: first person dual POV
Genre: dark romance
Pairing: MM
Strict roles or versatile: strict
Main characters’ age: -
Series: wayward sons
Happy ending: yes
Other person drama: no
Breakup: no
POV: first person dual POV
Genre: dark romance
Pairing: MM
Strict roles or versatile: strict
Main characters’ age: -
Series: wayward sons
Happy ending: yes
November 19, 2024
4.5 rounding to 5 stars
River's single-minded fixation on Theo upon first sight was awesome. He never wavered in his determination to care for him, and though it might be creepy, especially being a sociopath, it was cute in their fictional story. The cast of River's family were hilarious and very different. I loved that the parents were polyam. His brothers were all over the place in their own quirks and personalities. Lots of darkness to be found, but there's some really fun romance and family drama too.
River's single-minded fixation on Theo upon first sight was awesome. He never wavered in his determination to care for him, and though it might be creepy, especially being a sociopath, it was cute in their fictional story. The cast of River's family were hilarious and very different. I loved that the parents were polyam. His brothers were all over the place in their own quirks and personalities. Lots of darkness to be found, but there's some really fun romance and family drama too.
September 27, 2023
Dark & Intense
This is definitely an intense and dark story but it is also so good. I suggest paying attention to the content warnings but this is absolutely worth reading.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This is definitely an intense and dark story but it is also so good. I suggest paying attention to the content warnings but this is absolutely worth reading.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
October 5, 2023
4.5 stars
January 28, 2025
Character development? Decent plot? Rational course of events? Yeah, this book had none of that.
November 8, 2023
I don't know how I feel about this...
I do wonder how Onley James feels about it... because seriously, Necessary evils series... This is so much like Noah and Adam. That is all I could think about while reading. And the brothers? Really? One Mulvaney is missing from this series (my favorite by the way, which is just rude), but the others sure are present...
So I don't know how I feel about this. Is it supposed to be a retelling of Mulvaneys? If it is, it is pretty close. If it isn't, then it is just way too close. With a lot of mobster action, which I did not like. What can I say, I am not a fan of team work, alright?
Therefore, I don't think I can accurately rate this work, because all I saw was Noah and Adam, finding their way into a slightly more complicated and more deranged Mulvaney family, and hanging out with a bunch of different mobsters.
I do wonder how Onley James feels about it... because seriously, Necessary evils series... This is so much like Noah and Adam. That is all I could think about while reading. And the brothers? Really? One Mulvaney is missing from this series (my favorite by the way, which is just rude), but the others sure are present...
So I don't know how I feel about this. Is it supposed to be a retelling of Mulvaneys? If it is, it is pretty close. If it isn't, then it is just way too close. With a lot of mobster action, which I did not like. What can I say, I am not a fan of team work, alright?
Therefore, I don't think I can accurately rate this work, because all I saw was Noah and Adam, finding their way into a slightly more complicated and more deranged Mulvaney family, and hanging out with a bunch of different mobsters.
November 16, 2023
3.5⭐️
February 5, 2025
read bc it was like onley james books (necessary evils series but these brothers hate each other #justiceforxion i could never imagine treating my ill brother like that)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2024
“The things I would do in your name…”
I got exactly what I expected out of this, and I cannot complain. There is the tiniest element of disappointment, because I know this COULD have been written in a way that would have made me absolutely obsessed with it, but it's not that type of book. I've seen this compared a lot to Onley James' Necessary Evils series, and with good reason. We have one sociopathic hero from a family of adopted sociopathic (and/or psychopathic?) sons, and another hero who's been damaged and abused. There's instant attraction, a lot of caretaking, a lot of good sex, and revenge. When I read James' series, particularly the first book, I liked the setup, but I was disappointed by how quickly the obsession moved, and all the missed opportunities for more development and character insight. But I knew what to expect when reading this, so when I got that same insta-obsession and insta-love, I wasn't disappointed. Much.
But oh man I wouldn't be me if I didn't register just like a little bit of regret. I LOVE obsession, I am totally on board for an unhinged ride, but I craaaave actual build up. Like, I don't mind if they're instantly drawn to each other, but things moved so very quickly. The setup is laughable. River sees Theo with another guy at a bar, decides that he wants him, and that's it. He makes the 'you're mine now' declaration at 4%, without having spoken more than, what, a couple sentences to Theo. I have to emphasise that that is very much a feature, not a bug, and I shouldn't complain. But it's not like I didn't want to read an unhinged romance. I DID! I just wish it were better paced and better written. I know there's always going to be an element of unreality in books like these, and you're always going to have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but I wanted just a little bit more realism.
But I mean, I continued reading and I finished it and I did like it. There's many moments where I had to handwave silly decisions and plot points and just concentrate on what the author wanted to deliver. Half the family business being a funeral parlour is fun, and makes it make sense that they're able to get away with certain things. River's mushroom obsession was fun. The book more than delivered on its key premise, which for me was to have a traumatised character get a lot of pampering and healing, with methods that might not be ideal, but still worked for him. It's not very realistic but I ate it up. And I liked that Theo grew a lot, had a lot of agency, took control in several different ways. He and River are ridiculous about each other, but that made the romance for me. We got lots of glimpses of the family and the brothers, and I'm actually kinda interested in some of their stories and the books they'll eventually get. The plot with the sex ring and mafia involvement was very OTT, but I expected it to be. There were several moments where I had to pause like. 'Why didn't they ask about this before? Shouldn't they have done this sooner? How did they manage to get X done so quickly?' But again, I tried to handwave those questions as soon as they came up. ALTHOUGH
So, enjoyable all in all, even though it wasn't really what I wanted it to be. I mostly liked the writing, and it was the kind of book where the pages turned themselves. I'll continue the series eventually.
Content warnings:
“I’m the only one who gets to make you cry, Theo,” he said, holding my face in his hands. “No more tears for dead men, okay?”
December 11, 2024
⭐⭐⭐ + ⭐ because it’s not my genre
Starting this review with a disclaimer that dark romance is not my usual genre. When I venture out of my comfort zone, I add a star to my real rating because I know people who enjoy this genre will probably like the book more than I did. It was an entertaining read and I think it is a quality book.
Plot ⭐⭐⭐
River is a serial killer who essentially kidnaps (rescues?) a prostitute and claims him as his own. It’s mostly about Theo’s journey of recovering from being a life-long victim of human trafficking with some action spattered in.
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I won’t pretend I don’t love River. He’s callous, possessive, judgmental, and a self-proclaimed sociopath. And it’s entertaining AF reading his POV. Theo is sweet and tortured, with his own darkness inside him that River draws out.
I also really loved the dynamics between this hodgepodge family of serial killers. Every scene with them was entertaining and it’s almost enough to make me want to read the other books in the series (almost).
Romance ⭐⭐⭐
I honestly loved the atypical romance portrayed in this. Is it healthy or meant to be idolized? No, not at all. But it’s self-aware of that fact. More importantly, it's entertaining. It was weirdly beautiful seeing River come to terms with what love means to him and whether he’s even capable of such a feeling. And seeing Theo start to recognize what he wants matters.
I think the thing this book deserves the most praise for is the character development in the spicy scenes. Look, I know a lot of people claim that those scenes always contribute to the plot or characters. Yet most of the ones I’ve read, I come away feeling like I could have skipped it and not missed out on anything. Not so with this book. Theo’s experiences with sex have been unpleasant to say the least, so his relationship with River is him actually learning to feel comfortable and enjoy having sex. I still can’t read smutty scenes with a straight face, but these ones deserve some recognition. I will say that it started to get old as we got closer to the end and I was kind of over it, but that’s coming from someone who has zero interest in spice.
Starting this review with a disclaimer that dark romance is not my usual genre. When I venture out of my comfort zone, I add a star to my real rating because I know people who enjoy this genre will probably like the book more than I did. It was an entertaining read and I think it is a quality book.
Plot ⭐⭐⭐
River is a serial killer who essentially kidnaps (rescues?) a prostitute and claims him as his own. It’s mostly about Theo’s journey of recovering from being a life-long victim of human trafficking with some action spattered in.
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I won’t pretend I don’t love River. He’s callous, possessive, judgmental, and a self-proclaimed sociopath. And it’s entertaining AF reading his POV. Theo is sweet and tortured, with his own darkness inside him that River draws out.
I also really loved the dynamics between this hodgepodge family of serial killers. Every scene with them was entertaining and it’s almost enough to make me want to read the other books in the series (almost).
Romance ⭐⭐⭐
I honestly loved the atypical romance portrayed in this. Is it healthy or meant to be idolized? No, not at all. But it’s self-aware of that fact. More importantly, it's entertaining. It was weirdly beautiful seeing River come to terms with what love means to him and whether he’s even capable of such a feeling. And seeing Theo start to recognize what he wants matters.
I think the thing this book deserves the most praise for is the character development in the spicy scenes. Look, I know a lot of people claim that those scenes always contribute to the plot or characters. Yet most of the ones I’ve read, I come away feeling like I could have skipped it and not missed out on anything. Not so with this book. Theo’s experiences with sex have been unpleasant to say the least, so his relationship with River is him actually learning to feel comfortable and enjoy having sex. I still can’t read smutty scenes with a straight face, but these ones deserve some recognition. I will say that it started to get old as we got closer to the end and I was kind of over it, but that’s coming from someone who has zero interest in spice.
February 27, 2025
Feb 2025
Kindle edition
Read for a group challenge week 7. Another GR rec because of my reading history. If not for the challenge, this would've been a DNF within the first couple of chapters. From the get go it gives off Necessary evils vibes. It was a disappointment that kept on giving, turning into a skim read. I couldn't connect with either River or Theo and ended up caring about neither. The character intros were vast, shoved in your face trying to tease future characters and confusing. I groaned at War's character, the OCD doctor, especially when his cheating ex Ken was mentioned. I was curious about Shepherd and Izzy stood out as a strong character. Maybe when I can DNF books again I'll give the next one a try. Otherwise it's Onley James in a blender, add mafia.
Kindle edition
Read for a group challenge week 7. Another GR rec because of my reading history. If not for the challenge, this would've been a DNF within the first couple of chapters. From the get go it gives off Necessary evils vibes. It was a disappointment that kept on giving, turning into a skim read. I couldn't connect with either River or Theo and ended up caring about neither. The character intros were vast, shoved in your face trying to tease future characters and confusing. I groaned at War's character, the OCD doctor, especially when his cheating ex Ken was mentioned. I was curious about Shepherd and Izzy stood out as a strong character. Maybe when I can DNF books again I'll give the next one a try. Otherwise it's Onley James in a blender, add mafia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2024
I loved this!
Theo was just an adorable little snugglemuffin whom I wanted to wrap in a blanket and never let anything bad happen to. I adored his dynamic with River, and liked how Eveland showed Theo healing/coping in his own way, not the way he was "supposed" to (and I say that with quotation marks, because all victims and survivors have their own unique healing experience).
I'm very keen to read Shepherd's story. And Aleksei's. And Izzy's. And...oh, everyone's.
I loved the writing. I loved the characters. I loved the sex. I loved the pacing. Congratulations, L Eveland, you've won yourself a fan ;)
Theo was just an adorable little snugglemuffin whom I wanted to wrap in a blanket and never let anything bad happen to. I adored his dynamic with River, and liked how Eveland showed Theo healing/coping in his own way, not the way he was "supposed" to (and I say that with quotation marks, because all victims and survivors have their own unique healing experience).
I'm very keen to read Shepherd's story. And Aleksei's. And Izzy's. And...oh, everyone's.
I loved the writing. I loved the characters. I loved the sex. I loved the pacing. Congratulations, L Eveland, you've won yourself a fan ;)
January 26, 2024
I honestly think i just really love L Eveland. I love how every book has some sort of important plot but they make sure to show acceptance and love for different orientations, different relationships, and different ways their brains function it is always so beautifully written. I give it four stars though because i had a hard time staying focused but that could be on me for reading in busy places.
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