Dark Obsession

Whiskey Men: Wounded Heroes #2

by Hope Ford

Curvy Divorcee and the Wounded Hero. Together in an against all odds romance. When you’re on a date with one man and get a text from another.
“Don’t let him touch you tonight. You’re mine and I don’t share…” After I’m finally free from my cheating ex-husband, I am not looking for another failed forever.
Nope, I’m a footloose and fancy-free kind of woman.
That is until I meet Jason Hawk. I’m immediately drawn to the wounded military man, but he thinks he’s too damaged for me. He’s spent the last two years believing he’d regain his sight. But when he discovers there’s no cure for his blindness, he’s ready to walk away to give me my freedom. I’m ready for something else.
For the first time in a long time, I want to give something–someone–my all.
I just hope I’m enough. The Whiskey Wounded Heroes series is about a group of wounded ex-mercenaries. They each have their own battles they’re fighting but with the love of a woman, they no longer have to do it alone. Dark obsession is a wounded hero, Curvy divorcee, later in life, possessive, all the feels, small town romance. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Romance, Military Fiction, Contemporary, Small Town Romance, Disability, Contemporary Romance, Military Romance

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 9, 2023

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Hope Ford writes steamy, small town romances where the heat is high, the heroes are obsessed, and the love hits deep. Her stories are filled with protective alpha men who’ll do anything for their woman—and curvy heroines who finally get the love they deserve. If you like your love fast, filthy, and full of heart—you’re in the right place.

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia was annoying as fuck. But I do love a damaged hero.

[Not your Mother’s Romance(semi-hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Sit on my lap.” She huffs again. “I am on your lap.” I shake my head. “No, sit the way I like you to sit. Put your pussy right here, Olivia.”

This line above ⬆️ 😱🫠🔥🍆😋

It’s been a minute since I read my last Ford Hope and it was fun.

Jason lost his eyesight in the military and is awaiting to see if he will ever get it back. Initially I rolled my eyes at the plot but reading from a POV of a blind person was so fascinating. Jason could only go off of his 4 senses and there was something extremely intimate and beautiful about it.

Olivia is a hairdresser and after being in an unhappy and unfaithful marriage she is finally free and living her version of a happy life.

However when both of them meet the instant chemistry is undeniable and both of them have some issues to work through if they want to pursue anything.

Expect a little spicier than the average read from this author, a good dose of reality, two hurt people trying to figure out if they can live and love again. Sweet and very safe.

💕💕💕/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
😂😂/5
😳😳/5

[Emily Kepler · Rating 1 out of 5]

I miss the person I was 220 pages ago.

[Lexi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this book called Dark Obsession because he's blind? 'Cause he ain't obsessed with her, let alone in any particularly dark way

This was either too short or too long. The content of a 50pg novella in a 200pg shell

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stumbled upon this book, it sounded good, and I took a chance, and I am so glad I did. Jason and Olivia were super easy to fall in love with. Their story is sweet and spicy, funny and heartfelt, and epically swoon worthy. Really looking forward to continuing this series and I plan on reading book one just as soon as I can.

[Maria]

FREE today (August 26, 2026) on Amazon.

[Okurimono · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn’t dark 🙄 I liked the couple, not a fan of the authors writing.

[Kiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely not dark but I enjoyed this one nonetheless. It was a sweet read 🩷

[C * Not Another Reader * C · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

the fact that they did not efficiently communicate was pretty annoying...

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

100% Obsessed

This short, romantic, spicy book was a great filler for me. I wasn't in the mood for what I was reading so I switched to this and was hooked! The love story is cute and showcases real anxieties people have when liking someone new. The spice scenes are definitely hot, but not overly so. I'd say spice 3/5 stars, max. I want me a Whiskey Man now ;)

[CYNDY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

This was so a quick read but a good one. Jason found love thinking he never would have that. Olivia found her second chance.

[Jenn (booksspicycoffeeicy09) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Hope Ford’s books! I have the whole Whiskey Run: Sugar set. Those were first I read of hers. I love the way she writes the curvy FMCs. They’re not normally the shy omg I’m fat type. Like they know they’re plus size but they don’t whine and cry over it. I’m definitely going to have to get ALL of her Whiskey Run series.

I’m also glad that she didn’t dwell on the MMCs disability either. She showed him dealing with it in a healthy way. I think more military men need to read about men like that. I know a lot of them feel like they’re alone.

The spice level was perfect! It wasn’t smut on every page like most smaller books/novellas are. It wasn’t right off the bat but it wasn’t a slow burn either. It didn’t all happen at once either. It was stretched out through multiple chapters and it was just so good!

Definitely recommend!

[Michelle Delp (Fazio) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet HEA!

This was my first Hope Ford book and I really enjoyed it. It was short and sweet but, it was packed full of love with a really sweet, happy ending.

If you love a wounded hero type, who is closed off from the world until he meets the right gal? Then, this is your book. Our MMC Jason, is every bit possessive and swoon worthy and absolutely melts for our FMC Olivia. They complement each other really well.

I can’t wait to dive into more of her books!

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

so so read

Not sure why I didn’t enjoy this book. Jason was still in a phase of recovery and content to leave things alone. He meet Olivia who seems outgoing and pushy at tie beginning but then she pulls a runner and I lost interest at the one step forward two back that was their relationship. So So read.

[Richard Kruzewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason &Olivia

Great read, sweet love but complicated with his injury of blindness. 2 years & being told his sight may come back. He has refused to move on with his life including relationships until he fits his sight back. Hope Ford knows how to capture her readers with the characters she presents. (Reviewed by Lin)

[Kaitlyn Kirby Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a cute feel good story!

Okay, I’m not usually a contemporary romance fan, especially not small town stuff. But this? This was cute! I read it all in one seating and smirked like a schoolgirl with a crush the whole damn time!

[Alberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad.

This wasn’t a bad read. It was decent. I might consider continuing the series if I need a book palate cleanser.

[Jitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book

Well that was an emotional story. I glad they got their happily ever after. I hope her exes get fictional crabs .

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, hmmmm…. This had a cute premise but oof, the writing was thin. Everything happened insanely fast and there was no real connection other than some insta obsession.

- no third act breakup
- mature MMC (mid 40’s), FMC (30’s)
- blind MMC, ex military
- insta everything - no small moments, just bad communication and then they’re in love and getting engaged
- no OW/OM; both are instantly obsessed; she had one date w another guy; no mention of him w anyone else.
- cringy dialogue
- mid spice; low angst

So Jason went blind two years ago in some sort of military (?) accident and is having trouble accepting it. He meets Olivia when he gets his hair cut and they both fall instantly. The dialogue is so middle school awkward it was painful. Then she just shows up at his place, but then gets cold feet, and then weirdly offers him a haircut and then freaks out when they kiss and then he goes to her place and…. Anyway, they finally get over themselves, talk and get together.

Such a sweet idea for a story; love the inclusion of the blind obsessed MMC, but the writing needed a lot more finesse and the story needed a lot more depth.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

'Dark' Obsession cause he's blind right? Yikes.

cause this certainly wasn't a dark romance. I could hardly call it a romance at all considering they fall in love in the span of 3 days? I know military romances are often a whirlwind, but there were a lot of problems with this that spelled a red flag more so than it did an instant love connection.

I think that there should have been more content surrounding both of their trauma and healing from said traumas, there's a lot of 'love fixes all' in here that was not very believable.

The author does not do a good job of remembering that Jason is blind, and often writes in visual cues that Jason would not know are happening because he's BLIND. He cannot see her nod her head or see her reactions to things when he's not directly touching her, and yet the author writes several scenes as if he can magically sense what Olivia's doing when she's nowhere near him.

[Roxanne Trucker · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got about halfway and gave up. I get it’s supposed to be a simple, cute romance but I could not take it seriously at all. The first interaction where the male main character is supposedly rude would have been perfectly fine if the female main character had just done her job and not pushed him to talk (both times!). And then she gets mad when he doesn’t reach out to her after she cuts his hair one time so three weeks later she shows up at his house. It’s a delusional high-school level hodge lodge of tropes and immaturity.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason is taken out by Davis for a hair cut and socilasation he had been avoiding, since losing his sight. Olivia is his hair dresser and they feel a deep connection but both are avoiding love, Jason feels he ha nothing to give and Oliva is a divorcee, but could they mke a go of things? time will tell. well written egnaging emotions desires and more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

sweet but underdeveloped

I loved the characters in this book but it felt way too rushed. It felt like a week after the first date they were already saying I love you. I think this book could have been great and it had potential, but there was no time for the characters to grow and develop and we never really learn a lot about who they are as individuals or as a couple.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad. Like, so bad. The ratings astound me. No plot. Like at all. Someone said it best: 200 pg book that could have been summed up in a 50 pg novella. But I'd argue even less than that. No character development, no connection to the characters, glossing over of a disability that is there more as a forces move- No real explanations, and a laughable glossing over of the medical aspect.

[Lisbeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entre la escritura inmadura y la historia apresurada, hay saltos de ciertos detalles y las interacciones entre Jason y Olivia son mínimas e insípidas. Hubiera sido prudente darle tiempo y desarrollo a la relación porque había más para contar en lugar de mostrar.

[Stephanie Brunell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Steamy and short

This book caught my eye from an ad about the haircut scene, i wish the scene wouldn't have been told word for word in the ad. Additionally it was very short, I was craving more as I got to the end things felt unfinished.

[Jodie Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jason lost his sight in the mission and he’s changed. Olivia is easy going but when they meet, there is an instant attraction. He is unsure as he can’t judge her reactions, she is skittish but together can they make it work?

Xx

[Tay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the title, there was no dark aspects nor was either MC obsessed.

It was very instalove, and that was it. No real relationship development or growth. I liked that the MMC went through therapy.
It was weak back and forth with a little smut.

[Romancegalore · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read. Not a fan of insta-love or unnecessary/unwarranted angst, though.