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Astray: A Marriage in Crisis Romantic Suspense
What was supposed to be the typical “girls night out” with a couple of drinks, and a fun catch-up with her best friend, turns into something completely different for married, but lonely, Eloise Fitzpatrick. She wasn’t expecting to get stood up by her bestie, or to have a tall, dark and dangerous stranger hit on her and steal a kiss under the street lamp.Her unexpected night causes an eruption of conflicting emotions inside of her, including the crushing sense of betrayal to her husband. For the first time in years, Eloise finds herself feeling sexy, desired, wanted…But the guilt of these feelings threatens to consume her. Her husband, Caleb, may currently be married to his job, but she can remind him of why he married her first. Eloise is determined to pour more energy into her marriage to make it work, and forget the handsome stranger with the heart stopping kisses.Unfortunately for Eloise, the stranger has other plans, and they do not include a happily ever after with Caleb. His obsession isn’t just leading Eloise astray… it is taking her down a dark path that may be the destruction of more than just her marriage.Astray is an adult dark romance with dark themes of betrayal, stalking, SA, kidnapping and is intended for mature audiences only.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2023
99 people are currently reading
602 people want to read
About the author
Poppy Fitzgerald
4 books38 followersPoppy Fitzgerald is an emerging author of romance novels. Poppy calls the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains home, with her husband, two sons, mostly absentee cat, and overly affectionate Golden Doodle. Poppy enjoys any and all romance genres and tropes, but loves to play around with popular tropes and turn them on their heads to come up with something not commonly seen. When she’s not writing she usually has her head buried in her kindle, reading smut. She also communicates fluently in GIFs and sarcasm and loves making her readers cry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
April 6, 2024
Mind 🤯
My mind is experiencing a mind melt after this book. This book could fit in so many different categories,
🤔 it's a cheating book...or is it?
🤔 it's a stalker book...or is it?
🤔 it's an OTT-obsessed male character...or is it?
🤔 it's a "damsel-in-stupid-distress-because-she-makes-stupid-choices" book...or is it?
Not everything is as it seems would be the best advice to give with this book. An achingly realistic portrayal of victimhood it covers some "fun" tropes for a dark romance, but ultimately, how the author layered and provided so much context for these tropes was expert!
The tropes in this book:
🤩 stalking.. everyone loves a good stalker story. One where a super hot dude is just so enamored that he has to watch what you do.
🤩 noncon.. even better than good ole stalking is noncon sprinkled in for some razzle dazzle.
🤩 Rocky Marriage/Cheating...for once the main couple in this book is a married couple trying to re-spark some of the lost sizzle. Hubby (Caleb) is always traveling, and Elosie just wants her man to put her first...as the great Jahiem once said, "Man, you gotta learn to put that woman first." While he tries to figure out how to disengage from his job enough to not lose his wife, a week-long business trip sets everything in motion. When we first see Drew, he's described as a Karl Drago on a stick of hotness. He says it dominantly and repeatedly that she's too fine to not be pleased, and he's more than willing to step up to the plate. Now that the stage is set, we watch as each small moment builds into a larger entanglement. Who are you rooting for will shift as the novel progresses. This has another trope hidden within the book
🫣 True Crime... of course, True Crime podcasts and shows are a hot topic right now, and it's kind of incorporated into the plot. Some dark romance authors struggle with giving you a good head scratcher as a crime subplot, but here, the author just knows how to hit you one the 1s and 2s and the 3s for good measure.
🥵 Hot dirty talk..Oh Mm Gee
•"Nu-uh. You're riding home with me inside you. Then I'm going to clean it up properly when we get home." (After a bang session in a car)
•"Let's go home. I need to f* you and remind you who you belong to."
•"F* yes, baby. You take my 🐓 so well. Your mouth is perfect. You're such a good girl taking D-daddy's d!ck like that."
🤬 Miscommunication...oh no, the dreaded miscommunication trope does make an appearance, but by all things that is holy, please don't give up. Elosie will do some stuff to make you think she's slower than molasses. You might yell at her or want to break your kindle...er throw your book down, but keep going.
💬 Quotes that hit differently once the book ends:
🌶️ "Why does it feel like instead of getting out of this mess, I keep finding ways to dig myself in deeper?"
🌶️ "Knight in shining armor or kidnapper? I don't remember you asking me if you could bring me back to your villainous lair when you quote, unquote, rescued me."
🌶️ "You're mine you just don't know it yet"
As a dark romance fan girl, this book pulls you in at hello and doesn't let go until it's done, and you are gluing the pieces of your gut-punched heart back together.
My mind is experiencing a mind melt after this book. This book could fit in so many different categories,
🤔 it's a cheating book...or is it?
🤔 it's a stalker book...or is it?
🤔 it's an OTT-obsessed male character...or is it?
🤔 it's a "damsel-in-stupid-distress-because-she-makes-stupid-choices" book...or is it?
Not everything is as it seems would be the best advice to give with this book. An achingly realistic portrayal of victimhood it covers some "fun" tropes for a dark romance, but ultimately, how the author layered and provided so much context for these tropes was expert!
The tropes in this book:
🤩 stalking.. everyone loves a good stalker story. One where a super hot dude is just so enamored that he has to watch what you do.
🤩 noncon.. even better than good ole stalking is noncon sprinkled in for some razzle dazzle.
🤩 Rocky Marriage/Cheating...for once the main couple in this book is a married couple trying to re-spark some of the lost sizzle. Hubby (Caleb) is always traveling, and Elosie just wants her man to put her first...as the great Jahiem once said, "Man, you gotta learn to put that woman first." While he tries to figure out how to disengage from his job enough to not lose his wife, a week-long business trip sets everything in motion. When we first see Drew, he's described as a Karl Drago on a stick of hotness. He says it dominantly and repeatedly that she's too fine to not be pleased, and he's more than willing to step up to the plate. Now that the stage is set, we watch as each small moment builds into a larger entanglement. Who are you rooting for will shift as the novel progresses. This has another trope hidden within the book
🫣 True Crime... of course, True Crime podcasts and shows are a hot topic right now, and it's kind of incorporated into the plot. Some dark romance authors struggle with giving you a good head scratcher as a crime subplot, but here, the author just knows how to hit you one the 1s and 2s and the 3s for good measure.
🥵 Hot dirty talk..Oh Mm Gee
•"Nu-uh. You're riding home with me inside you. Then I'm going to clean it up properly when we get home." (After a bang session in a car)
•"Let's go home. I need to f* you and remind you who you belong to."
•"F* yes, baby. You take my 🐓 so well. Your mouth is perfect. You're such a good girl taking D-daddy's d!ck like that."
🤬 Miscommunication...oh no, the dreaded miscommunication trope does make an appearance, but by all things that is holy, please don't give up. Elosie will do some stuff to make you think she's slower than molasses. You might yell at her or want to break your kindle...er throw your book down, but keep going.
💬 Quotes that hit differently once the book ends:
🌶️ "Why does it feel like instead of getting out of this mess, I keep finding ways to dig myself in deeper?"
🌶️ "Knight in shining armor or kidnapper? I don't remember you asking me if you could bring me back to your villainous lair when you quote, unquote, rescued me."
🌶️ "You're mine you just don't know it yet"
As a dark romance fan girl, this book pulls you in at hello and doesn't let go until it's done, and you are gluing the pieces of your gut-punched heart back together.
February 16, 2024
A solid book. Entertaining and slightly thrilling
November 28, 2023
Not sure how to rate this one. I liked it until I didn’t. The ending was satisfying. 3.5 stars? Great for a debut novel. I’d definitely read more from this author.
November 7, 2023
One will make her, one will break her...
“Your wife becomes your number one the day you marry her. Nothing else comes close. You cherish her, love her, and make her feel like she’s your world. Her love is a flower that must be watered and tended to otherwise it will wither and die, or someone else will come along and pluck it right from your hands, without you even noticing.”
I am accustomed to morally grey or even dark grey anti-hero stalkers being the rescuers of the heroine from abusive husbands and boyfriends. In Astray, her debut dark romance novel, author Poppy Fitzgerald pulls no punches while offering a surprising twist on your typical stalker romance.
Fitzgerald turns this trope on its ear by introducing us to Eloise ("Lo"), a lonely woman experiencing ennui in her marriage to Caleb, a seemingly decent man who is also a workaholic, absent or out of town much of the time. After 12 years together, they are in a rut and Eloise is missing the spark and spontaneity they used to enjoy as a couple.
Eloise is by herself at a bar, having been stood up for a girl's night out by her best friend. Enter Drew, a smoking hot tall, dark, and handsome stranger. For the first time in a long time, an emotionally vulnerable Eloise feels desirable and sexy after meaningful conversation and a stolen kiss. That's where it should end...but it doesn't. Soon, more is at stake than just her marriage.
Fitzgerald knows how to keep us turning the page, taking us on a psychological roller coaster ride as Eloise finds herself feeling conflicted, confused, and caught in a very precarious position between two men...one who will make her and one who will break her.
CONTENT WARNING: Astray is an adult romance with dark themes. Betrayal, stalking, abduction, and SA are depicted on page. Please do read and heed trigger warnings.
“Your wife becomes your number one the day you marry her. Nothing else comes close. You cherish her, love her, and make her feel like she’s your world. Her love is a flower that must be watered and tended to otherwise it will wither and die, or someone else will come along and pluck it right from your hands, without you even noticing.”
I am accustomed to morally grey or even dark grey anti-hero stalkers being the rescuers of the heroine from abusive husbands and boyfriends. In Astray, her debut dark romance novel, author Poppy Fitzgerald pulls no punches while offering a surprising twist on your typical stalker romance.
Fitzgerald turns this trope on its ear by introducing us to Eloise ("Lo"), a lonely woman experiencing ennui in her marriage to Caleb, a seemingly decent man who is also a workaholic, absent or out of town much of the time. After 12 years together, they are in a rut and Eloise is missing the spark and spontaneity they used to enjoy as a couple.
Eloise is by herself at a bar, having been stood up for a girl's night out by her best friend. Enter Drew, a smoking hot tall, dark, and handsome stranger. For the first time in a long time, an emotionally vulnerable Eloise feels desirable and sexy after meaningful conversation and a stolen kiss. That's where it should end...but it doesn't. Soon, more is at stake than just her marriage.
Fitzgerald knows how to keep us turning the page, taking us on a psychological roller coaster ride as Eloise finds herself feeling conflicted, confused, and caught in a very precarious position between two men...one who will make her and one who will break her.
CONTENT WARNING: Astray is an adult romance with dark themes. Betrayal, stalking, abduction, and SA are depicted on page. Please do read and heed trigger warnings.
Read
August 27, 2024DNF at 40%… wtf
September 17, 2024
Disclaimer: Poppy is a friend, everyone be cool OK?
This thriller romance is a wild ride and Cal is an absolute cinnamon roll of a perfect hero.
This thriller romance is a wild ride and Cal is an absolute cinnamon roll of a perfect hero.
October 7, 2023
I was invested from the beginning. The twists and turns! Omg. You can tell the author has a sarcastic sense of humor because the FMC was hilarious. I laughed, I gasped in shock, I hollered like my distress would save the characters. I genuinely wasn't sure who she would end up with.
I love a book that keeps me guessing.
I love a book that keeps me guessing.
June 27, 2024
A few examples of notes I left in my kindle while reading Astray:
At 21%: “DON’T DRINK ANYTHING HE MAKES YOU JFC GIRL U IN DANGER”
At 29%: “‘delusional’ being the operative word”
At 33%: “OMG”
At 35%: “GIRL”
At 48%: “GIRL WHAT”
At 59%: “WTF ELOISE”
My notes trail off at that point, because the tension ratcheted up significantly and I was white-knuckling my kindle to figure out what happened next. Which is to say: If you want a book that’ll have you screaming, crying, throwing up in the best way? Astray is it. Poppy Fitzgerald flips the conventions of dark romance on their head so well that it turns what would be hot in another book to goddamn terrifying in this one. Incredible.
Also Caleb ❤️
At 21%: “DON’T DRINK ANYTHING HE MAKES YOU JFC GIRL U IN DANGER”
At 29%: “‘delusional’ being the operative word”
At 33%: “OMG”
At 35%: “GIRL”
At 48%: “GIRL WHAT”
At 59%: “WTF ELOISE”
My notes trail off at that point, because the tension ratcheted up significantly and I was white-knuckling my kindle to figure out what happened next. Which is to say: If you want a book that’ll have you screaming, crying, throwing up in the best way? Astray is it. Poppy Fitzgerald flips the conventions of dark romance on their head so well that it turns what would be hot in another book to goddamn terrifying in this one. Incredible.
Also Caleb ❤️
didn-t-finish
October 18, 2024DNF @10%
I’m jumping ship way earlier than normal for me. Blurb sounded and remains interesting. But I do not like daddy kink, it feels wrong to me. I’ve read M/F, M/M and M/M/F and calling someone daddy unequivocally ruins the smut for me.
I’m jumping ship way earlier than normal for me. Blurb sounded and remains interesting. But I do not like daddy kink, it feels wrong to me. I’ve read M/F, M/M and M/M/F and calling someone daddy unequivocally ruins the smut for me.
April 29, 2024
Stalking, manipulation, gaslighting
You would think that's the beginning of a great red flag book boyfriend story, but alas, in this case, you would be wrong. This is an epic love story, and it has all of the above, except this time the stalker is just a red flag, not the book boyfriend. I never ever thought I would root for the good guy, but Caleb is the absolute best book boyfriend.
You would think that's the beginning of a great red flag book boyfriend story, but alas, in this case, you would be wrong. This is an epic love story, and it has all of the above, except this time the stalker is just a red flag, not the book boyfriend. I never ever thought I would root for the good guy, but Caleb is the absolute best book boyfriend.
July 23, 2024
Well this was not the story I expected after reading the blurb 😭 I thought the villain would get the girl, he was a dark, obsessed stalker but here it wasn't the case.
In this book the villain was evil where he raped the heroine, blackmailed and manipulated her to leave her husband.
This felt like reading a reality, what would happen if the situation was real and not our "fictional dark romance" where antihero gets the girl 😅
In this book the villain was evil where he raped the heroine, blackmailed and manipulated her to leave her husband.
This felt like reading a reality, what would happen if the situation was real and not our "fictional dark romance" where antihero gets the girl 😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 21, 2024Phew, that was intense.
I almost DNF-ed before the halfway mark and I’m now glad that I didn’t.
I like how the author touched on how difficult it was for people who need help to get help. Unfortunately, people like this exist in the very real, out of book world. We see and hear cases all the time of people who get away with crime and victims who didn’t get the help they needed. This is definitely something I wish that could change. It definitely is going to take the collective effort of the human race to make some real changes.
I almost DNF-ed before the halfway mark and I’m now glad that I didn’t.
I like how the author touched on how difficult it was for people who need help to get help. Unfortunately, people like this exist in the very real, out of book world. We see and hear cases all the time of people who get away with crime and victims who didn’t get the help they needed. This is definitely something I wish that could change. It definitely is going to take the collective effort of the human race to make some real changes.
February 9, 2024
Holy fuzzballs!!!
I am absolutely feral for a “my wife my wife my wife” and for an unhinged, possessive, morally gray hero.
Starting out you will have soooo many mixed emotions. By the end you will have a completely different mindset.
Such amazing writing! It was gripping from the very beginning. This is my first book by this author and I will 100% read more of her work!
I am absolutely feral for a “my wife my wife my wife” and for an unhinged, possessive, morally gray hero.
Starting out you will have soooo many mixed emotions. By the end you will have a completely different mindset.
Such amazing writing! It was gripping from the very beginning. This is my first book by this author and I will 100% read more of her work!
April 28, 2024
Wow!! This book had so many emotional and beautiful moments. The amount of passion that went into Eloise's character is just incredible. She is such an amazing character and such a strong woman that her story was always meant to be told. Caleb is such a loving person and he is Eloise perfect match. This wonderful story is a deep and dark ride so hang on.
(Read trigger warnings)
(Read trigger warnings)
November 26, 2023
Good! Well-written, just not my particular cup of tea
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
I think this could easily be a 4-5 star read for someone else. Personally, I am just not the biggest fan of the stalking/manipulation/brutality aspect. I have read other books with these elements (that didn’t make me quite so uncomfortable) that I enjoyed, but the reality and the pace of this book made me unsettled. I think that’s actually very indicative of fantastic writing on the author’s part. She made these characters seem very real and the fear Eloise felt toward her stalker was ingrained in me as well. Caleb was fantastic. I loved how he and Eloise worked on their relationship and tried to connect with each other throughout the book.
Again, I think this could very easily be a 4/5 star rating for someone else, I personally just could not connect with the book well. I will definitely be reading more by this author as I liked her writing style!
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
I think this could easily be a 4-5 star read for someone else. Personally, I am just not the biggest fan of the stalking/manipulation/brutality aspect. I have read other books with these elements (that didn’t make me quite so uncomfortable) that I enjoyed, but the reality and the pace of this book made me unsettled. I think that’s actually very indicative of fantastic writing on the author’s part. She made these characters seem very real and the fear Eloise felt toward her stalker was ingrained in me as well. Caleb was fantastic. I loved how he and Eloise worked on their relationship and tried to connect with each other throughout the book.
Again, I think this could very easily be a 4/5 star rating for someone else, I personally just could not connect with the book well. I will definitely be reading more by this author as I liked her writing style!
March 11, 2024
3.5 stars
Read for reading vlog releasing tomorrow
Read for reading vlog releasing tomorrow
August 14, 2024
Okay so I don’t read blurbs or TW and I speak to poppy on the reg. I finally get round to reading this and it was NOT what I expected.
This book is maddening and hot and wild all in one. I don’t typically read this genre I’m more of a fantasy girly or darkkkkk romance but this was sooo good!
Basically fmc is married and feels like he’s married to his job, has a lil flirty time and it turns into a stalker situation where he then kidnaps her 😩 this story genuinely put me through all the emotions and I can now say I am not a fan of a miscommunication trope if you can even call it that 🥹
ANYWAY this book is a must read take a bow poppy 👏
This book is maddening and hot and wild all in one. I don’t typically read this genre I’m more of a fantasy girly or darkkkkk romance but this was sooo good!
Basically fmc is married and feels like he’s married to his job, has a lil flirty time and it turns into a stalker situation where he then kidnaps her 😩 this story genuinely put me through all the emotions and I can now say I am not a fan of a miscommunication trope if you can even call it that 🥹
ANYWAY this book is a must read take a bow poppy 👏
Read
March 24, 2025DNF
I couldn’t move past what the fmc did in the first chapter.
The message behind this book is powerful, but this FMC ! ( I'm annoyed I'm stopping my review here)
I couldn’t move past what the fmc did in the first chapter.
The message behind this book is powerful, but this FMC ! ( I'm annoyed I'm stopping my review here)
October 20, 2024
I struggled to read this book a bit at times, but I had to read it for a book club, and I’m glad I was able to finish it. I had not read a book with detailed SA before, and it was really more than I was comfortable with, however the author did a great job of creating a good plot and keeping the reader captivated. I do not fault the author is any way for my discomfort, there were trigger warnings in the front of the book, and I had not read a book with detailed SA before, and now I know that it’s not for me. I would however still recommend this book for anyone that is okay with the warnings.
February 23, 2024
Wowza
This book was a major Rollercoaster I couldn't figure out what was going to happen with all the turns how it was gonna turn out and everything a major good book
This book was a major Rollercoaster I couldn't figure out what was going to happen with all the turns how it was gonna turn out and everything a major good book
May 31, 2024
When I saw Astray by Poppy Fitzgerald mentioned on Threads one evening I thought to myself "That cover looks HAWT" and so I added the book to my to be read pile. The tags on the post were your usual dark romance trigger words and I was like ... sure, I'm in. What I found was more romantic thriller than dark romance and I am not mad about it.
I mean … that’s hot.
Eloise is a strong, smart, and intelligent woman whose life takes a very twisted path after meeting a dark, dangerous, Jason Momoa type at a bar when her bestie bails on a girls night out.
It's hard to talk about the twists and turns in this book without ruining the plot but let me just say when it comes to how I feel about the men in Eloises life ...
As someone who is proud to be the first person to guess the killer in any murder mystery I am so excited to say I liked being tricked by the charming bad guy this time. I really did think he was an okay guy. Well done, Poppy!
Well written, face paced, characters that made me feel things (MY FREAKING EMOTIONS!), and a world I would love to return to (Birch Falls Novel Book 1?! Book 2 is where?!?).
This is a book I will tell people to be sure to read the trigger warnings on though. Take them seriously. The writing is beautiful but the content is intense.
Overall, Astray is an easy 4 out of 5 stars for me. I cannot wait to see more from Poppy in the future.
I mean … that’s hot.
Eloise is a strong, smart, and intelligent woman whose life takes a very twisted path after meeting a dark, dangerous, Jason Momoa type at a bar when her bestie bails on a girls night out.
It's hard to talk about the twists and turns in this book without ruining the plot but let me just say when it comes to how I feel about the men in Eloises life ...
As someone who is proud to be the first person to guess the killer in any murder mystery I am so excited to say I liked being tricked by the charming bad guy this time. I really did think he was an okay guy. Well done, Poppy!
Well written, face paced, characters that made me feel things (MY FREAKING EMOTIONS!), and a world I would love to return to (Birch Falls Novel Book 1?! Book 2 is where?!?).
This is a book I will tell people to be sure to read the trigger warnings on though. Take them seriously. The writing is beautiful but the content is intense.
Overall, Astray is an easy 4 out of 5 stars for me. I cannot wait to see more from Poppy in the future.
November 4, 2023
Riveting and Emotional read...
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶🌶☠️☠️☠️
The debut book of Poppy Fitzgerald is intense, gripping, and enticing. She has created characters with depth, emotion, and vulnerabilities. They are compelling and addictive to read. A book that embodies strength and hope in the end.
Caleb is a sweet natured husband loving his wife, but work overshadowed their marriage.
Elouise is bubbly, slightly naive, caring fmc and tries to see the good in the world.
Facing a threat, not realising the danger and darkness inside. Astray leads to nail-biting, screaming, twitching with nervousness, and adrenalin pumping.
Tropes:
Trigger warnings, dark themes, possessive male character, stalker, cinnamon mmc,
m/f, hea, finding strength, ptsd, trauma, finding friends.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶🌶☠️☠️☠️
The debut book of Poppy Fitzgerald is intense, gripping, and enticing. She has created characters with depth, emotion, and vulnerabilities. They are compelling and addictive to read. A book that embodies strength and hope in the end.
Caleb is a sweet natured husband loving his wife, but work overshadowed their marriage.
Elouise is bubbly, slightly naive, caring fmc and tries to see the good in the world.
Facing a threat, not realising the danger and darkness inside. Astray leads to nail-biting, screaming, twitching with nervousness, and adrenalin pumping.
Tropes:
Trigger warnings, dark themes, possessive male character, stalker, cinnamon mmc,
m/f, hea, finding strength, ptsd, trauma, finding friends.
February 14, 2024
Absolutely mind blowing! Once I started reading I couldn't put the book down! Make sure to read the trigger warnings! Very intense book that will have you feeling every emotion!!
Read
September 21, 2024I stumbled across this book after chatting with the author on Threads, and this was quite a ride. Sure I read the trigger warnings, but I still trotted into this book like a baby goat showing up at a daycare run by wolves. This is not your standard contemporary romance, and the uncomfortably real dark elements to the story really hit. Unlike other dark romances where there's 'relentless pursuer but make it hot', Astray steers us into scenarios that are all too real. Combine that with worried friends and husband and it really starts to ratchet up.
I'm aware that some readers consider the husband in this scenario to present as a wet blanket because c'mon, Temu Jason Mamoa - hawt! For me though, Poppy wins ALL the points for having characters in their 30s dealing with the realities of a marriage that is struggling - not from lack of want, but rather the logistics of life. That in itself creates a good premise, and then Poppy just keeps layering the situation and before I knew it, I was well and truly sucked in.
So many elements of this book were relatable - down to the interaction with a tall, dark and handsome stranger that is great when you're reading a dark romance, but if it happened in real life? HELL NO. The slow escalation and pattern of behaviour, the 'this can't be happening to me', the down playing of the behaviours, not wanting to make a fuss. That all builds towards the internalisation of what's happening which is oh so true for women. The guilt, the panic, feeling personally responsible for some else's behaviour which goes against all common sense.
Oh and speaking of which, the best friend conversations with Sara are just *chef kiss. That kind of brutal tough love is something we all have with our closest friends at some point, and Poppy really delivered in that scenario.
This book was a compulsive read for me, and believe me when I say that because I read it in one sitting. I wasn't about to set it aside and then just ... what, go to bed like a normal person and pick it up again the next day? Oh no, once I started it was ON.
What a rollercoaster of a read. Maybe this book should come with seat belts. Just sayin'.
Well done, Poppy! Now ... MORE PLEASE.
I'm aware that some readers consider the husband in this scenario to present as a wet blanket because c'mon, Temu Jason Mamoa - hawt! For me though, Poppy wins ALL the points for having characters in their 30s dealing with the realities of a marriage that is struggling - not from lack of want, but rather the logistics of life. That in itself creates a good premise, and then Poppy just keeps layering the situation and before I knew it, I was well and truly sucked in.
So many elements of this book were relatable - down to the interaction with a tall, dark and handsome stranger that is great when you're reading a dark romance, but if it happened in real life? HELL NO. The slow escalation and pattern of behaviour, the 'this can't be happening to me', the down playing of the behaviours, not wanting to make a fuss. That all builds towards the internalisation of what's happening which is oh so true for women. The guilt, the panic, feeling personally responsible for some else's behaviour which goes against all common sense.
Oh and speaking of which, the best friend conversations with Sara are just *chef kiss. That kind of brutal tough love is something we all have with our closest friends at some point, and Poppy really delivered in that scenario.
This book was a compulsive read for me, and believe me when I say that because I read it in one sitting. I wasn't about to set it aside and then just ... what, go to bed like a normal person and pick it up again the next day? Oh no, once I started it was ON.
What a rollercoaster of a read. Maybe this book should come with seat belts. Just sayin'.
Well done, Poppy! Now ... MORE PLEASE.
October 25, 2024
⭐️UPDATE!!⭐️
I spent two days literally unable to get this book out of my brain and finally sat down to finish it and I’m glad I did. The biggest help was that I stopped looking at it as a dark romance and went back into it as a true crime thriller and it helped so much.
I know I keep saying it but if you went to the movies to see the newest Disney movie and suddenly all the adorable, big eyes furry cartoon characters started slitting each others throats and bashing heads in with rocks, you would be very understandably shooketh. That’s how I was with this book. I was expecting a sexy tall, dark, and handsome with whom to explore Eloise’s desires and instead it was a version of an ex boyfriend that I would rather never see again 😅.
The way Poppy discusses trauma and healing from sexual abuse is perfection and if you are a fan of true crime and dateline, READ THIS BOOK!!!
*************************************************************
Soooooo… full transparency… this book is, for right now, a DNF for me. Don’t read this review. Literally. It’s just so I can get it out of my brain. This review isn’t going to help you one bit.
I’m in page 217 out of 315(ish) and there’s nothing at all wrong with the book… for a suspenseful thriller. The storyline is creative and it’s written well and even has you hooked trying to see what’s coming next.
While I was expecting a torrid affair with extremely dark themes where the FMC leaves her vanilla life with her husband to explore dark desires with a hot man, that is absolutely not what this is.
Absolutely, 100% read it if you love true crime and thrillers but not if you’re looking for a dark romance where the MMC would burn the world down for the FMC if she asked. I’m pretty sure Drew doesn’t even like the FMC and couldn’t care less if she lived or died 🤷🏻♀️
I spent two days literally unable to get this book out of my brain and finally sat down to finish it and I’m glad I did. The biggest help was that I stopped looking at it as a dark romance and went back into it as a true crime thriller and it helped so much.
I know I keep saying it but if you went to the movies to see the newest Disney movie and suddenly all the adorable, big eyes furry cartoon characters started slitting each others throats and bashing heads in with rocks, you would be very understandably shooketh. That’s how I was with this book. I was expecting a sexy tall, dark, and handsome with whom to explore Eloise’s desires and instead it was a version of an ex boyfriend that I would rather never see again 😅.
The way Poppy discusses trauma and healing from sexual abuse is perfection and if you are a fan of true crime and dateline, READ THIS BOOK!!!
*************************************************************
Soooooo… full transparency… this book is, for right now, a DNF for me. Don’t read this review. Literally. It’s just so I can get it out of my brain. This review isn’t going to help you one bit.
I’m in page 217 out of 315(ish) and there’s nothing at all wrong with the book… for a suspenseful thriller. The storyline is creative and it’s written well and even has you hooked trying to see what’s coming next.
While I was expecting a torrid affair with extremely dark themes where the FMC leaves her vanilla life with her husband to explore dark desires with a hot man, that is absolutely not what this is.
Absolutely, 100% read it if you love true crime and thrillers but not if you’re looking for a dark romance where the MMC would burn the world down for the FMC if she asked. I’m pretty sure Drew doesn’t even like the FMC and couldn’t care less if she lived or died 🤷🏻♀️
October 22, 2025
Astray by Poppy Fitzgerald
Duet Narration by Lucas Webley and MK Blackwood
Tropes
🔹️Stalking/Obsession
🔹️Marriage in Trouble
🔹️Non-con (please check triggers)
🔹️Suspense/Dark/Mystery
🔹️Narration
Narrated in duet by Lucas Webley and MK Blackwood. Both narrators are new to me but I absolutely loved their narration in this. After the first chapter they both gained a new fan. The emotions both characters invoked throughout the book had me feeling everything.
🔹️Story
Well I went into this thinking it was going to be a marriage in crisis with a douchebag husband and a Knight in shining armour swoops in and charms the FMC into a happily ever after, was I right? Hello no, I was completely WRONG. It gave me so much more than I was expecting and kept me on edge the whole time. The suspense in this was done so well, I didn't know how this was going to end. Some parts i found so hard to read and couldn't help but really feel for Eloise. The gaslighting and manipulation amongst the other things she went through were tough.
I loved Eloise and Caleb was such a sweetheart but such a hero when he needed to be and I'm so glad it ended the way it did.
Absolutely great book and I will definitely look into the others in the series as I'm intrigued to see if Officer Rodgers gets a story.
🔹️ Favourite quote
"Nu-uh. You're riding home with me inside you. Then I'm going to clean it up properly when we get home" 🥵
Duet Narration by Lucas Webley and MK Blackwood
Tropes
🔹️Stalking/Obsession
🔹️Marriage in Trouble
🔹️Non-con (please check triggers)
🔹️Suspense/Dark/Mystery
🔹️Narration
Narrated in duet by Lucas Webley and MK Blackwood. Both narrators are new to me but I absolutely loved their narration in this. After the first chapter they both gained a new fan. The emotions both characters invoked throughout the book had me feeling everything.
🔹️Story
Well I went into this thinking it was going to be a marriage in crisis with a douchebag husband and a Knight in shining armour swoops in and charms the FMC into a happily ever after, was I right? Hello no, I was completely WRONG. It gave me so much more than I was expecting and kept me on edge the whole time. The suspense in this was done so well, I didn't know how this was going to end. Some parts i found so hard to read and couldn't help but really feel for Eloise. The gaslighting and manipulation amongst the other things she went through were tough.
I loved Eloise and Caleb was such a sweetheart but such a hero when he needed to be and I'm so glad it ended the way it did.
Absolutely great book and I will definitely look into the others in the series as I'm intrigued to see if Officer Rodgers gets a story.
🔹️ Favourite quote
"Nu-uh. You're riding home with me inside you. Then I'm going to clean it up properly when we get home" 🥵
November 3, 2023
FINALLY….. A book with older characters, already married, and fighting to work their way through issues that many real-life couples face! Don’t get me wrong, I can dive into a good Academy themed book any day, but as a 39-year-old married mother of 2, it would be nice to see a bit more of myself represented in the romance category. This book gave me the representation in that matter, that I dearly needed.
Eloise and Caleb are a typical married couple working through issues such as communication and intimacy. They are clearly, deeply in love but that alone doesn’t make marriage easy. A wrench is thrown into things in the form of one hulking man and things really go sideways. I won’t give away anything but this book will take you on one incredibly journey as Eloise fights for her marriage, and at times, her life and Caleb fights for HER.
It is a beautifully told story, very true to real-life, and full of delicious spice as well. Please be sure to mind your triggers!
I never would have guessed that this was a debut novel! It is SO well done. Poppy really knocked it out of the park with her first book and I can NOT wait for more! This is only the beginning for this fledgling author! Keep an eye out. She is going places!
And the only place you should be going is to buy this book!!!!!
Eloise and Caleb are a typical married couple working through issues such as communication and intimacy. They are clearly, deeply in love but that alone doesn’t make marriage easy. A wrench is thrown into things in the form of one hulking man and things really go sideways. I won’t give away anything but this book will take you on one incredibly journey as Eloise fights for her marriage, and at times, her life and Caleb fights for HER.
It is a beautifully told story, very true to real-life, and full of delicious spice as well. Please be sure to mind your triggers!
I never would have guessed that this was a debut novel! It is SO well done. Poppy really knocked it out of the park with her first book and I can NOT wait for more! This is only the beginning for this fledgling author! Keep an eye out. She is going places!
And the only place you should be going is to buy this book!!!!!
January 9, 2024
Definitely check your TW. There’s some serious things on page some may not want to read.
This story surprised me… I couldn’t put it down. Finished it in one day.
It’s worth noting that I like to go in pretty blind so I don’t end up with preconceived expectations about a story line. But when I read the blurb I thought for sure this was going to be her falling in love with the stalker, with a cheating trope and maybe a side of murder. Which I wasn’t sure how I felt about.
This is not that!
In the best way. I loved Caleb and Lo so much. I didn’t like the miscommunication because they both wanted to fight for each other so much but didn’t know the best way to communicate that with one another. But it’s happening constantly around us in our own lives so I can identify with that a lot. I can identify with Lo in her mentality of “I’ll make this decision because it’ll hurt me more than it hurts him, and I can handle it but I can’t do it to him.” It’s real. It’s raw. It happens in marriages every single day.
This story surprised me… I couldn’t put it down. Finished it in one day.
It’s worth noting that I like to go in pretty blind so I don’t end up with preconceived expectations about a story line. But when I read the blurb I thought for sure this was going to be her falling in love with the stalker, with a cheating trope and maybe a side of murder. Which I wasn’t sure how I felt about.
This is not that!
In the best way. I loved Caleb and Lo so much. I didn’t like the miscommunication because they both wanted to fight for each other so much but didn’t know the best way to communicate that with one another. But it’s happening constantly around us in our own lives so I can identify with that a lot. I can identify with Lo in her mentality of “I’ll make this decision because it’ll hurt me more than it hurts him, and I can handle it but I can’t do it to him.” It’s real. It’s raw. It happens in marriages every single day.
January 22, 2024
The usage of the word “panties” was a bit much.
January 23, 2024
This is a hard book to review, because it feels like talking about it in depth could be spoilery. That's not something I tend to say, because I think it's rare that a story can be ruined by being spoiled, and exceedingly rare that a good story can be ruined by being spoiled. On the other hand, part of my enjoyment here was in how I didn't know what I was getting myself into. This is a cautionary tale that at times reminded me of an Adrian Lyne film.
I'm a frequent reader of dark romance, and I honestly wouldn't characterize Astray as a dark romance. Don't get me wrong, it is a romance, and it is dark.
This is a dark ride that takes some intense turns, and I was totally into it. At the climax, I think my blood pressure might have gone up a bit. And it made me wistful for the idea of true, unfaltering love.
I'm a frequent reader of dark romance, and I honestly wouldn't characterize Astray as a dark romance. Don't get me wrong, it is a romance, and it is dark.
This is a dark ride that takes some intense turns, and I was totally into it. At the climax, I think my blood pressure might have gone up a bit. And it made me wistful for the idea of true, unfaltering love.
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