Rent a Hitman

Renting Love

by Darcy Rose

One wedding. One murder. One unforgettable love story.

Talon is a cold-blooded hitman with one rule: never get personal. His latest target? A smug prick attending his cousin’s lavish wedding. The perfect in? Posing as the plus-one for the family’s overlooked, cat-obsessed librarian.

There is only one problem: Ainsley isn’t just quirky—she’s sunshine wrapped in vintage dresses and animal chaos, the kind of woman who talks to her hairless cat like it’s her therapist and blushes at compliments like they’re contraband. She’s everything Talon isn’t supposed to want… and everything he suddenly can’t stop thinking about.

What starts as a calculated con turns into stolen kisses, protective growls, and Talon publicly dismantling her toxic family one savage comeback at a time. But when the job is done, and the body drops, the truth comes out: he’s not an escort. He’s a hitman.

A darkly hilarious, obsessively steamy rom-com where the hitman falls hardest, the sweet girl gets dangerous, and happily-ever-after comes with a body count.

Genres: Novella, Romance, Amazon, Dark, Rom Com, Dark Romance, Short Stories

124 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2023

About the author

Darcy Rose is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes about shy and innocent heroines, to match them up with dark and intense heroes who have only eyes for one girl.

If you like your books short, taboo, dark, and a bit (or a lot) kinky, then Darcy Rose is perfect for you.

Reviews

[Celia {Semi Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

•| ⊱✿⊰ |• 3,7 Stars •| ⊱✿⊰ |•

This is a short story (91 pages).
Typical romcom, the girl that need a guy for a family wedding, and rents one.
The difference in this one, it's the guy that wants to kill the cousin.



If you want a spicy, funny and quick reading, just to light up your head, this may suit you.
At Darcy Rose's style.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG.....I totally zoned into this book and in a blink of an eye, the book was over! :( lol!

Not to say I ate this book up would be an understatement. lol!

Not me running to get another book by the author. I should have listen to my friend who has been reading her for years. She has been trying to get me to start her books! lol

H-0-0-K-E-D!!!!

[april ♡ probably reading smut - safety reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

TROPES:
~instalove
~hitman H
~age gap
~strangers to lovers

Talon is hired to "take care" of Paul. Then he meets his soulmate, Paul's cousin. Ainsley's personality was a little overbearing. Talon is book boyfriend material though!

I wasn't a huge fan of this novella. It's different from what Darcy Rose has written in the past, in my opinion. I just wasn't a fan.

SAFETY:
Virgin/celibate?: virgin heroine
OM/OW?: no
Cheating/sharing?: no
HEA? yes

[Brittany Trynor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insta love stranger librarian meets killer while doing a "job" yes!!! Quick must read

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny

Not sure it’s dark but it’s not fluffy so it works for me. Laughed a lot, her family is insufferable!

[Lyndi (mibookobsession) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ainsley is your typical shy and quiet librarian, dresses in her favorite skirts and cardigans, and her best friend is her hairless cat. She's been left out and mercilessly picked on by her entire family her whole life, and now it's time to attend her cousin's wedding. She just can't face the criticism alone, so she hires an escort. Talon is way more than she bargained for...scary but hot, and from the moment she opened the door to him, he's complimented and defended her. Things get a bit spicy at the wedding, but she can't help but think it's only because she's paying for it, until he sneaks into her apartment a few nights later claiming he can't stay away. Talon believes he's found his soul mate, but will she accept him once she finds out he's a hitman, not an escort?
This story is a bit too instalove for my usual, but what do you expect for a novella? It was short, spicy, and quite funny, and I love how this librarian turned a tough guy into such a marshmallow. Overall it was a pretty good distraction for a couple hours.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

[Brita Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

One wedding. One murder. One unforgettable love story.

Talon is a cold-blooded hitman with one rule: never get personal. His latest target? A smug prick attending his cousin’s lavish wedding. The perfect in? Posing as the plus-one for the family’s overlooked, cat-obsessed librarian.

There is only one problem: Ainsley isn’t just quirky—she’s sunshine wrapped in vintage dresses and animal chaos, the kind of woman who talks to her hairless cat like it’s her therapist and blushes at compliments like they’re contraband. She’s everything Talon isn’t supposed to want… and everything he suddenly can’t stop thinking about.

What starts as a calculated con turns into stolen kisses, protective growls, and Talon publicly dismantling her toxic family one savage comeback at a time. But when the job is done, and the body drops, the truth comes out: he’s not an escort. He’s a hitman.

Tropes: Insta-Love, Hitman H, Age Gap, Strangers-to-Lovers, Morally Gray/Obsessive MMC, Sunshine FMC x Deadly Protector, Fake Date turns Real Fast, Found Family (with Animals), Dark Humor with Romance, Fake Relationship turns Real, Hire-a-Date, Safe Stalking, Family-from-H*ll, Wedding Bells, Obsession is Nine-Tenths of the Law, Virgin FMC, Mafia, Protective MMC, Stalking, Dual POV, Mafia, Contemporary, Suspense, Paranormal, Age Gap, Victorian, Historical, Fantasy, Dual POV.

Rent-a-Hitman is the 1st book in the Renting Love Series by Darcy Rose. This is a darkly hilarious, obsessively steamy rom-com where the hitman falls hardest, the sweet girl gets dangerous, and happily-ever-after comes with a body count.

Rent-a-Hitman was such a marvellously written, easy to read and lose yourself in, and the icing on the cake is it has phenomenal characters that have you constantly turning the pages. I found this book to be intriguing and spicy romance that has a happy ending and honestly, it’s such a fun read.

Ainsley: She is quirky, intelligent, more than just a little awkward, overlooked and mistreated by her family, a family that should have loved and taken care of her. She’s a librarian who has a soft and tender heart, she has a closet full of vintage dresses, she has a home full of pets she treats like family (the way it should be and honestly in my opinion the true MVPs). Now all she really wants is to just live through her cousins wedding (although she’d prefer to just skip it all together). And she’d like to get through her cousins wedding without her family tearing her apart emotionally. Oh, and she’d prefer not to show up alone.

Talon: He is our cold, calculated, focused on completing his job, taking out his mark, he is our hitman. He originally uses Ainsley as his way into the wedding. The more time he spends with her, the harder it is for him to remember that…she was never supposed to matter to him.

Ainsley is a young librarian who’s been treated horribly by her entire family ever since she was this young girl. Now her cousin is getting married and Ainsley refuses to attend by herself and now she finds herself going online to an online escort service to find a date for the wedding. But instead of finding just anyone for a date Ainsley ends up finding a hitman who’s searching for a way into the wedding to take out his hit on one of Ainsley’s cousins.

Talons got a new contract out on a guy, so he starts his intel research on him starting with social media. Talon goes through everything he can find on his mark Paul Marshall in order to figure out the best way to find his way to get close to him. Talon realizes that if he can either get an invitation or find a way into his sister’s wedding, he’d be able to take out his mark.

Diving deeper into Paul’s social media he suddenly spots his way in and the person he’s going to use to get into the wedding. Talon then starts his search, going to a pet shop looking for the one woman who was going to be his ticket into the wedding. It’s there that he spots the woman, along with her cat, and they are looking at scratching posts.

Talon slowly walks up to them and strikes up a conversation with the young lady and they get to talking and Talon can see the fear as well as terror in her eyes. Suddenly she runs off, only stopping to pay for the scratching post and she quickly leaves on her bike.

Ainsley wants nothing more than to skip the wedding, but she knows that there’s nothing she can do, her mother is demanding her attendance. And Ainsley refuses to go by herself, so she goes online to an escort service which she emails. Talon (our deadly hitman) has been stalking Ainsley, tracking her movements and what she’s been doing online, and he intercepts her email to the escort service, and he replies to Ainsley’s email. Now he’s positive he’s got his way into the wedding.

Talon follows Ainsley on social media all the way up until the wedding. He arrives to pick her up and Ainsley remembers her from the pet shop. They have a quick conversation and Ainsley decides to allow him to escort her to the wedding. Talon can’t believe that this stunning woman, a librarian is wearing a ballgown which once they get to the church where the ceremony is to be held, her family rips into her about. But, for reasons Talon can’t explain, he stands up for her and rips right back into them.

The ceremony is over quickly and together Ainsley and Talon make their way to where the reception is to be held, and it’s here Talon’s mark starts to rip into Ainsley and once again Talon stands up for her, her parents walk over and join them, and once again they rip into her and Talon can’t help himself but stand up for her.

Talon quickly realizes that this librarian has crept into his mind and heart and he’s shocked to realize he is starting to feel something for this woman. After they sit and eat, Talon and Ainsley step out onto the deck to get some fresh air. Once again Talon’s mark is there with a group of guys.

Talon and Ainsley talk and when it’s time for the tossing of the bouquet and garter and Talon convinces Ainsley to participate in the tossing of the bouquet and Ainsley catches it. Talon participates in the tossing of the garter and he almost beats up 2 guys to get the garter-belt. Slowly, Talon leads Ainsley to a chair and slips the garter-belt up her leg and the entire time he can’t stop think about her being his and only his.

After that Ainsley and Talon go back outside where they share a passionate kiss and he whispers something in her ear, she runs off and into the bathroom where she stays. Some girls come in talking about Talon and in that moment she decides she wants to be the one who has him, leaving the bathroom Ainsley is shocked to find Talon standing outside the bathroom waiting for her. They quietly talk and he pulls her into a closet full of cleaning supplies, they have smex and it’s in that moment that he discovers Ainsley was still a virgin. After they decide that he’s going to be the one to leave first and Ainsley will wait a little bit before she comes out.

Somehow this book comes together perfectly and at it’s center it feels sweet, Rent-a-Hitman isn’t just about a Hitman and his mark’s cousin – this is a book about two very different people who have been alone for so long they never thought they’d find a family of their own…and in finding one another they finally found that family (and a house full of laughter and chaotic pets).

I have to say that if you enjoy a romance that is chaotic, hilarious, and is unexpectedly tender then this is honestly the book that you have been looking for. I will warn you, the premise…wild. Everything escalates so very quickly. And I love that there’s a body count included in this book.

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magnificently written, easy to read which also has great characters, it’s also a good page turner. An intriguing and steamy romantic happy ending short story that is a wonderful read.
A librarian who has been treated harshly by her family since she was young needs a date for her cousin’s wedding and goes to an online escort service to get a date for the wedding but finds instead a hitman looking to take his hit out on one of her cousins.
The hitman gets a new contract on a guy so he starts looking for him on social media, he goes through everything to figure out how he’s going to get his hit. The hitman figures that if he can get an invite to the hit’s sister's wedding then he could take out the hit. The hitman dives deeper into the hit’s social media until he finds a way in, he aso the person who he’s going to use to get into the wedding. He goes to a pet shot looking for the woman who’s going to get him into the wedding. The librarian and her cat are looking at scratching posts when he starts talking to her, they start talking and fear as well as being scared is in her eyes. She runs off paying for the scratching post and leaves on her bike.
She wants to get out of going to the wedding but she can’t because of her mother. She also doesn’t want to go by herself so she looks online to figure out what to do when she sees an ad for an escort service which she emails. The hitman has been tracking her and what she does online so he intercepts the email and answers it. Now he has his way in.
He follows her on social media all the way until it’s time to go to the wedding. He picks her up and she remembers him from the pet shop. They talk and she decides to go with him. The librarian is wearing a ballgown which once they get to the church her family starts in on her about but the hitman stands up for her. The ceremony is fast and they make it to the reception where the guy who has a hit on him starts in on her and the hitman again stands up for her, her parents come over and again they start and again the hitman stands up for her. The hitman starts having feelings for her as well as the librarian but she plays it off. They eat and then go out onto the deck to get some fresh air. The guy with the hit on him is out on the deck with a group of guys. They two talk and it’s time for the throwing of the bouquet and the hitman talks her into going and participating, she gets the bouquet. Next is time for the throwing of the garterbelt and he goes in after the hit makes a remark, the hitman almost beats up two guys to get the garterbelt. The hitman has the librarian sit while he puts the garterbelt on her and he thinks about her being his. Afterwards they go back out to the deck where they kiss passionately and he whispers in her ear, she runs of to the bathroom where she stays and some girls come in talking about the hitman and when they leave she decides that she wants to be the one who has him going out the door to find him standing next to it. They talk as he takes her to a closet full of cleaning supplies, they have sex and that’s when he finds out that she was a virgin, they decide that he will leave first and then she will wait a bit before coming out.
He leaves going towards the hit at the bar where he finds the hit drinking, while the hit is on his cell he grabs his glass putting a powder in it that will kill him. A little bit later the librarian comes from the bathroom. They only stay long enough to see the newly weds to cut the cake before they leave. He wants to take her up to her apartment but he can’t because of the hit. He knows deep down that she’s the woman for him and he will see her again soon.
Time passes and they both think about one another. He starts stalking her even going as far as buying nanny cams to put in her apartment. He breaks in setting up the nanny cams in he apartment later that night he watches her go to bed and he has to go to her because he can’t be without her. The hitman gets in and the cat attacks him, the librarian comes in noticing him and freaks out. He tries to explain but when it’s all said and done they are in her bedroom and they're naked and he’s giving her oral sex then they have sex.
In the morning she wakes up before him and she starts questioning everything she feels about him. She grabs her phone noticing missed calls from her mother. He walks in when she’s about ready to leave, they start talking and he tells her the truth about everything, they keep talking.
Two months later they live in her apartment together and he’s trying to get along with her cat who claws him all the time, her turtle and her parrot. The hitman still does hits but she doesn’t ask him about those and he doesn’t tell her. They’re going to pick up a new cat at the animal shelter. She figures that since she’s not at home much that a new cat would be good for her cat. They go in and they find the cat as she talks to the girl he goes to the cat, the papers are signed and they leave. They talk while they leave the animal shelter.
Since everything that happened and the hitman came into her life she has been happy. With him and the pets she feels like she has a real family not like the one with her family but a family that makes her heart warm like she has a home.

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

[Chandra Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love a romance that’s equal parts chaotic, hilarious, and unexpectedly tender, Rent a Hitman by Darcy Rose is the kind of wild ride you won’t want to put down.

Ainsley is quirky, kind, a little awkward, and completely overlooked by the family that should have loved her best. She’s a librarian with a soft heart, a closet full of vintage dresses, and a whole crew of pets she treats like family (honestly, the real MVPs). All she wants is to survive her cousin’s wedding without being torn apart emotionally… and maybe not show up alone.

So she does what any desperate, slightly overwhelmed woman might do.

She rents a date.

Except… she doesn’t get an escort.

She gets Talon.

A literal hitman.

Talon is cold, calculated, and completely focused on one thing—completing his job. Using Ainsley as his way into the wedding is just part of the plan… until she isn’t. Because the more time he spends with her, the harder it becomes to remember that she was never supposed to matter.

And watching him unravel? Absolutely everything.

One of the best parts of this story is how fiercely Talon shows up for Ainsley. From the moment her family starts tearing into her, he shuts it down—loudly, unapologetically, and in ways that are both savage and deeply satisfying. He sees her value long before she fully does, and that protective, “touch her and you’re done” energy? Chef’s kiss.

Their chemistry is instant, intense, and a little chaotic—but it works because underneath all the heat is something surprisingly soft. Ainsley, who’s spent her whole life being overlooked, finally has someone who chooses her. And Talon, who’s never allowed himself to want anything personal, suddenly can’t imagine a world without her in it.

Yes, the premise is wild. Yes, things escalate quickly. And yes, there’s a body count involved.

But somehow, it all comes together into a story that feels oddly sweet at its core. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about a hitman and his target’s cousin—it’s about two people who didn’t think they’d ever have a real family… finding one in each other (and a house full of chaotic pets).

If you love:
✨ Morally gray, obsessive heroes
✨ Sunshine heroine × deadly protector
✨ Fake date turns real fast
✨ Found family vibes (with animals!)
✨ Dark humor mixed with romance

Then you need this on your TBR.

🖤 Fast-paced, steamy, and surprisingly heartfelt—this story proves that love can show up in the most unexpected ways… even when it comes with a fake identity and a kill list.

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

[Anne Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

lol I don’t even know where to start
Ainsley is a librarian who for reasons I still don’t understand have a family that belittle and humiliator her. She is a uniquely beautiful inside and out authentic lady who is pure sunshine. She has her own little family of Pets that are her whole world. And she is absolutely dreading going to a family wedding where they will mock her, humiliate her for her fashion choice and basically look at her as if they wish she wasn’t there. So she decides to hire somebody to be her date.
Talon is a hitman and he has his new Mark and when he was looking and investigating him he found out he was going to a family wedding and thankfully the bride had put everything online so he knew there was a cousin called Ainsley who didn’t have a date. So she was now he’s point of entry to that wedding. The first meeting didn’t go well but then when he notices she’s looking to hire somebody, he quickly makes an ad and she hires him. But he wasn’t imagining how she would look the morning of the wedding.
Now like I said, she’s unique and she is wearing a fall ball gown. Talon can tell that she is overdressed but first he had to put the fire out when she looked petrified. Yep, she remembered him from the first time they met.
There is something special about these two Talon becomes very protective of her when the family start to try to put her down and Ainsley that never had anyone stand up for her before so these two were learning about each other and the more time they spent the more relaxed they got. I don’t want to give too much away because this is only a short read but let me tell you there are some laugh out loud moments in this book but also some seriously dark overstepping but it was great to see such a hard man fall. As with any Darcy Rose Book there is passion and once these two touch it’s like they’re singing off the same hymn sheet. There’s a really sweet moments in this read and I think I’m going to thoroughly enjoyed this series.

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

[Mandy Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

​In Rent a Hitman, Darcy Rose weaves a delightfully chaotic and unexpectedly tender narrative that pairs a lethal professional with a sunshine-filled librarian. Ainsley is a quintessential heroine—a quirky, authentic woman with a heart of gold and a menagerie of pets who serve as her true family. Unfortunately, she is trapped in the shadow of relatives who thrive on belittling her. Facing a wedding where she knows she will be the target of their cruelty, she decides to hire a professional date to bolster her confidence. However, instead of a standard escort, she inadvertently recruits Talon: a cold, calculated hitman who views Ainsley simply as a convenient point of entry to reach his next mark.
​The brilliance of this story lies in the immediate, intense chemistry that develops despite the wild circumstances. When Ainsley shows up for the wedding in a dramatic autumnal ball gown, Talon is forced to navigate her stunned realization of who he actually is. Yet, as her family begins their usual verbal assault, the hitman’s cold exterior cracks. He becomes a fierce protector, shutting down their insults with a savage efficiency that is deeply satisfying to witness. Watching Talon dismantle the egos of Ainsley’s family offers a perfect "touch her and you’re done" energy, as he sees her value long before she fully does.
​The transition from a fake arrangement to a real, protective obsession is handled with both spice and sincerity. Ainsley, who has spent her life being overlooked, finally finds someone who chooses her unconditionally, while Talon finds himself unable to remain indifferent to her soft, chaotic energy. The book moves at a breakneck pace, blending laugh-out-loud humor with dark, possessive undertones and high-heat passion. Despite the body count and the unhinged nature of Talon’s career, the core of the book is surprisingly sweet. It successfully merges the intensity of a thriller with the warmth of a found-family romance, proving that even the most unlikely pairings can create a home together—complete with a kill list and a house full of pets.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

You might want to make sure to double check that you are buckled up, dangerous men, alpha’s personified, possessive, oh, gorgeous, brooding all the makings of a story consisting with three D’s (dark, delicious, and dirty) 😊. There will be suspense, betrayal, death, darkness, secrets reveled, violence, hope, forgiveness, and maybe even love along the way. Ainsley is different from her family shy, quirky, kind to most that she meets, works as a librarian overlooked by her family in fact treated not so nicely by her family but when she learns that her cousin is getting married she needs a date so she does the only thing she can go online to an escort service to hire a date as her plus one for the wedding and unbeknownst to her she hires a hitman with an agenda. Ainsley just has one goal go to the wedding make it back alive without her family tearing her apart like they have a tendency to due because she is shy, loves her animals, dresses funny, and doesn’t act like them. Talon is a sexy as all get out hitman looking for way into the wedding he found his way is through the cute little librarian but the wedding wasn’t what he expected although that won’t stop him from doing his job however, her family that will cause him to add more bodies because of the way her family treats her and all he ways to do is make sure she feels like she matter so someone ….shhhhhh him. The magnetic pull was there from the beginning and the more time they spend with one another the stronger the pull but will he do what he needs to do, will he help her family see her….the real her, are they a perfect match, will she agree once she learns the truth about him, and is there happiness for them?

[Grinning Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

MMC/FMC- Talon and Ainsley
Meet Cute- He’s a hitman who needs a way to get to her cousin.
POV- 1st person dual
Genre- Contemporary Romance
Length- novella
Heat- 🌋🌋🌋 Especially the scene in the closet! They do the thing, he visits Australia. We have all the words, including the C words, the P word, and for bonus points, the D word.
Safety- Y. There’s no cheating, no S. Violence, no sharing, no OW/OM drama, and no cliffhanger. HEA.
Triggers- Violence, Explicit Erotic Content, The Chicken Dance is implied.
Tropes- Fake Relationship, Hire-a-Date, Safe Stalking, Instalove, Family-From-Hell, Wedding Belle, Obsession Is Nine-Tenths of the Law, Virgin Heroine.
What I liked- this was an unusual concept- maybe unique. I have read a lot of romance, and some of it had the Fake Relationship trope. A few had the Hire-a-Date trope. But I have never read a romance novel before that was about a hitman masquerading as a hired date. Especially with the objective of getting in to a wedding where his mark would be. I loved this book.
What I didn’t like- the book came to an end 😩. And now I have a book hangover.
Verdict- in the Must Read category.

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

[Dorrita Winch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talon is our MMC, and is a Hitman. His target is Paul Marshall. Paul is
Ainsley Marshall’s cousin. Ainsley is our MFC. She single, strawberry blond, beautiful, has a crazy clothing style, is innocent…and intriguing. She loves animals. She’s a librarian who posts a lot of photos of her pets. There’s Klaus, a hairless cat. Bob, the turtle, and Marley, the parrot.
Ainsley is planning to go to her cousins Carolines wedding. And Talon is going to make sure he’s her plus one. This way he supposedly can carry out his hit on Paul.
He finds himself thinking more of her as she’s beautiful, funny and smart. And less about her cousin Paul and the hit. He put an add in the local paper. “Rent a date”, renting out male escort services. She had to have a date so text the number and got who she things is an export and not a Hitman.
At the wedding Talon took up for Ainsley around her family. He showed her a good time (the garter😜) and they both were slowly falling for the other.
So much happens in this sweet, quirky, juicy book. Read for yourself to find out how all the negatives work together for the perfect positive…family. Highly suggest for a great read. I started it and had to finish in one setting. 👍🏻

[Marcia Gomes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This was a quick and entertaining read that mixes dark romance with a bit of rom-com energy. The premise is fun and intriguing. A hitman getting involved with a shy librarian while trying to complete a job at a wedding. The chemistry between the characters is immediate, and the story moves very fast, which makes it perfect if you’re looking for a short, spicy romance to read in one sitting.

⚠️Spoilers ahead ⚠️
That said, there were a couple of things that felt a bit odd to me while reading.

1. Since they were supposed to attend the wedding as a fake date, I found it strange that they never really discussed how they supposedly met or what their backstory was going to be. It seemed like something that would definitely come up at a wedding, and I kept expecting them to plan it beforehand.
2. Another moment that felt a little unrealistic to me was the fact that he tattoos her name on their first date. I know the story leans into the intense, possessive dark-romance vibe, but that moment felt a bit too fast even for this kind of trope.

Anyway, If you enjoy short dark romances with instant attraction and a slightly chaotic plot, you’ll probably have a good time with this one.

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

[Hollollolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rent a Hitman had me laughing several times, both at the irony within the book and the wit being tossed around. If you have family you should be no contact with, you’ll feel seen.

I think the premise is interesting, but the story didn’t really hit for me. FMC Ainsley is unaware, defensive, mildly unlikable. MMC Talon is surprisingly one dimensional and flat. I kept waiting for a twist about who hired the MMC to kill the cousin, but nada. This left the book feeling lower plot I was expecting from the blurb. The writing was funny.

Thanks to BookSirens I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Spoilers! Below are the tags I included in my personal tracking that other readers may find relevant: contemporary, crime, fake dating, fmc-ainsley, location unknown, mmc-talon, stalker, standalone

Fiction, erotica, romance, funny, hopeful, lighthearted, fast pace
Plot or Character Driven: character
Strong character development: no
Lovable characters: no
Diverse cast of characters: no
Flaws of characters a main focus: yes
Prior reading required: no
Would you read it again: no
Recommend to friends: if they wanted a quick, short, contemporary, low story medium spice
Meet Cute: stalks her for his job
POV: first person, dual

[Ashh C · Rating 3 out of 5]

opposites attract!

When they say opposites attract, they literally mean opposites! Talon is a hitman who has zero filter and doesn’t give AF! And a whole lot of confidence. Ainsley is a soft spoken, shy, and super innocent librarian with lots of insecurities (thanks to her family 🙄) and a very unique fashion style. Talon was hired to do a job and his in was Ainsley. Little did he know he signed up more than just a job but to catch all the feels. When I say he falls hard I mean he falls HARD! Her name tattooed on his chest hard! Second time meeting her parents he’s telling them he’s going to marry her HARD! With someone who claimed he has no heart no feelings he catches them all real quick! It’s actually quite adorable how he treats her and how protective he is of her and her pets. This book had my chuckling along with all the snarky comments and quirky moments. I do wish there was more future story of them together and to see how much Ainsley’s new found confidence grew. Definitely felt like this book left me wanting more but still it was a cute rom-com. I would really say it’s a dark romance but maybe that’s just me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️

Reviewed by ashh

[Clara Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when an easy job turns into so much more?

Rent a Hitman is a short story that follows Talon and Ainsley. It has just the right amount of steam, family drama, humor and suspense mixed in to keep you turning the page.

Talon is a hitman that needs a way to get close to his next assignment. After searching for his target on social media he comes across an event he will be attending. That's where he discovers Ainsley who could be his way into the event.

Ainsley is whimsical, eccentric and eclectic loner which her family considers to be an embarrassment. While her family are hurtful inconsiderate snobs. Everything about her makes you want to smile especially how she doesn’t let them get her down. Plus her love of animals is infectious.

What happens when an easy job turns into so much more?

If you want a quick slightly quirky story with steam, humor and family drama mixed in grab this book.

I received a free ARC from the author through Bookfunnel an I'm voluntarily leaving my review.

5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rent A Hitman by Darcy Rose is a dark rom-com novella, and I was incredibly excited to receive a free copy because it sounded like the perfect easy weekend read. And it delivered.
I was actually really pleased with the writing. I would say that overall it was decent. I was too caught up in the story to notice if there were mistakes, but there also weren’t any sections that really stood out to me as exceptional writing. But this story was perfect as a novella, and that’s something that always gets me excited. The characters and story felt complete and satisfying, and that’s not something I always get out of novellas. It didn’t feel rushed or like it needed to be longer.
The story was a light, fun approach to some of the typical dark romance elements. It was just a fun read. I laughed. I was intrigued. I cheered for the downfall of the antagonistic characters. I had fun.
I gave this 4 stars. This was cute enough that I think it will stay memorable for me. I would definitely read it again and recommend it to friends.

[Marie’s Book Barn Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!

This book was packed with elements that I absolutely loved, it has humor, a professional unaliver, a quirky fmc, a family that is so horrible that you can’t help but root for what’s to come and a few animal companions to our girl that you just have to love.

This book was so fun to read, I had the best time with it I loved both the characters, and I felt a lot for Ainsley, I related a bit with her and to have that connection with her was another great thing this book offered me.

Talon is such a great character, at first you don’t expect where he’s feelings for our girl go but I loved the conclusion he comes to, this turns out to be more than another job for him much to his surprise and I think it worked so well.

It was an amazing read that I absolutely loved, I want to add this book to my physical library I loved it so much, and it’s 100% a book I’d recommend giving a read and add to the TBR.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Good Booking Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was such a fun, addictive ride from start to finish. The contrast between Talon’s cold, calculated world and Ainsley’s soft, chaotic sunshine energy worked so well—it’s impossible not to fall for them both. Talon might be a morally grey hitman, but the way he shows up for Ainsley, fiercely protective and unexpectedly tender, gives major “dark knight in shining armor” vibes.

I loved how the story balanced humor, spice, and heart. Ainsley’s quirks made her incredibly endearing, and watching her slowly come into her own alongside Talon’s growing obsession was so satisfying. The banter, the chemistry, and those moments where he absolutely wrecks her awful family? Perfection.

Sweet, spicy, and just the right amount of unhinged, this is the perfect quick read when you’re craving a possessive, morally grey hero and a heroine worth burning the world for.

Thank you to the author for the ARC. This review is only my opinion.

[neus.dreamybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and spicy romcom. Talon is a professional unaliver who has to get Ainsley to bring him as her plus one to her cousin's wedding.

Their meet cute doesn't go as well as he hoped because she runs from him so he manipulate her to rent him as he date. She is a crazy cat librarian who has a toxic family that doesn't love her, so when the gorgeous but strange Talon finds her beautiful and funny she just thinks that's what he is being paid for.

This story felt like an insta love romance because he being obsessed with her is normal in dark romance but when she goes from "you are insane, i'm calling the police" to "I love you, let's get married" in like 10 minutes then it's instalove even when it doesn't happen in the first chapter.

I'm not a fan of insta love stories but because I could read it in a day and enjoyed it, it's a solid 4 stars for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Spender of Money · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn’t an instalove book IMO, because I don’t like the lack of conflict with depth in instalove, and I liked this book.

This was the good kind of fast-paced, page flipping, morally questionable hero read. Ainsley was a sweet, likeable character, but not a TSTL doormat, murmuring (IYKYK) heroine, on the quirky side of believable. I seriously adore this author. I like dark in my romance novels. I like gray areas in characters. I like murky, questionable, “what the…” moments in my novels. When these moments are from the H? I gobble them up. Talon checked my boxes, for sure.

I’m also a petty b***h, and like to see jerks get theirs, and the only thing that could have made this better was if there was more page time detailing how some people in this book did, indeed, ‘get theirs’ while seeing our Talon and Ainsley ‘win.’

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rent a Hitman follows librarian Ainsley Marshall and Hitman Talon. Talon is hired to kill Paul Marshall who is attending a wedding this weekend. In order to get close to his victim, Talon follows his cousin Ainsley to try to get closer to his victim, running into her while she’s at the pet store. The quirky, cat loving librarian doesn’t have a date to the wedding, so she calls a “hire a date” number, not expecting her date to be the tattooed bad boy from the pet store. As the wedding progresses, Ainsley doesn’t understand why someone like Talon is interested in her, but as the night winds down she finds herself wanting him more and more. What started out as an innocent In-and-out job, turns into so much more when Talon can’t get the beautiful woman from his head. Will Ainsley accept Talon for who he is? Or will the pair only have one night together?

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was…interesting
It started off alright, I thought parts were quite funny, some areas were quite cringy though. I think the book had potential and definitely would’ve been better if it was longer because it felt quite rushed. I noticed a few spelling a grammar mistakes throughout the book which were a bit annoying. I wouldn’t class this as a dark romance at all, there were 2 spicy scenes which weren’t too bad.
The ending wasn’t enjoyable, she finds out what he did and is nervous and hesitant to go on a date with him and suddenly she’s having the time of her life and completely ignoring everything else, and this happens within the space of like 2 pages.
I would say I enjoyed the book up until the murder about half way through and then after that it was a struggle to get through and I was just reading for the sake of finishing it. Probably wouldn’t recommend.

[kymagirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hitman Talon (H@35) needs a way in to make his next target and finds it in a quirky young woman, Ainsley (h25), who needs a plus one to accompany her to a wedding where the target will also be. Ainsley is surprised to find that the escort she’s hired to be her date turns out to be the same man who creeped her out at the pet store. Talon is so protective and caring of Ainsley, even with his stalkerish behaviors, from her pet menagerie to dealing with her overly critical family to just supporting Ainsley. Ainsley marches to her own drum and it’s nice to see her open-up and find someone to connect with other than Klaus, Bob, and Marley. Lovely age gap, stalkerish, protective alpha romantic quickie with a side of angst and a hint of danger.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a refreshing read. Ainsley is a shy and quirky librarian who is not good enough in her family’s eyes, but she does what makes her happy. Talon is a Hitman and his next job has him looking at Ainsley as a way in. He next hit is going to a wedding that Ainsley os going to. Ainsley wants a date so that her family will leave her alone, so she hires an escort who actually is Talon, the hitman. Even though he is just her escort and she knows it’s just a one time date, things heat up between the two. You need to read this just to see how these two are together. They are the perfect pair and I absolutely fell in love with them both. Annie’s animals are great. Read what happens when a librarian hires a Hitman.

[Curvy Girl Book Nerd (Jen S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rent a Hitman is a short and steamy, instalove, OTT, opposites-attract, quirky girl gets her badboy romance. Ainsley is a sassy, quirky girl with a heart of gold. Talon is a grumpy, hunky hitman. When he is hired to kill Ainsley's cousin,Paul, he finds a way to connect with Ainsley to be her date to a family wedding where he will be. What he doesn't expect is to fall for Ainsley. But what will happen when she finds out what he does? Will she feel used? The chemistry between these two was hot. Ainsley was treated like the black sheep of her family and I loved how Talon stood up for her at the wedding. After a bit of drama, we also get a happy ending.

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

[Vanessa (bookfairy.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was so much fun! 😄

I am apparently totally in the mood for short and fast paced reads at the moment, so "Rent a Hitman" was another of Darcy Rose's books I grabbed and enjoyed a lot. I read this in less than 24 hours. 😄

We have a very fast paced story again with instant attraction on the MMC's part and high committment, which I really liked! The FMC is a little apprehensive at first, which... understandable 😂
I liked the whole set-up, yearning and devotion. The only thing I would've liked to see more off (and I know this is going to sound quite macabre 😂) is the unaliving. I thought the execution of his job wasn't a big enough part of the overall book and certainly deserved a scene or two more. 😄

[Jaelene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this, like read in one day, really liked this. I absolutely loved the soft dark-romance intertwined with the rom-com feel.

When Talon went from “this is just a job” to “she is my entire existence” timeline, he absolutely delivered. A full walking red flag? Absolutely. Did I eat it up anyway? Also absolutely.

The obsession from the start? 10/10.
The way he sees her and helps her find her voice?? Stop. Now I am obsessed.

And can we talk about how she’s not your typical “perfect FMC”?? Cat-obsessed, awkward, real… I loved her. Plus, watching him verbally destroy her toxic family and give her the confidence to do it herself? Inject it into my veins.

The spice?? Yeah. It hit. 🌶️ I mean, who doesn't love a coat closet wedding hook up?