Forget Me Not

by Rachel Leigh

An all-new dark romance standalone by author Rachel Leigh with an obsessive anti-hero, and a heroine who fights as hard as she falls.

It should have been a harmless swindle.

A survival tactic, plain and simple.

Because I, Rhea Thorn, am a survivor.

At least, I thought I was…

Until I conned a psycho.

After a meaningless one night stand, I emptied his wallet and fled before the morning sun.

By that night, I had seventeen missed calls, and a broken window with a note:

You can keep what you stole, but I get you in return.

Everywhere I go, he’s there—blurring the vision between right and wrong, while enticing me with his sultry blue eyes.

Alaric promised me I’d never forget him.

And I’m beginning to fear he’s right.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Suspense, Contemporary, Forced Proximity

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2023

About the author

Rachel Leigh is a USA Today and international bestselling author of new adult, dark romances. She’s drawn to writing flawed, irresistible heroes and strong, resilient heroines. Her stories blend dark elements, a touch of suspense, and plenty of steam—perfect for readers who crave passion with an edge.
Her goal is to sweep readers away on an unforgettable adventure while reminding them that even in the darkest moments, love conquers all.

Rachel resides in Michigan with her husband, three kids, and a couple of spoiled fur babies. When she isn’t lost in a book, you’ll find her in cozy leggings with a coffee in hand, binge-watching her favorite reality TV shows.


Rachel Leigh is represented by Beck Literary: Josi@beckliterary.com


Join Rachel's Readers Group: http://bit.ly/rl_ramblers
Facebook: rachelleighauthor
Instagram: rachelleighauthor
www.rachelleighauthor.com

Reviews

[~839 book boyfriends~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

‼️UPDATEEE:‼️

I had lots of high hopes for this book, like the setting,... the tropes, the blurb everyything was perfecttt🙌🏼
i didn't hate the book or something, i just feel like it didn't live up to my expectations,
reasons for this:

1. the pacing was wayyy off, sometimes it felt like the story was too fast or sometimes way to slow🫠

2. it didn't give any major "dark romance" vibes, yeah the hero was obsessed but he wasn't really "dark"🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

3. the storyline had sooo much potential, like sooo muchh, the heroine was an unapologetic badass who i lovedd but idk the book kinda ended up disappointing me😭😭😭

4. the whole “third act break up” scene was so casual, like they literally got back together after a single chapter🫠

5. last but not the least, LEGIT NOTHINGG HAPPENED IN THE FIRST 50-60% LITERALLYYY NOTHINGG!!!!

🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲


—————————————————————————

(27 Nov)
after their ons the fml is with other guys while the ml stays celibate and is already obsesseddd😮‍💨🛐🦋 with the fml, not even looking at another woman!!!!🪐🥹🫂
(the entire thing is in the comment section)

—————————————————————————

(23 Nov)
“You can keep what you stole, but I get you in return.”

UMM EXCUSEEE ME!????
stalker, boy obsessed tropes just hit different‼️🛐😭🪐

[Noa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We steal, lie, and cheat our way though life. But we do survive, and that's what matters."

Rhea Brooks.
That's what she's known by now anyway.
New city, new identity.
Been that way since she can remember, and this time won't be any different.
But Rhea wants it to be.
Rhea has always been a con-artist. Always been able to swindle.
But now she's faced with the one guy she might not be able to do that with…

"I suppose the saying is true, be careful what you wish for"

Alaric Banks has been following Rhea Brooks for a long time.
Rhea doesn't know who Alaric is but Alaric knows everything about Rhea.
For years he has been in the shadows. Until now.
Alaric told Rhea she will never forget him.
And he plans to make good on that promise.
He has planned to have her forever, and now he might just take her.

"Everywhere she goes, I find her. Because much like she will never forget me, I cannot forget her."

I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

💫 4.25 stars💫

"I'm not surprised he found me; he always does."

Rhea has spent her entire life running. Alaric has spent a long time chasing her. But he is tired of waiting. He wants to start taking.

"We're alike in that way - going after what we want and not letting anyone stand in our way."

This was my first Rachel Leigh read and I can guarantee you right now I will be reading more!!
This storyline was so intriguing I legit ate it up so quick!!
The pace was so good and the plot was devoured (by me FYI).

"I've lost this battle, but I sure as fuck plan to never lost another one."

First off we have Rhea Brooks who is the definition of "I support women's rights but most importantly I support women's rights" and isn't that just the best kind of FMC (it is in my opinion). She gives no fucks and we love that. With her tragic past though my heart broke a little every time I read more but that just gave the book so much more and that was good. Anyway Rhea is a badass in summary basically.

"I've always been a risk-taker. So, let's raise some hell."

Alaric Banks. I love the name Alaric first of all getting that out of the way. And he does justice to the "obsessive MMC" trope and we cannot complain with that. Anyone ask for a new morally grey obsessive MMC to obsess over?? Look no further than Alaric Banks. The lengths he will go to for Rhea is something every obsessive stalker morally grey MMC should aspire to imo. And the age gap was just *chef's kiss* thank you very much Rachel Leigh.

"Like a moth to a flame, she's drawn to me as much as I am to her."

"That pretty mouth is going to get you in trouble one of these days."

On Spotify I added the author's playlist as well (because it is soooo good!!!) but these are the songs that I added:

(Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1OM...)

🎧 "You Don't Know Me" - Liz Gillies
🎧 "What Was I Made For?" - Rain Paris
🎧 "Pretty Distraction" - SkyDxddy
🎧 "And So It Went" - The Pretty Reckless, Tom Morello
🎧 "Money, Money, Money" - ABBA
🎧 "Paint The Town Red" - Rain Paris
🎧 "RUNRUNRUN - Sped Up" - Dutch Melrose
🎧 "Savages" - MARINA
🎧 "pretty poison" - Nessa Barrett
🎧 "Can't Be Tamed" - Miley Cyrus
🎧 "Trust Issues (nightcore) [Remix]" - Music Factory
🎧 "Cravin'" - Stileto, Kendyle Paige
🎧 "Not Enough" - Elvis Drew, Avivan
🎧 "All I Need" - Lloyd1
🎧 "Figure You Out" - VOILA
🎧 "Fancy" - Reba McEntire
🎧 "Angry Too" - Lola Blanc
🎧 "The House Rules" - Christian Kane
🎧 "Killer" - Valerie Broussard
🎧 "Beg" - Aryia
🎧 "lovely liar" - Stevie Howie
🎧 "Raise Hell" - Dorothy
🎧 "Coincidence - Sped Up" - Rosse
🎧 "Under The Influence" - Chris Brown
🎧 "underwater" - Mackenzie Arromba
🎧 "Sweet But Psycho" - Ava Max
🎧 "Belladonna" - Ava Max
🎧 "You Know I'm No Good" - Amy Winehouse
🎧 "Love Is A Losing Game" - Sam Smith
🎧 "Do It For Me" - Rosenfeld
🎧 "Enemy" - Imagine Dragons, Arcane, JID, League of Legends
🎧 "Burned" - Grace VanderWaal
🎧 "I Want To" - Rosenfeld
🎧 "I've Had Enough"- Melina KB
🎧 "Lose Yourself" - Eminem
🎧 "eyes don't lie sped up" - Isabel LaRosa
🎧 "Somebody's Watching Me" - Rockwell
🎧 "Break My Heart Myself" - Bebe Rexha, Travis Barker
🎧 "Bury Me Face Down" - grandson
🎧 "Survivor" - 2WEI, Edda Hayes
🎧 "Fighter" - Christina Aguilera
🎧 "HELLGIRL (Speed)" - Ari Abdul
🎧 "Suffer" - Charlie Puth
🎧 "Don't Ever Stop Running" - Maggie Jean Martin
🎧 "Pardon My French" - Gabi Sklar
🎧 "High Enough" - K.Flay
🎧 "Medusa" - Kaia Jette
🎧 "Colors" - Halsey
🎧 "Us And Pigs" - SOFIA ISELLA
🎧 "Kiss Or Kill" - Stela Cole
🎧 "Guys My Age" - Hey Violet
🎧 "older sped up" - Isabel LaRosa
🎧 "Collide" - Justine Skye
🎧 "Say It's Mine" - Motion
🎧 "Desire" - Violet Orlandi
🎧 "Creepin'" - Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, 21 Savage
🎧 "Die For You" - Rain Paris
🎧 "Le Monde - From Talk To Me" - Richard Carter
🎧 "as good a reason" - Paris Paloma
🎧 "Venom" - Little Simz
🎧 "MANIAC" - Stray Kids
🎧 "A Year Without Rain" - Selena Gomez & The Scene
🎧 "I'm yours sped up" - Isabel LaRosa
🎧 "Lay All Your Love On Me" - The Butterfly Effect


And trust me people, Alaric can talk the talk….

"The things I wanna do to you, Wildcat."

"Come for me, Rhea. You know you want to."

💵 Tropes 💵

🖋️ Age Gap
🖋️ Billionaire
🖋️ Obsessed/Stalker MMC
🖋️ Con-Artist FMC
🖋️ Blackmail
🖋️ Secret Identity
🖋️ Tragic Past
🖋️ Touch Her and die

[Kursed Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-one-year old Rhea has only ever known the life of a con artist, always on the run. Ready to settle down and forge a different path, she lands in the small town of Lockhaven, Vermont.

Albeit from the shadows, Alaric has always there, loving and protecting her. But with danger closing in, anonymity is no longer an option.

Morally grey and obsessed hero? Yes, please! Feisty heroine who doesn’t turn into a doormat? Yes, please! Age gap, suspense, and spice? Yes, please! I can’t quite put my finger on what made this story feel like a departure from a typical Rachel book. But I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🩶
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😬🥺😊😳😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}

🗂 Genre: Contemporary Romance

✨ Tropes: Age Gap (21), Alphahole, Boy Obsessed, Con Artist, Forbidden, Hidden Identity, Rich Boy/Poor Girl, Stalker, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying

💋 Kinks: Daddy (Mild), Finger Licking Good, Somnophilia, Squirting

⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave you wanton.

🚩 Safety Squad: Druġġed, Vìolençė, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📣 Type: Forget Me Not is a standalone.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[Jen ♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wtf did I just read? Omfg, this is so so bad. I don't even know how to review this. Spoilers below, so skip this if you don't want them.

 
Well, for one, the age gap made me so uncomfortable. 21 and 42? Really? I can't wrap my head around it even after finishing the book. That's just way too much for me. Then throw in some daddy kink, gooosh, I just want to bleach my eyes after reading those scenes.

Then Alaric, the mmc, was infuriating and controlling. It's not hot; he's downright scary, and to think he's just a fictional character. He's way too forceful all the time. Rhea never gets to do things because he controls everything about her. Words aren't enough to express the uneasiness and fear I'm feeling while reading this. There's nothing romantic about this. These two are toxic, and I just want to get done with their story as soon as I can.

There are two things that he did that really make me want to puke so hard, and mind you, he did a lot of rage-inducing things in this story.

1. He drugged her and had his way with her. Though, thank fuck, he didn't penetrate her, but doing oral without her consent is still a goddamn assault. It's not even dubious consent, because at this point, Rhea was mad at Alaric and wanted nothing to do with him. Yet the asshole made her unconscious by drugging her, and he does to her things he's been dreaming of since forever. I've read books with Somnophilia, but this one was not it! She couldn't give proper permission because she'd passed out. She didn't wake up while he was going down on her, and my stomach was revolting reading this scene.

2. They had sex because he made her sleep with him after blackmailing her. She asked him to pull out, and this asshat didn't respect her request. He wasn't even sorry for what he did; to be honest, he's actually smug about it.

Then, to the surprise of all, he was her goddamn godfather! I mean, ewww. He held her when she was a baby, and now he's claiming to have fallen in love with the woman she's grown up to be. Gross!
 
Another shocker, her father, arranged a marriage between her and Alaric's son (he doesn't know he had a son, not until last year). I was so stunned reading that scene and was surprised (in a bad way!). When he found out that his son was betrothed to Rhea, he changed his plan and decided to claim her, not even giving a crap that she's his goddaughter!
 
I don't know why I persevered in finishing this atrocity. But I think it's mainly because of Rhea; she's a badass FMC in the first 60% of the book. The strength of this girl to overcome what she went through was so admirable. She deserves so much better. Also, because she held her ground and didn't let Alaric walk all over her.

But then their relationship shifted, and they went from 0 to 60. I don't know if I missed something because everything happened so quickly, and I don't even get why they fell in love. In the first 70% of the book, Rhea was not interested in Alaric. She was actually angry at him for being there all the time and seeing her every move. But then, after doing the deed, she had a 180, and it really gave me a whiplash.

The only good thing I found here, aside from Rhea, was their decision not to have kids. These two are so dysfunctional. I'm so glad they didn't decide to make mini-versions of them.

This was not for me. I should've DNFed this, but my stubborn attitude won over, and I regret not following my gut.


Book info:
- Stalking
- Taboo (Godfather-Goddaughter)
- Age gap (21/42)
- Murder
- Sexual assault (on page, past)
- Death of a loved one
- Pregnancy loss
- OMD (mild)
- Drugging
- Somnophilia (questionable)
- Spit play
- No cheating, OWD, 3rd act breakup
- HFN

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

I wanted to like this one so much but sadly I just didn't. I was still very intrigued by the story so I do think it deserves a low 4 Stars from me, but overall I was disappointed by it and I think I got myself too hyped to read it. My main issue was the pacing, the first half felt slower, which I was honestly okay with and I think it worked well with the storyline since it kept me captivated. But then once the story started to pick up it went lightning fast and I felt like there was a lot missed. The connection, for one. And on top of that there were so many things that I didn't feel were fleshed out as much as they should have been, especially Rhea's past.

But again, the story as a whole did interest me and kept me reading hoping to find out more about the characters. I also just genuinely liked seeing them together as crazy as their relationship was, it worked for them.

[Riniya · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 28%
Tropes/ Key Points:
* Kidnapping
*Enemies to Lovers
*Taboo Romance
*Dark Romance Themes
*Stalker

Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault/ R*pe , Kidnapping, Drugging of FMC, Murder

Let me start off by saying that normally I don’t give reviews on books that I DNF. I feel that because I didn’t complete the story, I’m not seeing the big picture and therefore have no grounds to stand on with my review. It’s a personal preference as I know many people give reviews to DNF such as why they did so. I feel obligated to do so in this case just because of what I read and how much it bothered me.

1) Sexual Assault within the Main Couple — SPOILER
When you are writing a book and have the FMC recount to you (the reader) a flashback in which she was r**ed and how much is scarred her, why would you think it’s a good idea to have the MMC basically do exactly that? And then have it be in his head that she’s going to thank him for it later. Our MMC drugs our FMC to the point of unconsciousness, touches her sexually in this unconscious state and when her body responds he takes that as permission. She was in no way capable of giving consent and her body responding to physical stimulation is not consent but he proceeds to molest her. And this is the guy we are meant to be rooting for? Heck no!

2) Alaric’s POV need to be removed
I think that this book being a dual POV is hurting it. If you take away his POV this book would be a suspense/ Thriller/ Romance and could actually have been pretty decent. Instead we are giving insight into this twisted man’s egotistical head and it made me hate him. We are given step by step what happens from his perspective instead of letting some mystery remain with it only being from Rhea’s POV. Not every book needs to be dual POV and this one doesn’t.

3) Writing / Prose
I think the second biggest issue with this story is just the writing. It’s cheesy, embarrassing, cringeworthy and just not good IMO. I admit I’m being a bit harsh with this review and most of it is my … well disgust… over point #1 but the writing had me cringing very often. Mostly in Alaric’s POVs but sometimes in Rhea’s too. Not to mention a lot of the book is repetitive information being told over and over again.

Examples:
“Rhea is going to hate me at first, I’ve made sure of it. Enemies-to-lovers is a very popular trope, after all.”

“Carrying dead weight is tiresome, even for a man of my physique “

“I’m not egotistical by any means but as mich as I know Rhea’s worth. I know mine as well”

“She lies there in perfect form, unaware of what’s happening around her. No appreciation for my heart that is growing fonder of her with each passing second.”

“Looks like you’ve made a mess of yourself. Don’t worry, baby. Daddy will clean you up” (The continues assaulting her)

Granted, most of these are Alaric’s POV but these lines within context of the book just feel … weak. Also the Enemies to Lovers quote, way to hit the nail on the head. Show your audience, don’t tell them. And that’s exactly what happens throughout this book. Telling. Not showing.


Overall, I know that some people like this type of thing. It’s not my place nor am I trying to judge or shame those who went into/came out of this loving it. I’m glad you liked it, truly, but for those who don’t enjoy this— let this be your warning.

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

❀ 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓 ❀ Is a full length dark stalker romance book by Rachel Leigh. Spoken in 'dual pov's.'

From the blurb to the gorgeous cover, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this. I didn't really know what to expect going into this one, but from the start it had me sitting up straight and paying attention. I was pulled into a unique world I've never stepped foot in before.

Rhea's journey is a hard path to travel, a con artist, a manipulator, a thief, this is the only path she's ever travelled in life. She's had no schooling or any friends to call her own. From a young age she was taught all the tricks from her mother to survive. Living on the streets isn't for the faint of heart. Their world is a dark unforgiving place. A life where she was always looking over her shoulder, always on the run.

Until enough was enough and she wanted to try living a normal life, in a small town, with a new identity.

Alaric Banks has been on Rhea's tail city to city, no matter where she runs to he always finds her. He was a man obsessed with Rhea the moment he set eyes on her. Protecting her, stalking her, and yes even killing for her. For years on end he's always watched in the shadows from a distance.

Until now.

Email ಇ Twitter ಇ Instagram ಇ Blog ಇ Facebook ಇ Amazon 
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[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everywhere she goes, I find her. Because much like she will never forget me, I cannot forget her

🌟 Star Rating - 5/5
🔥 Spice Rating - 3/5

What To Expect:
🖤 MF Romance
❤️ Dark
🖤 Anti-Hero
❤️ Stalker
🖤 Age Gap
❤️ Secret Identity

You can keep what you stole, but I get you in return.

𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘

This book absolutely WRECKED me in every way possible! I haven't read this author before, but gosh can she write! I ate this book up completely, the best FMC and the darkest shade of morally gray MMC, the chemistry was delicious and the stalker aspect was divine! The plot hooked me straight away and dumped out out at the other end wanting more, it was that good! Overall I loved this with all my being and I cannot wait for more from this author!

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My excitement for this book was over the top. It was by far one of my most highly anticipated books for the year and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Forbidden age gap romance and an obsessive stalker MC? I was practically drooling!!! I felt like I needed this like a decadent dessert after being on a diet for a long time and I would have gladly risked it all.

Looking to make a change after being a con artist for so long, Rhea Thorn is trying to live a straight upstanding life. Moving to a new town and having a job as a waitress, things couldn't be any more boring and domestic for Rhea but if she wants to survive, she has to keep it that way. But old habits die hard and when she meets a mark, Rhea is about to learn a hard lesson in who Alaric Banks is.




I've been back and forth trying my best to describe Alaric and I still can't do it. He's obsessive and crazy but he's still a mystery to me. There were so many things that could have been explored with his character and it was all just at a stand still. Instead of the book being a slow burn, it had the potential to be a dark action thriller and it just fell short for me. I needed more from these characters and I was expecting a very dark gritty romance but unfortunately I didn't get that.

Overall this was an ok read and I would truly love to see a spinoff with a certain character. That's one story I will not miss. If you're looking for a semi dark light read, then you should give this one a try.

[Rachel Leigh]

AVAILABLE NOW!

🖤Grab your copy of Forget Me Not: http://mybook.to/fmn
💙Add to your TBR: http://bit.ly/gr_fmn

What you'll find in Forget Me Not:
☠️ Stalker Obsessed
☠️ Deadly Obsession
☠️ Secret Identity
☠️ Billionaire
☠️ Blackmail
☠️ Age-Gap
☠️ Tragic Past
☠️ Scam-Artist
☠️ Touch her & d!e

A playlist inspired by Forget Me Not
Listen before you read, while you read, and after: https://spoti.fi/3Zgdyuq

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forget Me Not is a dark stalker romance and it’s really good. If you’re into obsessive alpha men, who will do anything to protect the women he loves, this is the book for you. It does have some darker themes so be sure to check your trigger warnings. I really enjoyed Rhea and Alaric’s story.

[Larisa O · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 36%

Rhea is so annoying and immature. And is no chemistry between the characters..

[Jill Haworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhea’s father signed away Rhea’s life when she was just a child. An arranged marriage that would strengthen his alliances and ultimately increase his net worth.
As a result, her mother took Rhea and ran. They survived as con artists. They lived hand to mouth but they had each other. Her mother’s favourite flowers were Forget-me-nots, and she planted the seeds everywhere they left. They even had matching tattoos of the delicate flowers.
Rhea’s mother was terrified that her father would find them and keep Rhea imprisoned until she was old enough to fulfil the contract.
When Rhea’s mum became sick and died, Rhea had no one apart from her uncle Dex who had a knack for creating false ID’s that enabled Rhea to stay on the move.
She ended up having to use her body to survive. She hated every minute but it kept food in her stomach.
She’d become aware of a blacked out sedan following her and her instincts told her it was her father. By the time she had reached the age of 21, she’d had enough of this life. She hadn’t seen the car for a while and asked her uncle to finally make her ID’s with her real name and real security codes, so that she could get a real job. Her uncle doubted her ability to succeed after knowing nothing else but running, but Rhea found herself taking to the little town in the middle of nowhere that she had chosen to settle in, with ordinary, genuine people. She managed to prove him wrong, until Alaric turned up. There was just something off about him. Her gut told her to run, but he caught her before she’d had the chance to run. He explained that he had worked for her father, but when he’d discovered his true intentions and the cruel man that she was promised to, that would use her up and pass her around his men, he’d changed allegiances and been watching over Rhea, protecting her wherever possible.
Over the years that he had watched Rhea, he’d found that he had fallen in love with this strong and beautiful survivor. Now he just had to get her to trust him and ultimately fall in love with him too…
This was a brilliant story with difficult topics handled well. Rhea had been through hell.
When she settled down, just having a friend and friendly faces to look forward to seeing every day were what she woke up for. When she met Alaric, once the suspicion and the rebellion had been dealt with, the chemistry between them was electric.
But Rhea still wasn’t safe and I didn’t see the twist coming at the end. Superb!

[Emmi (bookish_redpanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️.5

Please check TW's/CW's before reading.

Forget Me Not is a dark romance, chock full of tropes to lure you in. Age gap, billionaire, stalker/obsessed, touch her and 💀, grumpy meets grumpier, all with an air of mystery in the background as we unravel both the FMC and MMC's lives.

Rhea is a strong, yet self-sufficient, down on her luck girl, just trying to make it through life and wanting to settle down after a life of swindling with her (now deceased) mum. They were running from something dark in her past - which is slowly alluded to over the course of the book - and the journey to get to where she is today has been fraught with conflict and emotional issues.

Alaric is... well, let's just say he pushes the boundaries on the phrase "morally grey" - he definitely leans more toward the black end of the shade scale. He's an anti-hero at it's finest, but works well.

Their romance? I loved the push and pull, the will they/won't they, however I do feel that Rhea almost gave in too quickly. In saying that, though, it also took such a long time to even get anywhere with the relationship aspect. But goodness me, the chemistry when she did cave? 🔥🔥🔥

There were a few little plot twists that kind of... niggled at me, and I felt the conclusion of the book came almost a bit too suddenly, especially after the long, drawn out tease of their relationship. There was also a lot of (almost unnecessary) back story before we even got to the main plot. There were also some almost "breaking the fourth wall" moments that didn't quite sit well with me, either. I also found the narrative to be very telling, not showing, which made it harder to connect at some points.

[Laura (lady_h_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️½
“You try to run, I’ll follow you. If you so much as open that pretty mouth and mention a single word of this, I will take you somewhere no one will ever find you.”

Card-carrying member of the Red Flag association, Alaric is the book boyfriend you shouldn't want but crave! He makes this book such a captivating read (I would have preferred more of his POV – I loved his obsessive/protective vibe and found his chapters to be the best). Who cares that he had to blackmail Rhea to stay when it all works out in the end? I sure didn’t. Morally grey, stalking OTT J/P MMC for the win!

I am a massive fan of strong FMCs, and Rhea is an excellent example of a woman who can hold her own. She has had a traumatic past but is trying to leave that behind by settling down in a small, nowhere town. Unfortunately, she cannot run forever.

There is strong character development as we discover the lengths Rhea will go to survive and the depths of Alaric’s obsession.

This is a medium-burn and spicy MF romance and includes dubcon, somno, Daddy kink, and a very dirty-talking MMC.

This book is a great choice for dark romance readers who love damaged FMCs and morally grey men!

⚠️ Dark Elements/Themes Warning – check TWs ⚠️

Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance
Tropes/Features: Dark themes, age gap (20+ years), grumpy meets grumpier, billionaire, stalker/stalking, secret identity, sex worker, scam artist, trauma survivor, obsessed MMC, blackmail, touch her and die
Narrator: Dual 1st person POV
Relationship Type: MF, medium burn, spicy
Book Type/Ending: Standalone with HEA
TW/CW: Available in book

[Mindy Menotti bookishly_mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo, I have to say that I have NEVER read a DARK romance book before, but when I saw the blurb for this one it pulled me in. Also that cover!! Wow!! It’s gorgeous so of course I had to read it. So, I was able to read an eARC of this book and let me tell you what!!!!!! I might have just opened up a box to a new genre I didn’t know I needed in my life. These are my honest thoughts! ⬇️⬇️

This is a dark, stalker romance with an anti-hero MMC and a FMC who is a survivor through and through.

Rhea was dealt a pretty crappy future when she came into the work and her mom was not going to stand for it. So they spent their time “making money” and running from place to place, to stay away from the future that Rhea’s mom was determined to keep her away from.

Alaric is a stalker who “protects” Rhea from afar and is completely obsessed with her in every way possible. He is a jerk, but a kind soul, but morally gray, but has good intentions. He was all over the place, but for GOOD reason.

When the plot twists and turns started being thrown in, I was in complete and utter shock. I was on the edge of my seat devouring this whole book… and let’s just say, I LOVED it all!

Also there are some side characters (2 to be exact) that I fell in love with and the small town vines had my heart swooning.


This is a great romance with plenty of spice but an even better storyline. There are some triggers, so of course always check those out…

[Lammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kinda just meh for me 🤷

It was labelled as dark and it wasn’t dark at all. The characters were ok but nothing that interesting there either. Alaric was actually pretty sweet so the stalker vibes really didn’t come across.

There was a twist at the end which didn’t work because we weren’t given enough about Ian to care.

[Juju · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. *** ARC REVIEW ***

This is an MF Dark romance between JP/ OTT/ Stalker (hero) & Con Artist/Survivor (heroine). It is dual pov / standalone. Overall, I thought it was a good story. I liked that it provides the background into the heroines childhood with her mum.

As to the hero, wow...talk about dedicated to the Heroine. 😈😈 I enjoyed reading his pov the most. I would have liked to get some insight into his background tho.

My only criticism would be the pushing away from heroine....bit too much, imo.

Overall, a good read.

**Please read the Trigger Warning...it's clearly noted in the front pages of the book**

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You can keep what you stole, but I get you in return." 👀

You know how dogs are always super joyful and like tongues sticking out when they enjoy your company and just flop for belly rubs but if someone so much as looks at you wrong they immediately perk up and growl or snap at that person? Yeah. That's Alaric 10000%. 🔥 That's what my thoughts kept coming back to with everything he'd do for Rhea 😅 like he was seeking her approval the whole book.

This book read differently from Rachel Leigh's We Will Reign series which WORKS because that was more college age plots while this felt more in depth with character development, especially for Rhea.

Check TW for this one before hopping in but I promise you won't be disappointed 🤭

[Kate Whitley · Rating 4 out of 5]

special thanks to Valentine PR and Rachel Leigh for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

oh my dark romance girlies are about to eat this one up! full of tropes like billionaire love interest, age gap, stalking, and a morally grey anti-hero, it's a dark romance at its CORE. the female MC Rhea was also a badass and a FIGHTER through and through making her the perfect match for the male MC Alaric. make sure to 100% check content ratings before reading!!

[˚₊‧꒰ა vruxreads ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I WAS SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK! HAD HIGH EXPECTATIONS AFTER SAW THE BLURB & TROPES.

FIRST OF ALL, I wouldn't consider this as a dark romance, because the hero was surely obsessed and but he wasn't a psychopath, he was actually sweet. The only thing dark about this book was the heroine's past and her struggles. I felt so bad for the things she had to go through.

This book was dragged on but rushed as well! Nothing happened in the first 80% of the book and then everything happened in the last 20%. I saw one twist coming but the other one!?? I didn't like it at all. Like was it even necessary and the fact he hid it from her.

Also in the one chapter she hated him and then in the next chapter a flip of a switch she likes him? It was so sudden I thought I skipped a chapter.

📍No cheating, no OW drama,
check the triggers📍

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3,5 "Wildcat!!!" stars***



"You can keep what you stole, but I get you in return."

I had high expectations of this book since the very first moment I laid eyes on it!!!
The cover is so beautiful and the blurb so alluring...
Alaric was the perfect stalker who had a great balance between darkness and light. And Reah was a badass with a difficult past...
The book is characterized as dark romance, but for my taste, it wasn't that dark!!! But the story was very promising!!!

"It's a silent war between us. Who will surrender first?"

Rhea was a manipulative, con artist... All of her life, she was taught to survive in the most unconventional ways and she was very good at that!!! Life was brutally hitting her, but she kept rising from the ashes...
But now, Rhea wants to lead a simple and normal life.... She is so tired of all of that!!!
So, she is moving into a small town and while she is starting to settle down, she is falling in old ways and she is finding herself in big trouble...
Alaric Banks wants her and he is determined to make her never forget him...

"I suppose the saying is true, be careful what you wish for."

I really liked Alaric, Rhea and the dynamic between them...
As I told you above, I was waiting more darkness, but still... I enjoyed this couple's ride!!!
Their journey wasn't an easy one, but it was full of adventure...
Alaric wasn't your usual hero, but he was such a sweetheart!!! He was a stalker/ guardian angel and he was such a lovely adversity... He fell first, but he fell for eternity... He was very protective of his girl and he could do anything for her...

"Everywhere she goes, I find her. Because much like she will never forget me, I cannot forget her."

Rhea was tought as nails and she could survive under every brutal condition... Her past was painful and it was breaking my heart... But this girl could survive under any circumstances... I liked the way she was giving hell to Alaric, but unfortunately for her, he was always one step ahead of her!!! The con queen had found her perfect match in here!!!

"We steal, lie, and cheat our way though life. But we do survive, and that's what matters."

[Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhea Thorn spends her life on the run from her father and a contract of marriage to a ruthless man. Raised by her mother in a life of crime, Rhea learns at a very young age how to con and manipulate people so that she can survive.

“We steal, lie, and cheat our way through life. But we do survive, and that’s what matters.”

After her mother dies, Rhea finds herself alone. Soon after, her father dies. Tired of her life, and feeling a little safer now that her father is deceased, Rhea settles in a small town, attempting to start over and really live her life.

Alaric Banks has been tasked with finding Rhea for her father, but once he finds out the type of man her father is, and he witnesses Rhea growing up in her hard life of crime, his priorities change. He finds himself in love, obsessed with the woman Rhea has become.

“There she is. The thief of the air in my lungs.”

Stalking her means he’s always there to save her, to watch over her, and when the time is right, he makes himself known.

“I’m here because I could no longer stand the distance between your heart and mine.”

Rhea is stubborn about her independence and desire to never feel love in fear of it being taken away from her. But Alaric wiggles his way into Rhea’s heart with reassurances, dominance, and his completely obsession with her.

I very much enjoyed this story. My only complaint is that it starts kinda slow. We have to read through 100+ pages for our Hero and heroine to truly interact. Then when it comes to the end, it’s all a little too convenient. I kinda wish the author cut the beginning by 50 pages and moved that to the ending, giving us a more in-depth conclusion. Ian has been searching for Rhea for 20+ years. He’s a powerful man that Alaric wasn’t able to find, rich beyond our wildest dreams, but he was caught quickly, without much damage done.

I love Rhea’s strength, though. The way she interacted with Ian was hilarious, and fitting of her character.

Alarics obsession and jealous/possessive behavior was the bees knees. I love me an alpha man willing to kill for the love of his life. If this is how her Heroes are written, I cannot wait to read more by this author!
4 Stars

[Joy Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Angst: 💔💔💔

Cliffhanger? ❌️

Do I recommend it? ✔️

Trigger Warnings? ☠️☠️☠️/3

Tropes: dark romance, age gap, billionaire, blackmail, enemies-to-lovers, romantic suspense, stalker vs. Con-Artist, touch her and die, tragic past

It should have been a harmless swindle. A survival tactic, plain and simple. Because Rhea Thorn was a survivor. At least, she thought she was. Until she conned a psycho. After a meaningless one night stand, she emptied his wallet and fled before the morning sun. By that night, she had seventeen missed calls and a broken window with a note: "You can keep what you stole, but I get you in return." Everywhere she goes, he’s there—blurring the vision between right and wrong while enticing her with his sultry blue eyes. Alaric promised her she'd never forget him. And she's beginning to fear he’s right. 



Forget Me Not was entertaining, to say the least. Rachel Leigh never disappoints & I mean never. Alaric and Rhea were unique characters that certainly left an impression. The plot was intense, raw, and gritty. It is trigger heavy, so please educate yourself before diving in. Rhea's life was a constant struggle. She lived as a con artist with a heavily guarded heart. She knew pain in many different ways, and my heart ached for her. She had a badass, feisty spirit with a strength rarely seen. Alaric was a difficult one. I struggled with how I really felt about him, much less what I felt Rhea should feel. One minute, I despised him, but Rachel wrote his evolution with practiced ease. Without realizing it, he seamlessly changed my opinion. Their dynamic was complicated as he would stalk, she would sense him, then run, and he would follow, repeatedly. The twists were delivered with textbook accuracy. I will definitely be adding this paperback to my collection asap. I will easily recommend this read as long as you don't ignore the trigger warnings. This is my honest opinion, freely given.

[Mj · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ SPOILER-FREE REVIEW! ✨

This was the first book I have read by Rachel Leigh & I can definitely say I’ll be reading more of her books!

Rhea Thorn has lived a really rough life with her mother since she was young. She’s a con-artist, and does literally anything you can think of just to get her hands on money to get through day by day. Years have gone by since her mother passed away, and now she is wanting to turn over a new leaf by settling in a new town. In this town she’s known as Rhea Brooks, not Rhea Thorn. She decides to stick with the small town of Lockhaven where she gets a job at Taryn’s Tavern– the one-stop shop that has everything; breakfast, lunch, dinner and even a full-service bar. Over the years Rhea always felt that she was being followed by someone, and now in Lockhaven the stalker finally shows up revealing who it is. Alaric is way more than just a stalker– he’s the man who whole-heartedly loves Rhea with his whole mind, body & soul. And he won’t stop until the feeling is mutual.

I loved this book SO much! It basically gave me Haunting Adeline vibes & I LOVED it. I love Rhea’s character so much. She’s such a badass & takes care of herself without needing help from anyone. Rhea Thorn does NOT take shit from no one!! She has been through soo much, but still manages to go through day by day. Alaric is such a strong character that doesn’t stop until he gets what he wants. Despite Rhea being the same & not backing down from anyone, I still love them together & was rooting for them to have their HEA.

Also– the twist at the end?!?! Like WHAT!! I was not expecting that at all!!! I was literally dumbfounded when it came up & had me gasping out loud!

The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5, is because I wish we got MORE of the story. I felt that it was a little short & wished we saw more of Rhea’s past in detail. Other than that, Rachel Leigh did an amazing job with this & I 100% recommend it if you're into dark romance!

**Please read the trigger warnings before deciding to read this**

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much for this ARC, Rachel. This book had me hooked from the first line. It was such a dark, dark romance, and I loved it for that. Oh, and the age gap of 21 years just made the book so much hotter!

The story follows Rhea and Alaric. Alaric is utterly obsessed with Rhea from the moment he sees her, even when she is completely unbeknownst that she had a stalker at that point. Rhea had always lived life on the run with her mother, to be safe away from her father. He had an extremely unconventional childhood due to this, and being a thief and criminal overtook her life until she decided she just wanted to be her again.

Rhea then settles into a small town to try and find her way, but Alaric follows her there and finally makes his presence known after months of watching her. Alaric believes that he loves Rhea unconditionally and will wait forever so that she will feel the same way, even if he has to play with fate a bit.

For Alaric being a sociopath I sure did love his character, and he came across with so much humanity. All of the scary parts felt like nothing. Alaric is set that they will be together even if Rhea resists at the start.

I loved at the start of the book, where it showed Rhea's past memories and how she overcame life in her childhood with her mother until she was all alone. Rhea definitely had quite a sad life after her mother, but I was so glad to see life being brought back into her as the story progressed.

It was such an easy to read book and captivated me so well that I just didn't want to put it down to stop. I definitely need to see more from Alaric and Rhea.

[Raymie · Rating 4 out of 5]

‼️This is a Dark Romance, check trigger warnings before reading‼️

Rhea has always been on the run with her mom. Now with her mom dead she might be able to settle down. Alaric has been watching Rhea for years and now he might be able to claim her.

I am adding this to the top of my favorite Rachel Leigh book. This is a dark romance with a possessive alpha male. I love Alaric and Rheas relationship. Rheas hates Alaric but she can see him and his possessive nature start to grow on her.

The spice is amazing. There is some spicy scenes that do needs TW (She’s passed out), but they are 🥵🥵🥵

There is a good plot mixed in with the spice that keeps the book going at a good pace.

If you love:
🔺Dark Romance
🔺Touch Her You Die
🔺Stalker
🔺Age Gap
🔺Enemies to Lovers

Genre: Dark Romance
APK: Ebook
Pages: 338
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

Content Warnings: Sexual assault, dubious consent, somnophilia, loss of pregnancy, emotional scars, thoughts of suicide, drug use, graphic murder, obsessive stalking, trauma bonding.

[Marisela M. Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alaric and Rhea story was a roller coaster ride. I was not expecting all the twist and turns. Rhea life was not a happy upbringing. She has suffered from so much loss, trauma and heartache. You see everything she has endured since she lost someone close to her. Alaric always being in the shadow and looking out for her. Even if his form of protection was not conventual. He eventually wins you over as well as Rhea. There’s still danger lurking from the outside. Once you find out who mind was completely blown. It was great to see how they navigate this new found relationship. This story sure had me on my toes. Rachel has done it again and keeping you guessing till the end.

Arc provided for honest review

[freyleyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it’s a solid book it just wasn’t for me

[Anna_Si · Rating 2 out of 5]

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