Vic & Luna: A Silly Little Dark Romance

by Ali Hidalgo

“You know that saying? Don’t judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, or whatever. Same goes for me, baby. Don’t judge a thief by his ability to follow rules.”

Luna is going through her typical nightly routine; return home from work, contemplate her entire existence, masturbate in the shower, and head to bed. As she works through her mundane regimen, she hears a thump, and then another thump. Someone has broken into her apartment, and now he’s coming for her.

Vic is on a job with his brothers, robbing an old apartment in a neglected part of town in search of money for the mysterious organization. He’s preparing to knock out the tenant in the shower when he pulls back the curtain and lays eyes on a creature so beautiful he falls to his knees. Surely she’s a gift from the universe, all for him.

Over the course of the next week, Vic forces himself into Luna’s life in more ways than one, and Luna, quite disturbed with herself, realizes she doesn’t hate it as much as she should. As things start to unravel, questions of honesty, identity, and perspective come into play.

CONTENT WARNING: While this is a lighter dark romance, it is still a dark romance & includes depictions of intense and dangerous situations. This book is not suitable for readers under the age of 18. Please read the trigger warnings below:

- Knife/blood play
- Non/dub con
- Use of weapons: knives and guns
- Killing (on page, quick gunshots)
- Depiction of blood (in both sexual and violent contexts)
- Stalking and nonconsensual surveillance (cameras and phone taps)
- Nonconsensual consumption of bodily fluids (semen)
- Bondage and sexual punishments
- Home break-ins
- Pushing, kicking, and slapping between the MCs
- Domineering MMC
- Explicit sex scenes
- Improper temperature play (intense cold as a punishment)
- Swearing
- Stigmatizing language used to insult the MMC (words such as ‘crazy’, ‘insane’, ‘criminal’…)
- Mild mention of severe illness (malignant bone tumor)
- Death of a parent (off-page, happened before the story)

Genres: Dark Romance, Novella, Romance, Dark, Contemporary, Thriller, Humor

149 pages, Paperback

Published December 10, 2023

About the author

Ali Hidalgo is a small-town kid turned big-city homebody. She spends most days writing about her little romantic fantasies and clinging to her youth, and others reading works from her favorite authors, drinking coffee, and getting home at a reasonable time. Music, sweets, and friends who just get it are amongst her favorite things. The most important thing you should know about her is that she’s very, very grateful that you’ve taken the time to be here. If you're into fun, cute, in-it-for-the-banter-and-romance type reads, consider sticking around!

Reviews

[｡.•*¨*•♬✧maeve ✧♬•*¨*•.｡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️5/5 oh my god?? i honestly had low expectations for this book but i was proven so wrong. vic is the sweetest stalker and while he may be crazy, he’s actually really likable and genuine! i felt the characters really connect and i was hooked the whole time- literally finished it in one sitting!!

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🌶️4.2/5 definitely check the triggers before reading….THIS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE!!!

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dark romance
stalker romance
hidden cameras/phone tap
morally gray
humor
possessive mmc
just lots of questionable acts tbh

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i have to love vic he literally does her dishes and acts normal (while being a little psycho:)) and wants to save her from her situation like he does have good intent!

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i would call this a LIGHT dark romance! great starter:)

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def recommend if you need a quick read!💗

[Ayesha SEMI HIATUS FOR SCHOOL {Jinu’s version} · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
I LOVED VIC SM OMG
LIKE HES SO SWEET AND KIND AND UGHSGSHS
JUST EVERYTHING I DIDNT EXPECT
AND HES SO INFATUATED WITH HER ITS OMG
They are doo cute together and this was a good short read to reach my goodreads goal

[Marylou Menjivar · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!!!! So I am apart of a book club and one of the girls suggested we read Vic and Luna and boy... This book DID NOT disappoint. I was hooked from the very beginning.

Vic is EVERYTHING!!! He’s the stalker proudly marching with his red flags and I am there supporting him.

Luna is such a badass towards the end of the book.

If you’re looking for a short and fun read with all the good TWs then this is for YOU!!!

I can’t wait to receive my paperback so I can go back and annotate!

One of my favorite quotes:

“You must be Mr. Jones,” Vic said as he finally reached us, holding out a hand, his teeth gleaming white. “Victor Caparelli. How did my dick taste?”

DEAD!!!! 🤣😮‍💨 I bet that coffee tasted nice and smooth

5 stars

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was just, well, just 🤔 a crazy man in a mask, stalks our FMC in the best possible way 🌶️ 🔪 add in a boss who thinks she owes him, some other crazy stuff happening and you have a book that keeps you enthralled, makes you smile and go awww! Along with a bit of pain n pleasure, crime and unaliving, what more could you want 🤭😂🙂

[Brianna James211 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well um…

I really liked this one 😃.

HAHAHA

Okay so really! I did absolutely love this book!

It’s a short novella (paperbacks only 134 pages (story wise) and it gets spicy fast haha! I believe like page seven? Yes. Page seven.

Definitely silly haha. It made me giggle multiple times! Vic was absolutely unhinged and we love ourselves some unhinged mmc’s!

Luna was definitely amazing too! I looooved her. (And Ali said Im Luna soooo I have bragging rights!)

If you’re looking for a short, spicy, dark read give this one a shot! And if you enjoy her writing go check out her other book That Bubbling Feeling!

[chloe reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

he calls her his gift come on

[Isabel Portillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Silly, Little Dark Romance indeed....

Vic was so unhinged it was romantic and I loved it.

[ᴍᴀʀᴠ ꨄ · Rating 5 out of 5]

yes this book was amazing
yes I’m obsessed
yes I pictured Vic as Bill Skarsgård
yes I’m baffled by a lot in this book
yes I still loved and enjoyed it
yes he calls her his sweet and greatest gift
yes you should read this book

[BookBabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

It was a fun ol’ time (Not a long involved read).

It is enjoyable if you like dark themes and can enjoy it for what it is (always mind your triggers 🙂).

[Ashleigh Forbes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7ish⭐️

This novella was exactly as the title states, a silly little dark romance. The mmc breaks into her apartment (he’s a thief) & instantly falls in love with her. And I mean like the second he laid eyes on her. He’s ripped, tatted up & so unhinged. But he’s also kinda sweet in a weird golden retriever way😂 this was definitely a funny, fast paced read with lots of spice!

[Kendra Lashea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novella
Stalking
Non & dub con

He is certifiable but also a cinnamon roll ❤️


Intruder/robber cuts up all her toys

“The only thing that will be pulling those sounds from you will be me. No toys, no pillows, not even your own pretty fingers.”



“What the fuck did you do to my coffee?”
Unknown: I came in it :)


“Are you like…certifiably fucking insane?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been assessed.”

[Sophie Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read dark romance often anymore but thus was a HOOT. It's not dark dark but the mmc is kind of fucked up but like also kind of sweet. The best kind of dark romance bf 😂

In real like I could never 😂 but I ate this up.

And for a novella it really just gave a good amount of plot (although not deep) and spice.

[Carly Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the first dark romance i’ve ever read and i fucking loved it😖🩶

[Zoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! I wasn't sure what this was about going into it but I loved it! Great short story. If you like spice, masked men, golden retriever MMC, something that will keep you laughing, then this one is a great read. It's a fun, quick read that I would highly recommend. Will definitely look more into this author.

[Shaeryen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars just because is so ridicoulous that is fun.

It's a short novella, with a good amount of spice but I was kind of confused by the story, I mean, it was not necessary.

[KateKoch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely 5 stars.
In the beginning it was hard for me to follow but from the middle on it was so enjoyable! The end was awesome the tension really good, the love story so good!
I think until now my best quick read!

[Cheyenne Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The humor and spicy scenes in this book were fantastic. Great read but I wanted it to continue on. It felt like it was cut short only 134 pages.
On the other hand I do love how fast Vic and Luna love was just wanted more book to read couldn’t get enough.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved Vic and Luna I laughed so much Vic gives off total golden retriever energy it's so cute

[Sarina Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[❦Bookartbabes❦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly delicious! Devoured in a few hours! I would like one serve of Victor please 🧎🏼‍♀️

[Our Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

crazy fun 🤪

Hilarious. Such a fun and crazy read. Perfect novella. Will have to try other books by this author. Vic & Luna!

[Melissa Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was terrible. I was hoping for a fun, short little book of smut to help me out of my reading slump, but this was just not good in my opinion. If I heard "my little gift" one more time, I would have lost it. Like, it was cute at first, then it just got annoying. And the use of the word "fuck" was way too excessive. Can we not think of another word?? Even the smut wasn't all that great for me and then it just became too mushy and Vic's obsession with Luna was just too much too fast. It made him look desperate which made the character unappealing for me. This one is a hard no for me.

[DMATMOOBILforever · Rating 2 out of 5]

- 2 stars, this was not good. Well, it was so bad that it was kinda funny.
- This book is specially dedicated to the readers who hang somewhere between fluffy romcoms and dark romance books, and to anyone who has ever read a Simon “Ghost” Riley fanfic.
- Ch 1: Oh boy… dildo in the first sentence of the book. What did I get us into?
- Ch 2: omg the insta-love
- Ch 3: omg nooooooo in her milk????? what have I done to us
- Ch 4: I don’t even know what to say
- Ch 11: Dylan’s stealing her pay cheques!!!!
- The dude ||wasn’t even the one owed the money! He just overheard Vic’s brother talking about owing money. What kind of robber would kidnap someone who owes someone else money… it’s unpaid… so they likely DON’T have the money lol||
- Also I think it’s wild that there was so much going on that nobody mentioned the ||blood play at all lmao||

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this spicy, funny, quick read. This was like a cozy romance with dark elements. I absolutely loved the character and relationship development between Vic and Luna. I know this is a standalone but I hope there will be more related books in the future!

[Bozena · Rating 1 out of 5]

vic scares me

[Jennifer Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wtf did I just read.

[Tam tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vic & Luna is a dark romance that just somehow feels cozy. The purpose of this book is very much a disfunctional loves story and on that note Ali Hidalgo succeeded in a very unique way. I can’t say I have ever read a book quite like this. I ZIPLINED through it in under 15 hours.

This book followed the story of our sarcastic, and jaded sour puss of an MFC, Luna. She’s a smart and successful women who isn’t afraid to use her best assets to get ahead, but has found herself emotionally isolated. Early in the story we meet our obsessive stalker of a MMC, Vic as he breaks into Lunas apartment in a ghost mask and instantly decides she is HIS. Vic who has golden retriever like expressiveness, manic emotional instability, and some delicious dark kinks as a dom, becomes one of the most interesting book boyfriends in modern dark romance. Through their journey of navigating this unconventional and objectively dangerous relationship we see the two work together to resolve the biggest challenges in one another’s lives. Will it be enough to make Luna commit?

Some of the things I loved about this book is the easy sentence structure, fast pacing, dense spice, relatable and developed characters and strangely cute mashing of genres. I also really enjoyed the adorable plot twist that changes the way you view Vic and his work relationships drastically. I finished this book within 15 hours. There was ample spice which was creative and intense. I can’t say all of the scenes were my niche but they were still well written. Luna is very relatable and getting to know her was fun. Vic seemed to gain a new layer of complexity consistently throughout the book and by the end you understand him very well and kind of love him even though he’s clearly sick. That adds to the point of genre mashing. Although the themes in this book clearly belong in a dark romance genre, Vic somehow makes this a cozy story. Over all the prose and linguistics were simple yet descriptive enough to paint a picture. I am also very grateful for the apartment maps.

Something I think could improve was simply the sub plot and that is entirely my preference as a reader. I don’t love reading romance where the main plot is romance and the subplot is not super developed. There is a subplot related to Lunas work but I wish that subplot was a tinge more present. That being said it didn’t take away from the experience.

I have already recommended this book to several discord groups, tiktok friends and my sister. It was an easy read and I enjoyed it.

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

line that made me laugh out loud: "Great. I was about to get mur-fucking-dered, and the first thing the cops would see upon entering the scene of the crime would be my eight-inch Johnson."

This book starts and ends in the best way imaginable (the dedication and acknowledgements)

Dedication: "This book is specially dedicated to the readers who hang somewhere between fluffy romcoms and dark romance books, and anyone who has ever read a Simon "Ghost" Riley fanfic.

So, me. She wrote this specially for me. Ok, I haven't read any fanfics, but I am head over heels, hopelessly devoted to a specific Ghost cosplayer online. And when I tell you he is ALL I could picture when I was reading Vic.... *phew* and I am not complaining.

This was a quick read, being that it is a novella, but it has everything you need and want from a full novel- the chemistry between the 2 MCs is FIRE, Luna is quirky and hilarious, and full of sass. Victor is Sexy and dangerous, hilarious, a little bit unhinged, and completely obsessed with the FMC. Good god he is just the perfect book boyfriend. and he loves dogs. sign me up.

The spice was spicy, the tender romantic moments will make you swoon. There is humor and action and it is all just the perfect balance in a short, easy to digest format.

10/10

the most important part: the acknowledgments at the end. which, admittedly, I rarely read. but DO NOT SKIP HERS: an except is below, but the whole thing is just PERFECTION:

"...Dark romance is not a "guidebook" on how to act in real life. It is not a suggestion to go commit crimes and overlook consent. It is a safe, fictional space for people to enjoy their sexuality... and we are worthy of this representation and this community. Be yourself, Reader, and lead on with curiosity, consent, and kindness."

[Nicolle Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You know that saying? Don’t judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, or whatever.”

In this case don't judge a book by its cover.

I loved this book! It was a romcom mixed with a little dark romance.

Luna's apartment gets broken into while she's in the shower.
"Great. I was about to get mur-fucking-dered, and the first thing the cops would see upon entering the scene of the crime would be my eight-inch Johnson."
Instead of being murdered, she brought the robber to his knees, literally. Then her robber destroyed all her toys because he was the only one allowed to bring her please 😂

Vic and his brothers were trying something different by hitting smaller houses, which didn't work out so well for them. Until he saw Luna.
“My dad told me that if we did good things, life would give us little gifts. Karma, I think he meant. And he said that on the hard days, we just had to remember those gifts were coming. I was having a really hard few months, baby. And then you showed up. I saw you, Lu, and I thought, This is it. Finally. It’s her.”

Vic is probably mentally unstable, but ohhh how he loved Luna. ❤️❤️❤️

Then when I found out his job, my heart melted for him even more.

And he got so f*ing giddy when she said she was his girlfriend.

Vic is definitely a top ten book boyfriend!

[Dianna Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vic as MMC: ♾️/5
(the cutest MMC ever, he was so obsessed with her, he cooks food for her, says the cutest shit ever. A guy asked her who she was and she said " I am his girlfriend" for the first time, and then he kept asking his brother to "ask her who she is" just so he could hear her say it again. The first time they kissed, he said "Aww baby, Our first kiss!".....🥹😍...this man couldn't be more perfect if he tried!
and his nickname for her is "my gift"

Luna as FMC:0.001/5
(I have never hated a fictional character more! This bitch kept belittling him, trivializing his feelings.
When he told her about college, she was shocked to know he went to college, when he asked why, she had the audacity to say "bcz you're a fucking idiot", She was the one who slept with a thief who broke into her house and she kept calling him "crazy" and "certifiable"...not as a joke, she was fucking serious! he moved her in into his house bcz her apartment was old and dingy, and that manipulative bitch started arguing with him saying that he was "forced" her to move in, when he asked her if she wanted him , she said no, she almost made him cry!! I absolutely loathe her!!
He was way too good for her ass, he deserved better!

This book would have been % stars if Luna was more appreciative of Vic.