What some people call paranoia, I call common sense - that's the only reason I'm still alive.
So far, therapy seems like an expensive way to pretend I'm coping. Spending ten of your most vulnerable years as a crime boss's possession really does a number on your head.
Which is why I'm certain Logan is going to be nothing more than a distraction from my real calling: illegally nursing the city's poorest.
Something about this awkward ex-cop has me curious though - and uncovering his real identity is my new obsession. Even as our secret liaisons become ever more spine-tingling...
But Logan and I are hiding pasts that are slowly conspiring to destroy us both.
CRAVE is a steamy dark romance featuring an independent
FMC and a sensitive, tortured MMC who falls first. This first book in the Stitch Up series will leave you gasping for all the right reasons...
Stevie Carter is an emerging Australian author of dark romance, sci-fi and urban fantasy. Stevie never intended on being an author, and promised herself that the Stitch Up Series would be her only literary works. That promise was promptly broken - other stories within the same universe are trying to claw their way to the front of her mind. "Crave" and the three books that follow were written in bulk, post-breakdown. Stevie doesn't shy away from distressing content and urges you to view the content warnings if you have any known triggers. Stevie is an iced-coffee-addicted pessimist who can be found hoarding notes for future soul-crushing stories, displaying halloween decor year-round, working on her drawing skills and creating cute crafts.
“This woman's death certificate wouldn't be adorned with any of my usual means of killing. If she asked again, "Fucked to pieces" would be her cause of death”
Plot: 5/5 Spice: 3/5
Tropes: - Morally grey - heroes/villains - touch her and die - Badass fmc - Dual POV - Superhero vibes -MF
Crave is book one in Stevie Carters series Stitch Up, and what a wild ride it was from start to finish. I went into this one pretty blind and I’m glad that I did!
It’s hard to explain the complexity of this story without giving anything away but the basic storyline follows Summer (the fmc) who is essentially on the run and in hiding from one of Bedlams biggest and baddest bosses, the Collector.
Insert Logan (the mmc) who is gifted and you get a recipe for disaster.
I loved the whole story line of villains and gifted. It definitely gave me Gotham City vibes when reading about the gangs and Bedlam!
I also loved how both Summer and Logan practically knew that the other was lying throughout their relationship about their extracurricular activities but were both too stubborn to admit to anything and expected the other one to cave. I just wanted to lean through the pages and hang their heads together a few times 😂
I also really enjoyed reading about Summers character and what she had gone through. This book has a lot of things that would be considered triggering to some but I quite liked reading about the confronting topics that Stevie wrote about. We always read about ‘damaged’ fmcs but Stevie makes her fmc seem more real and brutally honest than most of the other ones I’ve read.
This chunky book ends on a cliffhanger so beware! But I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!
For a baby author, Stevie has really nailed this book and she should be proud of this!
*please make sure you read any trigger warnings before reading this*
Crave is the name of a dark and steamy nightclub, the patrons are shady underworld characters, everyone wearing masks, some with suits, to hide their true intent. It's a good 'pick-up joint' and the rooms upstairs are for hot connections.
Summer is a damaged twenty-eight-year-old woman. For the last two years, she has carved a life of freedom in a world where her security is always at risk. Her former boss had her captive for ten years, and the contract was 'forever'. Her escape to life with her home as a fortress, two security guards, no friends just her work. She's a nurse who tells most of what happened to her therapist, but not the truly gory bits. At Crave she's the Unknown Nurse deliberately to hide her identity.
When she stops for a coffee at an out-of-the-way cafe on the highway for her iced coffee fix, she gets the best coffee of her life and meets Logan. He's just the distraction from life she needs. There's a lot about each other they keep from each other. He's gifted, but, is it a curse that could kill her?
This is a large tome with a heavy topic. I thought it began slowly and was confused by the 'nameless' headings in the early chapters. Was the guy who saw our female character running in the bush a 'finder' for her former boss? Then it cuts straight into therapy appointment, the discussion which eluded to her horrific past. It takes a little while to figure out this girl/woman.
The ending of the book leaves many unanswered questions. Her abduction and return to Bedlam is in progress. Logan met her at Crave before she was taken away. Does he survive her obsessive abductor's henchmen? Will she survive the four-month contract she's now on? Will the life she and Logan created live? Is it all too impossible for Summer to cope with?
When I read Crave, I was immediately sucked in and couldn’t properly grasp the concept of how Stevie perfectly painted this amazing sci-fi world and its characters. Not only did I want to be the FMC, sometimes I felt like I actually was there in the moment with how detailed it is. Not one detail made me think this was FICTIONAL.
The further you dive into Crave, the more you believe you really know the characters.
As a debut, I’d definitely say it’s a job well-flipping-done. The way she poured her entire soul into writing is truly phenomenal. Not only did Stevie hide easter eggs which made me gasp aloud when I realised, she made sure everything came full circle – AND THERES STILL MORE BOOKS IN THE SERIES.
The originality of Crave is completely unheard of – but that’s a given. I can’t wait to dive even further into the world that is Crave and uncover more secrets that await.
I received an ARC for this and I am so happy that I did!
I was trying to figure out how to catagorise this, it's not quite paranormal but not quite urban fantasy but what I can tell you its amazing!
First of all the writing is impressive especially for a debut novel. It grips you in which given its over 500 pages is a great start. I love that the book follows a timeline and there are dates at the begining of chaoters to cement that timeline.
Summer is so damaged but trying her hardest to be free and then comes Logan and his arms. It starts with a small argument and iced coffee and just takes off from there.
I loved how patient Logan is with Summer but how she also is with him. The spice was done soo well and at the right times when the couple needed it. This story truly had me gripped and I can't wait for book 2!!
After a few days in my mental blender, I've whipped up my thoughts on Crave by Stevie Carter, and let me tell you, I'm serving up a big ol' plate of LOVE! This book is like a unicorn in a sea of regular horses—totally unique and fabulous. The characters? Oh, they're like Michelangelo crafted them personally. Give me a scarred but still slayin' it female main character any day! And don't even get me started on the sci-fi sprinkle—it's like the cherry on top of this otherworldly sundae.
But wait, there's more! The banter between Summer and her bodyguards? It's like a symphony of sass and wit, and I'm here for it. Stevie didn't just dip her toes into the writing pool; she did a cannonball of epic proportions with this debut novel! Hats off to Stevie for doing such a flipping amazing job!
This book is everything and nothing that you expect.
There are sides to it, and they are woven perfectly. There is a wildly complex story that I have no idea where it is going to go and I have SO MANY questions. Also a cliffhanger!!!!!!!
The other side is an exquisite description of what it is to be broken and build yourself back up stronger than you were before.
Summer is such a wonderful lead, I loved being on this journey with her. The Bodyguards are also strong favourites :)
I strongly suggest you read this as sooooon as possible so you can say you read it before it everyone else did.
This story is super cool. I loved the way that the past of the characters is revealed piece by piece, both of them not knowing exactly who the other is until the end of book one. Each of the main and side characters is likable in their own way even with their shady backgrounds. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing their story continued in book two 🩶🖤
For her debut novel,...Stevie knocked this one out of the universe. I don't normally read dark romance or sci-fi, but this one kept me hooked from the get-go! That cliffhanger might be the death of me...can't wait for book 2.
Alright, so I just finished "Crave" by Stevie Carter, and wow, it's a rollercoaster! It's the first book in the "Stitch Up" series, and trust me, it's a wild ride. I jumped into it without any idea what to expect, and I'm so glad I did!
The story's about this girl, Summer, who's basically on the run from this super scary dude called the Collector. Then there's Logan, who's got these special powers, and together, they're like a recipe for disaster.
I totally got Gotham City vibes from the whole setting with gangs and all. And the dynamic between Summer and Logan? It's so real! They both know they're lying to each other about what they're up to, but neither of them wants to admit it. I just wanted to jump into the book and knock some sense into them!
Summer's character is something else. She's been through a lot, and the book touches on some heavy stuff, but it's handled really well. It's refreshing to see a 'damaged' character portrayed so honestly.
Fair warning, the book ends on a cliffhanger, and it left me dying to know what happens next. For a new author, Stevie Carter has totally nailed it with this book.
When I was reading, I got sucked in so deep. The way Stevie describes this sci-fi world and its characters, I sometimes felt like I was actually there. Everything's so detailed, it's hard to believe it's all fictional.
The deeper you get into the book, the more you feel like you know the characters. For a first book, Stevie's done an amazing job. She's put so much of herself into the writing. There are these cool easter eggs throughout the book that blew my mind when I spotted them. And the best part? There are more books coming in the series!
The originality of Crave is something else. I'm super excited to dive back into this world and uncover more secrets. Trust me, this book is a game-changer in the sci-fi world.
I honestly didn’t expect to fall in love with Crave the way I did. It’s not usually the kind of book I’d pick up. I’ve never really been into sci-fi or superhuman stories but this one completely changed that for me. Now I can say with absolute certainty: if Stevie Carter writes it, I’m reading it. From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The world Stevie creates feels so vivid and alive, filled with tension, emotion, and mystery. The characters are complex and beautifully written it flawed, real, and unforgettable. I found myself completely immersed in their journeys, feeling every moment of fear, hope, and connection right alongside them. The setting is atmospheric and haunting, the secrets slowly unravel in such a satisfying way, and that constant sense of being on edge but never quite falling kept me turning the pages late into the night. There’s a rawness and emotional depth to Stevie’s writing that truly stands out. You can feel the heart that’s gone into every word. This book made me feel. It made me anxious, thrilled, heartbroken, and amazed, sometimes all at once. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t just entertain you; it lingers in your mind long after you’ve closed the last page. And yes, it ends on a cliffhanger (you’ve been warned!) but in the best possible way. I couldn’t stop thinking about it for days afterward. It’s one of those rare books that leaves an imprint on you, the kind you want to talk about with everyone. I also have to mention how lucky I feel to have met Stevie in person, such a warm, kind, and genuine human being. You can tell that same soul shines through in her writing. Five solid stars, without question. Crave is pure magic. It’s emotional, powerful, and unforgettable. I’m already diving into the next in the series, Home, and I know it’s going to be another incredible ride.
I was a beta-reader for Crave and I got to read this gem before it was polished to its final version.
First of all, this story is not the usual story and I really liked the originality of it. I kinda felt comics inspiration – a dark style of adult comics, but transposed into a novel and I really liked this style I had never read anywhere else.
We go in depth into the psyche of the characters and oh boy did they feel real! I could relate so much to what was going on inside the FMC’s head! I loved to get to know the main characters and discover more about their difficult lives and understand them better!
It’s definitely out of the usual urban fantasy and out of the usual dark romance tropes and that was a welcome change! This first book will leave you hanging for the next one and trust me, you’ll want to read them all!
This book took me FOREVER to really get into it. Once I did, I enjoyed it but it all felt long winded. All the lying and secrets became too much. Annoying really. I really annoyed at how things played out and now I'm having to read another book to get closure.
Summer and Logan are a MESS. Complete f^ck ups and all over the place. Some of it was cute and funny. But then over time I was over the back/forth, the lies, hiding their past. All of it.
Was the person in the prologue ever revealed?? I don't think so. Why???
The end of this book really pissed me off. Like all of this just to end up back where you started?? Why???
All the side stories felt like fluff to draw the story out longer. Just to end up how it did. ANNOYED.
But here I go, starting the next book just so I can have closure. ** EYE ROLL**
Our badass FMC Summer has a whole lot of skeletons in her closet and a whole lot of blood on her hands, her trauma is visceral and continuously made my heartache for the tragedy that is her life, forever needing to be on guard, looking over her shoulder, comfort being the enemy. Yet the moments shared with our mysterious MMC Logan never failed to bring a smile to my face, the pair simply the epitome of hot and cute together. I should've known not to get comfortable with the happiness experienced through them, especially during book one of a series. The cliffhanger has left me with questions I desperately need answers for and has my fingers itching to reach for Home, book two in the Stitch Up series.
Complex, 'morally grey' characters that will leave you wanting more.
I enjoyed the multiple viewpoints, of these complex characters and their past traumas that shape them, their thoughts and experiences as an unexpected romance develops. A beautiful blend of fun, humour, passion with pain, misery and dark themes that will send you on an adventure full of a variety of emotions and have you craving more.
I got this book from a “Stuff Your Kindle”, not really expecting much BUT I was pleasantly surprised. My best comparison of this is like if the show the boys had spin off with a romantic but also darker edge. The main character instantly captured my attention as she questioned her worth and morals while doing her best to be “good” despite her be cards she’d been dealt. I can’t wait to read the next one!
even though this took me a little while to get into it, I did end up very much loving it when it got further in. It was also getting a little annoying with all the hiding and back and forth, but it kept drawing me in and wanting to know what was going to happen next. That ending, though. I need book 2 asap.
Read ahead of an author event. Too drawn out for me - I thought about DNFong several times. The underlying idea of the characters was interesting but will not continue with series.
An addictive writing style, amazing banter and clever new universe to explore, with great character development too. Thoroughly enjoyed Crave, and ready to dive into Home.