Her Saint

Saint and Sinner Duet #1

by Harmony West

He’s a writer who’s finally found his muse . . . and he’s never letting her go.

Briar

My student is stalking me.

Saint de Haas follows me around campus, to my car, to my house. He insists I’m his muse, no matter how much I object, and he wants to keep me all to himself. So when my date turns up dead, I know whose fingerprints are all over the crime scene.

Saint is smart, but I’m smarter. I’m going to prove he’s stalking me and get him thrown behind bars. And no matter what he says, I’m sure as hell not going to fall for my stalker.

Saint

I’ve finally found my muse, and I’m never letting her go.

But Briar is so busy hiding and running from me, she doesn’t notice how I’m improving her life. I get rid of her loser date who’s hiding a few girlfriends and venereal diseases. I follow her around campus so her boss doesn’t try something worse than groping her in class.

I can make all her dreams come true. Give her anything her heart desires. If she’d just stop running and give in.

She’s my muse, and when I finally make her mine, I’ll be her Saint.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Contemporary, Smut, College, Enemies To Lovers

198 pages, Paperback

First published February 29, 2024

About the author

Harmony West writes dark forbidden romance. She enjoys her love stories with a side of mystery, twists, and spice.

For updates on Harmony West’s latest releases, visit her website at https://www.harmonywestbooks.com/.

Reviews

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 4 out of 5]

SAINT!! Just sky rocketed to number 1 book boyfriend. I swear I was all giddy when reading his pov. If you love any stalker men, this man is top dog. With how much he loves her and obessed over Briar, I was envious of her lol. And Briar girl she had me going BITCH ILL TAKE HIM. she knew saint was stalking her but didn't take it serious really. Until he started doing stuff that made her "stalk" him which made me laugh because he was always one step ahead.

And when she found out his secret she still put up a front. She starting to let down her guard and know he won't hurt her or her family and friends. Like saint baby I'll be your Muse 🥰🥰♥️😈

It ends on a easy Cliffhanger them going to take a trip I'm scared. Because we still have someone else stalking her this woman? Who I think is the sister of the guy saint killed?! I could be wrong.


Safety gang she goes on one date with this guy she takes him home he touches her and she kicks him out because she's thinking about Saint. So nothing else happens.

Tiny om drama, no cheating?, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, no virgins no manwhore (she goes on a date he kills the date ;))

Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶

Slowinsta
Pinning
Primal Play
Masked men
Praise kink
Violence
Death
Mentions of DV
Torture
Dismemberment
No condom
Cliffhange

[Vee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This man really saw her five-star review on his own book and said, ‘Yes, that’s my future obsession.’ He tracks her down, fixates immediately, and somehow makes it feel equal parts romantic, and mildly terrifying. Such a promising setup, but it turned out to be just an okay read for me. It might be more for you though

From the summary, you know the hero is the heroine’s student, but by chapter two you find out he is way more than that. He is a stalker, a famous writer, older than expected (30), and also on a personal mission to figure out who the heroine is and why she likes his books. This man is busy!

When the heroine realised she had a stalker, she reacted way differently than I expected. She was standoffish, irritated, and not swooning over his good looks (only a little bit). She was trying to keep it professional, as he was her student and she was his professor (ethics, blah blah). I was honestly so surprised by how argumentative she was. It wasn’t how my past stalker romance had gone.

She was constantly at war with him, trying to keep her distance, and he…was just happy to be near her. I got completely sucked into their relationship, mostly because of him. To the hero, she was the centre of his world. Nothing else mattered, and his obsession was all-consuming. It made him spill all his darkest secrets with zero filter. I think that’s why I stuck with this book for so long.

Besides the characters, the plot could be frustrating. She started questioning if the hero/her student and this famous author could be the same person. She didn’t know for sure because the author wore a mask at all public events to stay anonymous (a little weird). However, her best friend said she worked for this author (never mentioned a mask) after she met him at a coffee shop. So really, all she had to do was show a picture of her student and ask if it was him. Simple, why are we complicating this…

I think if you’re into the kinks in this book and her mix of disdain and attraction, you’d enjoy this. For me, though, I’m good. I don’t need to know what happens in book two. Something about reading them fight even more while stuck in this “situation-ship” just doesn’t sound like fun.

[↬ Ⓛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Are you trying to steal my identity or something?”
“Only your heart, muse.”

[elizabeth rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 3 words: Stalker 🔪 Spice 🥵 Triggers 🌶
Need I say more?!

[Julie R · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whoever reviewed this shit and said the spice was unholiness has never read a real dark romance in their life.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I legit should have DNF'd at 60%.

This was sooo cringe and if I read one more book where the fmc humps a pillow to get off I'm gonna lose it. 🙃

Idk why I kept going honestly. Some reviews really sounded good but this was just absolutely unhinged and I despised both characters.

-dark romance
-novella
-stalker
-serial killer
-professor x student
-he's an author

[Rina Ryel · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, envision this: you pick up a book, immerse yourself in its pages, and suddenly, it feels like déjà vu slaps you right across the face. That’s essentially the vibe I got from 'Her Saint'. It's like the diet version of "Haunting Adeline," with all the familiar flavors but none of the substance.

Let’s dissect it. Our protagonist lives alone, surrounded by books (can relate), with only one close friend who shares her love for the written word. Sounds cozy, right? Well, things take a turn when she realizes she’s got a stalker. But hold up, this stalker isn’t your average creep. Nope, he’s handsome and loaded, because apparently, that makes it less creepy(?).
Sound familiar? That's because it's a carbon copy of Adeline's setup.

So, what’s a girl to do when she’s being pursued by a rich, handsome stalker? Well, decide it's a perfect time to end her dry spell and have a one-night stand with a stranger, of course! But even that doesn’t go smoothly because, surprise surprise, she can’t stop thinking about her stalker and kicks Mr. One-Night-Stand to the curb. And guess what? Stalker boy doesn’t take too kindly to someone touching what he thinks is his property, so he goes ahead and... well, let’s just say things escalate quickly. Cue the stalker's jealous rage and a dash of murder for good measure. And guess what? The not-so-lucky one-night stand also turns out to be a criminal looking for new victims. So Mr. Stalker just saves her ass, of course, and leaves her a surprise souvenir on her porch.

Now, if all of this sounds eerily familiar, that’s because it is. As mentioned before, 'Her Saint' is basically 'Haunting Adeline' on a crash diet, with the plot trimmed down to its bare bones. Stalker breaking in and watching from the shadows, check. Creepy confessions, check. Obsession spiraling out of control, double check. Basically the whole shebang. Also, be ready, because the stalker's got a tragic backstory, because of course he does. And wouldn't you know it, our girl falls head over heels for him (but would never admit it). Why? Because he's her favorite author, naturally (shocker, I know. We only know this from page one).

But hey, credit where it’s due, 'Her Saint' is a quick read. At just barely 200 pages, it’s like a rollercoaster ride that’s over before you know it. The writing flows, the suspense keeps you hooked, but let’s be real, it’s nothing groundbreaking. It’s like going on a weekend getaway to a place you’ve been to a dozen times before – familiar and comfortable, but not exactly thrilling.

So, did I finish it? Sure did, in record time. Was it gripping? Kinda. Will I read the 2nd part? Sure will. But let's be real, it's like reheated leftovers. Tasty enough for a quick bite, but now I'm craving the original dish. So no surprise that I found myself itching to revisit the 'Haunting Adeline' series.

[nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you search for the word obsessed in the Oxford dictionary, you'll find Saint De Haas' name underneath it. Obsession is honestly an understatement to describe the way Saint is with Briar. He was perfect. He's everything I want in a man irl - save for the murder and stalking part😂 I loved how mouthy Briar was and tbh I adored her fighting spirit. Now, I can understand that her character might be annoying to some since she constantly pushed Saint away despite him proving his devotion time and time again, but I didn't mind🤷🏻‍♀️ Overall, a great read and I can't wait to dive into the next book!

safety squad:
- no OW drama
- no cheating/sharing
- slight OM drama (h goes out on a date with OM, takes him home but stops before anything happens because she's not feeling it with him. H ends up killing OM. OM's a bad person and a sex trafficker btw - he has multiple gfs that he drugs and sells)
- BOY OBSESSED (yes, I wrote it in capital letters because Saint is so far gone for Briar. He keeps calling her Briar De Haas😩🤭)
- no manwhores
- both MCs are experienced (h has been celibate for a year, no info on H but def hasn't been with anyone since he laid eyes on the h)
- masked man kink, kidnapping kink
- stalker romance
- cliffhanger, book 1 of a duet

[ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The spice is UNHOLINESS 🥵🥵🥵🥵

[Anastasia]

DNF: the story is good but the dialog is cringy and immature.

[Kimberlylovesreadingbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4, Good ✨ 🎀
This is the second Saint I have read that I have fallen in love with 😭✨.

I love a good stalker who isn't boring but is actually funny 🤣. He already calls her cat his 🤭🤣.

The fmc, Briar reminds me of that One Direction song "She's Not Afraid". 🤭

"She's not afraid of scary movies,
She likes the way we kiss in the dark,
How come she's so afraid of falling in
Love"

But you know daddy issues can do that to a person especially if you catch your father with his side piece in the bathroom 💀😶😭.

She should have just combined the two books instead of a duet 🤷🏾‍♀️

[monica ✨ romantasyreader]

I waited to dnf this until I got to the smut to see if it was worth it. It was not.

[Melany · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up due to Goodreads

I loved this! Was quickly paced, so I stayed intrigued by it. The FMC was wonderful and messy but fun. I found the FMCs bestie hilarious and relatable. I LOVED Saint. 🔥🥵 I mean minus the illegal bits lmao but if you're into touch her and ☠️ vibes. Then this is the MMC for you!!! The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger but definitely makes you want to throw yourself into book 2. All around, a great read!

[Sam (samantha_sahm_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
4 🌶️

Do you like masked men, stalkers that would do anything to keep you safe, someone that will get on their knees for you? This book has it covered!

In this book we follow Briar who is a teacher at a college for writing when one of her students decides she is his muse and he will stop at nothing to make sure they are together and that she is safe.

I loveeee this book! I have had the pleasure of reading all of Harmony’s work and I think this one is my favorite. Saint is just the perfect dark romance boyfriend ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

I received this as an arc in exchange for my honest review

[alli☀️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 ☆
I found the fmc pretty dumb when it came to her murderous, stalking student. She was “scared” of him, but also wanted to have sex with him. She didn't even lock her windows😑. C'mon now.

“But when I nudge a window, I shake my head. Getting in her house shouldn't be this easy. A simple matter of popping off the screen and sliding the window up.
I grit my teeth. Doesn't she know there are deranged people who could hurt her? The least she can do is lock her windows.
Unless this is her way of inviting me in.”

• Masked mmc
• Stalker
• Touch her & 💀
• Professor (fmc) x Student (mmc)
• Anonymous author (she is his muse)

They didn't have any chemistry besides sexual. I mean the fmc was ready to fall in love with him at exactly 3% (I checked). I didn't have a problem with that because I am only reading this to try and get me out of a reading slump, but I know a lot of people wouldn't like that.

Also, this does not need to be a duet. This could easily be 1 book because this book was only 200 pages. This book didn't even really end off on a cliffhanger.

"What have I told you, Briar? You're my muse. Where you go, I follow. What you need, I give. What you crave, I provide. I am yours to use as you see fit. To fulfill all your desires. And you are my inspiration. You are the pen that writes my words. The body that owns my cock. The laugh that owns my heart. The mind that owns my soul." That was sweet… except for the co🍆 part. That made me cringe. Actually, I got a lot of second-hand embarrassment from this. Mainly from the fmc. She would say and do the most cover your eyes and stop reading crap. Especially whenever she ofc moaned his name while masturbating😃 and he was watching because ofc he placed cameras in her house like the little stalker he is😭.

Sometimes I found myself lost in what was going on or the writing got a little confusing to me. Overall I found myself entertained. I probably will never think of this book again. I thought the spice wasn't too bad. However, there was a situation where it wasn't exactly consensual (oral). It was glossed over and the fmc didn't get “that mad” I guess. But still made me feel a little icky.

“Saint lets me leave with one final promise. ‘No one will ever keep me from you, muse. Including you. Even if you broke my legs, I would crawl to you.’"

[kaleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book sounded like I something I would love (dark romance and it’s safe on the MMC’s side) but I did not vibe with this😭😭 I don’t know if I read this at the wrong time (probably did because I’m in my fanfic era right now), but with the insta love I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

Safety:
• no V, both experienced
• little to no detail on H’s past but he never sleeps with the same woman more than once and only does hookups
• no OW drama
• h celibate 1 year, H celibate at least since first seeing the h
• OM- h goes on a date with OM and takes him back home to sleep with him but doesn’t go through with it. The OM kisses her neck and touches her thighs, but as far as I remember that is as far as things go. She kicked him out because she wasn’t feeling it. OM is not a great person though (which she finds out later)
• unwanted OM- a professor/ colleague at the college gropes the h but she is disgusted by him and it’s unwanted

[Xanny Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❝ She is mine, to have and to hold, from this day forward. ’Til death do us part. And even in death, I won’t let the universe take her from me. ❞

Her Saint by Harmony West is the kind of dark, obsessive romance that crawls under your skin and refuses to leave.

He’s an author hiding behind a pen name; she’s a literature professor completely addicted to his words, never realizing the man sitting in her classroom is the one who’s been watching her for months. Saint de Haas is looking for a muse and he decides Briar Shea will be it. She’s not just inspiration; she’s possession.

Of course, there’s always that one best friend who insists on a dating app “just to have fun.” And yes, Briar actually goes. She brings the guy home. Almost sleeps with him. Almost.
And then Saint finds out, and the date doesn’t walk away.

Saint carries her picture in his wallet. Her face is his phone wallpaper. He’s memorized her driver’s-license number and secretly buys every book on her wishlist. His devotion is terrifying, beautiful, and completely unhinged.

When Briar finally discovers who he really i, her favorite author, her stalker, her savior, it happens only because she breaks into his house, returning every invasion of privacy he’s ever committed. And when they finally give in, it’s explosive, inevitable, and everything the slow burn promised.

I loved how unapologetically obsessed this man is, utterly consumed, completely feral. My only frustration? How long she resists him. We know where this is going, and the tension nearly killed me.

Harmony West gives a story that’s equal parts horror and desire, a study in obsession, possession, and the blurred line between protection and control. It’s dangerous, seductive, and impossible to put down.

If you like your dark romance with masks, murder, and devotion that borders on madness, this one’s a must.

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

[Allia Reads (semi hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What have I told you, Briar? You’re my muse. Where you go, I follow. What you need, I give. What you crave, I provide. I am yours to use as you see fit. To fulfill all your desires. And you are my inspiration. You are the pen that writes my words. The body that owns my cock. The laugh that owns my heart. The mind that owns my soul.”🤭🤭

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 ⭐️

[mm_smut_reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 10%

I'm sorry but a 30+ author having a writer block because ONE anonymous person gave him a negative review after years of only great reviews from his fans, it's stupid.
Have you ever been to an Italian college? During any exam the professor tells you you're stupid and asks you what are you even doing it that college. If a grown up man can't even stomach a critique, what about a college student? Should we all unalive yourselves?

Jesus.

Even more, I can't stand that in the second chapter the FMC comes to work in a beautiful dress and the first thing he thought was:"She wants to fuck me, that's why she's dressed like that"
Wtf man, get a life.

[kase · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly almost skipped this over because they use college student in the description. But that deceiving, it’s a masters program and the MMC is like in his 30s. So if you’re like me and don’t like reading about college children being masked murdering stalkers, don’t worry! This isn’t that lol

If probably doesn’t need to be a duet other than to sell more books but whatever it’s a short and good read and not quite as dark as other stalker romances.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one fell flat for me unfortunately. In dark romances, there has to be some serious chemistry and some depth to the characters to make the story believable. The couple in this book had no spark for me and I felt like both of them had interests not personalities.

Settings and secondary characters were hardly touched on which contributed to the one dimensional feel

[Mysti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had everything I could want....except sex. Had the author added that - it would have been 5-stars.

"You are my inspiration, Briar. You are the ink in my pen, the words on my page, the voice in my head, the name tattooed on my heart."

Briar Shea is as jaded as they come thanks to her daddy issues. She's content with her teaching assistant job for creative writing-ish. She's just biding her time until the professor retires, and she can hopefully take his place. She has an amazing cat, Cookie, and a freaking incredible BFF, Mack. Things are fine until she starts suspecting a student in her class is actually stalking her.

Saint de Haas has found the woman who completes him. Now he just has to convince her that she belongs with him. There is no line he won't cross to prove his love. You call it stalking? He calls is devotion. While Saint readily admits he's Briar's biggest fan, there's someone else out there who might be a fan of hers also.

Saint starts to work his way into Briar's life, and he eventually convinces her to stay at his home for a "writers retreat" where he plans to make her fall in love. What could possibly go wrong? 
 

"You’re my muse. Where you go, I follow. What you need, I give. What you crave, I provide...... You are the pen that writes my words. The body that owns my cock. The laugh that owns my heart. The mind that owns my soul."

BRIAR: I think I've finally found an FMC who is as cynical as I am. Briar doesn't believe in love, and she pushes everyone away. That said - she's also really funny. This book made me laugh so many times! It reminds me a lot of Lights Out - one of the best books ever written.

SAINT: If we could all have a man who is as enamored as Saint is with B, then we would all be happy women. I love him. I also love that he owns every single unhinged and illegal thing he does. Worship isn't a strong enough word to describe how he feels for his muse. Insert my heavy sigh here.

MACK: She deserves her own mention. I absolutely LOVE her. She's the BFF that will help you bury the body - no questions asked. She's like my bestie, Ms. Dess.

SEX: This is where we hit a snag. 96%. For some insane reason, Harmony West decided our couple didn't need to have sex until the 96% mark. I can't stress this enough... WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK?!?! I seriously nearly died. If you know me at all, you know I feel sex is an incredibly important part of our MCs relationship. To wait that freaking long was just dumb. Like I said - if the author had given us sex at even the 70% mark, it would have been an easy 5-star book.

THE NEXT BOOK: This doesn't end on a cliffy, but you still want more. I honestly loved this duo.

Highly recommend, even without the sex.

[Kate V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Saint was everything I love about stalker romances and Saint was the perfect stalker book boyfriend. Struck with writers block, Saint finds his muse again in Briar.

���Give me a kiss, and I’ll write you a chapter. Wrap that pretty mouth around my cock, and I’ll write you a book.” She grimaces and opens her mouth to vehemently object, but I’m not done. I stroke my thumb down her cheek until it comes to rest on her delicately pointed chin. She doesn’t push me away. “Let me come inside that perfect pussy, and I’ll write you enough books to fill a library.”

Briar is right to push back on Saint but he also has a secret that will change everything for her and when it comes out, well those walls she’s built come crumbling down. Saint isn’t going to let her go and she isn’t sure she wants him to.

“You are my inspiration, Briar. You are the ink in my pen, the words on my page, the voice in my head, the name tattooed on my heart.” He steps close again, and this time, I don’t have a weapon to aim at his head. “That’s why I can’t let anyone else have you. You belong to me now.”

This was so deliciously filthy and I loved Saint and his complete devotion to Briar. COMPLETE DEVOTION. Briar was a good character but Saint really stole the show. This ends on a mild cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the rest of their story.

[Smutty Books Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

!! Review for completed duet (spoiler free) !!

“Show me how much you love getting f-cked by me. Squeeze that p-ssy on my c-ck.”

Briar has a student stalking her who is in her writing program and insists that she is his muse. She refuses to let him engage with her, or tries to, because she’s his professor and she has a strange pull to him that she doesn’t want to explore. But circumstances occur where she can’t avoid him and that is just the ‘in’ he needs to convince her that they’re meant to be together and that no one else will touch what is his.

“Don’t worry about fitting it all in your pretty little mouth…just swallow what you can.”

“She is more important than any of my wants or needs. I would gladly stop breathing if she needed my oxygen.”

Book Rating: 5/5
Steam/Spice: 4/5
Tropes:
- dark romance
- masked stalker
- serial killer / unhinged MMC
- sassy / strong FMC
- reverse professor / student
- possessive / obsessive hero
- touch her and I’ll unalive you
- secret identity
- dual POV
- breath play / primal play
- gun / knife play

“She screams out for me, not for a god. She may be my muse, but I am her deity.”

Final Thoughts: I am obsessed with Saint and Briar’s relationship and the push & pull between them. I loved that while this was a professor / student trope, that the FMC was the professor and there was no age gap here, which I loved for this duet. Saint was so deliciously deranged and unhinged for her…I ate it up and when the first book ended, I immediately jumped into book 2. Certain scenes left me on the edge of my seat, others I was fanning myself and the spice continued to heat up and happen more often as the duet progressed. These are my first reads by Harmony West, although all of her others have been sitting on my TBR, now I can’t get enough of her writing and cannot wait to dive into another one of her captivating reads!

[Deliciously Dark Reads || Bookish Taz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possessive, obsessed, and way too good with his words, Saint can stalk me any day. Brair’s living the dark romance girlie’s dream, the spice is sinful and you can bet book two is downloading onto my kindle right now.

[Jessica Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

LISTEN! Harmony can literally do no wrong.

I had the joys of beta reading this for her, and omg I’m obsessed. I tell her every time “this book was my favorite” and it’s never a lie!
Each and every book she releases, will be a favorite!

I loved Briar, first off. She wasn’t a weak FMC, and she also knew exactly what she wanted.
Saint, a man of many words, he can literally read me a recipe book and I’ll swoon over him. lol.
He was so unashamedly obsessed with Briar and I was here 👏🏻 for 👏🏻 it!

The ONLY thing wrong with this story, is that part 2 of the duet isn’t ready for me to devour yet!

[Britney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be quite enjoyable. The fast-paced and entertaining storyline kept me engaged. I was particularly drawn to the main male character due to his assertiveness and determination. Additionally, I have a particular fondness for stalker romances, which added to my interest in the book. Although I wouldn't consider it one of my favorites, as I found it somewhat predictable, I am still eager to continue reading the next book in order to uncover the full story.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 63%

The FMC really bugs me. The author is clearly a confused feminist as they wrote an FMC who mentions old white men and ladies having power and not needing men, but wrote a character whose attracted to her stalker. He does whatever he wants, breaks into her house, touches her, kisses her, puts cameras in her room. And the FMC is like a ditzy “I don’t like this, but I’m so horny so okay” like then shut up about girl power if you like it so much.

Not a dark romance. After I DNF I thought I could skip ahead to smut to redeem the novel and it was not it. Not dark. Stalker romance does not mean dark romance. Even as a stalker romance this isn’t good. He spills his traumatic past to her the first time they have a real conversation.

The dialogue is cringy. This book is just not it. Don’t waste your time if you’re a fan of stalker or dark romance.