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Sweet Appraisal
I don't do relationships. Not since my ex-wife set me up to be cavity searched and robbed me blind.
My world is a perfect balance of working and hunting.
There is nothing I love more than the thrill of the kill. I've never been more focused. I've never been more content. Nothing can distract me from my goals and my purpose.
Until her.
A chance encounter with my little neurodivergent fireball has my world spinning off its axis. She looks like easy prey. The men hunting in my club certainly thought so. What they weren't counting on was me lurking in the shadows.
What started as any other kill quickly turned into nothing short of an obsession.
She doesn't know I watch her when she's home alone.
She doesn't know what I am.
Not yet.
She will soon realise that the safest place on earth is in the arms of a killer.
My world is a perfect balance of working and hunting.
There is nothing I love more than the thrill of the kill. I've never been more focused. I've never been more content. Nothing can distract me from my goals and my purpose.
Until her.
A chance encounter with my little neurodivergent fireball has my world spinning off its axis. She looks like easy prey. The men hunting in my club certainly thought so. What they weren't counting on was me lurking in the shadows.
What started as any other kill quickly turned into nothing short of an obsession.
She doesn't know I watch her when she's home alone.
She doesn't know what I am.
Not yet.
She will soon realise that the safest place on earth is in the arms of a killer.
- GenresDark RomanceAudiobook
340 pages, ebook
Published July 8, 2024
About the author
Shauna Richmond
17 books74 followersI began my writing journey in 2016 after suffering a breakdown and having major time off work to recover.
I'm a huge fantasy lover and began my journey as an author writing The Wrath of Raghnall which I later shortened to Raghnall's Wrath (new adult fantasy.)
After the pandemic, I began writing contemporary Rom-Com as I felt like I needed something to laugh at and many of my readers felt the same. Screw it! was born and became a hit with my readers.
I will continue to dapple with different genres though, I doubt I will change to a pen name for any. I am immensely proud of all my books and will continue to put my name to any/all works.
A few things about me:
I speak fluent sarcasm and for those who are easily offended, I'm most definitely not the person you want to be around.
I'm a hot chocolate lover with a healthy obsession with all kinds of romance books and an unhealthy obsession with fictional men *Ahem... Bat-boys.📚
I'm a mother to a beautifully demented little boy with ASD and GDD. He loves nothing more than to cause mischief and stalk away laughing maniacally. When my miniature bond villain isn't leaving a trail of destruction behind him, he can be found doting on our two dogs.
When I'm not busy running around after my son— you can find me curled up with a paperback or Kindle in hand—occasionally the odd Audiobook.
I'm a huge fantasy lover and began my journey as an author writing The Wrath of Raghnall which I later shortened to Raghnall's Wrath (new adult fantasy.)
After the pandemic, I began writing contemporary Rom-Com as I felt like I needed something to laugh at and many of my readers felt the same. Screw it! was born and became a hit with my readers.
I will continue to dapple with different genres though, I doubt I will change to a pen name for any. I am immensely proud of all my books and will continue to put my name to any/all works.
A few things about me:
I speak fluent sarcasm and for those who are easily offended, I'm most definitely not the person you want to be around.
I'm a hot chocolate lover with a healthy obsession with all kinds of romance books and an unhealthy obsession with fictional men *Ahem... Bat-boys.📚
I'm a mother to a beautifully demented little boy with ASD and GDD. He loves nothing more than to cause mischief and stalk away laughing maniacally. When my miniature bond villain isn't leaving a trail of destruction behind him, he can be found doting on our two dogs.
When I'm not busy running around after my son— you can find me curled up with a paperback or Kindle in hand—occasionally the odd Audiobook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 3, 2024
She doesn't know I watch her when she's home alone.
She doesn't know what I am.
Not yet.
She will soon realise that the safest place on earth is in the arms of a killer.
Katie is a survivor, that has experienced so much pain and heartache, Aiden takes care of people that cause pain and heartache. A perfect match! I absolutely loved the neurodivergent rep in this book, it was written in so well.
I resonated with Katie's character so much.
This is a dark read, so please read the Trigger warnings first!
Tropes:
- He falls first
- Neurodivergent rep
- Morally grey MMC
- Multi POV
- Banter
She doesn't know what I am.
Not yet.
She will soon realise that the safest place on earth is in the arms of a killer.
Katie is a survivor, that has experienced so much pain and heartache, Aiden takes care of people that cause pain and heartache. A perfect match! I absolutely loved the neurodivergent rep in this book, it was written in so well.
I resonated with Katie's character so much.
This is a dark read, so please read the Trigger warnings first!
Tropes:
- He falls first
- Neurodivergent rep
- Morally grey MMC
- Multi POV
- Banter
May 4, 2024
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Shauna's work and I've loved every book so far - well this was no exception and I can't explain just how good this was!
My heart was racing at the end and I've had to take a while to calm down before writing this review!.....and I'll admit that just thinking about it now, has me on the edge of my seat again.
Sweet Appraisal is set within the Screw It universe and follows on from Jailbait - and so we find a lot of returning characters here, which I loved!
Having already connected with Craig and Éabha and Joe, it was great to see them popping into this storyline and allowed us to see little snippets of their lives now.
But obviously, this is the glorious AJ's story and who doesn't need a whole load more of AJ in their lives!!?
Having had a relatively tiny glimpse of AJ in the previous books, I was so excited to see him get his own story and couldn't wait to hear more about his backstory as well as seeing him in all his glory (😉), at work, in the present day.
Aiden's (AJ) background and motivations helped to explain the way that his relationship with Katie developed how it did and added credibility to the storyline.
Katie quickly burrowed a hole in my heart and curled up for the duration as we learned more and more about her upbringing, life and struggles. I honestly went through the whole range of emotions with her - tears of heart-break, sorrow, fear, happiness, joy and hilarity all fell! 🤷🏻♀️
Along with Katie, the other new characters introduced here added colour and interest to the storyline - increasing my "need to know more" list by a fair few!!
I've said very little about the content here, purely because I hate spoilers!!
But...take note....
As we'd expect from Shauna's books, there is an abundance of spice!
AJ's work can get pretty graphic and gory at times - so if you're easily (or even somewhat) offended, then maybe give this a miss?
There are also an awful lot of triggers too - all mentioned before you get started!
If however, like me, nothing fazes you - then you're in for the read of your life!
Shauna's writing is exciting and vivid - packed with action and full of characters that, although morally grey (erm......make that almost jet black!), you just can't help loving!
I literally could not put this down - engrossed from the second I started to the last page - I don't think I even blinked or breathed for the last quarter!!
It goes without saying - I loved this so much and can't wait for more - AJ is out there now.....when's the next book coming !? 😉
**this edit is added for the audiobook review**
I couldn't wait to dive into this world again and oh my god, those narrators did the best job at portraying the characters that I've loved from the beginning!
Despite being a re-read, I was just as immersed as the first time and even stayed up till 3am listening.
Such a great read, brilliant characters and now brought even more to life with this audio format.
Loved this so much!!
My heart was racing at the end and I've had to take a while to calm down before writing this review!.....and I'll admit that just thinking about it now, has me on the edge of my seat again.
Sweet Appraisal is set within the Screw It universe and follows on from Jailbait - and so we find a lot of returning characters here, which I loved!
Having already connected with Craig and Éabha and Joe, it was great to see them popping into this storyline and allowed us to see little snippets of their lives now.
But obviously, this is the glorious AJ's story and who doesn't need a whole load more of AJ in their lives!!?
Having had a relatively tiny glimpse of AJ in the previous books, I was so excited to see him get his own story and couldn't wait to hear more about his backstory as well as seeing him in all his glory (😉), at work, in the present day.
Aiden's (AJ) background and motivations helped to explain the way that his relationship with Katie developed how it did and added credibility to the storyline.
Katie quickly burrowed a hole in my heart and curled up for the duration as we learned more and more about her upbringing, life and struggles. I honestly went through the whole range of emotions with her - tears of heart-break, sorrow, fear, happiness, joy and hilarity all fell! 🤷🏻♀️
Along with Katie, the other new characters introduced here added colour and interest to the storyline - increasing my "need to know more" list by a fair few!!
I've said very little about the content here, purely because I hate spoilers!!
But...take note....
As we'd expect from Shauna's books, there is an abundance of spice!
AJ's work can get pretty graphic and gory at times - so if you're easily (or even somewhat) offended, then maybe give this a miss?
There are also an awful lot of triggers too - all mentioned before you get started!
If however, like me, nothing fazes you - then you're in for the read of your life!
Shauna's writing is exciting and vivid - packed with action and full of characters that, although morally grey (erm......make that almost jet black!), you just can't help loving!
I literally could not put this down - engrossed from the second I started to the last page - I don't think I even blinked or breathed for the last quarter!!
It goes without saying - I loved this so much and can't wait for more - AJ is out there now.....when's the next book coming !? 😉
**this edit is added for the audiobook review**
I couldn't wait to dive into this world again and oh my god, those narrators did the best job at portraying the characters that I've loved from the beginning!
Despite being a re-read, I was just as immersed as the first time and even stayed up till 3am listening.
Such a great read, brilliant characters and now brought even more to life with this audio format.
Loved this so much!!
November 27, 2025
I absolutely loved this but and Katie was so relatable to myself,
I loved how there was snippets of books and characters mentioned and quotes of Disney which I always sing randomly so this really made me giggle.
I loved the relationship between aiden and Katie (bug) some parts of the book reminded me of butcher and blackbird and full of spicy scenes and action I loved it
I loved how there was snippets of books and characters mentioned and quotes of Disney which I always sing randomly so this really made me giggle.
I loved the relationship between aiden and Katie (bug) some parts of the book reminded me of butcher and blackbird and full of spicy scenes and action I loved it
February 10, 2025
So I had seen this book all over my For you page on tiktok and I'm so damn happy it was. This book had me in a choke hold!!! I couldn't put this down. For all my dark romance girlies run and get this book!!!! It's on KU Shauna Richmond is amazing, I absolutely love AJ Quinn And Katie!!!! This is a book about a serial killer that is sweet, twisted and obsessed and will do whatever it takes to protect what is his!!! I love Both morally black MMC's Cant wait for the second book to drop in four days!!!!
July 3, 2024
This is my first Shauna Richmond book and to say I loved it is an understatement.
This book had me giggling, cheering and routing for AJ and Katie. AJ is my favourite kind of walking red flag, he knows he’s a red flag and gives zero care. His devotion to Katie is the best kind. “ you don’t seem to grasp the fact when I say you’re fucking beautiful, I mean it with every fibre of my being”
Katie’s character is great, I loved her sense of humour and how she knows herself and what type of men she picks. “I know he’s a walking read flag, I’ve got a knack for picking them now”
The spice does spice * wink*, this is an open door romance book, it is also slightly dark depending on your triggers. Make sure to check the warnings before reading. If you’re like me and they’re a shopping list, you’ll love this!
5/5 ⭐️
4/5 🌶️
May 6, 2024
I received an ARC from the author.
This is my 1st book from this author, and I am happy that I filled out that form 😄.
Wow, I love it when I simply cannot put a book down, and that is exactly what happened.
AJ is my monster superhero... I love how he treats Katie. After all her trauma it is only right that he is by her side.
The overprotective obsessed male. Is he a monster or a knight 🤔? I will let you be the judge of that.
Not for the faint of heart, must-read trigger warnings ⚠️
This is my 1st book from this author, and I am happy that I filled out that form 😄.
Wow, I love it when I simply cannot put a book down, and that is exactly what happened.
AJ is my monster superhero... I love how he treats Katie. After all her trauma it is only right that he is by her side.
The overprotective obsessed male. Is he a monster or a knight 🤔? I will let you be the judge of that.
Not for the faint of heart, must-read trigger warnings ⚠️
May 4, 2024
Where do I start. I absolutely LOVED this book. I read this book as an ARC read.
Katie has suffered through a world of abuse and is now trying to navigate the world as a survivor
Aiden is a deliciously dark serial unaliver, who extinguishes predators from the world, and excels at his job, as well as a millionaire and business owner.
Aiden rescues Katie and her sister Ciara from two men, who have injected them, planning to do unspeakable things to them, and takes them back to his house to recover, before going back to dispose of their unalived bodies.
The next day he drives Katie home and installs security cameras at her house to make sure she’s protected, whilst being able to monitor her from his phone, and his infatuation starts.
He understands that she has been through some very traumatic situations and wants to care for her, protect her and love her, and show her how incredible she is
Their relationship quickly blossoms, but danger is always around the corner, and things get very intense, very quickly, and his need to protect her becomes even more important. Lots of people disappear along the way in his mission to keep her safe, and she gets a taste of his dark and depraved life, and decides to get revenge on her past abusers
This book was very emotional. It’s funny, intense, heartbreaking, and heartwarming, and I loved every second of it
Katie has suffered through a world of abuse and is now trying to navigate the world as a survivor
Aiden is a deliciously dark serial unaliver, who extinguishes predators from the world, and excels at his job, as well as a millionaire and business owner.
Aiden rescues Katie and her sister Ciara from two men, who have injected them, planning to do unspeakable things to them, and takes them back to his house to recover, before going back to dispose of their unalived bodies.
The next day he drives Katie home and installs security cameras at her house to make sure she’s protected, whilst being able to monitor her from his phone, and his infatuation starts.
He understands that she has been through some very traumatic situations and wants to care for her, protect her and love her, and show her how incredible she is
Their relationship quickly blossoms, but danger is always around the corner, and things get very intense, very quickly, and his need to protect her becomes even more important. Lots of people disappear along the way in his mission to keep her safe, and she gets a taste of his dark and depraved life, and decides to get revenge on her past abusers
This book was very emotional. It’s funny, intense, heartbreaking, and heartwarming, and I loved every second of it
May 8, 2026
When the author reached out to listen to her book on audible it was an absolute no brainer as from the blurb I knew this book was going to be a bit of me. An overprotective unhinged man that is only soft for the FMC, ehm absolutely yes and it doesn’t hurt either that the FMC is named Katie 👀
Aiden is absolutely chaotic and character with a dark sense of humor, his main goal is to rid the world of unsavoury men so to speak. He absolutely does not hesitate to protect those he cares about and our FMC Katie falls into the category after he witnesses and altercation one evening and steps in.
Katie, oh my sweet how I wanted to jump between the pages and hug her at times😭. Katie is autistic, has ADHD and on top of this has a lot of trauma. When we meet Katie we see that she is trying to gain back her life, she is creating an environment that allows her to put herself back together again. I loved how this book focused on Katie’s healing journey as a characters trauma can be overlooked quite a bit in some books I have read. Aiden assists her on this journey also and while his ways of helping at times can be a little bl••dy, he has a good heart when it comes to Katie.
Aiden has quite a lot of enemies due to the life that he lives and when he makes it quite known that Katie is his woman, his enemies come knocking but Aiden will stop at nothing to ensure his woman is safe and protected.
This is the first I have read/listened to Shauna’s work and it most certainly be the last. I would highly recommend the audiobook of this story as the narrators Gary Furlong and Kay Lennox do such an amazing job at bringing Aiden and Katie to life. Please do check your TWs before diving in as this book does deal with sensitive topics.
Thank you so much to the author who provided this book for my honest thoughts 💭
July 13, 2024
This book was so much fun.
Yes, there’s a lot of blood and gore and violence, but in between all that there was hilarious banter, unabashed flirting and spice, and so much love and loyalty and caring!
Katie, our FMC, is a neurodiverse wall flower with a traumatic history. This doesn’t dull her quick wit and sharp tongue, but she really just wants a quiet life with her guinea pigs. After a reluctant night on the town with her sister, she falls head first into the underworld of Dublin. She’s feisty, she’s loyal and she bites! What’s not to love??
Aiden/AJ, our MMC, is a billionaire playboy philanthropist who just so happens to be a serial killer, taking out the scum of the city for a pretty fee. His life is unexpectedly turned on its head when he saves Katie from a horrific fate. He’s fierce, he’s dangerous and he’s besotted.
This has aaall the tropes - morally gray love interest, he falls first, grumpy sunshine, rags to riches, and Richmond weaves them so well into this wild ride!
While I’m not overly fond of the possessive male, AJ is an excellent MMC to get behind (or under…) and his devotion to Katie just oozes from the pages. Boy is hooked, and Katie doesn’t even know how she done it! He’s careful with her trauma, accepting of her neurodiversity and encouraging in all the right ways.
I love the banter between the two characters, the way they so effortlessly compliment each other and that they grow and evolve with each other.
This is immensely fun, and I will definitely be picking up more Richmond in the future!!
Yes, there’s a lot of blood and gore and violence, but in between all that there was hilarious banter, unabashed flirting and spice, and so much love and loyalty and caring!
Katie, our FMC, is a neurodiverse wall flower with a traumatic history. This doesn’t dull her quick wit and sharp tongue, but she really just wants a quiet life with her guinea pigs. After a reluctant night on the town with her sister, she falls head first into the underworld of Dublin. She’s feisty, she’s loyal and she bites! What’s not to love??
Aiden/AJ, our MMC, is a billionaire playboy philanthropist who just so happens to be a serial killer, taking out the scum of the city for a pretty fee. His life is unexpectedly turned on its head when he saves Katie from a horrific fate. He’s fierce, he’s dangerous and he’s besotted.
This has aaall the tropes - morally gray love interest, he falls first, grumpy sunshine, rags to riches, and Richmond weaves them so well into this wild ride!
While I’m not overly fond of the possessive male, AJ is an excellent MMC to get behind (or under…) and his devotion to Katie just oozes from the pages. Boy is hooked, and Katie doesn’t even know how she done it! He’s careful with her trauma, accepting of her neurodiversity and encouraging in all the right ways.
I love the banter between the two characters, the way they so effortlessly compliment each other and that they grow and evolve with each other.
This is immensely fun, and I will definitely be picking up more Richmond in the future!!
February 28, 2026
This book has caused me to develop color blindness because the MMC, Aiden, is obviously a walking red flag, but the things he does for the FMC, Katie, have me only seeing green.
In a way, Aiden makes me think of a chaotic Dexter. He does not hurt women and children, but he will violently eliminate the men who do. He has an insane and dark sense of humor and protects those he loves with everything he has.
Katie is Autistic, has ADHD, and has a whole ton of trauma from her childhood and young adult life. She is working on putting herself back together and creating a life where she can be comfortable and successful. Katie meets Aiden because she and her sister become targets of two gross men at Aiden's club. Aiden happens to notice that the women seem drugged and followsed them to find Katie fighting. From then on, he becomes obsessed with her and her fight and begins to notice that there may be a darkness in her that fits with the darkness in him.
Aiden's lifestyle has caused him to have many enemies, and now that he has claimed Katie as his, he has a weakness. Everyone will see how brutally he will defend what is his if anyone dares to touch her or his family.
In a way, Aiden makes me think of a chaotic Dexter. He does not hurt women and children, but he will violently eliminate the men who do. He has an insane and dark sense of humor and protects those he loves with everything he has.
Katie is Autistic, has ADHD, and has a whole ton of trauma from her childhood and young adult life. She is working on putting herself back together and creating a life where she can be comfortable and successful. Katie meets Aiden because she and her sister become targets of two gross men at Aiden's club. Aiden happens to notice that the women seem drugged and followsed them to find Katie fighting. From then on, he becomes obsessed with her and her fight and begins to notice that there may be a darkness in her that fits with the darkness in him.
Aiden's lifestyle has caused him to have many enemies, and now that he has claimed Katie as his, he has a weakness. Everyone will see how brutally he will defend what is his if anyone dares to touch her or his family.
May 18, 2024
What a wild ride... literally! ;) If you know, you know!
This story is told through multi-POV's which I love. I enjoy immersing myself in the worlds the author creates and this was no exception. Aiden has been a firm fave of mine since he popped up in a previous book and I am so happy he got to have his own book and share it with someone so deserving. While a morally grey walking red flag he did follow a code and was actually someone to root for. His deeds were reasonable in the circumstances.
Katie was such a relatable female lead: sensitive and quiet yet had a strong fiery side. I enjoyed seeing her take control of her own life to create a future that, while not erasing her traumatic past, helped her deal with what had happened to her. The ADHD/Autism and trauma rep was much appreciated and I felt it was handled sensitively and was well-written.
This book has a hefty dose of spice, witty banter and charm. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Richmond.
(Also, read Trigger warnings to ensure this book is for you!)
This story is told through multi-POV's which I love. I enjoy immersing myself in the worlds the author creates and this was no exception. Aiden has been a firm fave of mine since he popped up in a previous book and I am so happy he got to have his own book and share it with someone so deserving. While a morally grey walking red flag he did follow a code and was actually someone to root for. His deeds were reasonable in the circumstances.
Katie was such a relatable female lead: sensitive and quiet yet had a strong fiery side. I enjoyed seeing her take control of her own life to create a future that, while not erasing her traumatic past, helped her deal with what had happened to her. The ADHD/Autism and trauma rep was much appreciated and I felt it was handled sensitively and was well-written.
This book has a hefty dose of spice, witty banter and charm. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Richmond.
(Also, read Trigger warnings to ensure this book is for you!)
June 13, 2024
Thank you, Shauna, for sending me an ARC copy.
⚠️There are lots of TW at the beginning, so please read these.⚠️
What a book!! This isn't Shaunas' normal writing style, but boy, she did good, and I want more.
Katie and Aidens' story is dark but beautiful if that can even be a thing. Their worlds are totally different , but they are a match made in heaven.
It was nice having the characters from the ' Screw It' series in there as well. If you haven't read this series, it might be worth reading it first but not compulsory.
I couldn't put this book down. I just had to keep reading to find out what happens.
I need more!! And definitely more Aiden Quinn!!! He definitely is a book boyfriend ❤️
⚠️There are lots of TW at the beginning, so please read these.⚠️
What a book!! This isn't Shaunas' normal writing style, but boy, she did good, and I want more.
Katie and Aidens' story is dark but beautiful if that can even be a thing. Their worlds are totally different , but they are a match made in heaven.
It was nice having the characters from the ' Screw It' series in there as well. If you haven't read this series, it might be worth reading it first but not compulsory.
I couldn't put this book down. I just had to keep reading to find out what happens.
I need more!! And definitely more Aiden Quinn!!! He definitely is a book boyfriend ❤️
May 6, 2024
Great Book!! This book goes beyond good girl meets obsessive bad boy and took me on a wild ride! Aiden is everything you want in an obsessive, sexy, slightly deranged book boyfriend. Katie is a good girl with a traumatic past, some disorders that makes her deem herself as “damaged”, and when she meets Aiden she is in way over her head. Their journey takes you on a dark ride with a lot of steamy times and a whole lot of violence, twists and turns. The book had me guessing right up until the end!
July 23, 2024
I have been in the WORST book slump all summer and really needed a book to get me out of it. This was my first book by Shauna Richmond and let me just say, I got about halfway through before adding it to “MY FAVES” list which is strictly for books I would immediately get a physical copy for and absolutely DEVOURED. It got me out of the slump!
I loved the blurb on it, but Shauna blew all expectations out of the water. It was probably the most intense rollercoaster of a read I’ve had yet! Her writing style in this book was extremely smooth given all the plot twists, characters, multi POVS and the spice alone made it a 5 star read! I really enjoyed the multi POV because as the storyline continues, you get to see things unfold from different characters perspectives and see how they’re all connected in different ways. She did this PERFECTLY and really gave the storyline depth that you don’t see in dark romances.
Katie was the BEST FMC. She’s been through so much, endured a lot and have found everything she deserved and be loved by in Aiden. She surprised me throughout the book and is probably my favorite FMC yet. Such a badass female with so much sass. But AIDEN THOUGH?! He was past morally gray and red flags standards. I was absolutely in love with how crazy and psychotic he got! He loved Katie and would kill for her, burn the whole world down and more to make sure she was safe, loved for and knew how special she was. Their love story was one for the ages. By far one of my top reads of 2024!!!
I loved the blurb on it, but Shauna blew all expectations out of the water. It was probably the most intense rollercoaster of a read I’ve had yet! Her writing style in this book was extremely smooth given all the plot twists, characters, multi POVS and the spice alone made it a 5 star read! I really enjoyed the multi POV because as the storyline continues, you get to see things unfold from different characters perspectives and see how they’re all connected in different ways. She did this PERFECTLY and really gave the storyline depth that you don’t see in dark romances.
Katie was the BEST FMC. She’s been through so much, endured a lot and have found everything she deserved and be loved by in Aiden. She surprised me throughout the book and is probably my favorite FMC yet. Such a badass female with so much sass. But AIDEN THOUGH?! He was past morally gray and red flags standards. I was absolutely in love with how crazy and psychotic he got! He loved Katie and would kill for her, burn the whole world down and more to make sure she was safe, loved for and knew how special she was. Their love story was one for the ages. By far one of my top reads of 2024!!!
December 16, 2024
Honestly I wish I could give it more stars and it still wouldn't be enough to express how much I loved this book!
Its dark, it's delicious, it's spicy, it's gorey, it's hilarious, it's just *chefs kiss* perfection.
Badass, neurodivergent FMC who refused to let her trauma break her meets vigilante MMC who breaks people that cause trauma and sparks fly.
The writing is fast paced, engaging and spectacular which makes it a hard book to put down.
I loved how both MCs minds work and fell in love with both of them so quickly and they both had me cackling more times than I can remember.
Amazing piece of work and I can't wait to read more!
Its dark, it's delicious, it's spicy, it's gorey, it's hilarious, it's just *chefs kiss* perfection.
Badass, neurodivergent FMC who refused to let her trauma break her meets vigilante MMC who breaks people that cause trauma and sparks fly.
The writing is fast paced, engaging and spectacular which makes it a hard book to put down.
I loved how both MCs minds work and fell in love with both of them so quickly and they both had me cackling more times than I can remember.
Amazing piece of work and I can't wait to read more!
May 2, 2024
So I am fairly new to this authors work however. What I book to star one. Within the first couple of chapters I had fallen in love with her writing and her characters. This book has you hooked from start to end and had some amazing one liners. They have tackled some really big subjects and handled them all in a fantastic manner. I have been left wanting more from this book and will most definitely be recommending this book to anyone who will listen.
May 14, 2024
Okay, this is a first for me to read Shauna's novel, but Man, am I hooked. I was morally worried for Katie, but when I found out why Aiden did this job. I cheered. The interest that started between the two was one of a protective malealpha who was created by his past. Then their past merged and became a love story that anyone could understand. Especially if your mate loved, you enough to kill for you.
May 7, 2024
An honest review..I don't even know where to start!!! 😍 This...This, is exactly why I ❤️ Dark Romance. The Aiden would do Anything for Katie. His is slaying her dragons before he falls for her. What they are building together in their crazy world is
Freaking 🔥 🥵. I couldn't put this down. What a solid intro to a new authors. Thank you for the opportunity.😊
Freaking 🔥 🥵. I couldn't put this down. What a solid intro to a new authors. Thank you for the opportunity.😊
June 28, 2024
Deliciously dark and unhinged. Aiden Quinn…swoon. I found myself laughing at how happy and bubbly he was while “working”. Katie is so cute and an absolutely perfect match for his obsessive. I couldn’t put this book down! Just the right mix of spice and story. I also loved the multiple POVs. Overall great book!
May 5, 2024
Let me just say love this book could not pull it down. I devoured this book in a couple of days. I love the characters and certain references , this book had me giggling and crying , there are bits on this book that may be squeamish.. can’t wait to read more !!!
May 15, 2024
This is my first book by Shauna I signed up to read this arc OMG I’m so glad I did word I have no words besides this book is so amazing it kept me turning the page I literally could not put it down!!!
December 4, 2024
WAUW!!!
I am absolutely obsessed with this book!
The banter, the trauma, the violence, the love, the spice, THE ENDING!!!
I was tipped of this book through Tiktok with not much to go on, but wauw, wauw, wauw! One of my top reads this year!
I am absolutely obsessed with this book!
The banter, the trauma, the violence, the love, the spice, THE ENDING!!!
I was tipped of this book through Tiktok with not much to go on, but wauw, wauw, wauw! One of my top reads this year!
February 13, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! I love the banter and the characters. I love the book references. It had me giggling with some of them lol especially the one about zade. There was spice, action, and man that ending was a whirlwind! I can't wait to start the second one! Katie's a lucky, lucky girl.
March 9, 2025
This book was amazing!! It had everything I needed, it was gory, action packed, full of twists and turns and the banter was absolutely delicious.
May 16, 2025
phenomenal
Spice was 4.5 the tlc from MMC In regards to the FMC traumas and her neuro diversity’s was just 10/10, the level of humour was spot on and the darkness was the trump card.
The author NAILED it.
Spice was 4.5 the tlc from MMC In regards to the FMC traumas and her neuro diversity’s was just 10/10, the level of humour was spot on and the darkness was the trump card.
The author NAILED it.
May 6, 2026
This is possibly the funniest book that I've read all year! Katie our neuro spicy FMC is not only relatable but refreshingly real paired with Aiden the MMC who is impossible not to fall in love with.
This story balances humour with heavier subject matter. It doesn't shy away from darker themes so check your trigger warnings. This book still managed to have me belly laughing more times than I can count.
If you haven't read this book yet, why not?
This story balances humour with heavier subject matter. It doesn't shy away from darker themes so check your trigger warnings. This book still managed to have me belly laughing more times than I can count.
If you haven't read this book yet, why not?
May 2, 2024
As always Shauna has grabbed me in this book! Morally grey doesn’t even start to describe AJ Quinn! I couldn’t put it down I needed to know, I needed more and by the end of this book I had laughed, cried, cringed (in the best way) and was over joyed. I can’t wait to add this to re-read’s pile. Thank you for this beautifully written and hilariously dark romance Shauna.
August 19, 2026
4.5 STARS rounded up because honestly AMAZING - dark, unflinching, and one of the most human portrayals of neurodivergence and trauma recovery I've read in this genre.
If you loved Butcher and Blackbird but wanted it darker, with more grit - this is the book for you.
The banter between Katie (FMC) and Aiden (MMC) is where all the humanity lives, and it does NOT disappoint.
Katie gets torn down by Tracy (Who HONESTLY the Audacity and delusion on this one. She has no SHAME) but Katie's response will stay with me for life (BRILLIANT)
"The only cheap thing I see in here, click and collect, is that dress" Immaculate. Iconic. My actual click-and-collect moment as a reader, genuinely. Katie you are a comeback Queen.
And then there's Aiden, mid-disposal, tightening the restraints on a target who isn't getting out of that trunk: "Baptism by fire, boo boo," This on Audio is ELITE its so good. Honestly I was laughing out loud and will now and forever refer to every reprobate I come across, (be it a troll or in real life) refer to them as Boo boo.
Katie is AuDHD (ADHD & Autistic), and this might be the best neurodivergent representation I've read in the genre. Her internal monologue, her rejection sensitivity, the exhausting work of masking, the vulnerability of trying to trust people who should be safe and aren't - none of it is decorative. It's the reason the abuse she's survived lands with real weight, and it's the reason she understands Aiden's need to hunt, to enact his own brand of justice, on a level most people around her never could.
Aiden gets it. He understands exactly what her trauma has cost her, what's been stolen from her around intimacy, and he takes the time, real time, real patience - to build something unmasked and true with her. Watching Katie come to enjoy her own sexuality for the first time, ever, inside a relationship that finally feels safe, genuinely got me.
And then there's the other side of Aiden: he hunts abusers. Sexual, domestic, trafficking etc CHECK YOUR TW's, and when he finds them, he tortures them the way they tortured their victims. Poetic justice at its finest, it's on the page, in detail. Mutilation, disposal, no softening. It's brutal, and it's meant to be.
What makes this book work because of that brutality is the humour running underneath it. Early on, Katie makes an offhand comment about known abusers going missing, joking they should be turned into speed bumps as a public service - and Aiden takes it literally. That's the tone of this whole book: gritty, morally uncompromising, and genuinely funny in the exact moments it needs levity.
Set in Ireland, and the audiobook narrators are exceptional, genuinely elevates the read having authentic Irish voices carrying this story.
This is a gritty, intuitive read from an author who clearly understands mental illness, trauma, and neurological difference from the inside out, not just as a plot device.
Heads up on content: grooming, sexual assault, drugs, weapons, gang violence, corruption, graphic torture and murder (on page), CPTSD/PTSD themes, trauma recovery.
GENUINELY BRILLIANT
If you loved Butcher and Blackbird but wanted it darker, with more grit - this is the book for you.
The banter between Katie (FMC) and Aiden (MMC) is where all the humanity lives, and it does NOT disappoint.
Katie gets torn down by Tracy (Who HONESTLY the Audacity and delusion on this one. She has no SHAME) but Katie's response will stay with me for life (BRILLIANT)
"The only cheap thing I see in here, click and collect, is that dress" Immaculate. Iconic. My actual click-and-collect moment as a reader, genuinely. Katie you are a comeback Queen.
And then there's Aiden, mid-disposal, tightening the restraints on a target who isn't getting out of that trunk: "Baptism by fire, boo boo," This on Audio is ELITE its so good. Honestly I was laughing out loud and will now and forever refer to every reprobate I come across, (be it a troll or in real life) refer to them as Boo boo.
Katie is AuDHD (ADHD & Autistic), and this might be the best neurodivergent representation I've read in the genre. Her internal monologue, her rejection sensitivity, the exhausting work of masking, the vulnerability of trying to trust people who should be safe and aren't - none of it is decorative. It's the reason the abuse she's survived lands with real weight, and it's the reason she understands Aiden's need to hunt, to enact his own brand of justice, on a level most people around her never could.
Aiden gets it. He understands exactly what her trauma has cost her, what's been stolen from her around intimacy, and he takes the time, real time, real patience - to build something unmasked and true with her. Watching Katie come to enjoy her own sexuality for the first time, ever, inside a relationship that finally feels safe, genuinely got me.
And then there's the other side of Aiden: he hunts abusers. Sexual, domestic, trafficking etc CHECK YOUR TW's, and when he finds them, he tortures them the way they tortured their victims. Poetic justice at its finest, it's on the page, in detail. Mutilation, disposal, no softening. It's brutal, and it's meant to be.
What makes this book work because of that brutality is the humour running underneath it. Early on, Katie makes an offhand comment about known abusers going missing, joking they should be turned into speed bumps as a public service - and Aiden takes it literally. That's the tone of this whole book: gritty, morally uncompromising, and genuinely funny in the exact moments it needs levity.
Set in Ireland, and the audiobook narrators are exceptional, genuinely elevates the read having authentic Irish voices carrying this story.
This is a gritty, intuitive read from an author who clearly understands mental illness, trauma, and neurological difference from the inside out, not just as a plot device.
Heads up on content: grooming, sexual assault, drugs, weapons, gang violence, corruption, graphic torture and murder (on page), CPTSD/PTSD themes, trauma recovery.
GENUINELY BRILLIANT
July 8, 2024
You guys know by now that I adore Shauna's writing, in all her genres, and that her characters are so amazing! I already knew I loved AJ from when we met him in Jailbait (which I would recommend reading first for a bit of extra AJ backstory) but Katie is a new character and I just love her so much! We also get a couple of chapters from other POVs, some new characters and some we've met before.
Aiden is a serial killer... but also a good guy. I swear. Like a more gruesome version of your favourite superhero. He swoops in and catches the bad guys. But then he hideously murders them and disposes of their bodies so they're never seen again rather than trapping them in a web for the cops to find. But he's only a threat if you're a bad guy, and he will do anything to protect those he loves.
Katie has autism, ADHD and a whole lot of trauma. She's worked through it and is perfectly capable of taking care of herself now, but some added protection from Aiden couldn't hurt. And it helps that his own trauma-ed past and line of work means that he isn't as easily scared off as Katie's past guys once they meet the real her.
They really suit each other and are oddly perfect together. It's equal parts sweet and crazy. Their romance is so adorable but also this book is very much a DARK romance and not for the faint of heart! Not all the deaths are gruesome but there is one in particular that really grossed me out. Also I recently discovered about romantic suspense as a genre and I definitely think this could be classed as that. The crime and job side of the story was super gripping and played a very important and linked part of the story which I loved, sort of a thriller and a full romance all in one.
Basically this book is amazing! As all of Shauna's are (I've read enough of them now to say that with confidence even though there's a few I've not read yet) and as long as you can cope with the gory content and explicit scenes you should definitely, definitely read this now!!
Aiden is a serial killer... but also a good guy. I swear. Like a more gruesome version of your favourite superhero. He swoops in and catches the bad guys. But then he hideously murders them and disposes of their bodies so they're never seen again rather than trapping them in a web for the cops to find. But he's only a threat if you're a bad guy, and he will do anything to protect those he loves.
Katie has autism, ADHD and a whole lot of trauma. She's worked through it and is perfectly capable of taking care of herself now, but some added protection from Aiden couldn't hurt. And it helps that his own trauma-ed past and line of work means that he isn't as easily scared off as Katie's past guys once they meet the real her.
They really suit each other and are oddly perfect together. It's equal parts sweet and crazy. Their romance is so adorable but also this book is very much a DARK romance and not for the faint of heart! Not all the deaths are gruesome but there is one in particular that really grossed me out. Also I recently discovered about romantic suspense as a genre and I definitely think this could be classed as that. The crime and job side of the story was super gripping and played a very important and linked part of the story which I loved, sort of a thriller and a full romance all in one.
Basically this book is amazing! As all of Shauna's are (I've read enough of them now to say that with confidence even though there's a few I've not read yet) and as long as you can cope with the gory content and explicit scenes you should definitely, definitely read this now!!
May 6, 2024
WOW!
This is a brilliantly dark romance that has everything you need for that late night read all curled up on the couch with your favourite blanket and hot drink.
Aj is the best morally grey sinner since Dexter graced our screens.
The man's a killer, but he's doing the world a favour!
Now, there are trigger warnings right at the start of the book, and Shauna gives insight into how the story came about. This is quite a personal story, and I think she has smashed it out of the park!
Katie has had a really tough time of it, a really shitty time of it. When she meets AJ and he actually sees her for who she is and doesn't push her or degrade or humiliate her, that's when she allows herself to break down those walls.
With such a triggering story, Shauna does what she does best and adds a little (a lot) of humour throughout, which lightens some scene up a bit, making me laugh out loud.
Shauna also has a fantastic and uniquely visual way of describing her gory scenes. I either laugh or cringe, or maybe even both 🤣 whether it's eyeball scooping or scrotum popping, you will definitely have these images seared in your mind 🤣.
I loved that the gang from some of Shaunas' other novels made an appearance in the book. It kind of gives it a familiarity and feels like a continuous story of each of the friends.
Those last couple of chapters had me gripped, and I don't think I blinked until I finished it 😅
It's such a bingeworthy book, and if you like dark humour and morally grey love interests, then you will love this book!
This is a brilliantly dark romance that has everything you need for that late night read all curled up on the couch with your favourite blanket and hot drink.
Aj is the best morally grey sinner since Dexter graced our screens.
The man's a killer, but he's doing the world a favour!
Now, there are trigger warnings right at the start of the book, and Shauna gives insight into how the story came about. This is quite a personal story, and I think she has smashed it out of the park!
Katie has had a really tough time of it, a really shitty time of it. When she meets AJ and he actually sees her for who she is and doesn't push her or degrade or humiliate her, that's when she allows herself to break down those walls.
With such a triggering story, Shauna does what she does best and adds a little (a lot) of humour throughout, which lightens some scene up a bit, making me laugh out loud.
Shauna also has a fantastic and uniquely visual way of describing her gory scenes. I either laugh or cringe, or maybe even both 🤣 whether it's eyeball scooping or scrotum popping, you will definitely have these images seared in your mind 🤣.
I loved that the gang from some of Shaunas' other novels made an appearance in the book. It kind of gives it a familiarity and feels like a continuous story of each of the friends.
Those last couple of chapters had me gripped, and I don't think I blinked until I finished it 😅
It's such a bingeworthy book, and if you like dark humour and morally grey love interests, then you will love this book!
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