Strike and Burn

by Taylor Hutton

A breathless romantic thriller that doesn’t just toe the line between danger and desire—it burns it to the ground.

Honor Stone is all alone in this world. No family, no money, no future. So when she locks eyes with Strike Madden—in the morgue of all places—she’s not in the mood to be seduced. Sure, he’s drop-dead gorgeous, and the sizzle of attraction between them is undeniable, but she’s reeling from her identical twin sister’s murder. It’s the wrong time, wrong place, wrong everything.

Still, the enigmatic billionaire hires Honor as an artist to spearhead his carefully curated erotic animation studio—a job they soon find to be a dangerous mix of business and pleasure.

But when her twin’s obsessive killer targets Honor, the painful secrets of Honor’s traumatic past will finally be exposed with devastating consequences. Strike will stop at nothing to protect her, uncovering his own bone-chilling demons—a beautifully broken, dark side that doesn’t scare Honor…

It consumes her.

Genres: Romance, Dark Romance, Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Fiction, Dark, Audiobook

368 pages, Paperback

Published January 28, 2025

About the author

Taylor Hutton is the pseudonym of a pair of writer friends, one of whom has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award and the other who is a New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Award finalist. Between the two of them, they have written over forty books. When they are not passing their latest sexy thriller back and forth on Google Doc, they are browsing bookstores, sending each other ridiculous memes, walking their dogs Trudy and Potato around their Los Angeles neighborhood, and making their children cringe with their TikTok videos.

Reviews

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

When i have to jump on NetGalley to read others’ reviews bc the plot makes zero sense. No good. I don’t think this book knew what it wanted to be.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Billed as a romance/suspense - yet reads like erotica with the MMC Billionaire and the ‘damsel’ who needs rescuing with a heavy emphasis on sex toys, porn, sexual art and nothing else.

I thought he was an assassin or something? (Maybe he is but I have to drag myself through endless pages of sexual references) Too much time spent on insignificant garbage. I’m bored and frustrated.

While Strike and Burn promised a mix of romance and suspense, it failed to deliver a compelling story. The lack of character development made it hard to connect with Honor and Strike, leaving their relationship feeling superficial.

The plot leaned heavily on overused clichés like the brooding billionaire hero and the damsel in distress, which overshadowed the potential for a unique narrative. The story development felt rushed and underwhelming, with key moments lacking depth or significance.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Overall, while the premise had promise, the weak execution left much to be desired, making it a disappointing read.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I really wanted to love this one, unfortunately it didn't work for me at all.

Anticipated Release Date - 01/28/25

₊⊹⁀➴ 🔥Dual Timelines - Past & Present
₊⊹⁀➴ 🔪Dual POV
₊⊹⁀➴ 🔥Suspenseful Slow Burn Romance
₊⊹⁀➴ 🔪Morally Grey MMC
₊⊹⁀➴ 🔥Corkscrew Twists and Turns
₊⊹⁀➴ 🔪Romantic Thriller


💥 Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advanced digital copy via NetGalley - all thoughts are my own. 💥

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS!!
This book was so much more than I expected. Billed as a romantic thriller by two authors I have not read before, I couldn’t wait to dive in.

The first few chapters are always tough as we get to know our characters and the plot. I did think it was a bit strange meeting someone you would consider hot at a morgue, but it is different, and once past that the story starts to take off.

I love that the authors do not shy away from anything. This story is unabashed in desires, dreams, heat, passion, and erotica. Also in triggers like murder, stalking, abuse, and more.

The characters, while rife with issues, are protective and infatuated in their growing work relationship. Lines are blurred and the heat and steam grow. The story is fast-paced and so hard to stop reading. I was addicted to this book!

Strike and Burn is dark in many ways but sexy with trigger warnings all over this one. It really became an obsession to finish and the end was … wow! It’s not a book to be missed if you love dark romance built on passion, not twisted relationships. So good!!

~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/strike-and-b...

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars! Dark, menacing, and alluring!

Strike and Burn is a charged, passionate tale that takes you into the lives of two main characters: Honor, a hardworking young woman whose past is littered with tragedy, and Strike, a billionaire businessman with a checkered past of his own who spends his nights hunting down those who enjoy preying on the weak and vulnerable.

The prose is seductive and tight. The characters are scarred, hesitant, and troubled. And the plot is a compelling tale filled with secrets, deception, danger, familial drama, childhood abuse, sexual attraction, erotic animation, tension, mayhem, and murder.

Overall, Strike and Burn is an enticing, sensual, gritty tale by Hutton that is definitely a good choice for those who like their romantic suspense with a whole lot of spice.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found myself intrigued by this one given how the overall story is billed — the manner in which the main characters meet, the overall conceit leading to their deeper connection — but it all fell flat for me as a result of juggling TOO many contrivances, particularly in relation to the MMC's wealth, and uneven pacing. It also felt like the book wanted to dip a toe into the darker side of Strike and Honor's romance a little too late, rather than embracing it early on and letting it crescendo to the place where it ends up. That said, there are VERY heavy elements woven through what's billed as more of a romantic suspense/thriller, but should probably be categorized as dark romance overall.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Falyn Elicee · Rating 2 out of 5]

STRIKE this off ur tbr cause of my god it was so bad. and for a book that talks about nothing but sex the entire time it could not have been less sexy

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating ~2.5?

This was an odd book.

I didn’t love it. Nor did I hate it.

The concept was interesting enough, but the execution was lackluster.

It was just…there? Half the time I was questioning what the plot was supposed to be. There’s insta-love and some dark romance vibes. But it was never enough of anything. The romance was rushed and while the character’s tragic pasts were revealed I didn’t feel anything for them. Hell, when they started declaring their love for each other I was like oh okay, sure, why not I guess 😅

I kept reading for same the reason people slow down when driving by car accidents. I just kind of wanted to know what happened, even though it doesn’t really affect me.

Finale verdict, would I spend money on this book? Probably not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Deanna Rodriguez (Cook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book! I couldn’t put it down and I was genuinely excited to read this one constantly! The chapters were nice and short and the plot was super fun! The spicy was perfff and the suspense was also so good!!! I really enjoyed this dark romantic suspense thriller idk it checks so many boxes! DEFINITELY check the trigger warnings! This book is dark. I can’t wait for everyone to try it out!!!

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was alright I guess.
The plot was hella intriguing, but there was sooo much extra unnecessary bits that it dragged on forever.
I wish the author had chosen to focus on the mystery or the romance more fully and left out all the side plots that detracted from the story.
This could have been two books instead of one with how much was going on.
Felt forced instead of fluid.
Thanks to Berkley Romance for sending me an ARC.

[ShanKL · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book never got off the ground, truly never enough of anything. Billed romantic thriller, when truly its more dark romance. The relationship was rushed, and superficial. Overall, it was a weak execution with too many cliches in romance reads.

Thank you, Berkley Romance

[divinecelestialbookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zade meet Strike.

[Massiel · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 Un libro que lo promocionan como dark romance pero que a mí no me lo pareció, y me menos aún que sea un thriller como también lo vendían. En resumen un libro que voy a olvidar rápidamente.

[Lilibet Bombshell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strike and Burn blurbs and gives cover like a romantic thriller, but it reads like an average dark romance with a nice comedic edge. I actually had some fun reading it until I got to the last 30% of the book, and then it just felt like the book was not only too long but it started to fall apart in almost every way.

I knew almost from the beginning this wasn’t going to be the most well-written novel. That’s okay, you know? Sometimes you just want to read a diverting story and the plot for Strike and Burn definitely sounds diverting right now. I even had fun with the comedic bantering, to a certain extent. The main characters of this book, Honor and Strike, just couldn’t maintain consistency throughout the length of this book and it showed.

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars or under will not appear on my social media. Thank you.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Esto tiene de thriller lo que yo de rubia natural. Y de Dark Romance ni te digo.....

😭😭

[Ojolisto Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

¿Habéis visto El grito de Munch?, ¿Ese cuadro en el que se refleja la ansiedad y la angustia del ser humano? Bueno, pues leer este libro ha sido como sentir ese cuadro en mi propio pellejo y me he convertido en el hombrecillo angustioso y aterrorizado.

Porque hace tiempo que no sentía que un libro era tan absurdo, incoherente, abstracto y surrealista.

Tenemos a una protagonista cuya hermana acaba de fallecer (el libro empieza así, no es spoiler tranquis). Hasta aquí todo "normal".
El problema radica en que en la segunda página y en pleno tanatorio POR SU HERMANA está fijándose en un maromo y se da el lote con él 😅 Que no es que yo sea tiquismiquis ni la Señorita Moralista, pero por dios bendito, leer eso me da mucho cringe, me saca de la historia y jesús, que estamos, repito, en un tanatorio por SU HERMANA🫥

La cosa empieza fuerte, pero es que la historia sigue y sigue añadiendo candela al tema y pasa a hacernos un tour guiado por una figura de un psicópata que todo quisqui sabe que lo es pero nadie hace nada 🫠 o una protagonista que tiene traumas infantiles y adultos para dar y regalar, pero luego se olvida de ellos en cero coma y a palo seco cuando está con el prota masculino. Y aquí paz y luego gloria.

Y es que uno de los problemones de la historia son los personajes. Son absurdos, incoherentes, pueden tener 30 años pero actuar como chavales de 12 y resultar pelín inquietantes. La protagonista es una contradicción con patas y aunque tiene mucha mochila y traumas a la espalda, no cuadra mucho lo que nos cuenta con lo que hace. Pero vamos a aceptar pulpo como animal de compañía por todo su pasado.

Pero centrémonos en el prota masculino que es más raro que un vampiro donando sangre.
Al tío lo han intentado pintar como misterioso, interesante, un machote por el que las mujeres perderíamos la respiración. El problema es que se ha quedado en un ente abstracto, raro, que da mal rollo y lo que vendríamos conociendo como un pedazo de red flag que flipas #AmigaDateCuenta #QuitaBicho. No quiero destripar nada por si os adentráis -Dios os cuide- en esta historia, pero solo os diré que lo que se va descubriendo -oh, chorprecha- de él a lo largo de la novela justifica que haya abierto esta reseña mencionando El Grito de Munch.

Por si no os valía con tener que soportar a dos protagonistas insoportables, raros y malrolleros, os daré otro motivo: no hay guión en esta locura. Hay una especie de hilo conductor al principio de la historia, pero luego se va por el desagüe a vete tú a saber dónde y ahí te quedas, compuesta y sin novio, esperando a mitad del libro que pase algo, pero con el mismo éxito que Eduardo Manostijeras en una fábrica de globos.

En fin, que acabar esta historia debería convalidar un mes de vida adulta y anular un mínimo de veinte pecados, porque hay que tener fe, esperanza y fuerza de voluntad para leer toda y cada una de las palabras aquí escritas y no rendirse a medio camino. Desde luego no lo recomiendo (solo lo haría por las risas que te echas al ver lo surrealista que es) pero si le das una oportunidad, te deseo ánimo y suerte. La necesitarás.🍀😊😜

[Penelope Logsdon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but found that when it switched from exploring desire to unpacking trauma, the dialogue took a huge dip and it didn’t feel like the story was flowing as well. In the trigger warnings, it also doesn’t mention death of and details of death of an animal.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is perfect! Honor and Strike are the perfect match of darkness and death and love and light. A couple that concours the dark together stays together!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Strike and Honor's relationship and how they meet. Honor is in the morgue identifying the body of her twin sister when Strike comes in the room. She and her friend Josie run a store with gifts and exotic toys. Honor finds out that her sister has mortgaged the store for the third time and back payments are due. Meanwhile the electricity between Strike and her are undeniable. He tries to stay away but ends up a customer at their store. He buys out most of the merchandise for his charity. Troy. Honor's sisters boyfriend is stalking and chasing her. Strike finds out after he hires her to work for him and he takes care of the problem. They try to stay away from each other but the book is about Honor's art and their relationship. This book is so good it will keep you reading until the end.

[Amber Roggenbauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. did I just read this whole book in a day? yes, yes, I did. it was very... dark. but like, also good? I probably shouldn't have liked it, but it was a good storyline, lots of trauma though and some interesting personalities. I LOVED that it switched between points of views, both the FMC and MMC.... such a good idea. but it also kinda made the book pretty predictable. either way, it had great romance, was a little too dark, and a semi thriller feel throughout. it twas a good sunday read

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a love or hate book. There isn't much gray area. It's dark. It's messy. It's cringe. It's not for everyone. Where am I? I am in the absolute love category. I cried.

[KP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to berkley for the gifted arc. All thoughts are my own. I loved this book, I was hooked and it flowed so well. It was dark, suspenseful, sizzling and the ending left me satisfied! If you want a dark romance pick this one and check the triggers also.

[Jocie Tuttle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be reading the sequel

[Rachel Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot of mixed thoughts about this.

I wish it had been more of a thriller. And the romance didn’t fully work for me?

I wish that “pet death” had been included as a trigger warning!

I think with how this book was written, I just felt a big disconnect between the characters. Even though we had chapters from both Honor and Strike’s POV, I still felt like we didn’t know them.

I liked elements of this, and I did enjoy moments between the two of them. It is a dark romance but it still didn’t feel tooooo dark to me? But dark subject matter and horrible childhood pasts for sure. There are some great ideas and elements, but the execution just didn’t fully work for me.

I received a copy from the publisher. Thank you Berkley Pub and Berkley Romance! My thoughts are my own.

[♡°°Mercedes°°♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars ⭐️


𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖

Intense from beginning to end with dual timelines and dual POV's, leaves readers with a suspenseful slow burn romance in Taylor Hutton's 'Strike and Burn.'

Grace and Honor are twins who have endured a lot in their lives when the worst imaginable happens - Grace dies on a camping trip with her boyfriend that is deemed an accident, but is it really? At one of her lowest points in life, Honor Stone, is standing in the morgue identifying her twin's body when she notices Strike Madden. Strike and Honor have an undeniable attraction; however, it's all wrong in timing, place, and circumstances. While it's never wise to mix business with pleasure, Strike Madden offers Honor a job with his creative erotic gaming studio as a concept artist. As embers build between Honor and Strike, Honor becomes the target of her sister's obsessive killer, leaving both Honor and Strike to confront and share their painful pasts.

'Strike and Burn' blurs the lines between love, beauty, pain, danger and desire.

Triggers are big in this book, so that definitely needs to be pointed out and readers should review those triggers before diving into this read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strike and Burn by Taylor Hutton sizzles from the very beginning. This is a great book for someone interested in dipping their toes in dark romance without it being too dark in the romance aspect. This book has multiple POV’s between Honor Stone and Strike Madden including flashbacks to Honor growing up in a neglected and abusive home that shaped who she is when she gets to know Strike Madden. This book is fast paced and I honestly couldn’t put it down, and when I had to I was looking forward to when I could pick it up again. What I liked most about the dark MMC is that he is more of a protector instead of being a MMC that is essentially an abuser which seems to be the case with many dark romances. There is definitely a respect he has for Honor and never degrades her or force her to do anything. Please be advised of trigger warnings such as child abuse (learning about Honor’s childhood), domestic abuse (Honor’s parents and her sister, Grace’s boyfriend), and adult themes with explicit content.
4.5 ⭐️

[Jade Torres · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the concept of this story and how things were unfolding but it really did fall a little flat for me. I thought there would be more plot but it was practically resolved midway through. I did however love Strike Madden our morally grey character but who was also a gentleman, and I also did like Honor but felt that her character had so much more room for growth.

The past and present POV’s I did like because we were able to see what Honor’s past was like and I think it was good insight into her family history but I also feel like not everything was necessary but the pivotal points that made really made us understand her. I did love that it was short chapters and a fast paced read and you never got bored of the storyline, however I did feel the ending also dragged a bit and didn’t really feel like an ending.

I still think it makes for a fun quick read and had some really heart wrenching moment where I felt so sad and had some great quotes that I did love

3.5⭐️

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strike & Honor's story is one that I had to think about for a couple days....because their story took turns and twists that I did not see coming and to be perfectly honest I rather enjoyed said twists and turns.
Honor's past was what really kept me intrigued as this book progressed and my only complaint was that I wished we got more Honor's story after the death of her father but before the death of Grace and that we got more of Strike's backstory.
It was truly twisty to see the way that Honor started to get more and more intrigued with the vigilante justice Strike doles out...but in a good way.
Thanks to Berkley for the ARC!

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Strike & Burn!! Fun, sexy thriller I couldn’t put down! Can’t recommend more highly!

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

This book started out really well, definitely enjoying the slow burn and the tension brewing between Strike and Honor. It was around the 70% mark I think that I felt like everything happened out of order. While I know this is all a work of fiction and things happen in life that are unpredictable, but for the story and the tension built up by the characters it was all out of order. Saying 'I love you' before anything really physical happened or actual communication really just took the rating down for me. That proclamation was based on what they knew of one another based on the fire burning between them and less than a handful on conversations about one another one. Then they sleep together, AND then they have a heart to heart about their lives, their past, and what transpired that shaped them to be the people they became.

The majority of the book had good build up, the HEA fell flat for me.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this e-arc!

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to berkley romance for my free gifted copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

okay so hear me out...I finished this book in almost one sitting. The concept is interesting - Honor and Strike meet at an unlikely place, the morgue. These two had great banter from the start which really caught me off guard. But then we do a time job and everything feels lost. The characters needed more depth, especially Strike. The romance went from 0-100 and the banter and chemistry from the beginning felt lost in the 2nd half.

Don't even get me started on what happens to that cat.