Let the Game Begin

by Kira Shell

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance

624 pages, Paperback

Published August 26, 2025

Reviews

[Allie DeMars · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I don’t hate a lot of books, but I truly hated this one. The characters were unbearable, especially Neil who had zero redeeming qualities. Maybe that was the point, but it didn’t work for me.

The side characters weren’t any better, the “spicy” scenes were cringey, and I cannot stand when an author refers to a p*nis as his “member.”
Add in the jealousy trope and the repetitive plot, and I just felt like I was stuck in a bad dream. It was the same things happening over and over while I kept waiting for something big to happen, and it never did.

The only positives for me were the mystery and suspense around figuring out who player 2511 was, though that was rare.
The writing itself was strong, very detailed but undeniably well done.
The narrators were also excellent and did a great job keeping me engaged even when the story dragged.

Overall, this one wasn’t for me.

Thank you Sourcebooks audio for an ALC.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a lot to unpack to me. You’ve got Neil who has so much internal demons he’s dealing with that make him an asshole. Then you’ve got Selene who is your typical good girl that’s falling for the bad boy and no matter what he does she just can’t say no to him. Then there’s Player 2511 who wants revenge for something. I’ll be dying to read the rest of these books to see how it ends.

[💗Kelsey📚 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf on page 155! This book is just very cringe and I’m 30% in and still no stalker to talk about! I don’t care at all about the relationship and the way the author describes Neil it makes him sound like a little boy and her obsession over Disney🤢🤢🤢😳

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let the Game Begin is the kind of dark, obsessive romance that hijacks your weekend and makes you feral for the next book. Kira Shell’s U.S. debut blends stepsibling tension, high heat, and a stalker subplot into a cat-and-mouse game you cannot look away from. Fans of Penelope Douglas and L.J. Shen should clear their schedules because you’re not putting this down.

[MaReads Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

A dark, intriguing prologue pulled me in… but the lack of coherence and the rushed pacing pushed me right back out.

The prologue immediately sets a dark tone. I was genuinely curious to see where the story would go.
But the further I read, the more several elements started to bother me. Enough that I ended up DNFing around the 20% mark.

1⭐️/5 — 4🌶️/5 (13 chapitre/42)

👥 Character age vs. their situation
This was my biggest issue.
Selene is 21, yet she agrees to live with her father for months simply because her mother asked, even though she clearly doesn’t want to. She’s an adult, she could just say no.

Logan and Neil are roughly the same age or a bit older, come from a wealthy family… yet they all live at home, in a way that feels more YA high-school drama than adult dark romance.
For the themes the book tries to tackle, this lack of independence doesn’t make sense.

Back to Selene, she often behaves more like a teenager than a 21-year-old woman:
- she avoids communication
- she makes zero effort to speak with her father
- she passively accepts situations she doesn’t want
- she makes questionable decisions without real introspection

In a dark romance, even if the heroine is messy or flawed, I need to feel some kind of emotional arc, and I didn’t get that here.

⏱ The pacing is way too fast to build tension
The sequence of events is logical, but happens far too quickly:
- Selene meets Logan and Chloe
- She goes out alone and meets Neil
- She spends a day on campus
- Neil is already obsessed with her
- They kiss in the pool… in chapter 4

There’s no space for slow burn, emotional buildup, or hate-to-lover tension.
I expected something closer to My Fault (complicated dynamic, tension that grows over time), but everything happens before the chemistry has time to land.

📖 A very “Wattpad-style” structure
Not in a derogatory way, just a factual observation.

While reading, I could tell immediately that this was originally a “Wattpad-author” :
- chapter length is extremely uneven
- the story focuses almost exclusively on character interactions
- very little worldbuilding or contextual grounding
- scenes jump from one emotional interaction to another with little breathing room

🔥 Dark romance that leans heavily into smut
Up to chapter 17, it felt mostly like:
- dark romance
- lots of smut
- lots of trauma
- but very little plot

13 smut chapters /42 chapters. So, roughly 1/3 of the book.

Then the “player 2511” chapter suddenly introduces a thriller/mystery element that’s genuinely interesting… but I don't know I wasn't caught in the story.

There were promising elements:
✔ a compelling, ominous prologue

✔ potential with the “player 2511” storyline

But for me:

✘ the age/situation of the characters isn’t convincing

✘ the pacing is too rushed to build tension

✘ the Wattpad structure is still very noticeable

✘ the smut overwhelms the actual story

I couldn’t connect with Selene, nor with the overall narrative, and eventually stopped reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending me this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

[Living My Best Book Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a new book obsession: the Kiss Me Like You Love Me series. A must-read for dark romance readers who enjoy a forbidden step-sibling romance with tension for days! Neil and Selene are intriguing on their own, but together they are enthralling.

Selene is headed to New York to appease her mother's plea to spend time with her father. Their relationship has been strained ever since her parents' split. To her, he has a new family and doesn't deserve her attention, but can they repair what's broken?

When she arrives, she is introduced to her step-siblings and feels a strong connection to one of them, Neil. He is a playboy who can have anyone he wants, so why does he choose to tease her? Selene is a 'good girl' who has only had a couple of boyfriends. She may be inexperienced, but Neil is willing to teach her.

This is a whirlwind of emotions because it isn't just a romance; it handles tough subjects like childhood trauma and mental health. Neil can be a huge jerk, especially to those he actually cares about, but it is a wall he puts up. He is hard to love, and he even has doubts about whether he is worthy of it. Such a complex story that I couldn't stop reading. So good that right after I finished this book, I began the second!

[The Dragon Den Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Let The Game Begin by Kira Shell
* * * * *
Thank you to Netgalley for provding me a copy of this fantastic read. Dark, wild, insane, dramatic and it's only the beginning!

Selene, in a forced reluctant effort to grow a relationship with her father - a man whom she despises for breaking apart her family with his choices - she's moved to stay with him temporarily as she continues her education.
She knew there would be stepsiblings, what she didn't count on was Neil.
Chaotic. Rude. Seductive. Angry. Secretive.
Something haunts Neil. With every decision he makes he battles something internal all the while unable to avoid his stepsister who is nothing like all the other women he uses.
Their connection toxic and magnetic, their own personal problems just seemt to sky rocket as disturbing riddles and gifts are left for them.
Death is coming.
For who? That's what they need to figure out.

Wowzers. What a relationship! What chemisty! What a reason for these two to seriously seek proper therapy! Their parents sick. Friend choices are questionable. Sexual partners...seriously, improve your taste guys. Logan rules! What is with the crazy chick? That evil horrible woman - you know who I am talking about - deserves a painful end!!!!
I am invested!!!

[Charlene (pageandplace) · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎧 I got the opportunity to listen to this book, narrated by Kat Riley and Edward Black. They did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.

Selene moves to New York to live with her estranged father and attend college. Her father’s new family includes his new wife’s children, the eldest being Neil.

Selene is captivated by Neil but he is not quite ready to open himself up to anyone, let alone her.

Amidst this college, dark romance there is a cat and mouse game being played by Player 2511, who is out for vengeance.

For whatever reason, I could not get into this book and struggled to enjoy it. Timing, lack of connection with the characters, who knows but it just was not a memorable read for me. That being said, I always recommend you decide for yourself!

The plot caught my attention and I gave it a shot. I did like the cat and mouse stalker aspect so bright side! If you can find something you enjoyed then it’s worth it.

Thank you to the author, Kira Shell, and Sourcebooks Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book. I received a gifted copy and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, 𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗡 𝗯𝘆 𝗞𝗶𝗿𝗮 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹 didn’t work for me. I went in expecting a dark, bingeable college romance with suspenseful cat-and-mouse vibes, but I ended up feeling more frustrated than entertained. The characters were my biggest hurdle. Selene was flat, and Neil—supposedly the brooding, damaged love interest—had no redeeming qualities. Instead of compelling or layered, he came across as exhausting. The side characters didn’t add much either, and the “spice” felt more cringeworthy than steamy. The story quickly grew repetitive, circling the same jealousy-driven drama without real progression. I kept waiting for something big to happen with the stalker subplot, but the suspense never paid off in a satisfying way. That said, I’ll give credit where it’s due: the prose itself is strong, very descriptive, and the audiobook narrators delivered a solid performance that made it easier to push further than I otherwise might have.

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
🔥 Forbidden romance
🔥 Jealousy/possessiveness
🔥 Dark past trauma
🔥 College romance setting
🔥 Cat-and-mouse suspense

[Aubree Stanger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this book. Not one of my favorites at all but has me convinced to read the next book that comes out soon.
Nail, he’s a lot he is possessive but yet lets other women use him. He also finds comfort in his sexual activities but only for a short time with blonde women who remind him of her due to what happens as a kid. It’s very sad and his character is really complex due to all his trauma. I really didn’t enjoy how his character development lacked in areas. I continued reading it because i wanted more and that’s important when reading at least for me i wanted more out of it.
Selene, she was alright her character development LACKED majorly. I get she wants to get closer to Nail, but at the same time her acting like she’s higher than him blows my mind and made me mad. I kept rolling my eyes but nonetheless i still continued reading.

This book is not for the faint heart at all and i truly believe this series can be good i see the potential. So i will be getting the next book.

[Juli · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, a huge thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of Let the Game Begin. This book delves into a complex, high-stakes relationship that promises drama and intensity, which the author certainly delivers. However, this is a title that comes with a distinct set of reservations, meaning it is an okay book, but definitely not for everyone. The Lit Whisperer's analysis found the core relationship dynamic deeply challenging, primarily due to the prominent abuse of power within the partnership. Furthermore, the narrative contained scenes and elements that felt unnecessarily violent, which, in my view, crossed the line into being genuinely uncomfortable rather than just intense. While the writing is competent and the plot pushes forward, the ethical lines blurred by these factors significantly impacted my enjoyment. Proceed with caution and a clear understanding of the dark themes.
Go to my profile for more reviews @TheLitWhisperer

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

la storia parla di una ragazza di nome Selene che si trasferisce a New York per ricucire i rapporti con il padre. il padre vive con la compagna e tre figli di lei. uno dei tre è proprio Neil, un ragazzo tenebroso dall'aspetto affascinante con un passato che non gli dà tregua. mentre Selene si trova sempre più calamitata verso Neil , l'unica cosa che lui vuole è il contatto fisico e si allontanerà sempre di più da Selene dopo la comparsa di un misterioso stalker.

mi sono piaciuti molto i personaggi anche se trovo che Neil per certi sia decisamente troppo tossico. non mi fanno impazzire i capitoli lunghissimi, che possono arrivare a durare 70 pagine.

lo consiglio a lettori di dark romance maturi perchè oltre allo spicy tratta tematiche molto delicate, forse dai 16 anni in su.

il libro è scorrevole e una pagina tira l'altra ma alcune parti sono meno belle rispetto ad altre.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the plot was decent, I couldn’t get past the amount of grammatical errors throughout the entire book. There was also a lot of repetitiveness I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. Between the kind of car that Neil drove, to the color of his eyes, to how he smelled, to him incessantly calling Selene by the nickname he gave her, to dwelling on his let’s just say “extracurricular activities”. It seemed a little uncalled for. As you read along, you can also pinpoint a bit of hypocrisy with Selene with her relationships. It’s comparative to how Neil acts throughout the book. I was also hoping we would’ve gotten more of Neil’s backstory in detail, but I guess we’ll just have to see what happens in book two.

[Nichole Lovelace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started off kinda slow and seemed very repetitive throughout the first half of the book but I believe it was to explain Neil’s character. Butttttt the second half of the book was 😘💦💕🥵🫶🏻 great. The ending left on a huge cliff hanger and I am now currently stuck between starting a new series or waiting until January for the second book . I would definitely would have waited to read until the second book comes out because I am a mess and it’s going to live rent free in my head until I get answers 🤦🏼‍♀️

[Divine Bautista · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok I think that this book has potential but it really was frustrating how Selene never really said no to Neil & was just constantly coming back after he kept sleeping with other people? Also I think we didn’t get much insight on player 2511 or whatever the @ is LOL.

Spicy: but repetitive
Plot: 7:10

overall I can’t lie I binge read the entire thing in two days but after reflecting on it, I just really hate how weak the FMC ended up being written. I wish they could’ve written her as a stronger FMC and not some weak girl who can never say no to MMC lol.

[Jennifer Reed · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was over 600 pages when it could have been 3-400. This was a long drawn out book about very little other than a mans poor coping skills with childhood trauma. It ends in a cliff hanger that sadly I have no more interest in. Spicy scenes got repetitive and it became predictable. It started off so promising then took me forever to finish. I had higher hopes. 💔

[Stephanie Little · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot had so much potential but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
Neil obviously has inner demons but his character became more cringey and unbearable through the story.
I do have to say, the book is very descriptive and well written but I think it could have been written in less pages and things got a bit repetitive.

[Bailee Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It moved a little slow but i’m ready for book #2

[🦇Chloe king🦇 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devastated, yearning, need more also, hey…. Stop making me cry like this.

[Danielle Quesnel · Rating 1 out of 5]

meh another neverland story nope

[Kristen Stier · Rating 5 out of 5]

What in the world did I just spend four days listening to this crazy roller coaster of a story?! So many twist and turns, I was not expecting to be left on a damn cliffhanger!!!

Selene, my dear, you are way too naive & forgiving! Just when I thought you would find your backbone & stand up for yourself you fell right back into the trap!! My god I hope you come back in book 2 redeem yourself!!

& Neil - DUDE. GET YOURSELF HELP.

Ugh I can’t even comprehend everything I just listened to!