Arran's Obsession (Body Count, #1) ALTERNATE COVER

Body Count #1

by Jolie Vines

I never planned to fall for my skeleton-masked captor, but now there’s no turning back.

I hated the gangs that ruled my city.
After my friend was killed and my father vanished, I had no choice but to infiltrate one to figure out why. Entering their infamous club quickly showed me I was in over my head.
Then the most feared gang leader took an interest in me. Arran was corrupt, deadly, and his searing gaze both terrified and tempted me.
In my search for answers, I stumbled into his dark and dangerous game. The result? I belonged to him, with no chance of escape.

In a heartbeat, I became Arran’s obsession. And in a terrible twist, I think he’s becoming mine.

--

Arran’s Obsession is the first book in an interconnected dark romance trilogy featuring a murder mystery, a dark city, an adult entertainment club, and a crew of men who are possessive over what’s theirs.

Tropes:
· A masked gang and an adult club
· Possessive, damaged men
· Dangerous play (including free use and predator/prey)
· Forced proximity
· Set entirely at night

Check the TWs in the front of the book or on my website if you need to (the list is as long as … it should be, dirty girl).

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Forced Proximity, Enemies To Lovers, Smut, BDSM

529 pages, Paperback

First published September 19, 2024

About the author

JOLIE VINES is a romance novelist who lives in the South West of England with her husband and young son.

From an early age, Jolie lived in a fantasy world and is never happier than when plot dreaming. Jolie loves her heroes to be one-woman guys. Whether they are a huge Highlander, a touch starved earl, or a brooding pilot, they will adore their loved one until the end of time.

Her favourite pastime is wrecking emotions then making up for it by giving her characters deep and meaningful happy ever afters.

Want to contact Jolie? Drop her a line at jolie [at] jolievines.com, or find her in her Facebook Fall Hard reader group. She loves hearing from her readers.

Sign up to her newsletter to be the first to hear about new releases, giveaways, and promotions. https://www.jolievines.com/newsletter

Reviews

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm seriously addicted to Jolie Vines' books now. The mystery, the spice, the characters in her books somehow always hit 🤌

I may love this series more than the Dark Island Scots series. This one is far more well executed imo and darker, more twisted and spicier. It's exactly what I needed to not fall into a reading slump again. I loved how the murder mystery ate, and the romance. The only issue I had was the pacing. It sort of dragged in the middle but not enough to bore me out.

Arran is such an interesting and complex lead. Like there's an innocence to his bad boy persona that showed he has far more depth. His emotions behind that stoicism are well written. Genevieve imo is the sort of fmc that one would either like or get annoyed. I personally didn't have any issues with her. I found her insecurities to be real and she really did compliment Arran perfectly.

The romance between the two had me yearning and swooning. Like I could have read another 200 pages of it without getting put off. The spice was chefs kiss 🤌 It's exciting, it's different and it's not for everyone. So do check trigger warnings before 👀

I have to immediately jump into the next one after that ending and epilogue.

~•~•~
I need something dark to forget the last book I read 👀😌

[Fiza · ia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5✰

He can choke me with his bandana and stab me with his di- 🫡

Virgin mmc!!

JUST GIVE ME HIM ALREADY 😔💳💥

1.The mystery mysteried so hard, got all the answers but lowkey forgot the questions
(I'm kidding lol 🙃 am i? 🤨 yasss 🙂)

2. The spice was kewchie throbbin
(he's the owner of s3x club, obv he knows what he's doing)
Also it wasn't overwhelming 👌

3. It has a little v little sharing or privacy invasion you can say and not putting literally anything in her paussy.. these things usually make me want to throw the book outside the window but it didn't triggered me that much in this book, but still- 🙂

4. Had to drag myself a bit through the middle 🤕

5. I'll definitely read the next books in the series bcz that's how i operate 👇

*Side character enters the chat*
Me: F*ck these characters i need his book 🤡💋

Some Hot Quotes:

“Why not? You can’t satisfy me.”
“Won’t is different to can’t, baby,”

Something's on fire!!

“I’d tear apart the world until I got you back.”

Violence just make me go 🫦

“Your fear is pointless. The most dangerous monster out there is the man you fuck every night.”

*Tucks a strand of hair behind my ear* okey sir

"... it had become a place of happiness. Safety."

Sir i guarantee you all the happiness and safety (plot twist: it = her cooch)

_________

Pre-read:

Idky but this book here is calling to me from a few months.. yk like this "Fiza Fiza" 📢🤡🤚🏻

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I enjoyed this so much!! I devoured it!
It was everything I needed right now, dark and twisted and so so hot.. And we have a murder mystery, what more can I ask for..

Arran, the man that you are.. I loved him so much, it's always those tortured souls that get to me. His icy exterior hiding the pain and vulnerability ahh... I loved how he was with Gen, how he let those broken pieces show. I adored them together, they truly were perfect for each other. She did get on my nerves at times, but I understood where she was coming from, so I didn't mind that much. Okay, I minded a little..
The spicy scenes were incredibly hot, I enjoyed them sooo much!! They're not for everyone though, so please check the trigger warnings and make sure you are okay with certain things..
I also loved how protective, how obsessed he was.. Ahhh it was so good!!

The only thing I had an issue with was that the pacing was a little off at times. Not enough to take me completely out of the story, but enough for me to take notice. It's why I took away a star.

But other than that, I ate this up.. I loved all the characters, especially Connor, can't wait to read his book. He's definitely going to be my favourite, I know that for a fact..

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

I saw SK reading this and I'm nothing if not easily influenced 🤭
In the mood for something dark, so I already know I'm going to enjoy this!!

[molly lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars ⋆౨ৎ˚ (may be subject to change)

This was such an addictive, palette cleansing, fun read! The murder mystery, the spice, the writing style, the characters (both main & side)… lots of boxes ticked, even if they didn’t necessarily always have huge ticks.

One of my weaknesses is protective mmc’s and Arran certainly fit the bill😩; his and Gen’s undoubtable chemistry made their scenes together so fun to read. The spice was a bit different to what I’ve read before, even though I’ve read a lot of dark romance, and it was hittingggg (for the most part lol).

However some parts did lose me a bit story and pacing wise. For instance, at around midway I just wanted a certain someone to get a move on and believe a certain someone else. Yes, perhaps I’m slightly impatient, but it was driving me a little 🤏🏼 cuckoo that the same conflict was being dragged out as it made the plot feel quite stagnant.

And the cucumber?……… ummm😔🤨…


Anyways…

Overall though I had a blast and I’m super excited to read the next books (I’ve heard they’re even better 👀).

‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹

‧˚꒰ Pre-read ⋆౨ৎ˚
Ok I’ve seen a few girlies reading this now (shout out Ana, SK, Fiza & Dahlia 💋) and I simply have no choice but to join in, it’s out of my hands, I must follow the laws of fomo 🫡

[⛓️🥀 gee 🥀⛓️]

DNF’d i got to the impromptu sex toys and knew this book wasn’t for me and i’ve read some shit 😂💀

[Kiley · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 33%…gotta stop trusting booktok and the use of good songs to push books with zero chemistry between characters and a nonsensical plot line

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had me up at 3am making delulu videos because I was so shocked 💀🤣

One of my top dark romance reads this year I CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE IN BOOK 2.

[Charlie Manser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did I have a good time? Sure, I guess? But all hope of any rating higher ended with Arran shoving a remote control up Gen’s twat.

[nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went in with high expectations for this book because of the title. Needless to say, I am disappointed. Where was the obsession huh? All I saw was flakey characters, a not so solid plot and somewhat decent smut. If you know me, then you know that I love a good boy obsessed romance. But this wasn't it. If a man is obsessed with his girl, why the fuck would he let his crew member/close aide and two women from his strip club touch and suck his woman's nipples? Idk about y'all but that does not scream boy obsessed to me😬

The story felt disconnected and all over the place tbh and I found myself being bored at the 40% mark. Also what was up with the whole "inserting foreign objects in her vagina"??? A fucking phone? A remote? A cylindrical object made of iron? Man, I've read some fucked up shit but this one took the cake lol. I just...idek what to say because those things are DEFINITELY NOT supposed to go inside a vagina😭 This entire book was basically Arran cutting Genevieve's panties off with his knife, fucking her with said knife and then with his dick aaaaanndddd repeat.

The whole "game" thing and him not trusting her and not letting her come for at least half the book didn't make sense either. Arran, towards the end, tells Gen about his past and him being a virgin (I'm assuming a born again virgin because things weren't clarified) and suddenly miss girl comes to the realisation that she's in love with him? How tf did that happen??? One thing I'd also like to add is that I did not like Genevieve's attitude towards sex workers. It was rude and extremely demeaning.

This wasn't a well thought out story overall and there were a lot of unanswered questions towards the end. I also will not be continuing with this series because I do not want to read about a hero who held the previous book's heroine's tits in his hand and then proceeeds to get a HEA with a completely different woman. Istfg I thought that it was going to be a MFM romance during that scene and I was so surprised because I went in with the knowledge that it was a M/F romance. Man, I fucking hate sharing scenes in M/F romances where the OM then gets a whole ass book wtf. 10/10 would not recommend💀

safety squad:
- slight OW drama
*note: there's a scene in the first 10% where a stripper grinds against the H and shoves her tits in his face but he doesn't do anything and then stands up and lets her fall. voyeurism scene where the H and h watch other people fuck in the top level of his club i.e. the brothel. H blindfolds and ties h in front of all the clients/audience in the brothel and tells his close aide (H in the next book) to touch the h and lets two of the working women suck on the h's tits before he starts fucking her
- no OM drama
- no cheating but sharing (see above note)
- voyeurism (see above note)
- no condoms
- HFN (no proper epilogue/ending)

[Cassandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF’d it! I really need to stop trusting booktok. This book was pushed with AI generated artwork and it made it seem really interesting. The part advertised was not even a chapter long. Terribly written plot - so much going on which made it difficult to follow. The characters felt inconsistent and poorly developed, particularly the main character, whose descriptions and actions didn’t align. He wasn’t scary. He wasn’t a badass. While the smut is present…It comes across as awkward, as if the rest of the book was written to fit the explicit scenes rather than supporting a cohesive plot. It’s just a mess… and I stopped reading at about 56%.

[Bookomaniac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between 3.5 and 4 stars

Mixed feelings on this one. Very complicated story- SPOILERS*************************

Mood Readers: If you want a story of a gang leader who was raised by a human trafficker, exposed to the worst of sexual slavery his entire life, then watched his father murder his mother after she testified to the police... now this almost 30 yr old man runs a gang in the fictional town of Deadwater near the coast of the English/ Scottish border. They were skeleton bandanas to hide their faces, and they run a strip club/ sex club/ brothel in their territory; and they run off/ kill anyone from other city gangs who try to infiltrate their area... and they also kill any rapist or sex offender working in their area. Arran, the MMC, has also made a vow to stay celibate, so that he can never be tempted to harm women the way his dad did before going to prison. So, you have the set-up for a young, strong, sexually-conflicted gang leader who protects sex workers in his territory the way he never could for his mother. There are some older people in his life from that time of his life; as well as extended "family" that live elsewhere, these being the characters from the Dark Island Scots series.

This book works as a standalone, the events of previous books are openly discussed.

The book actually begins with a young woman, Genevieve, on the edge of poverty, living with her alcoholic father and always-absent brother. She realizes that they are going to be evicted because their father has taken the rent money. She has a quick discussion with the local sex worker named Cherry, and then she sets out to find her father to get the money so that they will not be homeless on the mean streets of Deadwater. She is a food-delivery courier but trying to save money to go to nursing school. She sees a creepy man at the end of the street and running away, she's hit by a wealthy man's car. The man is an incredibly handsome young man in a nice suit, and she thinks oh no, he's got to be a gang member. But the man, older than her by 8 or so years, treats her very nicely and gives first aid to her leg and shoulder. "Arran," he says is his name. She gets away from him as fast as she can.

The search for dad/ rent money sets the entire plot into motion. She runs into her neglectful brother, his suspicious girlfriend and her creepy gang-affiliated cousin, who tell Gen that her dad and a stripper are hanging out at the local bar, in a different gang territory. At the same time she finds out the Cherry has been brutally murdered, she tries to get into the bar where her dad was seen, and she discovers that she has to pretend to be a stripper auditioning for a part. So she goes along with, surveilling the bar as she fakes her way into the boss's office.

The boss has a skeleton mask on... but she knows it's Arran. He's the gang leader for this bar's territory. Still, she brazenly sticks to her story and asks for a look-see at the place. She doesn't see her father, but her actions raise suspicions among the gang because she's obviously a spy for another gang (they think).

This sets into motion a complicated plot of the two main characters who are sexually attracted to each other, but don't trust the other, each with their own agenda - his to protect his gang and territory, her to find her father and save their tiny sh*thole apartment. He thinks she's a spy for another gang; she thinks he's a pimp.

But they need information from each other, so they circle around each other... at the same time, Cherry's murder and movements by other gang members, the disappearance of Gen's father and brother - all heighten the tension and desperation to get information...

So Gen tries to sneak into the bar again, not realizing she's sneaking into a Primal Sex game, where men chase women around the warehouse floor, fight each other for the right to "claim" the woman (the women are there consensually) and then ravage the women they catch, then spend a month in a remote place.... anyhoo, there are a lot of rules to this game, but the MMC catches on through cameras that Gen is there (proving she must be a spy) but he races over there because he realizes that she knows nothing of the "game."

And the story goes off into another direction - the "game"- where Gen is being chased through a warehouse by raving sex fiends who are fighting each other and sexing the women they find and win by throwing off the other men. Arran fights his way through and claims Gen, but does not complete the sex act because he's trying to keep his "vow" of celibacy (she doesn't know this).

Per the rules of the Game, they now have to go away for weeks to spend time together and have lots of sex. Believe it or not, this is 40% into the book.

The remainder of the book is a series of sex games between two inexperienced people, but Arran has witnessed and been forced to partake in sex acts since he was a boy, so he has a lot of hangups. Their strange sex games take up a good deal of the story, but in the background are the betrayals of some of his crew, her father and brother's agendas, the conflicts with the other gangs, the women of the brothel, Cherry's murder, the murder of another woman involved in the Game, the corrupt police chief, the councilmembers who are a pushing for arrests of sex workers and gang members while also using their services, a friend's younger sister who insists on working in the strip club... and the possibility that Arran's mother hid a baby from them before she was murdered, which would be Arran's lost sibling.

So a non-traditional sexual relationship between the two characters with many other sub-plots in a seedy city at the English/Scottish border... if that's your jam, this is your book!

[•°Dahlia ( on and off ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𓏲 ๋࣭  ࣪ ˖4 🌟
He can do to me whatever he wants 😏

---
Fiza and Sk said this was good 👁👄👁 And I love a good book 👀🙈

[Izzah ꒰紅葉を期待 ಇ Duchess of Cabria꒱]

Is the obsession in the room with us?

DNF'd @ 53%

From the beginning I had trouble connecting with the MCs. I can't pinpoint how we're supposed to feel about the hero or the heroine.

The lack of chemistry was... under the charts?

I live for obsessed heroes losing control and it's their snapping moment that makes everything so hot.

This hero's control is impeccable. Not only does he lose his virginity in one trust and stops, but the heroine has to practically beg him to do her.

Even when that thread is snapped, he's still enough in control to be aware she's about to climax and stop himself.

But my biggest issues?

Menage/sharing. I hate those.

1/4 is my fault for not reading the TWs, but 3/4 it's the author's fault for making us hunt the TWs on her website. You realize my kindle has an apoplexy every time I try to open a link? And when I say 'hunt', I mean, hunt them... They're not that easy to find.

Check the TWs in the front of the book or on my website if you need to (the list is as long as … it should be, dirty girl).

I'm on the website already 💢


Anyway, I made it past 50% of 531 pages, so I'm marking it read. Despite my lack of interest in the MCs, I found the writing engaging enough to have made it that far. So, I'm taking a leap of faith and reading the next one (well, that and it also has bc tampering 🤭). I hear the audiobook is pretty awesome so maybe I'll use one of my credits?

[Erika Braga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. If you can, Listen to it. The audiobook is amazing with special effects, multiple POV’s and duet narration.

It has everything I love in a dark romance. It has gangs, crime, a mystery to be solved, the possessive brooding male character and a smart female character.
Arran is the son and only heir to the police chief who’s also a sec trafficker. He treated his son the worst you can imagine hoping to make him his image to take over the business. But Arran had another thing in mind. He became a very different version of his father, a criminal, yes, but a better one. He is the leader of a gang that controls the sex workers. The city has 3 dangerous gangs , one controls guns, the other drugs and Arran’s controls the sex. But he is in this to protect and help the women, not to explore them like his father. His mother was a sex worker, she was trafficked and died by the hands of his father. Arran is a protector who not only created a safe environment for the women to work but also a game that matches people to fall in love. He sweared to his mom that he was never going to be like his father and he was a 28 years old gorgeous “virgin” man cause he wanted someone he liked.
Genevieve is this hard working girl who’s never judged sex workers including being very good friends with one in particular. She has an older brother and her father and she is currently trying to find her father that disappeared. That’s how she cross paths with Arran and they are amazing together.
The push and pull, the hate tension, the live tension, the chemistry between them. Everything perfect.
The smut in this book is mouth watering. 😂
The sex club…… 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
This book is part of a trilogy and you will want to read the second book because the murders hadn’t been solved and it will continue to the next book that I am reading immediately 😉

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook was fucking fire!!! it almost felt like a GraphicAudio with the sound effects and the narrators killed it!

It’s very rare to read a dark romance book where the MMC is the one who has all the trauma & I wasn’t sure at first, but I ended up really liking the switch up.

Arron runs a club where he can keep sex workers safe because of his troubled past. Genevieve decides to enter a game that he hosts because she is looking for answers and she thinks she will find them there. In this hunt there are five women that are hunted by 20 men in masks and if they get captured they are claimed by that man…. And I’m over here stuck on fucking Hinge 😭😭 like this is the dating standard.

Overall, I really enjoyed the backstory of the club and also the mysterious murders, even though we don’t get complete answers in book one it makes me really excited to get into book 2 also Shade was immediately my favorite character from the second He opened his mouth so I’m ready for his story🤭

The only thing I will say is that Genevieve really got on my last fucking nerve. I was really hoping to see some serious character development, and even though she did get better by the end of the book, she still was not my favorite. Like homegirl was out here risking everybody’s lives so she can deliver some fucking pasta….

This shit was super kinky and spicy, which I honestly wasn’t expecting because of who our MMC was. I would definitely recommend I really enjoyed the story and I think we’re in for a wild ride !!

[Madelyn Mitchell · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst written books I’ve read. I mean I know books like these are for the smut but even that was written meh at best.

[Bones · Rating 1 out of 5]

Page 152 (31%) DNF.

MC is so insufferable I couldn't stand a single second more of her.

[Kimberlylovesreadingbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main reason I picked this book up was because I heard that it was a murder mystery and that it ends in suspense.

I enjoyed reading this book but it didn't excite me that much to give it a four star. 🤷🏾‍♀️Don't get me wrong this book is so well written but something was missing 😭😬.

I love the concept of the game that mixes violence and love, why do you need a dating app when you can get chased by 20 men 🤣.

Some spicy scenes here made me start to think twice before touching people's remotes or their candles or their phones 💀😬🙆🏾‍♀️.

What I do know is that I want to read Shade's book because I love me a good Scottish man 🤭💁🏾‍♀️.

[Alina Kravets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Я нічого не очікувала, але книга мені нереально сподобалась.
Тож я одразу вирішила читати наступну.😍

Тропи:
🖤Банда в масках
🖤Вимушена близькість
🖤Dangerous Play (Predator/Prey)
🖤Клуб для дорослих
🖤Травмований гг
🖤Різниця у віці (8 років)
🖤Не закінченна історія (наскільки я зрозуміла розслідування буде і в інших книгах)


Женев’єва – молода жінка, що бореться за виживання на межі бідності, живе з батьком-алкоголіком і братом. Їхнє життя ось-ось стане ще гіршим, адже батько витратив гроші на оренду, і виселення здається неминучим. Тому вона вирішує знайти батька, бо вже декілка днів його ніхто не бачив. Працюючи кур’єром, Женев’єва намагається заощадити, мріючи про навчання.

Одного дня її життя змінюється, коли її збиває машина. За кермом виявляється Арран — вражаюче красивий чоловік у дорогому костюмі. Вона одразу підозрює, що він, можливо, член банди, але його дії збивають її з пантелику: Арран поводиться уважно й турботливо, надаючи їй першу допомогу. Коли він їй говорить своє їм'я. Вона тікає від нього так швидко, як тільки може.

Арран — головний в банді скелетів, він пережив жахливе минуле: його виховував торговець людьми, піддаючи сексуальному рабству. Тепер, майже у свої 30, Арран очолює банду у вигаданому місті Дедвотер, розташованому біля узбережжя англійсько-шотландського кордону.
Їхній розпізнавальний знак — бандани із зображенням скелетів, які приховують обличчя.
Він є власником клубу який є 3в1 (стриптиз-клуб, секс-клуб і бордель). Арран на перший погляд може здатись поганим хло��цем, але він забеспечує прихистком і безпекою хто працює в нього. І також знищує ґвалтівників, що з’являються у їхньому районі.
Арран, обтяжений тягарем минулого, присягнув дотримуватися целібату, щоб не повторити жахливих гріхів свого батька.


Женев'єва вирішує проникнути в бар, де востаннє бачили її батька, і, щоб отримати доступ, змушена видавати себе за стриптизерку на прослуховуванні. Використовуючи цю можливість, вона пробирається до кабінету власника, де зустрічає чоловіка в масці скелета. Вона швидко розпізнає в ньому Аррана, але, не зважаючи на це, продовжує свою гру, сподіваючись знайти сліди батька. Її нахабство викликає підозри, і банда починає вважати її шпигункою іншої банди.

Женев'єва все ж знову проникає в бар, не підозрюючи, що потрапляє на гру Primal Sex, де чоловіки переслідують жінок, борючись між собою за право "володіння". Жінки беруть участь добровільно, але Женев’єва нічого про це не знає. Арран через камери помічає її присутність і розуміє, що вона не в курсі того, що відбувається. Він поспішає її врятувати.

Коли Женев'єву починають переслідувати гравці, Арран пробивається до неї, заявляючи на неї свої права. Він порушує свою обітницю целібату, про яку вона нічого не знає. За умовами гри, тепер вони мають провести разом кілька тижнів у віддаленому місці, де очікується, що між ними буде багато сексу.

Арран - в списку моїх книжкових чоловіків.❤️🥹
Він був настільки класним, і жодним чином не ображва головну героїню, завджи захищав, і тд. У нього просто не можливо не закохатись.

Арран - це не єдиний шикарний чоловік в книзі.
Це є Тінь, та Ріордан.🤤
Подивимось хто з них стане на перший щабель в цій серії.

Тут також з'являються герої з попередньої серії, яка мене заінтригувала, і я її теж планую читати.

Ще скажу, що книг оформлена ну дуже грано, там є арти клубу, та Женев'єви та Аррана.
Кожна глава починається з малюночку.💖
я таке дійсно по-любляю.

І мені сподобалось, що історія з розслідуванням вбивства йде в наступну книгу, і вже від Тіні і його пари, в книзі Аррана було декілька глав.

Якщо ви прочитали мій відгук і вам сподобалось, то обов'язково читайте, але зверніть увагу на тригери, їх там мама-рідна.🤭

Однозначно рекомендую!❤️‍🔥

[♡Naz♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It doesn't matter. I'm obsessed with you. I intend to possess you for all time. You're mine, do you understand?"
I think my ovaries just exploded.
MAY. THIS. OBSESSION. KIDNAP ME.

[Nim_reads_a_lot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure how to write this. This book was not for me. I have read all kinds of books and have a very forgiving heart but there were just too many things to move past in this book. It was confusing and the characters were inconsistent. The main female character, Genevieve, was frustrating and unlikeable. She was judgey, reckless, and a fool. She was also at risk for a horrible UTI and yeast infections quite often. The dialogue got cringey at some point. The words “delulu” and “trululu” appeared and I wanted to groan.

The story had promise and it had a weird mystery which is still unsolved but I won’t be continuing. I am not invested in their success. I wish success always for writers and hope to see her grow and do better. Trigger warnings are accurate and should be minded. Good luck reader.

[Bookishness]

DNFed 60%

[Chloe Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

yikes

also, my brother in christ, a tv remote ??? no!!

[GoldenEyeOfHorus · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 8%.

FMC was obnoxious and thought a lot of nasty, misogynistic things about women in the sex work industry, especially for someone that had a friend that was a sex worker.

The motivation here to do all this infiltrating the club and whatnot seems so shallow and sparse as a plot motivator. The way I would have left a father like that to do what he's already doing and go on my merry way to have a better life.

[Debs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this. He claimed her but only half hearted. He has to play by the rules of the game but he isn't giving it a chance. He is acting like a sulky teenager.

[LoveBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gangs and skeleton masks? *sighs, chin on hands, hearts in eyes*
Guess you and I are morally grey all the way, little maniac.

[Luna ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

»Your fear is pointless. The most dangerous monster out there is the man you fuck every night.«

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

❥ 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
She was likeable although kinda naive sometimes. She is brave, hard working and a great main character.

❥ 𝑨𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒏 ࣪⋆✮
This man had many secrets and I loved to explore them. He is dangerous, possessive and has a heart of gold.

✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
This book catched me off guard. The author plopped up on my TikTok for you page and her quote seemed promising. I had this book on my tbr a year ago but deleted it so now I decided to just start it immediately and see were it goes. And what should I say? I loved it. Exactly what I was in the mood for. Likeable characters, a dark and interesting setting with a good murder mystery.
Genevieve and Arran have great tension and I liked them together. Both have a lot of secrets and they learn to trust each other. Their banter and dialogue was entertaining.
The murder mystery was well done and a good addition to the plot. I liked the dark setting and kinky games in this book.
All in all this is a great dark gang romance with a lot of smut and a captivating storyline.

𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes, I had a lot of fun while reading.

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 5/5
spice: 4/5
humor: 3/5
couple/tension: 5/5
world building: 5/5
happy end?: yes (for the couple) and cliff hanger (for the plot)

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, secrets and lies, virgin mmc, catch and hunt, murder mystery, forced proximity, instant attraction, rich x poor, gang, dark romance, masked men, touch her and die, from different worlds, he owns a kinky club, he doesn‘t know how to love, one bed

𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲
ages: Genevieve (22) and Arran (28)
cheating: no
sharing: no
kinks: free use, knife play, catch and hunt

𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 Arran‘s Obsession ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Connor‘s Claim ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Olga 🌺 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three weeks after reading Arran's Obsession I finally sit down to write my review.
To say I loved this book is an understatement!
It is dark romance but not the kind that makes you cringe and squirm. The kind that intrigues you to know what's to come.

Arran is an emotionally detached MMC who's the son of a Lord, his father had a kink, many kinks, he was pimping women and using them for his own pleasure. One of them being the MMCs mom who was not allowed to see or care for her child.
Arran made a vow to himself that he would never touch a woman and will do everything in his power to secure a safe life and workspace for the women who willingly want to go into prostitution. And he helped those who are coerced into this world.
In comes the MFC, a beauty in the shadows who abhors gangs, mafias and the under world. Her dad goes missing, she goes looking for him in Arran's pleasure palace. It's an insta lust/love book. But then turned into such a slow burn that gripped my heart like a vise.

There are kinks, of course there are, after all he owns a bloody brothel.
What I didn’t like is that because of her tenaciousness she partakes in one and forces him as well, something that he's never done.
Also, that tenaciousness pushes him beyond his comfort zone. Keep in mind he's a man who's never received love in his life. His upbringing is so surreal that he doesn't know how to love or care for someone. What he feels for her is so deep. Protectiveness, obsession, belonging.
She makes him feel guilty because he cannot say I love you back and pressures him to say it if he wants to be with her.
I mean, woman, he adores you but he doesn't know how to cope with these feelings he's succumbing under. Give him time, nurture him, love him unconditionally; he will eventually know what love is, you just need to show him and not force his hand.

For this reason I took away one star. But this book is going into my favourite books shelf.

[Liz (LoverOfBooks80) · Rating 5 out of 5]

PHENOMENAL

[⊹ ࣪ ˖ tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’d like to throw Gens hat in the ring for the top 30 most insufferable fmc’s challenge. The rest of the book was pretty good tho