Carnival Stalker

Carnival #4

by Selena Winters

I never imagined I'd lose my heart to the man who stole my freedom, but now I'm caught in a web of desire I can't escape.

I was just a small-town girl with big dreams of creating video games. But when Phoenix, the carnival's enigmatic hacker, set his sights on me, my world turned upside down. His ice-blue eyes terrified and tempted me, drawing me into a twisted game of obsession and desire.

Kidnapped and thrust into his dark world, I quickly realized I was in over my head. Phoenix was dangerous, brilliant, and hauntingly alluring. His past trauma fueled a need for control that both frightened and fascinated me.

Every attempt to reclaim my freedom had me sinking deeper into his intricate maze of manipulation. I became his possession, with no chance of escape. My death was faked, my old life erased, and I belonged to him completely.

As the carnival lights flicker and the darkness closes in, I must do I fight against the chains that bind us or surrender to the intoxicating pull of our shared madness?

Carnival Stalker is a dark romance with heavy subjects that some readers may find triggering. A full list of the warnings will be found on my website. This story has no cliffhanger and ends with a HEA.

Genres: Dark Romance, Halloween, Romance, Dark, Smut, BDSM, Erotica

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2024

Reviews

[Анастасія ꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Скажу так, ця книжка відрізняється від попередніх тим, що в інших була якась ілюзія вибору і вони спокійно (або не дуже) ставились до того, що все повинні кинути і піти за Карнавалом, а тут такого не було, тут все вирішили за неї і це фу.

Можливо я би поставила 2, якби не викрадення Тіллі прийомною матір'ю Фенікса. І там була сцена з тортурами. І з одного боку я розумію, що Фенікс чинить не правильно, але у нього порушена психіка ще з дитинства (здається тут у кожного вона в серії порушена) і порушила її саме Вероніка, його прийомна мати. Я пропустила чи казали щось про батька чи ще когось, але була тільки вона.

Одна з найбільших вчинків/думок, які мене тут дратували це початок ще, коли вони були у клубі і Фенікс побачив як Тіллі танцює з якимось хлопцем, і він подумав, 'як вона посміла, і чи розуміє вона що вона тепер йому належить?' Що саме цікаво, вони там 2 діалоги можливо до цього було або навіть і не було, тоді вона екстрасенс щоб думки читати і зрозуміти кому вона там належить? Хоча людина нікому не належить, вона своя власна.

Мені сподобалося те, що тут знову були персонажі з попередніх історій, і навіть трішки більше ніж в попередній.

А ще мені сподобався Тайсон, і його підтримка Фенікса, і здається він саме його найближчий друг, буде цікаво почитати про нього книжку, і сподіваюся, що він буде адекватним, хоча дивлячись на цю серію щось сумніваюся.

[Hunter Adcock · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was absolutely terrible. It makes me sad because the other carnival books are SO good! Honestly, this one gave me the ick. It was so annoying how on almost every single page, phoenix would say “you’re mine” or “claiming/marking her as mine”. a few times i actually said out loud to my kindle, “WE GET IT!! SHES YOURS!” After noticing those phrases, the constant repetitive use of other phrases started becoming more noticeable to me. Very, very annoying. I was so glad when i finally finished it.

[Helena · Rating 1 out of 5]

CRINGEEEE. I wanted to love this, the premise is interesting - hot psycho carnies and the women they're obsessed with - but the execution was not there for me. I HATED Carnival Monster (one of the other books) but everyone kept recommending them to me so here I am again and I had a terrible time. DNF @ 85% bc I wanted to throw my tablet at the wall. Tilly is TSTL and Phoenix is a cringy creep with control issues.



PLOT:

Tilly joins her friends visiting the carnival that's in town. Unbeknownst to her, she's caught the attention of the carnival's resident hacker, Phoenix. He seeps into her life, fakes her death and kidnaps her to make her his.




THOUGHTS I HAD WHILE READING:

- Here we go again, the male lead's default personality is "simmering rage", "snarling", "inner demons" and "roiling fury"..... But nothing has happened? Some guy just asked him a question / wanted him to handle something?

- he saw her once from across the carnival and he's obsessed? Sigh. This man has seriously never seen a beautiful woman before?

- another one with ice blue eyes? Does every single dark romance male lead NEED to have blue eyes??

- Phoenix wanking it to her private photo album while mumbling "you're mine" is.... Gross AF

- Tilly has NO sense of self preservation. Like "ah yes this man has been openly stalking me and is scaring off guys interested in me, let me grind on his cock and let him eat me out in a broom closet he'll get the message" DUMB.

- Phoenix jerking it in the alley made me laugh out loud. Our guy sees her on the security feed and goes "ah yeah, this grainy pixel image really gets me going"

- DID HE WASH HIS HANDS?!?? This man was just getting acquainted with his dick 3 seconds before entering the coffee shop. I'm PRAYING he had some pocket Purel bc that's NASTY!

- Jesus Christ Tilly! The man wants you to suck his cock in a dirty alley (while wearing a skirt so what is she laying on, the ground???) and you went from scared "why are you following me" to "gag me daddy" in about 2 seconds.

- this man has the character depth of a puddle. All he does is sex her up and constantly repeat variations of "you're mine".... *Sigh*

- the smut in this one is REALLY not as good as the last book.

- Tilly again GIRLY?!? have sex with a stranger? Sure, but letting him isolate you and tie you up in his trailer when no one knows where you are? are you a complete idiot????

- why does no one in these books ever need lube?

- honestly these books just grate on me. This man KIDNAPPED AND DRUGGED you, and made your family think you were dead, he stole you from your life and future career and took away your choice and Tilly's all "I'm strong I'll run away" and then begs him to fuck her against a tree in the woods. Girl are you ok???

- Tilly annoys the FUCK out of me. Literally the girl has the back bone of a bendy straw. This man destroyed your life and you keep yoyo-ing between "let me get that dick" and "stay away from me you monster" it's exhausting and RIDICULOUS

- can you STOP DRUGGING HER. I get it you had to get her there, but this guy has drugged her with God knows what like 8 times now and it's super unsexy and getting on my nerves. Also, I know dark romance isn't big on "consent" but really???

- honestly, maybe I'm just not the target audience for this but having a scared girl screaming at him to get the nipple clamps off bc they're hurting her and the male lead forcing her to have anal is just .... Not hot to me at all! Oh but it's *okay* because shes actually into that. *Rolls eyes*

- "shifts onto her hands and knees. The position exposes her pussy, wet and glistening, a clear sign of her arousal despite her reluctance" ABSOLUTELY HECKING BARF MY DUDE.

AND IM DONE! I had to stop reading after Tilly got kidnapped again and there's that whole random plot against Phoenix and people from his past. This was just SO bad, so cringe and not worth finishing.

[Dru · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶🌶🌶🌶
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Audiobook: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧

Tilly never imagined she would lose her heart to the man who stole her freedom, but Phoenix, the carnival’s enigmatic hacker, turns her world upside down. Kidnapped and thrust into his dark, twisted world, she discovers he is dangerous, brilliant, and hauntingly alluring, and his past trauma fuels a need for control that both terrifies and fascinates her. As every attempt to reclaim her freedom draws her deeper into his maze of obsession, Tilly must decide whether to fight for herself or surrender to the intoxicating pull of their shared madness.

Phoenix might just be the sweetest MMC of them all. I seriously felt for him so much in this book. He’s like a big, soft teddy bear at heart, and all he wants is what’s best for Tilly, which, of course, is him. He’s a little unhinged, sure, but honestly, compared to other MMCs, he probably cares the most for his girl. You can really feel that he’s a lost soul searching for his other half, and watching their connection grow is honestly heart-melting.

Tilly is no weak link either. She definitely holds her own and isn’t afraid to challenge Phoenix, and their passions collide in so many ways. Of course, she isn’t thrilled about being kidnapped, completely understandable, but she’s still fiery, clever, and able to match him in more ways than one.

As with the rest of this series, there’s a plot, but don’t expect a ton of story. This one probably has the most, though that’s not saying much, since it’s mostly şmüt. Go in knowing that it’s about 80 percent şmüt and 20 percent plot, and you’ll enjoy the ride.

I also listened to the audiobook while reading, and it’s narrated in a duet style (not dual), with the male narrator reading all the male parts and the female narrator reading all the female parts. This is hands down my favorite style for books like this, and it’s absolutely worth experiencing for this one.

⟣Tropes⟢
✅ Touch her and 💀
✅ 🖤 Morally Black MMC 🖤
✅ Obsessive/JP MMC
✅ Dirty Talk
✅ Dual POV’s (first person)
✅ Captor/Captive
✅ Insta-Love (on MMC side)
✅ No OW/OM drama
✅ He falls first
✅ 🔥 Medium Burn 🔥
✅ Stalker
✅ Masked MMC
✅ Chase/Primal
✅ MINE
✅ HEA



‼️‼️‼️Trigger Warning‼️‼️‼️
I don’t have any specific triggers and was okay reading it without any warnings, but always take care of your mental health before diving in, since this book definitely has triggers.

[ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ Maddy Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bro, look, for real, i'm super into red flags.

This is a hot mess, capital underline bold italic HOT. I ate this shit like it was the finest of meals. Bon appetit 🤌😂

[Monae Doyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this was going to be a great Halloween romance but I totally just felt that this book wasn’t for me. This story involved kidnapping, drugging, violence and a really disturbing dark love story that I didn’t feel good about.

This story centers around a woman named Tilly. She is at a carnival with a girlfriend when she is hit upon by a bad guy. Then a guy who is wearing a mask comes along and stops it. Tilly is feeling like she is being watched and when she gets home. Even at school she sees the strange guy. You end up knowing that the guy’s name is Phoenix. Phoenix is a hacker and he works at a carnival with these other guys that he knows. Phoenix becomes obsessed with Tilly and wanting her for himself. He doesn’t want her around other men. He even fakes her death, drugs her and kidnaps her and takes her out of state. He makes sure that her family doesn’t know that she’s alive because he takes her. He feels that Tilly is for him and him alone. He even puts a tracker under her skin in which he finds her when she runs away. You find out that Tilly is into being chased and a guy who wears a Halloween mask. I just didn’t find that this was a love story it was just disturbing and there was lots of violence in this book. You found out that Phoenix was in the foster system and he had a really bad foster mom. I didn’t like Phoenix and I didn’t find that I liked this couple at all. I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you like disturbing couples and lots of graphic violence.

[spicy_book_nook · Rating 3 out of 5]

getting repetitive

Thoughts: this series is getting kind of repetitive… psycho hot guy lures, kidnaps, or manipulates a girl to leave with them. Leaving their life behind.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot / Storyline 👩🏻‍💻: 📑📑
Heat / Burn (slow / fast): 🐢🐢🐢🐇🐇
Darkness: 🖤🖤🖤
Red Flags: 🚩🚩🚩🚩
Kinks: 🫦🫦🫦
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😐🫣🫨🥵
Ending: 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}

***spoilers - whole story***
Phoenix is the hacker of the carnival group. He sees Tilly, drugs her and takes her with him onto the next town. He fabricates her dying in a car accident to ensure her family and friends don’t look for her. Tilly fights for 1.2 seconds and then is done with the situation. Phoenix put a tracker on her and was able to find her when his old foster mom, Veronica, kidnapped her. Phoenix ran away from Veronica because she was hurting him in the grossest way.
They get their revenge.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read half of the book but couldn’t read anymore. Unbelievable storyline,

[ashlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a terrible read, but the scenes are basically the same in each book. If you’re gonna write cnc scenes, make it a little more interesting. The fmc was annoying. Like, just accept you have stockholm syndrome and stop with the “I crave him, no I hate him, I can’t do this, but I want this, etc. lol maybe I need to read a new genre and cleanse my pallet before I continue with this series.

[Nimi (Warner's Wife ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a slow-burn baby—I love yearning and angst. This plot was short, to the point, and super fast burn, so I didn’t really connect with the characters . Still, it was a quick and interesting read, though there isn’t much else to say about it

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Phoenix and Tilly need a therapist!

[Susan Bates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook was performed by Aaron Shedlock and Marie Hawkins. I listened to this because I love both narrators. As always, they both were fantastic. I wasn't aware this was part of a series and not the first book. I felt like I was a little lost as to where the story was going.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

What even

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

❌ DNF ❌

⚠️ Made it to chapter 9 before returning it to KU. 2 stars because it feels a bit unfair only having read a fifth of the book.

• A lot of words and phrases are repeated on back to back pages, gets very old very quick. How many times do I have to read the word “intoxicating?” How many times can you tug your jacket tighter before you look like you’re strangling yourself with it? You get the idea.

• Everything felt too forced and unrealistic. The relationship between Tilly and Amy is superficial and cringy/cliche in a way that feels unnatural, not like two true friends. There’s minimal personality to it and the dialogue reminds me of what would be written by a school student.
- Same goes for Phoenix - cringy. I’m a lover of the obsessed/stalker trope, but this just isn’t it. It’s overly done and hard to immerse yourself in. The sudden, extreme obsession and contact felt too psychotic, and not in a hot way. It felt gross (saying this as a lover of H(a)unting Adeline and Brooke Harper’s Mafia Rose series). As someone who’s read this after reading those mentioned books, it felt like the author read similar books and tried a little too hard to write their own like it.

After reading other reviews and summaries of the entire book, I have no desire to finish it. Maybe the other Carnival books are better, but I just can’t get behind this one.

[Jessica Leek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Selena Winters masterpiece ✨️

Selena's books are great for a quick number increase for monthly challenges. The suck you in quick and can be devoured in no time.

***Spoiler line****

Phoenix and Tillys' story is stalking and masked men at it finest. Great possessive lines that make panties melt.

"Because you’re special, you shine brighter than anyone I’ve known. I saw you at the carnival, and I couldn’t look away. You’re like a flame, captivating and untouchable, and I’m drawn to you."

Every girl wants that from the love of thier life to feel seen and special. You feel that from Phoenix. I would have liked to see the girls not just running a booth at the carnival, but actually a part of Tyson's darker team.
Tilly and Phoenix could easily be a 2 park hacking team. Hopefully as the series progress we will see that.

[Chrys Fey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the second Selena Winters story I’ve read. The first was Carnival Monster. I also picked up Carnival Master, but after reading this one, I’m taking a break. I chose this one because I wanted to see how she handled the concept…and I didn’t like it.

*deep breath* I’m sorry but he kidnaps her, and she is terrified of him. But still attracted to him. But still afraid of him. Period. She tells him “stop” and “no” and that he’s hurting her, and he doesn’t stop. That’s r@pe. Sorry, but it it. (Actually, I’m not sorry for saying it.) It doesn’t matter if she later experiences pleasure and has an O. What matters is that she was terrified and tell him all the things we are taught to say to make it clear we’re not consenting. Again, doesn’t matter if he’s hot or that she ends up feeling pleasure. It is what it is, and it’s very clear what it is.

There’s several things I didn’t like aside from that.



* At the end of the story, Tilly somehow can run really fast. Fast enough to catch a woman who is not injured (Tilly is). This would’ve been believable if it was established that she ran track or something earlier in the story. But for all we know, she’s average at best with running and catches Veronica before the men do? I didn’t buy it.

* They bang each other immediately after catching Veronica. And I don’t mean that they realize they have more important things to do, like transport her somewhere and deal with her. Nope. They bang right there. In front of Ty and Veronica. I get have s*x after an intense situation, but right then and there? I couldn’t her behind that.

* Tilly is suddenly okay with m^rder and watching Phoenix commit m^rder and is no longer afraid of his darkness after being kidnapped away from him (pretty briefly) and cut with a kn!fe all because Veronica, Phoenix’s foster mom, wants to get back at Phoenix. Her having a slow transition to that, if a different tactic to why he kidnaps her (which I lay out below) would’ve made this more believable.

* Phoenix put a microchip to track her under her skin, but we don’t see this, and she never notices the scar he shows her or a fresh cut, no matter how small, or a bandage or feel anything?

* Veronica…she feels like an excuse to add something other than r@pe to the story, something to try to show us why Phoenix is the way he is, and to try to make it make sense when Tilly falls for Phoenix. We should’ve been introduced to memories about her from the very beginning. Phoenix kept telling Tilly that he kidnapped her to protect her. It would’ve been so much better if Phoenix caught Veronica in his system while he was stalking Tilly and realized that Veronica was going to go after Tilly because of him. Then he takes her to protect her. Then it would’ve made sense, and he would’ve been able to prove it to her, get her to trust him, while also having some hot s*x that was not r@pe.

* Tilly feels so guilty that her loved ones believe she’s dead but doesn’t convince Phoenix that she loves him and can tell her loved ones she’s alive. She could’ve lied to her loved ones t and said she ran away from her old life, which is essentially what Phoenix wanted her to do anyway. She’s a pretty shitty loved one.



* This story could’ve been edited again. There is so much repetition with certain words and phrases (‘unease’ and similar wording was used over and over again in the beginning). Their thoughts are also repeated countless times.

* This is a pretty lengthy story for barely anything happening. Because of the content, I ended up skipping half the book to get to the end.

Not for me.

[♥ I’d Rather Be Reading ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

- FMC: Tilly
- MMC: Phoenix
- POVs Included: Dual POVs (Phoenix, Tilly)
- Book Playlist (Carnival Book Series Playlist)

-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)

Phoenix is the resident hacker for the carnival and their after-hours jobs (i.e. the illegal shit). He's normally holed up in his trailer hacking away. But one day he ventures out to the carnival and sees the most beautiful woman ever.

Tilly is an aspiring computer gaming programmer. She's going to college and has friends and family she loves. So when Phoenix comes rushing into her life she isn't prepared for his level of obsession.

After Phoenix kidnaps Tilly to keep for himself, their relationship is (understandably) strained. But over time Tilly finds herself falling just as hard for Phoenix as he has for her.

-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
REVIEW:

I struggled with whether to give this one 2.5 or 3 stars. I'm going to settle on 3 stars because while they were some things I didn't like, I did appreciate that there was a minor plot arc going on and that it was a unique setup compared to the previous books.

The hardest one to get past about this one is that Phoenix is absolutely insane. I'm beginning to see that these books progress in how crazy the guy is and what he does.

This one starts off with Phoenix seeing Tilly ONCE and becoming obsessed with her. He begins stalking her and they do start to have some positive-ish interactions. But then...he kidnaps her and fakes her death so that she can never see her family and friends again. This is was a bit much. Especially considering Tilly is actually happy and has good friends. So this was a hard pill to swallow.

For a while Phoenix keeps her captive tied to his bed. I'm not understanding how she went to the bathroom and showered. But that's what happened.

This entire section just felt kind of...yuck to me. I've read LOADS of captive romances. But for some reason the way this was written didn't work for me.

Once Tilly starts to fall into her Stockholm Syndrome a bit, things became more palatable between them. But the fact that he ruined her life and she can never even visit her friends and family really puts a damper on their HEA.

But I did like the side plot about his ex-foster mom. Not because I liked what she did, but because it gave Phoenix's character some depth and made it easier to understand why he is the way he is.

We still had a lot of repetitive dialog (especially during sex scenes), but it didn't seem quite as bad to me as the previous book. That being said, the sex scenes didn't do much for me, unfortunately. They just felt kind of bland and boring.

Still, I like this series because I like the setup and the whole crazy carnival vibe going on. I'll continue reading them because I like them just enough. And I'm desperately hoping the MMF for Nash and Colt is good.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phoenix 🫦 and Tilly ...nothing like being stalked and told to do naughty 😏 things online. 🥵

Dedication
Get ready for a wild ride, baby. These words are gonna fuck you up in the best way possible. I'm taking you on a journey deep into your darkest and dirtiest fantasies. So, sit back and let me dirty talk just for you. It's time to play, my beautifully filthy reader…

“I’m going to prove why you’re mine,” he growls. “Prove why you need to stay the fuck away from all other men.”

You can run, but there’s nowhere to hide, sweetheart.

The mystery man has a magnetic pull on me, and I can’t stop thinking about him. It’s not just his handsome looks or the air of danger that surrounds him; there’s something more—an intense connection that I can’t explain.

You’ve got no idea how much I’m obsessing. I want to consume you, brand you as mine. I want to be under your skin, in your head, and in your heart.

Why me? Why are you so fixated on me?

Because you’re special, you shine brighter than anyone I’ve known. I saw you at the carnival, and I couldn’t look away. You’re like a flame, captivating and untouchable, and I’m drawn to you.

I ache to possess her fully—mind, body, and soul—to claim her as mine in every sense of the word. To brand her with my name, my essence, until she belongs to me and me alone.

“I want to hear you moan my name like a prayer on those pretty lips.”

“You’re mine,” I rasp. “Every inch of this gorgeous body belongs to me.”

I feel like I’m dreaming as we pass the dazzling lights and lively crowds. This place, these people, they don’t feel real. But Phoenix does. He’s a storm of intensity, and I’m drawn to the eye of that storm. I know it’s wild, but I can’t deny my feelings.

“I prefer to think of it as a strategic relocation. You see, Tilly, I couldn’t bear the thought of being without you, and I knew you’d never leave your life behind voluntarily. So, I had to take matters into my own hands.”

Tilly is now irreversibly mine. No one will come looking for her. I ensured that.

I’m losing my grip on reality. I know it. My obsession with Tilly has driven me to extremes, but I can’t let her go. She’s mine, and I’ll never give her up.

“You’re going to be mine forever. I’ll brand you with my touch, mark you as mine.”

“Let me go right now!” My gaze hardens. “I can’t do that. I won’t. Don’t you get it? You’re mine. I’ve claimed you, and I’m not letting you go. Ever.”

“You’re insane,” she murmurs. I smile. “Maybe I am. But you know what? I’m okay with that. Because in my madness, I found you.”

“I love you, Tilly,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

“I love you too,” she whispers, pulling my mask up enough so my mouth is visible.

“You’re mine,” I growl, my voice thick with desire. “Only mine.”

“Yes,” she pants. “Yours, always.”

“Tilly, you mean everything to me. This past year has been a whirlwind, but you’ve been my light through all the chaos and darkness.”

[❤ArtfullySinful❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ve got no idea how much I’m obsessing. I want to consume you, brand you as mine. I want to be under your skin, in your head, and in your heart.

Another week, another new town filled to the brim with excitement and chaos as the circus finds itself setting up again. For Phoenix, this would be a city that'll hold a lasting brand on him as it's where he first laid eyes on Tilly and found himself so deeply entwined in her from the very first look. Mystified by the attractive and mysterious stranger, Tilly finds herself lusting for him even as everything inside of her is screaming to stay away. Stalking her and using his niche to his advantage, he gained access to the cameras and microphones and began settling into a routine of watching. Spying him at her community college; she's attending to gain a degree in coding to help create the graphics in video games she knows she's in too deep as the two begin a sexually charged relationship almost from their first conversation. Unable to get him from her own mind, she never expected him to kidnap her and fake her own death. Keeping her sedated and drugged, he falsified information to show she died in a car accident which left her family and friends grieving. Fighting him every chance she can, she escapes twice and thanks to the tracker he implanted in her wrist has managed to get to her every time.

“I was just a boy, ten years old, scared and alone. You were supposed to take care of me, to be my safe haven. But instead, you stole my childhood, piece by piece. You groomed me, manipulated me into believing your sick games were love.” My voice trembles, the hurt little boy I once was colliding with the hardened man I am now.

Walking home from tending to a concession stand one night, she's captured and drug to a warehouse fifty miles away as she now has a starring role in a horrible ordeal. Taking by Veronica, she never realized how devious a foster mother could be until she learned of the sickening sexual history between her and ten year old Phoenix. Suffering four years of abuse, he ran away and joined the carnival at fourteen, never looking back at the monster he needed saved from. When he saw the footage of Tilly bound and helpless, he recruited Tyson (the carnival's owner) to help him get her back. Seeing the cute to her arm and chest, he only saw red as he was forced to let Veronica walk away. With her chair locked into explosives, they made the difficult choice to let Veronica walk away but that would be truly short lived. Captured and tortured, she felt every ounce of pain Phoenix felt as the bond between him and Tilly only grew. As their story began wrapping up, he would bow to her and on one knee ask for her hand to marry. Letting go of everything else she agreed wholeheartedly to him.

You can’t deny what’s between us. Embrace it. Surrender to me. I’ll show you pleasures beyond your wildest dreams. I’ll dominate every part of you.

[Mafia Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

She is a student, a coder, and an innocent. When she is at the carnival with her friend when a man won’t take no for an answer, until a tall, gorgeous man, with striking blue eyes intervenes. What she doesn’t know is that her life will forever be changed. He is a coder and a hacker who works for the carnival and their sometimes other businesses. He has a dark past. He has an even darker moral code. He is obsessed with her and he can’t move on without her. This is definitely a morally dark romance. It has kidnapping, stalking, dub/con and primal play vibes. It will really stretch your ideas about the boundaries of love. The character development is excellent. You don’t get it all at once but as the story unfolds, you really understand characters and what has made them who they are. It is not a sweet romance but what drew them to each other is consuming. It is well written and leads you on quite an adventure. I have to admit for me there was too much of their “other business” for me. I didn’t find it necessary on top of the drama from his past. I would have also liked a little more of the couples from the other stories in this series. You don’t have to have read them to read this one. It stands all on its own. However since the characters were mentioned in this story I would have liked a little glimpse of them interacting to see where they are now. These two get their own version of an HEA.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS



Star Rating : 4 / 5 Stars

POV : Dual

Cliffhanger : None

Pace of the story : Moderate

Angst Rating : 5/10

Heat Rating : 5/10

Overall Opinion :
This one was a quick read for me. I was craving something twisted but short to read and I picked this one up. I don't remember where exactly I found it from , probably in some FB thread about books , but it was good! I loved the twisted themes and even though I expected it to be more dark based on the title , it was kind of tame. The storyline was smooth and things went over good pretty fast without any major plot twists or anything. I liked the way things started and the ending was good too.

I have saved this author and might even pick up other books of the series as we see a few cameos in this one. Recommending this one to all the dark romance loving people out there! If you are craving something dark and twisted to ease your mind , do read this.

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[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

No suelo dejar reseñas negativas, pero este libro me ha frustrado bastante y necesito compartir por qué. Carnival Stalker me ha parecido repetitivo, plano y, sinceramente, incómodo de leer por momentos.

Desde el primer capítulo, el protagonista, Phoenix, deja claro que Tilly "es suya", y no pasa ni un solo capitulo sin que vuelva a remarcarlo. El problema no es solo la insistencia (que se vuelve agotadora), sino el tono posesivo con el que lo hace. Me incomodó muchísimo cómo se representa esta relación: él hipercontrolador, marcando constantemente territorio, y ella completamente sumisa, sin mostrar apenas conflicto o desarrollo personal. La dinámica no evoluciona, y eso hace que los personajes se sientan planos y poco creíbles.

Además, esperaba algún tipo de trama más allá de las escenas de "dominación" disfrazadas de romance, pero no hay nada realmente sólido en cuanto a argumento. Todo gira en torno a su relación tóxica, sin que ocurra nada relevante fuera de eso. No hay un conflicto interesante, ni una evolución emocional significativa, ni siquiera un contexto narrativo que justifique tanto drama posesivo.

Sé que hay gente a la que le gustan este tipo de historias, y respeto eso. Pero para mí, este libro fue una decepción. Necesito más que una obsesión romántica para engancharme a una historia. Si estás buscando una lectura con personajes profundos, trama sólida o romance saludable, probablemente este no sea el libro para ti

[MMSTFUATTDLAGG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice/Steam: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Relationship: FM
Tropes/Triggers: Masked man, stalking, primal play, degradation, CNC, dubcon, blood play, knife play, past CSA, murder, somnophilia, drugging, captive, torture, exhibitionism
Series: Carnival Stalker - Carnival Series #4

Synopsis
MMC Phoenix works with a traveling carnival behind the scenes as a hacker. He rarely engages with the other workers and enjoys solitude.

FMC Tilly is a vibrant college girl studying computer science. When she runs into trouble at the carnival, a mystery man saves her and disappears. A stalker starts taunting her but it takes a spicy yet sinister turn.

Review
Another book in the carnival series but the MMC’s method changes a bit, which is welcome since the method was pretty much the same in all the books. His actions are more unhinged than the other MMC’s in some ways and it was kind of losing me but we find out why and I was back in.

Again, we get more details about the secret operation the carnival engages in. There’s more suspense since there’s more happening than just the dark romance. We get a little more interaction with the other characters. All in all, it was pretty solid and a step in the right direction compared to the first books of this series.

[Amanda Berrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phoenix & Tilly

This one was alright. It’s kind of funny Phoenix was probably one of the least problematic MMCs in this series so far but I still couldn’t really connect with him as much as I could the others. Something about him and Tilly’s relationship just fell short to me.

**spoilers**

Normally in books where the captive falls for her captor there’s a clear moment where they are no longer trying to escape but in this book it was almost as if she completely forgot she was a captive. She was trying to escape and begging to not be kept underground but then two pages later basically she was working at the cotton candy stand. Also the one thing I really can’t get past is the fact that she never saw her family or friends again. Let me clarify. Phoenix drugged and abducted Tilly and faked her death so that her loved ones would never come looking for her and she was (understandably) heartbroken over it all. But as time passed and she went from captive to willing participant she never asked to see her family or friends…? It’s odd. Overall this story was ok but there were just some things missing that I feel would’ve made everything feel a little more complete

[Terriann Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author and I cannot get enough of these carnival stalker romances!
This story revolves around Phoenix, the introverted, computer hacker that keeps himself to himself due to previous childhood trauma. Until one night, he lays eyes on Tilly, Chestnut hair and hazel eyes instantly draw him in, he is obsessed with her and will do anything to make her his. Tilly is nervous, she feels as though someone is watching her, she keeps seeing piercing blue eyes watching her where ever she goes. She goes out to a nightclub with her friends when the guy she is dancing with suddenly runs away in fear and a man with piercing blue eyes and a skull face mask drags her away into a store room, he gets down on his knees to worship her and vows that she will be his. She is entranced by him and it's not until she wakes up in a moving trailer, tied to his bed that she thinks he may be a bit more psychotic than she thought.
Amazing story that I just couldn't get enough of!
I can't wait for more!!
I'm desperate 🥵

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Estefania]

1. En verdad que tenía la esperanza de que esta protagonista le hiciera las cosas más difíciles al protagonista y que no cayera tan rápido sólo porque el tipo le prestó un poco de atención. Deseaba que en verdad ella intentará escapar todo el tiempo hasta lograrlo o al menos intentar comunicarse con su familia, pero sólo lo hizo dos veces y ya que no podía alejarse del tipo, por la supuesta “conexion” que tienen. Se volvió otra empleada de la feria y haciendo todo lo que el otro le pide como si ella fuera un títere.

2. Además Phoenix es otro violador, porqué lo que más hizo al tenerla secuestrada fue abusar de ella y lo peor es que aparentemente fue abusado de chiquito y crecio a hacer lo mismo y sin necesidad, porque el ya tenía en sus manos a Tilly, a ella con sólo una muestra de afecto ya la tenía a sus pies y no tenía necesidad de alejarla de su familia de esa manera y mucho menos abusar de ella, cuando literalmente ya la tenía comiendo de su mano.

[Catherine Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

By far an amazing read there's so much that goes on in this book and can I just say the level of craziness Phoenix is but yet his dedication surpasses everything else because he is so undeniably obsessed and in love with this girl like Tilly doesn't stand a chance and it's so freaking hot yes it is a book and yes it is fiction but this girl she fights to the end but realizes she's just as messed up as him and it's so awesome. The push and pull between both of them the vulnerableness that she gets out of Phoenix is impeccable. There are scenes in this book that made me say what in the actual flip because the level of craziness Phoenix will go to and the amount of like spicy torture he goes into. this book was shock value it really was like there were some moments I was like wow I didn't think she could go anymore like darker but she really did with this book.

[Brea · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay read overall. I liked how Tilly fought to free herself, but she gave in far too quickly—and too often. The MMC is completely unhinged, the kind of psycho you can’t look away from. Still, I found myself enjoying it.

Selena Winters always writes in shades of darkness, and this Carnival Series is no exception. Things spiral fast—wild, twisted, and bloody. His story is tragic, his revenge cruel, and the HEA fits this couple’s brand of broken love perfectly.

It’s a fast, fierce, spicy read with plenty of “WTF did I just read?” moments mixed with a few unexpected soft ones.

My biggest issue was the lack of character development. The shift from fear to acceptance happens too suddenly, making it hard to believe in the connection.

Still, if you crave your dark romance truly dark—with obsession, control, and chaos—this one delivers exactly that.

[Shantrellia · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is more please! I love everything about this book. Were do I begin, the spice was there!!!! There was so much spice and I was here for it. Phoenix is dark and insane but we love it. His obsession was everything in this story. His desire for Tilly is all consuming and I enjoyed the ride. Tilly was great too she was everything I needed in a FMC. The ending had a twist I wasn't ready for I enjoyed every bit of it. I can't wait to read more. I didn't want this book to end. I have to say Selena Winters in now one of my favorites. This is definitely a dark romance with some heavy trigger warnings, but it was great!!!. I wish I could give more stars.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.