This is Dark Love: A Novel

by Jessie Rose

Jaded rock singer Sammi Valentine is drowning in a haze of addiction and despair on a failing festival tour. Haunted by her father’s violent abuse and the shadows of her childhood in small-town Georgia she can’t escape. Sammi’s life is unraveling note by note.

Trapped under the suffocating control of her toxic bandmate, she has nowhere to run, no one to trust, and the weight of darkness is closing in. Her music—once a refuge—is now a desperate plea for survival, each lyric ripped from her deepest wounds.

With her past clawing its way back and her present spiraling out of control, Sammi must fight for a way out or let the darkness swallow her whole.

Dark Love is a raw, unflinching story of survival, addiction, and the fragile fight to find hope in a world built to break you.

Perfect for fans of gritty, emotionally charged fiction.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 22, 2024

Reviews

[Tara Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows Samantha Valentine as she navigates a tumultuous life of abuse. Her story is heavy and dark and not for the faint of heart.

Jessie Rose has a way of always absolutely sucking me into their stories. Their writing style is unmatched and I can always count on a quick and intriguing read.

Highly recommend this book if you're into dark and twisted love stories. Be warned the triggers are plentiful.

[Tricia Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know what to expect going into this. I received this as an ARC not knowing this author. This was incredible. Heartbreaking. Dark. Sad.

[Mrs Crossley · Rating 2 out of 5]

So… I picked this up because it was free on Kindle, and honestly, that’s the only reason I gave it a shot. The cover? Yeah, it’s actually kinda cool, gave off those dark, moody vibes that made me think maybe this would be a twisted romance or at least something gripping. But wow. I was not prepared—for all the wrong reasons.

This book is just… bleak. Like, zero payoff. Just chapter after chapter of trauma, suffering, and more trauma. The main female character is basically a punching bag for every awful thing life (and men) can throw at her. You want a glimmer of hope? A silver lining? Forget it. There’s no happy ending, no character growth that feels satisfying—just misery wrapped up in a faux-literary bow.

It also felt like the author tried to stuff in every “hot button” issue possible: a gay best friend who is black (who honestly just felt like a token), abortion, unwanted pregnancy, every flavor of abuse—it’s like a checklist. And none of it is handled with depth or purpose. It’s just there. For shock. For drama. And not in a way that adds anything meaningful to the story.

I get that some people like dark fiction, but this wasn’t dark romance, it was just dark… and not in a good way. Not even in a thought-provoking or cathartic way. Just bleak and bitter. Like—why did I read this? Oh right, it was free. Lesson learned.

I won’t be reading anything else from this author. Ever.

[Faithe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and was blown away! This is Dark Love by Jessie Rose is a dark and heartbreaking story of Samantha Valentine. A young girl who has a very tough life at school and especially at home. Navigating things the best way she can, she does what she has to in order to make it through each day. Eventually getting out of her small town and living the rockstar life, the book alternates between her present day life as a rockstar and her last.
This is my first book by Jessie Rose and definitely won't be my last! This book is full of trigger warnings, but to me that just makes it more real. I like that the title really encapsulated the whole vibe of the book and not just a one liner in it. If you had to give up everything you loved for your dream, would you do it?

[Tiff Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessie Rose takes you through a journey of what it takes to become a drug-addicted drop-out lead singer of a failing band. I’ll give you a hint, it’s trauma. And boy does Sammi have tons of it!

At first, I thought Sammi seemed a little over the top. But as the story takes you through her past, I realize that the childhood trauma Sammi experiences explains the regrettable choices she makes later in life.

I love the way the author chose to tell Sammi’s story and the characters and situations are believable (worst case scenario, but believable). There was no need for exaggerated twists; I was hooked from start to finish. Brilliant.

Check your triggers.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Dark Love is a haunting look at how the cycle of addiction, poverty, and abuse can take a toll on someone. Sammi struggles with a lot while she fronts a rock band. We find out the reasons for self-medicating. We visit her past and see everything that she has gone through. Her path to get out doesn't turn out the way she hopes. 

Though she is a victim, she tries her hardest to not be. Small steps are everything. What I love about Rose's works is how they can show the horrors of reality in a way that many can relate to, even if it’s about the rock world. This is a great book that is raw, emotional, and psychological. I highly recommend their novel!

[Jessica Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart wrenching for most of the book, I devoured this in a few days. The kind of journey that Sammi goes through is one that kids shouldn't have to, but I am glad for the fact that Jessie Rose wrote this to open another part of my mind to what some kids have to go through. Be sure to look through the trigger warnings before reading! I was lucky to not have these triggers, but they hurt my heart to read through what was imagined in this story.

[Shianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for allowing me to be an ARC reader. I’m always rooting for the under dog and this book took me through all the feels. It was an easy, fast read, but full of despair, heart break and sadness. I wish the ending was drawn out longer, or maybe a second part is needed where we see how she is fairing? I enjoyed the book overall.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very heavy read!!! 🥹 I really did enjoy it! I wish we would Have gotten more at the end !!! But other then that good read 😃😃

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Jessie Rose’s Least Likely Suspect
so gave this one a try. Loved it! Emotional and dark, the writing drew me in, and I had to know where Sammi’s story ended!

[Audrey Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating and heartbreaking all in one. The need to know what happens next and why things are the way they are had me in a chokehold. Book two please! I need Sammi to be happy!!

[wendi c duncan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compared to Atomic love i was mostly disappointed in this book

[Bri Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be sure to read all of the trigger warnings!!
This is a great book! It’s definitely a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, mostly full of low points. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Sammi!