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Fair's Fair #3
Chill
One month. That’s all it takes for everything to unravel.
For weeks, I try returning to normal, to forget the men who turned me into a killer against my will. At first, I convince myself I could be happy—at least I think I should be.
But I’m not. I can’t be.
When I find them, I realize what they’re doing. If I want them—if I want this—I have to accept what they truly are.
Monsters.
But what if they’re not the only ones? Maybe I’ve been like this all along—or maybe they made me this way. Either way, even though they say I can leave, I wonder if it’s already too late.
Maybe it’s been too late since the moment I met them.
Please read the content warnings at the beginning of the book. This book is dark, with content that could bother some readers. CHILL is a short, spicy novella, and the conclusion of the Fair’s Fair trilogy. It’s MMF, and doesn’t end with a cliffhanger.
For weeks, I try returning to normal, to forget the men who turned me into a killer against my will. At first, I convince myself I could be happy—at least I think I should be.
But I’m not. I can’t be.
When I find them, I realize what they’re doing. If I want them—if I want this—I have to accept what they truly are.
Monsters.
But what if they’re not the only ones? Maybe I’ve been like this all along—or maybe they made me this way. Either way, even though they say I can leave, I wonder if it’s already too late.
Maybe it’s been too late since the moment I met them.
Please read the content warnings at the beginning of the book. This book is dark, with content that could bother some readers. CHILL is a short, spicy novella, and the conclusion of the Fair’s Fair trilogy. It’s MMF, and doesn’t end with a cliffhanger.
108 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 14, 2025
253 people are currently reading
561 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Merlin
37 books2,097 followersAJ Merlin would rather write epic love stories than live them. I mean, who wants to limit themselves to only falling in love once? She is obsessed with dark fantasy, true crime, and also dogs. From serial killers to voyeurs all the way down to the devil himself, AJ's specialty is in writing irredeemable heroes who somehow still manage to captivate their heroines (and her readers).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
June 15, 2025
i’m going to miss these mfers even though noa pissed me off the majority of the time
March 18, 2025
Let me tell you AJ Merlin does it again!
This was the perfect wrap up to Noa, Kieran and Val’s story. I would love to read about Erika next.
This was the perfect wrap up to Noa, Kieran and Val’s story. I would love to read about Erika next.
October 26, 2025
Finally some action between Val and Kieran!
This was a lovely ending for these 3 and the cats. Not sure what AJ Merlin puts in her books, but I like it and I won’t ask questions.
This was a lovely ending for these 3 and the cats. Not sure what AJ Merlin puts in her books, but I like it and I won’t ask questions.
March 13, 2025
Arc Review for Chill (Fair’s Fair #3) by A.J. Merlin!
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Spice Rating: 4/5 🌶️
How many times can I say I love A.J. Merlin and everything they wrote? because it will never be enough. Everything she writes, i will always immediately read (i say this as i’m still making my way through their backlist but that’s besides the point here).
Chill was the perfect ending to the Fair’s Fair novella trilogy and I’m already missing these characters and their story. It had the perfect amount of plot, gore, action, spice and even some good little romantic & fluffy domestic (!!!!!) moments from our favorite unhinged masked men! I wasn’t expecting the story to start off or go in the direction that it did, i certainly had no idea what to expect for this book to be in general after the ending of book two but I enjoyed this one immensely for what it was, and it of course was super easy to delve myself into and get lost in (as one does in the A.J. Merlin universe).
The thing i loved most was the true balance that came of both Kieran & Val’s grumpy & sunshine dynamic and the climax (pun intended) of their relationship with Noa, and it’s just absolutely everything. Like a nice little balanced hot serial unaliver sandwich that I would love to take Noa’s place and be in the middle of.
I would love to see if anything would come out of Erika & a story for her character! or even Sam! That man is an utter mystery and i’m yearning to know more… and i just know he’s probably the filthiest grump there is.
What to expect in Fall:
🕯️ mmf romance
🕯️ serial killers & masked men
🕯️ quick & spicy novella
🕯️ girl obsessed men
🕯️ primal/breeding kink
🕯️ lowkey enemies to lovers
🕯️ dark romance
🕯️ really hot serial killers
🕯️ romantic suspense x mystery
Thank you to A.J. Merlin and her team for allowing me to be an arc reader for this new release & providing me with an advanced reader copy of Chill in exchange for an honest review! 🤍 I received an ARC copy of Chill and all thoughts & comments on this review are my own!
Chill releases March 14th, 2025!
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Spice Rating: 4/5 🌶️
How many times can I say I love A.J. Merlin and everything they wrote? because it will never be enough. Everything she writes, i will always immediately read (i say this as i’m still making my way through their backlist but that’s besides the point here).
Chill was the perfect ending to the Fair’s Fair novella trilogy and I’m already missing these characters and their story. It had the perfect amount of plot, gore, action, spice and even some good little romantic & fluffy domestic (!!!!!) moments from our favorite unhinged masked men! I wasn’t expecting the story to start off or go in the direction that it did, i certainly had no idea what to expect for this book to be in general after the ending of book two but I enjoyed this one immensely for what it was, and it of course was super easy to delve myself into and get lost in (as one does in the A.J. Merlin universe).
The thing i loved most was the true balance that came of both Kieran & Val’s grumpy & sunshine dynamic and the climax (pun intended) of their relationship with Noa, and it’s just absolutely everything. Like a nice little balanced hot serial unaliver sandwich that I would love to take Noa’s place and be in the middle of.
I would love to see if anything would come out of Erika & a story for her character! or even Sam! That man is an utter mystery and i’m yearning to know more… and i just know he’s probably the filthiest grump there is.
What to expect in Fall:
🕯️ mmf romance
🕯️ serial killers & masked men
🕯️ quick & spicy novella
🕯️ girl obsessed men
🕯️ primal/breeding kink
🕯️ lowkey enemies to lovers
🕯️ dark romance
🕯️ really hot serial killers
🕯️ romantic suspense x mystery
Thank you to A.J. Merlin and her team for allowing me to be an arc reader for this new release & providing me with an advanced reader copy of Chill in exchange for an honest review! 🤍 I received an ARC copy of Chill and all thoughts & comments on this review are my own!
Chill releases March 14th, 2025!
May 20, 2025
Chill by AJ Merlin
Please check your trigger warnings and content warnings before reading
This book starts off where the last book leaves you hanging. Noa is still trying to figure out why the guys left her the way they did. Why didn't they just come back for her. She just wants answers as to why they did that to her. Noa talks to Erika and she gives her the guys location and she decides to go to them and demand answers from them.
Noa realizes when she is there with them in the RV that she wants to be with them even knowing what they do. She doesn't care she loves them for who they are. I can't get enough of them when they are all together! The spice that comes is just everything 😘 the way they care for her and make sure they take care of her is just sweet.
I wonder what will come next.
Please check your trigger warnings and content warnings before reading
This book starts off where the last book leaves you hanging. Noa is still trying to figure out why the guys left her the way they did. Why didn't they just come back for her. She just wants answers as to why they did that to her. Noa talks to Erika and she gives her the guys location and she decides to go to them and demand answers from them.
Noa realizes when she is there with them in the RV that she wants to be with them even knowing what they do. She doesn't care she loves them for who they are. I can't get enough of them when they are all together! The spice that comes is just everything 😘 the way they care for her and make sure they take care of her is just sweet.
I wonder what will come next.
January 17, 2026
This was the perfect palate cleanser and easily my favorite novella in the series!
Noa has fully found herself in this installment, and the growth is so satisfying to read. Her confidence, her voice, and especially her sass absolutely shine here. The banter had me laughing out loud, Noa threatening to glue herself to Val genuinely took me out.
Kerien and Val were everything in this book. Their dynamic is warm, playful, and surprisingly grounding while still being authentic and dark.
Chill balances humor, character growth, and smut beautifully, making it a standout in the Fair’s Fair series. I didn’t expect this one to become my favorite, but here we are.
Noa has fully found herself in this installment, and the growth is so satisfying to read. Her confidence, her voice, and especially her sass absolutely shine here. The banter had me laughing out loud, Noa threatening to glue herself to Val genuinely took me out.
Kerien and Val were everything in this book. Their dynamic is warm, playful, and surprisingly grounding while still being authentic and dark.
Chill balances humor, character growth, and smut beautifully, making it a standout in the Fair’s Fair series. I didn’t expect this one to become my favorite, but here we are.
March 23, 2025
This was a fantastic wrap-up to this novella series. I enjoyed Noa, her men, and their own sort of "happy ending" together. Merlin does it again and is my favorite dark romance author by a landslide.
March 15, 2025
How do you go back to normal life after being exposed to the darkness in the world, hiding in plain sight, completely unrepentant? In the form of two devilishly attractive, dangerous men who murder people, who wanted to murder you in the beginning, who become to attached to you they offer you freedom with a double edged blade.
Chill, despite its name, is spicy, addictive, filled with so much delicious heat that you feel your fingers burning as you read. Noa has been changed irrevocably, becoming just as obsessed with the murders who changed her life and blew her mind entirely 😜 but now she must find out if she can accept them as they truly are. Can she accept the darkness? At what point does it become too much and even if it did can she really still go back to normal life? Noa couldn't and these are the questions that she had to figure out.
I was so excited to see how this one played out, how Val and Kieran would return to her life and whether she could accept all of their darkness. I love how both men are different and yet compliment each other well, as well as the added side-characters and seeing more of them from the first book.
Overall, Chill is a quick, dark read that lets you dip your toes into a dark perspective without it being to much. As the third book in this series its fast paced, keeping the reader on their toes waiting to see what would happen next and yet at the same time make you anxious as the percentage read slowly gets closer to the end and yet there's so much more to know and you just simply don't want it to end!
Chill, despite its name, is spicy, addictive, filled with so much delicious heat that you feel your fingers burning as you read. Noa has been changed irrevocably, becoming just as obsessed with the murders who changed her life and blew her mind entirely 😜 but now she must find out if she can accept them as they truly are. Can she accept the darkness? At what point does it become too much and even if it did can she really still go back to normal life? Noa couldn't and these are the questions that she had to figure out.
I was so excited to see how this one played out, how Val and Kieran would return to her life and whether she could accept all of their darkness. I love how both men are different and yet compliment each other well, as well as the added side-characters and seeing more of them from the first book.
Overall, Chill is a quick, dark read that lets you dip your toes into a dark perspective without it being to much. As the third book in this series its fast paced, keeping the reader on their toes waiting to see what would happen next and yet at the same time make you anxious as the percentage read slowly gets closer to the end and yet there's so much more to know and you just simply don't want it to end!
March 26, 2025
oh to have two serial killer boyfriends who are boyfriends 🫶🏻 valkieran i miss u already
November 29, 2025
Oof, ending fell short 😬
3 ⭐️’s
3 🌶️’s
I literally loved all of the other books (the first 2 lol) except this one! I think it just fell flat for me because the first one was fun and exciting, the second one was deep and unsettling but this one was just kind of annoying. In the previous book I felt Noa was pretty strong willed and mostly likable. However, in this book she was bratty & mouthy (not in the cute way), naive and over zealous …& just dumb stuff that come off a childish …& made me roll my eyes a LOT. 🙄
Overall, on a final note about the trilogy as a whole … throughout the books, there were things that I found annoying like editing errors, poor or confusing dialogue, filler scenes (talking about the gas station junk food?! or just how poor her diet is in general), just being hard to imagine what was going on. There was also issues with redundancy and inconsistency.
Redundancy … the amount of times I read murmur was just overkill. Purr, yelp and writhe could have been used less as well.
Inconsistency from book to book … The major thing for me was that I didn’t have a clear what the FMC looked like other than her hair which was inconsistent anyways. No body type description or eye color. And I could be wrong but I didn’t know the FMC’s hair color until the second book and I’m pretty sure she was blonde, in the third book there’s mention of black hair? Same with Val … I’m pretty sure he started with auburn hair and ended as a brunette.
Things I DID Like
- fair amount of action, gore and seeing Kieran and Val in action.
- the duality between MMCs. Stern & brooding vs Puppy dog. They are a cute couple and loved that we got a bit of them in action in the bedroom too.
- Steamy scenes and chemistry were still really well written.
- Glad I read these short, dark novellas, I do think I am a fan of this author and will read more of hers books.
- Ravage and Harrow are just the best serial killer boyfriends a girl could as for hah!
3 ⭐️’s
3 🌶️’s
I literally loved all of the other books (the first 2 lol) except this one! I think it just fell flat for me because the first one was fun and exciting, the second one was deep and unsettling but this one was just kind of annoying. In the previous book I felt Noa was pretty strong willed and mostly likable. However, in this book she was bratty & mouthy (not in the cute way), naive and over zealous …& just dumb stuff that come off a childish …& made me roll my eyes a LOT. 🙄
Overall, on a final note about the trilogy as a whole … throughout the books, there were things that I found annoying like editing errors, poor or confusing dialogue, filler scenes (talking about the gas station junk food?! or just how poor her diet is in general), just being hard to imagine what was going on. There was also issues with redundancy and inconsistency.
Redundancy … the amount of times I read murmur was just overkill. Purr, yelp and writhe could have been used less as well.
Inconsistency from book to book … The major thing for me was that I didn’t have a clear what the FMC looked like other than her hair which was inconsistent anyways. No body type description or eye color. And I could be wrong but I didn’t know the FMC’s hair color until the second book and I’m pretty sure she was blonde, in the third book there’s mention of black hair? Same with Val … I’m pretty sure he started with auburn hair and ended as a brunette.
Things I DID Like
- fair amount of action, gore and seeing Kieran and Val in action.
- the duality between MMCs. Stern & brooding vs Puppy dog. They are a cute couple and loved that we got a bit of them in action in the bedroom too.
- Steamy scenes and chemistry were still really well written.
- Glad I read these short, dark novellas, I do think I am a fan of this author and will read more of hers books.
- Ravage and Harrow are just the best serial killer boyfriends a girl could as for hah!
March 15, 2025
As I post this, this book is a best seller!!
This is honestly not surprising to me because this whole series was incredible. I remember at first AJ just gave us Haunt, and my immediate question was... so book 2??
This series was so fun and different than the other series, if you've read Pleasure and Pray, they are similar but this goes past where they go and add a element of "Why would we trust you" that the end of book two helped with.
This book picks up after that.. a little bit after and starts with both MMCs, Val and Kiran, giving the FMC, Noa, some space. Well let's just say space was not needed and Noa showed off her new back bone... which landed her on her back 😏 and then of course since it a romance, a HEA came! But with blood, gore, and murder of course.
I loved that we got to see more of the other "Haunt" actors (I wouldn't be opposed to seeing their stories 👀 looking at you Erika) but ultimately the throuple was the main focus and all the loose ends were perfectly tied up.
The spice was perfect. The men in this book like a little danger and a little bit of primal fun and this book was no different. They did show their maturity and how much they really did care for Noa because the second she said she had complaints, everything stopped.
Im so sad to see this series end but it was such a fun series that I'll just reread Haunt to feel something again and start the series again.
Thank you to aj merlin for having me on the ARC team and getting a best selling banner day one! Much deserved!
This is honestly not surprising to me because this whole series was incredible. I remember at first AJ just gave us Haunt, and my immediate question was... so book 2??
This series was so fun and different than the other series, if you've read Pleasure and Pray, they are similar but this goes past where they go and add a element of "Why would we trust you" that the end of book two helped with.
This book picks up after that.. a little bit after and starts with both MMCs, Val and Kiran, giving the FMC, Noa, some space. Well let's just say space was not needed and Noa showed off her new back bone... which landed her on her back 😏 and then of course since it a romance, a HEA came! But with blood, gore, and murder of course.
I loved that we got to see more of the other "Haunt" actors (I wouldn't be opposed to seeing their stories 👀 looking at you Erika) but ultimately the throuple was the main focus and all the loose ends were perfectly tied up.
The spice was perfect. The men in this book like a little danger and a little bit of primal fun and this book was no different. They did show their maturity and how much they really did care for Noa because the second she said she had complaints, everything stopped.
Im so sad to see this series end but it was such a fun series that I'll just reread Haunt to feel something again and start the series again.
Thank you to aj merlin for having me on the ARC team and getting a best selling banner day one! Much deserved!
March 16, 2025
omg i love noa and her men
Fair’s Fair book 3,picks up a month after book 2 left us hanging. (What a way to end it though).
Noa misses Val and Kieren too much and decides she has to know one way or the other. Can she be with them, and accept them exactly the way they are, or not?
Book 1 was terrifying, book 2 was emotionally gripping, and slightly terrifying. But book 3, it is everything the conclusion to the love story of a morally gray thruple should be.
I loved it, AJ absolutely met all my hopes for this book.
You won’t be disappointed.
Fair’s Fair book 3,picks up a month after book 2 left us hanging. (What a way to end it though).
Noa misses Val and Kieren too much and decides she has to know one way or the other. Can she be with them, and accept them exactly the way they are, or not?
Book 1 was terrifying, book 2 was emotionally gripping, and slightly terrifying. But book 3, it is everything the conclusion to the love story of a morally gray thruple should be.
I loved it, AJ absolutely met all my hopes for this book.
You won’t be disappointed.
March 21, 2025
ღ BOOK REVIEW ღ
𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔~
Chill is the conclusion to Noa, Kieran and Val story. This brings everything full circle with the three of them. I honestly think it should have all been one book. It was ok I liked the spicy scenes and how it included all three with the existing connection between the guys.
𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔~
Chill is the conclusion to Noa, Kieran and Val story. This brings everything full circle with the three of them. I honestly think it should have all been one book. It was ok I liked the spicy scenes and how it included all three with the existing connection between the guys.
March 15, 2025
A satisfying conclusion to this novella trilogy! Overall, I wish each novella was actually book length 😂 but I liked this ending!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️1/2
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️1/2
March 17, 2025
A great ending for this novella series. I love these mofos so much and I’m sad their story is over but damn it was a fun ride.
October 4, 2025
finally, and again, it was something but I couldnt stop. im super glad its over though.
October 12, 2025
4.5 stars
March 12, 2025
I say it every time, because it’s always true: AJ Merlin creates the best characters! I love how each book keeps the slasher/horror/romance theme going, but the personalities, motivations and morals are always unique. Compare Kieran and Valentin to Kayde (Dead of Summer) for example.
This was an excellent conclusion to the Fair’s Fair trilogy. The spicy scenes were top notch. If I had to complain about anything, it would just be that I wish we had gotten a little more meat at the beginning of the story. I would have liked to experience more of the emotional journey Noa went on that lead her back to her men.
I was lucky enough to get the ARC for Chill.
This was an excellent conclusion to the Fair’s Fair trilogy. The spicy scenes were top notch. If I had to complain about anything, it would just be that I wish we had gotten a little more meat at the beginning of the story. I would have liked to experience more of the emotional journey Noa went on that lead her back to her men.
I was lucky enough to get the ARC for Chill.
October 28, 2025
4½ ⭐️'s
It would be 5 if we got a little more of their life together and now I want to know all about Erika.
Yes, at first I was surprised that I even liked the first book but then I kept going with the series and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I adore these characters.
I mean, sure, you have to be some kind of weirdo to be into these books but on that note I couldn't get enough!!
Hoping Erika gets her own book or we get more of Kieran, Val, & Noa. They're very entertaining 😂.
It would be 5 if we got a little more of their life together and now I want to know all about Erika.
Yes, at first I was surprised that I even liked the first book but then I kept going with the series and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I adore these characters.
I mean, sure, you have to be some kind of weirdo to be into these books but on that note I couldn't get enough!!
Hoping Erika gets her own book or we get more of Kieran, Val, & Noa. They're very entertaining 😂.
March 19, 2025
i hate to say it, but i liked this one just a little bit less. i know i say all the time that one of my biggest pet peeves is characters who do things that are stupid with little to no justification and only stubbornness. so, when the entire premise of this book leans on noa to do stupid stuff for no reason, it starts to irk me. i understand that obviously without noa choosing to go to them, the book doesn't happen, but at the same time, noa is written to kinda be like "i don't know why i have to go but i can't stop myself."
and then she gets there and she's very "i can't leave, i'm not leaving" all petulantly, despite the fact that she has no idea what's happening.
and then, she fucks up and gets herself hurt because of course she does, and then she gets all whiny like "what if they say they can't trust me? what if they say i'm a liability?" which like...girl, they SHOULD say that. you ARE a liability. you just proved that you have zero ability to just sit and do what you're told.
which isn't to say that i like my fmcs without a backbone. but it's like...these guys are murderers. seasoned serial killers with years of experience. and you are not. so maybe when these guys are doing something that can easily get them killed or jailed, maybe you should defer to what they say instead of walking around and shoving yourself into a situation that has nothing to do with you like an idiot. especially because it's so selfish. putting herself in an unknown situation, making herself a liability at their expense doesn't feel like it makes her brave. it doesn't make her a badass. it doesn't make her courageous. it just makes her stupid and willing to sacrifice their lives and hers just to satisfy her curiosity.
so while i still had a blast reading this, and while i still love val and kieran, by the time i finished this, i was tired of noa.
and then she gets there and she's very "i can't leave, i'm not leaving" all petulantly, despite the fact that she has no idea what's happening.
and then, she fucks up and gets herself hurt because of course she does, and then she gets all whiny like "what if they say they can't trust me? what if they say i'm a liability?" which like...girl, they SHOULD say that. you ARE a liability. you just proved that you have zero ability to just sit and do what you're told.
which isn't to say that i like my fmcs without a backbone. but it's like...these guys are murderers. seasoned serial killers with years of experience. and you are not. so maybe when these guys are doing something that can easily get them killed or jailed, maybe you should defer to what they say instead of walking around and shoving yourself into a situation that has nothing to do with you like an idiot. especially because it's so selfish. putting herself in an unknown situation, making herself a liability at their expense doesn't feel like it makes her brave. it doesn't make her a badass. it doesn't make her courageous. it just makes her stupid and willing to sacrifice their lives and hers just to satisfy her curiosity.
so while i still had a blast reading this, and while i still love val and kieran, by the time i finished this, i was tired of noa.
did-not-finish
October 27, 2025This review is going to cover Haunt, Fall and Chill the 3 novellas in this series. I rated the first two installments 3 stars but dropped this one at 7%. AJ Merlin and I have a bit of a hit and miss relationship. I loved Scaredy Cat but dropped Better Watch Out before the halfway mark.
I lost interest in this installment immediately when we do not see Noa trying to get back to normal life at all. It really really rubbed me the wrong way when she chose to seek them out essentially right after everything that happened. Especially with how she was feeling when the second book ended. How did she even find the girl from the haunt to get information from? Also how does it make any sense at all when the girl tells her none of the people involved in the Haunt had a choice but to be in this life? That was weird and off putting.
This series had a really fun premise but the spice was 100% not for me and there was a lot of it. I can get on board with the throuple, the choking and loosely with the dub con and good girl/dirty whore dynamics although this series really showed me my limits with that. I realize I need the aftercare to be on page and very explicit in this type of scenario. I have also never enjoyed breeding kinks especially with characters who are serial killers. No kids for those guys man. Also I was very disappointed that the annual Halloween murder stuff was not more of a plot point in the first 2 books. That was super interesting and I wanted more about that and the rest of the players in that rather than just a bunch semi creepy smut. It may have become a bigger focal point later in the 3rd book but I don't think I will be finding that out.
I feel like these could have been one novel in stead of 3 novellas. Might have helped tighten the story up a bit and not leave any cliffhangers.
I lost interest in this installment immediately when we do not see Noa trying to get back to normal life at all. It really really rubbed me the wrong way when she chose to seek them out essentially right after everything that happened. Especially with how she was feeling when the second book ended. How did she even find the girl from the haunt to get information from? Also how does it make any sense at all when the girl tells her none of the people involved in the Haunt had a choice but to be in this life? That was weird and off putting.
This series had a really fun premise but the spice was 100% not for me and there was a lot of it. I can get on board with the throuple, the choking and loosely with the dub con and good girl/dirty whore dynamics although this series really showed me my limits with that. I realize I need the aftercare to be on page and very explicit in this type of scenario. I have also never enjoyed breeding kinks especially with characters who are serial killers. No kids for those guys man. Also I was very disappointed that the annual Halloween murder stuff was not more of a plot point in the first 2 books. That was super interesting and I wanted more about that and the rest of the players in that rather than just a bunch semi creepy smut. It may have become a bigger focal point later in the 3rd book but I don't think I will be finding that out.
I feel like these could have been one novel in stead of 3 novellas. Might have helped tighten the story up a bit and not leave any cliffhangers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2025
I seriously love how short and sweet all of these books have been (maybe not so sweet, more spicy?) and just how quick the pacing has been too! There hasn't been a dull moment and everything that's been happening since book 1 has had me spiralling and desperate to find out what was going to happen next, and ultimately how things would end up for the three of them!!
Everything that the trio have been through in the past books was definitely resolved in this one, and i feel like Noa really came into her own in this book, like this one was all about her and her getting what she wants and deserves (go girl!)
I seriously enjoyed seeing her demand what she wanted from the two little murderers, laying the law down as it were, and telling them exactly how things were going to go from that moment on because of how they screwed things up before leaving.
Would i have liked to see the two of them grovel more? yes, duh. love it when the mmc's grovel, but it wouldn't have really made a great deal of sense considering how controlling they are and how the trio's dynamic works too (but it was pretty fun to see things flipped around for a hot minute there in the RV)
i was just so giddy the whole time i was reading this, and so excited to see if the three of them were going to run into any more trouble or if everything would play out nicely and they got their happy ending, which they did after a brief but exciting little near death experience in a creepy motel.
i think i would honestly give this whole series a 10/10, it was so freaking good and definitely one to read if you enjoy dark romances and serial killers!
Everything that the trio have been through in the past books was definitely resolved in this one, and i feel like Noa really came into her own in this book, like this one was all about her and her getting what she wants and deserves (go girl!)
I seriously enjoyed seeing her demand what she wanted from the two little murderers, laying the law down as it were, and telling them exactly how things were going to go from that moment on because of how they screwed things up before leaving.
Would i have liked to see the two of them grovel more? yes, duh. love it when the mmc's grovel, but it wouldn't have really made a great deal of sense considering how controlling they are and how the trio's dynamic works too (but it was pretty fun to see things flipped around for a hot minute there in the RV)
i was just so giddy the whole time i was reading this, and so excited to see if the three of them were going to run into any more trouble or if everything would play out nicely and they got their happy ending, which they did after a brief but exciting little near death experience in a creepy motel.
i think i would honestly give this whole series a 10/10, it was so freaking good and definitely one to read if you enjoy dark romances and serial killers!
March 29, 2025
Thoughts / Synopsis : Val and Kier are alpha a$$holes but also sweet cinnamon rolls, for No, but only when she deserves it 😈😈😈
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot / Storyline 👩🏻💻: 📑📑📑📑📑
Heat / Burn (slow / fast): 🐢🐇🐇🐇
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Red Flags: 🚩🚩🚩
Kinks: 🫦🫦🫦
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🫣🤭🤗🫦🥵🥰
Ending: 👩🏻❤️👨🏻🧔🏻♂️ {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻🧍🏻♂️ {Dual}
⚠️⚠️⚠️spoilers - whole story***
Noa approaches Erika, the doll from the Halloween haunt. And asks where Val and Kier are. They’ve been gone a month with no word, even though they promised they’d be back.
She’d had the whole month to live normal and she doesn’t want that anymore.
Noa drives 9 hours and finds them in the middle of a chase. She follows and forces herself to watch. To prive she can accept them for who they are. They chase her and even though she tries hard to have a conversation they “show” her they missed her. Clearly something is going on between Val and Kier with how intimate they are with each other.
They go to another job, an abandoned hotel. They make Noa promise she will stay in a room and out of the way. They tell her it will only take a few minutes but it has been way more than a few. Noa gets worried and leaves the room. She hears someone coming up the steps but it isn’t her men. It’s the guy they were trying to un@live. He gets the drop on her. Locking them in a room to get her phone and hurts her but Val comes in and unalives him. The guys take her to another hotel to get cleaned up and checked out. She is afraid they will make her stay, but Kier tells her she isn’t leaving them.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot / Storyline 👩🏻💻: 📑📑📑📑📑
Heat / Burn (slow / fast): 🐢🐇🐇🐇
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Red Flags: 🚩🚩🚩
Kinks: 🫦🫦🫦
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🫣🤭🤗🫦🥵🥰
Ending: 👩🏻❤️👨🏻🧔🏻♂️ {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻🧍🏻♂️ {Dual}
⚠️⚠️⚠️spoilers - whole story***
Noa approaches Erika, the doll from the Halloween haunt. And asks where Val and Kier are. They’ve been gone a month with no word, even though they promised they’d be back.
She’d had the whole month to live normal and she doesn’t want that anymore.
Noa drives 9 hours and finds them in the middle of a chase. She follows and forces herself to watch. To prive she can accept them for who they are. They chase her and even though she tries hard to have a conversation they “show” her they missed her. Clearly something is going on between Val and Kier with how intimate they are with each other.
They go to another job, an abandoned hotel. They make Noa promise she will stay in a room and out of the way. They tell her it will only take a few minutes but it has been way more than a few. Noa gets worried and leaves the room. She hears someone coming up the steps but it isn’t her men. It’s the guy they were trying to un@live. He gets the drop on her. Locking them in a room to get her phone and hurts her but Val comes in and unalives him. The guys take her to another hotel to get cleaned up and checked out. She is afraid they will make her stay, but Kier tells her she isn’t leaving them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
Notes:
- TW = 1 Month Separation
- This series (ESPECIALLY BOOK 1) is dark. The vivid imagery and creepy doll masked girl (Erika) gives me classic old school horror movie vibes.
Questions:
- It never explains how or why Noa is with Erika? Shouldn’t Erika be with her group? How would Noa have even contacted her? Also how did Val and Kieran meet Erika and the rest of the group?
- The POV is always from Noa so we don’t know a lot about the men, how they met or know each other, and their lives before killing (except that Val was an EMT)?
📕📗📘📙📕📗📘📙📕📗📘📙📕📗📘📙📕📗📘
Summary:
This is a trilogy about Noa who heads out to meet her friends at a haunted event (on Halloween), only to find that she accidently went to the wrong event. The event she is at disguises itself as a haunted house, but Noa soon realizes all the gore and murders she sees (of the other participants) is real. Hunted by Ravage (skull mask) and Harrow (animal mask), she is essentially raped by them then drugged only to wake up in her bedroom. A knock at her door surprises her when she finds the two men from the night before (maskless), introducing themselves as Valentin and Kieran respectively, while asking to come in.
The men drug Noa again and take her to their cabin where they try to find a way to prevent her from going to the police about them. After a hot primal play scene through the woods, they take Noa to kill a man (who was abusive to his daughter and Ravage/Harrow’s friend Erika). After forcing her to kill him, they return Noa to her apartment but promise to come back for her.
A month later
Angry and hurt they haven’t returned, Noa talks with Erika who finally reveals their address to her. She arrives to their abandoned campground to find them murdering a man. They eventually apologize to her and state they wanted to give her time but were planning to come back for her. Noah forces them to let her tag along on their next kill. The man almost kills her but she is saved by Ravage.
𝕳𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊 .
- TW = 1 Month Separation
- This series (ESPECIALLY BOOK 1) is dark. The vivid imagery and creepy doll masked girl (Erika) gives me classic old school horror movie vibes.
Questions:
- It never explains how or why Noa is with Erika? Shouldn’t Erika be with her group? How would Noa have even contacted her? Also how did Val and Kieran meet Erika and the rest of the group?
- The POV is always from Noa so we don’t know a lot about the men, how they met or know each other, and their lives before killing (except that Val was an EMT)?
📕📗📘📙📕📗📘📙📕📗📘📙📕📗📘📙📕📗📘
Summary:
This is a trilogy about Noa who heads out to meet her friends at a haunted event (on Halloween), only to find that she accidently went to the wrong event. The event she is at disguises itself as a haunted house, but Noa soon realizes all the gore and murders she sees (of the other participants) is real. Hunted by Ravage (skull mask) and Harrow (animal mask), she is essentially raped by them then drugged only to wake up in her bedroom. A knock at her door surprises her when she finds the two men from the night before (maskless), introducing themselves as Valentin and Kieran respectively, while asking to come in.
The men drug Noa again and take her to their cabin where they try to find a way to prevent her from going to the police about them. After a hot primal play scene through the woods, they take Noa to kill a man (who was abusive to his daughter and Ravage/Harrow’s friend Erika). After forcing her to kill him, they return Noa to her apartment but promise to come back for her.
A month later
Angry and hurt they haven’t returned, Noa talks with Erika who finally reveals their address to her. She arrives to their abandoned campground to find them murdering a man. They eventually apologize to her and state they wanted to give her time but were planning to come back for her. Noah forces them to let her tag along on their next kill. The man almost kills her but she is saved by Ravage.
𝕳𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊 .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2025
Dark and deliciously spicy, Chill was the perfect ending to the Fair’s Fair trilogy of novellas. I especially enjoyed the mixture of personalities in this series' MCs, with a sassy/snarky FMC in Noa, a grumpy/serious MMC in Kieran (Harrow), and a feral sunshine MMC in Val (Ravage); the banter between them all was a glorious mix of funny, sweet, and sexy as a result. I loved seeing MMCs Val and Kieran’s relationship dynamic more clearly in this story, too. This had been implied in the previous novellas, but seeing them more openly affectionate made the evolution of their romance with FMC Noa feel all the more natural and sweet. And having Kieran drop both “good girl” AND “good boy”? Yeah, I melted. Absolutely melted.
I really vibe with AJ's particular style of dry, dark humour and the morally complex characters she creates, and this series is definitely going on my list of comfort reads. I know I’m going to want to fall in love with these characters again and again.
Ratings:
5⭐ ~ 4🌶️ ~ 2💔
Tropes:
🖤 Serial killers
🖤 “Good girl” and “Good boy” 🫠
🖤 Possessive MMCs
🖤 Masked men
🖤 Grumpy/serious MMC x feral sunshine MMC x sassy/snarky FMC
What I loved:
🖤 Poly rep (MMF throuple)
🖤 Morally complex characters
🖤 “Princess” and “Darling”
🖤 Allll the praise~
🖤 Great banter between characters
I really vibe with AJ's particular style of dry, dark humour and the morally complex characters she creates, and this series is definitely going on my list of comfort reads. I know I’m going to want to fall in love with these characters again and again.
Ratings:
5⭐ ~ 4🌶️ ~ 2💔
Tropes:
🖤 Serial killers
🖤 “Good girl” and “Good boy” 🫠
🖤 Possessive MMCs
🖤 Masked men
🖤 Grumpy/serious MMC x feral sunshine MMC x sassy/snarky FMC
What I loved:
🖤 Poly rep (MMF throuple)
🖤 Morally complex characters
🖤 “Princess” and “Darling”
🖤 Allll the praise~
🖤 Great banter between characters
April 10, 2025
Chill by AJ Merlin was an incredible and emotional conclusion to a series that completely pulled me in. While Haunt is still my personal favorite, I truly appreciated how each book built on the last, deepening the story and developing the three main characters in such a raw, powerful way. By the time I reached Chill, I felt fully invested in their messy, beautiful journey.
This final book delivered everything I was hoping for—angst, growth, healing, and a sense of closure that felt real. Not everything was tied up perfectly (which honestly made it feel even more authentic), but it was as perfect an ending as we could get.
Also… spice? 5/5. AJ Merlin did not hold back. The heat, the tension, the emotional intimacy—it was all there and done so well.
If you’ve read the others, you need to finish the ride with Chill. You won’t regret it.
This final book delivered everything I was hoping for—angst, growth, healing, and a sense of closure that felt real. Not everything was tied up perfectly (which honestly made it feel even more authentic), but it was as perfect an ending as we could get.
Also… spice? 5/5. AJ Merlin did not hold back. The heat, the tension, the emotional intimacy—it was all there and done so well.
If you’ve read the others, you need to finish the ride with Chill. You won’t regret it.
June 18, 2025
2⭐️
3 🌶️
‼️check triggers‼️
I was really hoping I would get more with this being the last book. The guys briefly mentioned on why they do what they do but wasn’t fully in details. Back from the first book there’s no explanation at all on why they did what they did to the ppl.
Noa kinda did my head in, cause she was coming off desperate but then scared at the same time to finally not being scared. Like from all three books I have no idea really on who she is or her back ground apart from her mum died. Ok so where’s ya dad, what happen to ya mates from book one, like give me something.
Same with the guys, we found out that one of the lads was adopted at a young age, ok what about the other dude. What made them turn into serial k*llers.
I really do feel that a lot more could have been done with all of the books. But won’t stop me reading more from this author.
3 🌶️
‼️check triggers‼️
I was really hoping I would get more with this being the last book. The guys briefly mentioned on why they do what they do but wasn’t fully in details. Back from the first book there’s no explanation at all on why they did what they did to the ppl.
Noa kinda did my head in, cause she was coming off desperate but then scared at the same time to finally not being scared. Like from all three books I have no idea really on who she is or her back ground apart from her mum died. Ok so where’s ya dad, what happen to ya mates from book one, like give me something.
Same with the guys, we found out that one of the lads was adopted at a young age, ok what about the other dude. What made them turn into serial k*llers.
I really do feel that a lot more could have been done with all of the books. But won’t stop me reading more from this author.
August 16, 2025
I have qualms.
I didn’t hate this book by any stretch of the imagination but I do have qualms.
There were some discontinuity issues. I believe Harrow and Ravage’s names got mixed up at one point.
I have no issue with MMF threesomes and the guys getting it on a little, but I would’ve preferred it have been a little more realistic? I don’t know. I just don’t see two guys having sex with absolutely zero lubricant. That’s GOT to hurt.
One bone I have to pick about the series in general and RH/threesome stuff is that sometimes they focus a little to much on developing the throuple as a whole too much. Generally, I would presume that there might be some development of one on one relationships as well.
Overall a nice tie up. Not necessary per say (as I said about Fall) but not terrible. Like I said previously, if you lived Haunt and were satisfied by it, just leave it at that.
I didn’t hate this book by any stretch of the imagination but I do have qualms.
There were some discontinuity issues. I believe Harrow and Ravage’s names got mixed up at one point.
I have no issue with MMF threesomes and the guys getting it on a little, but I would’ve preferred it have been a little more realistic? I don’t know. I just don’t see two guys having sex with absolutely zero lubricant. That’s GOT to hurt.
One bone I have to pick about the series in general and RH/threesome stuff is that sometimes they focus a little to much on developing the throuple as a whole too much. Generally, I would presume that there might be some development of one on one relationships as well.
Overall a nice tie up. Not necessary per say (as I said about Fall) but not terrible. Like I said previously, if you lived Haunt and were satisfied by it, just leave it at that.
August 31, 2025
I just wrapped up Chill the thrilling conclusion to A.J. Merlin’s Fair’s Fair trilogy and let me tell you, it was everything I hoped for and more. This series was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. Characters like Kieran and Val? Absolutely addictive. Kieran quickly became my favorite magnetic, complex, and unforgettable you know the mysteriously quiet but deadly type. Yet honestly, I loved them all.
In Chill, the stakes feel higher, the emotions deeper. I felt their love, their fear, and that brooding protectiveness in every page. It was spicy, raw, and so emotionally charged. I’m now left craving more curious about Erika, Nero, and the rest of that dark, fascinating world.
. If you’re into dark, intense romantic suspense with twisted characters who stay with you, dive into this series you’ll want every piece of this story laid bare.
In Chill, the stakes feel higher, the emotions deeper. I felt their love, their fear, and that brooding protectiveness in every page. It was spicy, raw, and so emotionally charged. I’m now left craving more curious about Erika, Nero, and the rest of that dark, fascinating world.
. If you’re into dark, intense romantic suspense with twisted characters who stay with you, dive into this series you’ll want every piece of this story laid bare.
November 18, 2025
I’m glad I finished the series. It was short, spicy, and easy to read which was exactly what I wanted when I sought it out.
That said, there were some things I wish had been different. I’m not sure how much I can really critique a series of spicy novellas about serial killers/hitmen but I’m going to try.
These stories needed to be more fleshed out. I get that they are novellas and there’s not always time to explain things, but we needed more background on what Kieran and Val actually do and why they do it, how they met, etc. I’d also like to know a little more about Noa: what her background/family is like, what she does for a living, her interests, etc. The other novellas I’ve read from this author did a better job at those things than this series, and they were standalones. All that said, this series was fun and entertaining and I do plan to read more from this author.
That said, there were some things I wish had been different. I’m not sure how much I can really critique a series of spicy novellas about serial killers/hitmen but I’m going to try.
These stories needed to be more fleshed out. I get that they are novellas and there’s not always time to explain things, but we needed more background on what Kieran and Val actually do and why they do it, how they met, etc. I’d also like to know a little more about Noa: what her background/family is like, what she does for a living, her interests, etc. The other novellas I’ve read from this author did a better job at those things than this series, and they were standalones. All that said, this series was fun and entertaining and I do plan to read more from this author.
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