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A Dangerous Game
She is the salve to his tortured soul. He is the answer to her darkest fantasies. Together they are the target of a deadly villain in this thrilling dark college romance from international bestselling author Kira Shell.
After barely surviving Player 2511's attack, Selene decides to move back in with her mother in Detroit, take the reins of her life, and forget about Neil, his golden eyes, and his contradictions. Despite being aware that her feelings for him run deep, Selene understands that Neil cannot let himself be loved by anyone, least of all her, and that his soul is permanently riddled with scars that keep him from living a normal life.
However, when they reunite unexpectedly, Selene realizes she cannot live without him and chooses to remain by his side. Neil must then fight his trauma and inner turmoil to return her feelings. At the same time, Neil is forced to be constantly vigilant, as Player 2511 is still lurking, determined to have his revenge. No one is safe, and fear prevails, because nothing less than life is at stake.
This work has been translated with the contribution of the Center for Books and Reading of the Italian Ministry of Culture.
After barely surviving Player 2511's attack, Selene decides to move back in with her mother in Detroit, take the reins of her life, and forget about Neil, his golden eyes, and his contradictions. Despite being aware that her feelings for him run deep, Selene understands that Neil cannot let himself be loved by anyone, least of all her, and that his soul is permanently riddled with scars that keep him from living a normal life.
However, when they reunite unexpectedly, Selene realizes she cannot live without him and chooses to remain by his side. Neil must then fight his trauma and inner turmoil to return her feelings. At the same time, Neil is forced to be constantly vigilant, as Player 2511 is still lurking, determined to have his revenge. No one is safe, and fear prevails, because nothing less than life is at stake.
This work has been translated with the contribution of the Center for Books and Reading of the Italian Ministry of Culture.
495 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 29, 2025
Selene and Neil are back and giving the complicated relationship status a new meaning. A Dangerous Game is steamy, suspenseful, and stirring. Kira Shell's writing is provocative and striking, making it easy for readers to become addicted to the series.
Book 2 is back with our favorite step-siblings ;). I love their chemistry, but sometimes I don't know how Selene can put up with the mood swings from Neil. It becomes apparent that Selene's feelings for him are running deep, and that makes Neil want to push her away even more. He still believes that he is never meant to have happiness, let alone fall in love. It is complicated to the extreme, especially since Player2511 continues to cause life-or-death situations. Will Neil be able to keep everyone safe? Can Selene stand by Neil despite his faults?
I adore this series because it is so complex. And the spice is scorching hot! I am totally invested in this series, and I want all the books! Highly recommend this series to dark romance readers who are ready to delve into their next book obsession.
Book 2 is back with our favorite step-siblings ;). I love their chemistry, but sometimes I don't know how Selene can put up with the mood swings from Neil. It becomes apparent that Selene's feelings for him are running deep, and that makes Neil want to push her away even more. He still believes that he is never meant to have happiness, let alone fall in love. It is complicated to the extreme, especially since Player2511 continues to cause life-or-death situations. Will Neil be able to keep everyone safe? Can Selene stand by Neil despite his faults?
I adore this series because it is so complex. And the spice is scorching hot! I am totally invested in this series, and I want all the books! Highly recommend this series to dark romance readers who are ready to delve into their next book obsession.
March 24, 2026
I really enjoyed book one in the Kiss Me Like You Love Me series. Book two, however, was not quite a hit for me for certain reasons. I can't say exactly how without giving away a spoiler, but it doesn't take long into the book for you to realize what I mean. I did enjoy seeing some growth in Neil because it was much needed. You understood his struggles, and in his first book, and in the words of Tyra Banks, "We were all rooting for you". Finally, you get to see the layers of who Neil truly is. I also love Liam, and you get to experience more of the side characters and fall more in love with them all. I honestly don't know whether I like the FMC or not. At times, I love her; at other times, she is infuriating. With all that said, I can't wait to finish this series and already have book 3 on pre-order.
June 4, 2026
3⭐️ So like there wasn’t much that happened that hasn’t already happened. There is not much to comment on. I hope the last book gives me more.
March 16, 2026
A Dangerous Game by Kira Shell
Kiss Me Like You Love Me 2 | Dark Romance
✨ A charged, emotional continuation that explores love as persistence, fear, and choice rather than salvation.
After surviving the attack by Player 2511, Selene returns to Detroit determined to reclaim control of her life and put distance between herself and Neil. Loving him has taught her a painful truth. Some wounds cannot be healed by love alone. Yet when their paths cross again, Selene realizes that walking away from Neil is far harder than staying.
Neil is still fractured by the version of love he learned as a child. He wants Selene close but believes that protecting her means keeping her at arm’s length. With Player 2511 still lurking and danger pressing in from all sides, the relationship between Selene and Neil becomes a constant push and pull between desire, fear, and survival.
What I Loved:
🖤 A relationship built on emotional tension rather than easy resolution
🔥 Neil’s internal struggle between wanting love and fearing it
💔 Selene’s growth as she chooses presence without illusion
⚠️ A constant sense of threat that keeps stakes high
🧠 Exploration of trauma and how it shapes attachment
💋 Moments of intimacy that feel intense and symbolic
🧩 A fast moving plot that balances romance and suspense
💥 An ending that raises anticipation for what comes next
Tropes & Elements:
🖤 Dark Romance
🔥 Enemies to Lovers Energy
💔 Broken MMC
⚠️ Ongoing External Threat
🧠 Trauma Driven Character Arcs
💋 High Emotional Intensity
🎭 Push and Pull Relationship
Vibe: emotional, tense, obsessive, fast paced dark romance
Spice: present but driven by emotion rather than explicit detail
For fans of: tortured MMCs, relationships shaped by trauma, high tension romance, and series that end on a breath holding note
💜 A Dangerous Game deepens Selene and Neil’s story with more emotional weight, more danger, and more unanswered questions. A strong second installment that keeps you turning pages and waiting for the next move.
#ADangerousGame #KiraShell #KissMeLikeYouLoveMe #DarkRomance #EnemiesToLovers #TorturedMMC #EmotionalRomance #ItalianRomance #Bookstagram #RomanceTropes #Scourcebooks #Casablanca
Kiss Me Like You Love Me 2 | Dark Romance
✨ A charged, emotional continuation that explores love as persistence, fear, and choice rather than salvation.
After surviving the attack by Player 2511, Selene returns to Detroit determined to reclaim control of her life and put distance between herself and Neil. Loving him has taught her a painful truth. Some wounds cannot be healed by love alone. Yet when their paths cross again, Selene realizes that walking away from Neil is far harder than staying.
Neil is still fractured by the version of love he learned as a child. He wants Selene close but believes that protecting her means keeping her at arm’s length. With Player 2511 still lurking and danger pressing in from all sides, the relationship between Selene and Neil becomes a constant push and pull between desire, fear, and survival.
What I Loved:
🖤 A relationship built on emotional tension rather than easy resolution
🔥 Neil’s internal struggle between wanting love and fearing it
💔 Selene’s growth as she chooses presence without illusion
⚠️ A constant sense of threat that keeps stakes high
🧠 Exploration of trauma and how it shapes attachment
💋 Moments of intimacy that feel intense and symbolic
🧩 A fast moving plot that balances romance and suspense
💥 An ending that raises anticipation for what comes next
Tropes & Elements:
🖤 Dark Romance
🔥 Enemies to Lovers Energy
💔 Broken MMC
⚠️ Ongoing External Threat
🧠 Trauma Driven Character Arcs
💋 High Emotional Intensity
🎭 Push and Pull Relationship
Vibe: emotional, tense, obsessive, fast paced dark romance
Spice: present but driven by emotion rather than explicit detail
For fans of: tortured MMCs, relationships shaped by trauma, high tension romance, and series that end on a breath holding note
💜 A Dangerous Game deepens Selene and Neil’s story with more emotional weight, more danger, and more unanswered questions. A strong second installment that keeps you turning pages and waiting for the next move.
#ADangerousGame #KiraShell #KissMeLikeYouLoveMe #DarkRomance #EnemiesToLovers #TorturedMMC #EmotionalRomance #ItalianRomance #Bookstagram #RomanceTropes #Scourcebooks #Casablanca
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Book two picks up right where the first one left off, with Neil up to his usual poolhouse hijinx. When he finds out about Selene’s accident, he rushes to the hospital only to find her in a coma. Despite this, when she finally wakes up 10 days later, he once again pushes her away and reiterates that they can never be together. When she recovers enough to leave the hospital, she returns to Detroit, determined to move on with her life and leave New York, and Neil behind. Neil is left fighting his own demons, convincing himself that Selene is too good for him and deserves all the things he can’t offer him. However, he begins to realize that his previous coping methods are no longer working, and finally takes steps to try to fix himself. Meanwhile, Player 2511 is mostly silent, but that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t been lurking in the shadows.
I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley and Source Books Casablanca after waiting impatiently for it and it was just as good as Book 1 if not better! Once again I stayed up past 2am finishing it because it was just impossible to put down. While the first book had more of Neil’s shenanigans, I loved how in this one we see his true desire to get better, even though he still believes he isn’t deserving of true happiness. That’s not to say he isn’t still horrible to Selene, but we do see him showing her he cares in the only ways he knows how. On her end, Selene shows so much strength, realizing exactly what Neil is doing in pushing her away, and not asking for more than honesty from him. While Player 2511 was less active throughout the book itself, his presence is still very much there, and the cliffhanger ending has me counting down the days until book 3 comes out.
I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley and Source Books Casablanca after waiting impatiently for it and it was just as good as Book 1 if not better! Once again I stayed up past 2am finishing it because it was just impossible to put down. While the first book had more of Neil’s shenanigans, I loved how in this one we see his true desire to get better, even though he still believes he isn’t deserving of true happiness. That’s not to say he isn’t still horrible to Selene, but we do see him showing her he cares in the only ways he knows how. On her end, Selene shows so much strength, realizing exactly what Neil is doing in pushing her away, and not asking for more than honesty from him. While Player 2511 was less active throughout the book itself, his presence is still very much there, and the cliffhanger ending has me counting down the days until book 3 comes out.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews