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Monster Research Facility #3

The Imaginary Friend's Obsession

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Could her imaginary friend be a real threat?

Daisy Dumont tries so hard to be normal. She doesn’t talk about the night her parents were murdered, or the fact she can’t remember it. She certainly doesn’t talk about her imaginary friend who disappeared shortly afterward.

Then the MRF calls. The research facility finally admits that they took her former friend - and now they want her help to save him.

Daisy is the only one who can see Subject X-15. She once knew him as Dorian, but the volatile monster in the cell bears little resemblance to the shy apparition who lived under her bed. And even with a new researcher willing to hear his side, Dorian won’t - or can’t? - explain that he didn’t kill Daisy’s parents all those years ago.

An experimental treatment could unlock what she’s forgotten, yet the more she dredges up the past, the harder it becomes to pretend she’s anything close to normal

If Daisy doesn’t find the truth about her lost memories, Dorian will fade from existence. But if she does, she might end up in a cell herself.

226 pages, Paperback

Published February 21, 2025

315 people are currently reading
1856 people want to read

About the author

Skyla Gray

7 books182 followers

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5 stars
720 (34%)
4 stars
696 (33%)
3 stars
504 (24%)
2 stars
121 (5%)
1 star
33 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
Profile Image for mica.
333 reviews3,386 followers
May 16, 2025
Chicas ya todas nos conocemos por acá, no hace falta que les mienta, agarre este libro por la portada rarita y dije "listo me voy a cagar de risa un rato"... nunca espere que estuviera decente??????????????? (se que suena re feo PERO USTEDES ME CONOCEN OKAY) Me paso lo mismo que con el primer libro de esta saga.

Si bien algunas veces hubo escenas que me parecían un poco repetitivas genuinamente disfrute de la trama del libro, el romance rarito me gusto, la protagonista me cayo bien, las descripciones y escenas de miedo también me gustaron. Obviamente tenia que haber algo raro (no negativo) con el pito del chabon, ya saben como funcionan estos libros... no nos desconozcamos.

En fin, me pareció entretenido e interesante, veremos si la autora mas adelante sigue sacando libros (el segundo no me llama la atención rip).
Profile Image for Poppy || Monster Lover.
1,824 reviews515 followers
March 9, 2025
This book had me listening anxiously in the dark for scraping or creaking sounds. I seriously had a to ask my husband to come be with me for a second to help tether be back to reality. It was so intense and well written. Daisy was like a creepy Victorian child, but in adult form, and I was rooting for her to get her happy ending. Dorian’s story wrecked me and I wanted to save him from all the bad things. Their love story was so sweet mixed with all the creepy darkness that the author consistently brings to their books.

Spice: 2/5

Triggers: violence, gore, murder, horror, possession, child abuse, stalking by an organization
Profile Image for ashlee.
373 reviews7 followers
October 20, 2025
Meet Daisy + Subject X-15 💕

I’m going to be honest - while listening to this book, I found myself sitting up in bed completely lost in it. At one point, I just stared at my bookshelf, in a trance, not even blinking, until my eyes started to water and tears rolled down my cheeks. That’s how deeply this story pulled me in.

This book is so beautifully written, and I absolutely loved it. It draws you in so completely that you feel like you’re living inside it. It’s dark, emotional, and haunting in the best way possible. The mix of eerie moments and a sweet, beautiful romance made it unforgettable. They really are two halves of one heart.

✨ T r o p e s + T r i g g e r s ✨
Imaginary Friend | Spirit
Loss of Parents
Memory Loss
Forbidden Romance
Light Spice
Possession
Murder
Grief
Profile Image for ℛℰ.
154 reviews39 followers
January 13, 2026
3⭐️

This wasn’t bad by any means. The idea of the book was kinda unique for me atleas as I haven’t read something like it. The thing is sometimes I was bored while reading. However it was pretty short and I finished it in a day
Profile Image for COURTZ.
84 reviews91 followers
February 21, 2025
I loved reading this book and I’m so grateful to have been an arc reader, I’ve been an ace reader from the start and her books never disappoint! I read the book within a few hours, as soon as you start reading the book you just can’t put it down! The only thing I would have liked to see is more romance I don’t feel as if there was much or more towards the end. I’m excited to read all of Skylas future books!
Profile Image for raniya.
44 reviews2 followers
March 28, 2025
﹙3 stars ⭐️ ﹚Well… this was definitely something.

— Let’s get straight to it—my biggest issue with this book, as harsh as it might sound, starts and ends with the male main character’s appearance 😭 I’m sorry, but I just could not wrap my head around the fact that Dorian, the FMC Daisy’s imaginary friend, has four hands. It was just plain weird to me, and this is coming from someone who had a morbid terror-turned-obsession with slenderman. oh and of course lets not forget, the cherry on top, he also has two… well, you know. 🤡

I honestly thought I could get past it but Chapter 19 really sealed the deal for me. yeah… no thanks.


〝 Is it possible to miss someone who never existed? 〞


— For the sake of making it through the book, I had to reimagine him as a normal human—two hands, two privates. or well at least, in the body of a normal human. And honestly? If it weren’t for those details, I think I would’ve absolutely loved this story. The romance was beautifully done, and the connection between Daisy and Dorian—from childhood to where they are now—was so precious.

I loved their scenes together, especially when they were kids 🥹I was giggling and kicking my feet when Dorian kept getting jealous over Ezra for spending too much time around Daisy 💌


〝 Maybe you’re right. You are kind of like a real-life prince. 〞


— What really kept me hooked, though, was the paranormal element. That was, hands down, the strongest part of the book. It had that classic horror feel—very The Conjuring, Insidious, and Brahms: The Boy-esque. The atmosphere was eerie, the mystery was gripping, and at times, it genuinely scared the freaking hell out of me. (Not gonna lie, reading this alone at 2 AM? BAD BAD IDEA. I was pissing my pants)

However, the ending felt somewhat rushed, coming across more like a teaser for the next book rather than a satisfying, full-circle conclusion to Dorian and Daisy’s story.


〝 I thought of you every day, every minute, every second. Even when I didn’t know myself, I knew you. 〞


Overall, this was an intriguing, chilling read, even if some of the details were a little… unconventional for my taste. If you can, though, you’re in for one hell of a ride. I can’t see why you wouldn’t enjoy this book if you’re into that sort of that thing!!
Profile Image for Ashton Reads.
1,269 reviews303 followers
February 23, 2025
Tropes:
~monster romance
~amnesia/forgotten memories
~gothic mystery elements
~friends to lovers
~protector hero
~double 🍆

I adore Skyla Gray’s paranormal romances, so as soon as an ARC was made available for this, I immediately downloaded and binged it in one afternoon!

I’m always eager to see what monster the author will focus on next, and Dorian reminded me of a poltergeist version of Phantom of the Opera mixed with Black Butler, which I did not mind at all 😏 I will warn that this book felt more like a gothic horror romance, especially compared to the others in the series, so if you don’t want a book with a lot of plot that is lighter on the romance (and steam) then this might not be up your alley.

The mystery of Daisy’s past and her journey to unveil her forgotten memories and remember who murdered her parents is the forefront of the story, and it’s quite the journey we go on to discover the sinister truth. Dorian is part of that past, and was her imaginary friend growing up. Daisy is the only one who's ever been able to see him, but he's been caught and held captive at the monster research facility because they believe he was the one who murdered her parents. And without Daisy's intact memories, she can't prove or disprove that theory.

While the romance with Dorian felt more in the background, it did make sense why once things were revealed. I wish there had still been more of a romantic build-up, and I would’ve felt a greater connection to their romance if we had gotten some extra flashback scenes of their past interactions. The present day plot line didn’t have a lot of romantic content until the very end, though I’ll admit I was hooked on the mystery and flew through the pages to get to the reveals. I also enjoyed Daisy’s friendship development with Ezra (an employee at the facility) and the way he helped validate who she was while helping her remember the past. After he had so much page time in this one, I really hope gets his own book!

While Book 2 is still my favorite, I overall love this series so much and enjoyed this dark and twisty addition. There’s been mentions of various other monsters that reside in the facility, so I’m beyond curious to see which one the author writes about next!


If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:

”And I could see you throw your jacket on the floor
I could see you make me want you even more
What would you do, baby, if you only knew?
That I can see you, oh, I can see you"
Profile Image for Kat.
366 reviews332 followers
July 3, 2025
Why was this so GOOD? I’m being so serious, this transcends the monster romance genre. It’s kinda giving American Horror Story S1 (specifically and only S1), which rewired my brain chemistry at a formative age, so maybe I’m biased. But still. This book is, like, 80% horror, 20% romance, which is my perfect ratio, and it also perfectly balances being campy and being actually a little scary. Seriously impressive.
Profile Image for Eve.
924 reviews20 followers
April 25, 2025
3.25 Stars

This was a really fun and interesting concept. I really enjoyed the paranormal/supernatural representation and found that this worked well as a standalone (having not read the other books).

I will say, I think the title is a little bit deceiving. While Dorian (the imaginary friend) is a prominent part of this book, he’s not actually in it a whole lot - I never felt like we actually got to know him. Maybe I just misinterpreted things but I expected more of a romance when it actuality, it was more horror/mystery. That’s probably my bad though.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this thoroughly.
Profile Image for Alyson Walton.
917 reviews22 followers
March 2, 2025
I have never requested an EARC so quickly!

This SG novel takes us to meet Daisy and her 'imaginary' friend, Dorian, at the MRF. We learn Daisy's tale, how Dorians weaves into it. This story is much more plot driven than the two previous MRF books with much less smex, but from my point of view, that's just fine. It's great to see that this author can do both.

I would love to have heard more of Ezra's story, or possibly we may get a Separate book about him?

Great read that I devoured in one sitting, 4.5 ⭐️ 😊

I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens.com, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Dakota.
122 reviews11 followers
February 22, 2025
Moving the boxes out from under my bed as we speak.

I👏🏻 freaking 👏🏻 love 👏🏻 this 👏🏻 series 👏🏻

This was a fantastic addition to the series and Dorian? DORIAN?? 🔥🔥🔥 Every new detail that I learned about this wonderfully spooky imaginary friend was an absolute delight.

If book two didn’t solidify this series as an auto-buy for me, this one certainly did. Seeing the e-arc of this in my inbox was the absolute highlight of my day. I am SO ready for book four. 😤🤘🏻
Profile Image for Apoorvaa S Raghavan.
11 reviews
March 10, 2025
When I first started my bookstagram journey, @skyla.gray.romance "An Acquired Taste" was the very first ARC I reviewed. I fell in love with her writing then, so the moment I saw this one in my inbox, I had to request it. Somehow, I missed the last two books in the series, but since these can be read as standalones, I jumped right in. And let me just say, I will be going back to read those first two books ASAP.

"Daisy Dumont has spent years trying to be normal—ignoring the night her parents were murdered and the gaps in her memory. She certainly doesn’t talk about Dorian, the imaginary friend who disappeared soon after. But when the MRF admits they took Dorian and now need her help to save him, Daisy is forced to confront her past."

I picked this book up at 2 AM, thinking I’d read a few chapters before bed. Famous last words. By the time I looked up, it was 4:30 AM, and I had devoured the entire thing in one sitting. The suspense was so well done, I couldn’t put it down even if I wanted to.

Daisy was an incredible protagonist. Her past was horrifying, and I loved how the story unraveled the missing pieces of her memories. The tension, the slow unraveling of the truth,it was so well-paced. Plus, I’m a sucker for FMCs who tap into their powers when they’re mad, and Daisy delivered.

And then there’s Dorian. I was expecting a sweet, protective ghost, something along the lines of Casper with a dark edge. Instead, I got a "touch her and die” masked... being, and I was so here for it.

Now, I do have one gripe. We never fully learn how or why Daisy has her powers, and that bugged me. Maybe the previous books hinted at it, or maybe there are more books to come (please let there be more, because I need Ezra’s story). Either way, I wish we had a bit more explanation.

That said, this book was an absolute ride. If you love dark fantasy with gripping suspense, and an intense, haunting romance, I highly recommend picking this one up. Just maybe don’t start it at 2 AM unless you’re okay with losing sleep over it
Profile Image for Cee.
3,250 reviews163 followers
April 13, 2025
This was... interesting. I loved the horror vibes, the occasional feeling of dread that would pop up, and the whole imaginary friend/ghost storyline. I wish more of their romance was built or we could see it. I felt more like we were just told and shown things in quick flashbacks. I wish we got more from it all and were able to dive into things more.

That being said, Dorian's "As you wish, darling" had me giggling. Such cutie.
If you're looking for a slight horror-vibes ghost romance then you should check this one out.

OH, and yes I read this without reading the previous books in the series because I didn't realize it was a series until I started. I'm assuming some of the characters are cameos and I felt like there was more going on with the facility than was being explained -- but that all didn't take away my enjoyment and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. I might go back and read the first book because that sounds fun.
Profile Image for Laura.
101 reviews
May 25, 2025
This is how a story is told. Full of depth and mystery. Dorian, sweet, wonderful Dorian. *sigh* 💕
Profile Image for Ruby Dalegendaryreader.
709 reviews17 followers
February 26, 2025
"Is it possible to miss someone who never existed?"

Daisy received a call from the MRF that they needed her help about Dorian, her imaginary friend that she thought was not real. He was locked up after he was accused of unaliving her parents. But there's more to the story and she's set to find out what really happened.

This so much better than the first two books in the series.

I love Daisy and how she was doing everything and anything to help Dorian. She trusted him even when she thought he wasn't real that she almost believed it. Love Dorian, and he's so protective over Daisy.

Such a fun read. I was kept on edge especially with what happened in the past, and what's going on, and how Daisy will be able to help Dorian. I was so curious that I read it in an hour or two.

I love going back to this world, and I love seeing glimpses of the other characters too.

When will Enzo get his own book, I wonder?
Profile Image for kiwi.
101 reviews
December 25, 2025
Wow, this is the best book in the series so far. Very high tension with quite a bit of horror mixed in, I could barely put the book down because I wanted to know what was going on and what would happen next.

I also love their relationship, the book definitely convinced me of how close and connected they were.

Profile Image for Faith.
157 reviews10 followers
March 4, 2025
so stinkin cute! i hope skyla writes this series forever. i know this one just came out but i’m already ready for the next!
i love MRF, and all the monsters. each character has so much depth and all their arcs are fantastic.
and for being such short books, the plot is so well developed and each one has caught me by surprise.
it was so much fun getting to know ezra more in this one too!
i am so in love with this series!
Profile Image for DarkMuseDiary.
40 reviews7 followers
June 7, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 The story is so good it was the perfect balance between thriller and mystery I might still have a hard grasp of understanding some supernatural elements that happened but I loved it. The only issue that it is only from FMC POV and never included the MMC POV at all.

🌶️🌶️/5 It needed a lot more spice.
Profile Image for Holly's Bookshelf.
562 reviews21 followers
December 18, 2025
Not gonna lie, this was a little creepy and I had to stop reading at night. Pretty much the whole story was Daisy trying to remember things. We get a glimpse of her and Dorians relationship, but I feel like we missed out on a good amount. Some things didnt make sense and could've been fleshed out more.
Profile Image for Kaitlyn.
649 reviews34 followers
January 9, 2026
You ever play Beyond: Two Souls?

You ever think Beyond: Two Souls would be better with a lil' bit of an SCP vibe?

You ever think Beyond: Two Souls would be better as a romance?

This is the book for you.
Profile Image for K.
1,380 reviews1 follower
March 9, 2025
I am really hoping for a book four!!! Please oh please Skyla!
Profile Image for Raz.
10 reviews1 follower
June 2, 2025
I LOVE THEM 🥹🤏🏻✨
Profile Image for Yang Safia.
112 reviews6 followers
August 19, 2025
I wish the book is longer. Gray should write bigger books! 💖💖
Profile Image for Liv  Allen.
5 reviews8 followers
January 12, 2026
This book was surprisingly really good! I wasn't sure what to expect going in but learning about the characters relationship and backstory genuinley made me tear up in parts, I love the ghost hunting aspect of it as well :)
Profile Image for Nic.
177 reviews2 followers
January 14, 2026
I really liked this?🙈
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