My Dreadful Darling

Hollow Graves Duet #1

by H.D. Carlton

“My darling, it is you who is dreadful.”

Reverie Adams has only one goal in life: to keep her head above water with her father’s sinister legacy weighing on her shoulders. But she’s no stranger to drowning—it’s her very first memory, after all, and if her demons have it their way, it will also be her last.

Even with the blood of a serial killer running through her veins, Reverie attempts a normal life at Hollow Canyon University. But there’s a ghost from her past who refuses to set her free, haunting her every waking hour, and he will not rest until he has made her suffer.

Dreadful Sharpe has only one goal in life, but it’s not winning gold medals as an Olympic swimmer. The only thing Dread strives for is vengeance against the family who murdered his mother.

Determined to make Reverie pay, Dread does everything in his power to ensure she never finds a moment’s peace. If he has it his way, she will drown in his wrath until her very last breath.

However, not everything in Reverie’s past is as it seems. Together, they may be forced to face the most harrowing of truths: Dread isn’t the only ghost who intends to make Reverie suffer.


Author's Note: This is book one in a duet and ends on a cliffhanger. For CWs, please check the author's website.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Spicy, College, Smut

609 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 21, 2026

Reviews

[Andy ₊✩ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

My eyebrows filed a formal complaint for unscheduled brow activity 🤨 because WHY are these characters making decisions like that??

Like I get it—chaos, drama, trauma… love that for us. But one (1) rational thought wouldn’t ruin the aesthetic, I promise.

The plot? Oh it was WORKING overtime. Twists, tension, drama—miss girl clocked in and never left.

Now the bully romance… sir?? You threw her into a grave YOU dug?? Be serious. Then turned her into a human murder calendar??? (meh??)…and then the crematorium scene???Okay wait… suddenly I’m paying attention 👀

Also Barry?? Immediate side-eye. I don’t trust him, I don’t like his energy, I’m spiritually monitoring him 👁️

And the back-and-forth?? That was tiring 🤷‍♀️

Overall—was I confused? yes. Did I still keep reading? also yes.

H.D. Carlton really said “logic is optional, vibes are mandatory” and honestly… I respect the commitment 👏

[Youssra (semi ia- shelving books don't mind me)]

edit: Audiobook not until fall😭 So tempted to eyeball read but it's gonna be an immersive full cast graphic audio😭😭 (first world problems fr)





So like will there be an audiobook for this?

[Momma Eureka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t I say many times I was IN NEED of a good bully romance ? Awwww and like the ABSOLUTE QUEEN OF DARK ROMANCE that she is HD Carlton gave us this masterpiece !
As with all her books , this one has been highlighted in almost every page, HER QUOTES ARE TO DIE FOR!
This is the story of the daughter of a prolific serial killer and the son of said serial killer last victim! HOW CAN YOU EVEN NOT LOVE THIS PLOT ? Impossible I say !
So Kellan aka Dread was 8 years old when Lionel aka The Locksmith killed his mother in a brutal way. But he saw him and he was able to put him behind bars with his testimony as a 8 years old. He was fierce and never wavered. In consequence of that he was scrutinized, bullied and called a liar his entire life because Lionel is a smart serial killer and besides Dread’s testimony they had absolutely no proof he is the Locksmith. So most people believed he put an innocent man behind bars and destroyed a family. Be HE NEVER WAVERED ! And despite all of his pain, trauma and sadness he managed to become an Olympic athlete, he is a very famous swimmer.
Reverie is the serial killer’s daughter and she is the same age as Dread, she on the other hand was view as the poor girl who lost her daddy because of the lies of Dread and had her family destroyed…. Only she knows better….. only she knows her traumas and the life she lived…… only she knows the truth ….
Fast forward 10 years they are in the same university because Dread is COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY OBSESSED with her and goes everywhere she goes. But he hates her with every fiber of his being and wants to make her suffer for his pain. So he bullies her relentlessly for 4 years in college, his friends help him and the whole school treat him as a God so Reverie truly has no one. But she is no chopped liver and every time he bullies her she attacks right back, she is not a doormat ! AND THAT PEOPLE IS HOW YOU WRITE GOOD BULLY ROMANCES!!!!!! Take notes authors out there …..
Obviously things are not as easy and Dread ends up falling in love with her which was hard but anyone could see it coming because his obsession was unhealthy. AND HE FALLS SO HARD it is not even funny. Even before falling he couldn’t even be with a girl if she wasn’t blonde and resembling a little of Reverie, so yeah he was obsessed since always !
She also falls for him but she was more resentful towards him and did not give him a clean slate since she was mostly his victim. Their chemistry is explosive, volcanic, white hot burning pages ! The smut in this book is SUPREME !!!!!!!!!!!! 🥵🔥🥵🔥🥵
But add to all of that her father leaving prison earlier on a parole and now she has threats and victims piling up everywhere! She is running from a serial killer, a copy cat serial killer and some helpers ! She doesn’t know who to trust ! And now she is also a suspect!
OMG
OMGGGGGGG
OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG !!!!!!
This is a book you read constantly on the edge of your seat! I am completely invested and obsessed and I need the second book YESTERDAY!
Now stop reading this review and go read this book !

[levi (pretty sad for a boy so in love)]

I’m so so so so sat for this duology.
Don’t judge that i loved HA 😔

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mother has returned to feed us and of course it was a six star meal ♾️♾️♾️♾️

I knew this book was going to suck me in right away because HD never misses. I’m talking first two pages in and I was already like yeah… this is gonna be some of her best work. The concept itself is so fucking good it’s actually insane.

Reverie Is the daughter of an infamous serial killer no one fully believes was guilty. Dread the MMC, testified against him after he murdered his mother and now he’s determined to make Reverie pay for her father’s sins.

And this isn’t light bullying. Some of it starts off almost harmless, but it escalates fast. I’m talking verbal torture, mind games, psychological warfare and at one point he literally has her handcuffed to a flagpole in the middle of a snowstorm.

But what makes him so complex is that he’s not just cruel for the sake of it. He literally goes back for her after a few hours 😭it’s that internal battle that I eat up, there’s already this crack in his control where concern slips in whether he wants it to or not. And that’s what hooked me because you can feel this relationship is about to get so fucking good.

Bro, this dynamic is everything. He is actively fighting for his life trying not to be attracted to her and losing that fight every single time they’re in a room together. His control is slipping and I am living for it.

I swear one of my favorite things in romance is that razor-thin line between love, hate, obsession, and wanting to destroy someone. Because Dread does not know what side he’s on. He is literally fucking obsessed with her while also being consumed by rage toward her existence.
(Him jerking off to her picture when he’s suppose to hate her!??? Yeah… that does something to me. I’m UNWELL)

And what makes it worse (or better) is that he’s not even purely cruel to her all the time. He’s sarcastic, flirtatious in this twisted way, almost playful when he shouldn’t be. That push and pull is insaneeeee it was giving me the best whiplash that only HD can pull off.

What really stands out is how layered Dread’s character is. HD Carlton doesn’t just write a bully romance where the MMC is purely unhinged. He’s angry, yes and deeply justified in that anger tbh, but he also has this unexpected softness that leaks through in moments, helping her face fears, actually listening to her perspective, and showing understanding in situations where you’d expect none. And that’s what makes him so different from your typical dark romance MMC. He’s not just unhinged and morally gray. He’s layered, conflicted, and terrifyingly self-aware at times. He’s actually so lovable and I do indeed fucking love him.

What really got me is how Dread goes from being her literal nightmare to the one person who would burn the world down to protect her. That shift is so powerful and his feelings are so fucking strong for her that he doesn’t even know what to do with them.

Reverie isn’t just suffering either she’s carrying her own trauma and grief, and that parallel between them is what makes their connection feel so intense and real. They’re both broken in different ways, and somehow that is what makes them fit so well together. I honestly can’t wait to explore the soft side of their relationship.

The way their relationship builds is literally pure fucking magic. One second they’re enemies, the next there’s a shift you can’t ignore, and suddenly you’re watching them cross lines they can’t uncross. And somehow it doesn’t feel rushed it feels inevitable. The way HD writes her dialogue is so beautiful and poetic. The things that are coming out of Dreads mouth feel SO fucking romantic. How could you not fall for him?! AND THE WAY HE CALLS HER BABY🥹 that’ll do ittttt.

And the spice? INSANE. Literally blew my mind and the battery in my vibrator…That locker room scene is one of the hottest things I’ve ever read in my life HOLY FUCK.

I thought I was going to have to take an ice bath. It’s not just there for shock value either it feeds the tension, the obsession, the emotional turmoil between them. They are constantly one breath away from tearing each other apart or tearing each other’s clothes off. I love that they can’t keep their hands off each other. Like at all. It’s that “I hate you/I need you” energy dialed up to ONE HUNDRED and I eat that shit up every single time. This is top tier, toe-curling freaky NASTY, pipping hot spice, between two people that fuck it out every chance they get in a way I think it’s how they express their feelings for each other because they don’t even understand them half the time. But you’ll get no complaints from me. Keep trying to figure it out y’all and I’ll be here enjoying the ride.🥵😋🤭

(Dread making her a custom toy shaped as him would’ve had me forgetting every single bad thing he’s ever done to me and putting a ring on it immediately)

But it’s not just the romance. The plot itself is genuinely gripping. There’s a serial killer on the loose, a copycat, and a constant sense of danger threaded through everything. Just when you think you understand where things are going, the story shifts a little bit(like just enough to make me question everything). I already have theories and I feel like I’m being slowly set up to have my mind completely blown.

I was thinking about this book constantly when I wasn’t reading it. It pulled me completely out of a slump without even trying. I genuinely think it’s going to sit right under Cat and Mouse Duet for me, and that is saying a lot because that series is my Roman Empire (literally untouchable)

This is one of those stories that feels fully immersive …plot, tension, spice, character depth, all of it woven together in a way that works PERFECTLY. It’s addicting, so well written , and emotionally consuming.

I’m having a really hard time translating how much I loved this book, so I hope it’s coming across through this review.

Infinity stars. I will not shut up about this for the foreseeable future. Standing fucking ovation for HD Carlton because she did it again, NOT THAT I EVER DOUBTED HER💅🏻

I’ll probably be back to edit this review 75 times because I just have so much to say and I fear I’m missing something. I also think it’s important to note that I have 504 highlights in this book. 👀 So that should tell you pretty much all you need to know.

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ [ 5 Star Review ]
❥ ☀︎ MY DREADFUL DARLING☀︎ ❥ ☀︎
Is the first full length dark enemies to lovers book in the (Hollow Graves) duet by author H.D. Carlton. Spoken in dual POV's. Dread (Kellan) & Reverie. Be aware that this does end on a cliffhanger.

📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS

Tropes:
💣 Enemies to Lovers
💣 Dark Bully romance
💣 Serial Killer's Daughter vs. Son of a Victim
💣 Obsession
💣 Touch her and die

When I first saw the teasers popping up all over social media I was beyond excited. I grabbed this one release day but have had a head cold and haven't been up to reading, flu gone, game over, life took a back seat and I dived right in.

Then: He was just a young boy who lost his mother, she was just a young girl who witnessed what pure evil lived in her house. Now: He hated her for who she represented, the sins of the father are hers to bear. And he's going to make her regret all the years he missed with his mother.

“ Reverie was the poor girl without her daddy. I was the evil boy who put him away. ”

I’ve read every single book of this authors and I’ve loved every single one of them, but this one has surpassed them all.. The bullying aspects were top notch, unique taunts I’ve not read before, Dreadful put her through the wringer but she was no wallflower and she fought back tooth and nail and he’d met his match tenfold.

These two took hate to a whole new level..But when they gave into their sexual chemistry it was pure smut and toxicity at its best..This is this author's spiciest book yet and I was here for the ride.. They were like a train crash ready to collide, combusting, with hate, lust, and unhinged obsession.. This was such a raw, emotional page turner which had me sitting on the edge of my seat tearing through the pages not able to put it down..

This book is worth every penny, it kept my attention throughout, dark and gritty, I’d even go so far as to say that the bullying aspects in this were the best I’ve read. Dreadful got creative and had his minions stepping up to the plate as they worshipped him and wreaked havoc on her by his demand.

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[Poppy Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75⭐️ arc review

oh she is sooo back!!! This was AMAZING

This follows Reverie, and Dread. Reveries father has gone to prison as one of the most notorious serial killers, her father is responsible for the murder of dreads mother. They both attend the same college in Hollow Canyon, where Dread is an Olympic swimmer and poster boy, and he decides to make Reveries life HELL for what her father did to his mother, and the fact that no one believed Dread as a young boy, and Reverie’s story as a child about her father did nothing to show Dread was telling the truth.

This is a true enemies to lovers, with the most explosive yet toxic relationship between them both. I truly felt like Dreads character was so complex and flawed in all the right ways, and Rev is just phenomenal in this. The stuff she’s endured in her childhood and the way she keeps her head held high in this despite Dreads torment of her!!
This is strong on the bully romance trope, and the spice is absolutely INSANE!!! This is one of the spiciest books I’ve read to date, and only feeds into the explosive push and pull between them throughout this book. He’s also extremely possessive of her and HD Carlton knows how to right the perfect possessive mmc

There is a copycat killer out there, and someone’s toying with Reverie and I neeeeeed the answers!!!! Is it her father? Is it the copycat? Is it someone else?

I also loved the side characters, Dreads two best friends Rogue and Severen, and Revs bestie Sable. It’s all coming together nicely and whilst this book is long (over 600 pages) it’s already not long enough and I’m so glad she made this a duet as I feel like the plot development, the development of the romance and the complicated feelings between Dread & Rev is not being rushed it’s so gripping, so dark & toxic and I ate. It. Up. 😮‍💨

[isy · Rating 5 out of 5]

going through a bit of a crisis rn because why do I think dread may dethrone zade 😳
because wydm he has already crept his way into my top men and he still has another book....
and I HATED him at first?????
what kind of sorcery is this??

AHHHHHHH WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS BOOK!! I actually cant because this was insane and I already know the next book is going to be even better. Oh my lord, hd carlton is trying to kill me. Yup. I have figured her out. I don't know what kind of witchery her fingers possess, but no one even try to save me. She has me and my brain wrapped around her talented little fingers.
Okay that sounded a little weird BUT IM STICKING BY IT!!! 😭

So, let me tell you, Dread was my #1 enemy in the beginning of this book. Yeah, hated that little fucker. My girl Rev, my sweet angel, he puts her THROUGH it. He does have... pretty valid reasons since like her dad murdered his mother, BUT MY GIRL has been through ENOUGH! She deserves sunshine and happiness and love and rainbows. And you know I don't know if she will ever get the sky rainbows but she is getting fucked to near death and probably seeing orgasmic rainbows sooooo.... WE'LL TAKE IT 😏

Everything in this book was amazing from just the depth of Dread & Reverie, the fuckery of Dread (cause I gotta admit that fucker is CRAFTY!! his "pranks"?? diabolical!!) the complexity of Reverie, the development of their relationship, the MYSTERY (oh I am eating this UP), their pasts, the smut (hehe,) the side characters, every word on every page from front to back of this book was simply perfect!!
AND THE ENDING???? Honestly I dont think the cliffhanger is too bad, but Im desperate for MORE MORE MORE!! I know book 2 is only a month away but it's TOO FAR!!!!! I NEED IT NOW HFAIHFLEFBKHEYGIUFHOFLNKDSJFHEISUGFIHE

UGHHHHHH HD Carlton has done it AGAIN!!! Simply a masterpiece and my greedy brain wants more, more, MORE of Dreverie and more of hd's delicious darkness PLEASEEEEEEEEE!!
I'll never get enough

Also, the reason Reverie picked her name??? yeah HD youre SICK and EVIL and TWISTED!! A knife to my heart would have hurt less

[annie]

WHAT'S COOKING, GOOD LOOKING 👀

[🎋ara · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a disclaimer, I loved the Cat and Mouse duet and some of her other work. Definitely a dark romance lover.

But oh I’m irritated. Irritated at myself for thinking this was gonna be a banger at like 10-25%. This relationship is so stupid to me. I mean, he’s holding a grudge from when they were like 9. Literally has been TORTURING her for 4 years. And I understand why he feels this way, but as an adult, how he cannot see the fault in his thought process or at least try to talk to her and get clarity now is irritating. He chained her outside to a flag pole in a blizzard overnight. She keeps doing dumb shit over and over(like not just telling him the truth). He hates her soooo much :( but suddenly keeps getting hard around her and BAM they are fucking every chapter. Like she gives into this man instantly. The dialogue is cringeeeee I can’t 😃 he literally says “I’ve never been afraid to drown” in reference to giving her oral 😃 bye. 🌽

This story is so fucking repetitive regardless. And had an insane amount of internal monologue. Scenes were ungodly lengths with excessive detail over mundane things. Jesus Christ please get to the point. The plot could have been so good (truly) but the two MCs (plus everything else) actually ruined the book and I hate them both.

[Kristie (read_between.the_wines) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ummmmmm whaaaaaaaat

in classic HD fashion she takes a man I should despise, and turns him in to someone I obsess over.

plus she adds a FMC who freaking fights back

murder mystery galore

her spiciest book

HD’s best banter yet

I think dread and rev will be exactly what Zade and Addie fans will want. they are so different but the vibessssssss

I’m obsessed… just like dread is with rev.

[nadine 🧁]

if you see me reading this… no, you didn’t.

[Bee]

pre:read
what do we have over hereee? 👀👀

[manas (suffering)]

this is out??? 🌚🌚

[sumeyye˚₊۶ৎ˙⋆]

another H. D. Carlton book -likely another traumatic reading experience, but i'm in 😌

[brittany:)]

cant wait for this!!✨🫣🖤

[tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Dreadful stars

The plot and especially the ending are what saved this book for me. The characters, for the most part, were pretty hard to like. Some of them I’d go as far to say were horrendous. I enjoy a dark romance, but Dread was pitch black. There were so many moments where he didn’t seem to care if he hurt the FMC, and while there were brief flashes of remorse, they never felt strong enough to make a difference…which didn’t sit well with me.

That said, the story itself was engaging. The plot kept things interesting, and that ending 😮 definitely made an impact. Still, I don’t think Dread should be romanticized…he’s cruel, plain and simple. He showed some signs of growth toward the end, but not enough to win me over.

I was leaning toward a 3-star rating, but that ending really bumped it up for me. I’m curious to see how book two plays out now that I have a better understanding of everything. I feel like I’ll enjoy the second one better! I said it once and I’ll say it again…DREAD is no ZADE!!

[glavreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

aaaand i AM obsessed with them, thank you sm!!!

this book was EVERYTHING and i am desperate for book two because the hatred, the war between them, the chemistry, the spice, the suspense!!!!!

reverie *was* a college student trying to start over with a name change that separated her from her charismatic, serial killer father until the son of one of her dad’s victims shows up determined to make her life hell. and when i say make her life hell, i mean these two are TRUE enemies and the ways he would provoke her sometimes… a felony was around the corner. and he had the nerve to be a hot, tattooed swimmer on top of it.

while rev was trying to survive the war dread started, she was also fighting to stay safe from her father who’d won public favor since his conviction and was due to make parole.

this book really had me on the edge of my seat the entire time with the progression of dread’s obsession with her from hate to possession to more. a man who says he hates her but immediately gets upset when another guy makes her laugh? yes, i’ll take a dozen. their tension was next level.

and all the while, her father is the reason dread has always tormented her and now he’s headed for her too.

such a gripping read and i am so ready for book two!!!

[LiftsandLiterature · Rating 4 out of 5]

H.D. Carlton is back!! That ending! 😵
This is why I hate reading series that aren’t completely released yet, but thankfully we only have to wait a few weeks.
I did really love Dread and Rev but why do I always end up loving a side character more?! I need a Severen and Octavia book right this minute. Hoping for that in the future! Can’t wait for book 2.

“Darling, you are my reverie, and I will follow you anywhere, even if it’s only into a daydream.” 😮‍💨

[Jeronimo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I started off loving this book. The plot was good, the tension worked, and the banter was great. But my God—the FMC completely ruined it for me.

She turns into this pathetic, desperate mess every time he touches her. It’s infuriating, because outside of that, she’s actually a strong character. She’s resilient, she has trauma, and she finds a way to keep going… but the second things get sexual, all of that disappears.

Every sex scene forced me to skim. I genuinely couldn’t stand the way she acted, the way she talked, or how desperate she came across. It was embarrassing to read. It felt like her entire personality collapsed into pure need, and it completely undermined everything that made her interesting.

The MMC honestly wasn’t even the problem. He had reasons for hating her, and yeah, he went too far sometimes, but I actually enjoyed his character for the most part. The issue is that she had no backbone when it came to him. If she had kept even half the strength she showed in other parts of the story, this would’ve been a completely different experience.

Somewhere around the 40–50% mark, she just loses all common sense and becomes this one-note character. I lost count of how many times they emphasized how wet she got for him, how she soaked his sheets, or how she “never felt like this with anyone else.” It was constant.

And the conversations during sex made it worse—it never felt natural, just repetitive and over-the-top.

In the end, she comes across as pathetically in love with someone who bullied her, without enough depth in their past to justify that level of attachment. That’s what really ruined the book for me.

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zade who? 👁 👁


Kidding (maybe)

As always H D Carlton has crafted a masterpiece, I couldn't put this down, the sheer emotion poured into the pages is palpable, I loved the mystery aspect it kept me hooked (no one does a mystery like Hailey) the characters are probably my all time favourites just nudging zade off fhe top spot, I'm immediately rereading because I'm sad it's over, need the next book!

[Karen Denise Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need someone to check on me because H.D. Carlton has officially ruined my sanity… again.

This book? UNHINGED. DERANGED. OBSESSIVE. I was hooked from page one and dragged—kicking, screaming, and willingly—into her dark, twisted little world. At this point I’m convinced she doesn’t write books… she casts spells.

First of all, this book is LONG. Like “cancel your plans, ignore your responsibilities, forget to hydrate” long. And somehow??? I devoured it like my life depended on it. The pacing? Addictive. The tension? Suffocating. And that cliffhanger?? Jail. Straight to jail. I will not recover.

Now let’s address the elephant in the room: the spice.
Because WOW.

There is a lot of sex. Like ma’am??? Are we okay??? Am I okay??? Every time I thought “alright, enough,” the book said “no ❤️” and I said “okay 😌.” Was it excessive? Maybe. Did I eat it up anyway? Absolutely. No regrets. No dignity either, but that’s fine, and no, I won't be cleaning up that wet spot either.

And then we have Dread and Reverie…
TOXIC. DISASTROUS. ADDICTIVE.

These two are a walking red flag convention and I could not look away. The angst? Off the charts. The chemistry? Illegal. The emotional damage? Severe. Dread had me wanting to fight him in a parking lot one minute and defend him the next—make it make sense. And Reverie?? That girl has been THROUGH IT and still stands tall. The strength. The resilience. The audacity to survive him??

Their story is messy, painful, obsessive, and completely consuming. It’s the kind of romance that makes you question your morals and then shrug because… well… vibes.

Final thoughts: this book is HEAVY, filthy, chaotic, and emotionally violent—in the best way. And I fear this might be H.D. Carlton’s most unhinged (and spiciest) work yet.

Anyway, I’m not okay, I don’t want to be okay, and I will be spiraling until the next book drops.

5 stars

[m☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

lol this was bad. I was stupid to hope for a God tier groveling🤣

Reverie and Dread were supposed to be the ultimate enemies, but like... three chapters in and they’re already kissing? disappointed but not surprised. Dread and his minions spent four years making her life a breathing hell.

And let’s talk about the "start" of the book. They put a butchered chopped-up dummy in her room to trigger her trauma about the Locksmith serial killer cases. Then his friends cosplay as cops and drag her out of her dorm while she’s having a full-blown panic attack. They cuff her to a flagpole at midnight in 5-degree weather and—SURPRISE—a blizzard hits. By the time Dread finds her, she is literally blue and purple. Instead of taking her to a hospital or a dorm like a sane human being, he manhandles her back to his house.

This was the first action that confused the absolute shit out of me because aren't you supposed to loathe this girl? You should be disgusted by the sight of her, right?

No. This mf starts describing how "beautiful" her blue lips look and how "gorgeous" she is while she’s close to death. First of all, you're a sick freak. Second of all, personal opinion: if I hate someone, they are automatically ugly. I don't care how "enchanting" or "mesmerizing" they are (even on the verge of dying). If I hate you, you look like a bacteria. Get out of my sight or I’m bleaching my eyeballs.

Then, because she’s literally dying of hypothermia, he strips her bare naked and pulls her into his bed? I get the "avoiding a felony" part, but you don't bully someone one moment and then pull their naked body against your chest the next. It disrupts the flow. It makes zero sense.

They stayed enemies for like three chapters before he started lusting over her, imagining her moaning his name, and jerking off to her nudes. Then he starts "regretting" it because he’s "disrespecting his dead mother" by getting off to the daughter of her killer. He falls under the "typical MMCs in dark romance" category. No self-control. His rage and pain were valid, but the lust? Absolute nonsense.


Reverie, PLEASE STAND UP girl, this man buried you alive on your birthday. He had girls dress as your dad’s victims, corner you, drag you to a dug grave, and throw fists of dirt on you. That is sick. Terrifying. Cruel. Breaking. She should have moved to another continent, but no, they end up kissing because "the MMC is so hot" ha ha. From that point on, she just lets him do whatever he wants. And the smut? SO. FUCKING. CRINGE. Yikes. After the second time they slept together, he suddenly becomes "obsessed" and starts finding her "cute and sexy." They became so bland, so fast.

The only thing that kept me going was the mystery. If this wasn't focused on romance, it could have been a God-tier murder mystery psychological thriller. I would have ate that up! But they were fucking every two chapters. It ruined the stakes completely. Every time a dark, thrilling scene happened, I didn't feel nervous because I knew they'd just be screwing each other to oblivion three pages later. Dark romance doesn't have to be unhinged sex with cringe dialogue. Period.

The book tried to build this "You are my mom’s murderer's daughter so I will make you suffer" vibe, but it was all based on a misunderstanding. When he finally hears her sob story, his brain does a literal 180:

Has she ever truly known what it is to be loved? I am a monster, and I made sure she suffered, too. But now… I want her to feel good. I want to be the one to make those come to fruition.

BRO WTF?!! BE FOR FUCKING REAL RIGHT NOW. You’re the one who didn’t let her have a day without suffering for four years. You can't be the monster and the emotional support human at the same damn time. It's giving "I can fix her" but he's the one who broke her 😭✋🏻

To be very fucking honest, Olive and Juniper are the only ones with functioning brains here, and one of them is a child. Also what's with the forced chemistry between the other two couples? I feel like it was thrown in just to make the "romance" part relevant.

[waxtopia · Rating 1 out of 5]

What kind of dick was the author smoking to name the MCs Dread and Reverie ?! 😭😂 those aren’t names and they instantly ruined the story for me. I was so excited for this too 😫 disappointment city !!

[Akira Ravens · Rating 1 out of 5]

As with HA, this is first and foremost a bunch of smut one shots glued together poorly by filler... I mean "plot". I saw a post on Instagram of someone devouring this and had the audacity to call this author the "OG of Dark Romance"... Good Lord, the bar is low if that statement is true.

[Bookish Boy]

I AM ON MY KNEES FOR WHATEVER THIS IS BUT…..WHAT ABOUT SIBBY’S DUET? 😩😭 I HOPE WE GET IT SOON

[May · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything!!! I cannot wait for everyone to read it and fall in love with the characters and the world😍

[ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

so this was originally a 4star for me… then it dropped to 3… and by the end it’s a 2. and even that feels generous purely because i like hd carlton.

it actually started off decent. enemies-to-lovers / bully setup. not crazy but i wasn’t expecting much anyway. he’s been tormenting her for years because he believes her father killed his mom and that she supported her father after his testimonies. i was happy to go with it. unfortunately that’s where the positives end.

the pacing of their relationship is a mess. by like 25% they’re already hooking up and there’s barely any buildup or tension to justify it. he supposedly hates her and yet is constantly lusting after her and then just… switches into wanting her. like okay dude? the push and pull dynamic is there but it’s executed really poorly. there is no logic of why they make the decisions they make.

the mmc just didn’t work for me. i get that he’s younger than her usual mmc’s and has trauma but he reads more like a child than a 22-year-old. i tried to sympathize but i just found him frustrating. also… calling himself “dread” was a choice. just stupid and all his actions are stupid.

reverie also started to annoy me. her inner monologue feels repetitive. same thoughts over and over again.

the smut didn’t work for me either. more cringe than anything else.
tbh the mystery element was the only thing that kept me going. not because it was particularly good but at least it gave me some reason to keep reading.

in the end im disappointed. i wanted to like it but it just didn’t work out.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️
5/5 🌶️

Tropes & what to expect:
- Dark college romance
- Bully romance
- Enemies to lovers
- Revenge plot
- Obsessed MMC

NOT THE CLIFFYYYYYY!? 💀

I am not surprised to love yet another book by HD! 🤭 This world, the characters, the plot.. I was hooked from the beginning.

Dread is HOT ASF with his moans & whimpers. My godddd.

I can't wait for book 2!

[Ashhh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dread > Zade. I said what I said