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Feral Love #1
Willing Prey
An exhilarating, primal summer fling in the woods leads to an intensely sexy, edgy romance, where anything goes—just remember your safe word.
Divorced and buried in student loan debt, Claire Collins eagerly enters a spicy business agreement with an acquaintance who wants to explore his primal desires. The deal is thirty days as his sexual prey, $30,000 in her bank account. All she has to do is give Shane Underwood the hunt of his life.
Claire’s a physical education teacher and perfectly happy to spend her summer having wild, kinky sex instead of working her usual serving job. But once they cross the tree line, she realizes how little she knows about the corporate lawyer paying her to be his prey.
Shane is different in the woods. Brutal. Devastating. Feral.
That’s okay with Claire—she is, too. And she’s sinking her teeth a little deeper into Shane’s heart every time he catches her.
Divorced and buried in student loan debt, Claire Collins eagerly enters a spicy business agreement with an acquaintance who wants to explore his primal desires. The deal is thirty days as his sexual prey, $30,000 in her bank account. All she has to do is give Shane Underwood the hunt of his life.
Claire’s a physical education teacher and perfectly happy to spend her summer having wild, kinky sex instead of working her usual serving job. But once they cross the tree line, she realizes how little she knows about the corporate lawyer paying her to be his prey.
Shane is different in the woods. Brutal. Devastating. Feral.
That’s okay with Claire—she is, too. And she’s sinking her teeth a little deeper into Shane’s heart every time he catches her.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 7, 2025
573 people are currently reading
25982 people want to read
About the author
Allie Oleander
2 books443 followersAllie writes romance with kink exploration and characters ages thirty-five and up. When she's not writing, she's in the woods, trying to arrange a meet-cute with Bigfoot.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,757 reviews
October 7, 2025
I think I’ve found a new favourite author 🙏
Ohmagosh this book was scrum dilly yum in every sense you can think of. No notes. Everything and I mean everything was perfectly proportionate. The romance the smut the sweetness the plot the relationship the chemistry the tension the softness the pacing the characters the emotion the story EVERYTHING.
I went in thinking it was going to be smut central and everything lusty but that didn't happen! Yk how when an overly smutty book comes at the cost of a well developed romance and always feels rushed? Yeah this book was NOT that. The spicy scenes enriched their dynamic and paved the way for those soft moments so they could shine when they happened.
Seeing characters in their 30+’s was so refreshing actually. I loveeed this aspect of the book.
The relationship was so perfectly done I wanna cry. Everything was given its space in the book. There wasn’t anything I felt missing when it came to their romance or them as individuals.
Shane is my babyyyyy. I’m actually totally obsessed with him. He’s the perfect mix of obsessed and awkward and hot. Like the man has it all. And when he gets sweet 😭🤚 I melt all over the floor. He’s such a softy in the most feral way. Ugh. I want himmmmmm.
Claire my other babyyyyy. I love her. I love her. I love herrrr. Seeing her grow thru the book was healing. And knowing she gave back as good as she got 🫦🫦🫦 she’s so mother.
It’s such a beautifully developed book I’m literally in awe because this is her debut too! Not to mention I actually adored the writing. It had the perfect blend of humour and emotion. So basically I loved everythingggggg about this book.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Evermore for the ARC! ♥︎
***
Wait why have I never heard of this before omg the cover makes me think it’s some thriller book but in reality it’s like a dark romance about smutty primal kink??? 🫦 Added this to my tbr so fast 🤭😝
Ohmagosh this book was scrum dilly yum in every sense you can think of. No notes. Everything and I mean everything was perfectly proportionate. The romance the smut the sweetness the plot the relationship the chemistry the tension the softness the pacing the characters the emotion the story EVERYTHING.
I went in thinking it was going to be smut central and everything lusty but that didn't happen! Yk how when an overly smutty book comes at the cost of a well developed romance and always feels rushed? Yeah this book was NOT that. The spicy scenes enriched their dynamic and paved the way for those soft moments so they could shine when they happened.
Seeing characters in their 30+’s was so refreshing actually. I loveeed this aspect of the book.
The relationship was so perfectly done I wanna cry. Everything was given its space in the book. There wasn’t anything I felt missing when it came to their romance or them as individuals.
Shane is my babyyyyy. I’m actually totally obsessed with him. He’s the perfect mix of obsessed and awkward and hot. Like the man has it all. And when he gets sweet 😭🤚 I melt all over the floor. He’s such a softy in the most feral way. Ugh. I want himmmmmm.
Claire my other babyyyyy. I love her. I love her. I love herrrr. Seeing her grow thru the book was healing. And knowing she gave back as good as she got 🫦🫦🫦 she’s so mother.
It’s such a beautifully developed book I’m literally in awe because this is her debut too! Not to mention I actually adored the writing. It had the perfect blend of humour and emotion. So basically I loved everythingggggg about this book.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Evermore for the ARC! ♥︎
***
Wait why have I never heard of this before omg the cover makes me think it’s some thriller book but in reality it’s like a dark romance about smutty primal kink??? 🫦 Added this to my tbr so fast 🤭😝
November 3, 2025
This was everything I hoped it would be, sexy, primal, surprisingly emotional and sweet.
The setup sounds wild (a 30-day paid hunt agreement), but the author makes it work. The tension, the consent, the thrill of the chase, it all felt wild and authentic.
Claire is such a fantastic heroine, confident, grounded, and completely in charge of her choices. I loved how she owned her sexuality without apology. She needs money, and this 30-day contract will help her get back on her financial feet.
Suddenly, I’m wondering if I should have had a gentler sexual encounter with someone post divorce to prepare for this.
Shane, the polished lawyer with a feral streak, was both terrifying and tender. Their chemistry was off the charts!
What I didn’t expect was how much heart this story had beneath the heat. The emotional connection that weaves between them is just as perfect as the physical one. The pacing, the atmosphere, the way the author leans into the primal play dynamic without losing sight of the humanity. How was this story SO GOOD?
Tropes/themes:
Primal play/predator-prey kink
Summer fling
Emotional connection
High heat with strong consent
Divorcee heroine
Stoic lawyer hero with a hidden wild side
Mutual empowerment
40H/35h
Excellent side characters
Humorous
Fabulous HEA
This was hot, intense, and beautifully written. A darkly thrilling romance that balances fantasy and emotion in such a satisfying way.
*TW/kinks/spoilers*
Very rough primal play
Transacional sex
Semi public sex
No aftercare (until the end)
Physical violence
Breath play
Praise kink
Light degradation
No condoms
Orgasm denial
Spanking
Role reversal
Light stalking
Disgusting tick removal
The setup sounds wild (a 30-day paid hunt agreement), but the author makes it work. The tension, the consent, the thrill of the chase, it all felt wild and authentic.
Claire is such a fantastic heroine, confident, grounded, and completely in charge of her choices. I loved how she owned her sexuality without apology. She needs money, and this 30-day contract will help her get back on her financial feet.
Suddenly, I’m wondering if I should have had a gentler sexual encounter with someone post divorce to prepare for this.
Shane, the polished lawyer with a feral streak, was both terrifying and tender. Their chemistry was off the charts!
What I didn’t expect was how much heart this story had beneath the heat. The emotional connection that weaves between them is just as perfect as the physical one. The pacing, the atmosphere, the way the author leans into the primal play dynamic without losing sight of the humanity. How was this story SO GOOD?
Tropes/themes:
Primal play/predator-prey kink
Summer fling
Emotional connection
High heat with strong consent
Divorcee heroine
Stoic lawyer hero with a hidden wild side
Mutual empowerment
40H/35h
Excellent side characters
Humorous
Fabulous HEA
This was hot, intense, and beautifully written. A darkly thrilling romance that balances fantasy and emotion in such a satisfying way.
*TW/kinks/spoilers*
Very rough primal play
Transacional sex
Semi public sex
No aftercare (until the end)
Physical violence
Breath play
Praise kink
Light degradation
No condoms
Orgasm denial
Spanking
Role reversal
Light stalking
Disgusting tick removal
February 15, 2024
4 Keep Trying to Run Stars ⭐
There's something about prey kink that really does it for me. The whole scene around being chased, pinned down and devoured. Just yum. That's not to say I wouldn't be crapping myself if this happened in real life! 😏
Truthfully I'm impressed that this is the author's debut novella because it was well written, believable and extremely sexy; it was damn good. Most enjoyable since our hero wasn't a psycho and was besotted by his prey.
Can a pussy purr? Because mine is right now. If she had her way, I’d backflip out of this tree, stick the landing, and ask Shane to finish what he started last night.
Claire Collins is recently divorced from her dickwad husband and drowning in debt. So a $30k sexual proposal is a win. But is it, if she's being hunted for 30 days by her ex husband's boss Shane Underwood? Lawyer by day, thicc predator after hours. She really needs this to work.
She tricked me. I’m hunting her, but she’s toying with me. Lacing up my boots, I follow her footprints back into the woods, so aroused I don’t even care that I’m half naked.
I loved that these two weren't what they seemed. They may have had a taboo arrangement in place, essentially just sex, but you see immediately how this could be more. Claire is whip smart and fully invested in the hunt, while Shane is obsessed since his wet dream has come to life.
Willing Prey worked beautifully because the intimacy was scorching, the kink credible, and the characters self serving, which I mean in a good way. Both Shane and Claire need something and intend to get it. I just loved how perfectly in sync they were about it. 🥵
There's something about prey kink that really does it for me. The whole scene around being chased, pinned down and devoured. Just yum. That's not to say I wouldn't be crapping myself if this happened in real life! 😏
Truthfully I'm impressed that this is the author's debut novella because it was well written, believable and extremely sexy; it was damn good. Most enjoyable since our hero wasn't a psycho and was besotted by his prey.
Can a pussy purr? Because mine is right now. If she had her way, I’d backflip out of this tree, stick the landing, and ask Shane to finish what he started last night.
Claire Collins is recently divorced from her dickwad husband and drowning in debt. So a $30k sexual proposal is a win. But is it, if she's being hunted for 30 days by her ex husband's boss Shane Underwood? Lawyer by day, thicc predator after hours. She really needs this to work.
She tricked me. I’m hunting her, but she’s toying with me. Lacing up my boots, I follow her footprints back into the woods, so aroused I don’t even care that I’m half naked.
I loved that these two weren't what they seemed. They may have had a taboo arrangement in place, essentially just sex, but you see immediately how this could be more. Claire is whip smart and fully invested in the hunt, while Shane is obsessed since his wet dream has come to life.
Willing Prey worked beautifully because the intimacy was scorching, the kink credible, and the characters self serving, which I mean in a good way. Both Shane and Claire need something and intend to get it. I just loved how perfectly in sync they were about it. 🥵
November 6, 2025
Super fast and entertaining read!
This book delivered exactly what it said it would. I'm new to the hunting aspect of this book (was honestly thinking this was gonna be paranormal) but I enjoyed this just as it was.
The FMC is entertaining and has a spine, which is always great to see. And the MMC was SUCH a hidden marshmallow. I think I may have gotten a little whiplash from how different he can be in different scenarios, but I really enjoyed Shane.
I will say some parts of this didn't excite me as much. I personally feel there is such a thing as too rough (ie just smashing her face into the ground and the crazy bite that even the FMC had trouble with). I'm all for rough, but not if you're throwing respect out the window, so had some issues there.
But this was really enjoyable overall and would highly recommend for romance readers who like a heavy dose of 🌶️
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
This book delivered exactly what it said it would. I'm new to the hunting aspect of this book (was honestly thinking this was gonna be paranormal) but I enjoyed this just as it was.
The FMC is entertaining and has a spine, which is always great to see. And the MMC was SUCH a hidden marshmallow. I think I may have gotten a little whiplash from how different he can be in different scenarios, but I really enjoyed Shane.
I will say some parts of this didn't excite me as much. I personally feel there is such a thing as too rough (ie just smashing her face into the ground and the crazy bite that even the FMC had trouble with). I'm all for rough, but not if you're throwing respect out the window, so had some issues there.
But this was really enjoyable overall and would highly recommend for romance readers who like a heavy dose of 🌶️
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
January 2, 2026
Devoured this like a feral little rat with no self control 😮💨🐀
October 10, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Hands down, I love this book! Gobbled it up! And now I want the paperback, hehe.
We have Claire, who's dealing with her divorce and agreed to be hunted by her ex-husband's boss, Shane. Their first meeting together was very electric and confusing for both. Since they are already feeling something for one another but don't want to do anything, they both think it's because of the hunt.
And boy, what a start of the hunt! This is a fun, primal play I have read in a while.
Shane does take a moment; he comes off as standoffish, and I need control. Also, he's not known for primal play. He's done this before, but he's not an expert. Claire only tried this with her ex, so they both are trying to navigate learning how to do this.
And we see that with each hunt and non-hunt when they spend time together. I do wish we got more of a softer side of Shane; he didn't know about aftercare until he started showing a more human side.
We do get drama from the ex-husband, not a lot, but he's in it. And a miscommunication near the end that gets fixed pretty fast.
I hope the brother and the assistant get a book. I dont trust that girls fiance.
No ow/slight om (ex), no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶🌶
Slowinsta
35h/40H
Primal play
Cnc
Forced orgasms
Breath play
Choking
Light degradation
Orgasms Denial
Praise kink
Semi public sex
Dom/sub undertones and switches
No condoms
Mentions of child abuse
Mentions of Infidelity (past partners)
Physical Violence
Mention of a death
Tick removal
Hea
Epilogue
Hands down, I love this book! Gobbled it up! And now I want the paperback, hehe.
We have Claire, who's dealing with her divorce and agreed to be hunted by her ex-husband's boss, Shane. Their first meeting together was very electric and confusing for both. Since they are already feeling something for one another but don't want to do anything, they both think it's because of the hunt.
And boy, what a start of the hunt! This is a fun, primal play I have read in a while.
Shane does take a moment; he comes off as standoffish, and I need control. Also, he's not known for primal play. He's done this before, but he's not an expert. Claire only tried this with her ex, so they both are trying to navigate learning how to do this.
And we see that with each hunt and non-hunt when they spend time together. I do wish we got more of a softer side of Shane; he didn't know about aftercare until he started showing a more human side.
We do get drama from the ex-husband, not a lot, but he's in it. And a miscommunication near the end that gets fixed pretty fast.
I hope the brother and the assistant get a book. I dont trust that girls fiance.
No ow/slight om (ex), no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶🌶
Slowinsta
35h/40H
Primal play
Cnc
Forced orgasms
Breath play
Choking
Light degradation
Orgasms Denial
Praise kink
Semi public sex
Dom/sub undertones and switches
No condoms
Mentions of child abuse
Mentions of Infidelity (past partners)
Physical Violence
Mention of a death
Tick removal
Hea
Epilogue
January 17, 2026
Feral. Addictive. 🔥 I couldn’t put this down!!
If you love your romance dark, primal, and utterly unputdownable, this book will ruin you (in the best way). 💀💋🔥
If you’re craving a dark, taboo romance that blends spice, danger, and surprising sweetness, this book belongs on your TBR. This is an author I’ll be following closely—because if this is her debut, I can’t wait to see what she does next!!
If you love your romance dark, primal, and utterly unputdownable, this book will ruin you (in the best way). 💀💋🔥
If you’re craving a dark, taboo romance that blends spice, danger, and surprising sweetness, this book belongs on your TBR. This is an author I’ll be following closely—because if this is her debut, I can’t wait to see what she does next!!
November 22, 2025
Upgrading the rating to 4 bc iqra pulled up her guns and started the threats 🌚
It was so hot and entertaining to exactly what i needed 🙂↕️😋
It was so hot and entertaining to exactly what i needed 🙂↕️😋
October 9, 2025
This book is the prey, and I’m its predator because I devoured it!
This is a primal play kink book, so please check the trigger warnings ⚠️
We meet Claire, who’s in desperate need of money after a recent divorce. Because of her financial struggles, she accepts a proposal: be Shane’s prey, and she’ll earn $30,000 by the end of their 30-day agreement.
This book was addicting, I did NOT want to put it down. It was dark, emotional, and absolutely feral. The primal play scenes were spicy, action-packed, and not repetitive. The main characters had great chemistry, and I truly enjoyed the side characters as well. I had a fantastic time reading this book!
I want to thank Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, and Allie Oleander for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is a primal play kink book, so please check the trigger warnings ⚠️
We meet Claire, who’s in desperate need of money after a recent divorce. Because of her financial struggles, she accepts a proposal: be Shane’s prey, and she’ll earn $30,000 by the end of their 30-day agreement.
This book was addicting, I did NOT want to put it down. It was dark, emotional, and absolutely feral. The primal play scenes were spicy, action-packed, and not repetitive. The main characters had great chemistry, and I truly enjoyed the side characters as well. I had a fantastic time reading this book!
I want to thank Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, and Allie Oleander for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 30, 2024
Reread hit me right in the heart. Shane is the biggest cinnamon roll. Equal parts cozy and hot, I loved it even more the second time. Recommend recommend recommend.
-----
Summary:
Claire has a shitty ex-husband and a lot of student loan debt. To regain her financial footing after her divorce and get back at her cheating ex, Claire agrees to let a partner at her ex's law firm hunt her for sport--in exchange for $30,000.
Review:
As someone who also has a lot of student loan debt, I found this story very relatable 😂
This was a really fun fantasy. It was satisfyingly feral, but also had some very sweet moments. The few things I did not enjoy about this book are things that I KNOW for a fact that a lot of other people LOVE (pet names, praise, shirtless man cover, etc.).
Overall, I really enjoyed this novella! Top notch primal play✨
4/5⭐️
✅ creative
✅ entertaining
✅ I liked it
❌ subversive
✅ diverse representation--both MCs 35+
4/5 🌶️ (multiple scenes, very descriptive, k!nks, potential triggers)
-----
"Margot’s warning returns. He’s different in the woods. She’s right. He’s terrifying."
Summary:
Claire has a shitty ex-husband and a lot of student loan debt. To regain her financial footing after her divorce and get back at her cheating ex, Claire agrees to let a partner at her ex's law firm hunt her for sport--in exchange for $30,000.
Review:
"It's brutal. Degrading. Obscene.
I fucking love it."
As someone who also has a lot of student loan debt, I found this story very relatable 😂
This was a really fun fantasy. It was satisfyingly feral, but also had some very sweet moments. The few things I did not enjoy about this book are things that I KNOW for a fact that a lot of other people LOVE (pet names, praise, shirtless man cover, etc.).
Overall, I really enjoyed this novella! Top notch primal play✨
4/5⭐️
✅ creative
✅ entertaining
✅ I liked it
❌ subversive
✅ diverse representation--both MCs 35+
4/5 🌶️ (multiple scenes, very descriptive, k!nks, potential triggers)
August 3, 2025
Wow! This novel was perfect and completely unexpected! It is extremely dark, emotional, tense and adventurous! It is a fast paced read that is character driven. It contains lovable characters and a diverse cast of characters. This is a very dark romance read. It is spicy, kinky, erotic and contains primal play. This book comes with dual points of views from the main characters, which I really enjoyed. The setting fits the story, it came with vivid descriptions and was action packed! I was hooked since the very beginning of this book! It is intriguing and captivating. I was fully immersed while reading this romance with a twist novel. Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
“Willing Prey” is a novel centered around the protagonist Claire. She is a recently divorced teacher and is burdened by student loan debt. She ends up accepting an offer from Shane. Shane is a corporate lawyer acquaintance. Clair agrees to be Shane’s sexual prey for thirty days, in the woods. In exchange, she will get $30,000. Things get extremely intense and it starts forming into something deeper.
I think readers that like to read extremely spicy and dark romances would enjoy this one. Content warnings include sexual content, consensual violence, blood, rough primal play and profanity.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Allie Oleander and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for this eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on October 7, 2025!
“Willing Prey” is a novel centered around the protagonist Claire. She is a recently divorced teacher and is burdened by student loan debt. She ends up accepting an offer from Shane. Shane is a corporate lawyer acquaintance. Clair agrees to be Shane’s sexual prey for thirty days, in the woods. In exchange, she will get $30,000. Things get extremely intense and it starts forming into something deeper.
I think readers that like to read extremely spicy and dark romances would enjoy this one. Content warnings include sexual content, consensual violence, blood, rough primal play and profanity.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Allie Oleander and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for this eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on October 7, 2025!
August 13, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to review the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
When I first saw this book I knew I just had to read it. Between the cover, title, and synopsis I knew this was going to be an unhinged and wild ride. And I was right!
I enjoyed this so much! It was so deliciously spicy and had a great plot as well. Claire is recently divorced and drowning in student loans when an offer falls into her lap. Shane, who just happened to be a coworker of her ex husband, strikes up a deal. Be his sexual prey for thirty days and get 30k. And the mouth on the man!! 5 stars!
When I first saw this book I knew I just had to read it. Between the cover, title, and synopsis I knew this was going to be an unhinged and wild ride. And I was right!
I enjoyed this so much! It was so deliciously spicy and had a great plot as well. Claire is recently divorced and drowning in student loans when an offer falls into her lap. Shane, who just happened to be a coworker of her ex husband, strikes up a deal. Be his sexual prey for thirty days and get 30k. And the mouth on the man!! 5 stars!
November 12, 2025
3⭐️
ще один чоловік завбільшки з шафу та кінком на primal play - з біганиною лісом і жагою до полювання на оленяток 😈
трішки «грейщини» теж завезли: домовленості, правила, контракт. останній пункт виправданий, оскільки шейн - юрист 😁 а ще мінімум контакту поза сеансами полювання, жодної турботи чи піклування. і, звісно, було приємно спостерігати, як усі ці правила поступово порушуються ☺️
на такий експіріенс протягом 30 днів наше оленятко клер погоджується заради грошей - після розлучення з додіком-чоловіком, щоб сплатити заборгованість. ну а як інакше 😏
книгу однозначно можна читати заради розпусти. спайсі сцени напрочуд смачні й кайфово занурюють в атмосферу пікантної дикуватості. тут справді є з чим розважитись 😮💨🥵
насправді, історія вийшла милою й легкою. на контрасті з дикістю в лісі гг досить приземлені і куменді, мабуть.
до середини книги я кайфувала від читання, але потім захотілось розвитку персонажів або бодай закручення сюжету. бо все зводилось до битовухи: будинок, ліс, секс, будинок, і пару раз шейн сходив на роботу, а таким же трудоголіком нам його малюють 🌚
а ще контраст між шейном в лісі, та в повсякденному житті досить відчутний. в юриспруденції він впевнений, зате в стосунках і питаннях почуттів - розгублений і навіть трохи безпорадний. тому така різниця декого може трішки розчарувати 🫣
загалом, в книзі не було якоїсь драми чи проблем з колишнім чоловіком, який не давав клер спокій. історія виявилась просто рівною, тому й оцінка відповідна: просто трієчка👌
ще один чоловік завбільшки з шафу та кінком на primal play - з біганиною лісом і жагою до полювання на оленяток 😈
трішки «грейщини» теж завезли: домовленості, правила, контракт. останній пункт виправданий, оскільки шейн - юрист 😁 а ще мінімум контакту поза сеансами полювання, жодної турботи чи піклування. і, звісно, було приємно спостерігати, як усі ці правила поступово порушуються ☺️
на такий експіріенс протягом 30 днів наше оленятко клер погоджується заради грошей - після розлучення з додіком-чоловіком, щоб сплатити заборгованість. ну а як інакше 😏
книгу однозначно можна читати заради розпусти. спайсі сцени напрочуд смачні й кайфово занурюють в атмосферу пікантної дикуватості. тут справді є з чим розважитись 😮💨🥵
насправді, історія вийшла милою й легкою. на контрасті з дикістю в лісі гг досить приземлені і куменді, мабуть.
до середини книги я кайфувала від читання, але потім захотілось розвитку персонажів або бодай закручення сюжету. бо все зводилось до битовухи: будинок, ліс, секс, будинок, і пару раз шейн сходив на роботу, а таким же трудоголіком нам його малюють 🌚
а ще контраст між шейном в лісі, та в повсякденному житті досить відчутний. в юриспруденції він впевнений, зате в стосунках і питаннях почуттів - розгублений і навіть трохи безпорадний. тому така різниця декого може трішки розчарувати 🫣
загалом, в книзі не було якоїсь драми чи проблем з колишнім чоловіком, який не давав клер спокій. історія виявилась просто рівною, тому й оцінка відповідна: просто трієчка👌
July 6, 2025
When I first saw this book, I was like “This is going to be so unhinged, I gotta read it.” Was there a lot of spice? Of course, I mean did you read what it’s about? But I love that it actually had a plot that made sense. Usually when you read a book like this, the plot makes no sense or there is little to none of it.
I absolutely loved Clair. She is someone who knew her worth, said “f#$& you” to her ex, and moved on to bigger and better, *ahem* aka 🔥Shane🔥 Let’s just say, if he wants you, he will wait until you divorce your POS ex, offer you money to pay off your student loans, and invite you to stay at your massive house, hunt you down like ✨prey✨ and make you fall in love. The notes guys, it isn’t hard and we don’t ask for a lot.
This book was honestly a lot of fun and of course the spice was off the charts. But what made it was the great banter, hilarious side characters, and a man who YEARNS for his woman. I really hope we get a book two for Cain and Margot, because you know they are going to have great banter and chemistry 🤭
*Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Pub, and the author, Allie Oleander for the ARC!*
I absolutely loved Clair. She is someone who knew her worth, said “f#$& you” to her ex, and moved on to bigger and better, *ahem* aka 🔥Shane🔥 Let’s just say, if he wants you, he will wait until you divorce your POS ex, offer you money to pay off your student loans, and invite you to stay at your massive house, hunt you down like ✨prey✨ and make you fall in love. The notes guys, it isn’t hard and we don’t ask for a lot.
This book was honestly a lot of fun and of course the spice was off the charts. But what made it was the great banter, hilarious side characters, and a man who YEARNS for his woman. I really hope we get a book two for Cain and Margot, because you know they are going to have great banter and chemistry 🤭
*Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Pub, and the author, Allie Oleander for the ARC!*
February 13, 2024
Alright, I thought this review would take longer but typing it up is more important than cooking dinner. The author does a great job of including content warnings at the start of Willing Prey so please be mindful of those. This is a primal play book with a LOT of steamy times that are rough (including tackling, hair pulling, biting, and other physical exertions that could leave bruises/marks). The foundation of the relationship begins as a transaction and eventually shifts into softer feelings (while still being rough between the trees and the sheets, see what I did there). But this is not a representation of a BDSM relationship, one of the content warnings even is that the hero doesn't initially provide aftercare.
Our story begins with Claire (h) already having agreed to a thirty day contract with Shane (H) to stay in his home and be available as "prey" whenever he notifies her. She's a 30-something PE teacher and it's summer time, which meant a side gig anyway. She likes the chase/hunt, but she also needs the big paycheck Shane's offering due to a recent divorce. I didn't love that we didn't get to see this negotiation on page though. Also, for my friends who like when the H does some light stalking, Shane knows Claire needs the money because he follows her around a bit and eavesdrops on her. Shane's right around 40 (I think) and he was focused on work but didn't think that he'd want anything serious once he assuaged his curiosity, thus a time-limited contract. Of course, they're going to want more though y'all. This is erotica but has a romance with a HEA at the end.
The reason Shane's interested in this type of scenario is because he works at the same law firm as Claire's ex, who bragged about their "hunting" trips, and sparked something inside Shane. We know fairly early that he was never curious about chasing a woman down until he learned about what Claire did with her ex. It's also a little awkward at the beginning because Shane's assistant is giving Claire the intro/rundown and the assistant not only knows about his proclivities, but also tried it once herself (she hated it and she's not a threat romantically, she even states she's engaged now). Shane's housekeeper is also aware of the contract and I scratched my head a bit at the employer/employee dynamic of all this. Still, SPICY times hit the ground running (literally) and I was swept away.
Written in first person, dual POV. No real ow drama (as already stated, the H’s assistant tried being prey for him once and hated it; the h does mistake another ow late in the book as her replacement and feels some strong emotions, the ow isn’t though) and no om drama. Neither are virgins (after the H became interested in chasing, he tried it with a couple of others, including paid sex workers, but he figured out it was the h he wanted and she was still married, so neither was celibate since meeting but it didn’t bother me - it's clear the h is different than anyone else).
As expected, Willing Prey is a lot of sex, a lot of explicitly detailed getting down-ness. I enjoyed it, but it won't be every person's cup of tea. Some switching of who's dominant does occur later in the book too and the praise talk goes both ways eventually (I know some folks look for a "good boy" here and there, this offers it). To start though, Shane doles out the "good girl" and also calls Claire "little deer". She's a fighter too and up until he says the word that transitions them from the chase/fight to sex, she's trying to give him the best challenge she can. Shane still works during this time and it's mentioned that Claire also runs errands, but most of the book is them on page chasing. After one particularly intense chase and catch, Shane is more interested in caring for and connecting with Claire and Claire's very open to that as well. I liked the mentions of how they started building that more meaningful relationship.
When the contract is up, they're both idiots who don't use their words so a small amount of angst with kind of a third act breakup happens (they're not officially a couple so it's complicated). It's quickly resolved and they're solidly invested in the beginning of the more "traditional" aspect of their relationship. The epilogue is three years later, they're married, still plenty spicy, and I so appreciated that the author wrote them pursuing a shared interest, highlighting how compatible they were outside of the bedroom down the road too. I was very satisfied with this one.
Our story begins with Claire (h) already having agreed to a thirty day contract with Shane (H) to stay in his home and be available as "prey" whenever he notifies her. She's a 30-something PE teacher and it's summer time, which meant a side gig anyway. She likes the chase/hunt, but she also needs the big paycheck Shane's offering due to a recent divorce. I didn't love that we didn't get to see this negotiation on page though. Also, for my friends who like when the H does some light stalking, Shane knows Claire needs the money because he follows her around a bit and eavesdrops on her. Shane's right around 40 (I think) and he was focused on work but didn't think that he'd want anything serious once he assuaged his curiosity, thus a time-limited contract. Of course, they're going to want more though y'all. This is erotica but has a romance with a HEA at the end.
The reason Shane's interested in this type of scenario is because he works at the same law firm as Claire's ex, who bragged about their "hunting" trips, and sparked something inside Shane. We know fairly early that he was never curious about chasing a woman down until he learned about what Claire did with her ex. It's also a little awkward at the beginning because Shane's assistant is giving Claire the intro/rundown and the assistant not only knows about his proclivities, but also tried it once herself (she hated it and she's not a threat romantically, she even states she's engaged now). Shane's housekeeper is also aware of the contract and I scratched my head a bit at the employer/employee dynamic of all this. Still, SPICY times hit the ground running (literally) and I was swept away.
Written in first person, dual POV. No real ow drama (as already stated, the H’s assistant tried being prey for him once and hated it; the h does mistake another ow late in the book as her replacement and feels some strong emotions, the ow isn’t though) and no om drama. Neither are virgins (after the H became interested in chasing, he tried it with a couple of others, including paid sex workers, but he figured out it was the h he wanted and she was still married, so neither was celibate since meeting but it didn’t bother me - it's clear the h is different than anyone else).
As expected, Willing Prey is a lot of sex, a lot of explicitly detailed getting down-ness. I enjoyed it, but it won't be every person's cup of tea. Some switching of who's dominant does occur later in the book too and the praise talk goes both ways eventually (I know some folks look for a "good boy" here and there, this offers it). To start though, Shane doles out the "good girl" and also calls Claire "little deer". She's a fighter too and up until he says the word that transitions them from the chase/fight to sex, she's trying to give him the best challenge she can. Shane still works during this time and it's mentioned that Claire also runs errands, but most of the book is them on page chasing. After one particularly intense chase and catch, Shane is more interested in caring for and connecting with Claire and Claire's very open to that as well. I liked the mentions of how they started building that more meaningful relationship.
When the contract is up, they're both idiots who don't use their words so a small amount of angst with kind of a third act breakup happens (they're not officially a couple so it's complicated). It's quickly resolved and they're solidly invested in the beginning of the more "traditional" aspect of their relationship. The epilogue is three years later, they're married, still plenty spicy, and I so appreciated that the author wrote them pursuing a shared interest, highlighting how compatible they were outside of the bedroom down the road too. I was very satisfied with this one.
October 8, 2025
With her divorce final, Claire is buried in student loan debt. When Shane Underwood offers Claire $30,000 in 30 days to allow Shane to fulfill his primal desires, Claire can't refuse. All Claire has to do is play his "little deer" and give Shane the hunt of his life. Each hunt brings them closer together until Claire finds that she doesn't want to move on after their 30 days. Can Claire hunt her way to Shane's heart?
This book was a complete surprise for me. I loved it so much that I finished it in one sitting. Claire and Shane's characters are perfect for this book. Not only do their characters make for some spicy scenes, but their banter and chemistry make for a fun romance. I also loved the secondary characters, especially Shane's brother, Caine. This book opens the possibility of Caine having his own story with Margot, and I would buy it immediately.
If you are looking for a steamy romance with a primal kink and mature main characters, I would highly recommend this book.
Willing Prey is out October 7th.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to review Willing Prey. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book was a complete surprise for me. I loved it so much that I finished it in one sitting. Claire and Shane's characters are perfect for this book. Not only do their characters make for some spicy scenes, but their banter and chemistry make for a fun romance. I also loved the secondary characters, especially Shane's brother, Caine. This book opens the possibility of Caine having his own story with Margot, and I would buy it immediately.
If you are looking for a steamy romance with a primal kink and mature main characters, I would highly recommend this book.
Willing Prey is out October 7th.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to review Willing Prey. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 17, 2025
Damn. ...Yes. WOW. This book… yesss.
Dark romance girlies, prepare yourselves this one devours you.
Tropes:
🦌 Primal role-play / hunter & hunted
🌲 Forbidden acts in the woods
💸 Paid arrangement (30k to play the game)
Claire takes a $30,000 offer to let Shane hot, dangerous MMC hunt her through the woods fully negotiated, enthusiastic play. He calls her his little 🦌🦌🦌. The consent talk is clear: Shane wants the freedom to act on his desires within their agreed boundaries, and Claire is all in. Cue the chase, the crackling power dynamic, and scene after scene that had me covering my mouth and gasping for air. Is the spice maxed out? Absolutely, was I a total mess? Also yes.
💌Verdict: I was freaking ruined. Claire was ruined. Shane was ruined. Allie ruined me 🥵🥵 in the best possible way. Hell yeah, I had fun. Totally Ruined.
Spoiler:
I don’t think I can hear the word “Yield” ever again without blushing.
Dark romance girlies, prepare yourselves this one devours you.
Tropes:
🦌 Primal role-play / hunter & hunted
🌲 Forbidden acts in the woods
💸 Paid arrangement (30k to play the game)
Claire takes a $30,000 offer to let Shane hot, dangerous MMC hunt her through the woods fully negotiated, enthusiastic play. He calls her his little 🦌🦌🦌. The consent talk is clear: Shane wants the freedom to act on his desires within their agreed boundaries, and Claire is all in. Cue the chase, the crackling power dynamic, and scene after scene that had me covering my mouth and gasping for air. Is the spice maxed out? Absolutely, was I a total mess? Also yes.
💌Verdict: I was freaking ruined. Claire was ruined. Shane was ruined. Allie ruined me 🥵🥵 in the best possible way. Hell yeah, I had fun. Totally Ruined.
Spoiler:
I don’t think I can hear the word “Yield” ever again without blushing.
September 22, 2025
5⭐️ 5🌶️
Publishing 10/7/25 •• I received this book as an eARC but the review is all my own opinion that I am posting on my own behalf! Thank you so much to the author and publisher!
Divorced and buried in student loan debt, a PE teacher agrees to a 30-day "primal play" arrangement in the woods with a corporate lawyer to pay off her debts, only to discover there's more to him than she knows.
Read if you like:
• debut novel
• primal play
• heart racing
• predator-prey
• 30 day contract
• divorced & broke (F)
• forced proximity
• super spicy
• he falls first
• older MCs (30sF 40M)
Publishing 10/7/25 •• I received this book as an eARC but the review is all my own opinion that I am posting on my own behalf! Thank you so much to the author and publisher!
Divorced and buried in student loan debt, a PE teacher agrees to a 30-day "primal play" arrangement in the woods with a corporate lawyer to pay off her debts, only to discover there's more to him than she knows.
Read if you like:
• debut novel
• primal play
• heart racing
• predator-prey
• 30 day contract
• divorced & broke (F)
• forced proximity
• super spicy
• he falls first
• older MCs (30sF 40M)
October 27, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Okay. First. What the heck. I didn't expect to like this story this much.
It's amazing.
It has all the elements I love in this kind of romance.
If you like obsessed MMC, he falls first, primal play, k!nk awakening, check out this story!
I'm already so excited about Allie's next book! I WANT IT YESTERDAY.
____________________
Follow me ♡
Instagram
Facebook
Okay. First. What the heck. I didn't expect to like this story this much.
It's amazing.
It has all the elements I love in this kind of romance.
If you like obsessed MMC, he falls first, primal play, k!nk awakening, check out this story!
I'm already so excited about Allie's next book! I WANT IT YESTERDAY.
____________________
Follow me ♡
October 24, 2025
I loved the original, and the extended version was even better. Can't wait for the sequel.
September 14, 2025
after going through a divorce and finding herself needing to pay off student loans, claire signs up to let her ex husband’s boss pays her 30k so he can chase her through the woods. honestly sounded right up my alley but this was such a let down. everything about this was underwhelming. while this is a spicy book, the sex scenes were so boring??? there was no character growth, the relationship was so flat, there wasn’t even really a plot? the entire time i was thinking this could’ve been a novella and it seems like it was adapted from a novella to a full length novel. i fear sometimes some things can just be an email.
thanks to netgalley and berkeley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
thanks to netgalley and berkeley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
November 5, 2025
I really enjoyed this!
The only thing I'd change is the last 25% - the first 75% was flawless, no notes, but the last 25% kinda dragged. All the interesting stuff had already happened and it seemed like this coulda been summed up in one or two chapters.
Pre-read *⁀➷
I am VERY excited to read this.
The only thing I'd change is the last 25% - the first 75% was flawless, no notes, but the last 25% kinda dragged. All the interesting stuff had already happened and it seemed like this coulda been summed up in one or two chapters.
Pre-read *⁀➷
I am VERY excited to read this.
September 18, 2025
Berkley romance publishing straight erotica was not something I’d think to see?????
Full rtc!!
actual rating 3.5.
Full rtc!!
actual rating 3.5.
October 22, 2025
Ahhh 😌 To be chased in the woods like prey for money , this was hot and the MMC was like 40ish and the FMC was 35.
October 27, 2025
kinda want to be chased after this🫦
November 14, 2025
i was blushing and clutching my pearls reading this at my desk at work, in case any of you were wondering
October 4, 2025
My first thought when reading this book was yay to the publisher for taking a chance on this one! This story is something erotica romance readers would find buried in the ebook section. Let’s bring hot stories to the forefront.
This story is not just scorching hot. It is a fun, humorous, filthy, erotic, heartpounding race to the finish. Oleander delivers a book that is addicting to read and brings us main characters who are opposites in many ways, yet perfectly matched competitively and sexually. Her writing skills are top-level as she wrings out every ounce of anticipation from the reader.
The setting descriptions and secondary characters dial in the reality and bring a great balance to the story.
Fast-paced, gritty, with a bit of a dark romance vibe, Willing Prey will not disappoint! It carries loads of kink and trigger warnings, but overall, it is an addictive read that I could not stop picking up. I love that he falls first! Thanks for a true epilogue with a fabulous ending too!
~~~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/willing-prey...
This story is not just scorching hot. It is a fun, humorous, filthy, erotic, heartpounding race to the finish. Oleander delivers a book that is addicting to read and brings us main characters who are opposites in many ways, yet perfectly matched competitively and sexually. Her writing skills are top-level as she wrings out every ounce of anticipation from the reader.
The setting descriptions and secondary characters dial in the reality and bring a great balance to the story.
Fast-paced, gritty, with a bit of a dark romance vibe, Willing Prey will not disappoint! It carries loads of kink and trigger warnings, but overall, it is an addictive read that I could not stop picking up. I love that he falls first! Thanks for a true epilogue with a fabulous ending too!
~~~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/willing-prey...
June 29, 2025
okay this was CRAZY GOOD
I impulsively picked it up after reading the unhinged synopsis & I just read the entire thing in one sitting.
This man is somehow both FILTHY & really really endearing? Reminded me of Josh from Lights Out in a way
Dark romance readers will go crazy for this
Things to know:
- Smutty
- Dual POV
- He falls first & harder
Check tw <3
I impulsively picked it up after reading the unhinged synopsis & I just read the entire thing in one sitting.
This man is somehow both FILTHY & really really endearing? Reminded me of Josh from Lights Out in a way
Dark romance readers will go crazy for this
Things to know:
- Smutty
- Dual POV
- He falls first & harder
Check tw <3
September 1, 2025
What you can expect to find in Willing Prey
-spicy scenes
-dual pov
-primal play
-he falls first
-fast paced
Claire needs some extra cash and she needs it now. Being a teacher doesn't give her a lot of grace to pay off her student loans. And after a messy divorce - she's left with a lot of debt. So when she receives an offer that she really can't refuse - she accepts.
The offer in question? A grand a day to stay at Shane Underwood’s residence and be his prey for 30 days. If Claire makes it to the end of her contract she's guaranteed 30 grand. Only problem? She doesn't know Shane Underwood (the mutual acquaintance that works with her ex) well - only that he's interested in her and specifically hunting her down in his woods. When Claire and Shane's inevitably start to get to know each other and their hearts get involved, will they be able to walk away after 30 days?
I did not know what to expect when I started reading Willing Prey and I went in not knowing anything about this book. Once I started reading, I could not stop. I loved the chemistry between Claire and Shane. This book was spicy - right from the get go. But the interactions between Claire and Shane never felt forced. I enjoyed all of the secondary characters as well and hope we get more books from this universe.
If you're looking for a fast paced, spicy romance I highly recommend Willing Prey.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
-spicy scenes
-dual pov
-primal play
-he falls first
-fast paced
Claire needs some extra cash and she needs it now. Being a teacher doesn't give her a lot of grace to pay off her student loans. And after a messy divorce - she's left with a lot of debt. So when she receives an offer that she really can't refuse - she accepts.
The offer in question? A grand a day to stay at Shane Underwood’s residence and be his prey for 30 days. If Claire makes it to the end of her contract she's guaranteed 30 grand. Only problem? She doesn't know Shane Underwood (the mutual acquaintance that works with her ex) well - only that he's interested in her and specifically hunting her down in his woods. When Claire and Shane's inevitably start to get to know each other and their hearts get involved, will they be able to walk away after 30 days?
I did not know what to expect when I started reading Willing Prey and I went in not knowing anything about this book. Once I started reading, I could not stop. I loved the chemistry between Claire and Shane. This book was spicy - right from the get go. But the interactions between Claire and Shane never felt forced. I enjoyed all of the secondary characters as well and hope we get more books from this universe.
If you're looking for a fast paced, spicy romance I highly recommend Willing Prey.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
November 11, 2025
Okay, Willing Prey was a trip. The tension? Amazing. The plot? Barely hanging on. Half the time I was blushing, the other half I was wondering what life choices led me here — and yet, I couldn’t stop reading. It’s chaotic, spicy, and kind of ridiculous in the best way. Some parts dragged and others went way too fast, but it still kept me hooked. 3 stars, because it was messy, wild, and honestly… pretty fun for what it was.
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