You Will Be Mine

The Storyteller's Bodyguard #1

by N.J. Adel

You look so peaceful in your sleep. You’re my obsession, my salvation and my destruction as I will be yours. You’re the reason I breathe, the reason I kill. I love you so much that I’ll kill everyone who has ever hurt you, anyone who will ever touch you again, darling.

I used to think villains only existed in books.

That was before I married one. Before the bruises. The excuses. The way I learned to hide the truth between sentences.

And before the notes started appearing.

I call him Butterfly Man. the stalker who exists in the spaces between my breaths, the corners of my vision, the silence just before sleep takes me. Eight years of weaving his obsession into my life like a murderous promise.

My demons ask if the only way to get my happy ending is to let a killer get away with murder.

My sanity hires Tristan Morra, a grumpy scarred bodyguard to protect me.

But Tristan, too, has his own demons.

He looks at me with unhinged darkness, like a morally gray antihero who will burn the world to keep me from falling into the wrong hands.

Maybe I already have.

Maybe I was never meant to be saved.

In my stories, villains always get the girl. But in reality—villains kill the girl.

You Will Be Mine is book 1 in The Storyteller's Bodyguard series. It ends on a cliffhanger. The story continues in books 2, XOXO, Little Butterfly and 3, Z for Butterfly Man.

Genres: Dark Romance, Stalker, Dark, Romance, Booktok, Serial Killer, Contemporary

397 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 26, 2025

About the author

Another psycho hiding in plain sight, pretending to be normal. Half Egyptian. Loather of cats. Allergic to fake sh*t. Lover of everything dark and spicy.

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Reviews

[Selena Spiropoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Spice: Zero)

Loved it, Loved it!
I’m a sucker for stalker romances but hate when we can figure out who it is rather quickly.
You Will Be Mine is NOT one of those books. Although it ends on a wild cliff hanger, I’m still not sure who it is! I’ve had my guesses but then every time they seem to be cleared, and there are so many possibilities to choose from… the abusive husband, the bodyguard, the detective, the ex husband, the ex student. I mean, honestly, it could be any one on her security team!
This is a VERY slow burn so if you are looking for spice be aware there is none in this book.
But the story line is really good, I literally sat down to read a bit before dinner but then lost track of time and her I am laying in bed already finished.
Not knowing this was part of a series I’m pretty bummed out that the next book won’t be released until April of 2026!!! 😩

[Lindsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book needed an editor. I threw a few highlights in that I made toward the end of it showing some of the issues but there were a lot more, especially toward the middle of the book. Switching tenses, leaving out words, wrong prepositions.
The one “sex” scene was so bizarre, with the characters monologuing at each other. It was like if someone described dirty talk to AI. They needed to write a better prompt and say “keep it brief, nobody talks like that irl.”

Also… every man that meets the FMC falls madly in love with her and she just wasn’t developed enough as a character to deserve that kind of attention.

[Jax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶
Tropes: Obsession, Stalking, He Falls First
Trigger Warnings: Murder, Sexual Harassment, Domestic Violence, Cheating, Drug Abuse

Woo this one is a doozy! It's definitely more on the suspense thriller side of things than dark romance. There are a lot of references to dark romance stuff as the main character is a dark romance and her books are being quoted throughout.

It does say it in the description of the book as well as in the book itself that there is a cliffhanger and it is a massive cliffhanger! I was on edge of my seat the entire time reading this one and it sucks that I have to wait a whole another year before the next book comes out so I'm going to be on the edge of my seat until then. I have a whole section below that has some spoilers so you can read on or stop right here. Happy Reading!







~~Spoiler Alert~~

This was such a good book with keeping you on your toes with the mystery. Both Tristen and Torrance are listed for contenders as the Butterfly Man but my money is on Tristen for sure. He has all the makings of being the Butterfly Man and has shown an obsession with Reagan from the very beginning. It would make more sense for him to be the Butterfly Man and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a plot twist that turns out Tristen and Torrance are both the Butterfly Man working together to get Reagan. That would be so juicy!

Reagan AKA Birdie who had her name changed due to sexual harassment from her previous student who turns out died and we all know it was the Butterfly Man that did it. She’s a smart character but sometimes she acts like such a brat with Tristen and it’s pretty clear that she prefers him in every way instead of Torrance. I’m impressed with how quick she can jump into action with some scenes in the book and I love female characters like this because it shows how strong she is.

[Steph Spone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where is the steam and the spice in this one???? There is such a great premise for all the smut here!!! But there isn't any. I liked the MMC, Tristan, the bodyguard...but didn't love him. This is a stalker romance, but I expected it to be dark and more "real" stalker like - it just wasn't. I'm not sure what was missing, but it seemed maybe a little immature or amateur. Who does she like - the bodyguard or the butterfly man - or both? I'm just not sure I'm loving the story. I kind of want to continue reading though.

[Valerie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard for me to find a book where I haven't already figured out who the "bad guy" is quite early, or what the big plot twist is from a mile away - this one truly has me stumped! Can't wait for the next book!

You Will Be Mine (N.J. Adel - Book 1 in A Storytellers Bodyguard Series - other 2 books coming in 2026): A d@rk, m@sked, ser¡al ki||er, bodyguard, st@lker romance thriller. Loads of hot tension and desire, no trust/paranoia/"isolation", mûrdêr, notes, age gap (FMC is older), mentions of physical assau|t/@buse to 2 MCs, main MMC is completely protective/pøssessive/øbsessive and very sweet with a traumatic past, MMC 2 is unhinged and a completely øbsessed st@lker, MMC 3 is a cop, MMC 4 is her unhinged and @bus¡ve husband, FMC is an author with a traumatic past and need to be independent again while terrified of what's happening around her and "for" her. Book 1 does end on a heck of a cliffhanger. I cannot wait for the next one!! I am still questioning my "detective" skills on who is behind the "thing" that's going on, because usually 1/3 into a book I have my theory down and it's just reading to confirm - not with this one, not yet at least. Truly a great book.

[Debbie Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has everything! Very well written with lots of twists.

[Rhiannon 🤍✨🐀 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I happenstanced across this book in what I think was a Facebook reel… I wasn’t ready. This book was SO good. I’m a sucker for stalker romance, thriller, mystery. I gobbled this up in a matter of hours. How this book hasn’t caught the attention of more readers is beyond me because this might be the best book I’ve read since Haunting Adeline. The only thing I hate about this book is the fact the next one isn’t literally already out. The C L I F F H A И G Ǝ Я was warned about but I ignored it and pressed on, I’m so ready for book two. The spice level in this one is minimal which tbh is a nice refresher to me but the little spice there is - HOT. So this all begs the question, who is butterfly man? Because the best part is I have no idea.

[Dark Whisper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular stalker romance and unpredictable psychological suspense

I loved every minute. I didn’t want it to end. Tristan Morra is my new favorite book boyfriend. Butterfly Man is the best. It’s better than zade I swear.
I can’t wait for the next book

[Hailey Stracener · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book so fast! I was so invested in who the stalker was and I’m so upset I haven’t figured it out yet! I look forward to the next book releasing!!

[Desiree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this!

Love this stalker romance definitely keeping me on my toes. I hate when you already know who did what in a story and this one definitely keeps you guessing.

[Charlotte Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was awesome, I was a little surprised with chapter 3 but aside from that it was a lot of fun and everything I was looking for, can't wait to read the sequel

[Brooke Vanderheyden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yesterday I finished up a 3 book series called ‘Storyteller’s Bodyguard’ by N.J. Adel.
I picked up this series because I needed books to help with my A - Z book challenge & I will say these books are not normally books I would read. This is a dark stalker, obsessive, romance series and a lot of the series gave me the ick. I am going to do an overall review of the whole series because in my opinion it was drawn out too long and could have been one book.

This series is about a writer, Birdie, and she writes dark romance books, similar to this series, and has had a horrible, trauma filled life. She is in an abusive marriage and also has a stalker, who comes into her house and leaves notes. The stalker is named ‘The Butterfly Man’ because he always signs the letter with a butterfly instead of initials. She hires a bodyguard to help keep her safe and try to catch the stalker. A cop comes into the picture to help as well which causes tension since both the cop and the bodyguard are secretly in love with her. As the books go on you are taken on a rollercoaster and are lead to believe that the stalker could be a multitude of people: the cop, the body guard, her husband, someone from her past, etc. The books dive into Birdie’s past which will come full circle to who and why the stalker is obsessed with her.

Books one and two end on cliffhangers and you don’t find out the stalker until the very last book, so you will have to read them all. There are lots of triggers in this book so as a warning I will tell you that you will read about: rape, abuse, sex with a minor, obsessive/traumatic behavior, kinks, and other weird sexual explicits.

Also, the editing in these books was horrible; lots of grammatical errors.

Book 1: You Will Be Mine - I rated 🦋🦋🦋/5

Book 2: XOXO Little Butterfly - I rated 🦋🦋.5 / 5

Book 3: Z for Butterfly Man - I rated 🦋🦋.5 / 5

[Angelita Furry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd say this is a 3.5 ⭐️ for me but worthy of rounding up rather than down. The writing didn't quite hit the mark for me. I found myself frequently distracted by grammatical and spelling errors but not bad enough to completely pull me out of the story just enough to bug me. I also feel like Birdie is a little all over the place and I don't love her or the way she acts with the men in this book BUT I can set aside most of my feelings there because of her past relationships and her trauma. There are times when she comes off as a really strong character and I actually like when she gets bratty with Tristan. The spice that's sprinkled in here is A1, no complaints there. I was kept on my toes and holy crap this ends on one hell of a cliffhanger. Even though I have mixed emotions overall, I cannot WAIT for the 2nd book. Clearly, there was plenty done right here, too 🤷‍♀️

[Bratty · Rating 4 out of 5]

🤯 wtf have I just read?! 😆 this is by far the slowest burn I've read & it's sooooo addicting & suspenseful. I am literally still on edge, but also part of me feels like there may be just a little too much going on. There's suddenly so many characters in play, potential threats. I also kind of have an understanding why though, just when you feel like you've figured it out, there's something or someone new that's making you question everything. I reaaaalllly want Birdie & Tristan to be end game 😭 and I hope that's truly where this is going, if that tension between them doesn't fully snap I'm gonna be a wreck. 😆 but then there's Butterflyman and it's like ughh what to do with that?! It's all a jumbled mess inside my head & heart right now & that mind-blowing cliffhanger?! fjebdjdhejdjddeeeeeeeeeek 😩🫠 Now I have to wait a year to find out what's next 😭

[Aubrey Kruske · Rating 3 out of 5]

To begin I read this book as a filler. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found this series towards the end of 2025 trying to find an X title. The 2nd book to this series appeared but I continued to read reviews stating that I needed to read this book prior - so I did. When people say this is a slowww burn they are not wrong. There were parts that I enjoyed and almost taken back by (I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into). There were times that I thought I knew who the Butterfly Man was - I still think I am very wrong. The ending was a cliff hanger if I’ve ever read one! Then there were parts that were a bit annoying but I guess that comes with most reads. I will be continuing the series. Actually jumping into book #2 right now. I give this book 3 stars because I did like it but wasn’t overjoyed by the story.

[Teresa Juckett (Love Dark Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, was this book so freaking goood. This book is a cat and mouse game that'll have you trying to guess who's behind the butterfly mask. There are several people to pick from that's for sure. Birdie Abel is a writer who has attracted a stalker, and as the police don't believe her, she has hired the help of a bodyguard Tristan Morro. As they get closer feelings for each other are developing, but Tristan won't act on it, because if he's distracted it could get both of them killed as things start happening as her stalker seems to stay one step ahead in this game. This book had me on the edge of my seat while flipping pages trying to guess who is doing this. This ends on a doozy of a omg what's happening cliffhanger ending, so grab this book before the next one is here

[A. Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of mystery, suspense, and wit. There are a couple more books planned. This book leaves off on a cliffhanger and with unanswered questions.

Birdie is a writer who is going through a lot! Birdie needs a security guard and eventually hires Tristan. Birdie is being stalked by the Butterfly Man and is also trying to distance herself from her estranged husband. Birdie is attracted to Tristan and others. Birdie is really intelligent and witty. I think Birdie was always thinking 5 steps ahead. Whoever Butterfly Man is thinks 10 steps ahead. Birdie can't really trust anyone around her. Birdie is also hiding her past. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I'm not entirely convinced I know anything yet.

[Luce ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

➸ This book had suspense which I did really like and I probably will read the next book because I need to know who the Butterfly man is. However, the relationships in this were messy. This woman's life has been awful since day 1 and then bringing in a bodyguard who was her student makes me feel weird. I think of him as an older protective man but then she reminds us of the history and then I see him differently. Also there were parts where I thought ‘girl i know people did you wrong but why are you actually the problem”. Like why is she actually liking this stalker. I didn't think this was a series book so I was expecting Tristan to be the stalker so now I need to read the next book. Although the suspense was there and i was on the edge of my seat with scenes, it was very messy.

[Stefi Rashkova · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

Well...what was that?!

You Will Be Mine is a stalker dark romance. N.J.Adel has created a web of characters and motives. Everything is scattered, but in plain sight. You start to question your own sanity reading this story.
And so many hot men! Who is going to get the girl?
The plot is intriguing, I like the mystery and action. I love the hot scenes, too. So why only 3.5 stars?
At many points. and especially in the first half of the book, many of the dialogues or monologues were too cheesy or cringe. Also, how can one person ignite obsession in so many different people? Well... I have some theories, bit we will see what happens in the next two books.
Make yourself a favour and download the free chapter that comes after the end of this book!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was free on audible with a subscription so I gave it a try and it’s pretty good for dark romance. However it’s missing some elements for a “dark stalker romance”. I’d recommend a little facelift. It needs a professional editor and more spice funny enough. Haunting Adeline style.

This book seems like a beta read to me, fresh from the author before it’s been polished.

What it does has is mystery, I always figure things out and this one just keeps twisting. That alone will keep you reading.

I do recommend this if you’re into the genre but maybe stick the audio unless it gets an edit (I get less frustrated with audio with errors that physically reading.

[Vintagev_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one got a high rating for the vibes. It had me going back and forth trying to figure out the stalker’s identity. There’s so many clues and the author did a great job of making everyone seem like the possible suspect.

Normally I can figure twists out very easily, so this was a breath of fresh air.

If you like Clue, a stubborn fmc, obsessed MMCs, but also somehow a Twilight fanfic, you’d like this.

I will say it could definitely use another round of edits though, so don’t expect a grammatical masterpiece.

[Heather Lachelle Fulmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ending!!!!

Dark, twisted, and completely unhinged—in the best way.

This story drags you through obsession, danger, and morally gray chaos, with characters that had me constantly questioning their true intentions. No one feels safe, and the line between protector and predator stays blurred the entire time.

And that ending? Insane. Had me immediately reaching for the next book.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars for You Will Be Mine by N.J. Adel

Readers should review content for triggers.

The cover is beautiful and the book blurb is definitely one that gets your attention! This is a fast paced thrilling read with stalker - bodyguard themes.

Birdie - Birdie - Birdie secrets surround her as well as a turbulent past. Then we have Tristan hired to protect her but has his share of darkness …

At times I thought I might know where the story was going only to be caught in surprise by a plot twist I didn’t see coming !

Can’t wait for more! What a story!

I received this read from the author and this is my honest review.

[Felicia's Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you see a release for an author you love you jump right in. Birdie is a writer who has found herself with a stalker. When she has to hire Tristian to be her bodyguard. The tension between the stalker know as the butterfly man and her bodyguard Tristian this book has a twist and turns and omg moments. Then end of this book had me begging for book two. I can't wait to see what will happen.

[Victoria Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not even sure where to start just when. You think you know what is going on there is a twist. The stalker is convinced he has some right to claim Birdie. Watching her, then her husband thinks he has the right to control her, then an author thinks she has the right to steal her work. It just one mind blogging read that hat me completely invested then the way it ended, I'm ready for more.

[patricia ann moreland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate cliffhangers

Loved this story but I hate waiting for the next story installment because waiting sucks. I got so wrapped in this story and then ??????? Who is this guy? Where are the bodyguards? Who really is this police officer????
N J - I love your books. N J please hurry with the next installment. 🙏

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

uhm… wtf?

Okay i have to give this a deff 5 star. I was not prepared for the ending.. what theeee efff?!?

This book deff has put me on the edge.. this book is too intense and you can feel the whole tension.

I need to know who the butterfly man is. I have a hunch but i have been wrong a few times already but.. i still have a hubch who it could be

[leda lockheart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked! I can’t wait for the next book. The tension was intense. I want to know who the butterfly man is, I have my theories but I’m not sure.

The multiple perspectives was a great add! It definitely added to the tension between Birdie,Tristian and The Butterfly Man.

The dedication definitely let me know I was in for a wild ride!

[Juliana Hernandez · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t understand why people seem so enthralled by this book. Don’t get me wrong the spicy scenes were great but this book felt confusing and all over the place. I didn’t particularly enjoy reading it and although I finished the book I am not interested enough to continue with the series for the identity of the butterfly man

[Kaye Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand the appeal, but I just didn't mesh well with this one. I think my main problem with this book is it offered up too many questions but provided me with very few answers. And the answers I did get felt lackluster and somehow too easy. 🤷🏼‍♀️ The story was intriguing enough to let me finish the book.

🔥 Spice: 🌶️🌶️
⚠️☠️ T.W.: 🚩🚩
✨ Cover: 💗💗💗
📝 Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
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