Haunted

Blackwood Brothers #1

by Selena Winters

I signed away my freedom for seventy-two hours, agreeing to be hunted through a maze by fifteen masked men.The Hollow's Hunt—the Blackwood brothers' most closely guarded secret. As an investigative journalist, I thought this was my chance to expose their criminal empire. I never expected Xavier Blackwood to know exactly who I was from the start.

"You'll be the prey," he promised, fingers tracing my collarbone. "And I will hunt you through every inch of my domain until you're mine."
Now I'm running through corridors designed for surrender, my body betraying me with every heated memory of Xavier'stouch. Each dead end brings me closer to capture, submission, and becoming the prize of whoever finds me first. Worse, I've dragged my best friend into this nightmare with me.

The most terrifying realization? Part of me longs to be caught—to discover what happens when Xavier Blackwood finally has me exactly where he wants me.

The Hunt begins at midnight. And Xavier Blackwood always gets what he wants.

Haunted is the first book in the Blackwood Brothers Series and it's a dark romance which has subjects that some readers may find triggering. There will be a link to a full list of the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. This story has no cliffhanger and ends with a HEA.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Smut, Romance, BDSM, Adult, Ebooks

524 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2025

Reviews

[PlotTwist&Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever whispered “just one little kidnapping fantasy” to your search bar at 3AM—this one’s for you.

Selena Winters’ Haunted is a jaw-clenching, thigh-clenching, morally gray masterpiece wrapped in leather, shadows, and bad decisions you’ll absolutely support. Xavier Blackwood, your new toxic obsession in a bespoke suit, invites Mira Sullivan—a journalist with more bravery than sense—into a secret, erotic bloodsport called The Hollow’s Hunt. It’s part Hunger Games, part BDSM labyrinth, and entirely unhinged.

Let’s be honest: consent here is a contract, autonomy is negotiable, and danger comes with a jawline that could cut glass. Mira should run—but she wants to be caught. And Xavier? He’s not chasing. He’s claiming.

TRIGGERS:
⚠️ Dubious consent
⚠️ Power imbalance
⚠️ Stalking/obsession
⚠️ Sexual dominance/control
⚠️ Violence, degradation, psychological warfare
⚠️ Adult themes (extreme)

RATING:
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 (Scorching)
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 (Dark and delicious)
🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓 (If you know, you know)

Mood: Sinister, seductive, morally corrupt
Genre: Dark romance / erotic thriller
Pacing: Addictive and fast—like your sanity slipping away page by page

Pro tip: Don’t read this in public unless you’re ready to explain why your face is flushed and you’re crossing your legs like it’s the Victorian era.

Final Thoughts:
This isn’t just a book—it’s a trap you’ll beg to fall into. And when Xavier says “run,” you’ll ask how fast.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're looking for spice, this is it. If you're looking for a good story and believable characters, this isn't it. I didn't hate the book, I read the whole thing, but I didn't like it enough to read the series. Honestly, I had to skim over a lot because they just kept repeating the same things, thoughts, my brain is like "ugh, this again?"... and really, how many times do you need to use the phrase "The irony in it"... apparently, there isn't a limit.

[Taz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is mainly an MF but has some amazing MM and MMM scenes!!

FMC Mira is a journalist who's on a mission to take down the "Big Bad Xavier Blackwood" and goes undercover in his bar... Unbeknown to her, she's falling into his trap.

MMC Xavier is ruthless and takes what he wants - whatever that is. And now Mira is in his sights and demands she will be his prey. His to hunt, his to catch and maybe his to keep. All she has to do is sign the contract.

During MANY 🌶 scenes - We meet the other hunters and prey. Including one man who has always denied his preference for men but when he's faced with another hunter who makes him bend until he breaks... He can't deny it any longer. As someone who 🖤 MM - These scenes are friggin spicy and maybe, just maybe, there will be more between them 👀🫦

[AllyK63 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book despite it being repetitive in places. I mean, how many times do we have to read "you fit me so well"? Oh yeah, I've forgotten - what kind of motorcycles do they drive again?

[Anou · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know, I think he rides a bmw motorcycle but I could be mistaken, it wasn't really clarified.

[Lemon 🍋 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot: 4.5/5 • Plot: 5/5 ————> This was a wonderful primal play hunt/game read. She’s (Mira) working “undercover”, even though the boss and all his brothers know exactly what she’s doing. She accepts an invitation to “the hunt”. Along with her best friend they must survive 72 hours while being hunted by 15 men. Both of them are “captured”. After the hunt the men decide if they want their captures for a whole year. The one (Xavier) who captures Mire sign up for a year together. Their feelings for each other bloomed the second the hunt started. Their relationship develops quickly and passionately.


So much smut. 70% of this read is smut. There’s MM, which is always a plus. This was such a fun, twisty read. Love that it was a standalone!

[Crystal McCullum · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ Its been a hot minute since i gave a book 5 stars but this was the one!! 🌶️x a million.
10000% Recommend. If you need a dark romance that gives off Ritual vibes. Here ya go. You are welcome.

[Sadan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Xavier & Mira

[DonElla · Rating 5 out of 5]

H o t.

At first I was thinking this was another Arrans Obsession (which is great!)... I was wrong. This is so much better in a whole other way. Yes for the Carnival crew being included in parts.
I have questions like who used the pool for the past year? Does this game only happen yearly?

[Cindy Kriek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunted review

It's a story about corruption and depravity. Hot, dark & smutty. Alot of triggers. Six girls singing a contract to consent for 15 marked men to hunt them and when they catch them, 🥵. It has, dominance, submission, primal play, bondages and the list goes on. If you like it dark, smutty and just wrong this dark romance is for you....

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read

Really enjoyed this book. Definitely one to get stuck into. Fantasies you didn’t even know you had. Only reason I didn’t give it a 5 star was that the ending seemed very rushed and just repeated the same thing about her feelings etc.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cr@p wow this is hot, spicy and amazing 👏 😍

[MandaLin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What began in the shadows becomes her greatest awakening; secrets taste sweeter in the dark.

This book technically has a plot and it pops in to say high every now and then. While I am usually one for a more developed storyline-the steam is deliciously dark and totally worth the read.

Think: emotionally damaged characters who somehow have the stamina of Greek gods and just enough backstory to keep you wondering. If you're looking for morally questionable decisions and toe-curling tension - Welcome Home.

[Bookktrovertedd · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 — Dark, Sinful, and Absolutely Addictive

Haunted by Selena Winters is everything I crave in a dark romance — dangerous, primal, emotional, and downright intoxicating. From the very first chapter, it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

Mira is bold, defiant, and walking straight into a world she doesn’t understand — and Xavier Blackwood? He’s the definition of a beautifully broken monster. Their chemistry is raw and unrestrained, built on obsession, power, and desire that borders on madness. Every scene between them crackles with tension, lust, and danger.

The premise — a secretive “hunt” where women fight for freedom against masked men — is twisted but brilliantly written. Selena Winters builds a world that feels both luxurious and deadly, balancing the erotic with the psychological in a way that keeps you on edge the entire time.

This book isn’t sweet or gentle — it’s dark, gritty, and full of triggers — but it’s also hauntingly beautiful. It shows how love can bloom even in the darkest places, between two people who should have destroyed each other but somehow found peace in the chaos.

If you love books that blur the line between pain and passion, fear and desire — Haunted will ruin you in the best way.

⚠️ Trigger warning: intense sexual content, violence, captivity, and psychological manipulation.

But if you’re into dark, primal, morally grey love stories — this one is pure perfection.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing yet disappointing

This book is a really great sequel to the carnival series. It has great plot points and tells the story well.
The reason I gave it 4 and not a stars is my own personal problem. It did not hit me quite right.
I like a book to tell the story of one couple. This one got lost telling the story of seven. Every time I'd start to get lost in the story it would switch to what was going on with another couple. That would have been okay if it had been about the sex, but it was a whole thing about their relationship.
I don't feel like I even need to read the other books in the series, because they have been told in this one.
My own personal view on the book, not trying to take anything away from your enjoyment. 🤷‍♀️

[Christina Bellows · Rating 3 out of 5]

The smut was on point 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️.. But in the beginning I kinda thought there would be more plot about his business since it was introduced and the Russians. kinda figured there'd be some action (outside of the smut) once the Hunting ended, hit after the Hunting ended it fell flat for me.

[Leigh Brooker · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS BOOK 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ I understand that this won't be for everyone as the themes running through this are quite dark, with dubious consent among them. And although I'm recommending this book some people may be uncomfortable with the content within.

I was looking for something dark and twisty to fit my current mood, so when my friend (a dark romance girly) recommended this to me I thought I'd check it out. And I was immediately pulled down in to a rabbit hole so deep I didn't think I'd be able to claw my way out again, but hell I'd be lying if I didn't enjoy the journey. This series is set around one particular hunt, an event that is held every year by the Blackwood brothers, each book will be told from the four brothers POV starting with Xavier. It's fast paced, the spice extremely hot (and although I've found out after reading this, it's a spin-off from another series by this author) you can dive in as it stands by itself. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Xavier and Mira, who's mix of want, possession, desire and need pretty much ended up in the same place, with a surprising HEA ending. I'll definitely be checking out book two as I need more of these devilish brothers in my life....

Mira, an investigative journalist is working undercover at the exclusive Purgatory club, looking for dirt for her exposé to bring down the Blackwood brothers. So when she is invited to the annual hunt as 'prey' she thinks this is her in to get the information she needs. Little does she realise what that entails, until after she signs the contract and even worse finds out that Xavier knows exactly who she is and what she was trying to do, getting herself caught in a web of a man who is determined to claim her as his. I took to Mira's character straight away, a strong independent woman who wants to battle corruption and not scared who she fights is always someone I can get behind. But what really drew me to her was watching her internal struggle between her sense of self, and the darker urges she has hidden beneath, with Xavier being the key to unlock them. I loved her complexity, duel desires and the genuine bond that formed with her and Xavier.

Xavier, primal, criminal, feral,monster. These four words sum him up perfectly and I couldn't help but find myself falling for him in spite of this, as this morally grey (possibly edging on black) man also possesses a heart. One he soon discovers on this year's hunt. Never before has he been so drawn to his 'prey' and Mira pushes him to the edge entirely. Yes he wants to dominate her, break her down and extract revenge on her when he finds out that she was trying to gather information to bring him and his brothers down. But in this twisted game of cat and mouse he realises that he needs her as much as she fights her darker urges and wants him. Giving him one thing he has never had before someone to not only possess, but to love.. Ohh brother I thoroughly checked my mortal compass at the door when it came to this guy and still I couldn't help myself being drawn to him. Especially when his hidden heart becomes exposed, yep it turns out I like a darker shade of man and Xavier was just the one to give it to me.....

Although I've read darker books before, they have mainly been fantasy dark not explicitly romance dark. But after reading this I think I'll walking on a wilder side and adding more to my TBR. Can't say I was disappointed at all. Definitely recommend 😁

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dedication
To the women whose forbidden desires involve being hunted by masked men until you're caught, claimed, and thoroughly owned…

Favorite lines and quotes
He reaches for me, and the instant our hands meet, something sparks—too sudden, too intense to ignore.

"Perhaps you’ll receive an invitation soon. We’re preparing for something special. An event where desires become a reality and only the worthy survive.”

Rules exist to be followed—except when breaking them serves a greater purpose. And I want to see what Mira Sullivan does when she’s truly afraid and at my mercy.

“The Hunt isn’t some childish competition. It’s primal. Raw.” “You’ll be prey, Miss Sullivan. One of five women who will run, hide, and eventually be caught.”

“And the hunters?” I continue, lips grazing her earlobe. “Fifteen masked men, including myself, who will track you through every inch of the back rooms of this club.” “Whichever man catches you first stakes his claim on you. He can do whatever he wants with you. Fuck you, pass you around, decide exactly how to use you, and you have no say in the matter.”

There’s something magnetic about him that makes my heart race every time he’s near—and not just from fear. That’s the part I hadn’t counted on. My helpless response to him contradicts my brain’s warnings.

“You’ll be the prey,” I promise, fingers tracing her collarbone. “And I will hunt you through every inch of my domain until you’re mine.”

“Now,” I murmur against her swollen lips, my hand sliding down to position myself at her entrance. “Now you learn what it really means to belong to a Blackwood.”

I’m his, completely and utterly, in ways that should terrify me.

I thought restraining her in chains would give me ultimate power over her. But somehow, in giving me everything, she’s taken a piece of me I didn’t even know I had to lose.

“I hate that you’ve made me want things I never wanted before. That you’ve shown me parts of myself I didn’t know existed.” Tears burn behind my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. “And I hate that despite all of that, despite knowing exactly what you are and what you’ve taken from me, I still...”
“You still want?” His voice is a whisper.
“I still want you. Need you, even. Like you’ve rewired my brain, and now I can’t function as anything but a shell without you.”

“You think I planned this?” His hand rakes through his hair again, a tell I’m starting to recognize. “You think I wanted to become obsessed with a woman who came into my world specifically to destroy it, to destroy me?”
“I’ve had dozens of women. Used them and discarded them without a second thought. But you? You’ve made me question everything. Made me protective, possessive, obsessive in ways that go far beyond ownership.”

“A bad man sees nothing sacred except the woman who bears his mark—everything else is collateral damage in her protection.”

“I believed I was incapable of love. Thought it was beaten out of me years ago, that it was a weakness I couldn’t afford.” I take a step toward her, then stop, unsure if I have the right to close the distance anymore. “You changed that. You’ve become my entire world, Mira. Not my obsession or my possession—my world. And I don’t know what the fuck that makes me now. Monsters can’t love, so why do I love you?”

"...I’m also the man who would burn this entire city to the ground before I let anyone hurt you. I’m the man who would die before I let harm come to anyone you care about.”

[addictedtodarkromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an investigative journalist, Mira is trying to get a story of 'The Blackwood Brothers' mysterious secret - The Hollow's Hunt, to take down their criminal empire. The hunt is an invite-only, exclusive event where you have to survive 72 hours in a maze with 15 masked men before one of them claims you as their own. They can do whatever they want with you once you're caught, and you could be theirs for a year. But she didn't expect Xavier Blackwood to know she was going undercover for a story, be intrigued by that and for her to be his main target!

Xavier has never shown much interest in a woman outside of the hunt before. He's a dominant, controlling and manipulative knows what he wants kind of guy. When he meets Mira, he's very curious about her and decides she's going to be his for the hunt this year. And Mira is determined to pull the curtains and let everyone know what this Hollow's Hunt really is about.

The hunt itself is very intense. Even though people sign a contract and know about the very sexual nature of the Hunt, they don't always realize just how crazy it can get. So much goes on, and I don't want to give too much away, but it is a wild ride with a ton of spicy scenes that were super steamy!!

(I'm not a huge fan of exhibitionism (her nickname is Little Exhibitionist) and voyeurism with others outside of the relationship. I do read books with it in it sometimes, but this is throughout the entire book. But that's a me thing so it is not affecting the star rating. I just wanted to mention that it is very heavy in this book.)
 
Overall: 4.25 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Spice/Heat Intensity: 5 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Main Characters: Xavier & Mira
Nickname: Little Exhibitionist
Darkness: 5 out of 5 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Type of book: MCs are MF, Fast Burn, Duel 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone Novel
Title: The Blackwood BrothersSeries- Haunted: Book 1
Audiobook: Not as of July 2025
Epilogue: Yes
Ending Type: HEA
 
 
*OTT Possessive, dominant, controlling MMC
*Investigative Journalist
*Primal Play
*Exhibitionism with others
*Voyeurism with others
*Forced Submission (under the contract)
*Forced Humiliation (in front of others)
*Degradation
*Controlled O's
*MM, MFM, MMFM, MMF & MF
*Body Betrayal
*Screens with an audience watching the chase
*Masked Men
*No touch, only watching
*CNC (Signed consent for the hunt - some may feel that this is non-consent at certain times)
*No cheating or sharing
 
 
⚠️ This book has descriptive parts that may be extremely offensive or triggering to some. Please check the TW/CW before reading! 18+
 
*I received an early copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving this review.

[A79senlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Blackwood brothers first appeared in the carnival series, I wondered whether we’d ever have a book on them. Even if I had known it was on the way, I could never have imagined how high Selena would turn up the heat. It’s positively scorching and it hurts so good. If you’re on your own hunt for heat, hit the brakes because you’ve found nirvana.

Xavier is the head of this depraved band of brothers, who carry out a Hunt each year in which they and 11 other men chase 5 women through an intricate labyrinth over the course of 72 hours. Escape and the woman is free; caught and she belongs to the catcher, who is free to do as he pleases with her. Xavier has never failed to claim the woman he wants — and this year, he’s going after Mira, the journalist determined to bring down the Blackwood criminal empire. The chemistry between Xavier and Mira leaps off the page, especially when they’re verbally sparring. While the Hunt is essentially a game, it becomes so much more for them. They end the Hunt as different people than those who began it.

Xavier is beyond delicious in his dark, dominant depravity. The man will give you the shivers in the best way. Though an absolute control freak, he fiercely loves his brothers and it’s funny to watch them test his patience. I don’t want to say too much about the Hunt so as to not spoil Xavier’s surprises, but the descriptions are so detailed that you’ll feel as though you’re there with Mira.

There are head-scratchers in nearly all books, and this one has its fair share (you’d think a computer genius would do a background check on new employees, and why would an undercover reporter use her own name?), but they didn’t really bother me. Neither did the small number of continuity errors. To be honest, there could’ve been a plot hole the size of the carnival and I’d have happily skipped right past to get back to Xavier.

I was sad when the book ended, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. Selena is one of my favorite dark romance authors — the plots are always creative, the characters always compelling and the steam always scalding. You’ll be haunted by the memory of this novel’s heat long after you’ve extinguished its pages.

I received a free copy of this book and am choosing to share my opinion.

[neeshreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars:⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5 (rounded up for rating)
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

I’m not here to question the fact that this had me nodding my head along with Mira being like “yup, we gotta sign that contract” 😂 this is a safe space and the dark romance girlies get it!

*Check your TWs!*

🖤Dark Romance
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤15 Masked Men x 6 Prey
🖤Exhibitionism & Voyeurism
🖤Pr!mal Play & CNC
🖤DubCon
🖤Touch Her & ☠️
🖤Praise & Degradation
🖤C*ckwarming
🖤Ørgies (While MCs are a MF romance with NO sharing, you’ll see all kinds of pairings🥵🔥)

Mira signed her freedom away for 72 hours by agreeing to be hunted through a maze by 15 masked men. The Hollow’s Hunt is the Blackwood Brothers’ most closely guarded secret and as an investigative journalist, Mira is determined to expose their criminal empire. The catch? Xavier Blackwood knew who she was when she tried to go undercover as a bartender in his club, and he’s decided that she’ll be his prey…and Xavier always gets what he wants.

If you are on the hunt for a jaw-dropping, “They’re doing what now?”, spice-filled story that makes you feel like you entered a dark and depraved game of survival within a BD$M labyrinth where: “If I catch you…well you signed away your ability to negotiate…” then this is the book for you! If you’re like, “I didn’t ask for that,” well…don’t worry because Selena Winters gave it to you and has a set of morally gray and absolutely UNHINGED SMOKE SHOW brothers who will make you question things about yourself in the privacy of your own home, or in public if you like to live on the wild side and read unhinged smut anytime and anywhere (I support you). ANYWAY Xavier Blackwood is dark, domineering and absolutely delicious. You’ll be wishing you were his obsession and could trade places with Mira Sullivan so he could catch you in the maze he created once The Hollow’s Hunt started, and that he never lets you go. The mindgames were exquisite, the spice SPICED, and the underlying plot will have you wanting the Blackwood Brothers maintaining their power no matter the costs.

Now I need to meet Xavier’s brothers on a more intimate level 😂

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mira, a journalist, has gone undercover as bar staff at a club called Purgatory. She is determined to find the information showing that the brothers are involved in illegal activity. She has picked bits of information up, but nothing indicating criminal dealings. She has, however, heard mention of a 'hunt', where you have to be invited. What is this, and how does she get one?

Xavier, Knox, Vane, and Landon are very careful in their dealings. The power they wield across the city. When Xavier comes to Mira's aid, there is a definite spark between them, and when Xavier is given information about his new staff member, he makes a decision that the brothers question the validity of. But he'll break Mira and have his fun along the way.

Mira can't believe she has an 'in', but the NDA is going to tie her hands on what she can then print. When her best friend Cora, the mayor's daughter, is determined to get an invite so she has her 'back', has Mira doomed her friend to hell as well?

What happens over the next few days gives Mira not just an insight into the brothers but into herself. What she is willing to do, she is willing to submit herself to. This strong, independent woman is broken apart, reduced to needs she never knew she had. Xavier plays her body expertly, showing Mira who she is and who she belongs to. Mira has to reconcile what her body craves but her mind rejects. Will the two ever be in alignment?

Xavier, who has always been focused, cold, and unyielding, discovers that Mira brings out a different side to him, a side he never knew he had. He may think he has the upper hand with her, but she is changing him. Is it for the better? Does having someone that he wants to protect, even the person who wants to expose him, make him a better, even more focused, and ready to raze everything to the ground, or is she a weakness, one that could topple the brothers?.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Xavier and Mira's story was such a good read! Top level spice, great characters and emotional realizations.

Xavier owns a club with an exclusive club below where The Hunt takes place once a year. Hunters and prey are carefully selected and all sign NDAs that basically take away the prey's ability to deny anything with an option at the end to belong to the hunter for a year. That's right, anything can and does happen during the 72 hours of game play.

Mira is a strong and very independent journalist who is doing a piece on the Blackwood family and their business dealings. She gets a job as a bartender at the regular club to see what inside info she can get and overhears some talk on The Hunt. She goes to Xavier and tells him she wants an invite to be in it, not even knowing what it all entails. Her friend Cora wiggles her way into getting an invite too and doesn't care what the Hunt is about.

Most of the book takes place during the Hunt and mostly covers what Xavier and Mira go through. This book also covers the others who are in the game as well, which was good. It covers the dynamic of total and complete submission of the prey to their hunters. The prey are pretty much clueless as to what will happen and are scared and unsure. I did wish a few times that the prey were better prepared for what they would be in for. But I guess if you're going for a fear response no info was how it should be since trust wasn't really mentioned as a thing.

The spice? Well, I wouldn't read this book in public or around children especially if they can read; it's over the top good and you'll read it throughout the whole book. There is a plot to this it's not all complete spice. I loved each character.

If you like dark and spicy I'd recommend this book. It's well done.

[Beth Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll start off by saying, while I loved this book as a whole, I did have a huge hang up. The book is full of yummy kinks and well written.
Mira is a promising journalist who comes from a long line of family in the criminal justice system and has devoted her craft to exposing crime and corruption. Xavier is of course the morally black head of a legacies long crime family. X intervenes in an assault happening to Mira while she’s undercover as a bartender at his club. Fast forward and he finds out from his 3 brothers why she’s really there at their club and invites her to the Hunt. Fast forward again and she tells her best friend, the mayors daughter Cora, about said Hunt. Cora, the entitled ball buster that she is, forces X to give her an invite too. Of course it doesn’t go how either planned. Cora’s being used to get back at her father by sexual subterfuge and blackmail, while humiliating Cora and breaking her spirit.
This is where my hang up is. They talk about how close the girls are and how they’re like sisters and would basically die for each other but X knew about the plan for Cora all along! Mira struggles with his life of crime but not this!?!? It goes into great detail about the plan and what happens but glosses over the aftermath. While the book was long than I anticipated and that’s never a bad thing. My little twitchy brain felt like it could be slightly long and deal with the aftermath and how X made amends for his role in Cora’s humiliation and subsequent emotional breaking. I feel like there is no way a woman could just move past that but all in all I absolutely loved the book!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[nat ⋆˙⟡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

picture this, you are a journalist who is working undercover at this nightclub because you are trying to get information on the Blackwood family who has extracurricular activities. you are there for three weeks until you overhear one girl talking about "The Hunt". It is this exclusive invitation only event that is 72 hours long and has an ironclad NDA. so your expose is not happening unless you want to suffer legal action.

you confront the oldest of the blackwood brothers and you tell him that you want an invitation and a couple days later he hands you the envelope. you read the NDA and you do not even know the extent to what you just signed up for. and on top of that, your best friend who happens to be the mayor's daughter wants in on this as well so you get her an invite. MIND YOU, you guys do not know what you signed up for I STRESS THAAT.

the day of the hunt is here and you are told to change into scraps of clothing for easier access. There are 6 women and 15 men. The numbers add up for a reason. This is primal play at its core. When you think of primal the first thing that goes to your mind is run and chase. This is quite literally what is happening. There are hunters and there are prey. This is debauchery. SPICYYYYYY. and there are four brothers so this is book 1.

Xavier Blackwood brought to his knees by the woman who was trying to expose him. i mean the scenes that are in this book. the detail.. yeahhhhhh i was engrossed. it was so good. I can't wait to read the next ones!

As always check your content/triggers warnings.

4⭐

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right and wrong never fit more perfect

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Trust is a two way street. Mira didn't give Xavier the trust she expects from him. For someone so self righteous, she's pretty narrow minded herself. I started this book pretty irritated with the MFC, Mira. But as the story came to an end, I feel that she's grown and really leaned into who she is. I was disappointed with her constant inner monologue about her kinks being her shame and she needed "to fight that darkness". When really, it's a simple kink and sexual preference. That's not "darkness" if you ask me.

In the beginning, Xavier was your typical dominant alpha male. He also grows as a person. Learning to love and strive to be better.

This is a dark romance. IMO, it's not as dark as I expected. Compared to something like Haunting Adeline, this is pretty mild. If you don't like the primal kink of predators and prey, you may not like this story. This is my first book by this author. I love his she can weave a captivating plot and balance the smut with the story. I love those sexy scenes (there is alot of that 😍) but still prefer a story with it. Selena Winters does this perfectly!

There really isn't much that I feel is triggering, but that's just my opinion. Read through those tropes if you're worried or easily triggered.

I'm looking forward to reading the books for Knox and Vance, but a bit leery about Landon. You'll understand after reading this story. I have a feeling his will be the darkest of them all. 😂

[Morally_Gray_Nola · Rating 5 out of 5]

New series from author Selena Winters. So excited. Snatched it up as soon as I received the alert 🖤 All the brothers look to be sexy-masculine—plus for us. Xavier now, and this may only be because I just read him in this sex-fueled book, but, Xavier is off the charts H O T. Wowzers.

‘Haunted’ is a great foundation for the Blackwood Brothers series. Author Selena Winters has intricately woven together a world where debauchery and letting go are equally found. Where morally black prevails over the gray. And where even the mightiest hunters find they too can be prey.

Ms Winters has branched out from The Carnival series into this masterpiece of sin. We even get
revisit some of our old Carnival favorites.

Good. Stuff.

*** Recommended ***

MMC:
* Xavier
FMC:
* Mira
HEA/Cliffhanger:
* HEA
Series:
* Book 1 of Blackwood Brothers
Epilogue:
* Yes
Tropes:
* Primal hunt romance
* Masked men hunt
* Touch her and bye-bye
* Psycho biker MMC
* Journalist MFC
* MF
* MM
* MMF
* MFM
* MFM + M
Triggers:
* 18+
* Sex
* orgies, primal, cockwarming,
* exhibitionism, voyeurism, praise,
* degradation, masks, knife play
* So much delicious deprivation
Burn Speed:
* Fast
Spice Level:
* 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 1/2.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book because of all the hype on Facebook and my past experience with Selena Winters’ writing. Sadly, it didn’t live up to the excitement.

The story felt like a rehash of Aaron’s Obsession by Jolie Vines—15 hunters, 5 women, locked away to be claimed. It lacked originality and quickly became repetitive, both in plot and in writing. Phrases were reused over and over, and the tension just wasn’t there.

This wasn’t really a romance—it was more of a psychological unraveling. Mira, the main character, spends the majority of the book enduring emotional pressure by Xavier. Sadie (aside character), who ends up with Landon, was barely surviving after the claiming. It felt more like a breakdown of willpower than a love story.

The only part that really stood out to me came near the end, in a powerful moment between Mira and Xavier:

“A hero—he’ll abandon the woman who loves him to uphold the world’s empty ideals.”
“And a bad man?”
“A bad man sees nothing sacred except the woman who bears his mark—everything else is collateral damage in her protection.”

That one quote was excellent—but not enough to save the whole book.

I’m giving it 3 stars out of respect for the author, whose other books I’ve enjoyed. But this one felt more like a 2. Here’s hoping her next release gets back to what she does best.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunted by Selena Winters is the first book in the new Blackwood Brothers series, and it was unhinged and intense in the best possible way!

This story is dark romance at its most deliciously twisted. Mira is a determined journalist willing to risk everything to expose the truth about the Hollow’s Hunt—a secret, primal game where masked men hunt their prey through a labyrinth. But she never expected Xavier Blackwood, the enigmatic leader, to know exactly who she was from the very start.

The tropes in this book are everything: masked men, psycho boyfriend, touch-her-and-die possessiveness, primal chase, and that irresistible tension between danger and desire. The scenes were so vivid and suspenseful.

Xavier is the perfect dark antihero—obsessive, dangerous, and impossible to resist. Watching Mira grapple with her fear and the part of her that wants to be caught made this story feel even more intense and addictive.

If you love dark romance that pushes boundaries with primal heat, high-stakes games, and a hero who will stop at nothing to claim what’s his, you need to read Haunted. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Midnightfairies · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book from this author and I will definitely be reading more. I fully intend to continue with this series.
So here's my thoughts...

What I liked...

* The whole premise was new and interesting...I have read books where the FMC has been hunted, but never in such an organised and meticulous way.

* The brothers...oh these boys are hot, hot, hot and their banter is spot on, I cant wait to read each of their stories.

* The girls...again I cant wait to read all of their stories, these girlies are so interesting!

* The spice, yikes the spice was good!

* The introduction of the Carnaval crew ( I'm aware these guys have their own series, which I'm excited about too!)


What I didn't like as much...

* Some of it was a little repetitive, and certain phrases were over used!

* Contraception was never mentioned. None of these couple ever talked about using contraception, or whether they had a clean health check, considering the boys own a sex club, this should have been addressed. I'm not bothered about unprotected sex in books, but it need at the very least to be discussed.

* I think the two main characters of this book fell for each other too quickly, needed more build up!

However I will be continuing the series, I highly recommend!!!