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Safe Word
She enters Obsidian as Scarlett – masked, poised, and desperate to reclaim the parts of herself a cruel man once shattered.
He is Ghost, a dom whose control masks a darker history he’s spent years keeping buried. In the shadows, they find something hunger without shame, pain without punishment.
But behind the velvet and steel, real lives begin to stir. By day, they’re strangers. At night, they come undone. Neither knows who the other truly is – until the past clawing at their heels threatens to strip them bare.
When the masks fall, what’s left might be too broken to survive it.
Safe Word is a dark contemporary romance about trauma, obsession, and the fine line between control and surrender. Behind the mask, a haunted author meets a woman on the run – where consent is ritual, desire is dangerous, and the past bleeds into pleasure.
Safe Word contains themes that may be triggering – including emotional, psychological and physical abuse, coercion, trauma, murder, and blurred lines of consent. These elements are explored through a dark-romance and psychological-thriller lens, and may be distressing for readers with related triggers.
This book also portrays a character with a severe, delusional form of religious obsession. His beliefs, visions, and actions are depicted as symptoms of psychological disturbance, not expressions of real faith. Readers sensitive to distorted or extreme religious themes should proceed with caution.
But first and foremost – this is a work of fiction.
Please read the full trigger warning list before continuing. Know what you’re walking into.
He is Ghost, a dom whose control masks a darker history he’s spent years keeping buried. In the shadows, they find something hunger without shame, pain without punishment.
But behind the velvet and steel, real lives begin to stir. By day, they’re strangers. At night, they come undone. Neither knows who the other truly is – until the past clawing at their heels threatens to strip them bare.
When the masks fall, what’s left might be too broken to survive it.
Safe Word is a dark contemporary romance about trauma, obsession, and the fine line between control and surrender. Behind the mask, a haunted author meets a woman on the run – where consent is ritual, desire is dangerous, and the past bleeds into pleasure.
Safe Word contains themes that may be triggering – including emotional, psychological and physical abuse, coercion, trauma, murder, and blurred lines of consent. These elements are explored through a dark-romance and psychological-thriller lens, and may be distressing for readers with related triggers.
This book also portrays a character with a severe, delusional form of religious obsession. His beliefs, visions, and actions are depicted as symptoms of psychological disturbance, not expressions of real faith. Readers sensitive to distorted or extreme religious themes should proceed with caution.
But first and foremost – this is a work of fiction.
Please read the full trigger warning list before continuing. Know what you’re walking into.
637 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 16, 2025
4 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
N. von Wolf
4 books26 followersN. von Wolf writes dark, psychological romance set in worlds where myth bleeds into obsession and love walks a razor’s edge. Her stories explore the intimate territories of power, trauma, and fate – whether in vampire courts, ancient battlegrounds, or dystopian futures.
Rooted in the Balkans and shaped by years in Ireland and Scandinavia, she draws on haunted history, folklore, and cultural echoes to craft emotionally charged tales where the past never sleeps and the heart is never safe. Her favourite playgrounds are epic fantasy, historical and paranormal fiction – but she loves to dip her toes into sci-fi waters, as well.
By night, she writes of forbidden desires and fractured worlds; by day, she thrives as a Technical Engineering Team Lead, a wife, and a mother of two.
You can see what she's currently brewing on her website, or follow her on Social Media (links on the site).
Rooted in the Balkans and shaped by years in Ireland and Scandinavia, she draws on haunted history, folklore, and cultural echoes to craft emotionally charged tales where the past never sleeps and the heart is never safe. Her favourite playgrounds are epic fantasy, historical and paranormal fiction – but she loves to dip her toes into sci-fi waters, as well.
By night, she writes of forbidden desires and fractured worlds; by day, she thrives as a Technical Engineering Team Lead, a wife, and a mother of two.
You can see what she's currently brewing on her website, or follow her on Social Media (links on the site).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 5, 2025
ARC read for an honest review;
CHECK THE MENU- I MEAN TRIGGER WARNINGS!!!!
HOLY DELICIOUS!!!! Safe Word is a twisted dark romance that toes the line of desire and destruction. It was hot, raw, possessive and truly delicious.
Paula and Cain are two sides of the same coin. Both have major trauma and abuse they are working through and end up working through it together.
Honestly I could hardly put the book down, I CANNOT wait till the next book is out because I desperately need it!!!
CHECK THE MENU- I MEAN TRIGGER WARNINGS!!!!
HOLY DELICIOUS!!!! Safe Word is a twisted dark romance that toes the line of desire and destruction. It was hot, raw, possessive and truly delicious.
Paula and Cain are two sides of the same coin. Both have major trauma and abuse they are working through and end up working through it together.
Honestly I could hardly put the book down, I CANNOT wait till the next book is out because I desperately need it!!!
November 7, 2025
HOLY... WOW!!!! My jaw is still hanging out on the floor! This Dark Psychological thriller romance was AMAZING! I'd give this more than 5 stars! Honestly, this one gets the award for best one of the year from me in this genre. It's deep, raw, mentally and emotionally wrecking, full of twists, trauma, and spice. This gets dark. It's not a light and fluffy read. It's meant to break you, wreck you, and when you think the pieces are getting put back together your feet get kicked out from under you!
At one point I gasped so loud I choked on air (literally... Choked on air...) The author is so detailed and so descriptive every emotion bled from every page. I felt it all. This is such a powerful journey of broken people trying to put themselves back together again. Let's not forget the twists! I didn't see so many things coming 🤯😳 this wrecked me and ruined me in the best way possible. Trust me when I say this is THRILLING! Excuse me while I go pick my jaw up off the floor or try to find it from wherever it traveled to. This was mind blowing. 🤯 I can't wait for the second one!!!!!
Thank you Soo much for ARC! I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Tropes to love
✔️Bdsm romance
✔️Enemies to lovers
✔️Forced proximity
✔️Touch her and die
✔️Mentor/protector
✔️Work place romance
✔️Power play
✔️Revenge/ justice
✔️Masked identity
✔️Happy for now
✔️Trauma recovery
At one point I gasped so loud I choked on air (literally... Choked on air...) The author is so detailed and so descriptive every emotion bled from every page. I felt it all. This is such a powerful journey of broken people trying to put themselves back together again. Let's not forget the twists! I didn't see so many things coming 🤯😳 this wrecked me and ruined me in the best way possible. Trust me when I say this is THRILLING! Excuse me while I go pick my jaw up off the floor or try to find it from wherever it traveled to. This was mind blowing. 🤯 I can't wait for the second one!!!!!
Thank you Soo much for ARC! I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Tropes to love
✔️Bdsm romance
✔️Enemies to lovers
✔️Forced proximity
✔️Touch her and die
✔️Mentor/protector
✔️Work place romance
✔️Power play
✔️Revenge/ justice
✔️Masked identity
✔️Happy for now
✔️Trauma recovery
November 13, 2025
N. Von. Went Dark with this.
My heart is still aching with all those triggers that were beautifully done in this the psychological aspect of this will make you question what you really know about the FMC. Paula and Cain will have you drooling and clenching those pearls, at times wanting to throw your kindle and yell at them both. I can't see what's next in store as I still need some questions answered
please read the Trigger as this is not for Everyone
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🧎♀️🚩🧎♀️🚩🧎♀️🚩
My heart is still aching with all those triggers that were beautifully done in this the psychological aspect of this will make you question what you really know about the FMC. Paula and Cain will have you drooling and clenching those pearls, at times wanting to throw your kindle and yell at them both. I can't see what's next in store as I still need some questions answered
please read the Trigger as this is not for Everyone
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🧎♀️🚩🧎♀️🚩🧎♀️🚩
November 11, 2025
Arc read for honest review.
This book will keep you up so that you can finish it and begging for more just like Cain would want you to! I wish I could give this 6 stars 🌟
This book will keep you up so that you can finish it and begging for more just like Cain would want you to! I wish I could give this 6 stars 🌟
December 3, 2025
Safe Word grabbed me from the first chapter and didn’t let go. It’s not just a dark romance—it’s a legit psychological thriller. I kept getting that tight feeling in my chest because I never knew what was coming next. Paula’s fear and confusion felt real, and Cain is one of the most intense characters I’ve ever read. Terrifying, addictive, completely unpredictable.
What shocked me most was how well the author balanced everything. N. von Wolf doesn’t treat trauma like a plot device—she writes it in a way that feels raw and human. The tension, the emotions, the twists…I had to keep stopping to breathe, then I’d dive right back in.
I finished the whole thing in a day and just sat there afterwards like, What did I just experience?
If you want a dark romance with real psychological depth—and an author who actually knows how to deliver it—read this. Absolutely worth every second.
What shocked me most was how well the author balanced everything. N. von Wolf doesn’t treat trauma like a plot device—she writes it in a way that feels raw and human. The tension, the emotions, the twists…I had to keep stopping to breathe, then I’d dive right back in.
I finished the whole thing in a day and just sat there afterwards like, What did I just experience?
If you want a dark romance with real psychological depth—and an author who actually knows how to deliver it—read this. Absolutely worth every second.
November 20, 2025
5 ⭐️ rating 3-4 🌶️🌶️ highly recommended.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading it. The story follows Paula (fmc) and Caine (mmc) story it is intense and then the character Shadow comes in and the intensity builds throughout the whole story. The twist and turns kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. And the ending I did not expect I screamed. I need the second book now.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading it. The story follows Paula (fmc) and Caine (mmc) story it is intense and then the character Shadow comes in and the intensity builds throughout the whole story. The twist and turns kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. And the ending I did not expect I screamed. I need the second book now.
November 18, 2025
Quick take:
Not a love story, but a brilliantly twisted psychological thriller about how sometimes you must first break apart before you can heal. Dark, mind‑bending, and unforgettable.
I was warned about the triggers in this book — so please, read them carefully! And if you even slightly doubt whether you can handle it, you probably can’t.
This is a brilliantly twisted psychological thriller where the author skillfully leads the reader deep into the human mind. The plot flows smoothly, making you question your own memory, curse the events, and nearly throw your Kindle against the wall.
I love thrillers that explore the darker corners of the human psyche, and even more when the author does it with such clear talent. This book is without a doubt one of the best I have ever read.
And let me be clear: this is not a love story. It is a story about how sometimes you must first break apart completely before you can begin to heal.
If you want to push your own boundaries, have checked the trigger warnings (they are there for a reason!), and are ready to peek into the black side of the human mind — this book is absolutely a must‑read.
ARC gratitude note:
A million thanks for letting me be part of the ARC. I feel so grateful, and I’m already eagerly waiting for the sequel!
Not a love story, but a brilliantly twisted psychological thriller about how sometimes you must first break apart before you can heal. Dark, mind‑bending, and unforgettable.
I was warned about the triggers in this book — so please, read them carefully! And if you even slightly doubt whether you can handle it, you probably can’t.
This is a brilliantly twisted psychological thriller where the author skillfully leads the reader deep into the human mind. The plot flows smoothly, making you question your own memory, curse the events, and nearly throw your Kindle against the wall.
I love thrillers that explore the darker corners of the human psyche, and even more when the author does it with such clear talent. This book is without a doubt one of the best I have ever read.
And let me be clear: this is not a love story. It is a story about how sometimes you must first break apart completely before you can begin to heal.
If you want to push your own boundaries, have checked the trigger warnings (they are there for a reason!), and are ready to peek into the black side of the human mind — this book is absolutely a must‑read.
ARC gratitude note:
A million thanks for letting me be part of the ARC. I feel so grateful, and I’m already eagerly waiting for the sequel!
November 15, 2025
Fantastic book!! I couldn't put it down for most of the story! Another fantastic book from N. von Wolf!
The tension and spark between Cain and Paula really jump off the page. Their relationship was rocky and a bit of a slow burn but it also felt so natural. I loved how their past traumas made their personalities restrained, controlled, yet magnetic. I loved the bdsm themes and content. 😍
The first chapter from "you know who" really made me shiver! I was second guessing myself almost the whole story as to who it was, and can't wait to see what happens with him in book 2.
No cliffhanger, though there is a big reveal that makes me want the next installment of this story!
Check for trigger warnings please, this book is chock full of them.
"And in that moment, she wasn’t just mine. She was everything. Every inhale, every shiver, every ounce of strength and surrender."
"Get it together, Cain. You’re a sadist, not a fucking teenager."
"He carried pain like armour – staring it down like it was an old friend. Or maybe… Maybe he just enjoyed it. Why did I want to be the one who made it go away?"
The tension and spark between Cain and Paula really jump off the page. Their relationship was rocky and a bit of a slow burn but it also felt so natural. I loved how their past traumas made their personalities restrained, controlled, yet magnetic. I loved the bdsm themes and content. 😍
The first chapter from "you know who" really made me shiver! I was second guessing myself almost the whole story as to who it was, and can't wait to see what happens with him in book 2.
No cliffhanger, though there is a big reveal that makes me want the next installment of this story!
Check for trigger warnings please, this book is chock full of them.
"And in that moment, she wasn’t just mine. She was everything. Every inhale, every shiver, every ounce of strength and surrender."
"Get it together, Cain. You’re a sadist, not a fucking teenager."
"He carried pain like armour – staring it down like it was an old friend. Or maybe… Maybe he just enjoyed it. Why did I want to be the one who made it go away?"
November 20, 2025
I absolutely DEVOURED this book! I loved it ! The plot was plotting, the smut was smutting and the twists !! 10/10 recommend! And what is that ending ?! 😩😅👏🏻
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews