Like An Animal

by Zepphora

The Shadow is back to claim his little ghost and revenge he has planned will haunt her dreams forever.
I'm not innocent.
I did it.
I framed my step-brother. I'm the only reason he went to prison for five years, but what he doesn't know is that I had no other choice.
There was a time that I loved him, but I had to lock that away to survive the fall out. That doesn't matter now though.
He found me. I don't know if he plans to kill me or to reclaim me as his.
Neither is a pretty option.
Like An Animal is a dark slasher romance starting off in the fictional town of Grove Hill. This book can be read on its own without the Grove Hill series. This book is intended for adults and the content warnings can be found on the author's website.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Contemporary, Horror, Ebooks, Abuse, Spicy

422 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2025

Reviews

[Erika Braga · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was a really entertaining read. I liked the plot and the pace is really good. There was a few things I disliked about the characters but I can’t even properly explain because they were some little things here and there that are the moment I was reading I was like “what? Why?” But it wasn’t anything to make me hate them and the story was interesting enough to make me like the book. Now I kinda want to read the Bastards series because the characters interconnected.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would have finished this so much faster if life didn’t get in the way because I hated to have to put this down when I did. You want dark, tons of twists, taboo, and emotional roller coaster you need to read this book. It is unhinged with everything we love about dark slasher romance books. The twists just kept coming one after another and I loved every bit of it. I love how this author writes and the detail that goes into it without dragging it to the point where you loose interest. I will definitely be buying the physical book once it’s released for my trophy shelf lol. Like always read your tw lists and yes I mean more than 1.

[Breanna Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I thought this was a mix between Butcher & Blackbird and Little Stranger… It just kept GOING. When I tell you I read the TWs and STILL wasn’t expecting it. We also LOVE a FMC that can handle her own. Bronwyn is TOP TIER 10/10 😘😘😘

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A recommend from a bookish friend and boy! Did she come through 🖤 (even if it was a 3am finish 🤫)

The shadow aka Jeremy aka step-brother aka heir to the Bratva, is obsessed with his step-sister The Ghost aka Bronwyn aka Winnie aka Mary Elizabeth…yes, I know what you’re thinking why so many alias’s, well, you’d have to read the book to understand. So, I really don’t want to give you any spoilers. However, the story takes us on a trip that you won’t forget, there is so much packed into it, spice, violence, m*rder, betrayal, secrets, cult, mafia, tears, lies, SA and more. There is action, tense, sad, anger, love a plethora of emotions but it all comes together so well. You can read the synopsis for more. Do read the trigger warnings.

Loved it, the writing just kept me turning the pages until I finished. Zepphora’s descriptive storyline made sure you visualised each detail, you know one of those books that you feel you are literally there inside with the characters 🤭 🖤🌶️🩸☠️

[Amanda Nevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just ARC read this and I loved it.
I read Myers before this one and absolutely loved that 1 so I was stoked about this one.
She did not disappoint. Jeremy is equally as unhinged and Damien. And Bronwyn (love the name) the FMC is bad stinkin' a$$! She did NOT take any cra*. I love the found family dynamic and the touch her and ☠️ and revenge. I do not want to spoil this for you but I was on the EDGE of my seat and could not put it down. Zephorra has a way of drawing you in and making you stay on your toes with excitement. The most unhinged tort*ure methods that are beyond well deserved. I loved how she wrote it. Dont miss this one when its released!!! 5 ⭐️ All the way! I cant wait to read more of her books! Super fan!
Read the TW'S as it is a very dark book w heavy triggers.

[beca · Rating 3 out of 5]

jeremy borza😫😫

[Catzdontdance · Rating 3 out of 5]

The safe word for this book was plot and I can safely say it was never used!

Spice Meter: 3/5
Spicy Chapters : 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 29, 38

I received an ARC for my honest review.

I wanted to love this book, I really did. It started out as a taboo romance between step-siblings and it quickly morphed into I don’t even know.

We went from being in a high school/collage band to being in the mafia and somewhere along the way we picked up a cult and I just couldn’t keep up with all the tropes being thrown at me.

I made it 77% into the story and I just couldn’t anymore. I also find it hard to believe that she thinks some cult is stronger than the mafia. And by she I mean the MF

Now the spice was spicing! 🥵 That was one of the best things about this book and I was there for those moments.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. I loved the build up and back and forth between Bronwyn & Jeremy. This book is not for the faint of heart. Some of these chapter made me cry wishing I could help them, other times I'd be yelling at the characters. I loved how Zepphora started from the beginning giving us an understanding of the growth of feeling between these 2. I truly feel bad for what they went through as children, no child should ever go through with that. The spice between these 2 was chefs kiss. I love how they ended up not caring what everyone else thought, they love eachother and protected one another. I will say this though what Bronwyn does to Jeremy I know was out of love to protect him, but after all that time to blame him for something he had no knowledge about and treat him like the monster wasn't right in my book. Even then she didnt deserve what happened to her. The dialogue between the 4 of the main characters (Bronwyn, Jeremy, Massimo, & Xavi) was perfect. They were a family, protecting and loving each other no matter what. And this ending Zepphora was perfect! Everyone got what they deserved, well except one 😭. You'll just have to read and find out what happens. I love how characters from the Bastards of Grove Hill series characters were incorporated too. I love this book and I highly recommend it. Make sure to read the content warnings. Your mental health matters. Zepphora I love your books and you did an amazing job with this. 🫂🫶🏼🥰

[Jessi .K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I thought this was going one way, then total 180 in a different direction and I was fuckin here for it!! This is my first Zepphora book, and after 20% in, I new I needed to read their entire back log!! 1 cause I need to know more about the "Bastards" and 2 cause if this book was this good no doubt the others will be!!
I will absolutely eat up a possessive MMC any day!! Jeremy is the epitome of this!! Of course our FMC Bronwyn fights it a bit at first, but she is just as possessive, just not as growly as Jeremy. I loved how they protect each other!! I was here for the bloody touch here and die parts of the book!! Perfection! I loved how yes Bron was beyond traumatized but still got her revenge in the perfect way!!!
Not only did I love our MCs our side characters Max and Xavi stood out all on their own!! The "found family" just warmed my heart!! I can't wait to continue on my Zepphora reading journey!!

[Kimberly Rahr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! I couldn’t put it down! The twists and turns and spice, ahhh it was perfection!

[Stephanie Vicente · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had given me everything I was hoping for and more. I was hooked from the very first page, and I couldn’t look away. This storyline is intriguing , this was a fast paced, and completely captivating. I loved the slasher romance aspect and the possessive vibes it brought along with it , think this made the whole experience addictive. After finishing this book, I’m even more excited to dive into Myers soon.

[Rose Horgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An really gruesome book! Absolutely loved it!

[Lorien Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I was lucky enough to receive the ARC and after just finishing the Bastards of Grove Hill Series, I was more than excited!

Jeremy is an absolute badass! Bronwyn is also amazing! The side characters are loveable and the banter between them is hilarious!

If you love slashers, spice, romance, and mafia stories, you need to read this book!

[Britne Light Clark · Rating 1 out of 5]

This hit how I wanted The Web of Silence duet to hit! I don't like comparing works because every artist is different but if you read TWoS duet and thought this would be perfect if it leaned more pitch black, with a splash more trauma, and had a stronger connection BAM Zepphora delivered!

This is dark dark and dirty and so perfectly messed up.

You can feel the unconditional love between characters gained through trauma and its beautiful. I honestly wish it had about 200 more pages of Jeremy and Bron healing and kicking ass.

[Lee Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I say dark this was midnight.  The storyline was fantastic.  This book has a mixture of step siblings, Mafia, musicians, secret society and more.  There were a few scenes that were a bit much but all and all the book was a good read and I loved the characters.  I would definitely like to see a book for Cheryl cause we all know there is a something something going on there. Most of all I would like to see a story on Xavi.

[Tabitha Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me introduce you to Shadow a.k.a. Jeremy. Let me give you some words to describe him… possessive, dominant, unhinged, stalkerish tendencies, did I mention extremely possessive?? I would say also protective and a little bit psychopathic all wrapped up into one perfectly dark and delicious MMC. Without giving a lot of spoilers, which I try not to if the book hasn’t released. Jeremy’s family is involved in the mafia… his childhood was completely effed up. His aunt is absolutely disgusting and should’ve been hit by a train, but even through all of that, Jeremy comes out looking like a bad ass hero riding on a white horse saving the day or maybe it’s just because I’m attracted to him and he’s crazy that’s probably more likely. His character was written to be in a dark romance book. He had all the things you need for the dark MMC fabulously written I should add.

Then there was Little Ghost a.k.a. Bronwyn. Otherwise known as Jeremy’s stepsister, yeah you know where this is going…right of course you do if you’ve read enough dark romance books, you know what’s gonna happen. And it certainly does. The spice was hot and smoldering 🔥 between these two trauma bonding folks… both had absolutely wretched, disgusting family members by the way. The one thing that threw me off a little bit was the whole thing with Bronwyn‘s father, but hang in there because it is explained toward the end of the book. He is a vile piece of trash and should’ve been hit by the train that should have hit Jeremy‘s Aunt.. was there a train in this book F no but that’s the demise they should’ve had although I have to to be honest the way that they’re endings were written in this book were Zepphora style *chefs kiss*

This book has a lot of twisted turns in it so it’s not just constant banging like animals(although that’s not bad either wink wink) there’s actually a plot to it. Side note, my main man, my cute cuddly psychopath, unaliver, big D 🍆 Damien King was in this book and if you have not read Myers yet, you are missing out on life go read that after you read this or vice versa either way read them both. Had they maybe just let Damien King loose on the town the story probably would’ve been over halfway through so I understand why my man was only in a cameo. 🤣

OK, back to business so a lot of things go on a lot. I’m talking about there’s lots of stuff going on in this town of craziness. The one thing that makes it even more creepy is the fricking religious cult weirdos. Again, they should’ve all been hit by a train too, but the ending of the book revenge is so sweet. You can taste it. It is quite graphic and visual so if you don’t like that kind of stuff, you may not want to read it. I found solace in watching them be tortured because they were such pieces of trash. I’m the type of person that does not mind Gore when it’s taking care of business of such heinous people and these people are the worst of the worst. And yes, there was a part where I was very sad and I almost cried almost. I know a lot of people always ask. Is there a happy ending…and yes there is, Jeremy and Bronwyn just have to go through a lot of crap to get to that ending and that’s the wild ride that you’re gonna be on when you read this freaking book.

I give this book 5 stars because I read it in about four hours. Couldn’t put it down. It was right up my alley. Everything was exactly what I like in a dark romance book. Please, for the love of God before you complain read the trigger warnings because this has heavy ones and there is some heavy stuff in this book. It is very well written and it all makes sense. As far as the spice goes, I would probably give it around a 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

I am a huge fan of Zepphora. She is the queen of writing this kind of book…if you like dark dark romance, you like very dark storylines that are gory that are cringe worthy this book is for you. I will tell you rough through the hard stuff because the end is an explosion of red redemption and revenge, and it is a glorious. As always happy reading.!!

[Tehmeena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content Warnings;
Please take note of the trigger warnings. YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!

~Thanks to the author for the free Arc of this book. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.~

Tropes;
🪓🩸𝓓𝓾𝓪𝓵 𝓟𝓞𝓥𝓼
🩸🪓𝓘𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓪-𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮/𝓛𝓾𝓼𝓽
🪓🩸𝓢𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓡𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
🩸🪓𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴/𝓣𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓸
🪓🩸𝓢𝓽𝓮𝓹-𝓢𝓲𝓫𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼?
🩸🪓𝓒𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓶𝓲𝓽𝔂
🪓🩸𝓟𝓸𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓿𝓮/𝓞𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓜𝓜𝓒
🩸🪓𝓢𝓪𝓼𝓼𝔂/𝓑𝓪𝓭𝓪𝓼𝓼 𝓕𝓜𝓒
🪓🩸𝓗𝓾𝓻𝓽 𝓗𝓮𝓻 & 𝓓!𝓮
🩸🪓𝓗𝓾𝓻𝓽 𝓗𝓲𝓶 & 𝓓!𝓮
🪓🩸𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮 𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
🩸🪓𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽 𝓼𝓸𝓬𝓲𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓮𝓼
🪓🩸𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓱!𝓵𝓲@
🩸🪓𝓑𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓿𝓪/𝓜𝓪𝓯𝓲𝓪𝓼
🪓🩸𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽 𝓼𝓸𝓬𝓲𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓮𝓼
🩸🪓𝓝𝓸 𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓯-𝓗𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻
🪓🩸𝓗𝓔𝓐

"𝖄𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖈-𝖓𝖙 𝖎𝖘 𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖊. 𝖄𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖋-𝖈𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖘𝖔𝖚𝖑 𝖎𝖘 𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖊. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖊."

I don't even know where to start. I'm trying to get my thoughts in order. Let's begin with the main leads. Both our FMC and MMC, Bronwyn and Jeremy, deal with trauma and struggles that break my heart and I won't lie, I did need to pause a few times to let it process, it's just not something easy to digest really despite knowing beforehand. Jeremy's background story is truly heart-wrenching: it's very distressing, soul-crushing. I just want to hug them both and protect them. I love how protective he is over her and how safe she feels with him - she is also just as protective over him and defends him. Over the years, he grows intensely jealous, obsessive, and obsessive over her. Honestly? They're made for each other in the end!

Eventually, when they both broke out, oh, their hell-holes and finally able to breathe, after years of bonding by survival, is such a relief for me. Their nightmarish upbringing is so unhinged and neither deserved it. The sudden mafia and then cult reveal was a little baffling, I won't lie, with the Rockstar trope - I feel like there is a little much much going on at once- however over time it seem to start to work out really to my surprise. In the end it does wrap up well I think. Anyways, the side characters are interesting. Xavi and Massimo were a delight as well, and I would love for Xavi to get his happy ending one day, I have grown incredibly fond of him - ahem, ahem.

There is so much happening in here. There's the Mafia and a religious cult, a roller-coaster of emotions and characters that some I want to unalive, such as Jeremy's aunt and Bronwyn's father. The spice is sizzling, hawt! The ending wraps up so well that I love it. There are many plot twists and turns, the store line is gripping and detailed, and the pacing is moderate, but the last third of the book is where I was in a chokehold. Also, there's revenge and murder, blood and gore. A psychotic, obsessively protective MMC and badass, FMC, spice that makes you sweat, passion and betrayal, and more, then this one is for you. (Please read through the trigger warnings, I say this for your own mental health.)

Out of Fives;
🩸🪓𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓: ✨✨✨✨✨
🪓🩸𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
🩸🪓𝑻𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏: 🫦🫦🫦🫦
🪓🩸𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒔𝒕: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
🩸🪓𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕a𝒄𝒉𝒆: 💔💔💔💔💔
🪓🩸𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
🩸🪓𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆: 🥀🥀🥀🥀
🪓🩸𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
🩸🪓𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓: 🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲
🪓🩸𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆/𝑮𝒐𝒓𝒆: 🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓
🩸🪓𝑮𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕/𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒘𝒚𝒏 𝑭𝑴𝑪: 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
🪓🩸𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘/𝑱𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒚 𝑴𝑴𝑪: 🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶
🩸🪓𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆: 🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
🪓🩸𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⏳⏳⏳⏳
🩸🪓𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
🪓🩸𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈: 🌍🌏🌍🌍🌏
🩸🪓𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅: 𝒆𝑨𝑹𝑪/𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆.
🪓🩸𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 (𝑨 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆).
🩸🪓𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: 50 (𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆 & 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔).
🪓🩸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑺𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆.
🩸🪓𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅: 22 𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕 2025.
🪓🩸𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅: 𝒀𝒆𝒔.
🩸🪓𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[krystle Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Just like a animal
Author: Zepphora
Genre: Dark Romance
Page Count / Length: (341)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ /5

A TABOO DARK ROMANCE NOVEL 🖤

💭 Quick Summary:
Framed for a double murder by his stepsister, with whom he is dangerously in love with. Now he is on the hunt to find her and claim what is his, even if she keeps running away. Take A dark ride through a secret society, evil cult, trauma-bonded couple, and a good rock performance here and there. With a mind-breaking twist in the end. No one will see it coming.👀

~SPICE SCENES ARE INTENSE CHECK YOU TRIGGER WARNINGS~ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️


✨ What I Loved:
• Jermey didn’t care what Winnie said or how Winnie felt, he followed her to every dark hole just to take her back by force, even tho he was pissed.

• How the guys loved her and how much loyalty they had for Winnie.

• The trauma bond that glued them together.

• The spice scenes pushed my limits and pushed me into a deeper rabbit 🕳️

• Framed, the MMC was filled with rage, and he still wanted her at any cost.

✨The writing was addictive, Zepphora had me up all night.✨

FAVORITE QUOTE 🖤

(“Soon. Real soon, that cunt, her mouth, and her tight ass will be mine. I’ll keep her constantly full of me, and no one will ever be able to take her away. I’ll make sure of that. She. Will. Be. Mine. She will come on my face, hand, and cock. She will love me. We will leave this place. We will get married and I’ll keep her safe”. 😩❤️ -Jermey


🎯 Who This Is For:☕️
•For those who love dark romance. A dark romance with a twist and a mix of every trope. (Cult, stalking, forbidden love, taboo, blood play, misuse of objects, torture(to sexual parts for touching his girl), touch her and die, secret society, and more. If you are an unhinged dark romance reader, this IS FOR YOU…


📢 Final Thoughts:
The book that gave me sleep deprivation! I haven’t read a dark romance book with a bit of every trope and trigger wrapped up in a man named JERMEY. I gagged, stopped, lost my breath, and started to get hot lol. I wasn’t expecting that type of surprise and ending. I recommend this read, especially if you want a fresh reset in your dark romance reading journey. 🖤
Happy Reading 📖😎

This was given to me by Zepphora 🖤 This was an ARC copy, and I’m forever grateful for this opportunity.

Thank you😊

Ps.. -🚨The collection of Eyeballs in a jar 👀🫙


[Dani-Lynn Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5 Star Rating
Multi First Person POV (Bronwyn & Jeremy)
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

🖤 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 🖤

“No. One. Touches. What. Belongs. To. Me. Period.”

I knew already from the start that I was going to be hooked, but I had no clue I was going to be this committed! I literally could not put the book down because I had to know what was going to happen next as the plot had me edging for how it was going to end. The Shadow and The Ghost were just a match made in unhinged heaven in this erotic taboo romance book from Zepphora, author of Myers and The Bastards of Grove Hill series. I loved the eerily psychotic relationship they grew together and the passion they had for the safety of each other in the horrendous home they lived in throughout their childhood.

Like An Animal is a dark taboo romance novel that centered upon Bronwyn whose brother Jeremy has become extremely cautious about who comes near her. After he intervenes on their father molesting her, he embraces her with a safety net and promises that she’ll never be harmed again. Unknowingly, Jeremy had his own monsters at home that he was hiding out of anger. Their emotionally traumatic bond brought them closer together to the point where they won’t let separate them. But Bronwyn starts to feel engulfed by his over-protectiveness and wants to push him away. See, she has darker secrets he doesn’t know about and that morbid past is coming back to eff up her life once again.

Zepphora does not hold back on anything in this book. The taboo relationship between step siblings. The level of gore and sexual torture throughout the story is enough to grind your teeth in agony. And the spice. The spice did not hold back and I was LIVING FOR IT. The Shadow and The Ghost are absolutely made for each other as they keep each other safe from the horrors of their lives even through the hardships and parenthood they find themselves starting.

I absolutely demolished this book in almost a single setting. The plot had me gripping my chair because of the abuse they suffered together as kids. How much Jeremy longed to keep her safe even as she saw it as being trapped. But the thing that had me on the edge was the sinister cult she escaped from and was brought back to. I was seated for the whole scene and felt like I suffered that loss alongside our characters. Beautifully written with characters that will linger with you. Exceptionally good and one that everyone should add to their TBR for the spooky season reads.

[Daisy Magnolia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything!! 😍

Step-siblings bound by trauma, tied together by scars and a family history drenched in secrets. With friendships tested, a cult lurking in the dark and a storm of feminine rage. Every choice pushes them closer to ruin or redemption. Every decision threatens to shatter the fragile line between love and destruction. One wrong move, and the past will devour them whole 💔

She disappeared, hiding for years, desperate not to be found, yet some things and some people are impossible to escape. She has no idea the length he'd go to claim her heart. But what he doesn't know is how far she'd go to keep him safe, how far she’s willing to push boundaries to protect him. He has no clue the risks she'd take to shield him. Some sacrifices are never what they seem ❤️‍🩹

Will she ever fall back into his arms? Will she ever find that love she's been hiding from and fighting for all these years? Will she battle everything, every secret, every fear, just to be with him? Does love always demand this much sacrifice? Because if love can save… maybe it's worth every risk, every heartbeat, and every piece of her broken soul 😢

And why am I a mess right now? 🥺🥺 That one moment in this story tore my heart to pieces, and I'm still picking up the fragments 💔

I've got to be brutally honest... there's that one scene where I literally had to close my eyes and take a deep breath before I could continue. Not that it triggered me or anything, but… how the hell do you even come up with that?! 😂 Did you have a dream before writing that madness?! 🤣 You amazing authors are insane and never fail to blow my mind! 😍

A 5☆ read because every shadow needs his little ghost and no distance, no walls, could stop him from catching her, breaking her, and making her crave him completely 🫦🔥

⚠️ Dark, intense, and emotionally heavy. Some scenes might be triggering. Read with caution. Your mental health matters 🌼

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

This is a dark romance. You need to check the trigger warnings in this book before reading it. You mental health is very important and I feel like after reading this book that it will contain things that might affect some people. This is the story of The Shadow who is Jeremy and The Ghost who is Bronwyn. These two have a story to tell that is twisted, dark and at times horrifying. They both have horrible parents. Or at least her father is bad and his mother is horrible. But there is a twist there I can't talk about. So these two know what trauma is. And just when you think you know it all. Bam the rug is pulled out right from under your feet and your left reeling. This is a story of survival and doing what you have to do to protect the one you love most in the world. This book is filled with twists and turns that will have you turning the pages as fast as you can. This book also has a little bit of everything in it. Taboo, forbidden romance, Mafia, a cult, found family. I loved reading this book. I can't tell you much about it though because everything I have typed I have had to erase for fear of it being a spoiler. I loved Bronwyn. She is snarky. Will cut you down with her words in a hot minute. She was not afraid to give as good as she got. I love Jeremy too. He is obsessed and a little more than unhinged over Bronwyn. He has been through so much by no fault of his own. He is the heir to the Mafia and has two of the best friends a guy could have in the world. I have to say that I so hope we get Xavi's story at some point too. I am sure this guy has quite the story to tell.

[FinalGirlCultBookClub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I could have finished this book in less than 24 hours and I decided not to because IT IS THAT GOOD. This is EXACTLY what I needed. In this book you'll find:

Blood
Gore
OTT, possessive, obsessive MMC that has no problem in unaliving anybody that touches or looks at you. AND HE DOES.
Taboo (step brother/step-sister)
Badass FMC
Touch her and die
Touch him and die
Toe curling, violent spice
Secret societies
Cults
Mafia
Rockstars
Found Family
My wife
HEAVY TRIGGERS (This is not a joke. This book has very heavy triggers, so please mind those)
human trafficking
Believe it or not, a HEA!

This book is also connected to the rest of her books, so yeah, it looks like I will GLADLY read everything this woman has ever written.

Jeremy and Bronwyn have always been connected to each other, ever since their parents got together. Jeremy will do anything to keep his step-sister safe, because ever since he saw her, he knew she was his. Once they got older, the pull they had for each other was more than evident and I'm not kidding when I say these two are fire and gasoline. Bronwyn has a horrible secret, though. She was promised to fulfill the desires of vile men and she will do anything to keep Jeremy safe.

Also, Jeremy Borza just moved waaaay up to my top book boyfriend/husband list. He's perfect and I won't hear otherwise.

This is a wild ride that you won't want to leave, so check your trigger warnings and grab a glass of wine and some tissues!

I'm very grateful for having had the opportunity to read this ARC. Again, this book, was amazing and I can't wait to read more. Bravo!

[Amber Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖤 Book Review: Like an Animal Like Zepphora

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🔥 Taboo • Mafia • Step-sibling Romance • Possessive Psychos • Obsession-Level Love 🔥

“She was the ghost. I was the shadow. And together, we were death.”

If you're into soft love stories with morally sound men… keep scrolling, babe.
Because Jeremy — aka The Shadow — is anything but soft. He’s mafia-born, eye-snatching, blood-soaked, and addicted to one thing: Bronwyn, the one girl he should never touch.

Too bad he doesn’t give a single fuck about rules.

This book? It's a fever dream of sin and obsession.
Bronwyn is haunted, broken, and freshly escaped from a twisted cult. Jeremy is her stepbrother, her protector, and the monster who's already claimed her — body, soul, and every dirty thought in between. And God help anyone who looks at her. Jeremy doesn't kill you. He collects your eyes.

You’ve been warned.

🖤 This isn’t love. This is possession.
🖤 This isn’t dark romance. This is pitch-fucking-black.
🖤 And yet… I devoured every single depraved page.

If you liked Hades Hangmen, but wished it went darker, filthier, and way more unhinged? This is your book.

💥 Check your triggers. No, seriously.
This one has cult trauma, extreme violence, graphic gore, taboo romance, psychological manipulation, and enough red flags to decorate a war zone.

But if you’re like me and love your men obsessive, violent, and willing to burn down the world for their girl? Jeremy will ruin you. In the best way.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

🖤arc review🖤

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ — Dark, dangerous, and dripping with revenge-fueled tension.

Like An Animal immediately hooks with its raw, unapologetic premise—framing a step-brother, sending him to prison, and now facing the fallout when he returns. The “Shadow” nickname paired with “little ghost” already sets the tone: this isn’t going to be a sweet reunion; it’s going to be a storm.

The biggest strength here is the intensity. The dynamic screams taboo, enemies-to-lovers, laced with obsession and danger. There’s a clear history of love turned sour, betrayal born from desperation, and the kind of emotional scars that make for explosive confrontations. The tension is built right into the setup—does he want to kill her, reclaim her, or both? That uncertainty is exactly what keeps dark romance readers turning pages.

It’s also refreshing that she owns her actions. She admits she framed him. She admits she loved him. And she admits she had no choice. That complexity makes her a more compelling—you want to know if she’s a victim, a survivor, or something far more morally gray.

Bottom line: If you like your romance dark, toxic, and full of dangerous push-pull tension, this promises exactly that. Expect revenge, passion tangled with betrayal, and a hero who blurs the line between love and vengeance.

[erika • dead wrong reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️ • 3/5 🌶️

• tropes + themes •

- Dark Romance
- Taboo Step Sibling Romance
- Mafia + Cult ties
- Surprise child (but not in a weird way)
- Trauma bonded MMC + FMC
- Bloody, but ultimately a HEA
- They would burn the world down for each other

• summary + thoughts •

Whewwww this one has a trigger list that is pages long with some of them making me run to google and then saying…okayyyy.

The MMC and FMC have matching traumas that make them into the resilient people they are. One of them has to make the ultimate decision that then creates a domino effect for everyone.

Miscommunication mixed with downright sabotage fuels confusion and creates a whirlwind of events that ultimately lead to not so wonderful events.

Overall, this book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster in the best way. Zepphora did a wonderful job of making me both love our main characters while absolutely HATING 3 specific characters throughout the book.

If you are looking for a book that:

- is fast paced
- has perfectly placed spice
- has stabby main characters
- has a strong and feisty FMC
- has an emo boy who is obsessed with the FMC
- shows the growth of the characters both overcoming trauma and with each other

this is it.

• fun fact •

MMC is a 5’ 8” “emo boy” in a rock band who has an average sized appendage that is both pierced and tattooed

[Beatriz Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶🌶🌶
Like An Animal by Zepphora

This story is dark, sexy, and completely addictive. Zepphora drags us straight into Grove Hill, a world full of secrets, mafia ties, and forbidden passions, where the line between desire and danger is never clear.

The chemistry between the main characters is so intense it turns every page into a push and pull between attraction and destruction.

💀 Tropes you’ll find:

🖤Stepbrother ✦ forbidden romance.
🖤Enemies to lovers (with dangerous tension)
🖤Mafia vibes ✦ dark inheritance
🖤Øbsêssįøn / pøssęssīvē MMC
🖤Cults and family secrets
🖤Found family ✦ unexpected bonds


🔥 Spice level: High. Graphic, intense, and darkly charged scenes.
⚠️ Trigger warnings: Make sure to check the list before reading.


✨ Why you should read it:
1. A dark romance full of twists, tension, and raw passion.


2. Complex, imperfect, obsessive characters you can’t look away from.


3. An addictive world where every secret matters.


4. Spicy scenes that keep the heat alive chapter after chapter.



🎯 Perfect for:

Dark romance readers who crave the most dangerous side of love.

Fans of obsession, mafia, and forbidden tropes.

Anyone looking for a fast-paced, steamy, and unputdownable read.

[Chrys Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading *Like an Animal* was such an enjoyable adventure! It takes us back to the familiar world of Grove Hill, introducing new characters that are just as captivating as the ones we already know and love. Who you will see a couple in this book. Even if you haven't read the previous books, you won't feel lost

From the very first page, I was hooked. The mix of a taboo romance set against a mafia backdrop had me on the edge of my seat. I mean, who doesn’t love a story that offers a little thrill? The characters are wonderfully crafted, making you cheer for their victories and feel deeply for their struggles. I really appreciate a strong female main character, and this book delivers on that front.

While it’s an amazing read, be mindful that it does touch on some darker themes. It’s not just all fun and games, but that’s part of what makes the story so gripping. I truly enjoyed the journey and found myself wanting more of these characters. Just a little reminder to check for any triggers before diving in—it's worth it, but it’s good to be prepared! Overall, *Like an Animal* is a fantastic book, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a powerful story.

[Samantha Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

**This is an ARC review. I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is 100% my own opinion!**

'Like An Animal' by: Zepphora

Infinite stars/5.
Not enough stars to rate this one.

I absolutely ate this book up! Jeremy is a literal psycho in all the right ways and Bronwyn is his beacon. She is his heaven and his hell. She can make him rage and also make him calm and level headed.

The only way to sum this book up is ...

He's a 10 but..... he cuts the skin off your current Husband's hand after tracking you down and f1ng3rs you while wearing said Husband's skin like a glove to see if you were honest when you said the husband could never get you off.... he also repeats the process with some other skin from his body 🫣 All while telling the husband to stop screaming because he's "trying to conduct an experiment" 💀💀

Go buy it right meow!!! You quite literally will NOT regret it!
It is available to buy physical from Amazon as of 8/17 and is available on KU as of 8/20!!!

*Forbidden Romance
*Mafia/Bratva
*Touch her and 💀
*Found Family
*references to the skin trade and trafficking world
*Cult references
*soulmates
*CHECK THE TRIGGERS

[Darkdirtysmut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has it all!!! I laughed, ugly cried, and raged over these pages. From protective to obsessive over the years together, this "forbidden love" goes through so many twists and turns heartache to heartbreak to HEA!!!

You don't have to read the Bastard Series or Myers but I highly recommend because they're amazing and this book mentions quite a few characters from these books as well as potential spoilers.

If your looking for taboo, masked(face painted) rockstars, and a laundry list of trigger warnings I highly recommend reading this book. Jeremy is a traumatized little boy with direct ties to the bratva and Bronwyn has secret ties and layers of traumas of her own!!! In this they find their safe place in each other. Massimo and Xavier are the best friends and bandmates to Jeremy but also watch out for Bron. A handpicked family that would do anything to protect each other.

When Bron is confronted with her past, she makes a decision to sacrifice herself to save those she loves.

So much happens in this book, I couldn't put it down! Zepphora knocked this out of the park!!! Spicy, twisty, and an emotional ride!!!

[Dark Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a VERY dark erotic horror book - please check triggers before reading.

This story is totally unhinged, but in the best way possible. It's a dark romance but also erotic horror - there is tons of gore and violence, so be aware of that going in. Even after checking the triggers, there are a few scenes I wasn't fully mentally prepared for, but the writing is excellent and the violence is not gratuitous at all.

This story starts with the FMC, Bronwyn, and the MMC, her stepbrother Jeremy. Jeremy himself is unhinged, with a dark history and "hobbies". At the same time, Bronwyn is equally unhinged - she's fierce, she can handle herself, and she protects her man the same way he protects her.

This is such an emotional story - although it's a dark/taboo thing, the connection between these MCs is so visceral, coming from a shared traumatic history and experiences. Their love for each other is strong and helps them get through everything.

And the spice? It's top-tier, totally twisted and still totally hot.

If you like darker than dark stories, check this one out - you'll be glad you did.