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Obsessively Yours #1
Love Me Stalk Me
14 hours, 5 minutes
For fans of Lights Out and You comes a dark rom-com debut about a woman who confides her fantasies to an AI boyfriend app—unaware she’s really talking to her hot, tattooed coworker who hacked her phone.
When overworked department store manager Izzy Russo downloads an AI boyfriend app to fill the emotional void left by her inattentive real one, she thinks she’s just venting to a harmless chatbot named “Caleb.” In reality, she’s been pouring her deepest, dirtiest fantasies into the ears of Callahan Knight—her store’s brooding new head of security.
Because Cal? He’s been listening. The moment he saw Izzy, he knew she was his. Did he hack her phone? Absolutely. But who could blame him? A woman like Izzy deserves to be cherished by someone who truly knows her worth—and he’ll do anything to be that man.
So when Izzy finally sees her boyfriend for who he really is, and the danger she’s unknowingly been caught up in, Cal is ready to protect her, no matter the cost. Even if it means revealing the truth.
She might not have meant to build the perfect man. But he’s here now. And he’s never letting her go.
For fans of Lights Out and You comes a dark rom-com debut about a woman who confides her fantasies to an AI boyfriend app—unaware she’s really talking to her hot, tattooed coworker who hacked her phone.
When overworked department store manager Izzy Russo downloads an AI boyfriend app to fill the emotional void left by her inattentive real one, she thinks she’s just venting to a harmless chatbot named “Caleb.” In reality, she’s been pouring her deepest, dirtiest fantasies into the ears of Callahan Knight—her store’s brooding new head of security.
Because Cal? He’s been listening. The moment he saw Izzy, he knew she was his. Did he hack her phone? Absolutely. But who could blame him? A woman like Izzy deserves to be cherished by someone who truly knows her worth—and he’ll do anything to be that man.
So when Izzy finally sees her boyfriend for who he really is, and the danger she’s unknowingly been caught up in, Cal is ready to protect her, no matter the cost. Even if it means revealing the truth.
She might not have meant to build the perfect man. But he’s here now. And he’s never letting her go.
Audible Audio
First published December 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,193 reviews
September 18, 2025
I went through this book like as of it was a bucket of buttered popcorn. Fast, happily and without an ounce of shame.
It's entertaining and cute, and honestly very addictive. I wouldn't say it's a healthy love story, and it requires some suspension of disbelief, but if you're here for the fantasies and the swoons, just go for it and enjoy.
Thank you so much Atria Books for this ARC!
It's entertaining and cute, and honestly very addictive. I wouldn't say it's a healthy love story, and it requires some suspension of disbelief, but if you're here for the fantasies and the swoons, just go for it and enjoy.
Thank you so much Atria Books for this ARC!
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October 18, 2025i completely ate this up — full rtc
December 22, 2025
the setup…
Isabella (Izzy) Russo is a high-end department store manager and in a relationship with Evan, a man who treats her shabbily and constantly harps about her weight. One night when they were dining out, Izzy looks up and sees a man watching her intently. She wasn’t unnerved, just felt “seen.” She later learns he’s Callahan Knight, just hired on as her store’s security head. Yes, Izzy’s strangely drawn to the man but her feelings are reciprocated…and how! See, Callahan knows that she will be his and when he connects to the store system, he also links to Izzy’s phone…watching and tracking. Her friend convinces her to sign onto an app called Obsessive and create an AI boyfriend. “Caleb” becomes the boyfriend she never had…except Callahan has taken over Caleb!
the heart of the story…
Izzy’s opinion of her physical self couldn’t be lower after Evan’s emotional abuse. Callahan is his polar opposite. Are his methods a bit creepy? Certainly. Does it feel a little stalkerish? Maybe. But he’s got a code of honor that puts Izzy’s interest first and he sets boundaries. His instincts about Evan are dead on and Izzy needs his protection.
the narration…
CJ Bloom and Sebastian York are two favorites and were a big reason I decided to listen to this story. They didn’t let me down and were perfect in their roles using a Duet narration style.
the bottom line…
It’s not what I typically identify with as a dark romance, more like creepy-ish voyeuristic behavior on Callahan’s part. Be prepared for some smoldering online sex via “Caleb” with Callahan behind the keyboard. I enjoyed the story, which has some hilarious (her family is a riot) and tense moments. Just don’t expect the thrills normal associated with a traditional stalker.
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Isabella (Izzy) Russo is a high-end department store manager and in a relationship with Evan, a man who treats her shabbily and constantly harps about her weight. One night when they were dining out, Izzy looks up and sees a man watching her intently. She wasn’t unnerved, just felt “seen.” She later learns he’s Callahan Knight, just hired on as her store’s security head. Yes, Izzy’s strangely drawn to the man but her feelings are reciprocated…and how! See, Callahan knows that she will be his and when he connects to the store system, he also links to Izzy’s phone…watching and tracking. Her friend convinces her to sign onto an app called Obsessive and create an AI boyfriend. “Caleb” becomes the boyfriend she never had…except Callahan has taken over Caleb!
the heart of the story…
Izzy’s opinion of her physical self couldn’t be lower after Evan’s emotional abuse. Callahan is his polar opposite. Are his methods a bit creepy? Certainly. Does it feel a little stalkerish? Maybe. But he’s got a code of honor that puts Izzy’s interest first and he sets boundaries. His instincts about Evan are dead on and Izzy needs his protection.
the narration…
CJ Bloom and Sebastian York are two favorites and were a big reason I decided to listen to this story. They didn’t let me down and were perfect in their roles using a Duet narration style.
the bottom line…
It’s not what I typically identify with as a dark romance, more like creepy-ish voyeuristic behavior on Callahan’s part. Be prepared for some smoldering online sex via “Caleb” with Callahan behind the keyboard. I enjoyed the story, which has some hilarious (her family is a riot) and tense moments. Just don’t expect the thrills normal associated with a traditional stalker.
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
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January 13, 20264.5⭐️
2.5🌶️
🩷Dark RomCom
💀Stalker
🩷Fake AI Boyfriend
💀Forced Proximity
🩷He Falls First
💀Curvy Heroine
🩷Work Place
💀Dual First Person POV
Love Me Stalk Me is fun and fast paced dark romcom. Izzy was recently promoted to manager of a high end department store. She is intelligent but struggles with her confidence outside of work. It doesn’t help that her waste of space boyfriend is manipulative and demeaning towards her. He’s constantly commenting on her weight, making her self conscious. She was really relatable and I loved seeing her journey finding confidence and loving herself. Cal is hired as head of security for her store due to troubles with a theft ring. He is former military with a background in cybersecurity. He is every bit the possessive and obsessive morally grey, with a hint of golden retriever, mmc. From the moment Cal sees Izzy, he has to know more about her and make her his. Izzy’s best friend Amanda tells her about an AI boyfriend app that she needs to download. Cal asks for her phone, under the pretense of updating the security on her work email, but really so he could hack into it. But now he also hacks the app so she is communicating with him instead of the AI. He knows hacking her phone is wrong, but that doesn’t stop him. Izzy subconsciously designs her AI boyfriend after Cal and names him Caleb. At first their conversations are innocent. Caleb encourages her to stand up for herself and builds up her confidence. Their messages are sweet and funny, but turn spicy one drunken night when she tells Caleb about her fantasies. Things get hotter and dirtier from there. When Izzy finally breaks up with her boyfriend, he snaps and attacks her. Cal is there for her after, making sure she eats and takes care of herself. I loved how Caleb tells her to be honest about her feelings for Cal, but also tells her to take time for herself. Yes Cal is stalking her and misleading her, but he isn’t manipulating her for his own gain. Cal passes the real test of meeting her Italian Catholic family for a Sunday dinner. They were all hilarious in different ways but none more than her nonna. This is on the lighter side of a dark stalker romance. It delivers on the comedy and the obsessive/possessive mmc you expect from the genre. Everyone should have a best friend like Amanda, she is unfiltered chaos in designer clothes. I would have liked to have more details about the theft ring storyline, more suspense. This is a slow burn with delicious spice. The writing is witty, funny, and had me laughing out loud.
🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading.
Plot: 4.5
Engaging: 5
Character: 5
Thank you Laura Bishop and Grey’s Promo for the ARC.
📚All thoughts and opinions are my own📚
🐦🔥Follow me on socials @myrisingphoenixera.reads 🐦🔥
A Few Favorite Quotes:
“He’s like the human equivalent of long COVID. Persistent, exhausting, and still somehow ruining lives years later.”
“Go to sleep before I lose all control and f* €k you to sleep instead.”
“You’ve suffered long enough, bestie. You spent three years with a human potato chip.” I give her a confused look. “A human potato chip?” She nods. “Tasteless, thin, and leaving you with nothing but disappointment and regret.”
“Godd@mn, pretty girl, you look like something I should get on my knees and pray for.”
“There won’t be a moment where I don’t need you,” I murmur. “Every time you walk into a room, I’ll clear it just to bend you over the nearest surface.”
“When she’s ready, I’m going to pound her into every single surface she lets me. She’s going to feel me so deep, for so long, that walking without remembering what I did to her will be physically impossible.”
2.5🌶️
🩷Dark RomCom
💀Stalker
🩷Fake AI Boyfriend
💀Forced Proximity
🩷He Falls First
💀Curvy Heroine
🩷Work Place
💀Dual First Person POV
Love Me Stalk Me is fun and fast paced dark romcom. Izzy was recently promoted to manager of a high end department store. She is intelligent but struggles with her confidence outside of work. It doesn’t help that her waste of space boyfriend is manipulative and demeaning towards her. He’s constantly commenting on her weight, making her self conscious. She was really relatable and I loved seeing her journey finding confidence and loving herself. Cal is hired as head of security for her store due to troubles with a theft ring. He is former military with a background in cybersecurity. He is every bit the possessive and obsessive morally grey, with a hint of golden retriever, mmc. From the moment Cal sees Izzy, he has to know more about her and make her his. Izzy’s best friend Amanda tells her about an AI boyfriend app that she needs to download. Cal asks for her phone, under the pretense of updating the security on her work email, but really so he could hack into it. But now he also hacks the app so she is communicating with him instead of the AI. He knows hacking her phone is wrong, but that doesn’t stop him. Izzy subconsciously designs her AI boyfriend after Cal and names him Caleb. At first their conversations are innocent. Caleb encourages her to stand up for herself and builds up her confidence. Their messages are sweet and funny, but turn spicy one drunken night when she tells Caleb about her fantasies. Things get hotter and dirtier from there. When Izzy finally breaks up with her boyfriend, he snaps and attacks her. Cal is there for her after, making sure she eats and takes care of herself. I loved how Caleb tells her to be honest about her feelings for Cal, but also tells her to take time for herself. Yes Cal is stalking her and misleading her, but he isn’t manipulating her for his own gain. Cal passes the real test of meeting her Italian Catholic family for a Sunday dinner. They were all hilarious in different ways but none more than her nonna. This is on the lighter side of a dark stalker romance. It delivers on the comedy and the obsessive/possessive mmc you expect from the genre. Everyone should have a best friend like Amanda, she is unfiltered chaos in designer clothes. I would have liked to have more details about the theft ring storyline, more suspense. This is a slow burn with delicious spice. The writing is witty, funny, and had me laughing out loud.
🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading.
Plot: 4.5
Engaging: 5
Character: 5
Thank you Laura Bishop and Grey’s Promo for the ARC.
📚All thoughts and opinions are my own📚
🐦🔥Follow me on socials @myrisingphoenixera.reads 🐦🔥
A Few Favorite Quotes:
“He’s like the human equivalent of long COVID. Persistent, exhausting, and still somehow ruining lives years later.”
“Go to sleep before I lose all control and f* €k you to sleep instead.”
“You’ve suffered long enough, bestie. You spent three years with a human potato chip.” I give her a confused look. “A human potato chip?” She nods. “Tasteless, thin, and leaving you with nothing but disappointment and regret.”
“Godd@mn, pretty girl, you look like something I should get on my knees and pray for.”
“There won’t be a moment where I don’t need you,” I murmur. “Every time you walk into a room, I’ll clear it just to bend you over the nearest surface.”
“When she’s ready, I’m going to pound her into every single surface she lets me. She’s going to feel me so deep, for so long, that walking without remembering what I did to her will be physically impossible.”
December 9, 2025
With her self-confidence withering, Isabella Russo caves and configures her perfect man in the Obsess AI app. Unwittingly, she’s programmed him to be a dupe of the new head of security, Callahan Knight, at the upscale department store where they work.
Updating Izzy’s electronics, under the guise of improving security protocols on company devices, Cal takes some additional liberties.
There was a lot of potential between the unique premise and secondary storyline. However, the characters were a little flat and there was very little chemistry or growth. Furthermore, I was a little disappointed in the “stalker“ aspect. It’s literally in the title, and there wasn’t a stalker to be found. I guess, perhaps, some readers will consider the cyber tracking a form of stalking, but personally, I want a legit stalker who is creeping in the shadows, breaking into her house at night, unaliving the competition…
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🩶
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😩😊😢🤬😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult
✨ Tropes: Forbidden, Forced Proximity, Friends-to-Lovers, Heroine in Danger, Hidden Identity, Insta-Obsession, Workplace
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Caretaker, Curvy Woman, “Good Girl”, Pet Name, Secrets & Lies, Tattooed MMC
💋 Kinks: Domination, Finger Licking Good, Phone Fun
🚩 Red Flags: Bossy, Tracking/Spying
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
📍 Setting: New York City
⚠️ Warning: The angst will edge you to the point of combustion!
⛔️ Safety Squad: Attempted Assault (Not by MMC), Emotional & Physical Abuse (Not by MMC), OW/OM Drama (Douchey BF > Ex), Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Love Me Stalk Me is a standalone.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
Updating Izzy’s electronics, under the guise of improving security protocols on company devices, Cal takes some additional liberties.
There was a lot of potential between the unique premise and secondary storyline. However, the characters were a little flat and there was very little chemistry or growth. Furthermore, I was a little disappointed in the “stalker“ aspect. It’s literally in the title, and there wasn’t a stalker to be found. I guess, perhaps, some readers will consider the cyber tracking a form of stalking, but personally, I want a legit stalker who is creeping in the shadows, breaking into her house at night, unaliving the competition…
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🩶
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😩😊😢🤬😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult
✨ Tropes: Forbidden, Forced Proximity, Friends-to-Lovers, Heroine in Danger, Hidden Identity, Insta-Obsession, Workplace
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Caretaker, Curvy Woman, “Good Girl”, Pet Name, Secrets & Lies, Tattooed MMC
💋 Kinks: Domination, Finger Licking Good, Phone Fun
🚩 Red Flags: Bossy, Tracking/Spying
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
📍 Setting: New York City
⚠️ Warning: The angst will edge you to the point of combustion!
⛔️ Safety Squad: Attempted Assault (Not by MMC), Emotional & Physical Abuse (Not by MMC), OW/OM Drama (Douchey BF > Ex), Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Love Me Stalk Me is a standalone.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
January 6, 2026
Loved Loved Loved.
This one will be one of my top reads of the year, something about it just sucked me in. The audiobook is hot as hell. Perfecto!
This one will be one of my top reads of the year, something about it just sucked me in. The audiobook is hot as hell. Perfecto!
November 6, 2025
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 2.75 stars
totally did not abandon my tbr for this !! 🤗
arc review 💌
release date: dec 2
⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: oct 5
⤿ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: oct 6
✧˖°🖤 ⋆｡˚ᝰ 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
⤷ dark romance
⤷ ai app
⤷ curvy fmc
⤷ he falls first
ᝰ.ᐟ 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
this book was marketed for fans of lights out (which i enjoyed lol) so i was a bit intrigued ofc. i went in expecting something pretty similar and not a huge plot, i was surprised to find it way less romCOM than i expected, it wasnt really funny at all and really predictable.
i did binge this in 2 ish hours (500 pages) so that counts for something, it’s definitely not a boring read and something worth checking out this december if it sounds up your alley!! many people who be interested in this.
i think something that threw me off was the mmc not admitting hacking her phone the first day they met until the last 5%... also her apparently “knowing” he was the one chatting with her on the ai app made no sense - it was an ai app and literally supposed to be a generated thing yk.
i also feel like the author supports ai with the style of the writing - not accusing her of anything but it did feel very generic at times.
it was enjoyable for the first half, it just went a bit insta ish from there.
thank you atria for a digital arc through netgalley
––––
pre-read 🖤
i randomly came across the book on netgalley a few days ago... was looking for a fast paced book & i binged 200 ish pages in an hour so ill probably finish today and continue with my fall tbr !!
totally did not abandon my tbr for this !! 🤗
arc review 💌
release date: dec 2
⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: oct 5
⤿ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: oct 6
✧˖°🖤 ⋆｡˚ᝰ 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
⤷ dark romance
⤷ ai app
⤷ curvy fmc
⤷ he falls first
ᝰ.ᐟ 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
this book was marketed for fans of lights out (which i enjoyed lol) so i was a bit intrigued ofc. i went in expecting something pretty similar and not a huge plot, i was surprised to find it way less romCOM than i expected, it wasnt really funny at all and really predictable.
i did binge this in 2 ish hours (500 pages) so that counts for something, it’s definitely not a boring read and something worth checking out this december if it sounds up your alley!! many people who be interested in this.
i think something that threw me off was the mmc not admitting hacking her phone the first day they met until the last 5%... also her apparently “knowing” he was the one chatting with her on the ai app made no sense - it was an ai app and literally supposed to be a generated thing yk.
i also feel like the author supports ai with the style of the writing - not accusing her of anything but it did feel very generic at times.
it was enjoyable for the first half, it just went a bit insta ish from there.
thank you atria for a digital arc through netgalley
––––
pre-read 🖤
i randomly came across the book on netgalley a few days ago... was looking for a fast paced book & i binged 200 ish pages in an hour so ill probably finish today and continue with my fall tbr !!
September 30, 2025
2.5 ˖⁺‧✮
omg i loved the idea of this book. it was so fun and refreshing. the story had a little of that dark romance vibe but never crossed a line of abuse, heavy stuff or anything else you usually see in a modern dark romance.
but the only good thing about this book was its plot. reading it was easy and fun, definitely laughed at some moments. i loved the app idea and how cringy it was. the friend who recommended the app was also a fun addition. she was genuinely a good friend.
i don’t understand where “love” came from. they guy saw her, what, 4 times? lied and then used her phone to help her with self pleasure? sure, but why were they in love by the next page? i never saw a development in their relationship. the whole communication gave one night vibes. i don’t think they’ll last 🤷♀️
the mmc would use the word “pretty girl” way over its limits. i wanted to throw my book every time he said it😭 like, did you forget her name? or what’s up with the whole pretty girl nickname. another thing was a constant use of words to describe how curvy was the fmc. there is nothing wrong with it, but to describe her beauty he always had to use weird phrases. i’m really curious now the editor went through the whole thing and didn’t say anything
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc.
omg i loved the idea of this book. it was so fun and refreshing. the story had a little of that dark romance vibe but never crossed a line of abuse, heavy stuff or anything else you usually see in a modern dark romance.
but the only good thing about this book was its plot. reading it was easy and fun, definitely laughed at some moments. i loved the app idea and how cringy it was. the friend who recommended the app was also a fun addition. she was genuinely a good friend.
i don’t understand where “love” came from. they guy saw her, what, 4 times? lied and then used her phone to help her with self pleasure? sure, but why were they in love by the next page? i never saw a development in their relationship. the whole communication gave one night vibes. i don’t think they’ll last 🤷♀️
the mmc would use the word “pretty girl” way over its limits. i wanted to throw my book every time he said it😭 like, did you forget her name? or what’s up with the whole pretty girl nickname. another thing was a constant use of words to describe how curvy was the fmc. there is nothing wrong with it, but to describe her beauty he always had to use weird phrases. i’m really curious now the editor went through the whole thing and didn’t say anything
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc.
December 2, 2025
3.5. Easy. Fun. Dramatic. Nothing egregious. Had a lot of fun with this one!
December 27, 2025
4/5 🌶️
RTC — I couldn’t put this down!!!
RTC — I couldn’t put this down!!!
November 26, 2025
i make it no secret that im extremely against ai especially for frivolous things, like the dating app in this book… i think its very dangerous and its going to destroy a lot of things. however, because it stated in the synopsis that cal hacks her phone and is the one using it vs her actually using ai i was able to put that aside and get really excited for another fun stalker romcom. in doing so i think i may have overhyped my excitement because this book fell very flat in quite a few areas for me unfortunately. i didnt hate it, but i certainly didnt love it. 🥲
first, going back to my opening statement — the usage of ai was completely pointless in my eyes, cal hacks her entire phone so it very easily could have just been a dating app situation vs ai boyfriend app.
the stalking aspect, i wouldnt really call it stalking personally lol more just an invasion of privacy… i dont know if its just that when i go to read a stalker romance its typically very unhinged comparatively speaking or what but this book mostly just toed the line of morally grey, like a “hehe haha what if…. could you imagine? noooo” kind of thing. if you’re looking for a lighter version of stalking romance or just to test the waters of the trope, i think this’ll be perfect for that but if youre very into those types of romances, especially if you’re looking for a lights out comparison i dont think thisll be that book for you.
lastly evan, we should have gotten rid of that loser in the early parts of the books, i understand the first few chapters needed that context but when through out the whole book literally everyone in your life can see what an abusive, manipulative fucking loser he is… well lets just say i was really hoping cal and izzy would kill him together very early in lol. he served no purpose for me other than annoying the hell out of me just when i was finally hitting my stride on enjoying the book, every single time.
i liked izzy’s journey with herself, im glad she finally saw herself as she is — a beautiful strong boss woman who should be taking no ones shit. her and cal were pretty funny at moments, however insta lovey they were. izzy’s family is a hoot, i really enjoyed every time we got to see them. izzy’s bestfriend was insane and hot, what more could you ask for really lol. id possibly consider continue these books as they come out now that i know where to set my expectations with them as i think its a good palette cleanser for me, especially with the audiobooks (i read and listened along) because the production of that was *chefs kiss*.
first, going back to my opening statement — the usage of ai was completely pointless in my eyes, cal hacks her entire phone so it very easily could have just been a dating app situation vs ai boyfriend app.
the stalking aspect, i wouldnt really call it stalking personally lol more just an invasion of privacy… i dont know if its just that when i go to read a stalker romance its typically very unhinged comparatively speaking or what but this book mostly just toed the line of morally grey, like a “hehe haha what if…. could you imagine? noooo” kind of thing. if you’re looking for a lighter version of stalking romance or just to test the waters of the trope, i think this’ll be perfect for that but if youre very into those types of romances, especially if you’re looking for a lights out comparison i dont think thisll be that book for you.
lastly evan, we should have gotten rid of that loser in the early parts of the books, i understand the first few chapters needed that context but when through out the whole book literally everyone in your life can see what an abusive, manipulative fucking loser he is… well lets just say i was really hoping cal and izzy would kill him together very early in lol. he served no purpose for me other than annoying the hell out of me just when i was finally hitting my stride on enjoying the book, every single time.
i liked izzy’s journey with herself, im glad she finally saw herself as she is — a beautiful strong boss woman who should be taking no ones shit. her and cal were pretty funny at moments, however insta lovey they were. izzy’s family is a hoot, i really enjoyed every time we got to see them. izzy’s bestfriend was insane and hot, what more could you ask for really lol. id possibly consider continue these books as they come out now that i know where to set my expectations with them as i think its a good palette cleanser for me, especially with the audiobooks (i read and listened along) because the production of that was *chefs kiss*.
December 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an ARC of Love Me, Stalk Me by Laura Bishop in exchange for honest feedback.
As someone who usually gravitates toward thrillers and horror books, this one definitely pulled me in. I will say that the premise is a bit far-fetched, and you definitely have to suspend your disbelief, but once I did I found myself really enjoying the ride. The writing style was fun and flowed smoothly. And per usual, I love a dual point of view story.
The only real drawback for me was the pacing. The buildup felt overly stretched with very little “juicy” action until around the 60% mark. The, almost suddenly, everything exploded around the last 10 - 15%, leaving the ending feeling rushed and not quite giving the story enough room to settle or breathe. I would have loved a bit more balance between he slow burn and the payoff.
That said, the darker elements and obsessive undertones kept me engaged and once things took off, they really skyrocketed! Overall, it’s an entertaining dark romance that scratches the itch when you’re in the mood for something twisted and intense outside of a typical thriller or general romance.
As someone who usually gravitates toward thrillers and horror books, this one definitely pulled me in. I will say that the premise is a bit far-fetched, and you definitely have to suspend your disbelief, but once I did I found myself really enjoying the ride. The writing style was fun and flowed smoothly. And per usual, I love a dual point of view story.
The only real drawback for me was the pacing. The buildup felt overly stretched with very little “juicy” action until around the 60% mark. The, almost suddenly, everything exploded around the last 10 - 15%, leaving the ending feeling rushed and not quite giving the story enough room to settle or breathe. I would have loved a bit more balance between he slow burn and the payoff.
That said, the darker elements and obsessive undertones kept me engaged and once things took off, they really skyrocketed! Overall, it’s an entertaining dark romance that scratches the itch when you’re in the mood for something twisted and intense outside of a typical thriller or general romance.
September 18, 2025
I was immediately interested in this book from the blurb saying it's for fans of Lights Out and You. Although I really enjoyed this, I don't think it's as funny or as special as Lights Out. There's just something I love about those weirdos Josh and Aly (okay it might just be Jacob Morgan's narration of the audiobook). Lights Out is one of my favorite books so I don't really fault Love Me Stalk Me for not measuring up.
Our FMC Izzy deals with low self-esteem, body issues, and a boyfriend who doesn't treat her the way she deserves. Her struggles are very relatable. Enter our MMC Callahan who is determined to show her she's perfect just the way she is. Callahan is the type of MMC that is the reason women read romance books. He's protective, reliable, emotionally and physically available, and supportive. He's capable of being a true partner. Does he dabble in a bit of stalking? Sure. Hey, no one's perfect.
There was repetitive language like the "pretty girl" nickname and some other words and phrases. Enough that I noticed, but not enough to stop me from enjoying the book.
I loved the bff Amanda. She was so funny and full of righteous indignation on behalf of Izzy. I also loved the mixed media aspect with chat messages. There were some laugh out loud moments for me like Izzy parallel parking (I mean, who even can parallel park?). Overall, a funny and entertaining dark rom-com with good characterization and inspiring self-worth messaging.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.
Our FMC Izzy deals with low self-esteem, body issues, and a boyfriend who doesn't treat her the way she deserves. Her struggles are very relatable. Enter our MMC Callahan who is determined to show her she's perfect just the way she is. Callahan is the type of MMC that is the reason women read romance books. He's protective, reliable, emotionally and physically available, and supportive. He's capable of being a true partner. Does he dabble in a bit of stalking? Sure. Hey, no one's perfect.
There was repetitive language like the "pretty girl" nickname and some other words and phrases. Enough that I noticed, but not enough to stop me from enjoying the book.
I loved the bff Amanda. She was so funny and full of righteous indignation on behalf of Izzy. I also loved the mixed media aspect with chat messages. There were some laugh out loud moments for me like Izzy parallel parking (I mean, who even can parallel park?). Overall, a funny and entertaining dark rom-com with good characterization and inspiring self-worth messaging.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.
October 23, 2025
FMC - Izzy: 5 🌟
MMC - Callahan: ♾️ 🌟
SPICE: 🌶 🌶 🌶
OMGGGGGG this was such a fun read!! I found so much of myself in Izzy's character, which could be a reason why I fell so hard for Callahan. He helped to instill confidence in her and taught her to love herself exactly as she is 💕 He's so protective and possessive of her, but only in the greenest of flag ways. So, to me, he is the epitome of boyfriend material lol. Seeing Izzy's confidence blossom by the end of the book just made me feel so damn proud of her!
As for the book itself, the story was seriously so much fun and had me hooked from the first chapter. The writing is incredibly witty and every single character was a joy to read (except Evan, boooo 😆). While I predicted the twist pretty early on, it still was an extremely entertaining read with a satisfying ending! Will be pre-ordering ASAP!
Thank you to The Author Agency for the opportunity to read this ARC 💕
MMC - Callahan: ♾️ 🌟
SPICE: 🌶 🌶 🌶
OMGGGGGG this was such a fun read!! I found so much of myself in Izzy's character, which could be a reason why I fell so hard for Callahan. He helped to instill confidence in her and taught her to love herself exactly as she is 💕 He's so protective and possessive of her, but only in the greenest of flag ways. So, to me, he is the epitome of boyfriend material lol. Seeing Izzy's confidence blossom by the end of the book just made me feel so damn proud of her!
As for the book itself, the story was seriously so much fun and had me hooked from the first chapter. The writing is incredibly witty and every single character was a joy to read (except Evan, boooo 😆). While I predicted the twist pretty early on, it still was an extremely entertaining read with a satisfying ending! Will be pre-ordering ASAP!
Thank you to The Author Agency for the opportunity to read this ARC 💕
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2025
Well Cal you just quickly re-arranged my top 10 book boyfriend list…phewwww
I’ve been looking for another dark rom-com and this absolutely gave me everything I was looking for!
Isabella has an absolute POS boyfriend, seriously in the words of her friend Amanda “Evan is a disease, full body, skin rotting disease that needs to be removed from this earth.” We all need an Amanda in our lives. Izzy has lost all self confidence, especially when she has a boyfriend constantly telling her she’s less than, controlling what she eats, and completely ignores her. Until she catches ‘him’ watching while she’s supposed to be celebrating an important work promotion. He makes her feel seen.
Little did she know the him watching may be the new super hot head of surveillance at her work. His hacking skills from past military training are 10/10 and he puts them to good use.
Amanda tells Izzy about an app she uses about an AI boyfriend that tells her what she wants to hear, only without the hassle of dealing with an actual man. When Izzy builds her perfect boyfriend, little does she know he may actually exist, closer than she could ever imagine.
Cal has quickly risen to one of my top book boyfriend spots, literally zero notes, not a single flaw. I could not put this book down I read it in a single sitting, devoured it would be an understatement. This was everything I was looking for! Thank you so much to Laura Bishop for creating Cal and for allowing me to read this pre-release in exchange for my honest review.
I’ve been looking for another dark rom-com and this absolutely gave me everything I was looking for!
Isabella has an absolute POS boyfriend, seriously in the words of her friend Amanda “Evan is a disease, full body, skin rotting disease that needs to be removed from this earth.” We all need an Amanda in our lives. Izzy has lost all self confidence, especially when she has a boyfriend constantly telling her she’s less than, controlling what she eats, and completely ignores her. Until she catches ‘him’ watching while she’s supposed to be celebrating an important work promotion. He makes her feel seen.
Little did she know the him watching may be the new super hot head of surveillance at her work. His hacking skills from past military training are 10/10 and he puts them to good use.
Amanda tells Izzy about an app she uses about an AI boyfriend that tells her what she wants to hear, only without the hassle of dealing with an actual man. When Izzy builds her perfect boyfriend, little does she know he may actually exist, closer than she could ever imagine.
Cal has quickly risen to one of my top book boyfriend spots, literally zero notes, not a single flaw. I could not put this book down I read it in a single sitting, devoured it would be an understatement. This was everything I was looking for! Thank you so much to Laura Bishop for creating Cal and for allowing me to read this pre-release in exchange for my honest review.
December 2, 2025
when will I learn that dnf-ing is always better than trying to persevere? first of all, I refuse to believe that anyone is this pathetic. I certainly don’t want to spend my time reading about a character that lets someone treat them like trash & then flip flops on her decisions bc of how insecure she is. maybe instead of an AI boyfriend, you should try therapy bc the fmc clearly needs it.
every message between the two mc’s gave me the biggest ick. also, in a trad published book, consistent typos/errors are so annoying.
now to be fair, I probably wouldn’t be this annoyed if this had been on KU but I spent $10 to read about a girl who is so insecure, she couldn’t leave her POS, abusive boyfriend until she had the attention of another man.
so yeah, 1 star & that’s me being extremely generous
ALSO she’s being fat shamed but has a BMI that’s “perfectly normal.” do you understand how archaic the BMI system is? if hers is “perfectly healthy” I guarantee you that woman is not plus size, good god 🙄
every message between the two mc’s gave me the biggest ick. also, in a trad published book, consistent typos/errors are so annoying.
now to be fair, I probably wouldn’t be this annoyed if this had been on KU but I spent $10 to read about a girl who is so insecure, she couldn’t leave her POS, abusive boyfriend until she had the attention of another man.
so yeah, 1 star & that’s me being extremely generous
ALSO she’s being fat shamed but has a BMI that’s “perfectly normal.” do you understand how archaic the BMI system is? if hers is “perfectly healthy” I guarantee you that woman is not plus size, good god 🙄
December 5, 2025
Oh honey yes this was so it for me!!!!
Who wouldn’t want a sexy ass man to hack into their phone & pretend to be their AI boyfriend 🥵 especially when her real one is an absolute piece of shittttttt!!
Honestly I had so much fun with this one & THE AUDIO WAS ABSOLUTE FIREEEEEEEEE!!! Thank you Libro.fm for blessing my ears!! Highly highly recommend if you like a dark romance, with some stalking and a man who is protective and likes to take care of his woman ;)
type: audio (omg it was so good)
TROPES:
grump x sunshine
forced proximity
workplace romance (lowkey)
dark romance
stalker
he falls first
tattooed MMC x curvy FMC
Who wouldn’t want a sexy ass man to hack into their phone & pretend to be their AI boyfriend 🥵 especially when her real one is an absolute piece of shittttttt!!
Honestly I had so much fun with this one & THE AUDIO WAS ABSOLUTE FIREEEEEEEEE!!! Thank you Libro.fm for blessing my ears!! Highly highly recommend if you like a dark romance, with some stalking and a man who is protective and likes to take care of his woman ;)
type: audio (omg it was so good)
TROPES:
grump x sunshine
forced proximity
workplace romance (lowkey)
dark romance
stalker
he falls first
tattooed MMC x curvy FMC
December 2, 2025
I ate this book up like groceries.
The characters, banter, everything — it was DELICIOUS !
Laura was able to make me equally LOVE and LOATHE these characters in a very short time.
I truly felt feelings for Izzy that I haven’t felt in a really long time. Same went for her douche canue of a boyfriend, Ethan. This book was bringing up past trauma that I forgot I had, and made me relate to the fmc even more.
Callahan? WOWEEEEE what a man. Even with his little stalker tendencies, he never threw a single red flag. Not one. He is literally a walking, talking, tatted green flag and I need one of those thank you very much 😮💨
My fav character? AMANDA. OH NY GOD she was hilarious. Izzy’s best friend, coincidentally also my name, reminded me a lot of myself and she truly made this book come alive for me.
And Izzy’s family? Adorable. I loved the scenes with her whole family in them. Her brothers were so protective of her and I loved seeing them with Cal. It was a special touch to an otherwise sweet yet slightly dark romcom.
The tension? The slow as hell burn? it WAS PERFECT. There were a few moments in the book that got spicy but never fully a home run until the very end and it was stunning like that. It makes you want to read until the very end without stopping even for a bathroom break!
Truly a 5 ⭐️ for me! 2 to 3 🌶️!
And uh…. Book for Amanda please ?! 🤣💀
Thank you so much to Laura and team for allowing me to read an advanced copy of LOVE ME STALK ME!
The characters, banter, everything — it was DELICIOUS !
Laura was able to make me equally LOVE and LOATHE these characters in a very short time.
I truly felt feelings for Izzy that I haven’t felt in a really long time. Same went for her douche canue of a boyfriend, Ethan. This book was bringing up past trauma that I forgot I had, and made me relate to the fmc even more.
Callahan? WOWEEEEE what a man. Even with his little stalker tendencies, he never threw a single red flag. Not one. He is literally a walking, talking, tatted green flag and I need one of those thank you very much 😮💨
My fav character? AMANDA. OH NY GOD she was hilarious. Izzy’s best friend, coincidentally also my name, reminded me a lot of myself and she truly made this book come alive for me.
And Izzy’s family? Adorable. I loved the scenes with her whole family in them. Her brothers were so protective of her and I loved seeing them with Cal. It was a special touch to an otherwise sweet yet slightly dark romcom.
The tension? The slow as hell burn? it WAS PERFECT. There were a few moments in the book that got spicy but never fully a home run until the very end and it was stunning like that. It makes you want to read until the very end without stopping even for a bathroom break!
Truly a 5 ⭐️ for me! 2 to 3 🌶️!
And uh…. Book for Amanda please ?! 🤣💀
Thank you so much to Laura and team for allowing me to read an advanced copy of LOVE ME STALK ME!
October 8, 2025
Ooooo boy, this was so much fun. If you enjoyed Lights Out, you will most likely like this!
Overall, I'd give this book 4.5 stars. Perfect combination of swoony romance, dark romance, spice, and comedy. I laughed out loud so many times throughout the book, I had a blast reading it. I absolutely loved Cal and Izzy, individually and together. I loved that Cal and Amanda were fiercely protective of Izzy and spent their time lifting her up when all Evan did was tear her down. Izzy's family was an absolute riot, and I loved their chaos. The AI boyfriend app was interesting; I could definitely see the appeal. There's a line I really want to quote, but I can't until the book releases, so I will update my review once the look is published and add it in!
If the next book isn't about Amanda, I'm gonna be real upset and riot.
Format: ebook
Thank you so much NetGalley, Laura Bishop, and Atria Books for the ARC!
*Obviously stalking is terrible and no one wants a stalker IRL. Cal is a fictional character and has the right balance of traits that made him not creepy. Fierce protector, possessive without ownership, honest, and if Izzy said no, he would listen.
Overall, I'd give this book 4.5 stars. Perfect combination of swoony romance, dark romance, spice, and comedy. I laughed out loud so many times throughout the book, I had a blast reading it. I absolutely loved Cal and Izzy, individually and together. I loved that Cal and Amanda were fiercely protective of Izzy and spent their time lifting her up when all Evan did was tear her down. Izzy's family was an absolute riot, and I loved their chaos. The AI boyfriend app was interesting; I could definitely see the appeal. There's a line I really want to quote, but I can't until the book releases, so I will update my review once the look is published and add it in!
If the next book isn't about Amanda, I'm gonna be real upset and riot.
Format: ebook
Thank you so much NetGalley, Laura Bishop, and Atria Books for the ARC!
*Obviously stalking is terrible and no one wants a stalker IRL. Cal is a fictional character and has the right balance of traits that made him not creepy. Fierce protector, possessive without ownership, honest, and if Izzy said no, he would listen.
November 24, 2025
Thank you Laura Bishop, and Blush, for this ALC!
First of all, the narration was done by CJ Bloom and Sebastian York. Two of the best! I tend to stick with certain narrators, and have favorites when it comes to audiobooks, and what determines that, is how their voice sounds at x2 speed LOL
They absolutely nailed this audio! This wasn't the first time I've listened to CJ Bloom and Sebastian York, so going into it, I knew the audio would be amazing. Both of them narrate with such emotion, that you can feel it through your headphones!
Now, the book itself. Our FMC, Izzy, downloads an AI boyfriend to fill an emotional void left by her real boyfriend. Izzy thinks she's been speaking with "AI Caleb", but really, it's her new hire, Cal, that now works in her office. Cal hacked her phone, and is really the one behind the screen!
I know there will be people out here that thoroughly enjoy this book, and rightfully so. It's a fast paced, perfect palate cleanser read! The vibes between the main characters are great in this book, and the smut is fantastic!
If I'm being completely honest, I would like this a lot better if there was no AI element. It felt forced. There was really no need for AI to be in this story. I think Izzy could've easily just been involved with dating apps, and we could've gotten the same reaction out of Cal.
I also think the "stalker" trope is a bit of a stretch, or, maybe I'm just used to super dark romance books. When I first saw the title "Love Me Stalk Me", I assumed we were getting an actual stalker, but this was more of an online stalker through the fake app Cal had put on her phone.
This was insta lust from the very beginning, which I know a lot of people like, but for me, I just wish the characters had more depth and reasoning for a relationship? If that makes sense. Why was Cal so obsessed with Izzy? Day 1 of him seeing her and he laterally wanted to jump her bones.
I know this is a dark romance, so honestly it's supposed to be a little toxic, but the only thing toxic was the fact that he hacked the AI boyfriend database, and watches her through the cameras at her job.
Not me complaining that this wasn't dark enough, but honestly, where was the dark?!
Also, lacked a bit in the romCOM section, because it wasn't super funny. It did have the potential to be, if some of the dialogue that was written for the best friend, was written for the FMC instead. I feel like the best friend had more of a personality than Izzy at times.
In my mind, when I was reading this book, Izzy was a plus sized girl. With how much her ex boyfriend would comment on her weight, and Izzy's whole personality was her not feeling secure with they way she looks, with heavy themes of body shaming... WHY is the character art not reflecting that? Ugh, I hate when that happens. It's like authors want to write about plus sized women, but when it comes to marketing, they know to put skinny women on the cover... So lame.
Moving on to Cal, our MMC... Sex. Literally sex god. He's hot as hell. I do wish we got more from him because he didn't give much, other than he's a sex god. There was a specific part in the book where I thought we were going to get more, but then it fizzled out, and never got brought up again.
His use of the nickname "Pretty Girl" was very much appreciated!!!!!!!! Such an underrated nickname.
📱Forced Proximity
💗Obsessive MMC
📱Curvy FMC
💗He Falls First
📱Dark RomCom
💗"Pretty Girl"
📱Body Positivity
First of all, the narration was done by CJ Bloom and Sebastian York. Two of the best! I tend to stick with certain narrators, and have favorites when it comes to audiobooks, and what determines that, is how their voice sounds at x2 speed LOL
They absolutely nailed this audio! This wasn't the first time I've listened to CJ Bloom and Sebastian York, so going into it, I knew the audio would be amazing. Both of them narrate with such emotion, that you can feel it through your headphones!
Now, the book itself. Our FMC, Izzy, downloads an AI boyfriend to fill an emotional void left by her real boyfriend. Izzy thinks she's been speaking with "AI Caleb", but really, it's her new hire, Cal, that now works in her office. Cal hacked her phone, and is really the one behind the screen!
I know there will be people out here that thoroughly enjoy this book, and rightfully so. It's a fast paced, perfect palate cleanser read! The vibes between the main characters are great in this book, and the smut is fantastic!
If I'm being completely honest, I would like this a lot better if there was no AI element. It felt forced. There was really no need for AI to be in this story. I think Izzy could've easily just been involved with dating apps, and we could've gotten the same reaction out of Cal.
I also think the "stalker" trope is a bit of a stretch, or, maybe I'm just used to super dark romance books. When I first saw the title "Love Me Stalk Me", I assumed we were getting an actual stalker, but this was more of an online stalker through the fake app Cal had put on her phone.
This was insta lust from the very beginning, which I know a lot of people like, but for me, I just wish the characters had more depth and reasoning for a relationship? If that makes sense. Why was Cal so obsessed with Izzy? Day 1 of him seeing her and he laterally wanted to jump her bones.
I know this is a dark romance, so honestly it's supposed to be a little toxic, but the only thing toxic was the fact that he hacked the AI boyfriend database, and watches her through the cameras at her job.
Not me complaining that this wasn't dark enough, but honestly, where was the dark?!
Also, lacked a bit in the romCOM section, because it wasn't super funny. It did have the potential to be, if some of the dialogue that was written for the best friend, was written for the FMC instead. I feel like the best friend had more of a personality than Izzy at times.
In my mind, when I was reading this book, Izzy was a plus sized girl. With how much her ex boyfriend would comment on her weight, and Izzy's whole personality was her not feeling secure with they way she looks, with heavy themes of body shaming... WHY is the character art not reflecting that? Ugh, I hate when that happens. It's like authors want to write about plus sized women, but when it comes to marketing, they know to put skinny women on the cover... So lame.
Moving on to Cal, our MMC... Sex. Literally sex god. He's hot as hell. I do wish we got more from him because he didn't give much, other than he's a sex god. There was a specific part in the book where I thought we were going to get more, but then it fizzled out, and never got brought up again.
His use of the nickname "Pretty Girl" was very much appreciated!!!!!!!! Such an underrated nickname.
📱Forced Proximity
💗Obsessive MMC
📱Curvy FMC
💗He Falls First
📱Dark RomCom
💗"Pretty Girl"
📱Body Positivity
December 1, 2025
3.5⭐️ Rounded Up
Love Me Stalk Me is a debut dark romance and suggested for fans of Navessa Allen's "Lights Out", which made it an immediate must-read for me. And, while yes, this book is a dark romance, there wasn't the humor that "Lights Out" had, so it didn't quite deliver the same level of love for me that I had with "Lights Out". But, with that being said, I thought that this was a great debut and definitely hit the mark for a dark, stalker romance.
Izzy is the manager of a high end department store, which has recently become the target of an organized theft ring and a need for a higher level of security. Izzy is in a bad relationship with a partner who isn't supportive and targets her already low self-esteem. She struggles internally with body issues and has felt insecure about herself for her whole adult life. I didn't quite connect with her, but I understood her because these are sensitive issues that many women struggle with.
Callahan is an ex-military man who was hired by Izzy's store to increase the security in the store and find out who's behind the organized theft that the store is dealing with. Callahan is immediately attracted to Izzy, which quickly turns to obsession.
This was a strong dark romance debut and was an enjoyable read for me. There were repetition of a few different scenes and I'll be completely honest here and say that Callahan's pet name for Izzy "Pretty Girl" was definitely annoying and was said way too much.
This book also involves the use of an AI app that simulated the perfect lover...and I wasn't completely sold on it. AI is obviously huge right now and I think each reader will have their own opinions about it, but it just wasn't for me.
Love Me Stalk Me is the first book in a new series and I'm curious to see if Izzy's BFF in the book, Amanda, will be getting her own book next, which would make for a super fun read because she was an amazing supporting character and I'd love to see her as the main character!
Expected Publication Date 📅: December 2nd, 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Love Me Stalk Me is a debut dark romance and suggested for fans of Navessa Allen's "Lights Out", which made it an immediate must-read for me. And, while yes, this book is a dark romance, there wasn't the humor that "Lights Out" had, so it didn't quite deliver the same level of love for me that I had with "Lights Out". But, with that being said, I thought that this was a great debut and definitely hit the mark for a dark, stalker romance.
Izzy is the manager of a high end department store, which has recently become the target of an organized theft ring and a need for a higher level of security. Izzy is in a bad relationship with a partner who isn't supportive and targets her already low self-esteem. She struggles internally with body issues and has felt insecure about herself for her whole adult life. I didn't quite connect with her, but I understood her because these are sensitive issues that many women struggle with.
Callahan is an ex-military man who was hired by Izzy's store to increase the security in the store and find out who's behind the organized theft that the store is dealing with. Callahan is immediately attracted to Izzy, which quickly turns to obsession.
This was a strong dark romance debut and was an enjoyable read for me. There were repetition of a few different scenes and I'll be completely honest here and say that Callahan's pet name for Izzy "Pretty Girl" was definitely annoying and was said way too much.
This book also involves the use of an AI app that simulated the perfect lover...and I wasn't completely sold on it. AI is obviously huge right now and I think each reader will have their own opinions about it, but it just wasn't for me.
Love Me Stalk Me is the first book in a new series and I'm curious to see if Izzy's BFF in the book, Amanda, will be getting her own book next, which would make for a super fun read because she was an amazing supporting character and I'd love to see her as the main character!
Expected Publication Date 📅: December 2nd, 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 27, 2025
Stalker love interest in a book!?! Turns out I have a new obsession when it comes to a romance theme!
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
Love Me Stalk Me is a beyond impressive debut with a unique, fun and kinky concept with AI dating/partner. The Al chats brought not only sexy and steamy moments, but also those deep reflective moments that added more depth to the real life moments and hardships the FMC was going through.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
Dual POV
Dark Romcom
Stalker
AI Boyfriend
Cinnamon Roll Hero
Touch her and die
Journey to find self love
Forced Proximity
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
CJ Bloom and Sebastian York delight listeners with this steamy romance. Both narrators' expressive, nuanced performances of dialogue are distinct, making this dark and sexy romcom a memorable listen.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲?
For those of you wanting to venture into dark romance, but you’re a little nervous, I feel like this is a good gateway book. It’s a “soft” dark but not too dark, so no unhinged spice levels.
And Cal is that MMC that we all dream about. Did he maybe cross a few boundaries…yes…did I cheer him on as he did it…Heck YES!! BUUUUTTTT he did it all to support Izzy and give her confidence so she could see her true worth and strength.
🔥Steam level: Open door
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
Fast! This is one of those stories that sucks you immediately and you just won’t want to put it down!
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
If you are looking for a book that is a pure delight, then this is when you need now!
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
Love Me Stalk Me is a beyond impressive debut with a unique, fun and kinky concept with AI dating/partner. The Al chats brought not only sexy and steamy moments, but also those deep reflective moments that added more depth to the real life moments and hardships the FMC was going through.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
Dual POV
Dark Romcom
Stalker
AI Boyfriend
Cinnamon Roll Hero
Touch her and die
Journey to find self love
Forced Proximity
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
CJ Bloom and Sebastian York delight listeners with this steamy romance. Both narrators' expressive, nuanced performances of dialogue are distinct, making this dark and sexy romcom a memorable listen.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲?
For those of you wanting to venture into dark romance, but you’re a little nervous, I feel like this is a good gateway book. It’s a “soft” dark but not too dark, so no unhinged spice levels.
And Cal is that MMC that we all dream about. Did he maybe cross a few boundaries…yes…did I cheer him on as he did it…Heck YES!! BUUUUTTTT he did it all to support Izzy and give her confidence so she could see her true worth and strength.
🔥Steam level: Open door
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
Fast! This is one of those stories that sucks you immediately and you just won’t want to put it down!
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
If you are looking for a book that is a pure delight, then this is when you need now!
September 21, 2025
Damn this was soo good, funny as hell, great chemistry. A loyal best friend. Protective mmc and a plot to match the spice , loved every damn second and Laura Bishop is now one of my auto buy authors. If you loved lights out you’ll love this even more . Thanks to the author, netgalley and the publisher for the arc
January 9, 2026
The chemistry is so good, the obsession is addictive, and once the truth comes out, everything ramps up in the best way. It’s funny, darkly romantic, a little unhinged, and best of all… no third-act breakup 🙌🖤
I listened to the audiobook, and the duet narration by carlyrobinsnarrator & Sebastian York made the whole experience even better they absolutely nailed the vibe. 🎧💙
Thank you @blushaudiobooks and Laura Bishop for providing me with an ALC before release day!
I listened to the audiobook, and the duet narration by carlyrobinsnarrator & Sebastian York made the whole experience even better they absolutely nailed the vibe. 🎧💙
Thank you @blushaudiobooks and Laura Bishop for providing me with an ALC before release day!
October 16, 2025
Love Me Stalk Me is a dark rom-com with stalker themes and questionable ethics, in the same vein as the Lights Out series. It follows Izzy, a stressed out store manager, who downloads an AI boyfriend app to confide her deepest fantasies instead of her inattentive loser of a boyfriend. What she doesn’t realize is the incredibly hot new coworker of hers has hacked her phone - and has taken over the role of new AI BF.
Izzy is relatable in her desire to balance the demands of her family, workplace, and boyfriend despite how trash he is. She’s landed somewhere through her own hard work, but seems unable to acknowledge it due. Her body image issues and lack of confidence hit close to home for a past version of me.
The MMC, Cal, is definitely crossing lines but because it’s dark romance, we can put aside the creepy and focus on how he only tries to manipulate her into doing what’s best for her. I actually love how he advises her to trust herself instead of just trying to get her to act in a way that would benefit him the most - 10/10 unrealistic male lead.
If you loved Lights Out and want more of the same stalker vibes, I’d definitely give this a read.
I received this ARC through NetGalley.
Izzy is relatable in her desire to balance the demands of her family, workplace, and boyfriend despite how trash he is. She’s landed somewhere through her own hard work, but seems unable to acknowledge it due. Her body image issues and lack of confidence hit close to home for a past version of me.
The MMC, Cal, is definitely crossing lines but because it’s dark romance, we can put aside the creepy and focus on how he only tries to manipulate her into doing what’s best for her. I actually love how he advises her to trust herself instead of just trying to get her to act in a way that would benefit him the most - 10/10 unrealistic male lead.
If you loved Lights Out and want more of the same stalker vibes, I’d definitely give this a read.
I received this ARC through NetGalley.
December 23, 2025
I think I’m just going to DNF this one at 44%
I started this as an ARC quite early, but then I had other books I needed to read and just have no desire to pick this back up after so long. I got almost half way through and the heroine was still with her awful boyfriend; I found it to be quite slow. I really liked the idea of an AI boyfriend texting app, but it’s actually the Hero talking to her (he’s good at hacking). It definitely had Lights Out vibes, but I just have no interest in continuing at this time.
I started this as an ARC quite early, but then I had other books I needed to read and just have no desire to pick this back up after so long. I got almost half way through and the heroine was still with her awful boyfriend; I found it to be quite slow. I really liked the idea of an AI boyfriend texting app, but it’s actually the Hero talking to her (he’s good at hacking). It definitely had Lights Out vibes, but I just have no interest in continuing at this time.
January 4, 2026
Everytime I read a stalker romance and like it I worry about my mental health. Putting that aside, this was an excellent debut by the author and the chemistry between the characters was 10/10. Side characters were amazing as well, and I’m assuming the next book is going to be about Amanda?
I have 2 notes though:
1. I wish we had more scenes of Cal with her family. I loved their dynamic and wanted to see more of Nonna!!
2. [SPOILER] I wish we had a flashback chapter of the moment she realized Cal and Caleb are the same person. It felt too rushed.
Loved the book regardless! Can’t wait for the next one!
I have 2 notes though:
1. I wish we had more scenes of Cal with her family. I loved their dynamic and wanted to see more of Nonna!!
2. [SPOILER] I wish we had a flashback chapter of the moment she realized Cal and Caleb are the same person. It felt too rushed.
Loved the book regardless! Can’t wait for the next one!
November 21, 2025
Love Me Stalk Me was such a fun listen! I am a sucker for a man obsessed, and absolutely loved the concept of your 'AI boyfriend' actually being real and a little unhinged.
Cal is 🥵🥵🥵
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- tattooed mmc + curvy fmc
- stalker romance
- work place romance
- hidden identity
- ✨ banter ✨
- forced proximity
- he falls first + hard
Cal is 🥵🥵🥵
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- tattooed mmc + curvy fmc
- stalker romance
- work place romance
- hidden identity
- ✨ banter ✨
- forced proximity
- he falls first + hard
November 3, 2025
New head of security Callahan joins the team at a high-end luxury retail store and he’s got his eye on Isabella, the store manager. She has a shitty boyfriend but the hot security man can treat her right! In the meantime she’ll settle for an AI boyfriend who says all the right things.
I’ll start with what I didn’t like. I wanted Callahan to be A MYSTERY! I mean he’s a hot bulky possessive stalker, I don’t want to know about his background until the very end. The author showed us the cards here WAY too early. Also, Amanda was kind of a strange character that I didn’t understand.
Now to the part I did like - everything else. Their relationship was SO GOOD, the smut was fantastic, the possessiveness and care, but also the actual STORY!! It all made sense and everything tied together so well. Each chapter’s title is a little teaser of the chapter that made it impossible to put the book down. I kept telling myself “okay one more chapter” and then I see the title of the next one and.. I have to know what’s going to happen!! I also liked the personal growth that Isabella went through, her initial struggles were so relatable and I love how her character developed.
This was so fun and I really enjoyed the read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Laura Bishop for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I’ll start with what I didn’t like. I wanted Callahan to be A MYSTERY! I mean he’s a hot bulky possessive stalker, I don’t want to know about his background until the very end. The author showed us the cards here WAY too early. Also, Amanda was kind of a strange character that I didn’t understand.
Now to the part I did like - everything else. Their relationship was SO GOOD, the smut was fantastic, the possessiveness and care, but also the actual STORY!! It all made sense and everything tied together so well. Each chapter’s title is a little teaser of the chapter that made it impossible to put the book down. I kept telling myself “okay one more chapter” and then I see the title of the next one and.. I have to know what’s going to happen!! I also liked the personal growth that Isabella went through, her initial struggles were so relatable and I love how her character developed.
This was so fun and I really enjoyed the read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Laura Bishop for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
September 23, 2025
Maybe 2.5⭐️
To start, I am always going to struggle with books that start out with one of the MCs in a relationship with someone else, especially a long term one, and it doesn’t end immediately when the book starts. At the very least, I want it over by 25%. Thats still enough to irritate me but I can forgive it, anything longer and I’m considering DNF or will start scanning to get out of it... she stays with this guy for more than half the book. For me, I lose a bit of the romance when I don’t feel the MC has a strong sense of self before “falling in love”. It feels too much like they think a relationship will fix them.
For this book, it lost stars from me because not only is she in a long term relationship for too much of the story, but she lets the guy totally walk all over her. She doesn’t stand up for herself and there is no reason they should be together.
One the one hand, I didn’t feel any sense of jealousy or like she was on the verge of cheating bc the boyfriend only shows up to be mean to her.. there is zero positive or romance in the relationship. But it really only worked in making me believe the FMC was incredibly weak. I didn’t care for that. It’s not like she would consider ending it and then he would do something nice. He never did a single nice thing and she just said, okay. I don’t love that. For me, all the author had to do was give her a smidge more gumption and end that relationship earlier and I would have liked it so much more.
Which leads to the main characters. I loved their dynamic. I loved the he falls first, possessive MMC (my personal fave). The AI boyfriend thing was a bit cringey but kind of funny. As much as I’m personally not a fan of AI, it’s silly to act like this type of app wouldn’t exist or even do well when you hear about people being in relationships with AI already. So it was a modern day, interesting take on something possible. The thing is, I really loved how the author wrote the main character interactions… I just didn’t like the plot of the book outside of them and how that impacted my view of the FMC specifically. The MMC did make one comment that I really didn’t care for but I don’t really want to get too far into that.
As for spice, there is some… but the conversations around the spice made it seem like what was happening was SO spicy.. but wasn’t at all. This was clear immediately when they talked about the first message the friend sent. Like it was diabolical that she would type that.. and it was just about moaning…
All in all this book will work for some, I see the current boyfriend thing a lot and a lot of people are unbothered by it. It just makes me end up feeling meh. Meh about the romance, meh about the plot. Meh about the characters.
I still want to thank the author and Atria Books for the eARC of this book. Despite it not being for me, I’m always so thankful for the opportunity to ARC read a book!
To start, I am always going to struggle with books that start out with one of the MCs in a relationship with someone else, especially a long term one, and it doesn’t end immediately when the book starts. At the very least, I want it over by 25%. Thats still enough to irritate me but I can forgive it, anything longer and I’m considering DNF or will start scanning to get out of it... she stays with this guy for more than half the book. For me, I lose a bit of the romance when I don’t feel the MC has a strong sense of self before “falling in love”. It feels too much like they think a relationship will fix them.
For this book, it lost stars from me because not only is she in a long term relationship for too much of the story, but she lets the guy totally walk all over her. She doesn’t stand up for herself and there is no reason they should be together.
One the one hand, I didn’t feel any sense of jealousy or like she was on the verge of cheating bc the boyfriend only shows up to be mean to her.. there is zero positive or romance in the relationship. But it really only worked in making me believe the FMC was incredibly weak. I didn’t care for that. It’s not like she would consider ending it and then he would do something nice. He never did a single nice thing and she just said, okay. I don’t love that. For me, all the author had to do was give her a smidge more gumption and end that relationship earlier and I would have liked it so much more.
Which leads to the main characters. I loved their dynamic. I loved the he falls first, possessive MMC (my personal fave). The AI boyfriend thing was a bit cringey but kind of funny. As much as I’m personally not a fan of AI, it’s silly to act like this type of app wouldn’t exist or even do well when you hear about people being in relationships with AI already. So it was a modern day, interesting take on something possible. The thing is, I really loved how the author wrote the main character interactions… I just didn’t like the plot of the book outside of them and how that impacted my view of the FMC specifically. The MMC did make one comment that I really didn’t care for but I don’t really want to get too far into that.
As for spice, there is some… but the conversations around the spice made it seem like what was happening was SO spicy.. but wasn’t at all. This was clear immediately when they talked about the first message the friend sent. Like it was diabolical that she would type that.. and it was just about moaning…
All in all this book will work for some, I see the current boyfriend thing a lot and a lot of people are unbothered by it. It just makes me end up feeling meh. Meh about the romance, meh about the plot. Meh about the characters.
I still want to thank the author and Atria Books for the eARC of this book. Despite it not being for me, I’m always so thankful for the opportunity to ARC read a book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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