Pose for Me

by R.S. McKenzie

𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗲

𝗔𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗕𝗜 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗜’𝗺 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗱𝘂𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿, 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁. 𝗛𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘀. 𝗛𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗰𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝗜 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀.

𝗥𝘆𝗲𝗹𝗹

𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜’𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀, 𝗻𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱. 𝗠𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝘂𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗵𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲, 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. 𝗛𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝗮𝗺, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁.

Genres: M M Romance, Dark Romance, Dark, Serial Killer, BDSM, Enemies To Lovers, Romance

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2025

Reviews

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5**** stars


FUCKING HELL! What was this? I feel morally wronged by myself all over again for being this into it!! Even before it turned sweet.

“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I can.”

A serial killer out there offing innocent people for his own agenda (and not the good, vigilante kind) and the FBI agent hot on his heels (although he has nothing so far, except a long list of victims). Until he becomes the serial killer’s victim himself. Believe me when I say that you as a reader cannot romanticize ANYTHING Ryell did and does. He is absolutely irredeemable!


And even as I started to develop a liking to Ryell I still wanted to see him behind bars. Not for what he is, because he can’t help being psychopathic but for what he did! What he did to Lane too. Ryell broke him down in captivity in the cruelest ways until there was only a shell left of his former self.

And then this book shocked and surprised the hell out of me that it took a minute for me to warm up to it. Because suddenly you have a ruthless, moralless murderer care for his victim in the sweetest way. It was a total mind fuck. What I often see in a dark romance that has a Daddy/boy dynamic is that it’s kind of violent and not caring in a softer way. But damn this was. It was hard not to forget who Ryell really is.

“Lane, I love you, more than words can describe, but I can’t change who I am.“

By two thirds of the book did I still want the serial killer in prison? Yes, I so did.
But did I want Lane to lose his Daddy? Fuck no!

As I said, total mind fuck. That bastard, Ryell, totally grew on me. Like fungus under a humid fucking dome. In the very end I wasn’t quite satisfied at how the story ended so I won’t give it the five stars I wanted. It was a wild ride. This book stressed me out and broke my heart but ultimately was worth it.

I need some fluff now to calm down.



side note: I recently saw on socials an editor telling authors they should think about why it’s important to them to point out a person’s ethnicity in their book. Why does it matter. So sentences like this: A thin, Black woman in the front row raises her hand. now stand out to me like sore thumb.

[BelleLovesRomance · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 5/5 — I just got kidnapped, mind-fucked, Daddy-dommed, and emotionally waterboarded by a serial killer… and I’m begging for round two like the pathetic little masochist I am. This book ATE my soul and left no crumbs. 😭🖤🔪✨️

🌶 4.5/5 — So filthy, so flexible, so ”I’m having a panic attack so please let me suck your dick for comfort” that my e-reader nearly filed a restraining order. Facial, cockwarming, prostate-destroying chaos — I’m ruined for vanilla forever. 🔥🍆💦😩🫠

💭 MY RAMBLINGS 💭

You ever read a book so addictive you’re speed-running chapters like a CRACKHEAD because you need to know what happens next… but then you force yourself to slow down because you don’t want this unhinged masterpiece to end? Yeah. That was me with this book. I was fighting for my life trying to savor it while my brain screamed “MORE MORE MORE” *grabby hands* 😫🫴🏻🫴🏻🫴🏻

This book threw me on the world’s most toxic emotional rollercoaster and I rode that bitch with my hands up the entire time 🎢😭 One minute I’m gasping, the next I’m cackling, then I’m horny, then I’m having a mini panic attack right along with Lane. Peak entertainment!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🌹🌹🌹✨️✨️✨️

Don’t @ me but I ate up the Stockholm Syndrome like gourmet dinner 🍽️ I went from wanting to yeet Ryell into the sun for being a psychotic walking red flag 🚩 to full-on simping for him and screaming “PUT A RING ON IT” by the end. Character development or brain rot? We’ll never know 💀🤭

Lane baby… my traumatized, finger-sucking (then cock-sucking) FBI agent… I felt you in my soul. The way this man went from “I’m gonna catch this killer” to “Daddy’s cock is my emotional support pacifier” had me HOWLING 🍼😂

This is my 4th R.S. McKenzie book and she's officially in my top-tier auto-buy author era 🙂‍↕️💵💳. I’m about to go raid my TBR and finally read that one that’s been collecting dust since last year 🙈📚👀

P.S. This book is INTENSE, unhinged, and gloriously fucked up… but it’s my kind of fucked up 💅🏻 So pretty please check the ⚠️CWs⚠️ before diving in, because if you’re not ready for Daddy kink, psychological warfare, and a serial killer who’s also the best (and scariest 🤧😭) caretaker on earth… this one will ruin you in the best way possible 🤭🖤😘

Also… drop your best Stockholm Syndrome recs (MM or MF only, no poly 🙈). I’m officially in my “give me morally black men who kidnap their man and then baby the shit out of them” era and I’m not sorry about it. 🙂‍↔️😌💅🏻

---
⚠️ Detailed spoilers below ⛔️

RC and MCs:
🦷🖤 MM, strict roles
🦷🖤 Ryell 38yo and Lane Bauer 32yo
🦷🖤 Ryell: Oral surgeon that moonlights as a serial killer
🦷🖤 Lane: FBI agent
🦷🖤 Ryell: Top, dom, husky-blue eyes, blond hair, (disguised: brown hair, gray eyes), olive complexion, taller and bigger than Lane, 6ft1 or 6ft2
🦷🖤 Lane: Bottom (he's actually vers, but he always bottoms with Ryell), sub, brown hair, light brown eyes, tan complexion

Genre, tropes, and microtropes:
🦷🖤 MM dark contemporary romance
🦷🖤 Thriller and suspense
🦷🖤 Morally black, psychopathic MC (not redeemable in the traditional sense)
🦷🖤 Serial killer MC (not vigilante-ish, not secretly justified. He kills because he wants to.)
🦷🖤 FBI agent x oral surgeon that moonlights as a serial killer
🦷🖤 Enemies to lovers
🦷🖤 Hunter/prey dynamic
🦷🖤 Captor/captive
🦷🖤 Stockholm Syndrome
🦷🖤 Age gap (6 years)
🦷🖤 Daddy/boy dynamic (sweet and dark caretaking)
🦷🖤 Hurt/comfort
🦷🖤 Codependency and twisted emotional dependency
🦷🖤 Obsessive possessive love
🦷🖤 J/P obsessive MC
🦷🖤 Touch starvation / need for attention
🦷🖤 Mind break / psychological manipulation
🦷🖤 Forced proximity
🦷🖤 Power imbalance
🦷🖤 Power dynamic / exchange
🦷🖤 Praise / ownership vibes
🦷🖤 “I hate that I need you” energy
🦷🖤 Trauma bonding
🦷🖤 Only soft for him
🦷🖤 Protective psycho energy
🦷🖤 OTT
🦷🖤 Mine mine mine
🦷🖤 ”You did so good for me”
🦷🖤 Ryell has never been in a relationship before Lane
🦷🖤 Ryell bathes and cooks for Lane
🦷🖤 Ryell puts Lane on his lap
🦷🖤 Ryell gives Lane lots of forehead kisses
🦷🖤 Pet names: Baby boy, baby

Safety info:
🦷🖤 Angst: High
🦷🖤 OPD: No
🦷🖤 Cheating/sharing: No
🦷🖤 Third act breakup: Yes (they broke up for 6 months)
🦷🖤 Ending: HEA
🦷🖤 Epilogue: Yes (one year later)
🦷🖤 POV: Dual, 1st person
🦷🖤 Series structure: Standalone

Spice and kinks:
Power exchange, D/s dynamics, throatfucking, coming untouched, facial, cum swallowing, praise kink, cum play (cum tasting, rubbing cum into skin), dirty talk, rough sex, anal sex (with condom), contortionist sex (Ryell bending in half to suck Lane’s cock while actively fucking him), simultaneous blowjob + anal sex, prostate milking / pounding, oral fixation (finger sucking, cockwarming, cocksuckling (for soothing), Daddy kink, shower sex, brief mutual handjob, dirty talk, frotting, fingering, rimming, tonguefucking, fingerfucking, light spanking, coming hands-free, facefucking, pushing cum back in (mouth), feminization (lace bralette, thong), praise kink (good boy), bareback, creampie, marking (hickeys), 69

CW/TW:
Explicit sexual content, graphic serial murder, murder of innocents by MC, graphic torture, kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome, mind break, mental abuse (present and in past by parents), child abuse mentions, death, blood, gore, graphic violence, anxiety attacks, psychological abuse, emotional manipulation, drugging, dubious consent elements, isolation, obsessive behavior, morally black psychopathic MC, alcohol consumptions

---
Quotes: ⚠️ Spoilers ⛔️

Every day, I’m expected to be in charge, to be commanding and have my shit together. Right now, I don’t want to do that. I want this man, standing in front of me with his hard dick and commanding aura to take charge and be in control of my pleasure.
-
He grins and cups himself with his free hand, rubbing his wet dick over my messy face. “So fucking good, Lane. Open again. Let me fuck your throat.”
Eagerly, I try to unhinge my jaw like a fucking snake, sticking my tongue out. Ryell slaps his cock across its surface a few times before he shoves inside. He pushes all the way to the back of my throat and snaps his hips forward, fucking my face hard and rough.
-
“I’m not a fucking toy, Ryell. You can’t just have me because you want me. You’re an evil prick.”
I grin widely. “Yeah, my evil prick had you screaming my name.”
-
The loneliness is the worst part.
-
“I don’t… I don’t like being ignored.” I tap my temple. “Fucks with my head.”
-
I shake his finger from my chin and push away from him, even though my body craves his touch. “Ryell…are you going to kill me?”
He tilts his head as he studies me. “Do you want to die?”
“If you treat me how you’ve been doing, I think that would be the best option.”
-
No matter how much I shouldn’t or how wrong it is to want his attention, my fractured brain has latched onto him. Ryell is the only person that can put me back together. I don’t know what that says about my life expectancy, but I don’t care. As long as Ryell is talking to me and seeing me, I don’t give a fuck.
-
I have to at least fight against Ryell, but the larger part of me doesn’t want to. I’m so fucking tired of fighting, of clawing back from the brink. I want to just…be.
-
I want someone that’s obsessed with me. Someone that looks at me and only sees me.
-
Lane is fully and completely mine. Now it’s time for me to take care of him.

It’s illogical, wanting to keep the FBI agent that wants me in prison for the rest of my life, but I can’t kill him. Not anymore. Now, I want him to belong to me and only me.
-
Finally, Jacob says, “Yeah, that’s what it means. To people like us, a promise means fuck-all. It’s words, fucking hot air. We don’t care if people keep them or not. But to normal people, they’d rather have your word than any physical gift.”

“I know that,” I say quickly, feeling scolded.

“Do you?” he asks, using that fucking older brother voice he knows I hate. “If you did, you wouldn’t have disregarded it so easily. Don’t make promises to them you can’t keep. A promise is a promise, and nothing short of death should stop you from fulfilling it.”
-
My chest constricts at his soft accusation. He didn’t even stumble over calling me a serial killer, so that’s a drop in the bucket for him, it seems. What’s hurting him is not keeping my word, like Jacob said.
-
“If you try to escape,” I talk over him, making him scowl but shut his mouth, “I will kill you and everyone you love. But if you stay, if you don’t try to leave, I won’t pose anyone else.”
-
Something about Lane being my live model excites me more than any of the other bodies I’ve staged by miles. I guess what Jacob said is true: while normal people love, we become obsessed. And I am obsessed with seeing Lane laid out perfectly for me.
-
Something lights me up inside, that word sending a zing of awareness and arousal through me. I never thought about that kink, but hearing Lane call me Daddy?

Yes. Fuck yes.
-
What the fuck will I do when I finally have to let him go?

I banish that thought immediately. I won’t be letting him go. I plan to keep Lane until one of us dies. He’ll learn to love his captivity.
-
“Lane, I don’t think I’ll ever be done with you. Do you understand?” Lane looks at me and shakes his head. “Whatever this is, it ends when one of us dies. Got it?”
-
His attention is enough to give me energy.
-
Ryell spreads me open and thrusts his tongue inside. I stretch up to my tiptoes as he eats me out messily, fucking me with his tongue. He fucking feasts on my hole, making obscene noises that bounce off the walls of the bathroom.
-
“Take all my dick, baby boy,” he grits out. I peek up through tear drenched eyes, and our gazes lock, fire dancing in his stare. “So fucking beautiful with a mouth full of my dick. Fuuuuuuuck, such a good boy.”
-
Ryell smiles, thumbing over the side of my mouth and collecting some of his cum that I missed. He pushes his thumb between my lips, and I suck on it, humming as I swallow.
-
“I wasn’t wanted by anyone, not my birth parents, not the people that took me in. Then you…you didn’t…” I stop talking and shake my head. “I haven’t had it easy. I’m just trying to find my stretch of happiness.”
-
I really do love my brother. It’s different from what I feel for Lane. Lane is mine, I want to be with him every waking moment, for him to depend on only me, to want me as much as I want him. That’s not love. That’s possessiveness.
-
“I like how you look at me,” Lane murmurs.

Flicking my gaze back up to him, I say, “Yeah?’

He nods. “Like you really want me and won’t let me go.”

My hand pauses on the sketch pad, trying to read the expression on his face. “Do you want me to let you go?”

Tears in his eyes, he shakes his head and whispers, “Never.”
-
I’ve never felt like this, so fucking needy for another human, so eager for them to touch me. But with Lane, when his hands are on me, I feel…calm, relaxed, at ease.
I don’t ever want to give this up.
-
“You’re so fucking beautiful, Lane.” My eyes flick up to his. “So fucking mine.”
-
Fuck, he’s everything. Everything I’ll ever want and need.

I’ll find a way. I’ll find a way to make sure he’s free, that we can go out on dates, that I can show off my boy while remaining free. I want to give him that, because I can’t kill him. A world without Lane would be darker than I could ever imagine.
-
I can fucking see the love shining through his eyes. And it turns me on more than I’ve ever been in my life.
-
Fuck, he loves me? How? What did I do to deserve the love of this perfect boy? He knows who I am, hell, he was hunting me. There are no secrets, no barriers between us, and he’s still in love with me.
-
His love is everything I’ve never known I wanted. Maybe Jacob was right. Maybe I’m in love with Lane too.
Which means one thing: I’m fucked.
-
“Are you happy, Lane?” I ask abruptly. He opens his eyes and looks at me, confused. “With me?” It’s not often I look for his validation, but considering where we started, I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to make him happy. I can’t live without Lane, so I’ll do what I have to do so I can keep him in my life.

He places his wet hand on my face, and I lean into his touch, needing it desperately. “Happier than I imagined I could be. You’re my everything, Ry. If ever I’m unhappy, I’ll tell you.”
-
“I love you more than life, Agent Bauer.”
“Agent Harper,” he corrects, and I smile, pecking him once more. “I love you too, Dr. Harper.”
“We’ll be together forever?” I ask, feeling more vulnerable than I ever have. “Just me and you, right?”
“Yeah, Daddy. Just me and you.”
“Promise?”
He kisses me softly, and I feel every ounce of love he has for me. “Yes, Ry. I promise.”
---

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

But trust me, Lane. Before I kill you, you will pose for me.

Serial killer vs FBI agent romance, captor/captive, dark and OTT, sexy and surprisingly sweet towards the end.
While I enjoyed it for the most part, some things left me wanting more.

“I’m not a fucking toy, Ryell. You can’t just have me because you want me. You’re an evil prick.” I grin widely. “Yeah, my evil prick had you screaming my name.”

The spice and chemistry between these two was fire. Loved the light Daddy kinky, the possessiveness, the need.

I never thought about that kink, but hearing Lane call me Daddy? Yes. Fuck yes.

The romance was dark and a little toxic, just how I like it.

The plot was where I lost interest. It had a strong start and a satisfying ending, but the whole middle portion was a tad boring. It concentrated a lot on the deepening of their relationship, a depth that for me didn’t actually go as far as I was hoping. Other than Lane’s captivity and their growing feelings, not much else happens for most of the book.

Another aspect that took me out of the story was this badass FBI agent breaking and falling apart almost immediately. It was all a little too unbelievable, and I know it’s meant to be OTT and exaggerated, but it didn’t have enough feeling for me to really let go mentally and just enjoy the love story.

It’s illogical, wanting to keep the FBI agent that wants me in prison for the rest of my life, but I can’t kill him. Not anymore. Now, I want him to belong to me and only me.

So maybe a little too fantasy-like for me to really fall in love with it, but still a fun dark romance.

“Do you want me to let you go?” Tears in his eyes, he shakes his head and whispers, “Never.”

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Murder
- Gore/violence
- Torture
- Stalking
- Kidnapping
- Drugging
- Stockholm Syndrome
- Mind break
- Panic attacks
- Mental abuse
- Mentions of childhood neglect & trauma
- Dub-con
- Daddy kink (no age play)
- Panties
- Face-fucking
- Coming untouched from giving head
- Coming hands-free
- Snowballing
- Grinding/coming w/ clothes on
- Cockwarming
- Shower sex
- Frotting
- Rimming
- Spanking
- 69

[❥ Tracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 50%

So I’ll admit I’m in a slump and nothing is hitting right, but this was not good. All tell no show and all of a sudden there’s Daddy kink?? The problem is it’s so out of the blue and now they’re calling each other Daddy and Baby Boy every other sentence. I promise I won’t forget they’re getting kinky if MC1 doesn’t address MC2 as Daddy every time he speaks to him!! Nothing about any of this feels authentic, moving onnn

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"One thing I can glean about Ryell from this sketch and all the others I’ve seen is that he’s patient. He likes perfection. He’ll wait until what he wants is perfect, then he’ll pounce. That’s a good thing for me, in a way. It’ll keep me alive until I can figure out how to pick the locks of these cuffs and find an exit."

I loved this! Pose for Me by R.S. McKenzie is a dark MM romance, with a serial killer/FBI agent trope and in the author's own words "suspend your disbelief and just let this unhinged book take you on a wild ride." Make sure you check the author's warnings before diving into Lane and Ryell's story.

What To Expect:

🖤MM romance
🖤Serial killer/FBI agent
🖤Opposites attract
🖤Violence
🖤Dark themes
🖤Stockholm Syndrome
🖤High spice
🖤"I need you"

4.25 unhinged stars 🌟

[Sona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well… this book was DARK dark. Like “I need therapy after finishing this” dark.

We’re dealing with Ry — a full-blown psychopath surgeon who murders people for absolutely no reason. No moral code. No “he only kills bad people.” No tragic vigilante nonsense. This man kills because he wants to, and the descriptions of his crimes genuinely made me sick at times. Every time he appeared I was just thinking: somebody PLEASE arrest this man immediately. And kill Jim slowly and painfully.

Then enters Lane, the agent trying to catch him.

And this is where things go completely off the rails.

Lane basically taunts the killer with an “I’ll find you,” gets put directly on Ry’s radar, and next thing you know this man is kidnapped, starved, tortured, held captive, emotionally broken down… and somehow this turns into a romance???

LIKE HOWWWW???

But the scary part is… it worked.

Lane has deep trauma and an extreme fear of abandonment/being ignored, and watching him completely unravel whenever Ry withdraws attention from him was honestly crazier to me than Ry being a literal serial killer. Because Ry at least KNOWS he’s insane. Lane sees the crime scenes. He KNOWS exactly who this man is. He KNOWS what Ry has done.

And he still said:
“yeah that’s my man.”

Insane behavior. Absolutely unhinged. I support him unfortunately.

And somehow beneath all the horror, torture, blood, and psychological damage… the romance was GOOD. Like REALLY good. The needy traumatized boy vs the dangerously protective psychopath dynamic??? Oh I ate that up.

This book made me uncomfortable, concerned for my morals, and weirdly emotional all at once.

I need help and more books like this 😏

[Betty Loves Books Galore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a serial killer dark romance, featuring Lane and Ryell, and is a standalone book.

FBI Agent Lane Bauer challenges “The Poser,” a serial killer who leaves behind artistic sketches of his victims, never expecting Ryell to step forward and take the bait to meet.

This is a dark romance so make sure you read the CW before diving in because wow, it does not hold back. From the very beginning, I was hooked and genuinely couldn’t put this one down. It’s twisted, it’s angsty, and the tension is intense in every possible way.

Lane and Ryell’s dynamic is a full-blown psychological tug-of-war, a deadly mix of fear, fascination, and forbidden desire that kept me glued to my Kindle. The Stockholm syndrome vibes are strong, and the story leans into that moral grayness without apology. Ryell is terrifying and magnetic all at once, and Lane… let’s just say the line between hunter and hunted gets blurred.

Things to expect in this book are:
Standalone book
MM dark romance
Check CW
Enemies to more
Cat-and-mouse vibes
FBI Agent × Serial Killer
Obsession to desire
Dangerous attraction
Mind Games
Stalking & kidnapping
Stockholm syndrome
Calls him agent
Spicy times & dirty talk
Daddy / baby boy
C*ck warming
Outdoor s*x
Forbidden romance
Identity reveal tension
Time apart
HEA

[july · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf 77% aburrido, sin sentido

[Readbookswithcats · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pose for me is a dark MM, serial killer/federal agent romance. Agent Lane Bauer is frustrated, he is fixated on this serial killer that has been dubbed “The Poser”, who leaves no evidence and has no leads. The Poser kills their victims and poses them in strategic ways, leaving a sketch of their death on their bodies.
Ryell, a psychopathic orthopedic surgeon, has been killing for years. He feels challenged when he sees an interview that Agent Lane has after finding one of his victims, calling the serial killer out and saying he is not invincible. In response, he stalks him and eventually picks him at a bar. He intended to just kidnap him and kill him but after a kiss decides he wouldn’t mind sleeping with him at least once!
After a night with one of the best lays he has had, Lane tries to sneak out but finds the home locked. Suddenly, he is drugged, chained and locked in the basement.

Tropes/kinks:
Dark romance
Stalking
Kidnapping
Stockholm syndrome
Daddy kink
Strict top/bottom
Poses for him
Lots of killing
Manipulation
Drugging
Panty kink
Oral fixation
Past trauma
Hurt/comfort
Found family

This was a great story that kept me reading!!! I only stopped for work and driving! lol really well written and i really liked the characters!

[Bambi Frick · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 Stars ⭐️

*Check Content/Trigger Warnings*

Pose for me is a fast and fun dopamine hit featuring Ryell, an oral hygienist serial killer and his kidnapee, Lane, an FBI agent who specialises in in solving serial cases.

The intense relationship dynamic between the couple begins with Lanes struggle to balance his sexual needs with his moral code.

RS McKenzie always delivers exactly what is promised and Pose For Me is no exception.

I would have loved to see some emotional development in the first quarter of the book prior to the kidnapping.

I received an E-ARC to give an honest review of this book from Gay Romance Reviews.

[Jasmine(❁´◡`❁)Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

This was...something.
If you want to read about a killer who does what he does with good motives, you won't find him here.
It was twisted and sweet at the same time. And I don't know what it says about me that I enjoyed it that much.🤭
Ryell is not just a mortally grey character. No actions of his can be justified. And Lane has such a heavy case of Stockholm syndrome that there's no way possible to get him out of it to save his life.

Nevertheless, this book made it to my favorites list. Sorry not sorry.

[Leilani Noack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book kept me captivated from the beginning. My poor lane went through so much as a child and that it literally broke him mentally. Now this isn’t your typical book you get some daddy/boy time, but you also get some lingerie wearing & killing as well. Read the triggers! But I’m glad that Lane & Ryell both found someone who accepts them for them. Such a great book!

[Rebecca Baudoin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ry has a darkness that can't be quelled, and I live that he doesn't try to hide it from Lane. Lane is just a sweet boy, I'm so glad he was able to be loved finally.

It was such a good book, loved all the gory bits!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really starting to question my morals!
Did I really want a captor and captive to fall madly in love and get their HEA? Yes—yes, I did! This book was fast-paced and full of torture, trauma, Stockholm syndrome, Daddy kink, and lingerie. There was a real mix in this book: I went from loving the characters, to wondering if they were both losing the plot, to loving them again. R.S. McKenzie always keeps you on your toes and questioning your morals with her books, and it keeps me coming back for more—that’s for sure.

[Catarina Águas · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review

God damn, this book was something else. I knew what to expect but at the same time I didn't. It was dark but so filled with emotion.
Lane was a FBI agent that to catch a serial killer but he was caught first. Never did he expect to fall in love with someone like that but after what he went through, making Ryell his whole life was the only option.
Ryell was a psycopath, no questions about that, that kidnapped Lane and planned to murdered him but he couldn't as the time progressed. He became more and more obsessed and he just wanted Lane to be his.
Like I said, this was dark but I was rooting for them to live HEA and they did

[Teigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

“No. Lane is fucking mine, understand? I will fucking kill anyone that tries to take him from me before I can kill him myself.”
^ Page 60.

This review was going to have a higher rating BUT after the fifty percent mark, the characters were either having sex, repeating the word "daddy" like a million times per page, or just being annoying.

I know I've left two bad reviews for this author in the past but this one I liked the beginning. I liked the set up and the plot... Until I didn't.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a daddy kink and dark romance. But Lane's character was lame. He's supposed to be a strong FBI agent who's one of the best at the job and been trained to handle situations. He developed Stockholm syndrome and a daddy kink out of the blue so quickly I lost interest.

And Ryell? That man was all for "keeping his promises" and never lying to Lane. But this man quite literally killed people while promising Lane he wouldn't do it as long as Lane stayed with him. Side note: he continued killing. I get it, he's a psychopath and promises don't mean much but he doesn't confess to Lane about it and when Lane does find out, he doesn't care?

Another thing that kinda confused me? Lane's foster parents adopted him then decided they didn't want him anymore so they didn't pay him much attention. They also warned him that he'd be kicked out when he graduated. What does this mean? It means Lane has a daddy kink and he has attachment issues because everyone's going to leave him, including his kidnapper (a serial killer). It also means that the same kidnapper kills them for being neglectful. The way it was described and repeated over and over again, you'd think the couple had abused him or something not ignored him?

And like every romance book ever, sex solves everything. Ryell returns Lane back to society because kidnapping him was wrong and Lane is sad even though he refuses to see it (Stockholm syndrome). Ryell comes back out of the blue six months later and they have sex so all is forgiven.

If the book hadn't gone down hill, I would have enjoyed this one. Unfortunately 3* for enjoying the beginning and the tropes.

[NitaBee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this dark twisty romance. ❤️

FBI agent Lane is kidnapped by the oral surgeon that moonlights as a serial killer - The Poser. AKA Ryell.

Ryell is an interesting serial killer, and I loved his relationship with his brother who is a CEO
Instead of being a serial killer.

“We’re not sure if The Poser is male or female. Whoever the perp is, they kill their victims, arrange them into a position that makes sense only to them, then sketches the murder scene. The victims are never dumped lazily; they’re put into positions deliberately. Hence, The Poser.”

Lane’s traumatic childhood is part of why his mind breaks and he falls in love with Ryell. Ryell is surprised to fall in love himself.

There is torture, Stockholm syndrome, all the consensual sex and
Daddy kink.

“You fucking swear it?” “Yes, Daddy. I love you. I don’t want to be anywhere you’re not.”

Ryell breaks both their hearts .

‘It’s so hard because for those few months, he was all I had. We talked, we laughed, and we made love. He was mine, like I was his. It’s hard to let that go.’

I wasn’t too sure how they would get their happy ending but they do and it made me all happy.

Oh and Dr. Blu York from ‘Blu, My Protector’ is mentioned as Lanes therapist !

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now the author did warn prior that this was OTT. Well yeah it was but it was a good OTT. How Lane and Ryell can start off so antagonistic towards each other...not knowing each other well AT ALL...the sexy encounter and then weeks/months of captivity things changed. All I can say is DAMN!!!! Lane got me with the emotional feels mannnnnnnn...I wasn't prepared for his complete and devastating breakdown. Ryell being the psychopath... it was understandable his possessive nature and Lane being totally his... but Lane...geesh...got me in the feels. I was totally not prepared for the outcome by the end...knowing this is a dark romance, there should be atleast a HEA...which it was, but how they got there was a surprise to me...a wonderful and delightful surprise, that by the end I wanted to read more of Lane and Ryell crazy and insane love story. This romance is one that I will not likely forget.

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

[Latty|The Creative · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg what a read! 🤯 I'm not even sure how to start my review, much less write it, but here goes.

I consider myself a bona fide dark romance girlie and I do love the depravity of a well-written one but *Pose for Me!* 😳 My goodness, my emotions were all over the place! I was swallowed greedily by whatever is Lane and Ryell. 🌊

Throughout the entirety of the story, I question my morality and yet I couldn't stop reading. 📚 This isn't my first time reading Stockholm Syndrome but my word did I enjoy every bit of it even when I was in tears. 😭

I've read previous work by RS but this is the darkest one yet and I love her mind, writing, and OTT storytelling. 💀

Phew sounds like I'm rambling but that's what this story has done to me hehe. 😂

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Pose for Me by R.S. McKenzie

Tropes

MM Romance
Serial Killer/FBI Agent
Opposites that attract each other
High spice
Dark story


I am so happy I requested this book, because I am not sorry at all. I don't usually go for books that feature serial killers, but this time I made an exception. I loved the byplay between Lane, an FBI agent, and Ryell, who is called the Poser killer. I found this story very interesting. I mean, the spice in this book made it worth it lol. No, but really, I found this story hard to put down. I wanted to see where R.S. McKenzie was going to take this story and how far she was going to go in the end. Well, I wasn't always expecting what did happen, but that's what made this story so good. I like to be surprised and intrigued by where the author goes in the stories. R.S. McKenzie is someone I am going to look for more of her books so I can read them, because once I find an author, I have to read all they write :).

Nicole Harvey

[aidni · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 70% - I love serial killer love stories when they are clever. Both these brain fried boozos are blind and deaf and DUMB. More than that both MC’s weren’t interesting. Lane was such a bad FBI agent he was basically split personally and the serial killer was marginally better but just SUPER UNLIKABLE. Not for any murder reasons, for like personally.

I felt like I was constantly thinking that one or the other was a missing the most obvious things and while the “capture” was fun, reading about straight up stock holm syndrome with zero redemption was boring as all heck.

[Serwaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - 62%

I’ve had a very bad couple of weeks with the books i’ve been choosing to read. It’s like I’ve been reading horrible books back to back and I fear I’m gonna fall into a slump.

Pose for me…..I hated this title when I first saw the book…then I read the blurb and thought oh my word this is gonna be dark but interesting. With a blurb like that you’d think you’re in for some proper story.

And boy was I wrong.

The ages didn’t make sense to me at all 🤣 Lane should’ve been 18 and his “daddy” maybe the 38 would be okay. Ok no too old for a teenager…24 would do. This 32 year old man does not act his age at all. I’ve read YA books where the characters were more mature than Lane.

I lost interest when Ryell kidnapped him and kept him in the cells for weeks. It was repetitive…every chapter that was of his kidnapping felt the same like can we move on? what is going on? He’s kidnapped the FBI agent who was after him, now what?

I understood his fear of being alone and how Ryell preyed on that…making him feel crazy. This was a clear indication of stockholm syndrome. But…the way he acted so…😭 And you wanna know the worst of it all?

The daddy kink that came out of nowhere.

I was like uhm…well that was random 🤣 a 32 year old man calling a 38 year old man daddy? holy shit. I’m not kink shaming I promise…it’s just…uhm heh. I got so sick of it….it was mentioned so many times I wanted to rip my hair out.

This book is a mess. I can’t believe I’m seeing people rate it 5 stars….FOR WHAT EXACTLY?

1 star for the amazing blurb that wasn’t executed well and 0 for the nonsense that this book was. What a shame.

[Kailyn Broad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryell and Lane
this book was good. Stockholm’s syndrome to the max. Lane is an FBI agent assigned to his case and Ryell eventually kidnaps him. Keeping him in a cell, he wants land to pose for him so he can draw him. He ignores him giving lane no human contact (which brings up childhood trama) until he gives in. Eventually he gets chained in the bed room instead. Then it’s the whole house with an ankle monitor. Eventually lane wants to be out in the world with Ryell is he escapes to give a letter to his FBI partner saying he is not missing and is ok. He plans to come back but Ryell catches him in the act. Eventually Ryell lets him be free for his mental health or something.
Lane can’t sleep without an ankle monitor now is he buys one lol. Ryell comes back for him 6 months later and they live HEA
RYELLlane

[˗ˏˋ mckenna ˎˊ˗ · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was the first book from my random-tbr-pull project im doing where i put my entire nearly 600 books from my tbr on scraps on paper and pulled them from a hat (yes im autistic) and it was a big fat Fail 🫠

this book had the potential to be something i fucking adored! serial killer x fbi, gore, trauma, smut! but the way it was executed gave me such a major ick... the daddy x baby boy trope here was NOT working for me, lane was literally reverting back to being a child in his mind and it came off gross and weird. theres a difference between having a daddy kink and infantilizing yourself to the point of being creepy and this book crossed that line big time. normally i am all for some dubcon and/or falling-for-your-captor vibes but this felt entirely like stockholm syndrome and it was toxic, weird and gross... no thank you! e beginning was so good that i still gave it 2 stars but as soon as ryell became "daddy" they lost the plot.

[Julia Toth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an unhinged and great dark romance! While the relationship is not a conventional one, it's one that works for Lane and Ryell. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and how everything played out between them. I even got teary eyed a bit at a point. I loved their dynamic and adored Ryell's caretaking.
This is not your typical dark romance, but it's well written, a lot of fun and it will keep you turning the pages trying to find out what happens to Lane and Ryell.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good and spicy read between an FBI agent and the serial killer who kidnapped him. I love a dark romance, and this one was pretty dark with. Still, it was cute to see how tender the killer was with him and took care of him. I was not a fan of the third act breakup, but did like the ending. Might need to read more books from this author in the future.

[Welshbookaholic · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 53% Stated out interesting and I was enjoying it then… random daddy kink EW EW GET AWAY. Done so abruptly and gross

[Lara ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Iba muy bien hasta la mitad del libro más o menos. La personalidad de uno de los protagonistas cambia completamente y se vuelve un completo inútil.

[J.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never not love cop/serial killer couples. The tension and fight against themselves is always perfect.

I don’t really have any complaint about this book. I was left wanting more, but not because anything was lacking. I just wanted to read more of this pairing.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a quick, easy and fun read, but it was not one of my favorites.