Make It Hurt

by Stella Hart

I started a true crime podcast to chase the truth. But now a masked man is chasing me…

Launching After the Carver with my best friend was supposed to be the start of something exciting. A bold move to revive interest in an unsolved serial murder case that the world moved on from years ago. But the moment we posted our first episode, everything changed.

Someone’s watching me now… and I’m certain it’s the Carver himself.

He leaves me sinister notes. Sends me sick little gifts. Shows up in the dead of night and whispers that he’s been waiting for me all along.

He’s not just an obsessive stalker. Not just a ruthless predator. He’s a collector, and apparently, I’m the prize he’s always wanted. So now I’m caught in his web. Trapped between uncovering the truth and being claimed as his plaything.

When he comes for me, every instinct screams to run and hide… but some dark, twisted part of me doesn’t want to.

If I don’t get a hold of myself, I’ll stop chasing the killer… and start belonging to him.


***

Make It Hurt is a standalone 110k-word MF dark romance that contains dark topics/situations that may be triggering to some.
TWs - please check inside the book for a full list

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance

415 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

Stella Hart is the dark romance pen name of Alessandra Hart. She loves animals, red wine, and rainy days where she can curl up inside and plot new books instead of having to go out.

Reviews

[karouzaa ۶ৎ (ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

╰┈➤ 🩸 : make it hurt ★ 5 stars ⋆˙⟡

☆ ── ꒰ 📖”you won’t fully heal if you don’t face it.” ꒱ ❞ ‧₊˚

𖥻 my thoughts 🕯️ ₊˚⊹ ᰔ

I WAS IN A READING SLUMP. A BAD ONE. and then this book came along and basically said “yeah no, you’re reading now”🙂‍↕️. i didn’t even sleep because i genuinely could not put it down. after this review i’m DEFINITELY going to sleep because apparently finishing a book at an unreasonable hour was more important🌝. this was only my second serial killer book and i genuinely loved it🥰. i raced through this one and was hooked basically from the beginning. every time i thought i had figured out who the carver was, i changed my mind five minutes later. we had SO many men who could’ve been him and i was suspicious of literally everyone🧍🏻‍♀️. the longer i read and the more we learned about everyone, the more my theories changed. and that ending??? the twist genuinely surprised me🙃. i also really loved the podcast aspect of the story🎙️. i don’t think i’ve read a dark romance with a podcast playing such an important role before, and i thought it was such a cool way to introduce the carver’s history, the victims and the different suspects. it gave us information without feeling like we were just being handed a giant history lesson, and it made me feel like i was investigating the case right alongside kennedy🌝.

there was only a small point in the middle where i wanted things to move a little faster, but honestly, i ended up appreciating the suspense and buildup because it kept me guessing. the book made me question everyone, including my own theories, and i loved that🌸. it was also such a fun way to slowly uncover what was actually happening instead of immediately giving everything away. K and kennedy??? oh they were COMPLICATED🙂‍↕️. even though we didn’t know who K was for most of the book, you could STILL feel that connection between them🤌. the tension was there, the spark was there, and i was absolutely eating it up🧘🏼‍♀️. the fact that he knew so much about her made everything even more intense because this man knew her favourite foods, her habits, her secrets, EVERYTHING. sometimes i swear he knew her better than she knew herself😭. K is also just… obsessed. like genuinely consumed by kennedy. he is fascinated by her, watches her from afar, knows her deepest desires and is basically just waiting for the perfect moment to make his move. terrifying? yes. interesting? ALSO YES. i fear the fictional serial killer got me invested and i cannot defend myself🫣.

overall, i loved this book. it was addictive, suspenseful, mysterious and had exactly the kind of dark romance atmosphere i had been craving. after having so many books let me down lately, this was such a good way to get back into dark romance🖤. i enjoyed basically every part of it and i’m SO glad this was the book that finally pulled me out of my slump. who am i kidding. i loved it all🥹.

𖥻 characters 🕯️ ౨ৎ˚₊‧ִֶ

⋆˙⟡ kennedy 🗝️

ּ֯ . ❥ ּ֯ ┆꒰ “as my father once told me: nothing in life is ever really free, so beware of people who claim to offer it.” ꒱

i really liked kennedy🌷. she was so down to earth and i loved how she handled everything that happened to her. she had obviously been carrying so much for years, but one of my favourite things about her was how she would hide the harder moments behind jokes. i relate to that SO much because sometimes if you’re not laughing about it, you’re probably going to cry🧍🏻‍♀️. i also really loved seeing her growth throughout the book💐. she started off pushing so much down and trying to avoid facing certain things, but eventually she actually sat with herself and allowed herself to feel everything she’d been avoiding. she confronted her secrets, her grief and everything she had been carrying, and i loved seeing her embrace those parts of herself instead of continuing to run from them. she genuinely changed throughout the story and i really appreciated that💕.

⋆˙⟡ k 🩸

ּ֯ . ❥ ּ֯ ┆꒰ “but it didn’t matter in the end. love or not, i had her now, and i was never, ever going to let her go.” ꒱

K. WHAT DO I EVEN SAY🙂‍↕️. i obviously can’t say too much about him because the whole mystery surrounding his identity is such a huge part of the story, and i refuse to ruin that for anyone🤭. but this man is OBSESSED with kennedy. like, obsessed is genuinely an understatement. he knows everything about her, from her favourite foods to the smallest details about her life, and the fact that we don’t know who he is makes all of it even more interesting.

i spent so much of the book trying to figure him out, and when everything finally came together i was genuinely shocked. i had theories, i had suspicions, i had probably accused half the male population of this book at some point😭. but K??? yeah. i did not see everything coming🙂‍↔️. and the connection he had with kennedy was SO good. even before everything was revealed, there was this undeniable spark between them, and i loved watching that tension build🌷.

⋆˙⟡ k + kennedy 🖤

this relationship was SO complicated but i loved it. the fact that kennedy didn’t even know exactly who she was dealing with for most of the book made every interaction feel ten times more intense🧘🏼‍♀️. there was this constant feeling that something was happening underneath the surface, and i was just waiting for everything to explode 💆‍♀️. the chemistry was there, the tension was there and the connection was definitely there. and once everything started coming together, i was SAT. they were messy, complicated and absolutely addictive, which is basically everything i want from a dark romance🌝.

⋆˙⟡ freya + dec and side characters 🎙️

i really liked the friendships and side characters in this book, especially freya and the way the podcast brought everyone together. they made the story feel more grounded while everything else was getting increasingly insane😭. i also loved having characters to theorize about because apparently i needed more people to be suspicious of.

₊⁺ 𖥻 overall 🕯️ ⋆.˚୨ৎ

this book was EXACTLY what i needed. i was in such a huge slump and genuinely had no motivation to read, and then i picked this up and suddenly i couldn’t stop. i stayed up way too late reading because every page gave me another reason to keep going🧘🏼‍♀️.

the serial killer mystery, the podcast, the suspense, the plot twists, the obsession, the romance and the connection between K and kennedy all worked so well together🫶. i genuinely had so many theories and still managed to be surprised by the ending, which is exactly what i wanted😌. five stars. absolutely loved it. it’s currently 6 a.m. and i’m choosing to blame this book for the fact that i will not be functioning tomorrow🌝.

⋆.˚ ★— started: 9 aug
finished: 11 aug
₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹* ୨୧ • 🩸🎙️ pre-read

SO i’m going on a little dark romance marathon because i NEED to fall in love with this genre again 🥹 starting with a girl investigating a serial killer only to end up being hunted by him… yeah, this could either be exactly what i need or the reason i take another break from dark romance 💀

[Sascha · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a stalker romance… not the best.. not the worst. It was kind of original. The way that the ‘construction’ of the plot was explained instead of being integrated into the story really caused a lower rating for me. It's such a shame that a book that’s about true crime gives it away like that. If the plot had been more a part of ‘the mystery’ it could have been so cool. But I loveeeeed the part before that 🤭

HAHA and this girly “I stared at him, heart thudding hard. He was right. He’d had countless opportunities to torture me or even kill me, but he’d never done it.” SO ROMANTIC HAHAHAHA I’m crying

OH and this book did get my out of a heavy reading slump! So that’s a win

[Kenia Coronado · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book!!

It was so fun and i loved the thriller aspects of it! I haven’t read a dark romance, stalker, thriller like ever? I did figure out who the stalker was but i was happy it was him because i loved his character! Definitely reading more by this author!

[em .°˖✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Make It Hurt by Stella Hart was such an addictive read from start to finish, and honestly, once I started it, I struggled to put it down. It combines true crime obsession, psychological tension, dark romance and mystery in a way that constantly keeps you on edge. Every chapter felt like it was revealing something new, and just when I thought I had a grasp on where the story was heading, another twist would completely throw me off.

One of the strongest parts of this book for me was Kennedy Campbell as the main character. After witnessing her father being kidnapped in the middle of the night after returning home from a hospital shift, you can completely understand why she becomes so consumed by the case. That trauma hangs over her throughout the entire story, and it gives her actions so much emotional weight. She doesn’t just feel like a typical “curious girl chasing a mystery” protagonist, her need for answers feels deeply personal and real. I honestly felt for her the entire time, especially seeing how much the disappearance shaped her life and how determined she was to force people to pay attention to a case the world had already moved on from.

I also really loved the concept of Kennedy and her best friend Freya starting the 'After the Carver' podcast to revive interest in the murders. As someone who loves true crime elements in fiction, this setup immediately hooked me. The podcast episodes, the investigation, revisiting old evidence, digging into Corwin Bay’s secrets, all of it added so much atmosphere to the story. It genuinely felt like one of those true crime documentaries where every person interviewed seems suspicious in some way.

And then the Carver finally returns to Corwin Bay… and everything completely spirals.

The tension after that point was honestly insane. The stalking aspect of this book was done SO well. The sinister notes, the creepy gifts, him appearing out of nowhere in the dead of night, the constant feeling that Kennedy was being watched, it all created such an unsettling atmosphere. There were moments where I genuinely felt anxious for her because the Carver never really felt distant. He always felt close. Watching Kennedy slowly become tangled in his obsession with her was both terrifying and weirdly addictive to read about.

What really surprised me was how well the book balanced fear with attraction. Kennedy knows she should be terrified of him, and part of her absolutely is, but there’s also this darker side of her that’s drawn to the danger and thrill of being hunted. That push-and-pull dynamic made their chemistry incredibly intense. The spice in this book was honestly REALLY good, and it fit the tone of the story perfectly. Kennedy definitely enjoys the thrill of the chase a little too much, being pursued through the woods, hunted down, pushed to her limits, but somehow the book makes you understand exactly why she keeps getting pulled back toward him. Their relationship is toxic, obsessive, dangerous and completely consuming in the best way possible for a dark romance.

I also loved how unpredictable the mystery was. I don’t want to spoil anything because figuring things out is part of the fun, but while I did start developing a small suspicion about who the Carver might really be, the book still managed to surprise me multiple times. There were so many little details and reveals that made me second-guess myself constantly. Every character seemed to have secrets, and Corwin Bay itself almost felt like a character with how suffocating and eerie the atmosphere became.

Another thing I appreciated was the pacing. Sometimes mystery romances lose momentum halfway through, but this one kept escalating the entire time. The deeper Kennedy dug into the truth, the more dangerous things became, and I was completely invested in seeing how far everything would go. The final sections especially had me flying through pages because I needed answers immediately.

Overall, Make It Hurt was such a strong dark romantic suspense read for me. It’s unsettling, obsessive, thrilling, and full of tension from beginning to end. If you enjoy stalker romances, morally questionable love interests, true crime podcast vibes, small town secrets and a main character willing to walk directly into danger for answers, I’d absolutely recommend giving this one a try. It’s definitely one of those books that keeps you thinking about it after you finish, and for me it was a very solid 4 star read.

[belma · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion it is not a dark romance more of a mystery and crime book with a little touch of dark romance. I was really into this book the plot kept twisting and twisting when i thought i had it figured out it always surprised me and the ending never saw it coming.
Definitely worth reading

[addictedtodarkromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - I finished this in one day, I was hooked right until the end!!! Make sure to clear your calendars!!

Kennedy's father was the first victim of the Carver serial unaliver. She witnessed him being dragged away but was unable to do anything about it. Ten years later, she's started a podcast with her friend, Freya, about the Carver to see if anyone knows something that may be helpful, hoping that the podcast will trigger a long-forgotten memory and help solve the cold case.

But K, the unaliver, now has Kennedy on his radar and knows her deepest, darkest desires. He watches from afar, hacking into her life without her knowing. He's obsessed with and consumed by her, loving the games - the "chase" - waiting for the right time to strike.

I really enjoyed how the podcast fit into the story, it introduced us to the background of what happened and into the victims and suspects in a unique way. I had so many guesses as to who the unaliver was, but it kept changing the longer I read and the more we learned about the characters. There was only a brief moment in the middle of the book where I wanted the story to move faster, but I appreciated the suspense and build-up; it kept me guessing, just like it did for Kennedy. And the twist in the end did surprise me!!

K and Kennedy had a strong connection. Even though we don't know who K is, you could still feel a spark between them, and the steamy scenes were detailed and super hot! Their relationship was complicated in that she didn't know exactly who he was for most of the book, but it worked really well, and in the end, everything came together nicely!
 
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice/Heat Intensity: 3 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Main Characters: K & Kellen
Darkness: 3 out of 5 🖤🖤🖤 (I didn't find it super dark [compared to other books I've read], but it is about serial unalivers)
Type of book: MF, Fast Burn, Duel 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone Novel
Title: Series- : Book
Epilogue: Yes
Ending Type: HEA
 
 
*OTT Possessive, obsessive, dominant, and protective MMC
*Fear Kink
*Primal Play
*Captive/Kidnapping/Drugging
*Mental Health
*Stalker
*Serial Unaliver
*Knife/Blood Play
*No cheating or sharing
 
 
⚠️ This book has descriptive parts that may be offensive or triggering to some. Please check the authors' TW/CW before reading! 18+
 
*I received an early copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

4/10 ☑️
3/5 🌶️

My thoughts on this one are a little complicated, because I think it works much better as a mystery/thriller than as a romance.

As a mystery/thriller:
I really liked the podcast format. It was creative and gave the story a distinctive feel. I also wish we had gotten more of K’s POV, because getting inside the head of the killer was one of the most interesting parts of the premise, but his POV didn’t add as much as I expected.

Once the truth started coming out, though, I struggled to buy the whole setup. The motive and the way everything was carried out felt too far-fetched for a plot that otherwise seemed to be going for a more serious, grounded mystery. I wanted the reveal to make everything click, but instead I was left with more questions.

As a romance:
This is where the book really lost me.

I kept waiting for the romance to actually happen, but there really isn’t much of one. Kennedy and K barely interact for most of the book, and she doesn’t seem to like him for the majority of the story. Then, around the last 20%, I was suddenly supposed to believe that she had developed feelings strong enough to justify everything that followed.

I also never fully understood K’s obsession with her. At times, the book made it seem like he genuinely cared about her, but once the truth was revealed, his motivations seemed to be primarily about Carver. I couldn’t reconcile those two sides, so neither his feelings for her nor hers for him felt convincing to me.

There are also only a few spicy scenes, and considering how disturbed these characters were supposedly meant to be, I expected something that matched that intensity more closely.

I also struggled with Kennedy’s moral standards. She is willing to overlook one murderer while condemning another, and the distinction never felt fully justified to me.

Overall, I think the premise had a lot of potential, and the beginning genuinely hooked me. But by the end, I felt like the book didn’t quite work as either a mystery or a romance. If you’re picking this up specifically for the dark romance, I’d definitely go in knowing that the mystery/thriller aspect is much more prominent than the actual romantic relationship.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold on to your seat, as you’ll never imagine how this story ends!
I feel for the strong female protagonist, Kennedy who witnessed her father being kidnapped by a serial killer when she was young and her psyche is never the same. Fast forward to after her college graduation and she along with her best friend, Freya start a podcast about the serial killer that became known as the "Carver" with the hopes of unraveling whodunit! There is a lot in play with Kennedy from her free professional psychiatric counseling ending with her graduation, yet the psychologist offers something that feels off to her; Declan, her stepbrother moves back to his father's house after his divorce and a drunken episode goes wrong in flames; and finally Detective Malachi Sieger who is recently assigned to the case due his success with cold cases and who has more at stake than Kennedy realizes. As the podcasts takes off, weird events occur around Kennedy in regards to the case, making you seriously wonder if perhaps the "Carver" is still out there. How will it all end? You'll have to read to find out and don't expect to put this book down until you turn the last page as will be caught up in the suspense of whodunit!

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review.

This book is absolutely amazing. Once you start it, you won't be able to lay it down. This is the story of Kennedy and K. Her father is the first victim of the Carver serial killer. She witnessed him being dragged away but could not do a thing about it. Ten years have not passed and she and her friend Freya have started a podcast about the Carver to see if anyone knows something that could be helpful in capturing him. Now however K has Kennedy on his radar. He knows her deepest darkest desire as he watches her from afar and hacks into her life without her having a clue he is doing it. He is a man obsessed to say the least. He is consumed with the thrill of the chance and all thing her. But he is just biding his time until the time is right to strike. I don't think I have read a book with a podcast in it like this one. I really loved that part of the book. Oh, who am I kidding. I loved it all. I love the connection that K and Kennedy shared. I loved that we don't know who K is but that spark for sure is there between them. This is a great book and one you do not want to miss.

[Adri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is only my second time reading a serial killer book and every-time I think.. NOPE not going to like it and then… Im sucked so deep into it so I might actually just admit to enjoying it when its written in a DARK ROMANCE Stalker kinda vibe.. lols
Dark, Stalker,Twisted… Did not see it coming at all!!
Well I did not see the twists and Im not going to spoil it for you either so go in and read it in the dark with no indication of whats coming. BEST way to do it.
But I will tell you its good in a very dark and twisted way.

If you have triggers around blood, gore, stalkerish type of dark things, this might be your que to turn around.
If not and you appreciate all the twist and turns it can take you on, then go ahead.

Please always take note that if you have issues around mental health or suffer from it then your health comes first. This might be triggering in more than one way.

“My stomach lurched again. “You’re a fucking psychopath,” I bit out. “But I’m your psychopath, aren’t I?” he said. “Isn’t that what you like?”

[Allicia M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story 5 ⭐️
Spice 4 🌶️

A stalker romance where you don’t get confirmation of the stalkers identity until 2/3 of the way through to book is rare. There are 3 characters who could be the stalker and there are hints dropped that make it possible to really be any of them prior to the reveal.

The identity isn’t the biggest twist in the novel either. There are even bigger twists that get revealed after the stalkers identity is revealed.

Very happy with which character it was that turned out to be the stalker. Very enjoyable book with a satisfying ending.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dark stalker romance hooked me right away with its unique spin of podcast clips throughout the story. I also loved the dual POV and getting inside the mind of both interesting MCs. I devoured this book. I loved the mystery and suspense hanging on the edge of my seat eager to find out what happened next and who the mystery masked man was. So freaking deliciously dark and twisted.

Contains:
Stalker
Serial unaliver
Morally-gray
Captive
Masked man
Primal
Spicy
Explicit
Graphic
Dual POV

Check TW

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kennedy started a podcast, After the Carver, to solve the mystery of her father's kidnapping and murder. This podcast also brought out a stalker who falls for Kennedy. This is a dark, twisted stalker romance with danger, mystery, suspense, drama, and a storyline that had me on the edge of my seat, wondering who the stalker was and what would happen next. The writing is well done, the characters are well developed, and the ending is great. Make it Hurt is a great story! I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[ZeeZee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!!! Its like a Good Girl's Guide to Murder with a steamy adult twist.
The podcast setting keeps you on your toes trying to figure out who the Carver is, who is after Kennedy and who you can and can't trust.
And the realization Kennedy discovers about herself is so hot.
Definitely another great Stella Hart book.

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

[Narelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a dark and slightly terrifying/scintillating read with Kennedy and "K". Kennedy has been making a true crime podcast about a serial killer with a friend when things start to happen. With an obsessive stalker, a masked man, knife play and plenty more, this is not for the faint of heart. Please check the trigger warnings (or shopping list, it depends how you feel, IYKYK).

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

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kennedy started a podcast with her friend Fraya to get answers to her fathers disappearance at the hands of the Carver murderer. Only she finds herself the obssesion of K, will he hold the answers she seeks or will she be another victim? Well written the story captivates and holds you're attention with suspense and keeps you guessing till the very end. Steamy dark themes desires and more!

[Kelly Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not usually a fan of stalker romances, but something about this one, made me want to read it and im so glad i did, as this had all the right feels, the mystery, the obsession and the darkness and im glad we were left so long guessing who the stalker was, it really added to the tension! Loved it.

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

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really captured my attention and had me anxiously staying up late to keep those pages turning. Suspense, tension, intensity and twists make this dark stalker romance a very juicy and hard to resist read.

[Gaynor Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tingly!!

A twisty, little tale of a cruel serial killer and one on the hunt for him. Brought together by events set in motion years ago, this story will keep you guessing with all the characters, twists, and turns and revelations!

[Alina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly was more into the mystery than the romance. I felt like there wasn’t a good enough foundation for the romance cause it felt like it came out of nowhere, especially the first hook up. And some of the murder mystery plot got to be a bit nonsensical. But it was entertaining nonetheless lol

[Ginger's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty great book. I was definitely intrigued and I liked how the author gave multiple viable options for the stalker. I really enjoyed this! The FMC and MMC were interesting but definitely the plot was the focal point.

[sadaf · Rating 2 out of 5]

The whole podcasts about cold cases/serial killer cases plot was acc fun.

[welcometosmuttsville · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! This freaking book 🙌 10/10 all the stars ✨ So many twists and turns. I’m actually bummed I’ve read it because I would LOVE to experience this book for the first time again!!!

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many twists and turns

The plot twist in this was really good. Not as spicy as I usually go for but definitely worth the read.

[baereads · Rating 1 out of 5]

So bad.

[Lauren Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟!!! This was so good!!! I was hooked. Loved the thriller aspect of it. So many twists and turns 🤯

[Crescent Beavers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not get into this book

[David Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling and twisty

So good, really a page turner, slow burner but once you get started you can't put it down. Slow burn worth a read.

[Selanox · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[BatDuckie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect

I loved every second of this book. Seriously this probably is in the top 3 of my favorite books this year. Everything about it was fantastic 👏🏻