Thrill Her

by Cadence Smoke

Pumpkin spice and everything nice is not what the Halgrove Hill University Crew are interested in this year.

They want a thrill. An evening of fear and memories to last a lifetime. What better way to do that than to attend the infamous Lakeward Farm Halloween party just off campus?

Spooky sights and Halloween frights are more than they bargained for in this barn of terror short story.

Thrill Her is a bonus scene/short story from the Almost Forever Series. It can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Halloween

50 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

Cadence Smoke is a Romance, Dark Romance & Gothic Romance Author from Canada. In addition to writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies, as well as reading books of various genres.

Reviews

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨🖤 ARC Review🖤✨

Thrill Her by Cadence Smoke
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Thank you Cadence Smoke for allowing me to read this early. This review is voluntary and all opinions are honest and my own.

‪This was a great quick read full of wonderful Halloween and autumn vibes. You get a great introduction into the Now He’s Mine world along with characters. It’s mild on the scare and the spice but makes up for it with the banter and suspense. It’s a great short story. ‬

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

📌New Review

Thank you #stuffyourkindleday for my free copy🖤

📲: Thrill Her
✍️: Cadence Smoke
🖨️: Indie
📈: 4⭐️
🩸: Thriller/ Dark Romance Novella

📝: “I’m finding it harder and harder to get scared as time passes, as I enjoy the darkness far too much for it to affect me anymore.”

Four friends decide to attend a costume party hosted at Lakeward Farm. Here they’ll toast with some drinks before entering the ominous corn maze! But Leah goes off on her own & the group can’t find her. Will her night end in pleasure, pain or a little bit of both? 😉

This is a quick novella & it delivered on everything it promised! It was spooky, spicy & sweet!

Save this review, this story would make a great addition to your fall TBR! 👻

💰Snag this on KU !

🎵I love when books have a playlist!🎵

💭 Would you choose to read a romcom, romance or dark romance first?

🏷️
#bookstagram #darkromancereads #darkromancereader #kindleunlimitedbooks

[Brit.Readz · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a short little guy this one was intriguing.
Vix seems so brave.. but there is definitely a lead up to something going to happen.
Austin seems so sweet and kind but also.. what is going on there?
Kash.. seems maybe flirtatious and funny.
Leah.. well Leah I think is in deep shit with the Masked man.

Also that prank was funny but I would totally be so pissed!
I can’t wait to read more and keeping unraveling the next parts of the story!

[Vi · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
It was a little bit short for me, but it was a entertaining book with a small hint of spice.

[Carlina Kinch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author for allowing me the absolute privilege of being able to arc read 'Thrill Her'! I truly appreciate it!

'Now He's Mine' hasn't even released yet and these characters have stolen my heart! Vix and Austin are absolutely adorable together, but I'm definitely a Kash Fan for myself! Leah and Vix as friends are honestly the perfect dynamic duo and are exactly what I would call soul friends!

If you're looking for a quick truly spooky fun read, with some spice, you're going to absolutely love this! The characters mesh so well, that despite not knowing how they all came to be, you don't feel like you've missed a thing. The haunted house escapades will have you vividly picturing it all, well being mildly terrified at what might happen next, you can't help laughing alongside Vix because it is just so much fun. The little twist and spice at the end gosh! You really need to read it, it was amazing!

All together this was so much fun, and it will tide you over until 'Now He's Mine' releases, however you're going to read this over and over again because it is just so much fun! It is also honestly the perfect embodiment of what this season feels like for me. So if you love all things autumn with a little spooky you're going to love this!

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart again for allowing me the absolute privilege of being able to arc read this. I really appreciate it and I can't wait until it releases and I can bring it home, I loved it so much!

[CharliReadsSmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.75/5
🌶️ 1/5

This was a short and sweet story, giving us a brief introductions to the Almost Forever series.

‘I don't know who grabs who first, but how these two giant babies cling to each other while trying to retreat has me in stitches.’

This story was easy to read and I enjoyed the characters. At some points I was crying laughing whilst reading about Kash’s response to a haunted house.

‘Kash lets out a high-pitched scream that should never come out of a grown man's mouth.’

This has helped build a very small foundation of the characters in HHU and I am really looking forward to reading more about them in Now He’s Mine.

[Jenna Quoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun Halloween read! I was immediately pulled into this short story. It was such a good introductory to what’s to come in “Now He’s Mine” and I need more! I am very intrigued by these characters and can’t wait to find out more about Vix and her relationship with Austin. And how Leah and Vix became friends. You can just tell they have a good time together. But also the epilogue makes very interested in Leah and this mystery guy. That was hot and left me hanging! There has to be a book for Leah in the future.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC


This was such a fun short story and such a great introduction to these characters.

I loved the spooky Halloween vibes 🖤

I definitely loved Leah and the masked man and I would love to see more of them!

I can't wait to see more of these characters in 'Now He's Mine'!

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

prequel bonus

vix, austin, kash & leah halloween bonus scene that takes place BEFORE now he’s mine…so like be warned…definitely read it first if you don’t want to have your heart broken!

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. 🖤
Kash kills me.

I'm excited to read more in this series to learn more about all of them - Vix, Aus, and Lee! Thoroughly wanted this to be longer, but loved what Smoke gave us!

[Jocylena Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little story wasn’t just about Halloween vibes or spooky fun—it had emotion behind it. The Halgrove Hill University crew isn’t interested in the “pumpkin spice and everything nice” kind of fall. They’re chasing something sharper, something that leaves a memory you feel afterwards.

The infamous Lakeward Farm Halloween party sets the scene, and honestly? It delivered. The atmosphere was eerie in that quiet, nostalgic way—like something you’d swear was just a rumor until you’re standing in it yourself. It gave me that “we’re too old for this but we’re doing it anyway because we need to feel something again” vibe.

Even in the short length, the connection between the characters came through. Their history, their tension, the fear, the thrill—all woven together. I found myself rooting for them to not only get scared, but to see each other in the middle of all that chaos.

My only wish was for a couple of the emotional moments to linger just a little longer. I was invested and wanted to stay in those feelings.

But overall, this was surprisingly tender for a story wrapped in Halloween shadows.

[Brooke-Lynn Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great Halloween Novella by Cadence Smoke...

Four college students — siblings Leah and Kash, her roommate Vix, and her childhood best friend turned boyfriend, Austin —join the rest of Halgrove Hill University at an evening of fear, the Lakeward Farm Halloween Party. Haunted Barn with a corn maze...what could go wrong?

Cadence gives you everything in this novella; we got scared with excellent movie references for Halloween costumes worn by the people jumping out at you during the haunted barn. I think it was hilarious that Vix is known as not being able to get scared while the men with her are screaming like babies. I laughed a lot during this scene.

She gives us a total fright when it soon turns into a chase through the corn maze, and the men lose the girls...I was on the edge of my seat.

Plus, she gives us sweet romance with Vix and Aus, and of course, sexy time with Leah and....?

I can't wait for what comes next in this series.

[Heather Angeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cadence Smoke’s Thrill Her delivers a compact but haunting Halloween-tinged romance novella that leans into chills, thrills, and emotional peril. It’s not merely a spooky date-night read — the story lingers in your mind, asking questions about fear, trust, and how well we know the people we call friends.

The haunted house fare with a twist: four friends venture into a creepy, off-campus Halloween event (the Lakeward Farm Halloween party just outside of Halgrove Hill University) with the express intention of scaring their friend Vix. But the fun turns dark when Leah goes missing, and what began as playful terror becomes a desperate hunt to find her — and to confront whatever malevolent force may be behind her disappearance.

[Heather Bohinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5*

For being so short, I thought this was a nice little Halloween story. It basically takes place over 2 days and ends at a Halloween event on a farm. This story does tie in with Now He's Mine by Cadence Smoke, and there is a perfect place in that book to switch and read this one in between, BUT if you just want a short Halloween story, it is not necessary to read Now He's Mine. I felt Cadence did a good job introducing the characters enough to know a little background and it is enough to understand the dynamic at least. I hope we get to see more of the masked man that we got to see in the epilogue in a future book.

[Xandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky

For such a short read it was great. The spooky vibe was awesome and so detailed. Vix and Aus are the cutest couple and I hope to see more of them. Vix is a spooky season lover so she was not scared by much but her friend Leah got her. Leah and Kash are siblings and they fight like siblings. Leah seems energetic and is a girl's best friend for sure. I absolutely loved all the characters and I hope to find out who the mystery masked man is because holy hotness! Everyone needs to definitely need to read this! I cannot wait for me. I need it!

[: ̗̀➛ c h e l s e a · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW ✨

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
spice: 🌶️

thank you so much to cadence smoke for the opportunity to read + review this prequel short story for the almost forever series. i loved the dynamics between all of the characters, this short 40 page read offers a quick glimpse at vix and austin’s relationship and i’m already kicking my feet over them. i also really loved the sibling dynamic between kash and leah!

thrill her releases october 8th! (tomorrow)

[Marlena · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖤College Students
🎃 Halloween Party
👻 Spooky Setting
💀Masked Man

This was a quick novela featuring the characters of Now He’s Mine. Great introduction to the characters!

It’s perfect for spooky season and it does have a cozy and spooky feel to it with a twist. It is a bit spicy as well. I loved the quick read and seeing a little sneak peak into the relationship of Austin and Vix plus their friendship with Kash and Leeah. I can’t wait to read more about them!

[Samantha Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about funny, flirty and a little spooky! Exactly what i wanted in an October novella read.
Vix cracked me up, especially in the haunted house (i actually had to take my airpods out at one point cause i knew i was gonna end up being jump scared??) Also who can resist a masked man or a tattooed cinnamon bun? Consider me obsessed.

A fun lil teaser for Now He's Mine, i’m so ready for the full book.

[Rouchelle Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very quick read! It was a wonderful appetizer to what I think will be a great world! Vix and Austin are a cute little couple. I am enamored with Kash and his sense of humor and over the top reactions. I cannot wait to see what is in store for him in the future. Thrill Her had a lot of moments where I ended up giggling. The biggest thing I am looking forward to is anything about the masked man from this short story.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect if you need to be put back together after Now He's Mine.

This is a quick novella that happens in the middle of Now He's Mine. Neither book really needs to be read first though I suggest reading this one second.

This story has almost a campy feel as it follows four college-age friends, but honesty, the portrayal is so great. Cadence's writing has a way of keeping you wanting to turn pages.

[Summer Nevels · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick Halloween short story.
💀College Students
💀Halloween Party
💀Spooky Setting
💀Masked Men
💀Haunted House
💀Banter

This is such a short read that anyone can read it in one sitting and it’s 10000000% worth it. The banter is so funny and I’m already inlove with every character. It’s a nice little introduction into the Almost Forever series. It’ll leave you hungry for the upcoming release!

[Ashes And Ink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrill Her is a short story introducing us to the world and characters of the upcoming book Now He's Mine.

While brief this is the perfect little teaser of what is to come. A little bit of horror and a little but of spice. Combine that with the introduction of a friend group that has all the banter and the meeting of a masked stranger and I am hooked.

I cannot wait to visit Halgrove again!

[Liann Alfaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

First want to say thank you to Cadence Smoke and team for choosing me to be on the Street Team!

ARC Review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

This was a fun short read with all the Halloweens and fall vibes. Great prequel to Now He’s Mine. Introduced us to the four MC and the fun they have on this one night. Can not wait to dig into the next book. Grab the book for a great little read.

[Stevief.94 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced novella that gave a short but sweet introduction to characters in the upcoming novel ‘Now he’s mine’ (releasing feb 4th 2026). Characters were witty and had me laughing one moment then gave me a genuine jaw drop the next. Conveniently even included a little bit of spice.

This book felt like the perfect tease to get you itching to read the full length one.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was the perfect Halloween treat: spooky, fast-paced, and packed with autumn vibes.

From haunted barn chaos to masked mystery moments, it delivered just the right amount of thrills without dragging. I loved how quickly I got pulled into the crew’s antics, and the eerie setting made it ideal for a seasonal binge.

[Raychel Klotz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little novella was the perfect Halloween read. Pumpkin spice lattes, a haunted barn, and a dark corn maze set the mood perfectly. Add in a mysterious masked man, a spicy scene, and a suspenseful search through the maze, and you’ve got a fun story. Best of all, it’s all wrapped up in under 50 pages. short, thrilling, and perfect for spooky season ❤️

[Katie Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick read/outtake

This was a quick bonus scenes that goes along with her upcoming book “Now He’s Mine” and I love this perspective! Leah’s POV makes me think that she’ll eventually get her own book, and I’d live tha! She’s quickly becoming one of my favorite “best friend side/supporting characters” I’ve read in a while!

[Avelon Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mavix & Austin - A Halloween Night Out!
The four friends go out to the farm for a Halloween night out. I love how the four characters are still so dynamic in this short story. This is part of the Almost Forever Series book 1 “Now He’s Mine” and I recommend reading it between chapter 17/18 because it fits the timeline of the book perfectly there.

[Life on Readpeat · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐫 by Cadence Smoke is a quick and cute Halloween treat that gives readers a lil' taste of her writing style and characters. After reading this I am excited to check out her debut full length novel very soon!

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hands down the shortest book I have ever read
But I loved every bit of it, returning to this world with this friendship group even for a second is worth it
I feel I have more love for each one of these character after these bonus chapters of their story
And I really look forward to the next book in this series