He Sees You

by Elizabeth Knox

She writes about killers. He kills. This December, they'll meet.

Celeste Sterling came home to the Adirondacks with writer's block and daddy issues.

She'll leave with blood on her hands and a monster's ring on her finger.

Between now and then? Twenty-three days of being hunted by a man who makes her fictional villains look like choir boys. A man who collects deer skulls like love letters. Who knows every filthy word she's ever written—including the ones she deleted.

Welcome to a small town where everyone's keeping secrets, Daddy's gun won't save you, and the local serial killer has been waiting two years for his favorite author to come home.

Celeste thought she understood darkness. After all, she's made millions writing it.

But there's a difference between typing "he's dangerous" and having danger learn your daily routine. Between writing "touch her and die" and watching him make that promise literal.

Between creating a monster and realizing one already exists.

***The hunter has become obsessed. The author is about to become his. And Daddy dearest? He's about to become family with a serial killer.

'Tis the season for a dark romance that will ruin you for safe men and happy endings.

Contains a morally black hero who believes consent is negotiable and murder is foreplay.

Genres: Christmas, Dark Romance, Dark, Audiobook, Holiday, Morally Grey, Erotica

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2025

About the author

Elizabeth Knox is a USA Today Bestselling romance author who specializes in romantic suspense, and dark romance. She’s well-known for her intense page-turning motorcycle clubs, and sinister dark mafia books. 

While Elizabeth loves to write, she is an avid reader as well, who reads a mixture of genres. She lives on a farm with her husband in the northeastern United States with her rescue animals. When she isn’t working, you can find her horseback riding, riding ATVs, or out on the farm with her animals.

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Amazon: amazon.com/Elizabeth-Knox/e/B071KDT21Y

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Reviews

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Tis the season for dark holiday romance...

This fast-paced dark romance packs a punch in 250 pages full of thrilling suspense, mystery, danger, and delicious spice.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. With amazing characters like Celeste our dark romance author who seeks inspiration after seeming to have lost her motivation and passion, and Cain this mysterious mountain man who has his own brand of darkness and moral compass. This was such an addictive read I quickly devoured all the pages.
I really enjoyed reading about the process the FMC had writing dark romance and how absolutely devoted the MMC was to her.

Celeste and Cain's darkness mirrors one another's and their compatibility is undeniable. I just loved the build-up and anticipation.

Tropes:
Stalker
Forced proximity
Anti-hero
Morally black
Serial unaliver
Vigilante
Touch her and ☠️
Ultra protective
Obsessive/Possessive MMC
Graphic
Explicit
Dual POV

Check TW

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast paced dark small town romance. Celeste is a dark romance writer who returns to her hometown to try to write her next book. Cain is a serial killer who’s obsessed with Celeste. When these two meet it’s instant attraction and these two become each other’s whole world. The twists in this book will keep you interested. Always check TWs before jumping in a dark romance.

[Ambers Book Nest · Rating 4 out of 5]

He Sees You by Elizabeth Knox is a dark Christmas romance that was exactly what I was hoping for. I went in expecting something quick, a little chaotic, and slightly unhinged—and that’s exactly what I got, in the best way.

I really loved the idea of a dark romance writer ending up in situations similar to the ones she writes about. It added a fun, slightly twisted layer to the story and made everything feel more intense. The book doesn’t hold back on its darker themes, but it’s still fast-paced and super easy to binge in just a few sittings.

Some parts were a bit predictable, but honestly, there was always another twist popping up just when I thought I knew where things were going. It kept things interesting and hard to put down.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and flew through it. I’m definitely keen to see where the story goes in the second book.

"If I kiss you," I warn, my hands moving to her waist, "there's no going back. I don't do halfway. I don't share. I don't let go."

[Jessica Stueber · Rating 5 out of 5]

He Sees You
By Elizabeth Knox
(12/29/25)
5⭐️
3🌶️
🔘Erotic Horror
🔘Psychological Thriller
🔘Dark Romance
🔘Horror

Celeste Sterling is a dark romance writer, who currently has a case of writer’s block. She decides to go back home for the holidays to get some inspiration. Little does she realize how “inspired” she is going to become when she meets a man who should be one of the characters in her book. The lines between good and bad get fuzzy along the way and not everyone is who you think!

This book was dark and thrilling! It kept me captivated and guessing constantly! The enfing was amazing! I hope this series continues as there is much to still learn about these characters. Narration in this book was fantastic!

Thank you to Blue Nose for providing me with an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes:
👺 Serial Killer
🦹 Crime
🌶️ Erotica
💀 Death

[Ali b · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea was good and the beginning really pulled you in. But the cringe started around 40% and it did not recover.

[Dankinia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd recommend this if you are in the mood for a spicy small town story about a serial killer and an author that writes dark romance novels deciding to embrace their inner darkness.

Overall, I rate it 3⭐out of 5 based on the following: 🤩Enjoyment - 3; 👥Characters - 3.5; 📖Plot - 3; 🗺️Atmosphere - 3.5; and🖋️Writing - 2 with the first 3 categories being most important.

What worked for me:
• Celeste realizing Cain is who she's been imagining when she writes her dark romance novels
• Cain using his darkness to avenge and protect those who need it

What didn't work for me:
• The story contradicted itself in a few places. I won't give specifics, but characters say they were one place and later say they were somewhere else or the FMC knowing details before they were shared with her.

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

Finished Reading
11/29/2025

[Bookshelf🧸ྀི ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ ྀི · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️
->rtc

[Adriana · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this a zero I would. It’s a no from me. My face was 🤨 the whole time. I read this for my book club only.

[A79senlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book due to its fulfillment of my hallowed book trinity: cover, blurb and trigger warnings. If those three things sing to me, I’m sold.

There were some great moments here, but many others played a discordant note for me. The inconsistent timing of events, for example, drove me batty, and there were too many instances of the details not matching. To mention just a few (SPOILERS):

🔪 Cain says early in the book that Juliette was at Columbia (University) when their parents died, but later says Juliette was 13 and at a sleepover.
💋 Cain says his kiss is not like those “romantic kisses she probably writes about,” but he’s read every word she’s ever written, so there should be no “probably.”
👮‍♀️ With as meticulous as Cain is, how did he not consider that Jake could have been somewhere else (with witnesses) during the murders?
🛏️ Did Celeste have two “childhood bedrooms?” When she comes home, she’s staying in one, but when that becomes a crime scene, she moves to another one.
🚗 Cain says he can identify people’s cars by their engine noise, but when he and Celeste are together and they hear a car, he asks if it’s her father — he should already know it’s not.
💍 The state detective refers to Celeste as “Mrs. Lockwood” before he finds out that she married Cain.

Some things just flat-out made no sense to me, such as:

💋 “I kiss her forehead, tasting salt from tears she won't let fall.” Very pretty picture, but not physically possible.
🎁 How did Celeste’s dad know about the gifts?
🔪 Why did Cain lie to Celeste about not killing the female victims? He’s honest about everything else.
🧐 How do these people research and plan elaborate schemes in a matter of hours?
⁉️ The one that bothers me the most: Why on earth did Sterling show up at the wedding? Why did he agree to make the phone calls they demanded he make? And why did he then wait around to be killed?! He had ample opportunities to either escape or kill himself, but he just did whatever they said and hung around until it was his turn to be murdered.

Lest you think there was nothing I liked, I can tell you there is some lovely prose to be found, particularly some of the passages Celeste writes for her book. The characters were interesting and it held my attention throughout. The bones are there (no pun intended); the book just needs more editing.

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

[Alexandria Segura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️| 🎧 Audio: 5⭐ (DUET!)

First , as always thank you to Blue Nose Audio for the ALC.

The audio was a full 5/5 and absolutely carried this experience. Duet narration is always a win, and Joe Arden is a pleasure to listen to. I would happily consume anything he narrates. Amanda Willow also did an incredible job and complemented him perfectly.

As for the story itself: it wasn’t bad, but it felt like things moved very quickly..from just meeting to being together, and I never fully connected with the characters. That said, the ending was packed with twists, reveals, and surprises, and it definitely made up for what the book may have been lacking earlier.

And let’s talk about Jake’s punishment 👏👏
That was insane, unforgettable, and honestly incredible. A unicorn? If you know, you know.

I also really appreciate stories that feature vigilante-style justice, especially when it comes to taking down truly vile people.

Overall, a solid listen -elevated by phenomenal narration and a wild ending.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a new series, and this is Celeste and Cain’s story.
Celeste is a writer about killers, but she has daddy issues and is suffering from writer’s block. Cain is a killer, who has been following Celeste since before she published her first book. Celeste heads back to where she grew up seeking inspiration, and where her dad is the towns sheriff. Celeste spends 23 days being hunted by a man who makes her fictional characters look like choir boys.
This is a well written easy to read, action packed story, with family dynamics, friendships, emotions, surprises, danger, suspense, intrigue, secrets, obsession, touch her and die vibes, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, twisted, and unpredictable, dark Christmas romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Paige (wingsandsmut) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved listening to this audio and it was a quick dark romance book to enjoy!! There’s some suspense and twists and I ate it up! The audiobook performed in duet by Amanda Willow & Joe Arden and they both did a lovely job at narrating this. The intensity of certain scenes really came through and I just wanted to keep listening. There’s action, suspense, spice, complicated relationships, and instant chemistry between Cain & Celeste. If you want a quick and spicy dark romance, definitely add this to your list!

What to expect
-stalker
-obsessive/possessive
-serial killer
-small town
-forced proximity
-touch her and die
-morally grey

Thank you to Elizabeth Knox & Blue Nose Audio for letting me listen & review an ALC of this book.

[Clary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version and I really enjoyed this one. The idea of an author getting inspiration back in her small hometown to write these dark romance stories was perfect. I loved the way Celeste wrote, her own words impactful and dark. The chemistry between Celeste and Cain was undeniable. Their romance was exquisitely dark, and exactly what I was looking for. Cain is the exact definition of morally grey, and I love how they ended up banding together against the "truly evil ones". The plot is definitely full of twists and turns, and it's full of suspense mixed with the perfect amount of spice. There were some inconsistencies in the story but I felt like they were minor enough that it didn't detract from my enjoyment of it. The narration by Joe Arden and Amanda Willow was phenomenal. Joe was this way of bringing these dark characters to life that ends up with me wanting more and more. And Amanda brought the perfect balance of emotions to the story.

[Reba Densley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give more stars, I would have.
This book was suspenseful but in a good way. It keeps you wanting to know more. I devoured this and wished it hadn't have ended.

Celeste is an author who writes what other people think is wrong. She wants raw and gritty. She wants the darker side of things. She isn't scared. And she ends up feeling free.

Cain is dark, unhinged, morally black. He protects the people who can't protect themselves. He rights wrongs. He has his own past that skewed him to see the truth, the things that people hide.

It's dark. It's beyond morally grey. It's spice.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amount of highlights I put in this book is crazy! 250 pages jam packed with darkness, passion, twists and action. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when I was done!
This is definitely one for those who love DARK romance and Christmas!

The moments in Chapter 17....chokehold, absolute choke hold.

"love and violence were not opposites but dance partners, moving together in terrible harmony."

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook 5⭐️
Spice 2 🌶️
Story 4 ⭐️

He Sees You by Elizabeth Knox is a Dark Romance Christmas Novella. This is a very fast pace stalker, serial unaliver with dark themes novella. The story starts with our FMC who is a writer and lost her spark, in order to regain it , she goes back to her roots, where a complicated past and a stalker awaits. This story is very eventful, Cain & Celeste are made for each other, filled with delicious spice, action and suspense.
Audiobook: is a duet style narration by Amanda Willow and Joe Arden did an amazing job embodying the characters and brining them to life. If you are looking for a quick, delicious , obsessive, possessive MMC with Joe Arden’s Voice, this one is for you. Amanda did amazing for Celeste, she is a feisty FMC that grows in her own even more and biting the darkness to the surface, voicing her to perfection.
Thank you Blue Nose and Elizabeth for this amazing opportunity, experiencing this amazing adventure!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is absolutely pack with drama action
suspense steam and darkness.
The plot was interesting and grab my attention
and the characters had depth to them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A writer who is seeking her hidden self heads home only to meet the man who will help her find herself. Crazy story but amazing!.

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

[Ebony · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was … not good.

Spoilers ahead!!!

I gave it a second star only because the concept was strong. The execution, however, left something to be desired.

This book was somehow both too long and too short at the same time if that makes sense.

The fun part (for me personally) about a dark romance is the build up of tension between the MCs. The scary “who is watching me” part, to the discovery of who the MMC is and loving them anyway. But this book fast tracks that part, so they are in love at lightning speed. That’s the part of the book that should take up space, however it’s over by the midpoint and we are left with a hundred plus pages of them fighting corruption in their town.

Also, and this is not something I ever thought I’d be able to say about a book featuring a serial killer fighting a trafficking ring, but this was painfully boring. It came across as weirdly repetitive and cheesy at times. And it just seemed to drag on and on. Like I get it, you’re going to be traveling killers forever, your father’s a bad person, this is who you were always meant to be … great.

Lastly, this book had some continuity issues that were hard to ignore.

In all, I did not enjoy this book and had to force myself to finish it. I’ve noticed that a lot of others seem to love it though, so maybe it’s just me!

[Jamie Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had great potential. I absolutely LOVE the concept of a dark romance author going to her hometown to find inspiration for a new book only to get her own vigilante serial ☠️ stalker. Love it!
However, it was extremely fast paced with no give of time line... it seems like they were head over heels in love within a day. There were a lot of repetitiveness (I swear everything was "pale", eyes, hair, skin, on both MCs). And there were several inconsistencies along with the fact that the FMC seemed to know things about the MMC before it was even shared with her.

[Andrea Nicholson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genuinely shocked this book has so many 4 & 5 star reviews as this was a pile of hot garbage. At times the warmth was nice, at other times it was simply garbage.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

He Sees You is the first book in the Dark Holiday Series. A full-length standalone novel with no cheating or cliffhanger and complete with a happily-ever-after. A dark thriller writer returns home to find herself hunted by an obsessive serial killer who knows her work intimately. The hunter has become obsessed.The author is about to become his. And Daddy dearest? He's about to become family with a serial killer. 'Tis the season for a dark romance that will ruin you for safe men and happy endings. Warning: Contains a morally black hero who believes consent is negotiable and murder is foreplay. This is Cain and Celeste story which is told from a dual point of view. A well done story with two flawed and damage individuals and a twisty and complex storyline that grabs audience attention from the start and keeps you riveted and turning the pages. An unputdownable and absorbing read.
A psychological thriller story, serial killer story, contemporary romance, touch-her-and-die romance, protective alpha hero romance, morally-grey dark antio-hero story, holiday romance, dark romance, mountain man story, romantic suspense story, forced proximity romance, polar opposite attracts story, insta-love romance, insta-everything, lust-at-first-sight romance, stalker romance, obsessive/possessive alpha hero story, return home story, small town romance with violence, fear, possessiveness, obsession, danger, power play, bloodshed, attacks, threats, dominance, submission, angst, push and pull, survival, dirty talking, power and control, revelations, lies, resilience, deep dark hidden secrets, mystery, suspense, passion, family, action, return to hometown, drama, manipulation, darkness, madness, surprising twists and turns, losses, understanding, shocking truths, friendship, grief, loyalty, deception, spice, love and so much more.
Celeste Sterling is a best selling serial killer author, she writes about killers. Her last book didn't go well with her readers. Her editor wants her work to be same as her earlier work if not more darker. She's having writer's block for her next novel and her editor and best friend, Juliette suggested that she should go back to her hometown of Adirondack and maybe she would get some inspiration. Juliette as brother name Cain who has moved back home in the mountains of Adirondack at their decease parents home. Cain is a weird, damaged, broken, and dangerous recluse who is an obsessive fan turn killer of Celeste. He has manipulated everything in order to bring back Celeste home. His sister Juliette has given every copy of Celeste books and he as turned all her fictions into reality. She went home for writer's block but when she leaves her hometown again she'll leave with blood on her hands and a monster's ring on her finger. Her dad is the sheriff of their little town and when the murders started happening he believes that it was Cain, the mountain man who plays his violin.
When Celeste dad learn that she was coming home he had some reservations because of the numerous murders that had occurred and he couldn't solve. Celeste thought that she understood darkness, after all she's made millions writing it. But there's a difference between typing he's dangerous and having danger learn your daily routine. Between writing touch-her-and-die and watching him make that promise literal. There's a monster in town stalking Celeste and killing people and Cain does everything in his power to protect her and his town. Cain see Celeste as his soul mate and a kindred spirit. Cain is working from the shadows dealing with the town's monster. And he was also leaving her small gifts daily that also boost her confidence. At the end they would learn a lot and the killer would shock and surprise them. A great start to the series.

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

[Claudia |✨Cushin Violeta's Bookish Realm✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beauty and the beast of the Adirondacks...

💕🅵🅰🆅🅾🆄🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆀🆄🅾🆃🅴🆂💕

"𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕?" "𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆. 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔."

"𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔." 𝑯𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒚, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓. "𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖." "𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕?" "𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆. 𝑻𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕. 𝑻𝒐 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌."

📢 🅲🅰🆄🆃🅸🅾🅽🅰🆁🆈 🅲🅰🅻🅻-🅾🆄🆃 📢

Please, please read the author's content warnings before diving into this one as this is REALLY DARK and goes on to become more and more dark later in the book. So keep that in mind, if you can handle this before starting the book.

🅼🆈 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂:

My goodness... What a ride... Absolutely unhinged... Starts with shades of dark going to darker and darkest.... I certainly didn't expect this one to be taking the turns it did take but I was hooked onto the ride.

The start definitely pulls you in instantly... A Dark Romance author being told to get new inspiration for her writing because her books aren't darker enough for the readers now.

"𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔. 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉." "𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔," 𝑱𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒕𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚. 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓.

Celeste is not just a Dark fiction writer, she's also been searching for something that she doesn't understand but wants.. Something that speaks to the darkness inside her.

When celeste decides to visit her home town for some much needed seclusion and inspiration for writing her new book, she has no idea the dangers waiting for her and a stalker who's been setting the stage for her return.

Reading Cain's thoughts, I was wide-eyed with the level of Obsession and patience and fascination he has for Celeste but I was also not sure and kinda nervous about what were his actual plans for Celeste.

He's infamous for being a hermit, living all by himself in his long gone adopted parent's house. He doesn't speak to anyone and the town people are wary of him because of his non interaction with anyone.

But Cain has DARK secrets that's shrouded in deleting the ones who hurt others. He's the monster and the predator that doesn't spare those who prey on the innocent people.

This one was such a wild roller-coaster ride because when I thought I was making sense of one aspect, suddenly another then another is thrown at us.

I was barely hanging onto this ride with the number of jaw-dropping things that happen in it.

I really liked Celeste and Cain together. Like one has the personality that nobody understands but fits perfectly with their other partner's personality.

The secrets that are revealed... Oh my goodness.... SHOCKING, HORRIFYING AND WHAT HAPPENS.. THE JUSTICE SERVED.... BAPRE...

This one is a straight off five star read for me but I have given it four, only and ONLY for the fact that in the later parts of the book, the psychological darkness and the Pysche workings of the leads just became a tad too much to handle for me.
The story didn't let go at all but the dark parts really became dark and a bit too much to handle.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series that I suppose releases in March or something. Yes, I'll be nervous but still I'll be reading it. 😁

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You were just waiting for someone who could show you that darkness isn't something to crawl into--it's something that crawls into you."~Cain☠️

"If I kiss you... there's no going back. I don't do halfway. I don't share. I don't let go."~Cain☠️

"... you're mine. My monster. My killer. Mine."~Celeste☠️

"In the real version, the hero is the villain, and the heroine doesn't need saving."~Celeste☠️

When I started reading this book, I didn't know what to expect. There were so many psychological twists, turns, surprises, and did that just happen situations.😲 The unsettling moments, they were many, slithered their way out of the snowy darkness and kept me turning page after page. One more chapter. And another one. I fell down into this world and couldn't stop reading. I was invested!! I needed to know the what and why. It asks: do you really know what you're capable of? Is there something lurking that has been patiently waiting to be discovered? Maybe you knew all along but chose to ignore it. That was what was happening for dark romance author Celeste Sterling 31. She had hit a wall with her writing and was trying to meet the expectations for her publishing house while figuring out who she was in the scheme of things. And her whole world was about to implode.💥💥💥🙀💥💥💥

Is this book for everyone. No it isn't. But. It might be. Do you like Jeff Lindsay? He wrote the Dexter book series which I loved. This book was similar in tone but made it's own way with suspense, intrigue, and world building of what it means to being a hunter or becoming prey.🔪🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸 Ohhh...

🚩🚩Be advised. Read the TWs. There are situations that might be triggering or uncomfortable for some readers.🚩🚩

Celeste was going home to write her next best seller. To stir the fire that her readers craved. Not knowing that her small community was dealing with unsolved and mysteries murd3rs. Her Dad was the sheriff. Was there a pattern? How were they found? Celeste asked those questions which her Dad didn't like. This was the catalyst that she needed. She started to receive gifts from someone who seemed to know her. Is he watching her from the snowy darkness? Should she be afraid? A stalker.👤 Expect the unexpected. She then met the town recluse, the very tall Cain Lockwood. A mysterious man yes, attractive and scarred. Celeste wanted to know more as she felt pulled towards his all too knowing eyes. Still waters run deep. What will happen next?🥀🥀🥀

I can't spoil what happened. There were many things at play. It does get spicy.🔥🌋🔥🌋 Intense. Unnerving. Unapologetic. Unhinged. Intricate details. There was a ton of intersecting storylines. Are they simple. Hardly. The unicorn. Nooooo!🤯🪡🦄 The midnight wedding. Those vows.😭🚨😭 Would you recognize true evil? I like Celeste and Cain. This was my first book by Ms Knox and I loved it! She's a good writer. I hope to read more. The book cover fits the theme. I do recommend, but only if you're okay with the triggers. Happy reading.*•>§<•*🖤🖤🩸🖤🖤🩸🖤🖤

🤵🏻❤️‍🔥👰🏻‍♀️Thank you to Ms Knox and Booksprout. The opinions shared here are my own.👰🏻‍♀️❤️‍🔥🤵🏻

[Chandra Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

He Sees You by Elizabeth Knox is the kind of dark holiday romance that crawls under your skin, curls up beside your heartbeat, and whispers, “Keep reading.” It’s unsettling in the best possible way—seductive, dangerous, and disturbingly human.

Celeste Sterling is the kind of heroine you don’t just read—you recognize.
She’s brilliant, flawed, stubborn, exhausted, and drowning in expectations. A bestselling dark romance author who’s lost touch with the very darkness she built her career on. And honestly? That hit hard. Because anyone who’s ever tried to create something meaningful knows that pressure—of being told to go deeper, darker, more honest… even when you’re barely holding yourself together.

So she returns home to the Adirondacks—looking for peace, inspiration, and maybe a break from the noise. Instead, she finds Cain.

Or rather… Cain finds her.

Cain is not your book boyfriend.
He’s not designed to be safe.
He’s not misunderstood.
He is a predator with a purpose—morally black, unhinged, obsessive in ways that are terrifying because they feel real. He hunts only those who deserve it, but that doesn’t make him good. It just makes him focused.

And Celeste? She’s been his focus for two years.

What makes this story unforgettable is how Knox blurs the line between creator and creation. Celeste writes monsters—but she’s never met one who knows her writing style, her deleted scenes, and the shadow behind every single one of her words. Cain doesn’t love a fantasy version of her. He loves the darkness she won’t admit she carries.

The tension is immaculate:
🎄 A small town full of secrets
🔪 A father who’s the sheriff but can’t protect her
🦌 A serial killer who decorates with deer skulls
📚 An author researching obsession while being studied
🎁 A holiday backdrop that makes the danger feel even sharper

And then there’s the romance—not a gentle unraveling, but a collision.
Celeste isn’t afraid of Cain’s darkness. She understands it. She’s written it.
And Cain, for all his brutality, sees the parts of her no one else has ever noticed.

This book captures something rare:
the psychological depth behind writing dark romance,
the way research can twist into fascination,
and how obsession isn’t always created—it’s awakened.

By the end, Celeste isn’t a victim.
She isn’t a damsel.
She isn’t even a bystander.

She’s a woman who finally met a man whose darkness mirrors her own—someone who would burn a town to the ground just to keep her safe. Someone who stalked her not because he wanted to hurt her… but because he knew she’d understand him.

He Sees You is raw, addictive, and wickedly intimate.
A holiday romance for readers who don’t just want cinnamon spice—they want blood, bone, and the kind of devotion that ruins you for anything normal.

I closed the book needing a deep breath… and maybe a restraining order.
In the best way.

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

[Dani-Lynn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮
🌶️🌶️ - 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
🔥🔥🔥 - 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽
🩸- 𝓰𝓸𝓻𝓮

🖤 𝓶𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼🖤
Celeste & Cain

🖤 𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼🖤
𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝓲𝓬 𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓾𝓪𝓰𝓮
𝓻@𝓹𝓮
𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓽 𝓿𝓲𝓸𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮
𝓾𝓷𝓪𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼
𝓼𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓵 𝓴𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓻 𝓜𝓜𝓒

🖤 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀🖤
“You're choosing escape. I want you to choose to surrender.”

This is a bloody fun Christmas story. As a first time reader by Knox, I was intrigued by the initial plot and was left satisfied. Of course, there was a few bumps in the road that I personally didn’t enjoy as much but didn’t take away from the overall storyline. I loved Cain and Celeste’s relationship at times and hated it at times.

*spoilers*

Celeste is a well-known author but her latest release has readers reviewing negatively because it’s not what they were expecting. Her publicist thinks it may be a good idea for her to get a taste of method writing to help with her slump. As if the world was gravitating that way, her father tried calling, wanting her of something odd occurring in town. So in light of the negative reviews, she decides to come home. Find a darkness she can express in her writing again.

Cain has been waiting for this moment. Planning every intricate move in order to make Celeste return home. He’s known as the hermit who lives on the mountain and plays the violin, but soon, he’s going to claim her for himself. He’s already been removing the creeps from her life and as part of his plan to help her with inspiration, started to leave pages from her books at crime scenes. Scenes that he believes are parts of herself that she has been made to silence from her readers.

Now, with him being her muse, she has gotten the passion to write again, as he takes care of the scum that try to have their way with her in horrific matters. But things take a turn after more bodies start accumulating across town. Bodies that weren’t caused by Cain and even he starts to worry about the safety of Celeste. With police heavily investigating Cain, it’ll be harder to escape his threshold.

I really enjoyed this story, but one part made me take away a star. I didn’t like the proposal. It seemed rushed. Forced almost. I felt like they needed to really understand each other more before a ring was added to the mix because honestly, they just met. The whole relationship feels rushed. Like the sister was the bond to bring them together, which is nice, but I feel like the ring was pushing it. But anyways, the spice was hot. The story was enticing enough to finish. A good Holiday themed dark romance.

[Jessica OBryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like any other Elizabeth Knox book, I was hooked. To say this was one heck of a rollercoaster ride would be putting it mildly.

Celeste, the mfc, is a well-known author, who has decided, with encouragement by her editor and best friend, Juliette, to go home to the mountains to find inspiration for her next dark romance novel. Only, Celeste's father, the local sheriff, is leary about her return, given a series of murders in the area, several of which held a calling card of Celeste's novel.

Upon return, Celeste hears about the local hermit, Cain, who she already knew was Juliette's brother but not much beyond that. Cain, the mmc, who plays classical music via his violin at all hours of the night, is suspected by Celeste's father as being the killer. He relocated home five years prior, building a cabin on the property of his deceased parents instead of rehabilitating the family home because it holds too much negative history, too much pain, for Cain and Juliette. Cain has been receiving arc copies of Celeste's books from Juliette for a long time, and unbeknownst to Juliette, Cain has become obsessed with Celeste, finding a kindred spirit within her. He knew, through Juliette, that Celeste was coming home, so he's been waiting for her.

They meet at the local café, Celeste introducing herself, all the while unaware of his obsession, his intentions, but he intrigues her during their conversation. At the end of their convo, he gives her a warning about what's to come, but she's unaware of his meaning. He begins to leave little gifts for her, all of which becoming her inspiration for her novel, and in time, Celeste realizes it's him. It's when she confronts him, she understands who and what he is, and she's as lost to him as he is to her. She also understands that he may be a monster, but he's a necessary one because there's something much worse out there, something closer to her than she ever even anticipated. And when things come to light, secrets and lies that affect them both, will Cain and Celeste be strong enough to fight against something that started decades before?

There's so much intrigue, darkness, twists and turns, drama, EVERYTHING you could want in this book. And the spice is absolutely chef's kiss. I was hooked from beginning to end! Would very highly recommend! Definite 5 stars!!

[Linda Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celeste is a writer of dark romance. She is struggling with her next book. While in a meeting with her publishers she gets a call from her father, at first he wants her to come home for Christmas and then he tells her not to come because of the events happening at home. Celeste’s dad is the sheriff. Celeste is missing something in her life. Celeste goes back home to the Adirondack where she grew up hoping she can find her darkness and write again. Cain has been following Celeste since before her first novel was published. Cain is the brother of Juliette Celeste’s friend and editor. Cain and Juliette were adopted by a couple who lived in the Adirondack’s and they abused Cain and Juliette. Cain killed their parents by enclosing them in the house while they died by carbon monoxide poisoning, it was ruled an accident. His first kill after that was a drug dealer supplying drugs to school kids. Cain has been killing predators ever since. Cain has become obsessed with Celeste and he wants to show her his darkness. Cain watches Celeste and sees another man in a hunter’s blind watching her and taking pictures. Cain ends up killing him and stringing him up in the tree. Cain starts leaving presents for Celeste and it inspires her. They meet in the coffee shop coincidentally and they have a connection. Celeste’s dad has a deputy watching over her but he doesn’t have good intentions. When the deputy attacks Celeste in her room Cain ends up coming to save her, she takes the knife from Cain and delivers the killing blow. Will Celeste find her darkness and write a novel that follows her life? Will Cain and Celeste get married? Will Cain reveal the truth about Celeste’s father’s involvement in a human trafficking ring? Will Cain and Celeste become partners in ridding the world of predators?
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via Booksprout.

Amazing Dark Christmas romance!

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely not your typical Christmas romance—it's a very dark one. The heroine is a successful dark-romance author who suddenly can’t write anything “dark enough” anymore. To fix her writer’s block, she returns to her hometown to “reconnect with the darkness.” And in true countryside fashion, the story leans into the idea that there are plenty of places where no one would ever find you.

Enter the local serial killer, who conveniently believes all his victims deserved it. He’s also the brother of her best friend, has had access to her cloud storage for years, and is now fully obsessed with her. And, of course, nobody ever suspected him, because he's “such a nice, normal guy”—a classic trope that the book leans into heavily.

While the plot is intriguing, it sometimes feels a little too coincidental and constructed. Some things line up very neatly, which pulled me out of the story a bit. Still, the character development and internal logic of the plot are consistent, and the story does build solid tension.

One thing that bothered me: the timeline. The publisher demanding a fully drafted, edited, and ready-to-publish novel in roughly eight weeks is… ambitious, to put it politely. Especially for a bestselling author who would typically go through multiple editorial rounds. Even with an existing world already built, that timeline feels unrealistic outside of fiction. I get why it’s there—to increase pressure and tension—but it creates odd expectations that don’t really match how publishing works.

Overall, though, this book is quite unique. It mixes dark thriller elements with a twisted holiday vibe, and the result is an interesting—but very constructed—read. If you like dark romance with serial-killer intrigue, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you want something more realistic or grounded, this might feel a bit too much.

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

[cynda house · Rating 3 out of 5]

Celeste leaves the big city to focus on her writing, she’s under deadline and is currently experiencing a mental block, she’s can’t seem to find her way with the stories she’s writing before. Her publicist and best friend send her home, back to the mountains to find inspiration and lets her know she might see her brother while visiting and to say hi.

Celeste’s dad, The Sheriff, tries to deter her from coming home. There have been a few murders in the town and he can’t seem to find who is behind them. He’s worried for his daughter, but she comes anyway. There is talk in the town of the recluse in the mountains, he keeps to himself but he seems kind of weird and uses a lot of animal bones for decoration. The Sheriff thinks he’s the Killer, but Celeste is intrigued, she happens to meet Cain Lockwood in town and seems like the man she’s been searching for, writing about, her whole life.

Together they embark on a dark journey of discovery shedding light on a despicable secret that’s trying to be covered up. But could the person she trusts most be the main villain?

Gosh, I wanted to love this. It had all the elements I love in a dark romance. I love morally gray characters that fight for justice. I love the Stalking, The killing, the romance, the vengeance, and sicko’s being taken out! This had all the right tropes and two perfect MCs. The writing just wasn’t doing it for me! The story line was perfect but it definitely needed more editing, there were a lot of repetitive lines and same prose use over and over, and towards the end it felt sloppy and rushed. The beginning started out beautifully, for most of the story I was held captive and ready for the twists and turns and I was surprised by what actually was going on, but the delivery just didn’t hold up.

I did receive this as an ALC from Blue Nose Audio, Joe Arden and Amanda Willow were perfection! I love them together and they did not disappoint. For that I’m giving this book 3 Stars, if not for them, I think I might have only gave 2.