Depraved Desires: The stalker dark romance readers can't get enough of

Villains & Vices #2

by Morgan Bridges

My monster isn't locked away anymore. He's free. And he's mine.

Every wall I once built between us has been demolished, replaced by Ghost's merciless obsession. He isn't my convicted patient anymore. He's my shadow, my captor, and my addiction. Except it's not my fear he wants anymore. It's my total surrender.

The deeper I fall into Ghost's world of vengeance and destruction, the more I see the He doesn't just crave me. He wants to remake me in his image. And the most terrifying part? Somewhere in the darkness . . . I want it too.

So, when I uncover the brutal truth about my parents' deaths, a fire ignites in me. Revenge. The killers thought they buried their sins with the bodies they left behind. They never expected me to unearth them. Now Ghost and I share a hunger that no justice system can contain. Together, we'll make them bleed. Or die trying.

Depraved Desires is Book 2 in the Villains & Vices duet. It contains explicit sexual content and a morally gray hero that's over the top jealous/possessive, a stalker who falls first, has Touch Her & Die energy, and is willing to do whatever it takes to have her. A complete list of the trigger warnings can be found below.

stalking/obsession, blackmail/coercion, breaking and entering, violence, murder, attempted rape (not by the hero), grief

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Spicy, Stalker, Serial Killer, Contemporary

421 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2026

Reviews

[Casey Reads 🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can a psychopath love someone? This book says they can! But to be honest, I just think he is not truly a psychopath.

Benedetto stole the show for me. I loved his character so much. I would like to see a book about him.

This was a spicy book with a lot of murder mixed in. A good sequel to the first book. Really enjoyed it! Loved all the details and links to her parents and their past.

——————
Hate cliffhangers, because now I have to wait for this? Absolutely not. Give me this book now! 🤣

[Oriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

hes not just a monster he’s her monster🫦💅🏼

[Omnya Ali (Free Palestine)]

How can I wait for that hmmm??!! 😭😭

[Camis.little.library · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! This was the conclusion I needed for this duet!! 🔥🤭

-Dark romance
-Morally grey characters
-He falls first
-Obsessive MMC
-Stalker
-Joker & Harley Quinn Inspired
-Dual POV
-Spice

Holy sardines, Batman! This was just what I needed to ended Geneva and Ghosts story just how I wanted!

Without giving away spoilers to the INSANE ending of book 1- we pick up RIGHT where it left off and it takes you on another wild ride!

We get more emotions and info into both characters back story and why they are the way they are. Lots of spice & revenge!

This is a darker romance so please check the warnings- and you MUST read book 1!

Highly recommend this story and duet to any dark romance lovers!

[syd · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐️ WE BACKKKK BITCHESSS !!! what a lovely, great book. honestly i don’t know what could have made it better. it was perfect. i’m so very happy. also ghost is so fuckin funny omfg like his humour with gen z things should cringe me out (sometimes yes) but like he was able to pull most of it off!! so raising my glass to that 🥂

he was such a yearner omfg. idk how she lasted that long without saying ily cuz that would have been confessed by me DAY ONE. 1️⃣ just his constant reassurance and confessions for her. fuck man it was beautiful. beautifully deadly 😛😛

loved the babysitter friend too. the k-pop drama obsession, i’m dead. floored.

love me a good one sitting book!! such easy writing , this dark romance. beautiful ❤️‍🔥 period ate morgan

[mia:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

'My entire existence has always been ruled by anger and violence. It’s the only language I’ve ever known, the only thing that’s ever made sense. But touching her, feeling her warmth beneath my fingertips, it’s like she’s rewriting everything.'


ghost. 🤭😌😫 possessive serial killers do it for me every single time.

i will say, i didn’t enjoy the second book as much as i did the first, but it was still really good. geneva really came out of her shell and embraced her dark side, which was cool to see.😌

it did get a little repetitive towards the end, and there were a few more plot gaps than i would’ve liked. over seventy percent of the book took place in her apartment, which was fine, but i would’ve liked to have seen more of the prison setting. in the first book, they really showed how much geneva loved her job, but in this one she was there maybe once?😗

i loved getting more of ghost and geneva, though. they’re one of my favourite book couples. the passion, the tension, the fact that she’s the only one who truly gets him… 🥹

the kpop drama was a little much 🙃, but all in all i still really enjoyed it. i’d happily read another book about ghost and geneva. 🤭😌🥹🪽🤍

“I don’t understand second chances. But you… you feel like mine.”

“I’m yours. Always was. Always will be.”

“I’ll do anything, kill anyone, to keep you safe.”

“There’s no going back for either of us. That should scare the shit out of you.”

“You don’t understand, Geneva. I’ve always been one. The only difference now is I’m your monster.”

'Geneva isn’t a means to an end. She means everything.'

[Bea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was sooooooo excited for this book

I hated it as soon as the author rewrote the Folgers jingle as a dick joke.

I actually almost DNF’ed but I stuck it out bc I like the first book.


So many times ghost would make me cringe.

Like it was painful. Maybe it was bc it was done on audio but it just wasn’t worth listening too.

I’m sad bc I really was excited but 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Katie Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fear I am in love with a psychopath 💅👀 this was such a fun dark romance duet!! The vibes were perfect

[Tiffany High · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️
Charlies angels meet a psychopath… I adored this duet so much! Psychopath gets arrested to meet the clinical psychologist and fall in love! The way they hunted down these people was so entertaining I was literally locked into this book and loved that Geneva took matters into her own hands and Ghost was always her shadow. You don’t think a psychopath can love but Ghost was made into the man he was, not born and that makes this book so much more intriguing.

[Camelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Welcome to hell. We trust you’ll enjoy your stay.” 🤣🤣🤣

They deserved to have a happy ending 💜 Geneva didn't fathom that she needed Ghost to help her avenge her parents. It was a strong switch from her character in the first volume to this one where she embraced the dark side within her.

“And some light arson, when the mood strikes.”

“You know. Candles, matches, corpses. It’s all about ambiance.”

[Taylor B · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped at 65% because wow I really stopped caring? I know where the diamonds are and somehow no one cares he's not in jail? Idk this was exhausting and I just couldn't continue.

[Ang_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this duet! I would have finished it sooner if real life didn't demand my time 😂.

I loved how Gen and Ghost's story picked right up where book 2 ended, and how Gen became a bada$$ FMC. Ghost will always be one of my top MMC bfs! This book is going to live in my had rent free for a very long time and I'm not even a little upset about it 😂

I highly recommend reading this duet!

[Ymym · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, I don’t know how to express my love for this series
I loved everything about this series,i love the chemistry between the characters, the author gives me everything in this series
Geneva&ghost they always in my heart

[fayths bookcase ୨୧⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

the tension, the yearning, they belong together in body and soul. such a badass duo mind you. i’m going to miss ghost and geneva so much. my poor babies.

[⊹༚⋆𖤍⋆༚⊹ ℛ𝒶𝒸𝒽ℯ𝓁 ⊹༚⋆𖤍⋆༚⊹ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
3🌶️

This book was so good I had goosebumps 🖤🖤

[Buffy・❥・ · Rating 5 out of 5]

So normally I would have had my review posted for this right away upon finishing the book but I really needed to sit and digest this before typing my words out… this duet is going to go down in my top 5 faves for probably the rest of my life… and that might sound dramatic but I’m serious. This duet was done so beautifully from the storyline, to the characters, the relationship b/t the 2 main characters and even the side characters. I will say the first book of this duet is my preferred compared to the second but that doesn’t change the fact that overall this story was devastatingly brilliant, spicy and down right dark.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mentally? I’m concerned.
Emotionally? Obsessed.
I had way too much fun with this duology. The chemistry, the banter, and the chaotic Joker and Harley Quinn energy had me completely hooked.

[Brooke Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there’s one thing Morgan Bridges knows how to do, it’s disappointment me with the second book. The same thing happened with the “Once You’re Mine” series.

I feel like Geneva lost sight of who she was in this book. She was like “oooh a deranged man who finally understands me? Let me just drop every aspect of my life to be with him.” I am so disappointed because I LOVED the first book, but the vibes for this one weren’t there for me. Sorry Morgan!

[Jasmine Galick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️
This book felt so long and kinda dragged. Also the fmc seemed to change real quick and it wasnt quite believable. Overall it was an ok read with some entertaining moments.

[Amanda - leftamongthepages · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨
⭐️ 3/5
📅 June 23, 2026

❤️ Dark Romance
❤️ Morally Gray Hero
❤️ Stalker Romance
❤️ Touch Her & Die
❤️ Obsessive MMC
❤️ Revenge

After loving book one, I was really excited for this one. And while I still enjoyed Ghost and Geneva, this one just didn’t hit quite as hard for me overall.

Ghost is still absolutely unhinged 🤣 Like terrifying, obsessive, possessive… but somehow also funny? The man is a complete psycho and I kind of loved that about him.

I also liked seeing Geneva step more into Ghost’s world in this one. Once everything surrounding her parents started unraveling and she started going after answers, I found myself way more invested.

That said, the first half felt a little slow for me. I was definitely interested in figuring out who was after Geneva and what was really going on, but it took a bit to fully pull me in.

I will say the second half was much stronger for me. Once the pacing picked up and everything started coming together, I was locked back in. The revenge aspect, the added tension, and Geneva fully embracing the chaos? Loved that.

Also Benedetto cracked me up every time he was on page 😂

Overall, I liked the ending of this one a lot more than the beginning. I still enjoyed Ghost and Geneva, but book one was definitely the stronger read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC opportunity. As always, all thoughts are my own.

[thebeespot72 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had described the character “Ghost” in my review of Book 1 of Morgan Bridges’ Villains and Vices duet as

“…one of those brilliant minds. Almost like Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs—most definitely having that vibe. But as with The Joker, he is unpredictable, explosive, very much a loner, and obsessed with Geneva. The way the story evolves beyond the doctor-patient relationship is incredibly well done, drawing you in with high suspense, steamy scenes, questionable actions, and Geneva’s introspection.”

Book 2 takes his character, as well as Geneva’s, in an unexpected direction. I had all these theories about how Book 2 was going to go down, and I was wrong! I’m ok about that though. I’m actually more than okay. I love delving deeper with Ghost’s story. He truly has that “burn the world for her” mentality for Geneva. And who knew this would be a wee bit of a tear-jerker? It was indeed.

I highly recommend The Villains and Vices duet. It was a fantastic read. Thank you to @readforeverpub and Author Morgan Bridges for the gifted e-copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lexi Cubbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

After that killer cliffy at the end of book one, the story picks up right where it ended, so there's no need to mention that it grips you by the throat from the very beginning.

Ghost and Geneva go through an insane character arc, him opening up and trying to tame his obsession to no avail, and her slowly accepting that the concept of love might differ from what she believed it to be her whole life. There's no textbook formula, and maybe different can be not only better, but stronger, and deeper. They are unconventional pair, but maybe it still was meant to be.
This second installment mainly focuses on Ghost helping Geneva get revenge on the men who killed her parents, and Geneva finally accepting that the darkness he saw in her from the very beginning does live inside her.

It was a great conclusion to their story, but damn it was a bit too spicy. I don't mind the smut, but I wish the focus was more on the revenge storyline instead of them having sex in nearly every single chapter. It was hot, but was a bit distracting.

[Alishba Shahrukh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book honestly started off pretty good, fed the curiosity of the cliff hanger but it fell pretty short soon after. Although this book had some good aspects, it sort of lost me in the end around 90% in. It started to feel more like an "alpha wolf daddy" wattpad story with a really forced attempt at "comedic relief" with Bendetto.

I really would've liked to see more of how they were in the previous book, and if it was a "partners in crime" type of trope, I think it should've been carried a lot better than "She kills everyone who killed her parents". I wanted to see the reactions of those around her and wonder why exactly she wasn't concerned about Ghost or Skinner "breaking" out of prison. I also wanted to see more of her rejection towards Ghost instead of just immediately accepting him.

I pretty much enjoyed it until that last part though, even though they were unnecessarily overly freaked out....

[Hannarose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.50

[Rah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first book. I reread it right before this one came out. I’ve been looking forward to this for months.

And I’m so disappointed. This book really drags along. It’s taken me days to finish it. I just couldn’t get into it. Honestly 3 stars is seeming too high at the moment.

The whole reason behind her parents murders is flimsy as fuck. And the elephant? It’s been 21 years. She never noticed a blood stain on it? She never felt something hard inside of it? Come on!

And then when it comes to her getting revenge on the final bad guy, it’s over just like that? What a let down.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ENDING 😭😭😭🥹🥹🥹❤️❤️❤️

[Alise · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book was quite strong—I loved the psychological tension and games between the main characters. Unfortunately, around the halfway point in this book the story lost all its substance, and I just skimmed through to the end. The plot turned into a repetitive cycle of murder and sex, completely lacking the depth of psihological games.

The only saving was Benedeto, he was the only one keeping me engaged. It felt like this book was written just because a sequel was expected, and something felt deeply missing.

[Cierra Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not even going to lie, after I read “Once You’re Mine” and “Now You’re Mine”, I was super hesitant to read another duet by Morgan Bridges. This duet though… is so beautiful. I devoured both books in two days and it is probably one of my favorite duets ever. Ms. Bridges, you have outdone yourself.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this book after the cliffhanger ending of the first book and I found myself disappointed. At about halfway through I just found myself not caring. A high profile serial killer escapes prison and the psychologist he was obsessed with gets attacked and somehow the police are not watching Geneva like a hawk hoping Ghost would show up? The revenge for her parents was kind of boring and the spice was so vanilla and poorly placed I couldn't be bothered after the third mention. I don't mind an obsessive man but this was just repetitive and I didn't care care for it. The additional story could have been added to the first book and been a good stand alone.

[Thanh Vo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

I loved the first book in this duet so I was excited for this one to come out.. unfortunately it was a slight miss for me.. the reason I gave it 3 stars is because I loved Benedetto and he was the side character! He was so funny and witty. The story literally picks up right after the cliffhanger in book one which I appreciated. The romance between Ghost and Gen felt so lustful at times that I couldn’t get behind it. But I do understand where the author was going with it. There were times where I felt like the plot dragged and it honestly only got good towards the end in my opinion. It wasn’t terrible per se. I just was hoping for more after how good the first book was.