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You Shouldn’t Have Answered: Dark Thriller Stalker Romance
Set in the 1990s, this dark gothic psychological thriller romance follows a traumatized piano prodigy who accepts a house-sitting job at a remote coastal mansion, only to discover she was never alone, and that one answered phone call traps her in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the man who’s been stalking her.
Aurelia Vale had it all: a perfect family, a perfect fiancé, a career as a piano prodigy, and a future carefully planned before her. Then, in one night, everything disappeared. A tragic accident shattered her life, leaving her as the only one who survived.
When a small ad in the back of a newspaper offers her ninety days of solitude at a cliffside gothic mansion in Mendocino, California, Aurelia takes it as a sign to disappear.
The first night is easy. By the second, she feels eyes on her. Someone is watching her, leaving letters on her doorstep and calling her in the middle of the night. Eventually, she had enough and answered only one call.
And the man who has been watching her finally appears.
"You shouldn't have answered," the words she will never forget.
An emotional story filled with trauma and grief that will stay with you long after the final page.
Aurelia Vale had it all: a perfect family, a perfect fiancé, a career as a piano prodigy, and a future carefully planned before her. Then, in one night, everything disappeared. A tragic accident shattered her life, leaving her as the only one who survived.
When a small ad in the back of a newspaper offers her ninety days of solitude at a cliffside gothic mansion in Mendocino, California, Aurelia takes it as a sign to disappear.
The first night is easy. By the second, she feels eyes on her. Someone is watching her, leaving letters on her doorstep and calling her in the middle of the night. Eventually, she had enough and answered only one call.
And the man who has been watching her finally appears.
"You shouldn't have answered," the words she will never forget.
An emotional story filled with trauma and grief that will stay with you long after the final page.
- GenresDark Romance
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2026
15 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
A. Em
18 books449 followers“Where others write ever after, I write never after.” -A.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
Did Not Finish
April 19, 2026Dnf at 63%
My friend told me that the MMC fucked his brother's wife while he is obssesed with the FMC...uh gurl WTF bye
My friend told me that the MMC fucked his brother's wife while he is obssesed with the FMC...uh gurl WTF bye
April 11, 2026
If there’s one thing about A’s books, it’s that they hook you from the very first page. They keep you turning pages, completely addicted, needing to know what happens next—and this book is no exception.
I mean… if the last two books A released were absolutely mind-blowing, with this one I honestly don’t even have the words to describe the masterpiece she’s written.
Here we meet Aurelia, a piano prodigy who has a car accident that completely changes her life. She’s in a coma for several months, and when she wakes up, the life she thought she had… turns out to be something entirely different. Suddenly, she’s left with nothing and has to find a job, which leads her to working in a house. And from there, things start happening… and little by little, secrets begin to unravel.
You read this book in one sitting. It’s packed with unexpected twists, suspense, spice… I mean, it’s a true masterpiece.
And another thing about A’s books is that, no matter where you are in life, they find you. They break you and put you back together at the same time. They pull you out of whatever place you’re in. It almost feels like the book was written just for you.
And this one… I simply loved it. Even for me, being in a bit of a limbo right now… this book completely rewired my brain chemistry. It was absolutely mind-blowing.
You have to read it—but do check the trigger warnings, because some topics might affect certain readers. Still, if you enjoy twisted, dark reads and psychological thrillers, with a gothic 90s atmosphere… this book is definitely for you
I mean… if the last two books A released were absolutely mind-blowing, with this one I honestly don’t even have the words to describe the masterpiece she’s written.
Here we meet Aurelia, a piano prodigy who has a car accident that completely changes her life. She’s in a coma for several months, and when she wakes up, the life she thought she had… turns out to be something entirely different. Suddenly, she’s left with nothing and has to find a job, which leads her to working in a house. And from there, things start happening… and little by little, secrets begin to unravel.
You read this book in one sitting. It’s packed with unexpected twists, suspense, spice… I mean, it’s a true masterpiece.
And another thing about A’s books is that, no matter where you are in life, they find you. They break you and put you back together at the same time. They pull you out of whatever place you’re in. It almost feels like the book was written just for you.
And this one… I simply loved it. Even for me, being in a bit of a limbo right now… this book completely rewired my brain chemistry. It was absolutely mind-blowing.
You have to read it—but do check the trigger warnings, because some topics might affect certain readers. Still, if you enjoy twisted, dark reads and psychological thrillers, with a gothic 90s atmosphere… this book is definitely for you
April 10, 2026
Thank you to the author for providing me an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
You shouldn’t have answered is a fun read. If you like dark romance and want to add something new to it then this book is for you. It gives you that mystery/thriller vibe too and a little paranormal creepy stuff that will give you the chills. It was a fun read and kept me at the edge of my seat and waiting for the mystery to reveal itself. Quick easy read it’s 252 pages so definitely something you can read in one sitting because I did.
4⭐️
3🌶️
You shouldn’t have answered is a fun read. If you like dark romance and want to add something new to it then this book is for you. It gives you that mystery/thriller vibe too and a little paranormal creepy stuff that will give you the chills. It was a fun read and kept me at the edge of my seat and waiting for the mystery to reveal itself. Quick easy read it’s 252 pages so definitely something you can read in one sitting because I did.
4⭐️
3🌶️
April 12, 2026
Wow just wow
My brain is reeling after finishing this book. Like I feel like I need to reread it to help me process everything that I read, because I feel like I miss things because there was so many moving parts in this book that I have no doubt that there's things that I didn't grasp but it was just so good. This author can write with the best of them.
My brain is reeling after finishing this book. Like I feel like I need to reread it to help me process everything that I read, because I feel like I miss things because there was so many moving parts in this book that I have no doubt that there's things that I didn't grasp but it was just so good. This author can write with the best of them.
April 9, 2026
I was sucked into this book so quickly!! Loved the story development, the mystery letters and phone calls and the characters were so likable! The twist was really good too, i didn’t expect it and it added more value to the story!
April 12, 2026
It had a HEA!!! If you know A's books you know that doesn't always happen. I loved the suspense in the story. Who is the caller? What's going on in the house? It all kept me reading late into the night so I could find out. Amazing story. I absolutely loved the journal entries as well. 🖤
April 17, 2026
I really enjoyed this story, I love the mixture of genres that have been put together which actually compliment one another really well. The book starts off with an enticing crime mystery paired with a comatose patient who has lost some of her memories.
While this book is dual-pov, the story is largely told from Aurelia’s pov, with the reader learning about her and things about her life as and when she remembers them herself. I loved this concept as it kept the mystery alive until the very end of the story.
I enjoyed the twist and explanation we got at the end, though I do feel as though there may be more story to be told when it comes to Aurelia and the caller.
Big thank you to A. EM. for the arc of You Shouldn’t Have Answered!
While this book is dual-pov, the story is largely told from Aurelia’s pov, with the reader learning about her and things about her life as and when she remembers them herself. I loved this concept as it kept the mystery alive until the very end of the story.
I enjoyed the twist and explanation we got at the end, though I do feel as though there may be more story to be told when it comes to Aurelia and the caller.
Big thank you to A. EM. for the arc of You Shouldn’t Have Answered!
May 3, 2026
Giving this 4 stars was an easy decision. This book has such a thick and well-crafted atmosphere that I felt like I was living inside the story.
The characters are phenomenal, so real and complex that it’s impossible not to feel a deep connection with them. It’s one of those reads that leaves you with a 'book hangover' as soon as you finish. I recommend it without hesitation!
The characters are phenomenal, so real and complex that it’s impossible not to feel a deep connection with them. It’s one of those reads that leaves you with a 'book hangover' as soon as you finish. I recommend it without hesitation!
April 27, 2026
5⭐️
Once again… A. Knows how to pull you into a story from the beginning. This story had me gripped! Then the ending was something I never seen coming! Wow! 🤯 highly recommend!
Once again… A. Knows how to pull you into a story from the beginning. This story had me gripped! Then the ending was something I never seen coming! Wow! 🤯 highly recommend!
April 17, 2026
If a story is told by someone who admits they might be “crazy”… do you believe them?
Because I did. And that might be the problem.
This book was not what I expected and somehow exactly what I needed. It doesn’t hand you the truth. It feeds it to you in fragments, in memories that don’t feel like your own, in moments that don’t make sense until suddenly… they do.
And when everything finally clicks?
It doesn’t feel like clarity.
It feels like falling.
Aurelia is not a reliable narrator, and that’s what makes her so compelling. Watching her piece together who she is, while realizing she might not like the answer, was one of the most unsettling reading experiences I’ve had in a while.
And Nathaniel?
I don’t even know how to explain him without lying to myself.
He’s protective.
He’s obsessive.
He’s dangerous.
And somehow… he still feels like the safest place in a story where nothing is safe.
This isn’t a romance you root for because it’s healthy.
It’s one you understand because of everything they’ve survived.
The twists didn’t just shock me, they reframed everything I thought I knew. Identities blurred. Truths shifted. And by the end, I wasn’t even sure what I believed… or who I trusted.
But that final letter?
Yeah. That changed everything.
This is one of those books where the line between victim and villain disappears and you’re left sitting in the gray, trying to decide if that makes you uncomfortable… or obsessed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
If you love:
→ unreliable narrators
→ dark, obsessive love
→ identity twists that make your brain hurt
→ stories where truth is… optional
you’re going to eat this up.
And maybe question yourself a little after.
Because I did. And that might be the problem.
This book was not what I expected and somehow exactly what I needed. It doesn’t hand you the truth. It feeds it to you in fragments, in memories that don’t feel like your own, in moments that don’t make sense until suddenly… they do.
And when everything finally clicks?
It doesn’t feel like clarity.
It feels like falling.
Aurelia is not a reliable narrator, and that’s what makes her so compelling. Watching her piece together who she is, while realizing she might not like the answer, was one of the most unsettling reading experiences I’ve had in a while.
And Nathaniel?
I don’t even know how to explain him without lying to myself.
He’s protective.
He’s obsessive.
He’s dangerous.
And somehow… he still feels like the safest place in a story where nothing is safe.
This isn’t a romance you root for because it’s healthy.
It’s one you understand because of everything they’ve survived.
The twists didn’t just shock me, they reframed everything I thought I knew. Identities blurred. Truths shifted. And by the end, I wasn’t even sure what I believed… or who I trusted.
But that final letter?
Yeah. That changed everything.
This is one of those books where the line between victim and villain disappears and you’re left sitting in the gray, trying to decide if that makes you uncomfortable… or obsessed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
If you love:
→ unreliable narrators
→ dark, obsessive love
→ identity twists that make your brain hurt
→ stories where truth is… optional
you’re going to eat this up.
And maybe question yourself a little after.
April 12, 2026
MOkay but… A wrote a HEA?? Why girl, why?? 😭
Don’t get me wrong, I loved this story. The vibes? Immaculate. The aesthetics? Dark, moody, addictive. And the phone… listen, if you have a thing for phone cords, I get it, I really do 📞🖤
Babe, you wrote an excellent story. The tension had me hooked, the whole concept pulled me in, and I was fully living in that eerie, unsettling atmosphere. It had that “just one more chapter” grip and before I knew it, I was gone.
But that ending… I don’t know, I expected something a little more twisted, a little more pain. You had me bracing for emotional damage and then… softness? I wasn’t ready 😭
Still, such a solid read and honestly so well done. I’ll be thinking about those vibes for a while.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved this story. The vibes? Immaculate. The aesthetics? Dark, moody, addictive. And the phone… listen, if you have a thing for phone cords, I get it, I really do 📞🖤
Babe, you wrote an excellent story. The tension had me hooked, the whole concept pulled me in, and I was fully living in that eerie, unsettling atmosphere. It had that “just one more chapter” grip and before I knew it, I was gone.
But that ending… I don’t know, I expected something a little more twisted, a little more pain. You had me bracing for emotional damage and then… softness? I wasn’t ready 😭
Still, such a solid read and honestly so well done. I’ll be thinking about those vibes for a while.
April 11, 2026
Captivating
A. Em doesn’t just write a story they create a feeling, an atmosphere that clings to you. This book is chilling, captivating, and deeply thought-provoking. If you love stories that blur the line between reality and the unknown, this one will absolutely pull you in and refuse to let go.
A. Em doesn’t just write a story they create a feeling, an atmosphere that clings to you. This book is chilling, captivating, and deeply thought-provoking. If you love stories that blur the line between reality and the unknown, this one will absolutely pull you in and refuse to let go.
April 11, 2026
arc review to come
April 18, 2026
I say this on almost every review of A’s books but for real…This author cannot write a bad book. Another phenomenal read. The plot twists…immaculate. 🤌🏼 The spice 🥵.
April 27, 2026
3.5/5 ⭐️
RTC
RTC
May 4, 2026
4.25⭐️
I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!
review coming soon...
I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!
review coming soon...
May 4, 2026
This was such a twisty turny dark romance full of intrigue, chills, and thrills!
I definitely don’t want to give anything away, which is SUPER HARD with this one, but here are a couple of the things I absolutely loved:
1. I enjoyed going through Aurelia’s journey with her. She was so incredibly resilient with everything that had happened to her, and I loved seeing everything through her eyes. Watching her ���get herself back” was a great turning point for me, especially since I was rooting for this couple so hard (I DON’T CARE HOW TOXIC THAT MAKES ME SOUND!!)
2. As dark as this book is, the main message that has stuck with me long after I finished the book is how strong a bond and love can really be. It can make you do absolutely psycho things, but it also gets you through your darkest times until you can reach your HEA.
3. I liked the different stories and timelines moving through the book, through the use of memories and journals. I was definitely stunned by some of the revelations!
4. I absolutely loved that this took place in Mendocino. Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved Mendocino and would always pick that as a vacation destination whenever my family was throwing out ideas. I love the finger-like cliffs that grip the ocean and the scenic beauty matched with unparalleled serenity. This was the perfect place in my opinion to have the story take place given the juxtaposition of the location with the story.
A. Em brought her signature darkness full of sexy intrigue to life in this book that will keep me coming back for more every time!
Thank you to A. Em for the eARC!
I definitely don’t want to give anything away, which is SUPER HARD with this one, but here are a couple of the things I absolutely loved:
1. I enjoyed going through Aurelia’s journey with her. She was so incredibly resilient with everything that had happened to her, and I loved seeing everything through her eyes. Watching her ���get herself back” was a great turning point for me, especially since I was rooting for this couple so hard (I DON’T CARE HOW TOXIC THAT MAKES ME SOUND!!)
2. As dark as this book is, the main message that has stuck with me long after I finished the book is how strong a bond and love can really be. It can make you do absolutely psycho things, but it also gets you through your darkest times until you can reach your HEA.
3. I liked the different stories and timelines moving through the book, through the use of memories and journals. I was definitely stunned by some of the revelations!
4. I absolutely loved that this took place in Mendocino. Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved Mendocino and would always pick that as a vacation destination whenever my family was throwing out ideas. I love the finger-like cliffs that grip the ocean and the scenic beauty matched with unparalleled serenity. This was the perfect place in my opinion to have the story take place given the juxtaposition of the location with the story.
A. Em brought her signature darkness full of sexy intrigue to life in this book that will keep me coming back for more every time!
Thank you to A. Em for the eARC!
April 22, 2026
You Shouldn’t Have Answered was such an amazing read, filled with so much mystery, suspense, twists and turns that will leaving you reeling and guessing, and mmhm-mhmm good spice on top of it all 🖤 I loved Aurelia and The Caller, both their dynamic and banter together, and their individual characters, and that grew a lot more as their story progressed. The plot will have you in a chokehold, and I promise you that it will not let you go, not even after finishing the last page—which, was absolutely *insane* by the way!! 😩
Aurelia goes through a very tough time, and loses so much, so fast, and I just wanted to give her a big hug 🥺 Her feelings were expressed well, and she and her thoughts felt so human. I loved her personality and how after everything that she’s been through, she still has a strong, fiery side left inside of her, that made me giggle when it would peek through, especially when it was with The Caller 🤭 I really enjoyed learning more about Aurelia and her past, and trying to piece things together! The way her and The Caller’s relationship developed was both so heartwarmingly sweet, and so very spicy… 😏☎️ As they spent more time together and certain things came to light, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, (and all hot and bothered 🥵), to see how their relationship progressed. Aurelia really comes into her own, and it was great to see. She is a character that is definitely going to stick with me 🖤
The Caller had me chomping at the bit to learn more about him and his past, and I was not disappointed in the least, I loved the man that we got know and see 🖤 He is unbelievably caring, and the lengths he’s gone to, and no doubt would go to, for Aurelia is everything you need to know about how he feels about her 🥹 And when that heated tension between them snaps, I ate up seeing them finally lose themselves in each other, not to mention the delicious spice and words from The Caller’s mouth that came with it 🖤 His past and side of the story bring some pretty big twists, and such a different perspective on everything, and as more was revealed, he only grew on me so much more. He is a mysterious man on the surface, and some people may view him as the bad guy, but getting to learn more about him and see into his mind and past, really showed the caring, protective, more vulnerable, and loving sides to him 🖤
This was a fantastic read with secrets, tension and suspense, mysteries and twists, spice, and a plot that will stay in your mind long after reading 🖤 It keeps you hooked and on the edge of your seat, needing to know what happened, and needing to know what’s going to happen next! Aurelia and The Caller bounce off each other, and their banter and connection flow so easily, and it isn’t hard to see why at all… once you learn more about them and the past 😌 This book has not left my mind since reading, and that final twist left my jaw hanging off my face and me questioning everything in the best way 🖤
Aurelia goes through a very tough time, and loses so much, so fast, and I just wanted to give her a big hug 🥺 Her feelings were expressed well, and she and her thoughts felt so human. I loved her personality and how after everything that she’s been through, she still has a strong, fiery side left inside of her, that made me giggle when it would peek through, especially when it was with The Caller 🤭 I really enjoyed learning more about Aurelia and her past, and trying to piece things together! The way her and The Caller’s relationship developed was both so heartwarmingly sweet, and so very spicy… 😏☎️ As they spent more time together and certain things came to light, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, (and all hot and bothered 🥵), to see how their relationship progressed. Aurelia really comes into her own, and it was great to see. She is a character that is definitely going to stick with me 🖤
The Caller had me chomping at the bit to learn more about him and his past, and I was not disappointed in the least, I loved the man that we got know and see 🖤 He is unbelievably caring, and the lengths he’s gone to, and no doubt would go to, for Aurelia is everything you need to know about how he feels about her 🥹 And when that heated tension between them snaps, I ate up seeing them finally lose themselves in each other, not to mention the delicious spice and words from The Caller’s mouth that came with it 🖤 His past and side of the story bring some pretty big twists, and such a different perspective on everything, and as more was revealed, he only grew on me so much more. He is a mysterious man on the surface, and some people may view him as the bad guy, but getting to learn more about him and see into his mind and past, really showed the caring, protective, more vulnerable, and loving sides to him 🖤
This was a fantastic read with secrets, tension and suspense, mysteries and twists, spice, and a plot that will stay in your mind long after reading 🖤 It keeps you hooked and on the edge of your seat, needing to know what happened, and needing to know what’s going to happen next! Aurelia and The Caller bounce off each other, and their banter and connection flow so easily, and it isn’t hard to see why at all… once you learn more about them and the past 😌 This book has not left my mind since reading, and that final twist left my jaw hanging off my face and me questioning everything in the best way 🖤
April 18, 2026
I went into You Shouldn’t Have Answered by A. Em already knowing I was going to love it… but I was NOT prepared for how completely obsessed I’d become. 😭🖤
First of all—can we talk about the email clues before receiving the book?! That was genuinely the BEST idea ever. Like… excuse me, why did I feel like I was part of the story before I even opened the first page? The suspense, the anticipation, the vibes… immaculate. I was already hooked and I hadn’t even met Aurelia yet. 😩✨
This book is dark gothic psychological thriller romance perfection, set in the 90s (which honestly makes it even creepier because no one can just casually Google their way out of danger). Aurelia, a traumatized piano prodigy, takes a house-sitting job in a remote cliffside mansion in Mendocino… and from the moment she steps inside, the atmosphere is THICK. Like, you can feel the cold air, the isolation, the silence that feels too loud.
And then… the watching starts. 👀
The calls.
The letters.
The slow unraveling of reality.
I loved every second of it.
But the TRUE star of this book for me? THE LETTERS.
Oh my GOD. They brought SO much to the story—tension, emotion, dread, mystery, obsession… every single one felt like a piece of a puzzle being placed, except the puzzle was cursed and actively ruining my peace. 😭🖤 The way the letters made everything feel personal and intimate was chef’s kiss… like I was reading something I shouldn’t have been allowed to see.
And when the line “You shouldn’t have answered.” finally hit???
CHILLS. Literal chills. That moment felt like the point of no return, where you just KNOW you’re trapped in something dangerous.
This book balances grief, trauma, romance, and psychological tension so well. It’s emotional without dragging, haunting without trying too hard, and the romance is twisted in the best “I need therapy but I need the next chapter more” kind of way.
And then…
THE LAST LETTER.
…yeah. Mind blown. 🤯
I actually had to sit there in silence like someone just personally attacked me with plot twists. I stared at the wall. I replayed everything. I questioned my intelligence. I questioned MY LIFE. 💀
If you love:
🖤 gothic mansions
🖤 stalking + obsession
🖤 dark romance tension
🖤 psychological mind games
🖤 eerie letters and secrets
🖤 emotional trauma + healing vibes
🖤 endings that leave you spiritually shaken
…then this book is 100% for you.
Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Creepy, addictive, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable.
And to be clear:
I finished it and immediately wanted to reread it just to catch everything I missed the first time. 🖤📖
First of all—can we talk about the email clues before receiving the book?! That was genuinely the BEST idea ever. Like… excuse me, why did I feel like I was part of the story before I even opened the first page? The suspense, the anticipation, the vibes… immaculate. I was already hooked and I hadn’t even met Aurelia yet. 😩✨
This book is dark gothic psychological thriller romance perfection, set in the 90s (which honestly makes it even creepier because no one can just casually Google their way out of danger). Aurelia, a traumatized piano prodigy, takes a house-sitting job in a remote cliffside mansion in Mendocino… and from the moment she steps inside, the atmosphere is THICK. Like, you can feel the cold air, the isolation, the silence that feels too loud.
And then… the watching starts. 👀
The calls.
The letters.
The slow unraveling of reality.
I loved every second of it.
But the TRUE star of this book for me? THE LETTERS.
Oh my GOD. They brought SO much to the story—tension, emotion, dread, mystery, obsession… every single one felt like a piece of a puzzle being placed, except the puzzle was cursed and actively ruining my peace. 😭🖤 The way the letters made everything feel personal and intimate was chef’s kiss… like I was reading something I shouldn’t have been allowed to see.
And when the line “You shouldn’t have answered.” finally hit???
CHILLS. Literal chills. That moment felt like the point of no return, where you just KNOW you’re trapped in something dangerous.
This book balances grief, trauma, romance, and psychological tension so well. It’s emotional without dragging, haunting without trying too hard, and the romance is twisted in the best “I need therapy but I need the next chapter more” kind of way.
And then…
THE LAST LETTER.
…yeah. Mind blown. 🤯
I actually had to sit there in silence like someone just personally attacked me with plot twists. I stared at the wall. I replayed everything. I questioned my intelligence. I questioned MY LIFE. 💀
If you love:
🖤 gothic mansions
🖤 stalking + obsession
🖤 dark romance tension
🖤 psychological mind games
🖤 eerie letters and secrets
🖤 emotional trauma + healing vibes
🖤 endings that leave you spiritually shaken
…then this book is 100% for you.
Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Creepy, addictive, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable.
And to be clear:
I finished it and immediately wanted to reread it just to catch everything I missed the first time. 🖤📖
May 7, 2026
ᖇEᐯIEᗯ:
A heartbreaking beginning to this one. I was feeling a bit lost and confused until I got to The Caller's POV. That sparked my desire to dig in and try to unravel this mystery. This feels like one of those books you'll want to re-read after you know the ending to catch all the details. The depth behind the MMC's obsession was great! Spice was on point & I enjoyed all the different settings. If you like bombs being dropped on you on the very last page - read this book! I was shocked & didn't see that coming. Well played. 😏 Dasha was a hoot!
ＭＹ ＦＡＶＯＲＩＴＥ ＱＵＯＴＥＳ：
"ꜱᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴇʀʀɪʙʟᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ."
"𝐌𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐭. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬. 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞."
"𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆, 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔."
"ɪ’ᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇʀ ʟᴏᴏᴋꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ. ᴀɴᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴀꜱᴛ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ."
𝘿𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙖:
“𝘽𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙝.”
“ɪɴ ʀᴜꜱꜱɪᴀ, ᴡᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴘ ᴅɪᴄᴋꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴇʜᴀᴠɪᴏʀ,” ꜱʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴅꜱ, ꜱᴍᴏᴋᴇ ꜱʟɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ ʟɪᴘꜱ.
𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱. “𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗸𝗮. 𝗜’𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲.”
ɪ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ, ʙʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴍᴏᴋᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴀɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. ʜᴇʀ ᴇʏᴇꜱ ɴᴀʀʀᴏᴡᴇᴅ. “ᴅᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀɴɢ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴀʟᴄᴏɴʏ ʙʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴀʟʟꜱ.”
ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ... ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴜʀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀꜱᴛ ᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴘᴏꜱꜱɪʙʟᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴀɪɴ ʜᴏɴᴇꜱᴛʟʏ, ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅɪᴇ, ᴘɪᴛʏ ꜱᴛᴇᴘꜱ ɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴇʟꜱᴇ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴꜱ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ꜱᴄᴀʀ. ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇᴛ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɪɴ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ɪᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘꜱ ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴꜱɪᴅᴇ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀ ɪꜱ.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘵.”
“𝘛𝘴𝘬, 𝘵𝘴𝘬, 𝘵𝘴𝘬,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘬 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩. “𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯?” 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘵.
“𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.
““𝐖𝐡𝐲?” 𝐈 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫, 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫.
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩, “𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.”
“𝕴𝖙’𝖘 𝖉𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊 𝖔𝖚𝖙𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖘𝖊 𝖆𝖙 𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙.”
A heartbreaking beginning to this one. I was feeling a bit lost and confused until I got to The Caller's POV. That sparked my desire to dig in and try to unravel this mystery. This feels like one of those books you'll want to re-read after you know the ending to catch all the details. The depth behind the MMC's obsession was great! Spice was on point & I enjoyed all the different settings. If you like bombs being dropped on you on the very last page - read this book! I was shocked & didn't see that coming. Well played. 😏 Dasha was a hoot!
ＭＹ ＦＡＶＯＲＩＴＥ ＱＵＯＴＥＳ：
"ꜱᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴇʀʀɪʙʟᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ."
"𝐌𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐭. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬. 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞."
"𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆, 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔."
"ɪ’ᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇʀ ʟᴏᴏᴋꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ. ᴀɴᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴀꜱᴛ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ."
𝘿𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙖:
“𝘽𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙝.”
“ɪɴ ʀᴜꜱꜱɪᴀ, ᴡᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴘ ᴅɪᴄᴋꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴇʜᴀᴠɪᴏʀ,” ꜱʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴅꜱ, ꜱᴍᴏᴋᴇ ꜱʟɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ ʟɪᴘꜱ.
𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱. “𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗸𝗮. 𝗜’𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲.”
ɪ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ, ʙʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴍᴏᴋᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴀɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. ʜᴇʀ ᴇʏᴇꜱ ɴᴀʀʀᴏᴡᴇᴅ. “ᴅᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀɴɢ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴀʟᴄᴏɴʏ ʙʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴀʟʟꜱ.”
ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ... ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴜʀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀꜱᴛ ᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴘᴏꜱꜱɪʙʟᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴀɪɴ ʜᴏɴᴇꜱᴛʟʏ, ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅɪᴇ, ᴘɪᴛʏ ꜱᴛᴇᴘꜱ ɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴇʟꜱᴇ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴꜱ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ꜱᴄᴀʀ. ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇᴛ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɪɴ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ɪᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘꜱ ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴꜱɪᴅᴇ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀ ɪꜱ.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘵.”
“𝘛𝘴𝘬, 𝘵𝘴𝘬, 𝘵𝘴𝘬,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘬 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩. “𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯?” 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘵.
“𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.
““𝐖𝐡𝐲?” 𝐈 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫, 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫.
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩, “𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.”
“𝕴𝖙’𝖘 𝖉𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊 𝖔𝖚𝖙𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖘𝖊 𝖆𝖙 𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙.”
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book pulled me in almost instantly—I barely had time to breathe before I was completely immersed. The pacing, the eerie messages, and the layered characters made it impossible to look away. And that twist? Completely caught me off guard in the best way 😱📖
Aurelia’s story begins in tragedy—waking after a three-month coma to discover she’s the only one who survived the crash that took her parents and fiancé. As if that wasn’t devastating enough, the injury to her hand ends her life as a pianist. With her family gone and their debts wiping out everything she once had, she’s left with nothing. So when a live-in caretaker job appears in Mendocino, she takes it without hesitation.
But the estate she arrives at is far from a fresh start. The house feels…wrong. Watching. Waiting. Late-night phone calls disturb the silence 📞, and strange letters appear as if from nowhere ✉️—each one more unsettling than the last. The message lingers: You shouldn’t have answered.
As Aurelia settles in, reality begins to blur. Are the presences she feels just manifestations of her trauma, or is something far more sinister at play? An old journal offers fragments of the past, triggering memories that refuse to stay buried. And when something from beyond begins to take physical shape…there’s no turning back 👁️
The atmosphere is where this story truly shines. The coastal mansion isn’t just a setting—it breathes, it hides, it watches. Every creaking floorboard and shadowy hallway adds to the suffocating tension 🌫️🏚️. The slow unraveling of Aurelia’s mind—or perhaps the truth—keeps you questioning everything right until the final pages.
What really stood out was the connection between Aurelia and The Caller. It’s intense, unsettling, and far deeper than it first appears. Their bond stretches beyond reason, rooted in something that feels both haunting and inevitable. There’s a dark, almost fated quality to it that adds an unexpected emotional weight ❤️🔥
The story masterfully blends psychological tension with supernatural elements, creating a constant sense of unease. It’s a spiral of secrets, memory, and survival—one that keeps tightening as Aurelia edges closer to the truth. And when everything finally clicks into place, it’s both shocking and strangely satisfying.
If you’re drawn to haunting mysteries, unreliable realities, and stories where love and fear intertwine, this one will absolutely grip you from beginning to end 🔥
Aurelia’s story begins in tragedy—waking after a three-month coma to discover she’s the only one who survived the crash that took her parents and fiancé. As if that wasn’t devastating enough, the injury to her hand ends her life as a pianist. With her family gone and their debts wiping out everything she once had, she’s left with nothing. So when a live-in caretaker job appears in Mendocino, she takes it without hesitation.
But the estate she arrives at is far from a fresh start. The house feels…wrong. Watching. Waiting. Late-night phone calls disturb the silence 📞, and strange letters appear as if from nowhere ✉️—each one more unsettling than the last. The message lingers: You shouldn’t have answered.
As Aurelia settles in, reality begins to blur. Are the presences she feels just manifestations of her trauma, or is something far more sinister at play? An old journal offers fragments of the past, triggering memories that refuse to stay buried. And when something from beyond begins to take physical shape…there’s no turning back 👁️
The atmosphere is where this story truly shines. The coastal mansion isn’t just a setting—it breathes, it hides, it watches. Every creaking floorboard and shadowy hallway adds to the suffocating tension 🌫️🏚️. The slow unraveling of Aurelia’s mind—or perhaps the truth—keeps you questioning everything right until the final pages.
What really stood out was the connection between Aurelia and The Caller. It’s intense, unsettling, and far deeper than it first appears. Their bond stretches beyond reason, rooted in something that feels both haunting and inevitable. There’s a dark, almost fated quality to it that adds an unexpected emotional weight ❤️🔥
The story masterfully blends psychological tension with supernatural elements, creating a constant sense of unease. It’s a spiral of secrets, memory, and survival—one that keeps tightening as Aurelia edges closer to the truth. And when everything finally clicks into place, it’s both shocking and strangely satisfying.
If you’re drawn to haunting mysteries, unreliable realities, and stories where love and fear intertwine, this one will absolutely grip you from beginning to end 🔥
April 22, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮
🌶️🌶️🌶️ - 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
🔥🔥🔥 - 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽
🩸- 𝓰𝓸𝓻𝓮
🖤 𝓶𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼🖤
Aurelia & The Caller
🖤 𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼🖤
📕survivors guilt
📕obsessive fixation
📕psychological manipulation
📕voyeurism
📕toxic relationships
🖤 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀🖤
Lemme just start by saying, Holy Sheeeet! This was like a combination of You’re Next and The Housemaid, which will linger with you long after you reached the end. The harrowing beginning was enough to have me seated as I didn’t think it would start with such a bleak beginning. Coming from an avid reader of her books, this is definitely in my top five. The tension. The hardships. The compelling storyline and reluctance to allow herself to crumble had me flipping through the pages to find out what was going to happen next.
*spoilers*
Aurelia is about to marry the love of her life, or so it seems until an unexpected accident leaves her with absolutely nothing after waking up from a coma. Her parents. Her fiancé. Her life. Gone in a blink of an eye thanks to her father’s debts and her fiancé’s parents who couldn’t care less about her well-being.
But just when her luck seems to run out, she finds an ad looking for a live-in housemaid to look after the house for about ninety days. Knowing she has no money, since the ring he proposed with was a fake, and nowhere to live, she makes her arrangements to make the journey to the house where she is given the position almost right away.
But once she’s in the house, things don’t sit right. Between the odd occurrences and the flashbacks of her memory returning after the accident, she doesn’t know what to believe is real and what her mind is making up. And then there’s the phone calls after midnight. The ones where there’s not a voice behind them. But a deep breathing sound that creeps down her back. With the past returning through faded memories and the enigmatic caller on the line, Aurelia may just lose the last bit of sanity she may have left.
You Shouldn’t Have Answered is a dark, psychological romance that pulls you from that traumatic beginning to the end as you continue to figure out what’s real and what’s a haunted realization. The ending swings with a hit, answering all questions between her realities. It’s a strong, emotional impact for the readers that uncovers the mystery around the Rosewood Residence. A. Em contorts your mind in this spicy AF and thrilling plot that has dashes of spice added to fulfill all your needs.
🌶️🌶️🌶️ - 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
🔥🔥🔥 - 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽
🩸- 𝓰𝓸𝓻𝓮
🖤 𝓶𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼🖤
Aurelia & The Caller
🖤 𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼🖤
📕survivors guilt
📕obsessive fixation
📕psychological manipulation
📕voyeurism
📕toxic relationships
🖤 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀🖤
Lemme just start by saying, Holy Sheeeet! This was like a combination of You’re Next and The Housemaid, which will linger with you long after you reached the end. The harrowing beginning was enough to have me seated as I didn’t think it would start with such a bleak beginning. Coming from an avid reader of her books, this is definitely in my top five. The tension. The hardships. The compelling storyline and reluctance to allow herself to crumble had me flipping through the pages to find out what was going to happen next.
*spoilers*
Aurelia is about to marry the love of her life, or so it seems until an unexpected accident leaves her with absolutely nothing after waking up from a coma. Her parents. Her fiancé. Her life. Gone in a blink of an eye thanks to her father’s debts and her fiancé’s parents who couldn’t care less about her well-being.
But just when her luck seems to run out, she finds an ad looking for a live-in housemaid to look after the house for about ninety days. Knowing she has no money, since the ring he proposed with was a fake, and nowhere to live, she makes her arrangements to make the journey to the house where she is given the position almost right away.
But once she’s in the house, things don’t sit right. Between the odd occurrences and the flashbacks of her memory returning after the accident, she doesn’t know what to believe is real and what her mind is making up. And then there’s the phone calls after midnight. The ones where there’s not a voice behind them. But a deep breathing sound that creeps down her back. With the past returning through faded memories and the enigmatic caller on the line, Aurelia may just lose the last bit of sanity she may have left.
You Shouldn’t Have Answered is a dark, psychological romance that pulls you from that traumatic beginning to the end as you continue to figure out what’s real and what’s a haunted realization. The ending swings with a hit, answering all questions between her realities. It’s a strong, emotional impact for the readers that uncovers the mystery around the Rosewood Residence. A. Em contorts your mind in this spicy AF and thrilling plot that has dashes of spice added to fulfill all your needs.
Review of advance copy received from Author
📞 You Shouldn't Have Answered // A Vespera Review 🌕🕸
honestly, this book didn’t just pull me in—it hollowed me out from the very first page. there is something so visceral about the way the pacing forces you to hold your breath, just waiting for the next eerie message to drop. and that twist? i’m usually the one who sees the shadows coming, but this one caught me completely off guard in the best, most devastating way. 🕯️♟️
Aurelia’s story starts in the middle of a tragedy so heavy it feels like a physical weight. waking up from a coma only to realize you’re the sole survivor of the crash that took your parents and your fiancé… it’s a level of isolation that is hard to even fathom. then, losing her ability to play the piano was the final blow to her identity. she goes to mendocino for a fresh start, but the estate she finds herself in is anything but a sanctuary. 🐚
the atmosphere is where this story truly breathes. the coastal mansion isn't just a backdrop; it’s a silent observer, watching every creak of the floorboards and every shadowy hallway. it feels suffocating in the most addictive way. watching the slow unraveling of aurelia’s mind—wondering if what she’s feeling is just trauma or something far more sinister—kept me questioning my own sanity until the very end. 🏰🌑
but what truly left a residue on my soul was the connection between aurelia and the caller. it’s intense, unsettling, and carries this dark, fated quality that i am absolutely obsessed with. their bond stretches beyond logic, rooted in something that feels both haunting and inevitable. it added a layer of emotional weight i wasn't expecting, blending psychological tension with supernatural elements seamlessly. 🥂🌒
this book is a spiral of secrets, memory, and survival that just keeps tightening until everything finally clicks into place in a way that is both shocking and strangely satisfying. if you love haunting mysteries and stories where love and fear are inextricably intertwined, you need to read this immediately. it’s divine. 🍷
Final Vibe: 10/10. completely consumed.🌔
honestly, this book didn’t just pull me in—it hollowed me out from the very first page. there is something so visceral about the way the pacing forces you to hold your breath, just waiting for the next eerie message to drop. and that twist? i’m usually the one who sees the shadows coming, but this one caught me completely off guard in the best, most devastating way. 🕯️♟️
Aurelia’s story starts in the middle of a tragedy so heavy it feels like a physical weight. waking up from a coma only to realize you’re the sole survivor of the crash that took your parents and your fiancé… it’s a level of isolation that is hard to even fathom. then, losing her ability to play the piano was the final blow to her identity. she goes to mendocino for a fresh start, but the estate she finds herself in is anything but a sanctuary. 🐚
the atmosphere is where this story truly breathes. the coastal mansion isn't just a backdrop; it’s a silent observer, watching every creak of the floorboards and every shadowy hallway. it feels suffocating in the most addictive way. watching the slow unraveling of aurelia’s mind—wondering if what she’s feeling is just trauma or something far more sinister—kept me questioning my own sanity until the very end. 🏰🌑
but what truly left a residue on my soul was the connection between aurelia and the caller. it’s intense, unsettling, and carries this dark, fated quality that i am absolutely obsessed with. their bond stretches beyond logic, rooted in something that feels both haunting and inevitable. it added a layer of emotional weight i wasn't expecting, blending psychological tension with supernatural elements seamlessly. 🥂🌒
this book is a spiral of secrets, memory, and survival that just keeps tightening until everything finally clicks into place in a way that is both shocking and strangely satisfying. if you love haunting mysteries and stories where love and fear are inextricably intertwined, you need to read this immediately. it’s divine. 🍷
Final Vibe: 10/10. completely consumed.🌔
April 22, 2026
You shouldn't have answered by A.EM. is a dark romance set in the 90's, filled with so much mystery you'll be guessing from the first letter to the last, sweet revenge, and a love that'll have you swooning, even in its darkness. This story follows MC's Aurelia and "The Caller" as they slowly unravel the questions they are all asking, even Aurelia herself. As this is a dark romance, please make sure to check the trigger warnings! It has been a minute since I've read anything with mystery, and let me tell you, this book DELIVERED. This story really had me just questioning everything, and the twists were just perfect. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two MC's, which is something I tend to struggle with when it comes to MF books. All that to say, I absolutely LOVED this book!! If any of this sounds up your alley, then go read it right NOW!!!
I really loved our FMC Aurelia. She was such an interesting character to see inside the mind of. I loved that we could see how she slowly changed as her memories started to come back. I really am a sucker for unhinged characters, and that's definitely what we got with this book! If you like your men to be yearners, well, you're in luck because "The Caller" is a yearner if I've ever seen one! There weren't a lot of side characters, which I prefer, but the few we had were very developed and likable. Especially Dasha, I loved her!
This was a relatively short read, which made each page really matter and bring us closer to the truth without a lot of filler. I really liked the writing style; it was very smooth and immersive. Now the plot… Wow, just wow. A lot of the time, I can pretty much guess what happens in a story, but this one really just had me stumped, and I'm really glad it did. Seriously, if you want a good mystery with your dark romance, then this is the one!
I wanna say thank you so much to the author for the ARC of this amazing story! I had such a good time with it!
I really loved our FMC Aurelia. She was such an interesting character to see inside the mind of. I loved that we could see how she slowly changed as her memories started to come back. I really am a sucker for unhinged characters, and that's definitely what we got with this book! If you like your men to be yearners, well, you're in luck because "The Caller" is a yearner if I've ever seen one! There weren't a lot of side characters, which I prefer, but the few we had were very developed and likable. Especially Dasha, I loved her!
This was a relatively short read, which made each page really matter and bring us closer to the truth without a lot of filler. I really liked the writing style; it was very smooth and immersive. Now the plot… Wow, just wow. A lot of the time, I can pretty much guess what happens in a story, but this one really just had me stumped, and I'm really glad it did. Seriously, if you want a good mystery with your dark romance, then this is the one!
I wanna say thank you so much to the author for the ARC of this amazing story! I had such a good time with it!
April 30, 2026
📖🌊 You Shouldn’t Have Answered 🌊📞
By. A. eM.
— A chilling, unforgettable ride
This book had me hooked from the very first page and never once loosened its grip. I’m talking full-on looking over your shoulder while reading energy 👀📖… the kind of story that seeps into your bones and refuses to leave.
From start to finish, it kept me guessing. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the darkness, layering tension, obsession, and emotion in a way that only this author can deliver. And let’s talk about that 90’s flashback—absolute perfection 📼✨. This story needed that era. No cell phones. No instant answers. Just raw, unsettling uncertainty. It created a tension that simply wouldn’t exist in today’s world, and because of that, it hit so much harder.
There’s something so hauntingly beautiful about the way she tells a story. It’s dark. It’s twisted. It’s stalker-level obsession done in a way that feels disturbingly real 🖤🌹. And somehow, buried in all that unease… is a love story. Not a pretty one. Not a safe one. But one that feels real, messy, consuming, and unforgettable.
The atmosphere? Immaculate. Think quiet rooms filled with tension, the soft echo of waves crashing in the distance 🌊, a house phone ringing in the silence ☎️, and white roses scattered like secrets waiting to be uncovered 🤍🌹. Every detail builds this eerie, cinematic experience that just sticks with you long after you’ve finished.
And that ending…
THE ENDING.
I did not see it coming. At all. It was the kind of twist that makes you stop, reread, and then just sit there in stunned silence. If you’ve read A. eM. before, you’ll know exactly what I mean when you get there—she always delivers, but this one? PURE SHOCK!
This isn’t just a book you read.
It’s one you feel.
It lingers. It unsettles. It consumes.
And trust me… you won’t forget it.
By. A. eM.
— A chilling, unforgettable ride
This book had me hooked from the very first page and never once loosened its grip. I’m talking full-on looking over your shoulder while reading energy 👀📖… the kind of story that seeps into your bones and refuses to leave.
From start to finish, it kept me guessing. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the darkness, layering tension, obsession, and emotion in a way that only this author can deliver. And let’s talk about that 90’s flashback—absolute perfection 📼✨. This story needed that era. No cell phones. No instant answers. Just raw, unsettling uncertainty. It created a tension that simply wouldn’t exist in today’s world, and because of that, it hit so much harder.
There’s something so hauntingly beautiful about the way she tells a story. It’s dark. It’s twisted. It’s stalker-level obsession done in a way that feels disturbingly real 🖤🌹. And somehow, buried in all that unease… is a love story. Not a pretty one. Not a safe one. But one that feels real, messy, consuming, and unforgettable.
The atmosphere? Immaculate. Think quiet rooms filled with tension, the soft echo of waves crashing in the distance 🌊, a house phone ringing in the silence ☎️, and white roses scattered like secrets waiting to be uncovered 🤍🌹. Every detail builds this eerie, cinematic experience that just sticks with you long after you’ve finished.
And that ending…
THE ENDING.
I did not see it coming. At all. It was the kind of twist that makes you stop, reread, and then just sit there in stunned silence. If you’ve read A. eM. before, you’ll know exactly what I mean when you get there—she always delivers, but this one? PURE SHOCK!
This isn’t just a book you read.
It’s one you feel.
It lingers. It unsettles. It consumes.
And trust me… you won’t forget it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
After waking up from a 3 month coma, Aurelia finds out that she is the sole survivor of the car accident that claimed the life of her parents and fiance, and that as a result of damage caused to her hand, her career as a pianist is over. When she is told that her parents were so deeply in debt that everything had to be sold while she was asleep, she finds herself with no home, no income, and no options, so when she sees an ad in the paper for a live-in caretaker position on an estate in Mendocino, she immediately responds. Now she’s alone in this gothic mansion, convinced she is being watched, and when the phone rings in the middle of the night, and letters keep appearing on the doorstep, the only words she remembers are “you shouldn’t have answered”.
Suddenly ghosts begin to seem real, and the words of the dead take over the living, and Aurelia begins to wonder how much is truth and how much is her imagination. As she reads the words left in an old journal, hints of memories start to come to her, but the secrets she will uncover may be more than she bargained for. When an apparition takes physical form, her dreams become reality, and as the past becomes the present, everything could change.
I received an early copy of this book from the author and as always, I was sucked in right from the first chapter. The author’s ability to weave a psychological web around her characters, as well as the readers keep you guessing at every corner, only able to put the pieces together in the final pages, if that. The connection between Aurelia and The Caller was soul deep, and went even further back than I could have imagined. The lengths both were willing to go to protect themselves, and each other, made it clear that there could have been no one else for either of them.
Suddenly ghosts begin to seem real, and the words of the dead take over the living, and Aurelia begins to wonder how much is truth and how much is her imagination. As she reads the words left in an old journal, hints of memories start to come to her, but the secrets she will uncover may be more than she bargained for. When an apparition takes physical form, her dreams become reality, and as the past becomes the present, everything could change.
I received an early copy of this book from the author and as always, I was sucked in right from the first chapter. The author’s ability to weave a psychological web around her characters, as well as the readers keep you guessing at every corner, only able to put the pieces together in the final pages, if that. The connection between Aurelia and The Caller was soul deep, and went even further back than I could have imagined. The lengths both were willing to go to protect themselves, and each other, made it clear that there could have been no one else for either of them.
April 14, 2026
I can't tell you how many times I went back through my
highlights. My notes. Bookmarks. Searching names and information to comprehend the "mindfuck" I just read. I don't think my brain has ever been this satisfied yet confused about a story. But in the best, most weirdest way possible. Usually, I just read, but this story has me obsessed with dissecting every single sentence-i'm still trying to wrap my head around the pages I just devoured.
I loved the fact that this was set back in the 90s, it's nostalgic for me. Aurelia and "The Caller" had me hooked from the beginning. I was captivated by Aurelia's resilience and "The Caller" —where can I get my own? The bits and pieces connecting the two were done so well and they were intense. The tension, the yearning. Still my beating heart.
The psychological suspense, mystery, spice, twisted secrets, eerie moments, diary entries and chaos was fucking phenomenal.
| loved the fact that the author had created "Case Files" for us readers. It was something new and exciting and had my interest immediately. I absolutely loved all the connecting points and twists and I received a *HEA* in the end—or did I? I had no idea what I was expecting to get out of this, but my mind being blown out of this world was not something I had anticipated. My mind is still SPIRALING. Highly recommend if you want to read an intricate story from the very beginning and have your head still spinning in circles when you finish-but leaves you wanting more.
**When I tell you this book full on made my brain explode, it showed on my face. My husband questioned me the moment he saw me. "Oh my god. What's wrong. Something happened.
Are you mad?", I looked at him and said "I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED". He was even more confused than I was.**
highlights. My notes. Bookmarks. Searching names and information to comprehend the "mindfuck" I just read. I don't think my brain has ever been this satisfied yet confused about a story. But in the best, most weirdest way possible. Usually, I just read, but this story has me obsessed with dissecting every single sentence-i'm still trying to wrap my head around the pages I just devoured.
I loved the fact that this was set back in the 90s, it's nostalgic for me. Aurelia and "The Caller" had me hooked from the beginning. I was captivated by Aurelia's resilience and "The Caller" —where can I get my own? The bits and pieces connecting the two were done so well and they were intense. The tension, the yearning. Still my beating heart.
The psychological suspense, mystery, spice, twisted secrets, eerie moments, diary entries and chaos was fucking phenomenal.
| loved the fact that the author had created "Case Files" for us readers. It was something new and exciting and had my interest immediately. I absolutely loved all the connecting points and twists and I received a *HEA* in the end—or did I? I had no idea what I was expecting to get out of this, but my mind being blown out of this world was not something I had anticipated. My mind is still SPIRALING. Highly recommend if you want to read an intricate story from the very beginning and have your head still spinning in circles when you finish-but leaves you wanting more.
**When I tell you this book full on made my brain explode, it showed on my face. My husband questioned me the moment he saw me. "Oh my god. What's wrong. Something happened.
Are you mad?", I looked at him and said "I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED". He was even more confused than I was.**
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2026
What to say about this book?? Hmm. I enjoyed reading it but was very confused throughout the book. Both because that was what the author wanted but also because of the writing. Sometimes I just need things to be clear and not so vague.
Honestly, this was not a bad book, and I probably would have rated it a 5 star but I just wanted more. Somethings happened fast, with not much build up and resolved to quickly. Like the book was in 2x speed so we just left things out.
Overall, was I got to the end and you figure everything out, I really liked it. I would definitely recommend reading if you want a book to confuse you in the best way possible!
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Okay now spoilers.
Nathaniel was best friends with Daniel.
Viviane and Lily were sisters.
Aurelia was a transfer student to the school Viviane, Lily, and Nathaniel attended.
Later on Viviane gets pregnant by Nathaniel’s brother, the brother doesn’t want anything to do with her. Nathaniel steps up and marries Viviane to give her a chance.
When Nathaniel visits his brother in prison, he says he never kissed Viviane. But later when talking to the gardener, he says I never slept with Lilibeth but I fucked Viviane!? So make up your mind man. Either you did or you didn’t.
Anyways, come to find out, Aurelia is really Lily who was Viviane’s sister. Really Aurelia died in a drowning accident and Aurelia’s mother turned Lily into Aurelia.
But that’s not even the craziest part to me. Pretend Aurelia knew the whole time that Viviane was her sister who married Nathaniel who was in love with pretend Aurelia. So be bagged both sisters.
This was just a crazy tangled web. And this is why I loved the story. So many secrets. So many deceptions.
I would rate this maybe 3/4 ⭐️
Honestly, this was not a bad book, and I probably would have rated it a 5 star but I just wanted more. Somethings happened fast, with not much build up and resolved to quickly. Like the book was in 2x speed so we just left things out.
Overall, was I got to the end and you figure everything out, I really liked it. I would definitely recommend reading if you want a book to confuse you in the best way possible!
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Okay now spoilers.
Nathaniel was best friends with Daniel.
Viviane and Lily were sisters.
Aurelia was a transfer student to the school Viviane, Lily, and Nathaniel attended.
Later on Viviane gets pregnant by Nathaniel’s brother, the brother doesn’t want anything to do with her. Nathaniel steps up and marries Viviane to give her a chance.
When Nathaniel visits his brother in prison, he says he never kissed Viviane. But later when talking to the gardener, he says I never slept with Lilibeth but I fucked Viviane!? So make up your mind man. Either you did or you didn’t.
Anyways, come to find out, Aurelia is really Lily who was Viviane’s sister. Really Aurelia died in a drowning accident and Aurelia’s mother turned Lily into Aurelia.
But that’s not even the craziest part to me. Pretend Aurelia knew the whole time that Viviane was her sister who married Nathaniel who was in love with pretend Aurelia. So be bagged both sisters.
This was just a crazy tangled web. And this is why I loved the story. So many secrets. So many deceptions.
I would rate this maybe 3/4 ⭐️
April 21, 2026
This is not my first book from this author, and it won't be my last - her writing is beautiful, evocative, and emotionally charged.
As usual with A's books, there is a twisty, turny mystery wound up in our story. Aurelia is in a car accident, where she loses everyone she had and must start over. She takes a job as a house sitter in a gothic seaside mansion, and from there, strange things start happening that begin to provide clues to her past and the secrets she doesn't know she has.
There is so much emotion here, and it's really well done. I always struggle to put together what's going on in the mystery in A's books, but it didn't frustrate me because the depth of emotion was so strong.
A few favorite quotes, just because:
Maybe it's true that you can rewrite your own stars. I was meant to be miserable until I found her.
It's complicated when someone breaks you so badly that every person after them feels like a threat. When they tear your trust apart so completely that your own mind starts turning against you.
Even if you had thousands of versions of yourself, I would still fall in love with every single one.
She was the air I craved, the only thing that ever felt enough, and God forbid anyone stand in the way of that, because I would kill. I would kill for her. I would die for her.
(The last one's a pretty big spoiler, so don't click unless you're ok with that)
Loved it. Definitely worth a read if you like haunting atmosphere, 90s vibes, a Gothic mystery, and plenty of spice.
As usual with A's books, there is a twisty, turny mystery wound up in our story. Aurelia is in a car accident, where she loses everyone she had and must start over. She takes a job as a house sitter in a gothic seaside mansion, and from there, strange things start happening that begin to provide clues to her past and the secrets she doesn't know she has.
There is so much emotion here, and it's really well done. I always struggle to put together what's going on in the mystery in A's books, but it didn't frustrate me because the depth of emotion was so strong.
A few favorite quotes, just because:
Maybe it's true that you can rewrite your own stars. I was meant to be miserable until I found her.
It's complicated when someone breaks you so badly that every person after them feels like a threat. When they tear your trust apart so completely that your own mind starts turning against you.
Even if you had thousands of versions of yourself, I would still fall in love with every single one.
She was the air I craved, the only thing that ever felt enough, and God forbid anyone stand in the way of that, because I would kill. I would kill for her. I would die for her.
(The last one's a pretty big spoiler, so don't click unless you're ok with that)
Loved it. Definitely worth a read if you like haunting atmosphere, 90s vibes, a Gothic mystery, and plenty of spice.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This gothic psychological thriller is a masterclass in atmosphere, trapping the reader within the chilling, salt sprayed walls of a Mendocino estate. We follow Aurelia, a woman who has lost everything her family, her partner, and her identity as a pianist after a devastating accident. When she takes a job as a live in caretaker to escape her grief and debt, she finds herself in a house that feels alive with secrets.
The narrative excels at slowburn suspense, blurring the lines between a fractured psyche and a genuine haunting. As Aurelia uncovers an old journal and receives cryptic, midnight phone calls, the tension becomes almost suffocating. The spirits of the house guide her, but their true nature And the identity of the mysterious homeowner remain shrouded in lies and half truths.
Aurelia’s trauma is visceral, making her journey from isolation to terror feel heartbreakingly real
The coastal mansion serves as a character itself, filled with shadows, masked intentions, and a constant sense of being watched.
At the heart of the mystery is the intense, dark bond between Aurelia and "The Caller." It’s a connection that defies time and logic, perfect for those who crave romance with a sharp, psychological edge.
A.Em weaves a web of memories and apparitions that keeps you spiraling until the final, shocking revelation.
Memories didn't matter if her heart already belonged to me.
This story is a dizzying merry go round of secrets and survival. It explores how far we are willing to go to protect the ones we love and whether the truth is something we actually want to find. If you enjoy stories where the past refuses to stay buried and the ghosts of our choices take physical form, this is an absolute must read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The narrative excels at slowburn suspense, blurring the lines between a fractured psyche and a genuine haunting. As Aurelia uncovers an old journal and receives cryptic, midnight phone calls, the tension becomes almost suffocating. The spirits of the house guide her, but their true nature And the identity of the mysterious homeowner remain shrouded in lies and half truths.
Aurelia’s trauma is visceral, making her journey from isolation to terror feel heartbreakingly real
The coastal mansion serves as a character itself, filled with shadows, masked intentions, and a constant sense of being watched.
At the heart of the mystery is the intense, dark bond between Aurelia and "The Caller." It’s a connection that defies time and logic, perfect for those who crave romance with a sharp, psychological edge.
A.Em weaves a web of memories and apparitions that keeps you spiraling until the final, shocking revelation.
Memories didn't matter if her heart already belonged to me.
This story is a dizzying merry go round of secrets and survival. It explores how far we are willing to go to protect the ones we love and whether the truth is something we actually want to find. If you enjoy stories where the past refuses to stay buried and the ghosts of our choices take physical form, this is an absolute must read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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