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Pleasure & Prey #4
Delicious
When I'm confronted in the woods by a man with a chainsaw and a gorgeous face, I should’ve known it would end poorly.
But when I end up in the killer’s house instead of chopped into little pieces, I don’t know what to think. Not when he promises me that he won’t hurt me, and especially when he tells me that I can’t leave.
Not unless he can trust me.
He can’t, of course. I’ll tell anyone that will listen that this monster cut up some man in the moonlight, even if he promises that it had been deserved.
He’s lying, because there’s no way anyone deserves what he did.
Earning his trust is an act, but when the lie starts to fail, I find that the man underneath the terrifying mask is something altogether different than I could ever expect. He’s charming, sweet, and his obsession with me is dangerous enough that I know I should run far and fast before either of us can act on it.
Can a monster like him ever love a girl he found in the woods, or am I destined to become Sunday dinner for a recovering cannibal and the family he swears to hate?
Delicious is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. Please see author’s note at the front of the book using the ‘look inside the book’ feature for a full list of content warnings.
But when I end up in the killer’s house instead of chopped into little pieces, I don’t know what to think. Not when he promises me that he won’t hurt me, and especially when he tells me that I can’t leave.
Not unless he can trust me.
He can’t, of course. I’ll tell anyone that will listen that this monster cut up some man in the moonlight, even if he promises that it had been deserved.
He’s lying, because there’s no way anyone deserves what he did.
Earning his trust is an act, but when the lie starts to fail, I find that the man underneath the terrifying mask is something altogether different than I could ever expect. He’s charming, sweet, and his obsession with me is dangerous enough that I know I should run far and fast before either of us can act on it.
Can a monster like him ever love a girl he found in the woods, or am I destined to become Sunday dinner for a recovering cannibal and the family he swears to hate?
Delicious is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. Please see author’s note at the front of the book using the ‘look inside the book’ feature for a full list of content warnings.
Audible Audio
Published December 3, 2025
About the author
A.J. Merlin
39 books2,201 followersAJ Merlin would rather write epic love stories than live them. I mean, who wants to limit themselves to only falling in love once? She is obsessed with dark fantasy, true crime, and also dogs. From serial killers to voyeurs all the way down to the devil himself, AJ's specialty is in writing irredeemable heroes who somehow still manage to captivate their heroines (and her readers).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
October 26, 2024
A super sweet serial killer!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🩵🖤❤️💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: ☺️😍🥰😁
The heroine: Saylor - she has some mental health issues, is prone to self-sabotage and is usually triggered by calls from her stepmother. She sees a therapist for her issues but can’t always control them. She is a photographer by trade but is sick of doing only weddings and headshots. When the chance to do some nature photography presents itself, where it could change he entire career, she jumps at it. The Morton Swamp Nature Preserve is asking for new photos for their website, she drives right out there to try and get some great shots of the plant and animal life in the swamp.
The Hero: Jed - he is a serial killer, who hangs out with other serial killers, like Virgil, Wren and Gabriel from the first three books in this series. Like them (and Dexter from TV), he tries to only kill people who deserve it, very bad people. He had an extremely non-traditional upbringing and doesn’t have a good relationship with his family (cannibals).
The Story: Saylor loses track of time in the swamp preserve while taking photos of the flora and fauna. Soon the sun begins to set, which is when two separate men run into her. Well, really only one runs into her and right by her and the other, a gorgeous guy with blond hair and blue eyes tries to help her by making sure she isn’t lost and can find her way out before dark. Saylor tells him she knows the way out and is leaving soon, but again gets caught up in her work and doesn’t realize how late it has become. She runs into the men again and everything goes wrong.
Jed can’t let her go after she saw what he did, since he doesn’t want to end up in jail, so he takes her to his cabin deep in the forest. I like the fact that Jed is so incongruous for a serial killer. Saylor doesn’t know what to think of him, since one minute she sees him with a chainsaw, covered in human blood and another he seems to be almost OCD in the cleanliness of his house, going so far as to wash her things without her asking. Plus, he is a nice host to her and even cooks fantastic meals from scratch. She keeps thinking about how he does things for her and treats her better than any boyfriend she has ever had.
Of course there are some huge red flags in this relationship, and a bunch of things that are not fleshed out enough in this story. For a long time, I kept thinking, I just wish Jed would clean his shed as well as he cleans his house. At the very least, in case the cops came calling and wanted to search his place. Though overall, I liked how nice and sweet Jed was with Saylor and the intimate scenes were so hot!
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🩵🖤❤️💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: ☺️😍🥰😁
The heroine: Saylor - she has some mental health issues, is prone to self-sabotage and is usually triggered by calls from her stepmother. She sees a therapist for her issues but can’t always control them. She is a photographer by trade but is sick of doing only weddings and headshots. When the chance to do some nature photography presents itself, where it could change he entire career, she jumps at it. The Morton Swamp Nature Preserve is asking for new photos for their website, she drives right out there to try and get some great shots of the plant and animal life in the swamp.
The Hero: Jed - he is a serial killer, who hangs out with other serial killers, like Virgil, Wren and Gabriel from the first three books in this series. Like them (and Dexter from TV), he tries to only kill people who deserve it, very bad people. He had an extremely non-traditional upbringing and doesn’t have a good relationship with his family (cannibals).
The Story: Saylor loses track of time in the swamp preserve while taking photos of the flora and fauna. Soon the sun begins to set, which is when two separate men run into her. Well, really only one runs into her and right by her and the other, a gorgeous guy with blond hair and blue eyes tries to help her by making sure she isn’t lost and can find her way out before dark. Saylor tells him she knows the way out and is leaving soon, but again gets caught up in her work and doesn’t realize how late it has become. She runs into the men again and everything goes wrong.
Jed can’t let her go after she saw what he did, since he doesn’t want to end up in jail, so he takes her to his cabin deep in the forest. I like the fact that Jed is so incongruous for a serial killer. Saylor doesn’t know what to think of him, since one minute she sees him with a chainsaw, covered in human blood and another he seems to be almost OCD in the cleanliness of his house, going so far as to wash her things without her asking. Plus, he is a nice host to her and even cooks fantastic meals from scratch. She keeps thinking about how he does things for her and treats her better than any boyfriend she has ever had.
Of course there are some huge red flags in this relationship, and a bunch of things that are not fleshed out enough in this story. For a long time, I kept thinking, I just wish Jed would clean his shed as well as he cleans his house. At the very least, in case the cops came calling and wanted to search his place. Though overall, I liked how nice and sweet Jed was with Saylor and the intimate scenes were so hot!
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December 22, 2023this is my roman empire
May 30, 2024
I really enjoying the series, steamy and fun ✨️
January 31, 2024
Ughhhh. I knew Jed was going to be an amazing read but man, Aj outdid herself again.
The entire series of Pleasure and Prey is so delectable and this one has definitely worked its way into my taste buds to another delicious top tier.
Blood and gore, sweet, honey flavored words and acts, spicey spice scenes to make your own thighs clench, and a new furry addition at the end...what more could this book offer?
If you haven't read the other 3 Pleasure and Prey books don't worry, you don't necessarily have to. Though I implore you, if serial killers who are entirely obsessed and head over heels for the FMC is up your alley, run don't walk to read the first 3 books too!
This book and the rest are yummy enough to sink your teeth into and leave you pining for more!
The entire series of Pleasure and Prey is so delectable and this one has definitely worked its way into my taste buds to another delicious top tier.
Blood and gore, sweet, honey flavored words and acts, spicey spice scenes to make your own thighs clench, and a new furry addition at the end...what more could this book offer?
If you haven't read the other 3 Pleasure and Prey books don't worry, you don't necessarily have to. Though I implore you, if serial killers who are entirely obsessed and head over heels for the FMC is up your alley, run don't walk to read the first 3 books too!
This book and the rest are yummy enough to sink your teeth into and leave you pining for more!
April 29, 2024
For a serial killer romance, this was surprisingly sweet and romantic in a bloody deranged psychotic way. I've loved all the books so far in this series and this one was no exception. Be aware these are romances that deal with serial killers, they are interconnected and this latest one involves Jed, whom we met in previous books. I've always been intrigued by him, especially because of his unusual background and he always came across as the quiet mysterious one.
This is all told from Saylor's POV, so whilst taking pictures for a job assignment in Morgan Swamp Preserve our girl manages to witness Jed wielding a chainsaw and committing a murder. Scared she will be next Jed apologises to Saylor before drugging and kidnapping her. She then awakens at his isolated home in the middle of woodland where Jed informs her he can't let her go until he's sure she won't go to the police.
This story evolves from there and though this deals with some dark themes and subject matter the actual romance between Saylor and Jed is actually really stinking adorable. Jed is a real sweetheart and adores Saylor instantly, he also has an air of vulnerability that just made him so easy to like and despite the psycho chainsaw massacre tendencies, he wouldn't hurt a hair on Saylor's head.
Saylor well I also liked her the internal battle she wages against why Jed isn't healthy for her made for some amusing one-liners and internal thoughts. I liked that her accepting who Jed was wasn't an easy process and that this was still something that working on it.
We also get to reacquaint ourselves with some previous characters so I appreciated that especially Wren's inclusion. This was an excellent addition to the series and I enjoyed it a whole lot
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
June 10, 2024
4 - 4.25 stars!
Delicious felt like a departure from the other stories and went more sweet! Jed is by the far the "nicest" of their serial killer group even coming from a family of cannibals *shutter.*
Saylor finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and comes face-to-face with a serial killer. Jed ends up having to "kidnap" Saylor to keep her from outing him and his group of killers. The more time Saylor spends with Jed, the more she discovers there is much more to Jed than just his tendency to chop people up with a chainsaw.
A lot spicy, a little action packed and fun times with the other killers and their girls, I really enjoyed this!! Jed was so sweet and caring with a violent streak that will make you swoon. Really loved him!
Delicious felt like a departure from the other stories and went more sweet! Jed is by the far the "nicest" of their serial killer group even coming from a family of cannibals *shutter.*
Saylor finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and comes face-to-face with a serial killer. Jed ends up having to "kidnap" Saylor to keep her from outing him and his group of killers. The more time Saylor spends with Jed, the more she discovers there is much more to Jed than just his tendency to chop people up with a chainsaw.
"He’s so fucking hot, so sweet, and the red flags that litter his metaphorical yard are suddenly looking like my favorite color in the whole damn world."
A lot spicy, a little action packed and fun times with the other killers and their girls, I really enjoyed this!! Jed was so sweet and caring with a violent streak that will make you swoon. Really loved him!
"I need you,” he hisses, his words sharp and direct as his hands tighten on my hair and hip. “I fucking need you right now, Saylor, or I’m going to go kill them for touching you. Do you understand me?”
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June 25, 20244⭐| 4🌶️
A.J. Merlin has done it again. Fantastic addition to the series and cannot wait for the final book to come out in December. Jed is the sweetest of the slashers yet and loved seeing the past FMC and MMC's come back in a few scenes. Merlin is THE BEST when it comes to slasher/thriller spicy novels hands down.
Re-read in June: My god its still so GOOD. The last book cannot come sooner enough. Is it December yet?
A.J. Merlin has done it again. Fantastic addition to the series and cannot wait for the final book to come out in December. Jed is the sweetest of the slashers yet and loved seeing the past FMC and MMC's come back in a few scenes. Merlin is THE BEST when it comes to slasher/thriller spicy novels hands down.
Re-read in June: My god its still so GOOD. The last book cannot come sooner enough. Is it December yet?
February 1, 2024
Now, we all know I have a few authors that I VERY CASUALLY stalked the second I finished their first book and AJ Merlin was definitely one of them. I was introduced to horror romance through her, it might not have been scary to others but if you're reading alone in a dark room... these books are a smidge scary. AJ has this uncanny ability to make me feel like I'm in the moment, as an author thats amazing and as a reader well the idea that I could look up and a masked man there is not my favorite (😏😈🤭) and this book, aka the fourth installment in the Pleasure and Prey series was no different.
This book follows Jed, I think my new absolute favorite (sorry Virgil) who is a chef (hot) and Saylor who is a photographer. And they met in a totally normal way! Jed is super cute and just wants to make sure Saylor makes it out of the park before dark. She doesn't but thats not the point. Anywho the whole time I was reading I was like is this talking about Cuyahoga cause it's based in Ohio and I've been to Cuyahoga and if it is, the terror level for me went up tenfold because I know how dark it gets and how kinda silent it can be and honestly I would have cried. Anywho a lot happens after and we all learn chainsaw saftey tips that I truly didn't even think about. Also we learn that apparently you're not supposed to kidnap people but I mean if I wad going to get kidnapped by anyone I would want it to be a michelin star chef 🤷🏾♀️ anywho I just found out the next book comes out in December so i now have the will to live till then
This book follows Jed, I think my new absolute favorite (sorry Virgil) who is a chef (hot) and Saylor who is a photographer. And they met in a totally normal way! Jed is super cute and just wants to make sure Saylor makes it out of the park before dark. She doesn't but thats not the point. Anywho the whole time I was reading I was like is this talking about Cuyahoga cause it's based in Ohio and I've been to Cuyahoga and if it is, the terror level for me went up tenfold because I know how dark it gets and how kinda silent it can be and honestly I would have cried. Anywho a lot happens after and we all learn chainsaw saftey tips that I truly didn't even think about. Also we learn that apparently you're not supposed to kidnap people but I mean if I wad going to get kidnapped by anyone I would want it to be a michelin star chef 🤷🏾♀️ anywho I just found out the next book comes out in December so i now have the will to live till then
February 2, 2024
I have loved all of the books in the Pleasure & Prey series so far! This one was a little underwhelming compared to the rest, though. I still enjoyed it, but it is not a favorite within the series. The storyline was a divergence from what I've come to expect based on the previous books. Most aspects of that worked well, and some did not.
The characters were well-written, and I was invested in the relationship, but there was an element of excitement missing for me in this book compared to the rest of the series due to the way Merlin chose to depict the development of the relationship. It worked in that it felt organic and belivable, but it lost some of the suspense that I had hoped for. I liked Jed and Saylor, but I didn't *love* them like I've loved the other pairings. I also felt that the spice wasn't there in this book compared to the rest of the series. It's really good, but comparatively tamer to me.
Overall, I still had a really good time reading this book. I liked finally seeing Jed's story! He's an absolute cinnamon roll. I loved seeing him so sweet and patient with Saylor. I also really liked getting to see more of the group dynamics with Jed, Virgil, and Wren. I'm definitely continuing the series, and I can't waif for the next book!!
The characters were well-written, and I was invested in the relationship, but there was an element of excitement missing for me in this book compared to the rest of the series due to the way Merlin chose to depict the development of the relationship. It worked in that it felt organic and belivable, but it lost some of the suspense that I had hoped for. I liked Jed and Saylor, but I didn't *love* them like I've loved the other pairings. I also felt that the spice wasn't there in this book compared to the rest of the series. It's really good, but comparatively tamer to me.
Overall, I still had a really good time reading this book. I liked finally seeing Jed's story! He's an absolute cinnamon roll. I loved seeing him so sweet and patient with Saylor. I also really liked getting to see more of the group dynamics with Jed, Virgil, and Wren. I'm definitely continuing the series, and I can't waif for the next book!!
February 2, 2024
5/5⭐️
3/5🌶️
I shouldn’t like this guy…buttttttt I do! A little chainsaw…a little hot guy! If you grew up loving horror movies this series by AJ is perfect! Jed is shy and adorable around Saylor and I love it!
3/5🌶️
I shouldn’t like this guy…buttttttt I do! A little chainsaw…a little hot guy! If you grew up loving horror movies this series by AJ is perfect! Jed is shy and adorable around Saylor and I love it!
February 9, 2024
Who doesn't love seeing a cute for their own good ex cannibalistic serial killer fall in love ? Lol, this was a good book & I loved every bit of it.
February 8, 2024
February 2024
Kindle edition
Amazon purchase
Fluff. This was pretty much fluff compared to other serial killer kidnappers in the woods I've read. Jed is a sweetheart and does his best to reassure Saylor at every point. Plus he's the mopey pity party type during run away/breakup time. A serial killer ex cannibal that feels like a must protect cinnamon roll. It's a strange world. I liked Wren's involvement, unsure about Virgil, although I've already read his story. The cop was a bit WTF. There was killing but nothing related directly to Saylor, unless she plans to off Brenda. Soft and smooth sailing for the most part.
Kindle edition
Amazon purchase
Fluff. This was pretty much fluff compared to other serial killer kidnappers in the woods I've read. Jed is a sweetheart and does his best to reassure Saylor at every point. Plus he's the mopey pity party type during run away/breakup time. A serial killer ex cannibal that feels like a must protect cinnamon roll. It's a strange world. I liked Wren's involvement, unsure about Virgil, although I've already read his story. The cop was a bit WTF. There was killing but nothing related directly to Saylor, unless she plans to off Brenda. Soft and smooth sailing for the most part.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2025
»Jed is a monster out of my darkest nightmares. And he's all mine. «
★ ★ ★ ★
❥ 𝑺𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I really liked her. She‘s intelligent, brave and likeable.
❥ 𝑱𝒆𝒅 ࣪⋆✮
He was a mixture of cute and psychopath.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
Much better than the previous one. I liked this book and had a good time while reading. It was entertaining and the characters were likeable.
Saylor and Jed had great tension and their chemistry was good too. I enjoyed their dialogue and think their relationship was well portrayed. Jed is a serial killer/cannibal so no prince charming at all. He truly cares for Saylor and was pretty cute towards her.
This book brought back the silly and fun vibe from the first three books. I know: books about serial killers being silly and fun? Yes, trust me. You can‘t take these books series it‘s such a wild ride.
𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes.
𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 3/5
spice: 2/5
humor: 4/5
couple/tension: 5/5
world building: 5/5
happy end?: yes
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, instant attraction, he falls first and harder, touch her and die, masked man, serial killer, captive x captor, forced proximity
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 Depraved ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Brutal ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Vicious ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#4 Delicious ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#5 Heartless ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
★ ★ ★ ★
❥ 𝑺𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I really liked her. She‘s intelligent, brave and likeable.
❥ 𝑱𝒆𝒅 ࣪⋆✮
He was a mixture of cute and psychopath.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
Much better than the previous one. I liked this book and had a good time while reading. It was entertaining and the characters were likeable.
Saylor and Jed had great tension and their chemistry was good too. I enjoyed their dialogue and think their relationship was well portrayed. Jed is a serial killer/cannibal so no prince charming at all. He truly cares for Saylor and was pretty cute towards her.
This book brought back the silly and fun vibe from the first three books. I know: books about serial killers being silly and fun? Yes, trust me. You can‘t take these books series it‘s such a wild ride.
𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes.
𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 3/5
spice: 2/5
humor: 4/5
couple/tension: 5/5
world building: 5/5
happy end?: yes
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, instant attraction, he falls first and harder, touch her and die, masked man, serial killer, captive x captor, forced proximity
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 Depraved ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Brutal ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Vicious ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#4 Delicious ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#5 Heartless ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 17, 2026
The urge to immerse in a fluffy Dark Romance after a long day of work, to be showered by a fictional character’s irrational affection and attention, to be caught in a unrealistic trance of cat-and-mouse game, to leave common sense behind. Welcome to AJ Merlin’s universe.
This is a love story between two shy, reserved and sweet people who are a little awkward, with lots of words of affirmation and sweat talk.
She is taking pictures for the Natural Preserve, bumps into a cute guy on the trail, who tells her to leave by sunset. She loses track of time, when night falls, a man covered in blood runs up to her and gets chainsawed by the cute guy she saw earlier. She gets chloroformed and is kidnapped to his cottage in the woods.
He tells her he can’t let her go, at least not until he is sure she won’t go to the police. He makes her a gourmet dinner, gives her his room and shower, takes her hiking, saves her from poachers who almost harmed her. Maybe she doesn’t want to leave anymore…
When she does go home, she ends up missing him.
Every time I bury my face in my pillow, I remember that it doesn't smell like Jed.
So much that she stalked his friend to get back to him. Their reunion is so cute it melts my heart. And I love how his friends teases them.
"Oh man, Jed. You have it bad. What did he make you for dinner last night?"
"He made you pasta from scratch already? We're not holding back, are we, brother?"
This is a love story between two shy, reserved and sweet people who are a little awkward, with lots of words of affirmation and sweat talk.
She is taking pictures for the Natural Preserve, bumps into a cute guy on the trail, who tells her to leave by sunset. She loses track of time, when night falls, a man covered in blood runs up to her and gets chainsawed by the cute guy she saw earlier. She gets chloroformed and is kidnapped to his cottage in the woods.
He tells her he can’t let her go, at least not until he is sure she won’t go to the police. He makes her a gourmet dinner, gives her his room and shower, takes her hiking, saves her from poachers who almost harmed her. Maybe she doesn’t want to leave anymore…
When she does go home, she ends up missing him.
Every time I bury my face in my pillow, I remember that it doesn't smell like Jed.
So much that she stalked his friend to get back to him. Their reunion is so cute it melts my heart. And I love how his friends teases them.
"Oh man, Jed. You have it bad. What did he make you for dinner last night?"
"He made you pasta from scratch already? We're not holding back, are we, brother?"
December 22, 2025
Die Geschichte startet wieder super und entwickelt sich spannend weiter. Jed ist von all den Charakteren in der Reihe definitiv der liebste. Super goldig wie er mit Saylor umging (gut, das Kidnapping vllt weniger) aber trotzdem hat er sich echt toll gekümmert. Saylor selbst war total nachvollziehbar und man konnte ihren inneren Tumult richtig spüren. Sehr gelungen wie sie sich dann zusammen gefunden haben. Definitiv ein sehr guter Teil der Reihe.
January 31, 2024
Absolutely obsessed with this series and Jed might just be my favorite! I love how patient he was and kind of shy with Saylor. His mouth though…🔥. The way he cared for her and tried to earn her trust…swoon. The relationship between the guys is absolutely perfect and I love getting to see that more and more during the series. AJ Merlin has outdone herself again!
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February 22, 2024Turns out I do have a line and it comes at cannibalism 😂 good to know.
February 9, 2024
“𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦. 𝘕𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬."
𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗝 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻
Wowza you guys 🥵 this book pretty much ticks all the boxes. AJ has blessed us with Saylor, our curvy and sweet FMC. As well as Jed, our swoon-worthy chainsaw wielding MMC.
Did I mention ex-people nomming? 🫠
“𝘐 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥."
Well ok Prince Charming. The spice definitely matched the title, Delicious.
If you haven’t read from the Pleasure and Prey series, it’s a must! Who doesn’t love some crazy hot serial unalivers?
𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗝 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻
Wowza you guys 🥵 this book pretty much ticks all the boxes. AJ has blessed us with Saylor, our curvy and sweet FMC. As well as Jed, our swoon-worthy chainsaw wielding MMC.
Did I mention ex-people nomming? 🫠
“𝘐 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥."
Well ok Prince Charming. The spice definitely matched the title, Delicious.
If you haven’t read from the Pleasure and Prey series, it’s a must! Who doesn’t love some crazy hot serial unalivers?
August 8, 2024
I started this series last Halloween and while it's entertaining in some areas, it's also underwhelming because of the FMCs. At least for me. With the exclusion of Quinn from Vicious because that was completely different. All other FMCs are similar. Down on their luck, plus size, and are depressed. They feel ugly and so on. To be honest it gets tiring after a while. Why do we need all the FMCs to be like this? I liked Jed, but he's insane so keep that in mind. All these heroes are. Jed is basically your Texas Chainsaw Massacre serial killer. But not to worry he's an ex cannibal now 😂. I'm actually glad she didn't go into too many details because that would have grossed me out. Anyways, whether you think these heroes are redeemable will be up to you. Though they don't go seeking out people to kill anymore, they will not blink an eye if the opportunity arises. They've basically now set their sights on those who act out heinous crimes. In this one Jed kills a man who rapes and tortures underaged girls so I'd say good riddance. Other than Jed covered in blood all the time cutting people up to hide the evidence, his character was sweet. I promise nothing is wrong with me 😂. Wren from Brutal is still my fav still because of the primal/feral aspect of him going after Hazel in the woods. He's most definitely the most unhinged to be honest. This series will end with the last serial killer Cass. I definitely don't regret reading this series because I do like dark romance at certain times of the year, but I wouldn't reread it. Wait.. I would most definitely reread Wren in Brutal.
Lastly I wanted to mention that for whatever reason I disliked Saylor the most out of all the FMCs. She's TDTL. Always getting lost in the woods even though she knows how stupid it is, she still goes. 🤦 She has zero self preservation out of all the other FMCs. She's still soft though and has a hard time overlooking what Jed does in his spare time, and rightfully so. I would say the other FMCs were more than ready to accept their man's way of life which I'm guessing is why the author made Saylor for Jed. He's softer than the others. IF you can believe that 😂.
Lastly I wanted to mention that for whatever reason I disliked Saylor the most out of all the FMCs. She's TDTL. Always getting lost in the woods even though she knows how stupid it is, she still goes. 🤦 She has zero self preservation out of all the other FMCs. She's still soft though and has a hard time overlooking what Jed does in his spare time, and rightfully so. I would say the other FMCs were more than ready to accept their man's way of life which I'm guessing is why the author made Saylor for Jed. He's softer than the others. IF you can believe that 😂.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2024
UPDATE (2/18/24): JED'S BOOK WAS AS GOOD AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. Literally, delicious, no pun intended. Jed was adorable and wholesome in the package of a —
*****
Please?
I know Don't Be Scared was just published, but...
𝐉𝐞𝐝.
*****
Please?
I know Don't Be Scared was just published, but...
𝐉𝐞𝐝.
June 16, 2024
ARC Review
I am absolutely FERAL for Jed the way he is FERAL for Saylor.
This man makes homemade meals, does laundry, fills the gas tank without being asked, AND will murder the eff out of anyone who dares touch his woman. A.J. Merlin has done it again, another 5 star read. The whole pleasure and Prey series is 🔥🔥. I'm sad I finished the book, I want more.
Updated to add-I've already reread it again this year because I love it so much.
I am absolutely FERAL for Jed the way he is FERAL for Saylor.
This man makes homemade meals, does laundry, fills the gas tank without being asked, AND will murder the eff out of anyone who dares touch his woman. A.J. Merlin has done it again, another 5 star read. The whole pleasure and Prey series is 🔥🔥. I'm sad I finished the book, I want more.
Updated to add-I've already reread it again this year because I love it so much.
February 1, 2024
Listen... LISTEN. I am terrified of chainsaws and I would let this man RUIN me!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
God, insta-love, when done right, is SO GOOD! And this was done SO SO SO right!!! I love how Jeb has two sides to him and both are obsessed with Saylor lol
It was so good to see the gang and Saylor is going to fit right into the Final Girl Gang
I cannot wait for the book on Jebs family! I'm FERAL for it now.
Ps. I love new Wren more then life itself.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
God, insta-love, when done right, is SO GOOD! And this was done SO SO SO right!!! I love how Jeb has two sides to him and both are obsessed with Saylor lol
It was so good to see the gang and Saylor is going to fit right into the Final Girl Gang
I cannot wait for the book on Jebs family! I'm FERAL for it now.
Ps. I love new Wren more then life itself.
February 4, 2024
I was honestly hoping for more from this installment. I’ve been intrigued by Jed since his introduction and I’ve been dying for his book. Sadly, I feel like he was underutilized. There were so many aspects to his character that could have been explored and just… nothing. Same with Saylor. She had little development outside of her relationship with Jed. I would have loved to see her stand up to her stepmother or just *something*!
February 1, 2024
Chainsaws? 😮💨
I should not have found this book to be as hot as I did 😮💨😭 I’ll brb while I cry that I already finished it and need to wait monthssss until the next book in the series
Also i’ve found out that I have a thing for blood play because I liked this a lil too much 🥲😭
But I loved Jed and how he was so sweet and caring ✨
I should not have found this book to be as hot as I did 😮💨😭 I’ll brb while I cry that I already finished it and need to wait monthssss until the next book in the series
Also i’ve found out that I have a thing for blood play because I liked this a lil too much 🥲😭
But I loved Jed and how he was so sweet and caring ✨
January 11, 2025
Reread: still 5 stars. Now I'm finally able to read the new book
I stand by my review when I say this book needs to be like an extra 200 to 300 pages. Jed is surprisingly a sweetheart 😂 I'm baised, but I don't think I could physically give a low review for this universe that AJ has created
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I stand by my review when I say this book needs to be like an extra 200 to 300 pages. Jed is surprisingly a sweetheart 😂 I'm baised, but I don't think I could physically give a low review for this universe that AJ has created
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
January 29, 2024
God I love these books. Jed is so sweet. I loved him so much. I wish we would have heard a little bit more about his family and maybe more about him meeting up with the others but that’s okay. Still loved every second of the book. And of course New Wren. ❤️
March 20, 2024
The start was soo promising, it felt so much like a horror movie. The rest of the book felt way to sweet and corny for the set up. I guess captor/captive is the new meet-cute?
February 2, 2024
Tropes: Serial Killer Romance, Stalker, Forced Proximity
TW: Violence/Murder, Blood/Gore
Thank you, AJ, for trusting me to alpha read!
This book follows Saylor and Jed. Saylor is a photographer, and Jed is an ex-cannibal, serial killer, chef but what makes him different is that he only kills people who do bad things. Saylor is just walking around in the swamp, trying to capture the best nature pictures, until she runs into Jed chasing after his next victim, but she doesn't know that. Jed and Saylor have a quick conversation, and he tells her that she should leave before the sun sets because it's not safe. Saylor loses track of time, and ends up running into Jed, again, but this time he is unaliving his victim. Next thing you know, Jed is kidnapping Saylor to make sure she doesn't run to the police.
This story was different from what I normally read in a serial killer romance! This book is Leatherface inspired, so I was super excited for this! Jed was so caring and sweet; he's a cinnamon roll but he kills the bad people; major GREEN flag for me. I LOVED him so much. I want my own Jed, serial killer and everything else! I found myself smiling, laughing, swooning, and screaming with this story. Jed was so honest with Saylor; he doesn't hide who he is in front of her. Jed's sarcasm had me ROLLING on the floor, especially when Saylor finds his slaughter-shed, and Jed just walks up, and Saylor is throwing up outside the shed. He's like "It's the smell, isn't it?" I WAS CRYING AT THIS LINE because he just acts like it's a normal, casual thing. I FREAKING LOVE IT. What I love about AJ's writing is that it feels so real, she really makes it seem like you are in the character's heads -- always knowing what they are thinking and how they are reacting. I look forward to reading more from AJ! If you haven't read this series yet, I definitely recommend you read it! Each story is different from one another, and if you love horror movies, each book is based on a different horror character.
TW: Violence/Murder, Blood/Gore
Thank you, AJ, for trusting me to alpha read!
This book follows Saylor and Jed. Saylor is a photographer, and Jed is an ex-cannibal, serial killer, chef but what makes him different is that he only kills people who do bad things. Saylor is just walking around in the swamp, trying to capture the best nature pictures, until she runs into Jed chasing after his next victim, but she doesn't know that. Jed and Saylor have a quick conversation, and he tells her that she should leave before the sun sets because it's not safe. Saylor loses track of time, and ends up running into Jed, again, but this time he is unaliving his victim. Next thing you know, Jed is kidnapping Saylor to make sure she doesn't run to the police.
This story was different from what I normally read in a serial killer romance! This book is Leatherface inspired, so I was super excited for this! Jed was so caring and sweet; he's a cinnamon roll but he kills the bad people; major GREEN flag for me. I LOVED him so much. I want my own Jed, serial killer and everything else! I found myself smiling, laughing, swooning, and screaming with this story. Jed was so honest with Saylor; he doesn't hide who he is in front of her. Jed's sarcasm had me ROLLING on the floor, especially when Saylor finds his slaughter-shed, and Jed just walks up, and Saylor is throwing up outside the shed. He's like "It's the smell, isn't it?" I WAS CRYING AT THIS LINE because he just acts like it's a normal, casual thing. I FREAKING LOVE IT. What I love about AJ's writing is that it feels so real, she really makes it seem like you are in the character's heads -- always knowing what they are thinking and how they are reacting. I look forward to reading more from AJ! If you haven't read this series yet, I definitely recommend you read it! Each story is different from one another, and if you love horror movies, each book is based on a different horror character.
January 31, 2024
First things first....Jed is adorable! Never thought I'd see an ex cannibal as a golden retriever boyfriend but with AJ anything is possible, Saylor was also surprised at how okay she was about it lol.
Saylor just wanted to do a good job taking photos for a customer but her terrible timing left her to bump into Jed who kindly tried to tell her to leave the area but our girl Saylor got so wrapped up in her job that she stayed a lot longer and ended up lost in the wooded area right as Jed's lastest victim was running from him which led to Jed kidnapping her in the nicest way possible.
Saylor felt very realistic in the sense that she was so unsure as to whether or not she could be with Jed based on what he does and had a lot of trouble getting past it which is understandable, Jed was so lovely overall the least intense of the guys so far when it came to letting Saylor know she could still be free and that he'd give her space. I loved seeing the other guys of course and how evident it was that they love and care for Jed. I enjoyed the spice and how much Jed liked to eat 😏 plus he's a chef, overall it was a fun read and I'm excited for what comes next. Saylor needs to never be left alone in the woods again however or Jed needs to put a bell on her because my girl has no sense of direction 😂
Saylor just wanted to do a good job taking photos for a customer but her terrible timing left her to bump into Jed who kindly tried to tell her to leave the area but our girl Saylor got so wrapped up in her job that she stayed a lot longer and ended up lost in the wooded area right as Jed's lastest victim was running from him which led to Jed kidnapping her in the nicest way possible.
Saylor felt very realistic in the sense that she was so unsure as to whether or not she could be with Jed based on what he does and had a lot of trouble getting past it which is understandable, Jed was so lovely overall the least intense of the guys so far when it came to letting Saylor know she could still be free and that he'd give her space. I loved seeing the other guys of course and how evident it was that they love and care for Jed. I enjoyed the spice and how much Jed liked to eat 😏 plus he's a chef, overall it was a fun read and I'm excited for what comes next. Saylor needs to never be left alone in the woods again however or Jed needs to put a bell on her because my girl has no sense of direction 😂
January 31, 2024
This was just fun. It was a quick read, and I feel like I was drawn in within the first few pages. I don’t even know if this is my favorite book of the series. Maybe. They all have something different that I like and I did enjoy both of the main characters in this book.
Per usual, please read the trigger warnings before you dive in, especially with this one. Most things happen off page and things that do happen aren’t so detailed. Little bit of horror and romance. I do like the bit of suspense in the beginning that became something more. There were actually a few times I was like, “wait did this just happen?” I was very happy it all worked out in the end and we did get to see some action.
It was nice to see characters from the other books in the series. I hope there is at least one more book and I am very excited for that potential story. This has just been a fun series of standalone romances within a shared world. You can read them in order or whichever appeals to you more, it won’t really affect your understanding of what’s happening. You might appreciate some of the other characters more but they’re all good.
Per usual, please read the trigger warnings before you dive in, especially with this one. Most things happen off page and things that do happen aren’t so detailed. Little bit of horror and romance. I do like the bit of suspense in the beginning that became something more. There were actually a few times I was like, “wait did this just happen?” I was very happy it all worked out in the end and we did get to see some action.
It was nice to see characters from the other books in the series. I hope there is at least one more book and I am very excited for that potential story. This has just been a fun series of standalone romances within a shared world. You can read them in order or whichever appeals to you more, it won’t really affect your understanding of what’s happening. You might appreciate some of the other characters more but they’re all good.
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