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Captured Prey

Not yet published
Expected 27 Jan 26
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I want to be hunted…but not by just anyone. No – it must be by the monster I have secretly craved.

Chase me.
Devour me.
Take what is already yours.

I know I shouldn’t speak these desires aloud, but I’ve longed for this – to be the heroine sprinting through a moonlit forest, breathless and trembling, pursued by something dark enough to unmake me.

When I uncovered the rumor buried in a forgotten academic footnote, I knew I would come here. A secret invitation. An unholy promise. If this is what I want, why not indulge?

I will be the prey.
All I need now is the hunter waiting in the forest.

Captured A Primal Play Novella is part of the Second Circle Entry series, told in third-person POV. Each story explores desire, inhibition, and awakening in richly sensual worlds. Often pairing mortals with monsters, love and hunger intertwine as things that go bump in the night steal your heart…and possibly your soul.

Seductive. Sinister. What are you waiting for?

Readers who enjoy Scarlett St. Clair, Carissa Broadbent, Allie Oleander, Laura Thalassa, Cassie Alexander, Layla Fae, Sylvia Mercedes, and other dark romantasy authors — especially lovers of high heat chemistry, alpha monsters, and dark fantasy romance — will find themselves right at home.

This spicy, primal novella features a tall, dark, and handsome Slavic deity, a 35+ gutsy academic mortal, and a pulse-racing chase that ends in a sweet and steamy reward for adult readers. This book can be read as a standalone.

77 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 27, 2026

12 people are currently reading
28 people want to read

About the author

Reno R. Mist

3 books40 followers
Reno is an aspiring indie author on a mission to fund her cat’s lavish lifestyle. She writes high-heat contemporary, fantasy, and dark(ish) romances that explore kink, desire, and the complexities of love for characters thirty-five and older.

Drawn to the unconventional, Reno crafts worlds where fantasy and passion collide — where gods, mortals, and monsters (both the spicy and unspicy kind) come alive on the page. She has a soft spot for full-body tattoos, tragic villains, and stories that blur the line between sin and salvation.

Wanna see pics of her cats? Sign up for her newsletter!

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
Profile Image for cyd⭐️.
293 reviews29 followers
December 15, 2025
OKKK i never ever thought i’d read a book like this.. but here we are! 4.5⭐️ no less.. (i loved it)

something about this book… i’m in love.
the writing was absolutely incredible!! i had no expectations while walking into it but wow.
i’ll definitely be checking out more books from this author!

thank you so much netgalley, Reno. R. Mist and PoshPangolin Publishers for allowing me to have an early copy of this AMAZING novella!!

(4.5/5)⭐️🪾
Profile Image for Raegan .
671 reviews32 followers
December 22, 2025
*I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 stars

An enticing combination of mythology and complex moral obligations!

“But desire is truth, palomita. The most honest thing you possess. Denying it does not make you virtuous. It makes you hungry”.

The writing was my favorite thing about this book. It was well-thought-out and quotable. The sprinkling of Spanish did take away from the immersion for me, as I had to stop and look up several words. The word-building was interesting, and the spiritual references added a nice layer to the story.

However, I wasn’t a fan of the way Celia’s POV wrapped up, with the direction promised for the next book. I did get Lucifer TV show vibes—specifically the club setting, the "What do you desire?" theme, the temptation, and demons, which I loved. The cover was what initially grabbed my attention. All in all, a spicy, quick, and fun read!
Profile Image for Larareads.
428 reviews93 followers
December 10, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 3.5 ⭐️

This was great. Short, very easy to read, sweet and spicy!!! Read it in about 30 minutes and had a really great time.
Profile Image for Nicole is Reading Fantasy.
54 reviews61 followers
December 12, 2025
A fun, spicy little read that was surprisingly well-written. I loved that our FMC was in her 30’s, and the contract-angle was a smart way of ensuring consent was honored. I was hoping for a bit more monster elements in the spice, and the insta-love felt a bit out of place and took away from the fantasy element for me. Regardless, this book delivered on its promises, and I would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Posh Pangolin Publishers for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for ✨ Sarah Mariee ✨.
119 reviews3 followers
December 9, 2025
Short, sweet, and spicy. A great, quick read with great spice. I would love to see this world expanded and get some more background on characters and interactions. Not a ton of plot, but enough to stay engaged.


Thank you so much NetGalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Profile Image for Chrissy MacLaughlin.
575 reviews11 followers
January 8, 2026
I really wanted to love this because I LOVE primal chase scenes, and THAT part of the story like was really great. But this almost read too textbooky for me? Like it was providing information about folklore more than giving me the primal smut I really was looking for, but that very much could just be a me thing. 🫣

3.5⭐️

Thank you to Posh Pangolin Publishers and NetGalley for the arc.
1 review2 followers
December 8, 2025
This primal play novella was able to brilliantly blend academic ideas with highly erotic scenes. I found it incredibly engaging and finished it in one sitting. I especially enjoyed how mythology was intertwined with an FMC whose mind is highly factual and academically focused.

Although written in third person, the novella is immersive, allowing the reader to experience the characters’ thoughts and emotions fully. The balance between intellectual exploration and erotic tension is kept exceptionally well, making the story both stimulating and thought-provoking.

The mythological references and the FMC’s analytical perspective add depth, while the descriptive scenes keep the pacing brisk. A few transitions between academic discussion and erotic moments could be smoother, but this is a minor point in an otherwise captivating novella.

I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy character-driven, immersive erotic fiction with both a scholarly and mythological edge.
Profile Image for Sandra Sanches.
678 reviews21 followers
November 28, 2025
“You represent the part of myself I have caged behind books and theories and proper behavior. The part that wants to run barefoot through moonlit forests and feel earth beneath my skin and remember what it means to be gloriously, unapologetically alive.”

Unapologetic dark, primal and smutty

Through her love for occult,lore and myths,Celia gains entrance to The Oubliette,the club owned by Asmodeus .

And a chance to dive into primal inner desires.

Lahs is a leshy and agrees to fullfil the contract she signed .

And the hunt begins….

A short story filled with scorching hot scenes and the promisse of a connection between Celia and Lahs.

Even not having a lot of plot or world building due to be a short novella, the author kept it interesting adding elements of lore and mythology.
Profile Image for Andrea Perez.
5 reviews1 follower
December 7, 2025
Arc reader here!
This book had me interested with its premise, mostly because it's my first monster-love-spice one.
Sadly, I dont know how to feel with it. The first chapter with Asmodeus, the bar and the contract really hyped me up. The chase one was also good, but from there it was a downfall for me 😓
Im not sure if the issue was all the spice or that I didn't look at the number of pages and didn't expect it to be that short.
That being said, Ill be patiently waiting for new books of this author since I find the premise really good and really enjoyed the writing style

Ps. thanks to Netgalley and Reno for the arc copy!!💕
Profile Image for Sword and Stories.
11 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 5, 2026
Captured Prey is one of those rare short, spicy novellas that manages to deliver heat, tension, and genuine character depth all at once. The story follows an intelligent, mature FMC who’s spent years wrapped in her academic professor armour. She is controlled, composed, and always in charge. Watching her wrestle with the temptation to shed that persona and surrender to her darkest desires was incredibly refreshing. It’s not often we get an FMC who isn’t young, naive, or vapid, and the representation here felt both intentional and empowering.

The exploration of primal play is handled well for such a short story. The thrill of being pursued, captured, and overpowered is compelling and filled with delicious tension. You feel the chase. You feel the surrender. And you feel why it matters to her.

Despite its brevity, the novella offers surprising character depth. The author gives just enough insight into the FMC’s internal world to make her journey believable and satisfying, without slowing down the pace or diluting the heat.

Overall, Captured Prey is a fast, fun, and deliciously intense read. If this is what the author can do in under a hundred pages, I’d absolutely pick up more of their work.

Thank you to Netgalley and Reno R. Mist for gifting me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Betty Waffles.
6 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 5, 2026
Short, easy read with spice.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and will definitely be reading more of their books! 

My favorite parts were the level of consent, the uniqueness of the mythical creature/MMC, and the world building around the club.

I struggled a bit with the amount of academic discussions and the insta-love, both of which pulled me out of the flow of the story. As this is a novella, I wish more time had been spent focusing on one element (spice, world building, character building, academic discussion, etc.) rather than trying to cover it all equally in such a short story.

Overall I am so happy to have discovered this author and look forward to reading more from them.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me early access to this story.
Profile Image for Brooke.
41 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 15, 2025
4⭐️4🌶

I, too, am also here for academic research purposes....😅 Let's be real here for a second. we are not here for the world shattering plot line.. but for what it'ss wort, i enjoyed the writing styl. It's quick read and straight to the point with a sprinkle of plot it doesn’t make you read a ton of unnecessary filler.

“Fear and desire live in the same house. They share the same bed.”

Honesty i think this would be a good start to a potential series of short spicy stories bases around Asmodeus's oubliettes and fulling clients different types of desires perhaps that could all be read as standalones, i know i would definitely read it if you did choose to continue this on!

+ just thought it would be funny to add but the whole signing a contract in exchange for a memory was giving me flashbacks to shrek and rumplestilscan ( clearly iv never had to right that name cause my brains lagged out you know who i mean lmao) anyone else?
Profile Image for Kelly.
387 reviews25 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 26, 2025
4⭐️

3.5🌶

Whew, this wicked little novella packs some heat. A club that grant your deepest darkest desire? A demon willing to draw up that deal all for just a copy of a memory?

Celia, our collegiate professor has no idea that her years of academic pursuits and knowledge will come in handy. Especially when the deities and demons she is acquainted with become a bit more intimate.

Fear and Lust are definitely opposite ends of the same coin. If you are a fan of primal play, mythology, older FMC, experimentation, slight BDSM, then don't sleep on this book. A devils bargain that gladly pays off. 😉😈

I received an advanced copy for an honest review.
Profile Image for Mary Affrunti.
137 reviews5 followers
December 18, 2025

First, I want to thank NetGalley, Reno R. Mist, and Posh Pagnolin Publishers for the eBook ARC—this is my honest review!

This book is a primal romance novella centered around a professor who wants to be hunted by a monster (a leshy). As the chapters progress, we learn more about Dr. Campbell and her darkest desires.

If you’ve ever wanted a story about being hunted, desired, and having all your needs met while running through a forest, this book might be for you. It was definitely different from anything I’ve read before, and overall, I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Tysha.
196 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy
December 15, 2025
This was a fun, short spicy read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the idea of a place to experience your darkest fantasies in a safe way, complete with a contract and get-out sigil.

I also really like the fact that the FMC, Celia, is a 35+ academic, and not another young socialite. It was such a refreshing change.

I received an ARC of this ebook via BookSirens, and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
Profile Image for Sacha C.
91 reviews1 follower
Read
January 1, 2026
Such a fun and spicy Novella!! Celia Campbell is a professor studying and writing research books on Gothic studies (specifically modern ritual spaces and the intersection of desire and worship) and lets just say/ our girl is a hands on learner
Profile Image for Ashley Hana.
724 reviews17 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 8, 2026
Gothic literature, leshy folklore and primal desire come together in this novella, and desire drips off every single page. Raw hunger and need blended with a touch of wholesome. Fantastic read, and I cannot wait to read more on them.
Profile Image for Nat’s Bookshelf.
33 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2026
Wow. This novella delivers on all fronts. The detail is amazing and the scenes are hot and sexy. I loved the amount of character development within such a short amount of time. I would recommend this to anyone who has in interest in primal play, Slavic mythology, and a 30+ years old FMC. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for letting me be part of this ARC.
Profile Image for Smut Cartel.
255 reviews30 followers
December 9, 2025
Chase me.
Devour me.
Take what is already yours.

This is a quick, feral little novella that dives straight into primal play with no hesitation. Celia walks into a fantasy club wanting to be hunted, and Lahs is more than happy to make that contract worth every breath she gives him. It’s fast, filthy, and surprisingly sweet in tiny flashes.
There isn’t much plot because it doesn’t need one. It delivers exactly what it promises: heat, chase, tension, done.

Tropes:
- Primal play
- Fear play
- FMC 30+
- Short and spicy
Profile Image for Caitlynn Burnaman.
170 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 22, 2025
"You are exquisite when you surrender… not because you are weak. Because you are strong enough to let go."

Intoxicating, phantasmal, and carnal!

Captured Prey is a story of a woman allowing her research to become reckless fantasy — giving her desires just a moment to breathe life. Mist writes a sensual, gothic, and hauntingly beautiful story. A tale of beings of myth and fable come to life to play a role in fulfilling devious fantasy.

And just like Celia, the reader is swept away and surprised by what unfolds within these pages. It was thrilling delicious and unexpectedly emotional. It's short and sweet and if there were more stories in the same world, I'd happily jump back in. Quite simply, I devoured it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing, and Reno R. Mist for the early access opportunity to read and review this novella.
Profile Image for ObscureVi.
22 reviews21 followers
December 5, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Captured Prey had me hooked with it's premise, especially since I haven't yet had a chance to read anything in the monster alley and on top of that I was feeling like reading something spicy for probably two weeks now.

Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I'm not sure if it was because of the book itself or maybe the length of the story (77 pages), but it didn't hit that spark for me.

I won't lie, Asmodeus and his club was giving me the vibes of Lucifer played by Tom Ellis and that hyped me up a bit.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the next book in the series, since the idea itself is really good and I'm sure there's a lot of possibilities here, just waiting to be used.

I will definitely check out the author again, especially after seeing the presage of Fated Rebirth in the ending notes.
Profile Image for Celeste.
325 reviews3 followers
December 7, 2025
3⭐

This was a fun, short, and spicy read that honestly, sometimes is exactly what I need. It delivered plenty of heat and a few unexpectedly cute, swoony moments that kept things enjoyable throughout.

My only real gripe is the third-person point of view, which is personally my least favorite reading experience. It didn’t ruin the story for me, but it did pull me out of the moment more than once. Overall, this was a light, entertaining palate cleanser that was perfect for a quick, steamy reading session.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
190 reviews6 followers
December 8, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc. It was a quick binge read at 77 pages. I saw a lot of reviews stating they DNF for the smut. I’d you are going into this book for character building and a in depth story line then this is not for you. If you’re reading for the spice. Read away.
She’s an writer looking for primal play and goes to a club that does just that, they play on what you want and give you a room that is an escape it it ends up being too much.
He’s a lushy that is being asked to do a favor that he owes, and they end up falling for each other. Quick spicy primal play
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
15 reviews1 follower
December 4, 2025
Overall a very nice, smutty read for in between. I loved how well the unique Character of Lahs was described. My favorite thing was that Celia was a strong Character that knew that she wanted, compared to most of the smutty books.
I would have liked if we would have learned more about the relationship between Asmodeus and Lahs.
Profile Image for Katlin Stokes.
188 reviews1 follower
December 4, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC.
This was definitely something different for me. I've never really dove into the Gothic academia but I absolutely loved this one! It was spicy and thrilling.
26 reviews2 followers
Read
December 2, 2025
This was a very interesting read. Short, but to the point. I liked it. Still not sure what a leshy is, but the intimacy and heat was fantastic. I really liked how Lahs was described; particularly his antlers. I most definitely look forward to reading the next book in the universe.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Nita.
713 reviews10 followers
November 26, 2025
This was a fun short and spicy read. Light on plot just quick dirty fun time that also had some cute swoony moments. My only gripe by the book would be that it was written in third person My absolute least favorite POV to read in.
Profile Image for Tehmeena.
148 reviews7 followers
Review of advance copy
December 21, 2025
Content Warnings; Check Your Triggers Please.

~Thank you for the free copy. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.~

Tropes;
🪶📜𝓐𝓵𝓹𝓱𝓪 𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻
📜🪶𝓐 𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓵 𝓟𝓵𝓪𝔂 𝓝𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓪
🪶📜𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓡𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓼𝔂
📜🪶𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓵𝓼 & 𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
🪶📜𝓢𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓐 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽
📜🪶𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓛𝓾𝓼𝓽
🪶📜35+ 𝓢𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓐𝓬𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓬 𝓕𝓜𝓒
📜🪶𝓢𝓵𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓬 𝓛𝓮𝓼𝓱𝔂 𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓜𝓜𝓒
🪶📜𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓦𝓸𝓸𝓭𝓼
📜🪶𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂 & 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓥𝓲𝓫𝓮𝓼
🪶📜𝓢𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓶𝔂 & 𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝔂
📜🪶𝓣𝓪𝓵𝓵, 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴 & 𝓗𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮
🪶📜𝓢𝓱𝓲𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓻/𝓐𝓷𝓬𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓓𝓲𝓮𝓽𝔂
📜🪶𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓼 & 𝓕𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓮𝓼
🪶📜𝓞𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭𝓵𝔂 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓶𝓼
📜🪶𝓗𝓮 𝓒𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓼 𝓗𝓮𝓻 𝓛𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝓑𝓾𝓷𝓷𝔂
🪶📜𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓐𝓷𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓐𝓻𝓮... 𝓢𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓿𝓮.
📜🪶𝓝𝓸 𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓯-𝓗𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻
🪶📜𝓗𝓕𝓝 (𝓗𝓔𝓐 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓪)

🕯️𝕳𝖚𝖓𝖙. 𝕮𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍. 𝕮𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖒.🕯️

Celia, a writer and professor, who arrives at an address she discovers from a footnote in a nineteenth-century book about demons. She thinks it's a bad idea when surprisingly discovers a nightclub at the address - Oubliette. Curiosity gets the better of her, pulling her into the world of the supernatural realms, desires, and monsters. There, she encounters the enigmatic and alluring man, well dressed in a suit, eyes shining in secrets and mischief, Osmodues. He offers her a world of darkness, lust, and her most inner desires to come to life in exchange for one memory of hers. All she has to do is sign a contract, and she can leave whenever she wants. It's that simple. Isn't it? And what happens when the real world disappears, leaving her with the monster she's been craving to hunt her down?

Lahs, our MMC, is the supernatural being chosen by the Prince of Lust, Osmodeus, to fulfill the contract with Celia, who's our FMC in this steamy little novella. He's eight feet of sheer muscle and strength, with sensitive antlers and the ability to strike fear into any human. Not Celia, though. She loves and thrives on fear as long it's all consensual, of course. The intense primal feelings of this couple are so good! Their dynamic is unconventional, but it works. He makes her deepest desires come to life, and the spice is delicious!

Osmodeus is such an exquisite, powerful character. His personality is incredibly attractive, fascinating, and dripping with darkness. He's basically the puppeteer and can make anything happen for you. Just so f*cking attractive. AND FOR WHAT? FOR ME TO TYPE IN FRUSTRATION THAT HE'S FICTIONAL AND CAPITALISED LETTERS? Anyways. Lahs is the perfect monster with a soft heart for the right girl. He's possessive, considerate, and protective. Celia is my girl, and I love her for being brave enough to make her dreams come true! She's an intellectual, decisive, and bold. I like the back and forth between her and Osmodeus. The banter is nice.

The world building isn't over the top. However, it's done pleasantly well in approximately eighty pages. The descriptions are crisp, simple, and provide the perfect amount of stimulating imagery. Throughout reading the novella, everything flows smoothly, and the writing is splendid. My attention didn't dwindle, nor did the storyline drag. The pace is moderate for me, which is perfect. The couple's chemistry didn't feel forced or rushed at all - everything is captivating from start to finish! There is a little bit of yearning and plenty of high steam.

If you like a monster and human pairing, dark romanstasy with a hopeful ending (HFN/HEA kinda), and a novel with beautifully written spice, then this one is for you! The expected release of this hot little novella will be the 27th of January 2026, so don't forget to add it to your TBR list.

Out of Fives;
📜🪶𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓:✨✨✨✨✨
🪶📜𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆:🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
📜🪶𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔:🖤🖤🖤🖤
🪶📜𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆:🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀
📜🪶𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓:🎉🎉🎉
🪶📜𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔:🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
📜🪶𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑽𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔:🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙
🪶📜𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔:🍓🍓🍓🍓
📜🪶𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈:🫦🫦🫦🫦
🪶📜𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝑽𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔:💫💫💫💫💫
📜🪶𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒚:⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡
🪶📜𝑻𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏:🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
📜🪶𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔:🎲🎲🎲
🪶📜𝑪𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂 𝑭𝑴𝑪:🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
📜🪶𝑳𝒂𝒉𝒔 𝑴𝑴𝑪:🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎
🪶📜𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆:🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
📜🪶𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈:⌛⏳⌛⏳⌛
🪶📜𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕:🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
📜🪶𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈:🌏🌎🌍🌏🌎
🪶📜𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅: 𝒆𝑨𝑹𝑪/𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆.
📜🪶𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑨 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒆 𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚, 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑶𝒏𝒆.
🪶📜𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 83.
📜🪶𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: 8 (𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 & 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆).
🪶📜𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚, 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂.
📜🪶𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 27 𝑱𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚 2026.
🪶📜𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅: 𝒀𝒆𝒔.
📜🪶𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Profile Image for Kylie C..
46 reviews2 followers
December 18, 2025
This is my first ARC experience, and wow… wow... wow.... From the very first page - Mi Lectores - I felt cared for. The trigger warning page wasn’t just a formality, it actually made me feel considered as a reader. Love that.
Then the dedication: “Note every book is meant to make you feel something, some are just boring as fuck. This one isn’t. So go on… run wild through the woods, my delicious feral bunny, and have the time of your life.” I haven’t even started the book yet, and I’m already blushing!

The story itself is pure fire. PAYMENT IS A MEMORY - original, inventive, and immediately gripping. The descriptive language is lush, almost literary in its richness, and the author manages to immerse you completely without ever feeling overdone. Chapter one alone had me obsessed. Don't get me started on the leshy’s voice/thoughts?! Butter. Smooth, enticing, and layered with personality. Every thought, every line of dialogue, draws you further in. And the worldbuilding, how the author packs an entire, detailed, living world into 77 pages, is mind-blowing. Characters, environment, lore, tension, it all feels fully realized.

Highlights that made me swoon: “insatiable creature,” “be good… and let me in,” “he learned that truth is far stranger and more beautiful than any theory we construct to contain it,” and the Prince of Lust - oof. Asmodeus himself… the repeated mentions of his heat, his aura, the way he carries himself, let me tell you, it does things to me. I NEED a book for every one of his doors.

This novella is everything that’s missing from books focusing on primal play. Intense, consuming, perfectly balanced between dark, erotic energy and emotional pull. I cannot wait to devour every book in this series - I’m dying for more, and none of them are even released yet!!!

If you’re into primal, darkly erotic fantasy that actually works, this is it. One hundred percent devour-worthy, and I’m counting the days until I can get my hands on the next installment.
Profile Image for Twinkle.butt.reads.
264 reviews15 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 4, 2026
What happens when a professor walks into a bar? In Captured Prey, the answer is: everything unhinges…in the most intoxicating way possible.

This is a dark, seductive cat-and-mouse romance where desire is a weapon and control is the real prize. Our heroine has spent years writing about forbidden sensations, but fantasy only gets you so far. What she really wants is to feel it, to be chased, to be seen, to surrender the mask of propriety. Enter him: sharp, dangerous, and fully aware of the power fear and desire hold when they collide.

Their dynamic crackles. He doesn’t just pursue her, he studies her, strips her down emotionally, and delights in the moment when resistance turns into truth. His dialogue alone is enough to raise eyebrows and heart rates, especially when he makes it clear that desire itself is his currency. The contract? Deliciously twisted. The tension? Suffocating in the best way.

What makes Captured Prey work is that neither character is truly helpless. She’s clever, sneaky, and far more willing than she lets on, grinning even when she’s caught. The story constantly asks the question: who’s really in control, the hunter or the one who wants to be hunted?

Dark, provocative, and dripping with psychological tension, Captured Prey is not a gentle read, it’s a dare. And if you enjoy power games, sharp dialogue, and the thrill of blurred lines, this book will absolutely capture you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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