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Kill to Love: A dark rom-com
Not yet published
Expected 14 Feb 26**Special Pre-order Price**
Kill to Love is for fans of dark romantic comedies like "Lights Out," and "Butcher and Blackbird."
Good girl Delphine has waited all her life to find her Soulmate, only to find out that he is a... notorious serial killer.
Delphine De Astor has never cried. She doesn't feel much of anything and has hidden her lack of emotion all her life for fear of being outed as Soulless – evil and unlovable.
Unfortunately, Delphine has also never felt her heart search for her Soulmate. Deemed Soulless, she is thrown into an Execution Battle where she must fight to the death against other Soulless for ten days (with advertisement breaks for stain remover). Pant-less, and armed with only sunscreen, Delphine runs into cannibals, psychopaths who are probably just Gemini’s, incestuous lovers, a madman in a pink sequined crop top and…Dig Graves.
Dig is a notorious, dark haired serial killer who hides his eyes behind heart shaped sunglasses. Long ago he had tried to kidnap Delphine and tenaciously hunts her down in the Battle.
And when they meet? Delphine’s heart finally beats.
Kill to Love is for fans of dark romantic comedies like "Lights Out," and "Butcher and Blackbird."
Good girl Delphine has waited all her life to find her Soulmate, only to find out that he is a... notorious serial killer.
Delphine De Astor has never cried. She doesn't feel much of anything and has hidden her lack of emotion all her life for fear of being outed as Soulless – evil and unlovable.
Unfortunately, Delphine has also never felt her heart search for her Soulmate. Deemed Soulless, she is thrown into an Execution Battle where she must fight to the death against other Soulless for ten days (with advertisement breaks for stain remover). Pant-less, and armed with only sunscreen, Delphine runs into cannibals, psychopaths who are probably just Gemini’s, incestuous lovers, a madman in a pink sequined crop top and…Dig Graves.
Dig is a notorious, dark haired serial killer who hides his eyes behind heart shaped sunglasses. Long ago he had tried to kidnap Delphine and tenaciously hunts her down in the Battle.
And when they meet? Delphine’s heart finally beats.
- GenresDark RomanceRomance
301 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 14, 2026
11 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Penny Sunday
2 books6 followersPenny Sunday is an Australian author who studied creative writing at the University of Newcastle. She regularly travels through fantasy worlds to provide readers with realistic stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Kill to Love by Penny Sunday
★★★
Deemed Soulless, Delphine is thrown into a brutal, televised Execution Battle where she finally feels her heart beat upon meeting Dig Graves, the serial killer who once hunted her. Their encounter upends everything she’s been condemned to die for.
Hunger Games meets The Never King. I was so intrigued by the concept of this book. I will always say hell yeah to reading an unhinged book. But I felt like the writing style was letting down the reading experience. Especially during dialogue. Often it was one worded back and forth responses between Delphine and Dig Graves.
I did enjoy the second half the book more than the first half. The spicy scenes were elite. We finally saw some character development behind Dig which peaked m interest again.
I appreciate the risks taken to write a book that pushes boundaries and blurs the lines of romance. I felt a little disconnected from the character development while reading.
I’m sure the unhinged girls would love this, but it was a little too derailed for me.
◦: key tropes :◦
✧ Dark romantic satire
✧ Enemies to lovers
✧ Soulmates / Fated Mates
💭 Do you love Morally grey MMC’s?
Thank you @theberryagency for the opportunity to review this book.
✨BOOK1 OF 2026✨
Follow my reading journey here on:
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★★★
Deemed Soulless, Delphine is thrown into a brutal, televised Execution Battle where she finally feels her heart beat upon meeting Dig Graves, the serial killer who once hunted her. Their encounter upends everything she’s been condemned to die for.
Hunger Games meets The Never King. I was so intrigued by the concept of this book. I will always say hell yeah to reading an unhinged book. But I felt like the writing style was letting down the reading experience. Especially during dialogue. Often it was one worded back and forth responses between Delphine and Dig Graves.
I did enjoy the second half the book more than the first half. The spicy scenes were elite. We finally saw some character development behind Dig which peaked m interest again.
I appreciate the risks taken to write a book that pushes boundaries and blurs the lines of romance. I felt a little disconnected from the character development while reading.
I’m sure the unhinged girls would love this, but it was a little too derailed for me.
◦: key tropes :◦
✧ Dark romantic satire
✧ Enemies to lovers
✧ Soulmates / Fated Mates
💭 Do you love Morally grey MMC’s?
Thank you @theberryagency for the opportunity to review this book.
✨BOOK1 OF 2026✨
Follow my reading journey here on:
TikTok
January 4, 2026
Holy sh*t balls I freaking loved this book.
I genuinely messaged all my group chats talking about the unhinged masterpiece I was reading and absolutely BRAGGING about the fact it was an arc and they were missing out.
Was it a perfect literary masterpiece? No. WAS IT A GREAT TIME?! Absolutely. I snort laughed, out loud! A lot!
My absolute favourite thing about this book was the dialogue. The prim, proper vernacular paired with the most despicable acts and depraved humans was chefs kiss.
Also, CONSENT IS SO HOT!!! The way consent was approached throughout the story was both hilarious and comforting.
I genuinely fear I will never read another dark rom-com that satisfied me in the way this did. I will be chasing this high for the rest of my life.
Thank you to the Berry Agency for the arc of this book and to Penny Sunday for whatever exists in her brain that created this.
I genuinely messaged all my group chats talking about the unhinged masterpiece I was reading and absolutely BRAGGING about the fact it was an arc and they were missing out.
Was it a perfect literary masterpiece? No. WAS IT A GREAT TIME?! Absolutely. I snort laughed, out loud! A lot!
My absolute favourite thing about this book was the dialogue. The prim, proper vernacular paired with the most despicable acts and depraved humans was chefs kiss.
Also, CONSENT IS SO HOT!!! The way consent was approached throughout the story was both hilarious and comforting.
I genuinely fear I will never read another dark rom-com that satisfied me in the way this did. I will be chasing this high for the rest of my life.
Thank you to the Berry Agency for the arc of this book and to Penny Sunday for whatever exists in her brain that created this.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I honestly cannot tell you a thing about this book except it was a wild ride i did not want to get off of. I have never laughed so much, I was full cackling at some points at just the audacity of these characters. Delphine and Digs are brilliant and I want to live in this world forever.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC copy of this book from the author and I'm leaving a written review because more people NEED to read this book is bloody brilliant and a good time!!
Kill To Love is a twisted dystopian dark comedy romance with many laugh out loud moments as well as spice and romance!
Kill To Love is a twisted dystopian dark comedy romance with many laugh out loud moments as well as spice and romance!
January 5, 2026
This book is by far everything I’ve ever wanted in a dark rom com. The banter was absolutely hilarious and the dialogue between Delphine and every other character was to die for. She was so strong willed and completely oblivious to everything that was going on, and everytime I read a “my sweet Aunty Beatrice just died” line I was done for. The way that was her strategy and plan to avoid practically everything was way too funny.
Dig is such an amazing, supportive character for his princess too. I love that he always asked her for consent, knowing it’s a big thing because of what his father did to several other women. Dig is so innocent throughout this entire book and you can tell that all he wants is to be loved after being abandoned his whole life. Yes he is a psychotic killer, but everyone needs a hobby. (I thought this scene was also hilarious). His love for Delph and his persistence for 7 years, and the way he speaks about her shows his undeniable love for her.
I also loved the concept of Soulless and Soulmates and how both Dig and Delphine proved that at the end of the day they’re all just people and showed how there were so many other innocent people out there who needed to be loved but had a Soulless label slapped on them. The fact that Delphine despite being labelled “Soulless” at the time could also see the amount of poor behaviour being acted on such innocent souls shows that despite being labelled “Soulless” she still could differentiate between the good and the bad. Similarly to the line of “aunty Beatrice just died” and then the person bringing harm would feel remorse because they’d all known family who had died at some point. Overall, the book showed the message that not everyone is Soulless and many of the innocent people did deserve to find love.
I’ve never really had a thing for dark rom coms but this book hit every point perfectly. Hilarious banter and dark satire. Check. A plot where I had no idea what was going to happen next. Check. A strong FMC who could hold her own ground. Check. And a MMC who had so much love for her and still understood consent. Check.
This wasn’t a literary masterpiece but it hit every nail on the head for me that I expect in a dark rom com, and this is definitely one of the best I’ve read.
Thankyou Berryagency for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
And I hope to read more amazing books to come by Penny Sunday!!
Dig is such an amazing, supportive character for his princess too. I love that he always asked her for consent, knowing it’s a big thing because of what his father did to several other women. Dig is so innocent throughout this entire book and you can tell that all he wants is to be loved after being abandoned his whole life. Yes he is a psychotic killer, but everyone needs a hobby. (I thought this scene was also hilarious). His love for Delph and his persistence for 7 years, and the way he speaks about her shows his undeniable love for her.
I also loved the concept of Soulless and Soulmates and how both Dig and Delphine proved that at the end of the day they’re all just people and showed how there were so many other innocent people out there who needed to be loved but had a Soulless label slapped on them. The fact that Delphine despite being labelled “Soulless” at the time could also see the amount of poor behaviour being acted on such innocent souls shows that despite being labelled “Soulless” she still could differentiate between the good and the bad. Similarly to the line of “aunty Beatrice just died” and then the person bringing harm would feel remorse because they’d all known family who had died at some point. Overall, the book showed the message that not everyone is Soulless and many of the innocent people did deserve to find love.
I’ve never really had a thing for dark rom coms but this book hit every point perfectly. Hilarious banter and dark satire. Check. A plot where I had no idea what was going to happen next. Check. A strong FMC who could hold her own ground. Check. And a MMC who had so much love for her and still understood consent. Check.
This wasn’t a literary masterpiece but it hit every nail on the head for me that I expect in a dark rom com, and this is definitely one of the best I’ve read.
Thankyou Berryagency for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
And I hope to read more amazing books to come by Penny Sunday!!
Review of advance copy
Okay let me start you off with some of my favorite lines from this book
💚"Now I have your germs. 'I've had your cunt in my mouth'."
💙 "'I want an audition to you sucking my cock.' He paused and pulled his fingers from out of my mouth. I'm sorry...do you want to suck my cock? 'Put your fingers back in my mouth!"
🧡 "He couldn't die. Not yet. He still had three months left on his gym membership."
I feel like this should sell you on its own but this book had lots of good plot, SO much good banter, spice, i honestly don't know what else I could want. This book had everything I would want in a romcom. Dig is a super supportive king and calling her princess didnt make me cringe!! Del is unhinged but i was super down for it. Honestly if you enjoy unhinged, this will do it for you I am sure. Spice in this book was also top notch, 10 out of 10 for me. 🌶 I enjoyed all the side characters as well and the second half of the book didn't disappoint!!
I AM LITERALLY OBSESSED.
💚"Now I have your germs. 'I've had your cunt in my mouth'."
💙 "'I want an audition to you sucking my cock.' He paused and pulled his fingers from out of my mouth. I'm sorry...do you want to suck my cock? 'Put your fingers back in my mouth!"
🧡 "He couldn't die. Not yet. He still had three months left on his gym membership."
I feel like this should sell you on its own but this book had lots of good plot, SO much good banter, spice, i honestly don't know what else I could want. This book had everything I would want in a romcom. Dig is a super supportive king and calling her princess didnt make me cringe!! Del is unhinged but i was super down for it. Honestly if you enjoy unhinged, this will do it for you I am sure. Spice in this book was also top notch, 10 out of 10 for me. 🌶 I enjoyed all the side characters as well and the second half of the book didn't disappoint!!
I AM LITERALLY OBSESSED.
January 10, 2026
❤️ ARC REVIEW ❤️
This book was pure unadulterated, unhinged chaos in all the best ways!
I absolutely loved Delphine. She was dry and sarcastic and entirely nonchalant with it. I snort laughed at almost every single thing she did or said. And the way Dig was completely head over heels for her exactly how she was made me love him even more.
Also, we LOVE a consent king, and Dig Graves certainly was! It was an aspect I wasn’t expecting but absolutely LOVED 🌶️
The plot line for this book was also really cool, I loved the concept and how the fated mates trope worked without being set in a “fantasy” world. I also did NOT see the little plot twist coming and the gasp that ripped out of me was crazy!
I really enjoyed this book and if you’re looking for a silly little fun time, a boat load of humour and a guy that would do ANYTHING (including setting skin care bundle traps) to get his girl, then this book is for you!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was pure unadulterated, unhinged chaos in all the best ways!
I absolutely loved Delphine. She was dry and sarcastic and entirely nonchalant with it. I snort laughed at almost every single thing she did or said. And the way Dig was completely head over heels for her exactly how she was made me love him even more.
Also, we LOVE a consent king, and Dig Graves certainly was! It was an aspect I wasn’t expecting but absolutely LOVED 🌶️
The plot line for this book was also really cool, I loved the concept and how the fated mates trope worked without being set in a “fantasy” world. I also did NOT see the little plot twist coming and the gasp that ripped out of me was crazy!
I really enjoyed this book and if you’re looking for a silly little fun time, a boat load of humour and a guy that would do ANYTHING (including setting skin care bundle traps) to get his girl, then this book is for you!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 13, 2026
3.5/5
I received this book as an ARC from the Berry Agency.
This book was so funny. I was laughing all the way through. I did have a guess of why the person did what they did and I was correct (but not for the additional reason). I absolutely love Dig, he can do no wrong. I basically read this in one sitting (if you exclude having dinner and all that). I did not want to put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen next. I will definitely be reading more by this author
I received this book as an ARC from the Berry Agency.
This book was so funny. I was laughing all the way through. I did have a guess of why the person did what they did and I was correct (but not for the additional reason). I absolutely love Dig, he can do no wrong. I basically read this in one sitting (if you exclude having dinner and all that). I did not want to put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen next. I will definitely be reading more by this author
Review of advance copy
What a way to start 2026, this was the perfect first read of the year.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
ARC Review
Delphine De Astor has never cried, never truly felt, and has spent her life hiding her lack of emotion to avoid being labeled Soulless - evil, unlovable, disposable. When she’s deemed exactly that and thrown into the Execution Battle, she’s forced to fight for survival in a dystopian spectacle that’s as brutal as it is absurd (yes, complete with ad breaks). Pant-less, armed with sunscreen, and surrounded by cannibals, unhinged psychopaths (probably Geminis), incestuous lovers, and a man in a pink sequined crop top, Delphine’s world is pure chaos.
Enter Dig Graves.
A notorious serial killer with dark hair, heart-shaped sunglasses, and major golden retriever energy. He once tried to kidnap Delphine and now relentlessly hunts her through the Battle.
The banter was epic. From the very first chapter, I knew Delphine was not going to be a damsel-in-distress FMC. She’s sharp, sarcastic, and resilient, and Penny Sunday does such a good job of handling her trauma, especially her inability to be intimate, without ever losing sight of the fact that this is still a soulmate story. Even when her heart wasn’t thumping, everything about this connection felt intentional and fated.
And Dig? I love him. He is an absolute badass who will literally do anything...and I mean anything (Jane Austen fans, you’ll get it)...for Delphine… except take her without consent. His insistence on consent makes complete sense once you learn his backstory, and even when he loses control passionate moments, he refuses to let his past define him. That alone made his character hit so much harder.
There were a few moments where the banter went on a bit too long and could’ve been trimmed, and the Slash storyline felt slightly hastily wrapped up. But honestly? None of that stopped me from devouring this book in one sitting. I could not put it down.
Gritty, gory, darkly funny, wildly spicy, and emotionally satisfying. Kill to Love is feral soulmate romance done right, and I’m still thinking about it.
Thank you to Penny Sunday and Chloe Berry at the The Berry Agency for the opportunity to review this ARC before release.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
ARC Review
Delphine De Astor has never cried, never truly felt, and has spent her life hiding her lack of emotion to avoid being labeled Soulless - evil, unlovable, disposable. When she’s deemed exactly that and thrown into the Execution Battle, she’s forced to fight for survival in a dystopian spectacle that’s as brutal as it is absurd (yes, complete with ad breaks). Pant-less, armed with sunscreen, and surrounded by cannibals, unhinged psychopaths (probably Geminis), incestuous lovers, and a man in a pink sequined crop top, Delphine’s world is pure chaos.
Enter Dig Graves.
A notorious serial killer with dark hair, heart-shaped sunglasses, and major golden retriever energy. He once tried to kidnap Delphine and now relentlessly hunts her through the Battle.
The banter was epic. From the very first chapter, I knew Delphine was not going to be a damsel-in-distress FMC. She’s sharp, sarcastic, and resilient, and Penny Sunday does such a good job of handling her trauma, especially her inability to be intimate, without ever losing sight of the fact that this is still a soulmate story. Even when her heart wasn’t thumping, everything about this connection felt intentional and fated.
And Dig? I love him. He is an absolute badass who will literally do anything...and I mean anything (Jane Austen fans, you’ll get it)...for Delphine… except take her without consent. His insistence on consent makes complete sense once you learn his backstory, and even when he loses control passionate moments, he refuses to let his past define him. That alone made his character hit so much harder.
There were a few moments where the banter went on a bit too long and could’ve been trimmed, and the Slash storyline felt slightly hastily wrapped up. But honestly? None of that stopped me from devouring this book in one sitting. I could not put it down.
Gritty, gory, darkly funny, wildly spicy, and emotionally satisfying. Kill to Love is feral soulmate romance done right, and I’m still thinking about it.
Thank you to Penny Sunday and Chloe Berry at the The Berry Agency for the opportunity to review this ARC before release.
Review of advance copy
Absolutely fantastic book. I went the full range of emotions with ‘Kill to Love’—the most prominent being laughter. Along with the laughs, you can expect lots of blood, guts, & gore type action, sad back stories, evil villains, surprise twists, and spice to curl your toes. Good stuff. Really good stuff.
Penny Sunday’s wordplay is witty, satirical, and outrageously fun. Here’s just two tiny samples:
🗣️I grimaced. “I’m not attracted to you in that way.”
🗣️“I’ll get plastic surgery.”
🗣️“I can’t be doing this. I have a lot on my plate right now.”
🗣️“I can eat for two.”
🗣️“I think we’re better off as friends.”
🗣️“Yeah, boyfriend and girlfriend.”
🗣️“I’m seeing someone else right now.”
🗣️“Yeah, you’re seeing me.”
__________
🗣️“I can’t believe you’re safe,” I said to Fiona.
🗣️“I can’t believe you’re safe,” Fiona said back. “I’m a trained hunter, you’re an idiot.”
__________
*** Recommended ***
MMC:
✨Dig
FMC:
✨Delphine
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨Book 1 of Kill to Love
Epilogue:
🌗yes
Tropes:
👉serial killer romance
👉dark romcom
👉he falls first
👉touch her and ☠️
👉ott obsessive
👉soulmates
👉opposites attract
Triggers: *It is always in your best interest to see the author’s page for detailed content warnings.
💥18+
💥sex, graphic, necrophilia, bondage
💥profanity
💥violence, abuse, beatings, fighting, cannibalism
💥death, murder
💥psychological - stalking, manipulation, control, betrayal, really disturbing family dynamics, incest-not between main characters
Burn Speed:
✨fast for 3 chilis, medium -ish for 4 chilis
Spice Level:
✨🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨MF
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Penny Sunday’s wordplay is witty, satirical, and outrageously fun. Here’s just two tiny samples:
🗣️I grimaced. “I’m not attracted to you in that way.”
🗣️“I’ll get plastic surgery.”
🗣️“I can’t be doing this. I have a lot on my plate right now.”
🗣️“I can eat for two.”
🗣️“I think we’re better off as friends.”
🗣️“Yeah, boyfriend and girlfriend.”
🗣️“I’m seeing someone else right now.”
🗣️“Yeah, you’re seeing me.”
__________
🗣️“I can’t believe you’re safe,” I said to Fiona.
🗣️“I can’t believe you’re safe,” Fiona said back. “I’m a trained hunter, you’re an idiot.”
__________
*** Recommended ***
MMC:
✨Dig
FMC:
✨Delphine
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨Book 1 of Kill to Love
Epilogue:
🌗yes
Tropes:
👉serial killer romance
👉dark romcom
👉he falls first
👉touch her and ☠️
👉ott obsessive
👉soulmates
👉opposites attract
Triggers: *It is always in your best interest to see the author’s page for detailed content warnings.
💥18+
💥sex, graphic, necrophilia, bondage
💥profanity
💥violence, abuse, beatings, fighting, cannibalism
💥death, murder
💥psychological - stalking, manipulation, control, betrayal, really disturbing family dynamics, incest-not between main characters
Burn Speed:
✨fast for 3 chilis, medium -ish for 4 chilis
Spice Level:
✨🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨MF
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
"Kill to Love" is a sea of humor, sharp banter, and fierce love. 💘 To be honest, I’m a huge fan of the dark rom-com genre, and this book has officially joined my list of all-time favorites! 🤭
Delfina is hands down my favorite character. She has such a sharp tongue, an effortless vibe, and her skincare routine is top-tier! (I actually took quite a few notes on her tips).
Dig also stands out from your typical book boyfriends. I loved his approach to Delfina. It was especially touching how much he wanted her to get to know him as a person, rather than just the legacy of his assassin father. He’s actually quite sweet, and I couldn't stop smiling while reading their dialogues.
I absolutely loved the concept! If the world-building had been different (with confusing hierarchies, magic systems, etc.), I probably wouldn't have picked it up since I’m not a big fantasy fan. Но эта книга — полный восторг! A battle for survival... I could practically see myself right there in the middle of that bloodbath! 🔥
Oh, and the side characters had me giggling so much. Dig’s brother is something else entirely—honestly, I’d probably read his story too if it existed! 😂
Penny, please, I’m begging you to keep writing! I will officially be your number one fan. ✨😍
I have to run now, my Aunt Beatrice has unfortunately passed away... 👀
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Delfina is hands down my favorite character. She has such a sharp tongue, an effortless vibe, and her skincare routine is top-tier! (I actually took quite a few notes on her tips).
Dig also stands out from your typical book boyfriends. I loved his approach to Delfina. It was especially touching how much he wanted her to get to know him as a person, rather than just the legacy of his assassin father. He’s actually quite sweet, and I couldn't stop smiling while reading their dialogues.
I absolutely loved the concept! If the world-building had been different (with confusing hierarchies, magic systems, etc.), I probably wouldn't have picked it up since I’m not a big fantasy fan. Но эта книга — полный восторг! A battle for survival... I could practically see myself right there in the middle of that bloodbath! 🔥
Oh, and the side characters had me giggling so much. Dig’s brother is something else entirely—honestly, I’d probably read his story too if it existed! 😂
Penny, please, I’m begging you to keep writing! I will officially be your number one fan. ✨😍
I have to run now, my Aunt Beatrice has unfortunately passed away... 👀
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy
This book is going to be one of my standouts for the year, even though I’m reading it in January.
An adult Hunger Games style arena set in fantasy -paranormal Europe. Very funny from trigger warnings to the end acknowledgements. Quick dry wit on every page, multi faceted and lovable characters with depth that shared the best banter. I just had a great time reading it. By reading, I mean I unhinged my brain and swallowed this book whole. I loved it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, but separately I will also be purchasing myself a physical copy for my trophy shelf.
As Penny Sunday says, “To all publishing houses – Please believe in this book the way my agent does.” I double down and say please believe in it so she will write more to this series.
“When was a monster no longer a monster? When you love it, I think.”
Spoilers! Below are the tags I included in my personal tracking that other users may find relevant: choking, dark, dystopian, fantasy, fated mates, fmc-delphine, game show, government, knife, mental health, mmc-dig, primal, spanking, United Kingdom
Fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, adventurous, dark, funny, fast paced
Plot or Character Driven: a mix
Strong character development: yes
Lovable characters: yes
Diverse cast of characters: no
Flaws of characters a main focus: yes
An adult Hunger Games style arena set in fantasy -paranormal Europe. Very funny from trigger warnings to the end acknowledgements. Quick dry wit on every page, multi faceted and lovable characters with depth that shared the best banter. I just had a great time reading it. By reading, I mean I unhinged my brain and swallowed this book whole. I loved it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, but separately I will also be purchasing myself a physical copy for my trophy shelf.
As Penny Sunday says, “To all publishing houses – Please believe in this book the way my agent does.” I double down and say please believe in it so she will write more to this series.
“When was a monster no longer a monster? When you love it, I think.”
Spoilers! Below are the tags I included in my personal tracking that other users may find relevant: choking, dark, dystopian, fantasy, fated mates, fmc-delphine, game show, government, knife, mental health, mmc-dig, primal, spanking, United Kingdom
Fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, adventurous, dark, funny, fast paced
Plot or Character Driven: a mix
Strong character development: yes
Lovable characters: yes
Diverse cast of characters: no
Flaws of characters a main focus: yes
December 25, 2025
Kill to Love
This book was like Hunger Games and Butcher and Blackbird had a baby and i’m not complaining!
Delphine wakes up at 2am to man dressed in heart shaped sunglasses stating that he is her soulmate, but she is more worried about him tracking mud on her antique rug. He was caught but her rug was ruined.
Her heart didn’t beat at all, so she’s worried she’s going to be part of the Soulless. A group of people who turn evil because they haven’t found their soulmate. To combat the evil they hold annual Execution Battles so the Soulless can slaughter each other. Which Dig Graves has won every year, who just so happens to be sunglasses guy.
Delphine is considered Soulless and thrown into the Execution Battle alongside Dig Graves, who still claims she’d hid soulmate.
I liked this book, and was laugh out loud funny at some moments but i did also find it very repetitive, would still recommend though!
Thank you Booksirens for an Arc of this book in exchange for a honest review!
This book was like Hunger Games and Butcher and Blackbird had a baby and i’m not complaining!
Delphine wakes up at 2am to man dressed in heart shaped sunglasses stating that he is her soulmate, but she is more worried about him tracking mud on her antique rug. He was caught but her rug was ruined.
Her heart didn’t beat at all, so she’s worried she’s going to be part of the Soulless. A group of people who turn evil because they haven’t found their soulmate. To combat the evil they hold annual Execution Battles so the Soulless can slaughter each other. Which Dig Graves has won every year, who just so happens to be sunglasses guy.
Delphine is considered Soulless and thrown into the Execution Battle alongside Dig Graves, who still claims she’d hid soulmate.
I liked this book, and was laugh out loud funny at some moments but i did also find it very repetitive, would still recommend though!
Thank you Booksirens for an Arc of this book in exchange for a honest review!
January 10, 2026
What in the world, this story was bananas.
Delphine lives in a world where if you don’t find your soulmate you become soulless. The soulless are inherently evil and they are all tossed in prison and forced to compete in some crazy hunger games style murder party. Although our girly is part of the 1% her soulless status still gets her tossed into the murder games and it’s there where she becomes reacquainted with her old stalker Dig Graves.
These two were actually hilarious and multiple times their banter had me actually laughing out loud. Delphine is so dry and analytical, her practicality in every situation had me in stitches.
As far as dark romcoms go, this book had pretty much everything you could ask for. The trigger warning list is just a little taste of what’s to come. I had such a good time, I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Butcher & Blackbird or Lights Out!
Delphine lives in a world where if you don’t find your soulmate you become soulless. The soulless are inherently evil and they are all tossed in prison and forced to compete in some crazy hunger games style murder party. Although our girly is part of the 1% her soulless status still gets her tossed into the murder games and it’s there where she becomes reacquainted with her old stalker Dig Graves.
These two were actually hilarious and multiple times their banter had me actually laughing out loud. Delphine is so dry and analytical, her practicality in every situation had me in stitches.
As far as dark romcoms go, this book had pretty much everything you could ask for. The trigger warning list is just a little taste of what’s to come. I had such a good time, I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Butcher & Blackbird or Lights Out!
Review of advance copy
I love where this series is going. I always tend to be more lenient on the first book of a series because so many building blocks need to be laid. This book started a little slow I was confused for a bit, but then it got stronger and stronger as the story went on and as the characters continue to develop. It was also laugh out loud funny.
The story opens with an attempted kidnapping and Delphine just does not have time for that. Her annoyance with being inconvenienced set such a strong expectation for the book and it did not disappoint. Delphine gave such strong Alexis Rose vibes.
It's really difficult to explain the plot without spoilers, but the battle arena portion was less of a focus than I expected. This was very character heavy, which I appreciated since all of the characters were very funny.
Thank you to BookSirens and Penny Sunday for the free eARC.
The story opens with an attempted kidnapping and Delphine just does not have time for that. Her annoyance with being inconvenienced set such a strong expectation for the book and it did not disappoint. Delphine gave such strong Alexis Rose vibes.
It's really difficult to explain the plot without spoilers, but the battle arena portion was less of a focus than I expected. This was very character heavy, which I appreciated since all of the characters were very funny.
Thank you to BookSirens and Penny Sunday for the free eARC.
December 20, 2025
Yo why was this good 😂 I wasn’t expecting much buuuttttt come to find a dystopian book with a bit of plot and a lot of horny. somehow I’m both ashamed and not. Normally, I’d find this kind of FMC to be a spoiled brat, but it worked?? And I wasn’t annoyed as I thought I would be so that’s saying something if I read the whole thing in half a day.
Low key, before my autistic ass was diagnosed, I used to wonder if I was a psychopath or “soulless” because I didn’t experience emotions the same way others did. Every time she had to remind herself that she was a good person, I felt that deeply and this was such a good representation that even though someone may be socially “good,” morally they can or cannot be.
And Dig… with his german shepherd ass. He’s kind of dumb, but you can’t help liking him anyway.
If you like an unhinged dark romcom, def read it
Low key, before my autistic ass was diagnosed, I used to wonder if I was a psychopath or “soulless” because I didn’t experience emotions the same way others did. Every time she had to remind herself that she was a good person, I felt that deeply and this was such a good representation that even though someone may be socially “good,” morally they can or cannot be.
And Dig… with his german shepherd ass. He’s kind of dumb, but you can’t help liking him anyway.
If you like an unhinged dark romcom, def read it
January 2, 2026
✨ARC REVIEW✨
3.5⭐️ rounded up. A debut novel that delivered a highly chaotic romance that felt like The Hunger Games collided with a dark, deadpan comedy. The book’s sheer personality makes it a surprisingly addictive read.
FMC Delphine, felt authentically neurodivergent with her internal monologue of literal interpretations and social disconnects that drove the plot in unpredictable directions. It created a unique brand of "awkward funny”. Like, the humor didn’t come from punchlines, but from her chaotic and inappropriate reactions to the life-or-death stakes surrounding her.
This story is messy, fast-paced, and unapologetically strange. However, the reading experience (for me) was a tad hindered by the use of “t” instead of “ed” (British English) and proofreading oversight for character name spelling. BUT— it’s a perfect pick for social awkwardness and total mayhem.
3.5⭐️ rounded up. A debut novel that delivered a highly chaotic romance that felt like The Hunger Games collided with a dark, deadpan comedy. The book’s sheer personality makes it a surprisingly addictive read.
FMC Delphine, felt authentically neurodivergent with her internal monologue of literal interpretations and social disconnects that drove the plot in unpredictable directions. It created a unique brand of "awkward funny”. Like, the humor didn’t come from punchlines, but from her chaotic and inappropriate reactions to the life-or-death stakes surrounding her.
This story is messy, fast-paced, and unapologetically strange. However, the reading experience (for me) was a tad hindered by the use of “t” instead of “ed” (British English) and proofreading oversight for character name spelling. BUT— it’s a perfect pick for social awkwardness and total mayhem.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dammit copy and paste won’t work! I’ve just written the longest review of my life and posted it all over Facebook.
I cannot get enough of this book… it’s a bit lacking in editing which usually turns me off but honestly in this case I do not give a duck! The premise is fantastic, the execution perfect; this is a witty, tongue in cheek, sarcastic, ridiculous, hysterical, and satirical take on what society thinks is most important, how the people who don’t fit that narrative are perceived, what makes someone good or bad, and love. Utter fu€k!ng perfection!!
Expect violence and gore, a lot of $exual activity, a smidge of home invasion but in the nicest way, some casual necro (but not by Delphine or Dig)… I haven’t even finished yet so I’m sure there’re more goodies to come. Enjoy!!! 😉
I cannot get enough of this book… it’s a bit lacking in editing which usually turns me off but honestly in this case I do not give a duck! The premise is fantastic, the execution perfect; this is a witty, tongue in cheek, sarcastic, ridiculous, hysterical, and satirical take on what society thinks is most important, how the people who don’t fit that narrative are perceived, what makes someone good or bad, and love. Utter fu€k!ng perfection!!
Expect violence and gore, a lot of $exual activity, a smidge of home invasion but in the nicest way, some casual necro (but not by Delphine or Dig)… I haven’t even finished yet so I’m sure there’re more goodies to come. Enjoy!!! 😉
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
I have not giggled so much over a book in a while!
Kill To Love is such a fun dark romcom. The concept of this book was so fascinating and worked so well. You either found your soulmate by 25 or were deemed soulless and sent to the Execution Battle. It was a super unique take and such an enjoyable read!
This is definitely a check your trigger warnings book!
I absolutely love the MC's Delphine & Dig. No notes, their banter was perfection, their chemistry hot as f*ck, the yearning from our MMC! ❤️
Some of my favourite quotes:
- "I smell princess" - Dig's caveman dialogue
- I think I got pregnant - Girl, me too 🥵
"I brushed a knot out of your hair and kept the lose strands. So I can smell them whenever the f*ck I want"- Yes King!
A huge thank you to The Berry Agency for the chance to review this! 💕
🌶🌶🌶
I have not giggled so much over a book in a while!
Kill To Love is such a fun dark romcom. The concept of this book was so fascinating and worked so well. You either found your soulmate by 25 or were deemed soulless and sent to the Execution Battle. It was a super unique take and such an enjoyable read!
This is definitely a check your trigger warnings book!
I absolutely love the MC's Delphine & Dig. No notes, their banter was perfection, their chemistry hot as f*ck, the yearning from our MMC! ❤️
Some of my favourite quotes:
- "I smell princess" - Dig's caveman dialogue
- I think I got pregnant - Girl, me too 🥵
"I brushed a knot out of your hair and kept the lose strands. So I can smell them whenever the f*ck I want"- Yes King!
A huge thank you to The Berry Agency for the chance to review this! 💕
January 14, 2026
This book has so much going for it and as a debut novel, it’s fantastic. Penny Sunday is going to be incredible just you wait. This book was hilarious. The dialogue was absolutely ridiculous and brilliant at the same time. I will say the first third of the book was probably the weakest part. The main character was nearly impossible to relate too, the MMC was giving Gollum from Lord of the Rings vibes “my princess”. BUT once the story really started I got into it and was laughing constantly. Delphine is a brilliant idiot and the poor girl’s Aunt Beatrice just died so you just really feel for her.
This is an unhinged dark romantic comedy that is absolutely worth the read and I seriously can’t believe I was given the chance to be an ARC reader. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
This is an unhinged dark romantic comedy that is absolutely worth the read and I seriously can’t believe I was given the chance to be an ARC reader. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Review of advance copy
This was like Hunger Games meets Harley & Joker, with a lot of spice.
She's a rich, spoiled princess who gets thrown into an execution battle for people who get thrown in jail for not finding their soul mates before they turn 25. He's the son of a Serial killer who got thrown in jail and has known she was his soulmate for years. He treats her like the queen she thinks she is. She almost gets herself and him killed quite a few times. She's quietly and you kind of have to love her. Spice was top notch. Original Storyline. Distended then the norm and an HEA.
4/5 DEFINITELY RECOMMEND
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
She's a rich, spoiled princess who gets thrown into an execution battle for people who get thrown in jail for not finding their soul mates before they turn 25. He's the son of a Serial killer who got thrown in jail and has known she was his soulmate for years. He treats her like the queen she thinks she is. She almost gets herself and him killed quite a few times. She's quietly and you kind of have to love her. Spice was top notch. Original Storyline. Distended then the norm and an HEA.
4/5 DEFINITELY RECOMMEND
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
✨ARC review✨
🌸Dark Romance Satire
🌸Battle Arena
🌸Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
🌸Dry Humour
🌸Fated Mates/Soulmates
🌸Spice
Wasn’t sure what to think going into this one! But thoroughly enjoyed it! Enjoyed the dry humour and genuinely found it so much funnier than I thought! Even from the trigger warnings page 😆
Hunger Games x Lights Outs vibes
This book was unhinged in the best ways. Able to keep the tension and drama element with comedy woven in so easily
Releases on Valentine’s Day!
4⭐️
Thankyou to @theberryagency & Penny for allowing me an early copy I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for future books!
We also love supporting Aussie Debut Authors!! 🇦🇺🦘
🌸Dark Romance Satire
🌸Battle Arena
🌸Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
🌸Dry Humour
🌸Fated Mates/Soulmates
🌸Spice
Wasn’t sure what to think going into this one! But thoroughly enjoyed it! Enjoyed the dry humour and genuinely found it so much funnier than I thought! Even from the trigger warnings page 😆
Hunger Games x Lights Outs vibes
This book was unhinged in the best ways. Able to keep the tension and drama element with comedy woven in so easily
Releases on Valentine’s Day!
4⭐️
Thankyou to @theberryagency & Penny for allowing me an early copy I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for future books!
We also love supporting Aussie Debut Authors!! 🇦🇺🦘
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
Let me tell you, this book was an absolute masterpiece and completely pulled me out of my reading slump. The playful banter between the main characters had me laughing out loud, creating a sharp contrast to the darker undertones woven throughout the story. There wasn’t a single dull moment for me. The hints of mystery kept me hooked, the slow buildup made the climax feel intense and satisfying, and while the ending may frustrate some readers, I personally loved it and felt it stayed true to the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 25, 2025
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to ARC read this book!
Hungry Games meets Butcher and Blackbird; this hilarious and bloody book had me hooked from the first chapter. This book follows the main female character in a world where everyone either has a soulmate or is deemed soulless. She is thrown into a prison for soulless and made to fight in a battle over 10 days, except she considers herself a good person and refuses to kill people (and is silly enough to walk into deadly situations ON PURPOSE)
She is so straightforward and funny, I just had to binged this book!
Hungry Games meets Butcher and Blackbird; this hilarious and bloody book had me hooked from the first chapter. This book follows the main female character in a world where everyone either has a soulmate or is deemed soulless. She is thrown into a prison for soulless and made to fight in a battle over 10 days, except she considers herself a good person and refuses to kill people (and is silly enough to walk into deadly situations ON PURPOSE)
She is so straightforward and funny, I just had to binged this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
2.5⭐️
interesting premise, somewhat odd way of going about it. the humor feels kind of unnatural/maybe satirical at times, the seriousness in moments was well-written but just seemed at odds with the vibe of the rest of the book. also used the wrong “too” often, which like whatever but the author made a there/their/they’re joke in the book so i thought that was ironic. just not my cup of tea but it had its moments.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
interesting premise, somewhat odd way of going about it. the humor feels kind of unnatural/maybe satirical at times, the seriousness in moments was well-written but just seemed at odds with the vibe of the rest of the book. also used the wrong “too” often, which like whatever but the author made a there/their/they’re joke in the book so i thought that was ironic. just not my cup of tea but it had its moments.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am stumped. I don't know how to feel! Yes, I can feel... unlike Delphine.
This book is ridiculous. It made me laugh. It was like watching a train wreck I couldn't pull my eyes from. Dark rom-com... huh. Never knew that was a thing! Not sure it's my thing... but I can appreciate that so many lines from this book will live rent free in my head forever.
Perfect for the end of such a trash year... this ARC closed it out properly. I may change my rating after obsessing over the insanity that this book presented. However… I will never look at, or think about, red heart-shaped sunglasses the same. Ever 🤣
This book is ridiculous. It made me laugh. It was like watching a train wreck I couldn't pull my eyes from. Dark rom-com... huh. Never knew that was a thing! Not sure it's my thing... but I can appreciate that so many lines from this book will live rent free in my head forever.
Perfect for the end of such a trash year... this ARC closed it out properly. I may change my rating after obsessing over the insanity that this book presented. However… I will never look at, or think about, red heart-shaped sunglasses the same. Ever 🤣
Review of advance copy
Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC!
This is book was hilarious. Honestly, I never knew what was going to come out of Delphine's mouth. The dialogue really kept me on my toes.
I think Delphine character was written well with how she cannot feel emotions but it was hard to connect to her as a reader.
The plot was really interesting as well with the soulless and the battle.
Dig was also a fun character, surviving whatever was thrown at him to get to Delphine and always showing up like a hero with a cape. loved his crazy personality.
This is book was hilarious. Honestly, I never knew what was going to come out of Delphine's mouth. The dialogue really kept me on my toes.
I think Delphine character was written well with how she cannot feel emotions but it was hard to connect to her as a reader.
The plot was really interesting as well with the soulless and the battle.
Dig was also a fun character, surviving whatever was thrown at him to get to Delphine and always showing up like a hero with a cape. loved his crazy personality.
Read
January 6, 2026Imagine a world where almost every person is led by the beating of their hearts to the person who is the other half of their soul.
The people who dont have soulmates are condemned as soulless and sent to a prison because theyre supposed to be pure evil. Once a year they put them in a big arena and let them kill each other and broadcast it to the world, kind of like the hunger games.
This story had such an interesting premise but the humor was where it really got me!
I cannot tell you too much about the characters because it'll give away plot and you REALLY need to read this book!
This is such a weird but good story im definitely going to read more from this author.
You wont regret reading this book its so funny.
The people who dont have soulmates are condemned as soulless and sent to a prison because theyre supposed to be pure evil. Once a year they put them in a big arena and let them kill each other and broadcast it to the world, kind of like the hunger games.
This story had such an interesting premise but the humor was where it really got me!
I cannot tell you too much about the characters because it'll give away plot and you REALLY need to read this book!
This is such a weird but good story im definitely going to read more from this author.
You wont regret reading this book its so funny.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I wasn't sure if this would be my thing but I was swept away by the stakes of Kill to Love and devoured it. We all love a morally grey hero, but Delphine holds her own among the Soulless in the intense and outrageous aspects of the Execution Battle, at times disturbing and hilarious in equal measure. I'm so interested to see where this could go next, beyond the heart-shaped glasses. Thank you to the author for this advanced copy, I can't wait to see what you do next!
Review of advance copy
I received this as an arc and was genuinely surprised at how much I liked it. Usually I don't like dark romances, but this was done well. I liked how the MMC despite being your typical ‘big bad’ guy asked for the FMC’s consent. He was rough around the edges but inside a sweet guy. I also laughed out loud so many times. Thank you!
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