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Feral Love #2
Prey for Me
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26Win a free print copy of this book!
2 days and 14:26:47
10 copies available
U.S. only
A thrilling and sexy wager between friends turns deadly when they discover they aren’t the only ones who are preying.…
No deity has ever compelled Caine Underwood to drop to his knees in worship like Margot Walker does. Ever since the Halloween when she played Red Riding Hood to his Big Bad Wolf, he’s been chasing her attention—and betting that he can build a haunt so terrifying she won’t make it through. Now, Margot’s single and Caine’s pulling out all the stops to win their annual wager, and he wants her for his prize.
Margot understands fear. Six years ago, she unveiled her televangelist ex-husband’s sins, and the situation turned bloody. Now, being hunted and devoured by Caine isn’t terrifying, it’s arousing...but the haunted house director isn’t the only one trying to scare her.
Taunting threats commanding her to confess, repent, and atone for her sins start arriving, and when Caine discovers a zealot from Margot’s past is stalking her every move, his anger is lethal.
There’s only one man allowed to haunt Margot...
Him.
No deity has ever compelled Caine Underwood to drop to his knees in worship like Margot Walker does. Ever since the Halloween when she played Red Riding Hood to his Big Bad Wolf, he’s been chasing her attention—and betting that he can build a haunt so terrifying she won’t make it through. Now, Margot’s single and Caine’s pulling out all the stops to win their annual wager, and he wants her for his prize.
Margot understands fear. Six years ago, she unveiled her televangelist ex-husband’s sins, and the situation turned bloody. Now, being hunted and devoured by Caine isn’t terrifying, it’s arousing...but the haunted house director isn’t the only one trying to scare her.
Taunting threats commanding her to confess, repent, and atone for her sins start arriving, and when Caine discovers a zealot from Margot’s past is stalking her every move, his anger is lethal.
There’s only one man allowed to haunt Margot...
Him.
416 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 22, 2026
About the author
Allie Oleander
2 books688 followersAllie writes romance with kink exploration and characters ages thirty-five and up. When she's not writing, she's in the woods, trying to arrange a meet-cute with Bigfoot.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*4.5 - Funny, dark, chaotic and oh so hottttt, Allie Oleander has done it again 👏🏻
Masked men and fear play delivered to perfection. Caine is the ultimate golden retriever/psychopath and ya’ll know how I feel about MMCs who 💦 in their pants 😮💨 Obsessed with him from the jump!
Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARC 💌
Pre-read:
I GOT THE ARC FOR ONE OF MY MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASES! LETS GOOOO 👻
Masked men and fear play delivered to perfection. Caine is the ultimate golden retriever/psychopath and ya’ll know how I feel about MMCs who 💦 in their pants 😮💨 Obsessed with him from the jump!
Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARC 💌
Pre-read:
I GOT THE ARC FOR ONE OF MY MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASES! LETS GOOOO 👻
remind-me-once-out
January 31, 2026This is a safe space (right?)
Review of advance copy received from Author
Beta Review: Y'all aren't ready for Margot and Caine. This one's a little bit darker than Willing Prey, but the epic banter will keep you laughing despite the circumstances. The spice is hot as sin and the yearning had me melting into a puddle on the floor. I absolutely adored these two and can't wait for the world to meet them!
June 27, 2026
Not as strong as book one but I still really enjoyed this! Very different vibe!
Full ARC review to come.
Full ARC review to come.
unsafe
May 2, 2026Safety note - FMC had a crush on MMCs big brother, who is her employer and even tried primal pray with him.
─ ✦ ────
Pushing my luck, I ask, “Does he hunt you?”
“Once. I wanted to see what it was like.” She holds my gaze. “And I will never do it again.”
“Why?”
Quiet hangs between us so long I think she won’t answer. When she speaks, her voice is low, the cadence clipped like each word is fighting its way past her teeth.
“It scared me. He scared me.” Shaking her head, she adds, “I used the safe word as soon as he caught me.” Her laugh is forced, brittle. “Didn’t even make it to first base.”
"He’s an excellent employer, very professional and fair. I’ve been his personal assistant since I moved here."
sooo professional 🙄
“He didn’t proposition me. Truthfully, I had a little crush on him, so I offered. I thought it would be hot sex in the woods with my gorgeous boss. It wasn’t.”
“First week or two we tiptoed around each other.” She shrugs. “But that was last summer. We’re fine now, strictly professional. I’m actually engaged.”
──── ✦ ─
─ ✦ ────
Pushing my luck, I ask, “Does he hunt you?”
“Once. I wanted to see what it was like.” She holds my gaze. “And I will never do it again.”
“Why?”
Quiet hangs between us so long I think she won’t answer. When she speaks, her voice is low, the cadence clipped like each word is fighting its way past her teeth.
“It scared me. He scared me.” Shaking her head, she adds, “I used the safe word as soon as he caught me.” Her laugh is forced, brittle. “Didn’t even make it to first base.”
"He’s an excellent employer, very professional and fair. I’ve been his personal assistant since I moved here."
sooo professional 🙄
“He didn’t proposition me. Truthfully, I had a little crush on him, so I offered. I thought it would be hot sex in the woods with my gorgeous boss. It wasn’t.”
“First week or two we tiptoed around each other.” She shrugs. “But that was last summer. We’re fine now, strictly professional. I’m actually engaged.”
──── ✦ ─
Want to Read
March 1, 2026well, i had mixed feelings on book one but i think this author has so much potential.
i've since learned that book one was originally an independently published novella whereas this appears to be a fully planned out novel under Penguin. this gives me hope that Oleander will harness her full potential and crank out a five star read
i've since learned that book one was originally an independently published novella whereas this appears to be a fully planned out novel under Penguin. this gives me hope that Oleander will harness her full potential and crank out a five star read
June 5, 2026
I think I went into this with really high expectations because I loved Willing Prey. It was such a relatively short, fast-paced, funny, high-sex-drive book that was just so easy to dive into. I feel like Prey for Me tried to build off that while also doing more, but honestly, I don’t think it executed those ideas very well.
In terms of plot, it felt like there were two completely separate storylines happening. On one side, we had Caine and Margot’s relationship development — the chemistry, the tension, the whole haunted house/hunting dynamic between them. Then, separately, there was the thriller aspect involving Margot’s her ex-husband chasing her, snakes appearing, and all the danger surrounding that. To me, those two plotlines didn’t blend very naturally. They felt disconnected, almost like I was reading two different books at once.
One moment Caine and Margot are together, and Margot is overwhelmingly horny all the time and then suddenly there’s a snake in her bed, followed immediately by another spicy scene. The pacing and tonal shifts just felt off. And Margot's horniness kind of took me out of the book, I think with Willing Prey, I understood it Claire better, but with this one maybe because I didn't understand Margot, her constantly wet lady bits was just more annoying than anything.
I struggled with Margot as a character because I never really felt like I understood who she was. A lot of her personality seemed rooted in the aftermath of her relationship with her ex-husband, and the emotional trauma from that made complete sense — I had no issue with that. But she felt inconsistent. One moment she was an overthinker, the next she was awkward and dorky, then suddenly bitchy and snappy with attitude. I just couldn’t really pinpoint who she was as a person.
Caine, on the other hand, I understood much more clearly. He had that adorable, obsessive, golden retriever, completely-down-bad-for-you energy, but also this kinky side that balanced him out. His darker edge, shaped by his relationship with his father, made sense and felt clear-cut. I genuinely loved Caine’s obsession with Margot — he was such a strong MMC. I love a dedicated man, I love a man who gets tattoos for his girl, and I loved that he knew when to give Margot space while still showing up when she needed him. He was really good at reading the room.
I also felt like this book took me a surprisingly long time to read (seven days) especially considering it’s not even that long. I just got bored. One minute they’d be in the haunted house (which I genuinely thought the whole book was going to focus on), then there’d be some relationship development, but it all started to feel repetitive and unfocused.
By the end, I found myself wanting to skim-read because I mostly just wanted to know how it ended. The resolution with Nicholas happened so quickly that it almost felt brushed under the carpet. After all the build-up, it was over within a handful of pages, and for me, the payoff just wasn’t worth it.
Unfortunately, I’m giving this 3 stars.
In terms of plot, it felt like there were two completely separate storylines happening. On one side, we had Caine and Margot’s relationship development — the chemistry, the tension, the whole haunted house/hunting dynamic between them. Then, separately, there was the thriller aspect involving Margot’s her ex-husband chasing her, snakes appearing, and all the danger surrounding that. To me, those two plotlines didn’t blend very naturally. They felt disconnected, almost like I was reading two different books at once.
One moment Caine and Margot are together, and Margot is overwhelmingly horny all the time and then suddenly there’s a snake in her bed, followed immediately by another spicy scene. The pacing and tonal shifts just felt off. And Margot's horniness kind of took me out of the book, I think with Willing Prey, I understood it Claire better, but with this one maybe because I didn't understand Margot, her constantly wet lady bits was just more annoying than anything.
I struggled with Margot as a character because I never really felt like I understood who she was. A lot of her personality seemed rooted in the aftermath of her relationship with her ex-husband, and the emotional trauma from that made complete sense — I had no issue with that. But she felt inconsistent. One moment she was an overthinker, the next she was awkward and dorky, then suddenly bitchy and snappy with attitude. I just couldn’t really pinpoint who she was as a person.
Caine, on the other hand, I understood much more clearly. He had that adorable, obsessive, golden retriever, completely-down-bad-for-you energy, but also this kinky side that balanced him out. His darker edge, shaped by his relationship with his father, made sense and felt clear-cut. I genuinely loved Caine’s obsession with Margot — he was such a strong MMC. I love a dedicated man, I love a man who gets tattoos for his girl, and I loved that he knew when to give Margot space while still showing up when she needed him. He was really good at reading the room.
I also felt like this book took me a surprisingly long time to read (seven days) especially considering it’s not even that long. I just got bored. One minute they’d be in the haunted house (which I genuinely thought the whole book was going to focus on), then there’d be some relationship development, but it all started to feel repetitive and unfocused.
By the end, I found myself wanting to skim-read because I mostly just wanted to know how it ended. The resolution with Nicholas happened so quickly that it almost felt brushed under the carpet. After all the build-up, it was over within a handful of pages, and for me, the payoff just wasn’t worth it.
Unfortunately, I’m giving this 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2026
This was so much fun and I was hooked from page 1. Caine and Margot are complex, well written characters and I love them both so much. Caine is cute and funny with a soft, serious side and Margot is just so, so relatable. Their chemistry is *chef's kiss* PERFECT.
The story itself is lots of fun, but it definitely has darker moments. To me, the romance balances out the intensity of the plot beautifully, making it meaningful and serious with enough levity that the read is still fun and not overwhelming for me as a reader.
The story itself is lots of fun, but it definitely has darker moments. To me, the romance balances out the intensity of the plot beautifully, making it meaningful and serious with enough levity that the read is still fun and not overwhelming for me as a reader.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really had such high hopes for this book but unfortunately it was a DNF. I struggled with the layout of the plot and the romance between the main characters - I really enjoyed the underlying plot between the FMC and her ex-husband, that almost stopped me from DNF-ing. I honestly, could have done without the romance story and purely read this as a thriller because that was the only thing redeeming it for me.
I got 54% into this one and am devastated to have DNF-ed it. I do think that this could have been made better if there wasn't so many character introductions and the throwbacks made clearer. The story was thrown together and I was confused most of the time. Had no idea what was going on, which then led me to not really care. Unfortunately, the book has left left me in a bit of a slump.
I got 54% into this one and am devastated to have DNF-ed it. I do think that this could have been made better if there wasn't so many character introductions and the throwbacks made clearer. The story was thrown together and I was confused most of the time. Had no idea what was going on, which then led me to not really care. Unfortunately, the book has left left me in a bit of a slump.
April 2, 2026
Halloween Horror Nights scare actors WISH it could be this fun bts
This went from ‘just one chapter’ to reading the whole book in a day. This book was right up my horror movie loving alley. Spooky scary unique Halloween vibes mixed with an obsessive yearning man was PERFECT. I think this is what I expected Butcher & Blackbird to be. I couldn’t put this book down and I didn’t WANT to put this book down. I will absolutely be rereading this during the Fall.
This plot was perfectly fleshed out and I thought all aspects of the story were engaging even the weird villain. This book was so fun and the fact that there was no third act breakup and they worked through their problems like adults was the cherry on top of the cake. I can NOT wait to see more from this series!!
HUGE thank you to NetGalley & Berkley for this ARC & Allie Oleander for one of my new fav stories ❦
This went from ‘just one chapter’ to reading the whole book in a day. This book was right up my horror movie loving alley. Spooky scary unique Halloween vibes mixed with an obsessive yearning man was PERFECT. I think this is what I expected Butcher & Blackbird to be. I couldn’t put this book down and I didn’t WANT to put this book down. I will absolutely be rereading this during the Fall.
This plot was perfectly fleshed out and I thought all aspects of the story were engaging even the weird villain. This book was so fun and the fact that there was no third act breakup and they worked through their problems like adults was the cherry on top of the cake. I can NOT wait to see more from this series!!
HUGE thank you to NetGalley & Berkley for this ARC & Allie Oleander for one of my new fav stories ❦
misc
January 8, 2026I don’t know how I found myself here, but here we are
June 21, 2026
Willing Prey (book 1) was an easy 5 star read for me so I was very excited to get the opportunity to read book 2.
This follows two of the side characters from book 1, Margot and Caine. There is a hint of an attraction between the two in book 1 so it was nice to pick up with these two.
This story follows Margot (+ dog) and Caine house sitting for Shane and Claire. Margot's revenge fuelled disgraced ex husband is on the scene, trying to punish Margot for revealing his crimes that she leaked at the end of their marriage. The story follows two lines: one is Margot's love of horror and her desire to feel fear which leaks into her bedroom interests - Caine is more than happy to help her explore this interest. The other story line is the ex-husband revenge part.
For me the two don't really work together and feel crushed together throughout the book for the sake of the story instead of it naturally working. It leaps from one story line and back to the other on repeat without anything to tie it together seamlessly.
From a character perspective I found Margot pretty unlikeable, I know that she had trauma, troubles and an interesting past but she was blunt, cruel and cold. Now don't get me wrong, I love an obsessed main male character but Caine's 5 year long obsession seemed random.
Overall it's not a bad story and I did enjoy the last 5%. Maybe I shouldn't be comparing it so heavily to the good time I had with Willing Prey (book 1) but this lacked the flow, the chemistry and the humour that was present in its predecessor.
Thank you to Random House UK and Allie Oleander for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.
This follows two of the side characters from book 1, Margot and Caine. There is a hint of an attraction between the two in book 1 so it was nice to pick up with these two.
This story follows Margot (+ dog) and Caine house sitting for Shane and Claire. Margot's revenge fuelled disgraced ex husband is on the scene, trying to punish Margot for revealing his crimes that she leaked at the end of their marriage. The story follows two lines: one is Margot's love of horror and her desire to feel fear which leaks into her bedroom interests - Caine is more than happy to help her explore this interest. The other story line is the ex-husband revenge part.
For me the two don't really work together and feel crushed together throughout the book for the sake of the story instead of it naturally working. It leaps from one story line and back to the other on repeat without anything to tie it together seamlessly.
From a character perspective I found Margot pretty unlikeable, I know that she had trauma, troubles and an interesting past but she was blunt, cruel and cold. Now don't get me wrong, I love an obsessed main male character but Caine's 5 year long obsession seemed random.
Overall it's not a bad story and I did enjoy the last 5%. Maybe I shouldn't be comparing it so heavily to the good time I had with Willing Prey (book 1) but this lacked the flow, the chemistry and the humour that was present in its predecessor.
Thank you to Random House UK and Allie Oleander for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.
April 10, 2026
I am OBSESSED! (And much like Margot, I’m not sure what that says about me…)
I went into Prey for Me wanting a slutty good time and, good lord, it DELIVERED. Y’all are going to DIE when you meet Caine! He is the golden retriever psychopath of your dreams.
If you’ve been searching for that Lights Out high and only finding disappointment, Prey for Me is here to change the game. It is sexy, laugh out loud funny, full of lovable characters, and just the right amount of dark. (And, in my opinion, better than Lights Out because the fun last throughout the whole book.)
Allie Oleander, can I just give you my credit card number now???? I’m ready to preorder the sister’s book even though it hasn’t officially been announced yet???
Allie is now an auto buy author for me. I can’t see where we go next.
I can’t stress enough how FUN this book is. I went with extremely high expectations because I loved Willing Prey so much (you know when you’re nervous to read a book because you’re worried it won’t be as good as you’ve hyped it up in your head? That was me.) But Caine was even better than I expected. He is the definition of “I know you CAN do it, but I’m going to make your life easier by doing it for you.” My FAVORITE type of MMC.
Highly, highly recommend when you’re in the mood for a SPICY good time.
Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC.
I went into Prey for Me wanting a slutty good time and, good lord, it DELIVERED. Y’all are going to DIE when you meet Caine! He is the golden retriever psychopath of your dreams.
If you’ve been searching for that Lights Out high and only finding disappointment, Prey for Me is here to change the game. It is sexy, laugh out loud funny, full of lovable characters, and just the right amount of dark. (And, in my opinion, better than Lights Out because the fun last throughout the whole book.)
Allie Oleander, can I just give you my credit card number now???? I’m ready to preorder the sister’s book even though it hasn’t officially been announced yet???
Allie is now an auto buy author for me. I can’t see where we go next.
I can’t stress enough how FUN this book is. I went with extremely high expectations because I loved Willing Prey so much (you know when you’re nervous to read a book because you’re worried it won’t be as good as you’ve hyped it up in your head? That was me.) But Caine was even better than I expected. He is the definition of “I know you CAN do it, but I’m going to make your life easier by doing it for you.” My FAVORITE type of MMC.
Highly, highly recommend when you’re in the mood for a SPICY good time.
Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC.
May 31, 2026
This book is so unapologetically hot and I am OBSESSED! 🥵
The story hooked me from the start with the fiercely independent FMC and down-bad MMC, both of whom carry baggage from their traumatic pasts. They had a one-time hookup 5 years ago (so things get spicy nice and early in the book) and now have the opportunity to rekindle things.
I loved how hard the MMC falls for the FMC and how he immediately has her back as they navigate things going down when her past comes back to haunt her. I also loved how beautifully the spice was written to support conversations around consent and establishing expectations, boundaries, and trust. Especially since the spice includes some darker kinks, I felt this was so well-written!
Highly recommend this book for fans of dark and spicy romance!
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!
The story hooked me from the start with the fiercely independent FMC and down-bad MMC, both of whom carry baggage from their traumatic pasts. They had a one-time hookup 5 years ago (so things get spicy nice and early in the book) and now have the opportunity to rekindle things.
I loved how hard the MMC falls for the FMC and how he immediately has her back as they navigate things going down when her past comes back to haunt her. I also loved how beautifully the spice was written to support conversations around consent and establishing expectations, boundaries, and trust. Especially since the spice includes some darker kinks, I felt this was so well-written!
Highly recommend this book for fans of dark and spicy romance!
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!
June 23, 2026
CW: partner violence
I craved Caine and Margot's book after reading Willing Prey. I needed to know everything about their black cat-golden retriever dynamic! As much as I enjoyed parts of this, I want to see what Allie Oleander can do when the plot doesn't revolve around intimate partner violence.
Margot and Caine had a one night stand 5 years ago and he's been obsessed with her ever since. I'm talking "created a Book of Margot where he writes down everything he learns about her" and obsessed. Could this be read as creepy? Absolutely. Did I take it that way? Nope. Caine is charming as hell and I love seeing a man brought to his knees by a woman who won't give him the time of day but hopes that she'll change her mind the more he takes good care of her. And that's what happens here!
However, their romance has a big roadblock in the form of Margot's abusive ex-husband Nicholas who is out of prison and now stalking her. This type of plot is never going to be my favorite and that's simply because it's both overdone and rarely treated in a way that works for me. The same was true here.
I loved watching Margot grow to trust Caine and that he would continue to take care of her. They have great chemistry and it was fun (and hot) to watch them try out different kinks. And the kinks were true to their characterization, which unfortunately is not often the case for romance these days so it stands out even more when you can tell an author is being thoughtful about it. Another nice touch was Caine's past as a reality show villain on Love & Ink and how he went to therapy after. It really rounded out his character in an interesting way.
I hope Caine and Shane's sister Delaney gets a book next. I need to know more about her!
Characters: Margot is a 36 year old tall white personal assistant, freelance virtual assistant, and vegetarian who has some sensory issues. She has a Yorkie Mix named Gremlin (which Caine calls Germ). Caine is a 36 year old white tattoo artist, haunted house designer, and former reality show contestant. They had a one night stand 5 years ago. This is set in Newbound, Maine.
Content notes: stalking by abusive ex-husband, on-page confrontation with abuser, past partner violence, past attempted murder of abusive husband , past child physical and emotional abuse by MMC's father (who was a cop), past religious abuse, religious trauma, nightmare, depression (FMC takes antidepressant), past mental health stigma by FMC's ex-husband, past therapy for anger management issues, off page murder, physical assault, stun gun, breaking and entering, past police corruption (didn't take action against FMC's abuser), haunted house, vandalism, MMC steals FMC's underwear before they're together, lacerations, concussion, latex allergy, sensory issues, use of fitness tracker, past purity culture, past kink-shaming by FMC's ex-husband, misogyny, poisonous snakes, animal blood, FMC's televangelist ex-husband was incarcerated for fraud and embezzlement and recently released from prison, past divorce, past death of MMC's abusive father, legend of married couple who drowned after their boat capsized, past brief boss-employee relationship (FMC agreed to be hunted by her boss but safeworded out before sex), on page sex, power exchange, consensual nonconsent, fear play, knife play, primal play, mask play, pain play, degradation play, mirror sex, voyeurism, bondage, praise kink, outdoor sex, spitting, orgasm control, gag, sex toy, masturbation, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide and addiction
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Berkley.
I craved Caine and Margot's book after reading Willing Prey. I needed to know everything about their black cat-golden retriever dynamic! As much as I enjoyed parts of this, I want to see what Allie Oleander can do when the plot doesn't revolve around intimate partner violence.
Margot and Caine had a one night stand 5 years ago and he's been obsessed with her ever since. I'm talking "created a Book of Margot where he writes down everything he learns about her" and obsessed. Could this be read as creepy? Absolutely. Did I take it that way? Nope. Caine is charming as hell and I love seeing a man brought to his knees by a woman who won't give him the time of day but hopes that she'll change her mind the more he takes good care of her. And that's what happens here!
However, their romance has a big roadblock in the form of Margot's abusive ex-husband Nicholas who is out of prison and now stalking her. This type of plot is never going to be my favorite and that's simply because it's both overdone and rarely treated in a way that works for me. The same was true here.
I loved watching Margot grow to trust Caine and that he would continue to take care of her. They have great chemistry and it was fun (and hot) to watch them try out different kinks. And the kinks were true to their characterization, which unfortunately is not often the case for romance these days so it stands out even more when you can tell an author is being thoughtful about it. Another nice touch was Caine's past as a reality show villain on Love & Ink and how he went to therapy after. It really rounded out his character in an interesting way.
I hope Caine and Shane's sister Delaney gets a book next. I need to know more about her!
Characters: Margot is a 36 year old tall white personal assistant, freelance virtual assistant, and vegetarian who has some sensory issues. She has a Yorkie Mix named Gremlin (which Caine calls Germ). Caine is a 36 year old white tattoo artist, haunted house designer, and former reality show contestant. They had a one night stand 5 years ago. This is set in Newbound, Maine.
Content notes: stalking by abusive ex-husband, on-page confrontation with abuser, past partner violence, past attempted murder of abusive husband , past child physical and emotional abuse by MMC's father (who was a cop), past religious abuse, religious trauma, nightmare, depression (FMC takes antidepressant), past mental health stigma by FMC's ex-husband, past therapy for anger management issues, off page murder, physical assault, stun gun, breaking and entering, past police corruption (didn't take action against FMC's abuser), haunted house, vandalism, MMC steals FMC's underwear before they're together, lacerations, concussion, latex allergy, sensory issues, use of fitness tracker, past purity culture, past kink-shaming by FMC's ex-husband, misogyny, poisonous snakes, animal blood, FMC's televangelist ex-husband was incarcerated for fraud and embezzlement and recently released from prison, past divorce, past death of MMC's abusive father, legend of married couple who drowned after their boat capsized, past brief boss-employee relationship (FMC agreed to be hunted by her boss but safeworded out before sex), on page sex, power exchange, consensual nonconsent, fear play, knife play, primal play, mask play, pain play, degradation play, mirror sex, voyeurism, bondage, praise kink, outdoor sex, spitting, orgasm control, gag, sex toy, masturbation, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide and addiction
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Berkley.
April 25, 2026
Holy hell, Allie. Honestly, came in here prepared for a second book to seem a little forced, given book one's content. But nope. Allie, I don't know what is going on in that head of yours, but I am here for every second of it. Somehow, this one was even more creative than the last, and I was even more in love. The stalker elements of these brothers should probably be looked at by a therapist, but also, hey boy...what's up?
The ex in this one was such a fun storyline; the snakes were the perfect amount of creepy and Southern Baptist. Honestly, kind of gave True Blood intro sequence vibes...big fan. I loved how this was balanced between the psychological warfare the ex was waging, and the romance Caine was working so hard to get her to register was happening. The quips and character interactions here were amazingly done, and I loved the character exploration. It was fun to see a writer allowing them to learn together, versus knowing everything all at once.
This writing style, this storyline, is absolute gold. I am soooo beyond ecstatic that I got to read this month's in advance, and will NEVER stop recommending this series.
So glad Berkley chose me for an advanced copy of this read, everyone go read book one before this releases!
The ex in this one was such a fun storyline; the snakes were the perfect amount of creepy and Southern Baptist. Honestly, kind of gave True Blood intro sequence vibes...big fan. I loved how this was balanced between the psychological warfare the ex was waging, and the romance Caine was working so hard to get her to register was happening. The quips and character interactions here were amazingly done, and I loved the character exploration. It was fun to see a writer allowing them to learn together, versus knowing everything all at once.
This writing style, this storyline, is absolute gold. I am soooo beyond ecstatic that I got to read this month's in advance, and will NEVER stop recommending this series.
So glad Berkley chose me for an advanced copy of this read, everyone go read book one before this releases!
June 1, 2026
4⭐/4🌶️
I loved this a LOT. If you thought Willing Prey was a fune time, then make room for Margot and Caine's story because they are about the up the anti in Prey for Me! This was spicy, unhinged, and the perfect read for all of us dark romance lovers out there!
We learn a lot more about Margot and Caine after their introduction in Willing Prey. This picks up shortly after book 1 with Margot house sitting for Shane and Claire as they go "hike" through the Appalachian (Yeah, we all know what's what). We find out Caine's moved back and when he finds out Margot's single we get to hang on for the ride. But Margot's got some history and all of that is brought to light while she begins to navigate her feelings for Caine.
I thought this was a great story and next step in this world and I can't wait to see what's next!
Special thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the advanced readers copy!
I loved this a LOT. If you thought Willing Prey was a fune time, then make room for Margot and Caine's story because they are about the up the anti in Prey for Me! This was spicy, unhinged, and the perfect read for all of us dark romance lovers out there!
We learn a lot more about Margot and Caine after their introduction in Willing Prey. This picks up shortly after book 1 with Margot house sitting for Shane and Claire as they go "hike" through the Appalachian (Yeah, we all know what's what). We find out Caine's moved back and when he finds out Margot's single we get to hang on for the ride. But Margot's got some history and all of that is brought to light while she begins to navigate her feelings for Caine.
I thought this was a great story and next step in this world and I can't wait to see what's next!
Special thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the advanced readers copy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2026
I’m really happy I got excepted for this arc because I enjoyed willing prey so much.
This one was definitely on the darker side and if Allie is making this a trilogy I’m definitely interested in reading the next book in this series.
Didn’t love it as much as willing prey, I think the plot in this was just a little more detailed which is fine but at times I was really just felt like I was very slowly waiting for something interesting to happen…
But I enjoyed the characters dynamics and how Caine is such a protector and literally would do anything for Margot.
Themes:
• fear play
• stalker ex
• would literally kill for her
• haunted house escape rooms
• a little chase play
This one was definitely on the darker side and if Allie is making this a trilogy I’m definitely interested in reading the next book in this series.
Didn’t love it as much as willing prey, I think the plot in this was just a little more detailed which is fine but at times I was really just felt like I was very slowly waiting for something interesting to happen…
But I enjoyed the characters dynamics and how Caine is such a protector and literally would do anything for Margot.
Themes:
• fear play
• stalker ex
• would literally kill for her
• haunted house escape rooms
• a little chase play
May 11, 2026
Thank you to Allie Oleander, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review.
Oh. Em. Gee. I thought I loved the first book. The sequel? Perfection. I am a horror loving girl so having our lead run a haunt and they meet in it for the first time? I was already in on principle! I seriously loved this book. Caine was everything I wanted and more. I was so excited to see more from Margot. Now I just need another book with Delaney to complete the sibling trilogy. Please?!?
✔️ Fear Play
✔️ Mask Play
✔️ Religious Trauma
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Revenge
Oh. Em. Gee. I thought I loved the first book. The sequel? Perfection. I am a horror loving girl so having our lead run a haunt and they meet in it for the first time? I was already in on principle! I seriously loved this book. Caine was everything I wanted and more. I was so excited to see more from Margot. Now I just need another book with Delaney to complete the sibling trilogy. Please?!?
✔️ Fear Play
✔️ Mask Play
✔️ Religious Trauma
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Revenge
May 9, 2026
Caine might be the better brother I’m sooooo sorry Shane 🤫🫣
While I still think Willing Prey is the GOAT in this series so far, this really delivered for me. Caine is so down bad it’s actually kind of unreal. I wish the plot with her ex-husband was drawn out just a teensy bit more (because duhhhhh more protective Caine) but honestly just really devoured this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC!
While I still think Willing Prey is the GOAT in this series so far, this really delivered for me. Caine is so down bad it’s actually kind of unreal. I wish the plot with her ex-husband was drawn out just a teensy bit more (because duhhhhh more protective Caine) but honestly just really devoured this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC!
May 29, 2026
this was fun as hell! I actually think I enjoyed it even more than the first book. a little bit dark and creepy, quite a bit smutty, and overall just a really enjoyable time. the fmc was so bratty and I LOVED that. what a fun ass book.
Read
June 17, 2026I'm calling this genre "domesticated dark romance," because it takes beats and features from dark romance but ends up being about thoroughly normal people with normal kinky interests, which is a particular tonal and literal choice that I find very charming, personally. This one was a little more explicitly dark than its predecessor (which I also enjoyed thoroughly). I like Allie Oleander's voice a lot and will continue reading her work!!
May 4, 2026
“𝔾𝕠𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤. ℍ𝕠𝕨’𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕪?”
Thank you so much to @allie.oleander and @berkleyromance for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Willing Prey was one of my favorite reads last year. (Admittedly, your girl may have an extensive collection of Primal Play books 🫣) I bought a copy for myself as well as several others for gifts for friends. So you can imagine how excited I was to read book 2.
In 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞 we get Caine and Margot’s story. I LOVE how down bad Caine is for Margot. And the YEARNING - SO MUCH YEARNING. His attention to detail is *chef’s kiss*
If you love the idea of being being hunted down in a haunted house by a masked man, then this is the book for you 😉
On a side note, I imagined a tattooed Matthew Lillard as Caine. Maybe it was the mask play and his personality?
Will we get lucky and get a book 3 with Delaney as the FMC? Title Idea: Livin’ on a Preyer. (All jokes aside please write more. I will read everything.)
Thank you so much to @allie.oleander and @berkleyromance for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Willing Prey was one of my favorite reads last year. (Admittedly, your girl may have an extensive collection of Primal Play books 🫣) I bought a copy for myself as well as several others for gifts for friends. So you can imagine how excited I was to read book 2.
In 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞 we get Caine and Margot’s story. I LOVE how down bad Caine is for Margot. And the YEARNING - SO MUCH YEARNING. His attention to detail is *chef’s kiss*
If you love the idea of being being hunted down in a haunted house by a masked man, then this is the book for you 😉
On a side note, I imagined a tattooed Matthew Lillard as Caine. Maybe it was the mask play and his personality?
Will we get lucky and get a book 3 with Delaney as the FMC? Title Idea: Livin’ on a Preyer. (All jokes aside please write more. I will read everything.)
June 13, 2026
Willing Prey was a fun read that didn’t hit my expectations in a certain way, though I think that may be because when I hear “primal play romance” I expect a certain level of taboo, but that taboo was expertly removed by the book distinctly stating how explicitly consensual everything was at multiple intervals. Which is great! But as someone who likes a taboo exploration, the macabre in erotica—and when I as the reader don’t constantly feel beaten over the head by look how correctly I’m writing my sex scenes—the first installment of this series was a touch underwhelming. (If I had used Goodreads when I first read it, I probably would have given it three stars: liked it but didn’t love it.)
Prey For Me is an entirely different formula, which I appreciate, and I am very much a fan of the underlining religious trauma plot and haunting ex-husband. Plus, Caine is a classic down-bad-borderline-simp MMC, another thing I heavily appreciate, so all in all, a solid second installment for me personally.
That being said! Time to yap.
And I’m struggling how to put it into words—there’s something about the writing style that just goes against the grain in my brain. I can’t remember if I felt this way while reading book 1, but I’m definitely noticing it in book 2. I’ll do my best to describe it.
Every statement/piece of dialogue is prefaced with or followed by a qualifier, and every thought must be expounded upon. To the point where sometimes getting through scenes can feel exhausting.
Well, Tiana, isn’t that just how a story is told? I think that depends on what you as a reader look for in your authors/writing styles, because stories can be told in a variety of ways. How Olleander writes is a very particular type, which is by following up every line with an addition to that line, like the line can’t breathe nor stand on its own. I guess you could say there’s a lot of fluff, but even that is a subjective word here.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Specifically, the entire set of chapters/scenes in the first chunk of the book where Caine comes into the house, she attacks him, they settle, they find the snake (War), and all that comes afterward, read like an agonizing stretch where every time we took a break from dialogue or momentum to internally slog through something, I wanted to shake the book to let loose some words that seemed unnecessary. Tension was meant to be placed/built in this scene (it’s our rising action!) but tension kept breaking because of how much we drew out this action. The action wasn’t rising, the action was being told to me, therefore making me feel none of the emotions the MCs were. It felt like a loss.
Of course, this is an opinion. Others will read this and say they have no idea what I’m talking about which, again, is fine!!! This was just a thing I noticed as I kept going, like moments were strung long for no reason other than to add in more descriptive language or give us more borderline repetitive thought, and it would make me want to skip ahead which I vehemently never do because information will inevitably be missed. But feeling that as a reader raises a flag for me, so I’d be remiss not to point it out.
Overall, this was another fun read that will work as a gateway for random pedestrians to explore kink. We love to see it! I just, again, can’t help but feel like something is missing. Like we danced up to a point only to shy away from it. Because, as always, we as a society must sit in the sex we write/read incredibly morally and ethically, even while trying to explore things most would deem not moral or ethical.
I just want someone to take the plunge, ‘cause I’ll dive right in with them.
(thank you Berkley, Penguin Random House, Allie Olleander, and Netgalley for the arc)
Prey For Me is an entirely different formula, which I appreciate, and I am very much a fan of the underlining religious trauma plot and haunting ex-husband. Plus, Caine is a classic down-bad-borderline-simp MMC, another thing I heavily appreciate, so all in all, a solid second installment for me personally.
That being said! Time to yap.
And I’m struggling how to put it into words—there’s something about the writing style that just goes against the grain in my brain. I can’t remember if I felt this way while reading book 1, but I’m definitely noticing it in book 2. I’ll do my best to describe it.
Every statement/piece of dialogue is prefaced with or followed by a qualifier, and every thought must be expounded upon. To the point where sometimes getting through scenes can feel exhausting.
Well, Tiana, isn’t that just how a story is told? I think that depends on what you as a reader look for in your authors/writing styles, because stories can be told in a variety of ways. How Olleander writes is a very particular type, which is by following up every line with an addition to that line, like the line can’t breathe nor stand on its own. I guess you could say there’s a lot of fluff, but even that is a subjective word here.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Specifically, the entire set of chapters/scenes in the first chunk of the book where Caine comes into the house, she attacks him, they settle, they find the snake (War), and all that comes afterward, read like an agonizing stretch where every time we took a break from dialogue or momentum to internally slog through something, I wanted to shake the book to let loose some words that seemed unnecessary. Tension was meant to be placed/built in this scene (it’s our rising action!) but tension kept breaking because of how much we drew out this action. The action wasn’t rising, the action was being told to me, therefore making me feel none of the emotions the MCs were. It felt like a loss.
Of course, this is an opinion. Others will read this and say they have no idea what I’m talking about which, again, is fine!!! This was just a thing I noticed as I kept going, like moments were strung long for no reason other than to add in more descriptive language or give us more borderline repetitive thought, and it would make me want to skip ahead which I vehemently never do because information will inevitably be missed. But feeling that as a reader raises a flag for me, so I’d be remiss not to point it out.
Overall, this was another fun read that will work as a gateway for random pedestrians to explore kink. We love to see it! I just, again, can’t help but feel like something is missing. Like we danced up to a point only to shy away from it. Because, as always, we as a society must sit in the sex we write/read incredibly morally and ethically, even while trying to explore things most would deem not moral or ethical.
I just want someone to take the plunge, ‘cause I’ll dive right in with them.
(thank you Berkley, Penguin Random House, Allie Olleander, and Netgalley for the arc)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2026
3⭐️ Right down the middle because there were parts that I absolutely loved and parts that irritated the hell out of me.
Let me start by saying, I absolutely LOVED Willing Prey and could tell almost immediately that this book wasn’t going to live up to my expectation. It started out on the slower side and failed to pull me in. Then Caine enters the chat and suddenly I was all in. Caine is without a doubt the star of the show and pretty much carried this entire book all on his own. His character was EVERYTHING! He is funny, sexy, charming, loyal, and the boy has got it bad for Margot. Oleander does a great job writing his character. It was so easy to see a clear picture of Caine down to his facial expressions while reading. If I was rating this book off of him alone this would easily be a 5 star story. Another thing I loved about this book was the setting. In the first book it’s all about being chased through the woods. I love how the author kept the theme of the chase but changed it up to a haunted house setting instead. It was a creepy, atmospheric experience and I loved it.
When the author would focus in on the parts of the book that mattered it was amazing but then she would focus in on other things that were completely overkill. Whenever she would do this it would throw me out of the story every time. For starters, she was hyper focused on Margot’s ex being a “Christian” - which, I’ve been a Christian for 41 years and at no point have I, the Bible, or God acted the way the ex did but ok... fine. However, it felt like her energy was more focused on distorting God than on developing the story and its characters. It’s one thing to give us backstory and lay a foundation but AO was so hyper focused on demonizing the religion that the writing became more like random tangents that would drag on rather than storytelling. It was painfully boring and I would find myself skipping over pages. Then we get to the end with the ex and it was so anticlimactic. Like, really? You spent all that time spinning your wheels on the crazy Christian ex husband and then that’s it? Her focus was definitely misplaced. Another example of this was the whole safe sex scene authors will add. Allie Oleander takes this to a whole new level. 😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫 “I have an IUD, but I also take the pill and I’m clean.” “Yeah, me too. Here let me pull up my medical app to show you.” This man has not been with anyone since Margot over 5 years ago and he is pulling out a medical app showing his clean bill of health….? Then we’ve got Margot discussing her two forms of birth control (is that even safe? I didn’t even know that was a thing). You’d think they are good but nope by the next sex scene we get the talk all over again. At one point I laughed out loud because Caine makes the comment he hasn’t been with anyone but her and the last time he was with her by this point was like two days prior and they have been joined at the hip the entire time. Who would he have even have time to be with?!?! Gremlin, Margot’s yorkie?? 🤦🏼♀️😅
And lastly, the final complaint I have is that Margot isn’t as well written as Caine. Her entire personality was made up of two parts - her ex husband and her needy vag. Her character was so boring and her attempt at snark just came off bitchy. I did not like her at all.
I will continue recommending Willing Prey until I’m blue in the face but as far as Prey On Me, meh… take it or leave it. I wish I could somehow transplant Caine out of this story and into one with an FMC that actually adds value to the story.
Also, who wants to bet the third book in the series is going to be orange? I’m calling it now. 😅
Let me start by saying, I absolutely LOVED Willing Prey and could tell almost immediately that this book wasn’t going to live up to my expectation. It started out on the slower side and failed to pull me in. Then Caine enters the chat and suddenly I was all in. Caine is without a doubt the star of the show and pretty much carried this entire book all on his own. His character was EVERYTHING! He is funny, sexy, charming, loyal, and the boy has got it bad for Margot. Oleander does a great job writing his character. It was so easy to see a clear picture of Caine down to his facial expressions while reading. If I was rating this book off of him alone this would easily be a 5 star story. Another thing I loved about this book was the setting. In the first book it’s all about being chased through the woods. I love how the author kept the theme of the chase but changed it up to a haunted house setting instead. It was a creepy, atmospheric experience and I loved it.
When the author would focus in on the parts of the book that mattered it was amazing but then she would focus in on other things that were completely overkill. Whenever she would do this it would throw me out of the story every time. For starters, she was hyper focused on Margot’s ex being a “Christian” - which, I’ve been a Christian for 41 years and at no point have I, the Bible, or God acted the way the ex did but ok... fine. However, it felt like her energy was more focused on distorting God than on developing the story and its characters. It’s one thing to give us backstory and lay a foundation but AO was so hyper focused on demonizing the religion that the writing became more like random tangents that would drag on rather than storytelling. It was painfully boring and I would find myself skipping over pages. Then we get to the end with the ex and it was so anticlimactic. Like, really? You spent all that time spinning your wheels on the crazy Christian ex husband and then that’s it? Her focus was definitely misplaced. Another example of this was the whole safe sex scene authors will add. Allie Oleander takes this to a whole new level. 😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫 “I have an IUD, but I also take the pill and I’m clean.” “Yeah, me too. Here let me pull up my medical app to show you.” This man has not been with anyone since Margot over 5 years ago and he is pulling out a medical app showing his clean bill of health….? Then we’ve got Margot discussing her two forms of birth control (is that even safe? I didn’t even know that was a thing). You’d think they are good but nope by the next sex scene we get the talk all over again. At one point I laughed out loud because Caine makes the comment he hasn’t been with anyone but her and the last time he was with her by this point was like two days prior and they have been joined at the hip the entire time. Who would he have even have time to be with?!?! Gremlin, Margot’s yorkie?? 🤦🏼♀️😅
And lastly, the final complaint I have is that Margot isn’t as well written as Caine. Her entire personality was made up of two parts - her ex husband and her needy vag. Her character was so boring and her attempt at snark just came off bitchy. I did not like her at all.
I will continue recommending Willing Prey until I’m blue in the face but as far as Prey On Me, meh… take it or leave it. I wish I could somehow transplant Caine out of this story and into one with an FMC that actually adds value to the story.
Also, who wants to bet the third book in the series is going to be orange? I’m calling it now. 😅
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book is intense, and I had a great time reading it. We first witnessed Margot and Caine in Willing Prey where they had a bickering dynamic and he was super into her and she was engaged to someone else. This book flashes back to two years before the action of Willing Prey, with Margot and Caine having a super hot encounter but the timing is not right. Now it's five years later, Margot is no longer engaged and Caine is making his move.
Unfortunately someone else is also making a move against Margot, but where she was once isolated and alone in her fight against this person, now she has Caine on her side. While this other person is after her, she and Caine are becoming more involved. He is All In from the beginning and trying to bring her along, and in the meantime they are constantly intimate physically, even if she won't allow herself to be intimate emotionally. I love the way Oleander has left clues for the reader to pick up on and piece together about the other plot line. The many high heat scenes are both astonishingly hot and continue to do character and plot development work, in a skillful way that was also present in the first of the series, and is hard to pull off in these more scalding romances.
Caine has truly taken some Questionable! Actions! with regards to Margot, and even though they both see them for the red flags they are, to Margot those flags are a semaphore guiding her home. Every time she reveals something about herself that she thinks with be The Thing That Is Too Much, Caine accepts it with a good for you for trying something new. "It's flattering and unnerving how he orientates his energy to mine, unlike anything I've ever experienced. My bones rattle with how right this is, how connected we feel, how seen I am."
The relationship dynamic only works because Caine has a level of dedication and devotion towards Margot that is completely primal. If he weren't so into her and putting her first in every instance, this book wouldn't work. It gives the reader a safety net to enjoy how out there these two are with their wants and what turns them on. That and the fundamental understanding that especially where Margot is concerned Caine will do the right thing. We see this early on with a lovely reminder that especially where kink is involved, consent can be withdrawn at any time, "This should go without saying, but I don't know how comfortable you are hitting the brakes. So know that it won't be a big deal if you do. You're the boss."
The only thing about this book that I bumped on (and given all the actions of our mains during this, that is saying a LOT) is that before they are involved they make their annual bet which is settled at a specific time in the fall, with different stakes this time from usual. Once they are involved in a relationship, let alone in the ten weeks following their mutual declarations, it made zero sense to me that they would keep to the terms of the deal.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the arc.
Unfortunately someone else is also making a move against Margot, but where she was once isolated and alone in her fight against this person, now she has Caine on her side. While this other person is after her, she and Caine are becoming more involved. He is All In from the beginning and trying to bring her along, and in the meantime they are constantly intimate physically, even if she won't allow herself to be intimate emotionally. I love the way Oleander has left clues for the reader to pick up on and piece together about the other plot line. The many high heat scenes are both astonishingly hot and continue to do character and plot development work, in a skillful way that was also present in the first of the series, and is hard to pull off in these more scalding romances.
Caine has truly taken some Questionable! Actions! with regards to Margot, and even though they both see them for the red flags they are, to Margot those flags are a semaphore guiding her home. Every time she reveals something about herself that she thinks with be The Thing That Is Too Much, Caine accepts it with a good for you for trying something new. "It's flattering and unnerving how he orientates his energy to mine, unlike anything I've ever experienced. My bones rattle with how right this is, how connected we feel, how seen I am."
The relationship dynamic only works because Caine has a level of dedication and devotion towards Margot that is completely primal. If he weren't so into her and putting her first in every instance, this book wouldn't work. It gives the reader a safety net to enjoy how out there these two are with their wants and what turns them on. That and the fundamental understanding that especially where Margot is concerned Caine will do the right thing. We see this early on with a lovely reminder that especially where kink is involved, consent can be withdrawn at any time, "This should go without saying, but I don't know how comfortable you are hitting the brakes. So know that it won't be a big deal if you do. You're the boss."
The only thing about this book that I bumped on (and given all the actions of our mains during this, that is saying a LOT) is that before they are involved they make their annual bet which is settled at a specific time in the fall, with different stakes this time from usual. Once they are involved in a relationship, let alone in the ten weeks following their mutual declarations, it made zero sense to me that they would keep to the terms of the deal.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After finishing Willing Prey I quite literally ran right over to this one. Willing Prey I think will always be my favorite, (the primal play does it for me in a way I will not be talking to a therapist about 😅). But Caine and Margot in Prey For Me bring a darker, more depraved, but still excellently playful dynamic that really spiced up the series as a whole.
💚 Primal & Mask Play
🖤 Friends to Lovers
💚 He Falls First (& On His Face)
🖤 Fear Play
💚 Stalker Ex
🖤 Haunted House Escape Room
I loved Margot and Caine as side characters in Willing Prey and I was really interested in seeing how the author was going to write their story. Just as I had hoped, it was quite a bit darker than the previous book and I think it was the perfect atmosphere to set the stage for Caine and Margot.
Caine was an absolute delight! I knew he would be after the last book, but he exceeded every expection I had for him. A top notch yearner, and quite literally the most down bad man I have ever seen. He was so gone for Margot. As the story unfolded and he unpealed layer after layer of his obsession for her, I was losing my mind. He's obsessed, a little unhinged, but an big old sweetie. Absolutely the shining star in this!
Now Margot was slightly insane... and I loved it 😅. She was so strong willed, and I really enjoyed getting a look into her past and how she became the way she is. There were times that I wanted to just shake her and get her to open up more to Caine, but she got there in her own time so it worked out in the end.
The dynamic between Caine and Margot was so much fun. They were both slightly unhinged, and very much insane but in the best way! I loved them going toe to toe, and seeing Caine be absolutely feral for Margot. That woman could light him on fire and he would say thank you with a smile on his face, and I personally find that energy so endearing 🤭
The only con I have for this is I would have liked a bit more of a showdown between Margot, Caine, and her horrible ex husband. It was built up so high throughout the story, just for it to be over with quite quickly towards the end. I wanted a bit more of an explanation from the ex, and call me crazy but a touch more drama.
Overall, a lovely edition to this series and the little universe Allie Oleander has growing here. I don't know what her writing plans are for the future, but I really hope the third Underwood sibling Delaney will be included somehow. We haven't even formally met her, but the details both brothers have shared so far have me so intrigued! Either way, I'm excited to see what's next 🥰
Also lastly, I know this releases in September of this year and that is absolutely the perfect time of year for it! The spooky, masked man, haunted house vibes are going to be perfect for fall. Nevertheless, I read this in May and absolutely devoured it but I can only imagine that reading it in the fall would heighten the overall experience.
** Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
💚 Primal & Mask Play
🖤 Friends to Lovers
💚 He Falls First (& On His Face)
🖤 Fear Play
💚 Stalker Ex
🖤 Haunted House Escape Room
I loved Margot and Caine as side characters in Willing Prey and I was really interested in seeing how the author was going to write their story. Just as I had hoped, it was quite a bit darker than the previous book and I think it was the perfect atmosphere to set the stage for Caine and Margot.
Caine was an absolute delight! I knew he would be after the last book, but he exceeded every expection I had for him. A top notch yearner, and quite literally the most down bad man I have ever seen. He was so gone for Margot. As the story unfolded and he unpealed layer after layer of his obsession for her, I was losing my mind. He's obsessed, a little unhinged, but an big old sweetie. Absolutely the shining star in this!
Now Margot was slightly insane... and I loved it 😅. She was so strong willed, and I really enjoyed getting a look into her past and how she became the way she is. There were times that I wanted to just shake her and get her to open up more to Caine, but she got there in her own time so it worked out in the end.
The dynamic between Caine and Margot was so much fun. They were both slightly unhinged, and very much insane but in the best way! I loved them going toe to toe, and seeing Caine be absolutely feral for Margot. That woman could light him on fire and he would say thank you with a smile on his face, and I personally find that energy so endearing 🤭
The only con I have for this is I would have liked a bit more of a showdown between Margot, Caine, and her horrible ex husband. It was built up so high throughout the story, just for it to be over with quite quickly towards the end. I wanted a bit more of an explanation from the ex, and call me crazy but a touch more drama.
Overall, a lovely edition to this series and the little universe Allie Oleander has growing here. I don't know what her writing plans are for the future, but I really hope the third Underwood sibling Delaney will be included somehow. We haven't even formally met her, but the details both brothers have shared so far have me so intrigued! Either way, I'm excited to see what's next 🥰
Also lastly, I know this releases in September of this year and that is absolutely the perfect time of year for it! The spooky, masked man, haunted house vibes are going to be perfect for fall. Nevertheless, I read this in May and absolutely devoured it but I can only imagine that reading it in the fall would heighten the overall experience.
** Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Soooo I may or may not have read this in one sitting… the moment it delivered to my Kindle library… and I may or may not be regretting it now that it’s over. I read Willing Prey in October of last year (sometime after Probably Smut announced it as their monthly book pick), and I loved it so much more than I was expecting! This book? I loved it even more than the first.
Caine is a MMC who is down BAD. He’s obsessed with Margot in all the right ways—in the ways she deserves (even when she thinks she doesn’t). I really enjoyed the combination of dark romance with the added spooky/horror movie/haunted house moments. Listen, when I first started this, I swear all I planned to do was read a couple of chapters, which then turned into a few more, and suddenly it was 3am and I was turning the last page. I quite honestly devoured this book, and a tiny part of me wishes I hadn’t because what am I supposed to read to fill this Allie Oleander/primal play romance void? Maybe a reread? Stay tuned!
“For all the time I spent in church, I never understood reverence. Now I do. It’s in the way he studies my face and adapts before I can ask. How my feelings aren’t an afterthought, but his priority. Reverence is the constant communion, the “Are you with me?” that makes him feel like the safest place on earth.”
The yearning combined with having to wait almost the entire book for their first kiss AND no third act breakup? I was living my best life. It made their first kiss moment towards the end feel so earned and so worth the wait. More than anything, I appreciate how this series and this book in particular is so much more than the spice you know is guaranteed. Allie Oleander does such an incredible job at creating a story that has spice, yes, but that also has a fully fleshed out plot AND emotional vulnerability from both MCs. For dark romance to work for me, the book has to have more substance than just spice scene after spice scene, and this met and exceeded every expectation I had.
“I hear what’s beneath her protest, that questioning part of her that struggles to accept good things. While she’s getting better at identifying it, some beliefs linger for a lifetime. As someone who still flinches when they catch sight of themselves at an angle that looks too much like their father, I understand that. But just like Margot only sees me as me, I’m incapable of seeing her as anything but incredibly deserving. I’d give her the world if I could.”
The biggest thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC, and an even bigger thank you to the author, Allie Oleander, for writing yet another amazing story with some of the best characters you could ask for!
Caine is a MMC who is down BAD. He’s obsessed with Margot in all the right ways—in the ways she deserves (even when she thinks she doesn’t). I really enjoyed the combination of dark romance with the added spooky/horror movie/haunted house moments. Listen, when I first started this, I swear all I planned to do was read a couple of chapters, which then turned into a few more, and suddenly it was 3am and I was turning the last page. I quite honestly devoured this book, and a tiny part of me wishes I hadn’t because what am I supposed to read to fill this Allie Oleander/primal play romance void? Maybe a reread? Stay tuned!
“For all the time I spent in church, I never understood reverence. Now I do. It’s in the way he studies my face and adapts before I can ask. How my feelings aren’t an afterthought, but his priority. Reverence is the constant communion, the “Are you with me?” that makes him feel like the safest place on earth.”
The yearning combined with having to wait almost the entire book for their first kiss AND no third act breakup? I was living my best life. It made their first kiss moment towards the end feel so earned and so worth the wait. More than anything, I appreciate how this series and this book in particular is so much more than the spice you know is guaranteed. Allie Oleander does such an incredible job at creating a story that has spice, yes, but that also has a fully fleshed out plot AND emotional vulnerability from both MCs. For dark romance to work for me, the book has to have more substance than just spice scene after spice scene, and this met and exceeded every expectation I had.
“I hear what’s beneath her protest, that questioning part of her that struggles to accept good things. While she’s getting better at identifying it, some beliefs linger for a lifetime. As someone who still flinches when they catch sight of themselves at an angle that looks too much like their father, I understand that. But just like Margot only sees me as me, I’m incapable of seeing her as anything but incredibly deserving. I’d give her the world if I could.”
The biggest thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC, and an even bigger thank you to the author, Allie Oleander, for writing yet another amazing story with some of the best characters you could ask for!
April 11, 2026
I might actually explode.
After reading Willing Prey, I was so excited to read Caine and Margot's story. Their banter within the first book already had me giggling and kicking my feet, but it was just a taste in comparison to what we got in Prey For Me.
Caine, a tattoo artist, haunted house afficionato and former reality TV star, has been in love with Margot for five years. FIVE. YEARS. After they hooked up at the local haunted house, he couldn't get her off his mind. She sunk her way into the very foundation of his being but like Cinderella, after their intense hook up she escaped into the night, leaving behind a pair of panties and a man who craved more.
Margot, Shane's assistant, has a past that haunts her every waking moment. When her ex-husband, a popular televangelist with a massive following who uses faith to justify his abuse is released from Prison, she knows it's only a matter of time before he comes for her. With raising paranoia mixed with pangs of guilt for her past, Caine crashing into her life by way of breaking into Shane's house and getting tased, was not on her list. And yet, through his charm and determination to help her with her ex, she starts to open up little by little.
Margot's journey throughout this book is nothing short of breathtaking. She goes from hiding her fear behind a mask, to not trusting anyone with her past, with her, to letting in the one person she swore to herself she was going to keep at arms length. Yet Caine's love for her in all consuming, she wouldn't have been able to stop the wave even if she tried.
The BDSM, kink and the relationship between Margot and Caine was so well written. Not only was it hot, but it was emotional, cathartic. The two worked through the mountain of trust issues Margot had through their scenes, which was incredibly beautiful and a wonderful representation of what kink can do.
Not to mention the plot! The plot really was a dark, psychological thriller that had me absolutely devouring this book faster than I devour cookie dough or shredded cheese at 2am! If I didn't have to go to my big-girl job, I would have inhaled this in one sitting and would have been left an empty shell of a person who didn't know how to carry on. That's how much on an impact this book had on me.
Overall, this book didn't disappoint. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I couldn't be more thankful to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Now onto Delaney's book, because we know she's going to be a wildcard!
After reading Willing Prey, I was so excited to read Caine and Margot's story. Their banter within the first book already had me giggling and kicking my feet, but it was just a taste in comparison to what we got in Prey For Me.
Caine, a tattoo artist, haunted house afficionato and former reality TV star, has been in love with Margot for five years. FIVE. YEARS. After they hooked up at the local haunted house, he couldn't get her off his mind. She sunk her way into the very foundation of his being but like Cinderella, after their intense hook up she escaped into the night, leaving behind a pair of panties and a man who craved more.
Margot, Shane's assistant, has a past that haunts her every waking moment. When her ex-husband, a popular televangelist with a massive following who uses faith to justify his abuse is released from Prison, she knows it's only a matter of time before he comes for her. With raising paranoia mixed with pangs of guilt for her past, Caine crashing into her life by way of breaking into Shane's house and getting tased, was not on her list. And yet, through his charm and determination to help her with her ex, she starts to open up little by little.
Margot's journey throughout this book is nothing short of breathtaking. She goes from hiding her fear behind a mask, to not trusting anyone with her past, with her, to letting in the one person she swore to herself she was going to keep at arms length. Yet Caine's love for her in all consuming, she wouldn't have been able to stop the wave even if she tried.
The BDSM, kink and the relationship between Margot and Caine was so well written. Not only was it hot, but it was emotional, cathartic. The two worked through the mountain of trust issues Margot had through their scenes, which was incredibly beautiful and a wonderful representation of what kink can do.
Not to mention the plot! The plot really was a dark, psychological thriller that had me absolutely devouring this book faster than I devour cookie dough or shredded cheese at 2am! If I didn't have to go to my big-girl job, I would have inhaled this in one sitting and would have been left an empty shell of a person who didn't know how to carry on. That's how much on an impact this book had on me.
Overall, this book didn't disappoint. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I couldn't be more thankful to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Now onto Delaney's book, because we know she's going to be a wildcard!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I already know I’m probably going to get some not happy people with this review. But I’m sorry I absolutely did not like this. But what kills me the most about that is this was one of my most anticipated books of 2026. I loved Willing Prey. It was one of my most surprising favorites of 2025. So I had big expectations when a sequel was announced for Caine & Margot. But instead all I was given was a pretty book, with mild spice and disastrous ending.
Now should I have DNF’d this probably but again I loved this author so much I wanted to keep pushing. I will admit my one positive about this whole book was Caine. I freaking loved him as a side character in book one and I loved him even more as the leading MMC here. Caine is a man down bad for his girl and he will go to any lengths to keep her safe. He honestly at times reminded me of Josh from Lights Out. Which I’m not mad about in the slightest. But besides Caine the rest is an absolute dumpster fire.
Let’s start with my first biggest issue our FMC, Margot. I swear to you I wanted to like her. She starts off strong and then she just turns into a bumbling mess. So much of a mess that the girl keeps making stupid decisions. The amount of times I wanted to face palm myself every time she did something was excruciating.
My next biggest issue the spice/kink. Honestly I wasn’t feeling it. Nor was there as much as I was expecting there to be. The whole story was more focused on Margot’s ex-drama. Which is another issue in and of itself self but we’ll get to it. But the spice like sure it was there but I just wasn’t feeling it, nor did I think the connection between Margot ever felt genuine with Caine. Honestly I think Caine can do better but that’s me.
My last issue was the drama around Margot’s ex. We built up this altercation the entire book and for everything to literally be resolved in like two pages. It happened so fast and with hardly any explanation I had to go back and re-read it 3 TIMES just to make sure I understood what had just went down. Like come on you build this up the entire book and that’s all you give us. Just felt extremely unsatisfying.
Overall, sadly this book wasn’t for me. In terms of would I recommend I would still do so if you’re a fan of the series. But if you’re just picking this book up as a standalone I’d say no, and just stick with book one.
Lastly big Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Now should I have DNF’d this probably but again I loved this author so much I wanted to keep pushing. I will admit my one positive about this whole book was Caine. I freaking loved him as a side character in book one and I loved him even more as the leading MMC here. Caine is a man down bad for his girl and he will go to any lengths to keep her safe. He honestly at times reminded me of Josh from Lights Out. Which I’m not mad about in the slightest. But besides Caine the rest is an absolute dumpster fire.
Let’s start with my first biggest issue our FMC, Margot. I swear to you I wanted to like her. She starts off strong and then she just turns into a bumbling mess. So much of a mess that the girl keeps making stupid decisions. The amount of times I wanted to face palm myself every time she did something was excruciating.
My next biggest issue the spice/kink. Honestly I wasn’t feeling it. Nor was there as much as I was expecting there to be. The whole story was more focused on Margot’s ex-drama. Which is another issue in and of itself self but we’ll get to it. But the spice like sure it was there but I just wasn’t feeling it, nor did I think the connection between Margot ever felt genuine with Caine. Honestly I think Caine can do better but that’s me.
My last issue was the drama around Margot’s ex. We built up this altercation the entire book and for everything to literally be resolved in like two pages. It happened so fast and with hardly any explanation I had to go back and re-read it 3 TIMES just to make sure I understood what had just went down. Like come on you build this up the entire book and that’s all you give us. Just felt extremely unsatisfying.
Overall, sadly this book wasn’t for me. In terms of would I recommend I would still do so if you’re a fan of the series. But if you’re just picking this book up as a standalone I’d say no, and just stick with book one.
Lastly big Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an ARC. All opinions are my own.
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