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Trick Or Sweets: A Dark MM Novelete

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TRICK OR SWEETS
A dark MM Halloween novelette that’ll have your pulse racing and your heart pounding.

—


It started as a hookup. A thrill. A fantasy come to life — to be hunted, chased, taken.
But when I meet my online hookup in the park, I realize too late… it isn’t who I thought.
Now the game has changed.
And the only rule left is run.


There’s always been something about Ren that drew me in, but I thought he was straight.
Imagine my surprise when I find out he’s the one meeting up with my mark.
Why did it have to be him? I can’t let Ren become the next name on this killer’s list.

—

Trick Or Sweets is a dark MM novelette full of tension, heat, and danger.
Contains adult content 18+ only

50 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2025

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Emma Capella

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5 stars
64 (44%)
4 stars
48 (33%)
3 stars
23 (16%)
2 stars
5 (3%)
1 star
3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Profile Image for Anna.
158 reviews25 followers
July 30, 2026
If you're a dark romance reader, then this is going to be very vanilla for you.

It's a 52 page short story about a guy meeting his hookup in the forest, with some twists and turns.

There's nothing really notable about this. It's not as dark as the cover and blurb suggests. I like when dark books lean into the humor but this didn't have any of that. The romance was also random.

Fun short story, but didn't knock my socks off.
Profile Image for Whitney.
393 reviews543 followers
November 13, 2025
Ren + Ronan 🖤
Brothers best friend | Primal play | Possession


Yes yes. I'd like some more of this please.
I just wish they kissed at the end. Like even one little kiss.
The underlying sweetness had me melting. Even though they had a safe word and everything, when Ren started yelling stop, Ronan checked in to make sure he was good before proceeding 🥺
That shit will always give my heart a boner.
I'll always be a slut for a consent king.


....


"Fuck... say my name again, baby."

"This is everything I never let myself hope for. And fuck, he's beautiful."

"Last chance, sweets. After this... You belong to me."
"Fuck me, Ronan. I'm already yours."

"Right there. That's it. That's mine."


....

⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists






Tropes/content:
Brothers best friend
Best friends brother
Hidden identity at first
Primal play
CNC
Mask
Mutual pining
Ronan always thought Ren was straight. Ronan was actually Ren's awakening
Possession
Mine
Halloween
Bareback
Desperation
Touch him and die MAX 2.0 - guy was going to kill Ren and before he ever even had the chance to touch him, Ronan killed him


Warnings:
Murder but the bastard deserved it so it's fine
No condom or test results
Profile Image for Kim Reads.
303 reviews63 followers
October 31, 2025
Happy Halloween 😏

This is a very quick novella, perfect for today.

Ren has had fantasies about being chased and claimed in the woods. He tries to use an app to make his dreams come true. But, things take some turns and he finds himself in a situation he could not have predicted.

Ronan is Ren's best friends older brother. He always had a thing for Ren, and maybe now's the perfect timing to do something about it.. ❤️‍🔥

I loved this novella since it's exactly what you want from it, a fast told, spicy and well written story with two very needy guys 🤭
Profile Image for Sara Husser.
772 reviews13 followers
May 30, 2026
💙You taste like terror. Sweet. Addictive. Makes me want to ruin you🖤

"You taste like terror. Sweet. Addictive. Makes me want to ruin you."

"You ran so beautifully. Every step, every sob, every stumble--it made me want you more and more."

"Scared little prey. You came here wanting the hunt. And now? Now you're caught. And you can't stop shaking."

"Feel that, Little Prey? That fear...that need? That belongs to Mr. Only me. And I'm not letting it go."

This was such a great little erotic novella. I wish this was longer because I loved both of these characters so much! This definitely packed a punch and hit all the kinky spicy notes you could want 🔥🔥🔥. If you loved masked men and primal play with a bit of ☠️ mixed in, then this story is for you.

This story follows Ren and Ronan. Ren is meeting someone online for a hook up to do some of his fantasy primal play. What he doesn't know is that this person is a killer. Ronan is after said killer when he finds out his sweets is in danger. Can Ronan save him in time and make him his?

These two were so hot and I want another story for them so bad. They had chemistry straight off and the spice was delicious 🥵🥵🔥🔥. I love how obsessive and protective Ronan was. I love how Ren folded and became submissive to him. This was a great spicy short read! ☠️🩸🔪🥍🎭😈💙🖤
Profile Image for Rae_Reads.
217 reviews15 followers
October 31, 2025
Trick or Sweets by Emma Capella is a short, dark MM novelette that delivers a primal punch in under 50 pages. Fast-paced, high heat, and deliciously twisted—it’s the kind of story that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

Ren’s hookup fantasy is simple: be chased, be caught, be claimed. But when he meets his masked stranger in the park, things spiral fast. This isn’t the man he expected. And the game? It’s no longer just roleplay. It’s real. And the only rule left is: Run.

What follows is a feral, adrenaline-fueled chase through the woods, laced with danger, desire, and a masked vigilante who wants to own Ren completely. The tension is chef’s kiss—every glance, every footfall, every whispered “If I catch you, you’re mine” had me feral.

Despite its brevity, the story manages to sneak in just enough backstory to ground the heat in something deeper. Ren’s darker desires aren’t just kink—they’re catharsis. And the masked man? He’s more than just a fantasy. He’s a reckoning.

The spice? Off the charts. Primal play, masked dominance, and a chase scene that doubles as foreplay. It’s raw, intense, and unapologetically dark.

TW: This is a dark romance with themes that may not be for everyone. Check your triggers before diving in.

Vibes:
- Primal play with real stakes
- Masked man
- Vigilante vibes
- Brother’s best friend
- Short, spicy, and a little unhinged

Rating: 5 ⭐️
Spice: 4 🌶
Profile Image for Ren || The Reader Identity.
2,030 reviews173 followers
September 21, 2026
♡ Ronan + Ren ♡
𝔪𝔪 | 𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔨(𝔦𝔰𝔥) | 𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔢 | 𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔩 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔶 | 𝔟𝔯𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯'𝔰 𝔟𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔣𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔫𝔡 | | 𝔭𝔬𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫

𝗢𝗸𝗮𝘆, 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘀...
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ☆☆☆☆☆/5
ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ: ◇◇◇◇◇/5
ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ: ▪︎▪︎/5

—
𝐻𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑒, 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑘𝑒𝑝𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑑.
—

Well I need about 200 more pages of THAT, because holy fuck, that was intense and HOT AS FUCK.

Y'all, this little novelette came in under 55 pages and I devoured every single word. Thrilling. Fast-paced. Dirty. Depraved. Amazing.

Good grief. The writing was so good. I was drawn in immediately and literally felt the rush.

Ren was utterly terrified being chased. The fact he couldn't resist being turned on was such a realistic display of inner turmoil.

—
𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝑈𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔.
—

And Ronan, that dark, sweet morally gray man. Hot for his brother's best friend and unwilling to let him get away again.

Yes, please.

I need to read more from this author. I vibed like crazy with the writing. SO glad I took a chance with this Halloween read!

𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Trick or Sweets by Emma Capella
2026 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹: 123/150
𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁: ebook - KU
𝗼𝘄/𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮: not really
3𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗽: nope
𝗾𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
“You taste like terror. Sweet. Addictive. Makes me want to ruin you.”
—
“Feel that, Little Prey? That fear… that need? That belongs to me. Only me. And I’m not letting it go.”
—
“Safe word, sweets. Because I’m about to chase you, and when I catch you, I'm going to fuck you until you cry.”
—
“God, look at you. Opened up and fucking crying on my cock… and you still want more.”
—
Profile Image for Whitney Simmons.
113 reviews19 followers
October 22, 2025
This was written by one of my sweet Booksta friends and I had the pleasure of beta reading for her.

And let me just tell you — its’s GOLD!

This little novella is PERFECT for you if you like:
• Halloween
• Primal Play
• HOTTTTT Spice

It is an MM romance and has a very surprising twist that makes it SOOOO much better than I was expecting!

Check it out on 10/31! ❤️
Profile Image for Natalie.
779 reviews25 followers
October 31, 2025
This story was an absolute joy to read.Everyone's going to want more of Ren & Ronan. It was fastpaced, enthralling & fun. I honestly don’t know how Emma did it, but she made me fall in love with Ren and Ronan so quickly with her incredible storytelling. I can sometimes read a novel & not be captured by the characters the way i was by this story.Every scene was so detailed that i felt like I was right there, watching everything happen.
This novelette is thrilling, heart racing,spicy and deeply immersive. Emma’s writing is magnetic, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Profile Image for Ronan.
18 reviews3 followers
November 7, 2025
What a great spicy short story!! Turned out to be exactly what I needed right now and hooked my attention effortlessly. I went into it looking for something short and spicy and low commitment because I’m in a bit of a reading slump and ended up sad there wasn’t more of it. Love 💜
Profile Image for Brooke (reads by b).
91 reviews7 followers
October 31, 2025
This is the PERFECT spooky season novella. It is a super quick read, and very well written. It made me laugh and it’s perfectly spicy. I would LOVE to see more of them.
Profile Image for Chloe.
484 reviews49 followers
January 10, 2026
Trick or Sweets by Emma Capella

🖤 Hidden Identity
🖤 Touch Him & Die (literally)
🖤 Brothers Best Friend
🖤 Halloween Night
🖤 Short Story
🔥 Primal Play, Masked MC, Dub-Con, "Little Prey", Mild Degradation

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Humour: 🤭
Intimacy: 🫂
Angst: 🥺.5

First person dual pov 👀

Content Warnings
On page: blood, threat, violence, stalking, murder, death.
Mentioned: war, torture, humiliation, necrophilia, sexual assault.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Bobby's Reading.
215 reviews22 followers
October 8, 2026
Ending the book with collapse of their steamy session didn’t really satisfied me. I wish this was a little longer and had a ILY in it, but it was good still!
Profile Image for Alyssa.
72 reviews13 followers
November 3, 2025
The perfect halloween novella. Short, spicy, dark. To me, novellas are little palate cleansers to get me excited to jump into a new book and this was perfect. It gave me a little taste of Emma’s writing and I want more!
Profile Image for The Naughty Booknook.
212 reviews75 followers
November 2, 2025
This was the best book to end my Halloween night. It has all the boxes you want checked for a Halloween steamy novella.
Masked hot guy ✔️
Chase through the woods✔️
Mouth watering dirty talk✔️
Hot steamy sex scenes, well we're gonna double check that one because DAMN🔥✔️✔️

you definitely want to add this one to your spooky season book list.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for ljreads_13.
57 reviews4 followers
November 2, 2025
If you’re in the mood for something that’s spooky, spicy, and just the right amount of unhinged, this novelette is exactly what you need. It’s short enough to devour in one sitting but packed with so much heat and tension that it’ll have your heart racing for more reasons than one.

This story has everything—danger, desire, and a wild, primal energy that pulls you right in. The chemistry between Ren and Ronan is explosive, the spice is insanely hot, and the plot twists keep you on edge the whole time. It’s that perfect mix of fear and want, where your pulse quickens because you can’t quite tell if you’re scared or turned on (and honestly, maybe both).

If you want a story that feeds your inner primal prey fantasies, with equal parts thrill and temptation, then run—don’t walk to grab this book. You won’t regret it 😈🔥

Note: I’m so incredibly proud of you, BCB—you’ve created something fierce and unforgettable. The afterword made me cry (again)… I am so glad to have you and for you to share your writing with the world❤️
Profile Image for Amanda.
92 reviews4 followers
November 13, 2025
This was a very quick read… but what an amazingly written story. I am not a fan of the dark, thrill of the chase trope. But they seem to be popular right now and I find I keep getting recommended these books from other readers. I am so glad I read this one!! I love how this author words her story. It is descriptive enough that you can visualize the scene perfectly.

This was a short story had 3 characters and a twist but was written so well that there was no confusion. You felt connected to both main characters in the story and that is not easy on a short story. Well done!! I don’t give out five stars (especially on a short story) but this was a five star for me.
Profile Image for Lyndsay.
50 reviews
October 23, 2025
This little novella/short story? Omg. I felt connected to the characters (other than Leonard, iykyk), right away! Even though the story is short, it feels like there is so much emotion and depth to it, that would usually take hundreds of pages to convey. It was like being submerged in their worlds, watching intimately as they pulled and pushed each other to their limits.

The spice was also top tier, and broooo I am picky about my dub/non con spice. This was tasteful and freaking hoooooot.

My only complaint is that it’s not a full length book!! I could’ve read this book for hours!
Profile Image for Shannon Winning.
124 reviews10 followers
October 23, 2025
What a fun read that actually had my heart rate pumping!

Who doesn’t like the thrill of the chase? Or…. The thrill of being chased. I enjoyed this little read, had me smirking and fanning myself all in one go!

I think Emma did great with capture a scene that actually felt like you were in the book with these two MCs. I didn’t know who I was rooting for more 🤭🤭

Ronan and Ren were so hot together! Actually would love to read more about these two!

Profile Image for Asia.
356 reviews
October 24, 2025
From the moment I started reading, I was immersed in this story. The anticipation of being chased down and giving into your deepest fantasies is how the night starts for Ren, but his night takes a wild turn. Not for the worst though 😉. This short story is packed with spice that had me fanning myself and I sat glued to my seat until it was over. The descriptions were so well done and the pacing was spot on! I freaking loved every bit of it. If you enjoy a quick read that’ll leave you panting, then this is for you!

“Hey, sweets.” 🫠🥵
Profile Image for Carly (carly_reads_queer).
278 reviews20 followers
November 1, 2025
When Ren meets a stranger off a hookup off the beaten path in order to fulfill his primal play fantasy he’s met with more than he bargained for.

An edge of your seat, scorching hot, primal play, dark romance novella.

I loved this! Gripping from the very beginning with unexpected twists and turns! Thigh clenching spice and dirty talk. And an oh-so satisfying ending!

What you’ll get:
•Predator/Prey
•Masked Man
•Hook-Up gone wrong
•TWIST!
•“Baby” “Little Prey” “Sweets”
•Primal Play
•Murder
Profile Image for Sydney Wiley.
74 reviews
November 2, 2025
Absolutely obsessed!!

The only thing I would change, is I want more!!

I want to see the slow yearning over the years and secret taboo crush that they couldn’t admit and Ren’s heartbreak when Ronan leaves to join the military.
I want to see them getting rid of Leonard’s body together and then going back to one of their places and continuing what they started.

There is so much plot in such little time and it feels like such a tease in the best way possible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for WickedRiverReads.
450 reviews23 followers
October 24, 2025
This was such a spicy, spooky, primal good time! The thrill of a chase will get me every time and this more than delivered. I loved Ren and Ronan, they were so hot together. Their chemistry was so good! I enjoyed the twists and the reveals! There was so much packed in this short story and I devoured all of it! Would I read this as a full length novel?! Yes, yes I would. This captured my attention from paragraph one and it gave me everything I wanted. Loved this!

Profile Image for Nic.
474 reviews4 followers
October 31, 2025
I devoured this little novella. It has everything you need for a short, spicy, Halloween themed novella. Emma has a way with words that even in a spicy little novella grab you and has you begging for more. Killer (pun intended) writing! Ren and Ronan are great!!! I don't want, I need more of them!!!
Profile Image for Andrew Smith-Mebust.
115 reviews8 followers
November 1, 2025
A short, suspenseful little novella that packs a punch. TRICK OR SWEETS was the perfect little Halloween read… but also just the perfect little read in general. I’m very impressed by Emma’s debut. Need a quick read, I highly recommend this one! Congrats Emma!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews