A Little Bit Obsessed

A Little Bit Unhinged #1

by Chrissy Hopewell

A dark romantic comedy that’ll have you rooting for the golden retriever serial killer and black cat good girl.

All Wes wants is to make sure his big brother stays safe while they carry out their dark hobby eliminating the worst men alive—something they started after their family’s murder a decade ago. He also happens to bake a killer award-winning apple pie.

Callie is done with her crime family and a marriage she never wanted. All she needs is her husband to sign the divorce papers and return her late mother’s precious emerald ring. When he vanishes instead, she does the only logical thing—hire a criminal to help her.

But Callie panics before meeting him in person and decides to follow him to his isolated Maine cabin instead. In her defense, she didn’t plan to get herself drugged and zip-tied in front of his warm, cozy fire—she truly is the worst stalker—facing a gorgeous, smiling man who carries logs while masked and offers her hot chocolate.

Once Wes realizes she isn’t a threat (just very bad at crime), he agrees to help Callie find her husband and promptly falls for her, hard and fast. As danger closes in and Wes’s protective instincts turn obsessive, Callie finds herself falling for the one man who understands what she wants and needs. She must decide if she can choose love without losing herself, and Wes must decide if loving her means letting her go.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Stalker, Dark, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Humor

376 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2026

Reviews

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every girl’s STEPS for falling in love 🖤🩷 with a SERIAL KILLER:

1. Hire a hacker to track down your husband
2. Stalk the hacker back to his home
3. BE TERRIBLE AT STALKING!
4. Get drugged, kidnapped & zip tied by the HACKER who OOPSIES is actually a serial killer!
5. Have him immediately obsessed & make you hot chocolate…possibly drugged again!

That’s basically the KILLER meet cute between Callie and her newly hired PI/stalker/serial killer Wes. Their unconventional start grows into immediate obsession (for him) and hesitant intrigue (for her) while they try to track down her (soon to be) EX-husband 🖤 Adorably vulnerable romance in a dark vigilante setting!

🥧 he encourages her adorable stalking attempts

🥧 black cat/golden retriever dynamic

🥧 when he kidnaps her but is worried about her comfort so he arranges a neck pillow around her unconscious body *darkly adorable*

🥧 she’s never been anyone’s priority BUT to him she’s EVERYTHING

I CANNOT TELL YOU how much I loved Wes’s character! He got immediately BUT CUTELY obsessed even when he’s trying not to be creepy but just can’t stop his unhinged ways. Sure, he breaks into her place but it’s just to leave a freshly baked pie…and a camera 👀 The man fell HARD and all he wanted to do was keep Callie safe & comfortable..by any means necessary.

When I tell you I devoured this! Self deprecating comedy mixed with tender care & unhinged commitment. Dare I say a perfect mix for a light-hearted DARK romance with a solid plot!

serial killer romance
black cat/golden retriever
morally grey mmc
stalking (both characters)
he falls first & HARDER
mask kink
forced proximity
zip ties
spice *not extreme!*
mafia & fight clubs
HEA

Thank you so much to the Hambright PR for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[♡❀Caroline. K❀♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love:

• Golden retriever stalker x black cat good girl
• Dark rom-coms
• Morally grey MMCs
• Serial killers

…then you need to read this.

This had all the things I love wrapped up in a pretty bow. Wes is a protector at heart. He’s willing to join his older brother on a serial killer spree to rid the world of malicious men, all to make sure his brother never gets caught. But when he’s not busy being a serial killer, he’s a hacker who finds people who need to be found.

That’s when we meet Callie, who needs help finding her husband so he can finally sign divorce papers. In her quest to free herself from both her husband and her criminally involved family, she starts noticing that Wes may not only be stalking her husband… but maybe her too.

Wes alone was a standout character. Not only does he obsessively stalk people, but he also becomes intensely obsessed with beating an older woman in an apple pie baking competition. Not gonna lie, this book had me craving apple pie the entire time 😂.

I really understood the characters and their unique charms. Throughout the book, Callie constantly battles between her heart and her brain: stay with the guy who is clearly obsessed with her, or choose a safe life away from criminals. Their dynamic was giddy, chaotic, and genuinely fun to read.

I also loved Wes’s relationship with his brother, who’s a restless serial killer but also somehow a grumpy nerd at the same time. Which honestly made me even more excited to read his book next. Their sibling dynamic and backstory added so much to the story for me.

Overall, while there’s a lot of humor and lighthearted moments, this is still very much a dark romance and it does touch on sensitive topics throughout. Definitely check trigger warnings before diving in.

* I want to thank Netgalley, Fox Hollow Publishing LLC, and Chrissy Hopewell for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ (I thought this one had a really good build up of tension!)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I like the intimate scenes! But I think I wanted them just a bit more developed and a touch more emotional)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (I’ll be honest, I felt the scenes were pretty short! I guess I was expecting more development after the build up)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: first person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? I think this one was a good mix of both! Maybe character?
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: they text 2% in (ch. 1) and are on page together ch 3 (6%)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through Hambright PR in e-book form
Why I chose this book: It sounded like exactly something I would love in fiction!
Mains: Wes and Callie – This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Audiobook available (as of posting)? No
(Descriptions found at end of my review)

Should I read in order?
This is the first in Hopewell’s A Little Bit Unhinged series.

Basic plot:
Callie is desperate to find her husband so she can serve him divorce papers – but he’s gone missing. She gets Wes’ name as a man of questionable trades to help.

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- you should be okay with some darker themes like murder, stalking, the hero installing tracking devices/cameras etc, crime family activity
- Maine setting
- serial killer (of bad men) hero
- hero is a baker
- stalker hero
- he works in cyber-security
- she hires him to find her husband so she can divorce him
- librarian heroine
- tattooed hero
- pets – he has a cat, she has a bunny
- he’s taller – he’s 6’3” and taller by a foot
- snowed in (small part)
- medium steam and a slower burn – 4ish full scenes with some bondage elements

Ages:
- I think both are around 30 – I want to say it was mentioned that Wes is thirty and Meadow (the heroine’s half sister) is also 30 and the result of an affair that Callie’s father had when she was a baby, so Callie might be 31 or so.

First line:
“This is messier than when we give them one of my pies.” I’m in the doorway of a Fort Lauderdale apartment, staring at a very dead middle-aged white man on a beige area rug in the living room.

My thoughts:
There was so much I appreciated about this story! I love obsessed, stalker-ish heroes (in fiction!) and Wes fits that – but he’s also so sweet and charming and caring and funny. It really was such a good mix for me. And hilarious how Callie also kind of tries to stalk him too…

I enjoyed the set up of this one – the close proximity of working together to find her husband, and the touch of danger involved and a bit of mystery.

I also loved the build up of this one! I loved how it was a slower burn, and some tension building and kisses and partial scenes before they were really able to dive into each other. I loved that.

A few things prevented this from being a total 5 star read for me. Part of it was the intimate scenes – I think I was really expecting them to be a bit longer and more developed! Maybe I was so just into the tension, when it came to them being together it felt like it was over so fast. Also, I felt the coincidences at the end of tying EVERYTHING together like that was a touch unbelievable and I think the story would have been amazing without it!

So, definitely going to be following this author for me because there was a lot I loved.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating from me: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one by default

Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize


Callie keeps a bit of distance on the road out of Portland and toward the inner state lake areas, but subtlety is hopeless once we get off the main road and snake along the small county routes to Lake Savage, a tiny town set on a large lake, very popular in the summer tourist season, but quiet in the off season. We’re on a narrow two-lane road with houses set back from the street, a rough gravelly shoulder, and lots of trees.
So yeah, I can clearly see her following me. Eighty-year-old Ruth Roy would see her.
---
She has no idea whose cabin she’s in.
No idea what I’m capable of.
But...she needs my help. She needs someone’s help, at least, and I think I need to be the one to provide it.
Callie needs someone to protect her.
And that’s what I do best.
Callie’s eyelids flutter.
Ah, good. The sedative I slipped into her hot chocolate is taking effect. I’m feeling the slightest bit of remorse for drugging her. Again.
---
I speed up on the road out of Portland. I cannot believe Shane screwed things up with Callie. He didn’t even seem to have good intentions to begin with. He tricked her, made her fall for him, then pulled her into his sticky, rotten web. If I could get a woman like that to marry me, I’d do everything humanly possible to get her to stay. And maybe some inhuman things as well.
“Fuck.” I hit the steering wheel with my palm. I’m getting out of control, and it’s been four days since I met her.
But I already need more.
---
But then the shadow moves gain and out of the darkness steps a tall, dark figure. I gasp, and my heart races as my eyes struggle to adjust.
“What the fuck,” my lips part, and I mouth the words, but no sound comes out. The man is wearing dark pants, a dark face mask, and a bare chest. A bare chest? In February in Maine? But the moonlight shines on incredible chiseled abs and tattoos winding up both of his arms – oh god.
“Wesley?”
//
He doesn’t answer, but instead walks slowly toward me, like a panther stalking its prey. I scoot back, my comforter kicked down my body to expose the thin tank top and underwear I wore to bed.
He stops next to my bed, and I crane my neck up to meet his eyes.
“What are you doing?” My voice wobbles.
//
He bends down, a hand on either side of me, and I lean back against the bed frame. I swallow as he gets close enough that I feel the heat emanating form his body onto my face, my neck. He moves down. He’s breathing me in like some kind of hunting animal. He pauses at my abdomen before lowering his face to the intersection of my thighs and pussy.



Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- parental and sibling death
- hero and his brother are serial killers (of bad men)
- stalker hero – he drugs her, ties her up, follows her, installs cameras, etc
- mention of side characters raping and murdering women (they are the hero’s targets)
- miscarriage mentioned
- remembered sexual harassment
- murder on page and physical violence
- kidnapping of heroine by her husband, threats and abuse

Author content warnings? poison pies/poisoning, restraint by zip ties, restraint by ropes, stalking, stabbing, outrageous male entitlement, explicit consensual sexual content, on page murder of bad guys, off page murder of MMC’s parents and teenage sister, kidnapping, on page sexual assault (not by or between MCs, from a distance, and the guy dies right after), off page sexual assault of a minor, spousal gaslighting, physical and emotional abuse (from an ex), divrose, swearing
(I always encourage you to check author’s websites, since Amazon penalizes authors for certain content warning words in their novels)


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: both talk about being tested and being clear, the heroine’s been celibate for a year and she’s on the pill – both agree on going bare
How’s the consent? It’s as good as it can be between a kidnapped heroine with a stalker hero – there’s no rape but obv if the darker themed elements aren’t your thing I wouldn’t read this one, but he makes sure she’s on board with everything before moving forward physically
Pregnancy/children in story? No
Chapter 9 – hero self pleasure (short mention)
Chapter 20 – kisses in the fight club bathroom
Chapter 21 – kisses, fingering for her, but it’s interrupted by his brother walking in
Chapter 23 – kiss
Chapter 24 – 🔥 oral / fingering for her, missionary while he holds her arms above her head, followed shortly after by doggy and a mention of oral
Chapter 31 – 🔥 he ties her up, oral / fingering for her, missionary (I think?), followed by more sex
Chapter 45 – 🔥 she’s tied to the bed, food play with apple pie filling, missionary followed by her on top
Epilogue – 🔥 doggy, missionary


Total chapters: 46 and an epilogue


Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs


Full break down on what my ratings above mean here:
Overall: How I felt about it everything considered!
Readability: How ‘readable’ was the book? Did I fly through it? Did I have to tell myself to pick it back up repeatedly? Were any passages confusing? (I will probably score like (1) is literally unreadable due to formatting/typing errors, etc (2) There were lots of errors that made it difficult to read OR It was extremely confusing and I had to reread passages to make sense of it OR I disliked it so much I had to bribe myself to keep reading (3) I didn’t really want to keep reading and would have preferred to abandon the read and start something else OR some minor continuity issues/confusion (4) I liked it fine, maybe a minor error or 2. I was happy to pick it up when I had time. (5) I never wanted to put this down. I thought about it when I wasn’t reading it. I hid in the bathroom from my kids to read. I threw inappropriate food at my children for dinner so I could read instead.)
Feels: Totally subjective to each person but did the book give me any tingles? Any butterflies? Did it rip my heart out (in a good way?)
Emotional depth: How well do I feel I know the characters at the end? How much did I feel their emotions throughout the story?
Sexual tension: Again, subjective, but how strong was the wanting and longing to me between the characters? A book might have strong sexual tension without a single touch.
Romance: Was there romance? Did romantic things happen? This can be actions/words/thoughts of the characters and again is subjective.
Sensuality: This is how the intimate scenes are written. Kisses and sexual scenes – how sensual were they? Were they on the mechanical side? Was there emotional pull tied in? Were the details explicit or flowery? These are subjective but generally (1) too short to get a good judgment (2) not all what I'm looking for - very vague or flowery prose (3) either not explicit enough or not enough emotional pull (too mechanical/physically descriptive without the emotions) (4) what I love in a scene (5) absolute perfection - perfect balance of emotional longing and explicit descriptions
Sex Scene Length: How long the bedroom scenes are (generally (1) is 1-3 sentences (2) is a few paragraphs to a page-ish (3) is about average, a few pages (4) more well developed scenes, quite a few pages with descriptions (5) the majority of the book takes place in the bedroom. This is always hard to tell for me on audio!
Steam Scale: Generally, each flame is a scene. If scenes are super close together I sometimes combine them. If a scene is super short or so vague I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t count it. There’s some levels of grey but generally the number of flames is how many sex scenes there are (I max out at 5 so I’ll put a + after if there’s more than that)


Find me
Instagram || The Storygraph || Bookbub ||

Book Clubs
The Ton and the Tartans (Historical Romance)
Upturned Petticoats and Undone Cravats (Historical Romance with Steam Requirements)
A Love Less Ordinary (Science Fiction, Paranormal, Monster, Fantasy)
Modern Manuscripts (Contemporary Romance)
Words for the Wicked (Contemporary Romance with Steam Requirements)
Vintage Romance (Old School Romance – published 2000 and prior)

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one immediately gave me butcher & blackbird vibes in the beginning, & i found myself dying of laughter just a couple chapters in.

wes was definitely a standout character for me. a tattooed, masked serial killer who targets abusive/horrible men, but also adores his rescue cat & bakes pies?! 😧 he’s obsessive, protective, & such a cinnamon roll mmc. i really enjoyed his character & the banter throughout the story.

overall, the plot was fun & entertaining. for me personally though, it leaned a little more insta-love than i typically enjoy, & i struggled to fully connect with wes & callie’s relationship at times because their chemistry felt a bit forced to me. but if you enjoy dark rom-coms, protective masked mmc, & banter, this might work for you!

𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞:
♡ dark rom-com
♡ masked stalker romance
♡ black cat x golden retriever
♡ morally grey mmc
♡ serial killer romance
♡ forced proximity

⚠️ please make sure to read the trigger warnings first!

thank you to hambright & chrissy hopewell for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Makayla ⋆˙⟡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ ★ ½ (4.5 ★)

I received an ARC copy of A Little Bit Obsessed by Chrissy Hopewell, and I honestly did not expect to finish it in one sitting. I went into it fully planning to stretch it over a couple of days, but the second I started, I was HOOKED. Every time I told myself “okay, just one more chapter,” I immediately picked up my kindle to read another one (or three) 😅

Wesley and Callie’s slow burn was so well crafted. Their chemistry built so naturally, and every little moment between them had me grinning like 𝘐 was the one in the story. Also, Wesley’s golden retriever energy was absolute top tier. Golden Retriever Boy x Black Cat Girl is not usually a trope I gravitate toward, but this book may have converted me because Wesley was impossible not to love.

Also, the spicy scenes were 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘧’𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴. Each scene was perfectly balanced with the emotional tension and buildup, which made each scene hit even harder.

My only complaint is that now I desperately need Wes’ apple pie recipe because I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished the book.

Do yourself a favor and pre-order A Little Bit Obsessed by Chrissy Hopewell, fully releasing on May 25th 🩷🥧

[Emmy Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am (not just) a little bit obsessed with this book, it was dark and stalkerish but also extremely funny and had me laughing out loud the entire time. Because what do you mean he’s a vigilante serial killer and assassin, but also loves baking pies and constantly competes with an old lady for 1st place on pie contests. I love a good dark romcom, this book gave Butcher and Blackbird vibes which I adored. She’s looking for someone who can find her abusive ex husband, and ends up getting an obsessed stalker instead. It’s hilarious how Wes is so golden retriever yet so unhinged. He also has absolutely no sense of social cues, yes there’s a girl watching me outside my door, I’ll just drug and zip tie her. But make no mistake, this man is as obsessed as they get and will burn the world for her. Their chemistry is off the charts, and the “will they or won’t they” had me on the edge of my seat. There were some great plot twists as well, and I damn cried because I got so caught up int he characters and the angst. I really loved Noah, he’s just as unhinged (probably even more crazy), and I can’t wait to see what kind of insane stuff he gets up to if he gets a book. This book was a masterpiece of a story and I give it a 5/5

[Kaylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🫑- 3.5/5
𝗡𝗼. 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: 𝟯𝟱𝟳 (𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸)

🎀𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚁𝚘𝚖𝙲𝚘𝚖
🐰𝚂𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚄𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎
🎀𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚎𝚛
🐈‍⬛𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚡𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚢
🎀𝙱𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝙲𝚊𝚝/𝙶𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚁𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛
🐰𝙼𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝙶𝚛𝚊𝚢 𝙼𝙼𝙲
🎀𝙷𝚞𝚖𝚘𝚛
🐈‍⬛𝙿𝚒𝚎 𝙱𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

⭐️ I h͟i͟g̲h͟l͟y̲ recommend

Did you read the tropes?! They’re all over the place and I am ᕼᙓᖇᙓ for it 😆

I couldn’t put this book down! The first time Wes and Callie met was so cute and so ridiculously chaotic that I was instantly OᙖSᙓSSᙓᗪ. (See what I did there? 🤣)

Wes and Callie are too perfect for each other, and Wes’s brother somehow makes the banter even funnier while they track down Callie’s soon-to-be ex-husband to serve him divorce papers...

But the little turd muffin is hiding from her 🤔 Wonder why?

You just gotta read it!! But definitely check those ⚠️trigger warnings⚠️ first.

🌶️🫑 I gave this one a halfsies because the spice is definitely there a couple few times, but it isn’t super detailed or over the top.

🎀🐰🐈‍⬛🎀🐈‍⬛🐰🎀

Thank you @chrissyhopewell and @hambright_pr for the gifted ARC! All opinions are my own 💕

🎀🐰🐈‍⬛🎀🐈‍⬛🐰🎀

[Tinaj Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Little Bit Obsessed
Release Date 5/25
Written in First Person
Dual POV
Dark romance
Book 1 of the Little Bit Unhinged Series
Will be available on KU

Callie is from a crime family and just wants to live a crime free life as a librarian. In order for this to happen she needs to find her missing narcissistic husband and get him to sign the divorce papers. Her brother recommends she hire Wesley.

Wesley is a cyber security/hacker/people finder/serial killer/baker. After losing their parents and sister in a violent death Wesley and Noah decide to hunt down and unalive men who hurt women and kids. Wes’ main goal in life is to always protect the ones he loves.

I love the banter! I especially loved the banter between Wesley and his pie baking nemesis Ruby 😂😂

This was a fast easy to read dark romance with humor, action and spice. I am looking forward to Noah and Meadows story in book 2.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun read!

Oh my gosh this was such a fun book! A serial killer/stalker mmc who is also a cinnamon roll and enters pie competitions. Plus has a cat named Sir Fluffy. I very much enjoyed the whole story and it really had me cracking up at times.

Tropes:
Dark romcom
Masked stalker romance
Black cat/golden retriever
Morally grey mmc
Serial killer romance
Forced proximity.

Thank you to the author and Hambright PR for the gifted eARC of this book.

[Cait (Luckycharmedlovesbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Little Bit Obsessed had me laughing out loud and really rooting for Callie and Wes. Callie hires Wes to find her husband as he comes well recommended for being able to find anyone who does not want to be found on the dark web. Turns out, Wes has more secrets that turn Callie on instead of turning her away.

I loved reading this. It was such a well written dark rom-com. I was into it the whole story and am so glad I was able to read it, and now can’t wait for others in the series.

Thank you to Hambright PR and Chrissy Hopewell for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Nicole Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Little Bit Obsessed was chaotic, dark, hilarious, and strangely wholesome all at once. I honestly didn’t expect a serial killer dark romcom to balance humor, obsession, danger, and emotional vulnerability this well, but somehow it absolutely works.
Wes completely steals the show as the ultimate golden retriever morally gray MMC. He’s obsessive, protective, deeply unsettling at times, but also weirdly sweet in a way that makes his connection with Callie impossible not to root for. The contrast between his violent tendencies and the softer domestic moments like baking pie, offering hot chocolate, and quietly taking care of Callie creates such a fun balance throughout the story.
Callie was equally entertaining because her black cat energy plays off Wes perfectly. She’s exhausted, emotionally cornered, and trying to survive the chaos around her, but her dry reactions to increasingly absurd situations made so many scenes genuinely funny. Their chemistry feels immediate, but the emotional connection develops naturally through forced proximity, shared vulnerability, and Wes’s increasingly intense need to protect her.
The humor works especially well because the story fully commits to the absurdity of its premise without losing the emotional core underneath it all. Beneath the dark comedy and chaotic energy, there’s still a story about loneliness, safety, trust, and finding comfort in someone equally damaged.
This definitely leans dark and morally questionable, so trigger warnings are important, but readers who enjoy masked stalker romances, obsessive MMCs, dark humor, and “touch her and die” energy will probably have a lot of fun with this one.
Overall, this was twisted, addictive, funny, and surprisingly cozy for a serial killer romance.

[Iman’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was actually insane in the best possible way 😭

Like… a masked stalker romance mixed with dark comedy, forced proximity, murder-y chaos, and a PIE BAKING COMPETITION? Who let this happen? Because I ate it UP.

Wes is literally a golden retriever serial unaliver who bakes award-winning apple pies, casually stalks people for funsies, and owns a cat named Sir Fluffy 😭 🐈‍⬛

Meanwhile, Callie is the definition of black cat energy. She a quiet “good girl” librarian trying to survive the disaster tornado that is her life while divorcing her husband & escaping her criminal family.

She also has a rabbit named Honey Bunny, which somehow made me love her even more🐰

Their chemistry was immediate, messy, weirdly adorable, and lowkey unhinged.

And the DIVORCE PAPER HUNT??? I was crying. Imagine chasing down your disappearing future ex-husband while catching feelings for the guy helping you find him at the same time. The man is literally hiding from her like a sewer rat.

Also, Wes’s brother deserves his own fan club because every scene with him had me giggling. Can’t wait for his story!

This whole book felt like:
“what if we made it chaotic… but sexy… but funny… but also slightly concerning?”

I flew through it because every chapter ended with me needing to know what ridiculous thing was about to happen next.

Spice-wise, I’d call it moderate. The tension is THERE and there are definitely spicy moments, but it doesn’t go super graphic.

Please check trigger warnings before diving in because this one gets dark in some places.

🥧Tropes🥧
Dark romcom
Serial Unaliver romance
Masked MMC
Stalker romance (she sucks at it 😂)
Morally gray MMC
Black cat/golden retriever
Forced proximity

🌷Thank you @chrissyhopewell and @hambright_pr for the ARC!! <3🌷

[Nonfictionally Yours · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I would burn down the world for you, Calliope."

3.5 ☆

I had such a fun time with this book! It was so easy to read and even though it was on the darker side it was still so light hearted.

Wes is so so unique. He's such a golden retriever MMC but with tattoos and black hair 🤭 mind you HE ALSO BAKES!!! He was such a sweetheart I adored his character! I loved Callis feistiness! She was so strong headed and knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to get it.

I loved the plot too! The whole serial killer masked stalker thing was so fun! I enjoyed the lighthearted moments between the characters and I loved seeing the little crumbs we got of Noah and Meadows! I cant wait to read their book! The plot twist at the end was SO SO GOOD TOO! I did not expect that to happen but I was so sat for it.

While I appreciate the many aspects of the book, I don't understand why Callie randomly ended it with Wes as soon as the assignment was over- it made her seem a little self absorbed. The ending started to feel a little rushed as well and somewhat incomplete!

Thank you so much to Chrissy Hopewell and Netgalley for this ARC 🩷

[katapolt13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

First off, this cover is everything I needed to know I was going to love this book. Second, this book was everything I needed right now. It was chef’s kiss (or baker) on the mix of unhinged behavior and lighthearted comedy. I think I had a smirk on my face for probably 80% of the book. I think I am more than just a little bit obsessed with Wes. Also, Noah… I am eagerly awaiting your story!

Wes has never found a woman that could understand him. What’s wrong with being a little obsessed over the person you’re with? After too many failed relationship attempts, Wes puts all his focus on winning the local pie contest… that and keeping an eye on his brother Noah.

Callie is sick of her current life and all she wants to do is move on. She doesn’t want to be associated with her crime family. Looking to start a new life on a new coast, all she has to do is get her future ex-husband to sign the papers but that is proving to be difficult. Left with no other choice, she enlists the help of a contact her brother gave her.

✨ What to Expect ✨
🖤 Dark Romcom
🥷🏻 Masked Stalker Romance
🐕 Black Cat/Golden Retriever
🩶 Morally Gray MMC
🔪 Serial Killer Romance
🧲 Forced Proximity
🐈‍⬛ Cat Daddy

[Leah Moore]

DNFing… It’s like the author was going for You and Lights Out mixed together. Which sounds great, but the MMC is just a little too creepy. Especially fantasizing about things while she’s unconscious…

[Kristy Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

My good friend read this as an arc read and recommended it to me…i started yesterday afternoon and struggled to put it down!!! It was great!!!

[Ashley]

I felt a reading slump coming on and this was exactly what I needed to perk me up!

Callie is ready to get away from her crime family. To do that she needs to divorce her husband who conveniently has disappeared. Callie enlists Hawk to help find him however when they're supposed to meet she chickens out and decides to stalk him back to his cabin 👀 What she doesn't know is she's enraptured a serial killer with obsessive tendencies. Wes finds that Callie isn't put off by his boundary issues and he might have found his match.

I really liked Callie and Wes's chemistry. They're both a little unhinged which makes some on their encounters funny. Parts of this story had me giggling and kicking my feet. I love a golden retriever MC and Wes embodied it! Like who doesn't love a serial killer stalker who bakes pies for competitions for fun?

Thank you hambright pr and Chrissy for the gifted ebook.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading an advanced copy of a book that was just released called, A Little Bit Obsessed. This is about Callie, she wants out of her terrible marriage but her husband disappeared taking their money and a ring from her late mother. Callie just wants to find him to get her ring back and get him to sign divorce papers so she can move on, so she hires Wes. Wes is a hacker who is very good at finding people. He's also a baker who bakes beautiful apple pies. He's also a serial unaliver who finds the worst of the worst people and takes them out with the help of his brother. Callie and Wes plan to meet up to discuss him finding her husband, but she panics and cancels on him, just to follow him home instead. Which starts out with her outside his window in the snow watching him and ends with her zip tied to a chair in his house, in front of his fire, being offered hot chocolate. Wes agrees to help Callie because he is intrigued by her, and as he gets to know her he starts falling for her. Callie isn't scared off by his overprotective tendencies like past women were, it draws her to him because she finally feels safe and important to someone. But as danger is closing in on them, can Wes keep Callie safe and do what's best for her, even if that means walking away from her forever?
Well, say hello to one of my new favorite dark romcoms!!! This book was absolute perfection! I loved every part of this story, I loved these characters, the storyline, the banter, the baking, the suspense, the romance, all of it! I was hooked right from the beginning until the very end and I didn't want to put it down! I totally devoured this book, this was my first book by this author and I'll definitely be reading more of her books asap!! I truly can't rave about this book enough, I loved it SO much and I'm already so eager and soo excited for the next book!
(And of course, because I love to bake I had to bake an apple pie for my book review pic!) 🩷📚

Thank you to Chrissy Hopewell, HambrightPR, and Netgalley for this signed physical ARC and eARC of A Little Bit Obsessed, in exchange for an honest review.

[Manuella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Fox Hollow Publishing LLC and Chrissy Hopewell for the opportunity to read this book early in exchanged for an honest review.

I am not sure what I was expecting when I started reading A Little Bit Obsessed, but it was certainly not what I got. Well, that is not true, I did know what I expected. A dark romance with a morally grey MMC that would leave me questioning what's right and wrong. But what I definitely did not expect was to laugh so much. Seriously. This book was built on top of humor – I would even go as far as to say it almost reads like a satire.

Between us, I loved Wes from the moment we met him, and I loved Callie from the moment he told us she was wearing a pink coat – sometimes, I am an easy girl to win over. While this book is not perfect, some lines and scenes made me cringe a bit and the romance developed really fast, it was incredibly amusing. It has all the perfect elements of a good dark romance and it does not take itself too seriously – which might be one of my favorite parts about it. Sometimes, your serial killer character has a cat with a ridiculous name and he becomes obsessed with the pretty girl when she follows him home and likes his pie – and that is life. Or, at the very least, a fun story setting.

“And I’m sorry about the sedative. I didn’t mean to make you pass out completely. I just wanted you to relax.” He twitches his face to one side. “No, that’s not true. I did mean for you to pass out.”

I MEAN, frankly, such a hilarious moment.

The ending was also such a messy clusterfuck and I absolutely loved it. I did not see some of the twists coming and it only made the experience of reading this story more fun. Overall, I had a great time with this book and will definitely be recommending it to people!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

He's a golden retriever serial killer into pies, zip ties, and her. 🥧🔪

A dark rom-com?! YES. YES. YES.
👥 Dual POV
🐈‍⬛ Black cat good girl
🔪 Golden retriever serial killer
🥷🏻 Masks / talking

Oh, I had so much fun with this one. I think this was the perfect blend of darkness, romance, and humor. This might be my all-time favorite genre combination.

There are quite a few dark elements in this story, but the humor brought such a lightness to it that I sometimes forgot I was reading something completely unhinged.
This quote pretty much sums it up:
"I grab his feet, double checking the duct tape is holding strong, and Noah takes his arms. We pull him out of the truck and accidentally drop him face down on the cold, hard garage floor. Oops."

Callie & Wes are the imperfectly perfect couple. You can't help but root for them🖤

I immediately liked Wes. He might be a little unhinged, but his caring side and his love for Sir Fluffy 🐈 made him such an interesting character. Add in the tattoos and I was completely sold 😮‍💨

Although Callie deserves special praise as well for being such a strong woman. There was a passage about making choices, and I just highlighted the whole page on my Kindle. Absolutely loved her 🙌

Writing-wise, it was everything I wanted. The pacing and buildup toward the ending were done really well. There was even a little twist I didn't see coming👀

Honestly, I don't have anything bad to say. I immensely enjoyed my time with this book and was a little sad when I realized I had already reached the end.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from both this series and this author!
March 2027 can't come soon enough 🤗

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Elly Ando · Rating 4 out of 5]

A golden retriever serial killer who bakes award-winning apple pie? Immediate yes. 🩷🔪🥧

If Lights Out and Butcher & Blackbird had a chaotic little murder-romcom baby, it would be A Little Bit Obsessed.

This was FUN. Not dark romance that leaves you emotionally wrecked—dark romance that has you giggling at the absolute insanity while fully questioning your standards.

Wes is giving golden retriever energy with a body count, and honestly? Obsessed. Protective, unhinged, obsessed, but also somehow ridiculously sweet?? The man will zip tie you and then probably make you hot chocolate.

Callie being her own brand of chaotic made this even better because she wasn’t some helpless FMC waiting to be saved—girl was out here making gloriously questionable life choices all on her own.

It’s campy, flirty, murdery fun with that cosy serial killer energy that somehow just works.

Read if you love:
🖤 Lights Out vibes
🩷 Butcher & Blackbird chaos
🔪 golden retriever x black cat energy
🥧 obsessive MMCs
🖤 dark humour
🩷 morally questionable romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously

4🌶️ / 5⭐
Unhinged. Adorable. Would absolutely accept the apple pie.

[nevaeh m. · Rating 5 out of 5]

went through this one giggling like a complete maniac...
Wes, you cutie pie making patootie, ILYYYYY
who knew the recipe for love included a golden retriever serial killer and some award winning apple pie?! Wes did, and I was with him every step of the way, fork and knife READY!!

these two are EVERYTHINGGG. the tension and banter were top tier, not once did it die down, in fact I was just left sat here giggling in the dark like a madwoman.

Wes may be the masked criminal with questionable hobbies, but when Callie hires him to help track down her soon to be ex husband, their meet cute turns into the most unexpected uno reverse card moment and all I could think was, girl wha are YOU doing right now?! not once does it let down and you are instantly pulled in! Callie and Wes will forever have a space in my heart, and I will absolutely be pushing in a reread soon - I was every bit as obsessed as Wes was.

the crumbs we get of Noah and Meadow in this one were enough for me to know that I absolutely cannot wait for their book. I need Noah to be happy too!!

[Melanie Dubois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me just start out by saying I have not read a Chrissy Hopewell novel before, and I was utterly unprepared for what was going to transpire on the pages.

Wes is a criminal BUT he’s sweet, Protective and Charming!! UGH what a man!!

I love how Callie and Wes aren't rushed, that there relationship grows over time. I hate when love happens to quickly!!

Callie and Wes have a relationship that is deeply forgiving on both sides, each character desperately trying not to cross the boundary they deem unforgivable. Her wanting a normal life, him wanting her to understand he’s protective, not harmful. Nothing is too much for Callie. She loves her stalker’s shadow almost as much as the man himself, and Wes is fiercely loyal over a girl who has had nothing but heartache.

But the story had me hooked, and I just had to know what would happen! This book reminded me of Butcher and Blackbird!
I will DEFINITELY be diving into the next book!

[Kelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5 stars)
Gifted ARC from Hambright PR and honestly? Obsessed is the correct fucking word.

This book was FUN. Like genuinely giggling-to-myself, kicking-my-feet fun. He was the perfect combination of sweet, chaotic, protective, and “would absolutely commit a felony for the people he loves.” Golden retriever energy with the occasional murderous thought. A king.

Did the FMC start off a little shaky for me, yes? But I do love an FMC with an actual growth arc, and she really came into herself by the end.

Also the little stabby twists? I ate that shit UP. It had this weird almost-murder-mystery energy without actually being one, and it kept me locked in the whole time.

Hot people. Funny dialogue. Emotional backstory. Unhinged loyalty. A man who would fight a rude 80 yr old for you but also make you pie when you’re sad. What more do you want?

A Little Bit Obsessed was ridiculously entertaining and I already miss these idiots.

[Mariana McMurtrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

- Dark (on the lighter side) RomCom
- Morally Gray MMC
- Golden Retriever Energy MMC
- Good Serial Killer Brothers
- Insta-Lust/Attraction
- Stalking (MMC end)

A fast-paces, romcom, bit of stalking, one-sitting read!

I genuinely found this book funny. Like Wes and his inner thoughts were a joy to read, especially when he was talking with his brother or bantering with Callie (our FMC).

Although I didn’t feel the chemistry deepen between our MCs, I still enjoyed their relationship. I also loved the plot line of a woman hiring basically a hitman to find her husband so she could divorce him, while the two fall in love in the process. Add in the mask kink and being tied up, it was pretty fun to read.

I had a bit of an issue with Callie’s character development because I was starting to see her grow out of her “fragile” state around the 40% mark but after passing 50% she just went back to being scared. Like you grew up in a crime family and saw it all but are still not use to the idea of it all???? That didn’t make sense to me.

The end was a bit anticlimactic but a HEA.

[The Calm Chapter Mandi Wiencek · Rating 4 out of 5]

☠︎ 𝔸 𝕃𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝔹𝕚𝕥 𝕆𝕓𝕤𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕 ☠︎
((𝕊𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕣-𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨))

𝕋𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖- 𝔸 𝕃𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝔹𝕚𝕥 𝕆𝕓𝕤𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕
𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣- ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕪 ℍ𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝
𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕖- 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜 ℝ𝕠𝕞 ℂ𝕠𝕞
𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤- 𝔸 𝕃𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝔹𝕚𝕥 𝕌𝕟𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕕 (#𝟙)

𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖 ℂ𝕚𝕥𝕪-
☠︎ 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜 ℝ𝕠𝕞 ℂ𝕠𝕞
☠︎ 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕖𝕣 ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖
☠︎ 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕪 𝕄𝕄ℂ
☠︎ 𝕋𝕠𝕦𝕔𝕙 ℍ𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔻𝕚𝕖
☠︎ 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕕 ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕩𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕪

𝕀'𝕞 𝕒 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕓𝕚𝕥 𝕠𝕓𝕤𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤. 𝕎𝕖'𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕒 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕓𝕚𝕥 𝕦𝕟𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕕. ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕪 𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕤 𝕤𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕒 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕓𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕜 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕨𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝔽𝕄ℂ 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕄𝕄ℂ 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕪 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕪. 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟'𝕥 𝕤𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕛𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕪 𝕎𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕖 𝕘𝕠 𝕠𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕥'𝕤 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘- 𝕒 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕝𝕖, 𝕠𝕓𝕤𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕, 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖, 𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕝, 𝕗𝕦𝕟𝕟𝕪, 𝕓𝕣𝕦𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕪.

𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 ℍ𝕒𝕞𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 ℙℝ, ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕪 ℍ𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕠𝕩 ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨 ℙ𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕔 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕞𝕖! 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕚𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝟚!

[Alexa M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! For this being Chrissy's first step into the dark-ish romcom world it was fantastic! It still had that Chrissy feel we all love but with a little bit of light stalking, questionable use of apple pie and alot of zip ties 😏.

The pacing felt great, the banter was on point and the twists were twisting. The MCs found a way to be loveable but also frustrating (in a good way of course).



Tropes:
*********
*******
**********

•Brothers that slay together
•Stalking on both sides
•Have I mentioned Apple Pie yet?
•furry friends
•crime family
•zip ties and more zip ties

********
*******
*********

This is perfect for fans who love Lights Out, with a slight twist.


This is my honest review of this book after reading an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via the author.

[Ashley Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, Thanks to Hambright PR for the ARC read!

This is a cute, light grey romance with a good amount of humor mixed in. The MMC is a golden retriever/serial un-aliver /cat daddy who bakes apple pies competitively...because that's a thing lol

I will say a lot of blurbs and reviews claim the FMC is a black cat...she is not, but I liked her anyway lol She was a little annoying in the beginning, but I think that is what makes her growth throughout the book so endearing.

There were things I did not like about this book, but those are my preferences and to each their own 😜

Grab this one today if you're a fan of:
🖤 zip ties
🖤 animal companions
🖤 masked stalker
🖤morally grey
🖤Insta-Lust/Attraction
🖤 dark humor
🖤 drugging
🖤 forced proximity
🖤 poison pies
🖤 touch her and ...ya know
🖤 serial killer(s)

I am definitely looking forward to reading more about Noah and Meadow! And I need to know once and for all the truth about Ruth's past (IYKYK).

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept and good execution. I was captivated by the black cat female main character and sweet masked man vibes this book oozed from the very beginning. The interaction between the protagonists was genuine, fun, and a little bit light-hearted under dire circumstances. The contrast between their personality was quite entertaining as well. However, the more we got into the story, the more boring it became. The plot turned out to be repetitive with zip ties, MC's unhinged obsession with FMC, and how the FMC secretly enjoyed being tied up... All in all, I personally thought the ending could be a bit more explosive and unexpected. Otherwise, this book was still intriguing, and I'd recommend to those who'd like something different than most dark romance featuring masked villains (umm...or in this case, considerate bad guys?).

***Thanks to the author and Hambright PR for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Hambright PR for the ARC of A Little Bit Obsessed!! This one was a great surprise for me - a golden retriever serial killer romance?! That’s not something you hear everyday, but this worked! This gives Butcher and Blackbird vibes, but a cuter version. Wes, naturally, bakes pies in his time off from hunting down bad guys.

Callie really comes into her own throughout the book, and Wes brings out her softer side as he shows her what love can look like.

Would recommend this to any besties looking for a dark rom-com, this is the perfect mix of dark and fun!