What do you think?
Rate this book
Scars So Lovely
He was watching her long before she ever knew his name.
And now that he has her… he’s never letting her go.
Ivy has spent her entire life trying to prove she deserves to exist. Adopted into a family that reminded her she was lucky to be chosen. Haunted by the truth of where she came from—an act of violence she can’t outrun. Carrying scars she hides, secrets she’ll never say out loud. She’s learned how to survive. Stay quiet. Stay small. Don’t need too much. Don’t be too much.
Soren doesn’t feel the way other people do. He studies them. Understands them. Learns how to become exactly what they need—when it suits him. But her? She’s different. He’s been watching her. Learning her. Memorizing every fracture line beneath the surface. And the more he sees…the more he knows one thing with absolute certainty: She belongs to him.
What starts as something intense—something intoxicating—quickly becomes something else. Something deeper. Darker. He doesn't just want her love. He wants everything. Her thoughts. Her fears. Her past. The parts of her she’s spent a lifetime hiding. And worst of all? She starts to give it to him. Because with him, control feels like safety. Obsession feels like love. And the line between protection and possession begins to blur. She knows she should run. She knows there are things about him that aren’t right. But every step she takes toward him feels easier than walking away. And the deeper she falls… the harder it becomes to tell if she’s being claimed—or consumed.
This is a pitch-black dark romance featuring an obsessive, morally black hero, possessive “mine” energy, psychological tension, body betrayal, praise and control dynamics, and a heroine who should run—but doesn’t.
And now that he has her… he’s never letting her go.
Ivy has spent her entire life trying to prove she deserves to exist. Adopted into a family that reminded her she was lucky to be chosen. Haunted by the truth of where she came from—an act of violence she can’t outrun. Carrying scars she hides, secrets she’ll never say out loud. She’s learned how to survive. Stay quiet. Stay small. Don’t need too much. Don’t be too much.
Soren doesn’t feel the way other people do. He studies them. Understands them. Learns how to become exactly what they need—when it suits him. But her? She’s different. He’s been watching her. Learning her. Memorizing every fracture line beneath the surface. And the more he sees…the more he knows one thing with absolute certainty: She belongs to him.
What starts as something intense—something intoxicating—quickly becomes something else. Something deeper. Darker. He doesn't just want her love. He wants everything. Her thoughts. Her fears. Her past. The parts of her she’s spent a lifetime hiding. And worst of all? She starts to give it to him. Because with him, control feels like safety. Obsession feels like love. And the line between protection and possession begins to blur. She knows she should run. She knows there are things about him that aren’t right. But every step she takes toward him feels easier than walking away. And the deeper she falls… the harder it becomes to tell if she’s being claimed—or consumed.
This is a pitch-black dark romance featuring an obsessive, morally black hero, possessive “mine” energy, psychological tension, body betrayal, praise and control dynamics, and a heroine who should run—but doesn’t.
- GenresDark RomanceStalkerDark
436 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2026
About the author
Heidi Stark
25 books430 followersHeidi Stark writes contemporary dark romance with a twist of danger, desire, and the occasional sports scandal.
Known for her badass heroines and irresistibly morally grey men, Heidi has captivated readers with 20+ titles, including the gripping Blood and Sand series, the fiery Volcano of Pain, and her highly anticipated new release, Beautiful Terror.
Originally hailing from the lush landscapes of New Zealand, Heidi now calls the U.S. home, where she shares her creative chaos with her feline sidekick, Fang.
When she’s not crafting heart-pounding stories, Heidi is a whirlwind of energy—hitting up barre classes, devouring true crime podcasts, dabbling in roller derby, people-watching, or indulging in her guilty pleasure: reality TV binges. Always on the hunt for inspiration, she’s probably plotting her next book—or her next travel adventure.
Dark, daring, and deliciously addictive—Heidi’s world is one you’ll never want to leave.
Subscribe to Heidi's newsletter here, and join her on social media:
facebook: @heidistarkauthor
instagram: @heidistarkauthor
twitter: @heidistarkauthr
Threads: @heidistarkauthor
Bluesky: @heidistarkauthor
Rednote: @heidistarkauthor
X: @heidistarkauthr
Website
Known for her badass heroines and irresistibly morally grey men, Heidi has captivated readers with 20+ titles, including the gripping Blood and Sand series, the fiery Volcano of Pain, and her highly anticipated new release, Beautiful Terror.
Originally hailing from the lush landscapes of New Zealand, Heidi now calls the U.S. home, where she shares her creative chaos with her feline sidekick, Fang.
When she’s not crafting heart-pounding stories, Heidi is a whirlwind of energy—hitting up barre classes, devouring true crime podcasts, dabbling in roller derby, people-watching, or indulging in her guilty pleasure: reality TV binges. Always on the hunt for inspiration, she’s probably plotting her next book—or her next travel adventure.
Dark, daring, and deliciously addictive—Heidi’s world is one you’ll never want to leave.
Subscribe to Heidi's newsletter here, and join her on social media:
facebook: @heidistarkauthor
instagram: @heidistarkauthor
twitter: @heidistarkauthr
Threads: @heidistarkauthor
Bluesky: @heidistarkauthor
Rednote: @heidistarkauthor
X: @heidistarkauthr
Website
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 430 reviews
May 10, 2026
***I received this as an ARC from the author, and I am grateful to have received this in exchange for an honest review***
“And she will rise from the ashes once again, like she always does. My beautiful poison, just like a phoenix that never stays down for too long, no matter what life throws at her. She just doesn’t need to know I’m the one who lit the match.”
I’ve read a lot of dark romance, but unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. The dark is definitely there, but the romance was significantly lacking, and it felt forced. This is also not the story I thought I was getting into, I’m still trying to make sense of how the description connects to this book.. it gave off more dark “thriller” vibes since I was left trying to figure out how everything will come together, but really doesn’t in the end (and it will have a sequel, so that makes sense).
I usually enjoy all the little details and extra information given, but some parts just dragged on and felt like it was given too much detail (for example repeated phrases or 3 chapters all about her period). As someone who has similar experiences, it was nice to see that representation and how Soren supported her, but it felt like too much detail that didn’t add to the plot.
I never knew how to feel about Soren… I found it really hard to like him to a while. But the way he listened to Ivy, saw her experiences through her lens but chose to accept her, and told her things she should have heard as a child…felt so beautiful and made me view him in a different light! But he’s very manipulative and has thousands of red flags with no real redemption of his character by the end of the book, we got little bits of it throughout and a little more at the end.
“This level of affection isn’t intended to be sustained. But he’s like a bulb that never burns out, and I know that in some weird endless loop, I am the fuel that keeps him going.”
I don’t even know what to say about Ivy… I struggled with her character in so many ways. For someone getting out of multiple abusive situations, this woman is WAY too trusting of this random ass man she met one time a while back… sees all the red flags and justifies them.. I did enjoy her starting to push back and stand up for herself towards the very end.
“And she will rise from the ashes once again, like she always does. My beautiful poison, just like a phoenix that never stays down for too long, no matter what life throws at her. She just doesn’t need to know I’m the one who lit the match.”
I’ve read a lot of dark romance, but unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. The dark is definitely there, but the romance was significantly lacking, and it felt forced. This is also not the story I thought I was getting into, I’m still trying to make sense of how the description connects to this book.. it gave off more dark “thriller” vibes since I was left trying to figure out how everything will come together, but really doesn’t in the end (and it will have a sequel, so that makes sense).
I usually enjoy all the little details and extra information given, but some parts just dragged on and felt like it was given too much detail (for example repeated phrases or 3 chapters all about her period). As someone who has similar experiences, it was nice to see that representation and how Soren supported her, but it felt like too much detail that didn’t add to the plot.
I never knew how to feel about Soren… I found it really hard to like him to a while. But the way he listened to Ivy, saw her experiences through her lens but chose to accept her, and told her things she should have heard as a child…felt so beautiful and made me view him in a different light! But he’s very manipulative and has thousands of red flags with no real redemption of his character by the end of the book, we got little bits of it throughout and a little more at the end.
“This level of affection isn’t intended to be sustained. But he’s like a bulb that never burns out, and I know that in some weird endless loop, I am the fuel that keeps him going.”
I don’t even know what to say about Ivy… I struggled with her character in so many ways. For someone getting out of multiple abusive situations, this woman is WAY too trusting of this random ass man she met one time a while back… sees all the red flags and justifies them.. I did enjoy her starting to push back and stand up for herself towards the very end.
May 7, 2026
REVIEWED BY AN ADVANCED READER COPY SENT BY THE AUTHOR
Not sure that I can say I enjoyed reading this book entirely. It was a good read in some respects but I just couldn’t connect with Ivy the FMC. I kept wanting to shake my head in frustration at the way she was portrayed. She was a walking contradiction, abused and almost killed by her ex and struggling to cope and live but wants to be bound and humiliated in her fantasies? And Soren holy walking Red Flag Warden. The Stockholm Syndrome was screaming in this story. This was more of a mind game than a true Dark Romance because I really didn’t feel a romantic relationship between the characters.
This is my opinion. But please form your own when deciding to read this book. Just because I didn’t whole heartedly agree with it doesn’t mean you won’t.
Not sure that I can say I enjoyed reading this book entirely. It was a good read in some respects but I just couldn’t connect with Ivy the FMC. I kept wanting to shake my head in frustration at the way she was portrayed. She was a walking contradiction, abused and almost killed by her ex and struggling to cope and live but wants to be bound and humiliated in her fantasies? And Soren holy walking Red Flag Warden. The Stockholm Syndrome was screaming in this story. This was more of a mind game than a true Dark Romance because I really didn’t feel a romantic relationship between the characters.
This is my opinion. But please form your own when deciding to read this book. Just because I didn’t whole heartedly agree with it doesn’t mean you won’t.
May 18, 2026
This book was not bad. I just feel like a lot of important events were spoken of by characters instead of visualized. Even the climax was just ok. I'm hoping it picks up more in the second book and we get a better understanding of what this man actually does for a living because we only get vague ideas. This book had a lot of moments where the MMC was constantly telling the MFC what she wanted and of her just accepting it and that somehow leads to a spicy scene. I think the whole part of handling trauma was not done very well. She is just repeating a lot of her old situations with the new guy but the only difference is he is obsessed and watches everything she does to use those things against her later vs the guy just being terrible outright.
The idea behind the story is good. The spicy scenes were fantastic. There was a good morally grey line. If the story was a little more flushed out, and some things were added with more depth, I would have really loved it. As is, it was good enough to keep reading. I'd still like to know what happens next.
I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
The idea behind the story is good. The spicy scenes were fantastic. There was a good morally grey line. If the story was a little more flushed out, and some things were added with more depth, I would have really loved it. As is, it was good enough to keep reading. I'd still like to know what happens next.
I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
May 10, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
5/5 - 10/10 - hot, filthy, and deliciously SPICEY - o my goodness! This book was just such a rollercoaster of emotion and spice ! HUGE thanks to the author for providing me with the arc! I was absolutely ENTHRALLED in this book - I saw so much of my self in ivy when it came to the trauma of dealing with people who wish for us to shrink ourselves - to apologize for simply “just being” - the push and pull of staying or leaving - this book made me feel so seen and OMG SOREN AND ADRIAN - Heidi can really piss me off with her characters phewwwwww I wanted to punch Adrian in the throat and snatch him by the obnoxious man-bun I imagine him having and Soren the love/ hate relationship UGHHHHHHH so beautifully frustrating - I CANNOT WAIT for Scars so Vicious !!! I need need need to know where we go with Ivy and Soren - I need Soren to tell me more !!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you are looking for your next read to captivate your soul and darkest desires 😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
5/5 - 10/10 - hot, filthy, and deliciously SPICEY - o my goodness! This book was just such a rollercoaster of emotion and spice ! HUGE thanks to the author for providing me with the arc! I was absolutely ENTHRALLED in this book - I saw so much of my self in ivy when it came to the trauma of dealing with people who wish for us to shrink ourselves - to apologize for simply “just being” - the push and pull of staying or leaving - this book made me feel so seen and OMG SOREN AND ADRIAN - Heidi can really piss me off with her characters phewwwwww I wanted to punch Adrian in the throat and snatch him by the obnoxious man-bun I imagine him having and Soren the love/ hate relationship UGHHHHHHH so beautifully frustrating - I CANNOT WAIT for Scars so Vicious !!! I need need need to know where we go with Ivy and Soren - I need Soren to tell me more !!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you are looking for your next read to captivate your soul and darkest desires 😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨
May 13, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Soren is an obsessive, possessive, controlling walking red flag! In the best ways possible. I definitely have a love-hate feeling about our MMC. Ivy had me concerned for her very quickly. She was previously abused and so trusting of a man she met once. I will say the spice is spicing! 🥵 The trauma bond Ivy forms with Soren is both insane and hot at the same time.
This was a dark, spicy good time. I definitely recommend and can’t wait for book 2!
Received this as an ARC from the author.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Soren is an obsessive, possessive, controlling walking red flag! In the best ways possible. I definitely have a love-hate feeling about our MMC. Ivy had me concerned for her very quickly. She was previously abused and so trusting of a man she met once. I will say the spice is spicing! 🥵 The trauma bond Ivy forms with Soren is both insane and hot at the same time.
This was a dark, spicy good time. I definitely recommend and can’t wait for book 2!
Received this as an ARC from the author.
May 13, 2026
Just WOW! I am an avid dark romance reader, but this one just hit different. It took me a minute to get into, but once I did, I couldn't stop. I wanted to shake Ivy and tell her that she's an idiot, but at the same time, so many thing just resonated with me. And Soren, ummm yes please! The care and devotion to Ivy is something we all dream of. Someone to accept all flaws and would do anything to fix them, minus the ways he good about it. The spice doesn't overtake the book, which I like, but it's definitely there. I am so glad I was given these opportunity to ARC read this.
I can't wait for Scars So Vicious!
I can't wait for Scars So Vicious!
May 13, 2026
I recieved this via the author and this is my honest review. This book dives into the messed up and depraved minds of Soren and Ivy. This is the type of Dark Romance is raw heavy and will have you so intrigued you cant put it down. This book is very spicy and rating wise gets a 5/5 spice rating honestly it deserves a new scale 🥵 I highly recommend but please read your triggers because this isnt for the faint of heart.
May 15, 2026
Review of advanced copy recieved from author
So far this book has been lovely. The only complaint I have is I wish there was just a bit more dialogue.
Heidi does a wonderful job showing how trauma can effect someone's thought process, and how their decision making skills can be changed.
This books boils down to how Ivy's decisions have changed due to her trauma, and how to navigate the world after the abuse she has suffered.
I think Heidi captures how people can change after a life altering event, and the vulnerability someone can experience during that.
Overall this book has been pretty good, and hard to put down.
So far this book has been lovely. The only complaint I have is I wish there was just a bit more dialogue.
Heidi does a wonderful job showing how trauma can effect someone's thought process, and how their decision making skills can be changed.
This books boils down to how Ivy's decisions have changed due to her trauma, and how to navigate the world after the abuse she has suffered.
I think Heidi captures how people can change after a life altering event, and the vulnerability someone can experience during that.
Overall this book has been pretty good, and hard to put down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2026
ARC reader review:
I enjoyed this read. I felt like as I was reading, I wasn’t sure exactly what was going to happen next, and where the story was progressing.
Ivy’s struggle with her trauma, coping, and internal battle with what was real, safe or not was really interesting to read. Throughout the book she sees the red flags, but also how they are different than the horrible red flags she had before. I feel like this is an amazing portrayal of Stockholm syndrome.
My feelings for Soren were all over the place too. I am dying to know more about his background. More about the “Anything Goes” and where this story is going!
I love a book that I can’t guess what’s happening next and can’t wait for more!
I enjoyed this read. I felt like as I was reading, I wasn’t sure exactly what was going to happen next, and where the story was progressing.
Ivy’s struggle with her trauma, coping, and internal battle with what was real, safe or not was really interesting to read. Throughout the book she sees the red flags, but also how they are different than the horrible red flags she had before. I feel like this is an amazing portrayal of Stockholm syndrome.
My feelings for Soren were all over the place too. I am dying to know more about his background. More about the “Anything Goes” and where this story is going!
I love a book that I can’t guess what’s happening next and can’t wait for more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2026
“I would gladly spend the rest of my life breathing for you” If you like a morally black, obsessive, stalker, dark MMC this book is for you. I am obsessed with this MMC. I loved this book. I can not wait to see what the next one brings.
Thank you to the author for the honor of receiving an ARC of this book. I thoroughly and genuinely enjoyed it.
Thank you to the author for the honor of receiving an ARC of this book. I thoroughly and genuinely enjoyed it.
May 17, 2026
i am very thankful to have received this ARC. i think this book has potential and i love a dark romance like anyone else. dark & sexy MMC, damsel & pretty FMC, lots of spice🔥🔥🔥🖤
im going to be 100% honest. the overall plot had a lot of promise and i liked the idea of it, but it kind of lacked in a few spots. there was SO much all over the place in the timeline at the beginning that it became hard to follow and didnt allow me to settle into the book appropriately.
i liked the idea of a morally dark MMC with a scarred FMC that he tries to “fix” and control and is obsessed with. he hates what others have done to her and will protect her no matter what, and is tall and tattooed and hot af. but the whole relationship and the creation of it was SUPER rushed. she, ivy, went to randomly visit him for one weekend after not talking to him for YEARS after meeting ONE time in college briefly…then goes back home once, to then suddenly up and leave and move in with him not long later…like girl wtf. and maybe thats part of the whole point, clearly she cannot choose good men and be comfortable in good situations, but my lord, she just seems so out of it sometimes, like PLEASE make a good choice for yourself. and soren, the MMC, is the LARGEST of red flags. she felt controlled in the past…yet she likes being controlled by soren?? doesnt make sense and like
how can she heal properly when shes with yet another controlling man. idk i just couldnt understand her. the rest of their relationship after they first got together felt sooooo slow and ciclic.
the other thing that i couldnt get past was the repetitiveness of words/phrases. two examples being the constant use of saying something along the lines of “those words LANDED harder than i expected” and the other being something like “SETTLING in my chest” or “realization SETTLING in” etc. it happened at least once a chapter each and it frustrated me a lot bc then i cannot unsee it😫
regardless of all of this, i do think someone will like this book! especially if they like morally dark MMCs who are obsessive and controlling!
im going to be 100% honest. the overall plot had a lot of promise and i liked the idea of it, but it kind of lacked in a few spots. there was SO much all over the place in the timeline at the beginning that it became hard to follow and didnt allow me to settle into the book appropriately.
i liked the idea of a morally dark MMC with a scarred FMC that he tries to “fix” and control and is obsessed with. he hates what others have done to her and will protect her no matter what, and is tall and tattooed and hot af. but the whole relationship and the creation of it was SUPER rushed. she, ivy, went to randomly visit him for one weekend after not talking to him for YEARS after meeting ONE time in college briefly…then goes back home once, to then suddenly up and leave and move in with him not long later…like girl wtf. and maybe thats part of the whole point, clearly she cannot choose good men and be comfortable in good situations, but my lord, she just seems so out of it sometimes, like PLEASE make a good choice for yourself. and soren, the MMC, is the LARGEST of red flags. she felt controlled in the past…yet she likes being controlled by soren?? doesnt make sense and like
how can she heal properly when shes with yet another controlling man. idk i just couldnt understand her. the rest of their relationship after they first got together felt sooooo slow and ciclic.
the other thing that i couldnt get past was the repetitiveness of words/phrases. two examples being the constant use of saying something along the lines of “those words LANDED harder than i expected” and the other being something like “SETTLING in my chest” or “realization SETTLING in” etc. it happened at least once a chapter each and it frustrated me a lot bc then i cannot unsee it😫
regardless of all of this, i do think someone will like this book! especially if they like morally dark MMCs who are obsessive and controlling!
May 15, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC read provided by the author. I don’t really know how I feel about this book. While I did feel sucked in and compelled to keep turning pages, I also felt a persistent sense of dread for the majority of it, something I haven’t felt while reading a dark romance book before. But maybe that’s what the author wanted me to feel, I’m still not sure. I didn’t think I’d want to read the next book, but after we got to the last quarter of the book, I enjoyed it more and now I want to know what happens next. I am relatively new to dark romance and a lot of the themes in this book and so I don’t have a lot of context for my thoughts. I’ve only read (and loved) morally grey characters- never morally black like this. I’m disgusted with Soren and want Ivy to escape. I don’t feel the burning desire for the couple to be together no matter what that I usually do in dark romances. So I’m not sure what that means, about me or the book or the genre. I am glad that the author kept bringing up how wrong certain things were and how ambivalent Ivy’s feelings were. However, I don’t like the idea of an abused woman succumbing to abuse again and the reader supposed to be rooting for that. I love obsession tropes, but I did not like the level of control and manipulation and psychological abuse that this book included. Maybe I just prefer a slightly lighter version of obsession. I really want to read others’ thoughts on the book because I’m confused. The problem might be entirely with me. But it was a captivating read. Though I tired of the phrase “his words landed…” and similar wording very early on. Three stars because I definitely enjoyed it more than my last ARC read, but I certainly didn’t love it.
ARC read provided by the author. I don’t really know how I feel about this book. While I did feel sucked in and compelled to keep turning pages, I also felt a persistent sense of dread for the majority of it, something I haven’t felt while reading a dark romance book before. But maybe that’s what the author wanted me to feel, I’m still not sure. I didn’t think I’d want to read the next book, but after we got to the last quarter of the book, I enjoyed it more and now I want to know what happens next. I am relatively new to dark romance and a lot of the themes in this book and so I don’t have a lot of context for my thoughts. I’ve only read (and loved) morally grey characters- never morally black like this. I’m disgusted with Soren and want Ivy to escape. I don’t feel the burning desire for the couple to be together no matter what that I usually do in dark romances. So I’m not sure what that means, about me or the book or the genre. I am glad that the author kept bringing up how wrong certain things were and how ambivalent Ivy’s feelings were. However, I don’t like the idea of an abused woman succumbing to abuse again and the reader supposed to be rooting for that. I love obsession tropes, but I did not like the level of control and manipulation and psychological abuse that this book included. Maybe I just prefer a slightly lighter version of obsession. I really want to read others’ thoughts on the book because I’m confused. The problem might be entirely with me. But it was a captivating read. Though I tired of the phrase “his words landed…” and similar wording very early on. Three stars because I definitely enjoyed it more than my last ARC read, but I certainly didn’t love it.
May 14, 2026
"...A malevolent knight in shining armor who is only soft for her."
Review of Advanced Copy from Author
Once it gets going, this book keeps you emotionally invested. Soren, the MMC, is a classic anti-hero. He is obsessive, controlling, emotionally unstable, and coercive. Soren is the definition of "a malevolent knight in shining armor," and he wants Ivy at any cost. What Ivy wants, Ivy gets, and what Ivy doesn't know she wants, she gets... even if he has to emotionally manipulate her into thinking it was her idea, consequences be damned.
Ivy, on the other hand, lives her life trying to avoid trauma-related triggers, and Soren's DOMinate personality gives her the sense of peace she's been looking for. Pfff... Who needs to go outside or make any decisions for themselves? “You are my venom, and there is no antidote. And I don’t want one. I don’t want to be cured of you. I want to be riddled with you, incapacitated by you. And in the same way, I want to consume you, too.” That quote basically sums them up.
I would consider it a slower burn. The spice is well written and doesn't overshadow the plot. I would've liked it to be more descriptive, but that's due to personal preference and not because it was poorly done. Yes, it's dark, but if you're a dark romance connoisseur, "TWs are advertisements" kind of person, it's probably more gray. I'm looking forward to seeing where Soren and Ivy's story goes next. Thankfully, we don't have to wait that long.
Review of Advanced Copy from Author
Once it gets going, this book keeps you emotionally invested. Soren, the MMC, is a classic anti-hero. He is obsessive, controlling, emotionally unstable, and coercive. Soren is the definition of "a malevolent knight in shining armor," and he wants Ivy at any cost. What Ivy wants, Ivy gets, and what Ivy doesn't know she wants, she gets... even if he has to emotionally manipulate her into thinking it was her idea, consequences be damned.
Ivy, on the other hand, lives her life trying to avoid trauma-related triggers, and Soren's DOMinate personality gives her the sense of peace she's been looking for. Pfff... Who needs to go outside or make any decisions for themselves? “You are my venom, and there is no antidote. And I don’t want one. I don’t want to be cured of you. I want to be riddled with you, incapacitated by you. And in the same way, I want to consume you, too.” That quote basically sums them up.
I would consider it a slower burn. The spice is well written and doesn't overshadow the plot. I would've liked it to be more descriptive, but that's due to personal preference and not because it was poorly done. Yes, it's dark, but if you're a dark romance connoisseur, "TWs are advertisements" kind of person, it's probably more gray. I'm looking forward to seeing where Soren and Ivy's story goes next. Thankfully, we don't have to wait that long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2026
* I received this as and ARC *
I had to sit and think about this book for a minute because I had a love/hate relationship with it. Ivy & Soren had a very strange dynamic but by the end of the book I understood it in a way. Ivy kept making the most ridiculous of decisions with all the wrong men. Soren was another wrong decision but he ended up being a wrong decision is a way that eventually benefitted her. Soren was a PITA but also 100% a provider and protector. I hated how he controlled everything, even if he had the best intentions of doing things, he gave her no autonomy. I would have loved to see more from his perspective because I think that would have alleviated the constant idea that he didn’t care about her. There were maybe 2 moments where we got some emotional thought process from him but other than that it was all about controlling her and her being his.
I enjoyed the style of writing. The story had a good plot to it but it just didn’t hit the spot for me. Someone else mentioned that around 70% in it starts to have a bit more excitement and I agree. I’m glad I didn’t DNF because I did like the ending. I do not at all think this is a bad book and if you’re into a Stockholm syndrome dynamic - this is a good read for you. Im just mixed about it haha I might read the next one. TBD.
I had to sit and think about this book for a minute because I had a love/hate relationship with it. Ivy & Soren had a very strange dynamic but by the end of the book I understood it in a way. Ivy kept making the most ridiculous of decisions with all the wrong men. Soren was another wrong decision but he ended up being a wrong decision is a way that eventually benefitted her. Soren was a PITA but also 100% a provider and protector. I hated how he controlled everything, even if he had the best intentions of doing things, he gave her no autonomy. I would have loved to see more from his perspective because I think that would have alleviated the constant idea that he didn’t care about her. There were maybe 2 moments where we got some emotional thought process from him but other than that it was all about controlling her and her being his.
I enjoyed the style of writing. The story had a good plot to it but it just didn’t hit the spot for me. Someone else mentioned that around 70% in it starts to have a bit more excitement and I agree. I’m glad I didn’t DNF because I did like the ending. I do not at all think this is a bad book and if you’re into a Stockholm syndrome dynamic - this is a good read for you. Im just mixed about it haha I might read the next one. TBD.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2026
Scars So Lovely is dark, obsessive, and deeply unsettling in exactly the way it intends to be. This is very much a pitch-black romance that fully commits to psychological tension, possessive dynamics, and morally black characters without trying to soften any of it.
The relationship between Ivy and Soren is intense from the start, built on obsession, emotional vulnerability, and blurred lines between protection and control. Soren is not written to be redeemable in a traditional sense, and the story leans heavily into his fixation and manipulation. Ivy’s emotional vulnerability adds another layer to the dynamic because her need to feel wanted and safe makes their connection feel both toxic and strangely emotional at the same time.
The writing creates a constant sense of unease that keeps the tension high throughout the story. Some scenes may be too dark or emotionally heavy for certain readers, so checking content warnings is definitely important here.
Overall, this delivers exactly what dark romance readers looking for obsessive “mine” energy and psychological intensity will probably want.
The relationship between Ivy and Soren is intense from the start, built on obsession, emotional vulnerability, and blurred lines between protection and control. Soren is not written to be redeemable in a traditional sense, and the story leans heavily into his fixation and manipulation. Ivy’s emotional vulnerability adds another layer to the dynamic because her need to feel wanted and safe makes their connection feel both toxic and strangely emotional at the same time.
The writing creates a constant sense of unease that keeps the tension high throughout the story. Some scenes may be too dark or emotionally heavy for certain readers, so checking content warnings is definitely important here.
Overall, this delivers exactly what dark romance readers looking for obsessive “mine” energy and psychological intensity will probably want.
May 25, 2026
It was good but dark. I wish Ivy had more of a spine and stood up to Soren more, but it was like he hypnotized her or something. Just made her brain ooze out of her head completely. Soren just walks all over her, and he's exactly like Adrian. Soren's control over Ivy is disguised as affection and care. The end of the book with Anything Goes was too quick of a ramp-up and came out of nowhere. It was mentioned once in the beginning, but you dont know what it is. Maybe that's a topic that's brought up in this writers other stories? It's also really messed up as he didn't prepare her. Soren and Ivy's spicy scenes crossed many lines for me - especially when she was sleeping. It wasn't discussed beforehand, and it really seemed to upset her instead of being something she enjoyed.
The (g)rape topic also annoyed me. How Soren felt about it and how Ivy talked about it like she was a victim of her mother but its like sorry you were created in one of your mom's worst nightmares...and you think she would be excited to see you again? I get that its not Ivy's fault, but they both had zero empathy for her mom.
The (g)rape topic also annoyed me. How Soren felt about it and how Ivy talked about it like she was a victim of her mother but its like sorry you were created in one of your mom's worst nightmares...and you think she would be excited to see you again? I get that its not Ivy's fault, but they both had zero empathy for her mom.
May 13, 2026
Thank you Heidi for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book as an ARC reader
Scars So Lovely is a raw, emotionally charged romance that explores the lasting impact of trauma, healing, and vulnerability. Heidi Stark creates characters who feel deeply human — flawed, guarded, and painfully relatable — which makes their emotional journey compelling from beginning to end.
One of the strongest aspects of the novel is its emotional intensity. The writing captures heartbreak and internal conflict in a way that feels authentic rather than overly dramatic. The chemistry between the main characters develops through shared pain and emotional honesty, giving the romance depth beyond surface attraction.
Overall, Scars So Lovely is a moving contemporary romance that balances pain with hope. It is best suited for readers who enjoy emotional romance novels that tackle difficult themes while still delivering a heartfelt and satisfying connection between the characters.
I absolutely loved reading Scars So Lovely and can't wait to read the next instalment.
Scars So Lovely is a raw, emotionally charged romance that explores the lasting impact of trauma, healing, and vulnerability. Heidi Stark creates characters who feel deeply human — flawed, guarded, and painfully relatable — which makes their emotional journey compelling from beginning to end.
One of the strongest aspects of the novel is its emotional intensity. The writing captures heartbreak and internal conflict in a way that feels authentic rather than overly dramatic. The chemistry between the main characters develops through shared pain and emotional honesty, giving the romance depth beyond surface attraction.
Overall, Scars So Lovely is a moving contemporary romance that balances pain with hope. It is best suited for readers who enjoy emotional romance novels that tackle difficult themes while still delivering a heartfelt and satisfying connection between the characters.
I absolutely loved reading Scars So Lovely and can't wait to read the next instalment.
June 5, 2026
It seems like Ivy traded one abusive relationship for another, from physically to mentally controlling. Soren comes off a bit creepy and overbearing as the book progresses.
I wish that plot about the anonymous texts was done more with, instead of as an afterthought to the “romance” of Soren and Ivy.
I do appreciate the touch her and die trope, even if it’s just implied pretty much.
I also loved the endometriosis representation, even if it didn’t add that much to the plot. Besides just showing that Soren can be gentle.
There were some parts I did like. I liked that you can see the evolution of Ivy healing. It was a pretty good representation of healing from domestic violence.
I wish that plot about the anonymous texts was done more with, instead of as an afterthought to the “romance” of Soren and Ivy.
I do appreciate the touch her and die trope, even if it’s just implied pretty much.
I also loved the endometriosis representation, even if it didn’t add that much to the plot. Besides just showing that Soren can be gentle.
There were some parts I did like. I liked that you can see the evolution of Ivy healing. It was a pretty good representation of healing from domestic violence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2026
This definitely explored trauma, the feeling of never belonging anywhere, manipulation disguised as caring, and control disguised as comfort. I’m still unsure how I feel about Soren, though his methods were morally black, everything he did was for Ivy to feel safe. The spice was intense and Soren was fantastic at getting Ivy to feel inside her own body.
May 16, 2026
My first ever ARC! Ivy and Soren have a story that grips you and doesn’t want to let go. He’s possessive, she’s fighting for her sense of self after severe trauma (Check TW). This dual POV will keep you on your toes!! And the spice??🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ this was a great first ARC and I can’t wait to read more from Heidi Stark!
July 7, 2026
3.75 stars
Got this as an ARC but took a bit to get through.
Not sure entirely how I feel about this book. Check triggers.
Love love love the spice!! The hot tub scene and the pilates reformer scene 👀👀👌👌 and the countless 'happy endings' were something else.
The darkness and plot were very well written but something still sits weird with me that I cant quite place. Maybe it's the type of relationship that I dont agree with or something else but overall makes for a great dark read and leaves something to be desired.
Great story line and catching written that draws you right in and makes you not want to put it down till you finish. The overall spice definitely kept me hooked and wanting more!!!
Will be excited to see what happens in book 2!
Got this as an ARC but took a bit to get through.
Not sure entirely how I feel about this book. Check triggers.
Love love love the spice!! The hot tub scene and the pilates reformer scene 👀👀👌👌 and the countless 'happy endings' were something else.
The darkness and plot were very well written but something still sits weird with me that I cant quite place. Maybe it's the type of relationship that I dont agree with or something else but overall makes for a great dark read and leaves something to be desired.
Great story line and catching written that draws you right in and makes you not want to put it down till you finish. The overall spice definitely kept me hooked and wanting more!!!
Will be excited to see what happens in book 2!
May 19, 2026
Holy hell soren is one fucked up mess of a person. Ivy is just Entangled so far in his web that she will never ever get out. I cannot wait to read book 2. I love love loved this book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2026
Was lucky enough to be an Arc reading! So glad I was chosen. This book is hands down one I couldn’t stop reading. Can’t wait for book two
Carolyn Armstrong
Carolyn Armstrong
June 23, 2026
Upon reading the first chapter of this book, I immediately looked up when it was published. Please be before 2023. Please. Nope. 2026. And that was kind of enough to confirm my doubts, but I like to be optimistic. So I told myself, no, why would a writer ever have AI write their whole manuscript? . Okay so there are some lines that sound AI-ish, and the writing overall is pretty bad and repetitive and over-explaining, but that could just be someone's personal style or maybe they use AI a lot and were influenced. But I would be genuinely surprised if the author didn't write a very detailed outline/zero draft, plug it into ChatGPT, and ask it to make it into a book.
ISNT THIS SO AI. In all my years of trashy fanfic and unedited self-published novels, I've never seen writing like this with such short sentence, such a repetitive structure, and that overall adds NOTHING to the novel and takes away from it.
In fact, I got 50% through before I decided to give up, but I wasn't going to write this because it was mean and accusatory and I have no evidence. Except. I decided to look back at Heidi Stark's earlier books, and there was one from 2022. I read the sample, and would you look at that? AMAZING writing. Expressive and emotional and purposeful and beautiful. Even just looking at the overall structure, it looked like a book with full paragraphs rather than the single-line paragraphs above.
I have no idea, absolutely no clue, why in the world she would stop that and replace it with AI. And it genuinely devastates me because this is SUCH a good book. I made it 50% through because I wanted to know what would happen, when she would push back, what she would find out, whether he would change or grow or what? This could have been a 5 star book based on idea alone, but the writing is absolutely excruciating, and it's not because the author can't write. Even if AI was used tastefully, I would've finished the book and rated it fairly, but the excessive explanation after EVERY SINGLE LINE OF DIALOGUE is disgusting and makes me hate the author, the book, my life, etc.
Y'all I read ANYTHING. I grew up on Wattpad. I will read books that don't have apostrophes in their contractions. The fact I can't read this because it's so AI-pilled is a testament to how bad it is. It literally has a vulnerable fmc, manipulative mmc, puppeteer dynamic, all my favorite tropes, but no, I really can't. I'm not even an AI-hater! I even think AI can have a place in editing. But like this??? No.
If I'm wrong, then I'm honestly super sorry and will take this down. But I just could not get it out of my head that it read like a straight-up ChatGPT response.
“Instead, Soren turns slightly toward me. “Of course you feel that way.”
The words land immediately. Simple and certain.
They don’t question me.
They don’t soften what I said, or try to reshape it into something more palatable.
They accept it as fact.
“You were disconnected from your origin,” he continues, his voice calm and even, “and then placed somewhere that didn’t know how to integrate you.”
My breath catches. The phrasing is precise. Deliberate.
“They didn’t know what to do with you,” he says, “so you learned how to make yourself fit with them.”
I blink, something in my chest shifting, opening in a way that feels unfamiliar.
“That isn’t a flaw,” he adds. “That’s survival. Making the best of an incredibly complex, layered situation that you don’t get given a guidebook on how to deal with—especially when you’re the child.”
“The reviews are ridiculous. Transformation photos. Impressive credentials. Testimonials that read like people owe her their lives.
I scroll slower.
This isn’t random.
This isn’t impulsive.
This was planned.
And he didn’t just replace my class—he upgraded it with precision.
My stomach tightens slightly.
Not resistance. Just… adjustment. Because this isn’t something to argue with.
It’s thoughtful.
It’s expensive.
It’s better.”
“By the time the session ends, my body feels different.
Aligned.
Stronger.
“Same time next week for our next session?” Beth asks.
“Absolutely,” I smile.
No hesitation.
We hug, she leaves, and I stand there for a moment, letting it settle.
My body buzzes with endorphins. I’m going to be sore tomorrow in the best way.
He was right.
This was better.
Way better.
And the thought lands without resistance.
His decision improved mine.
That’s not a loss.
That’s just true.”
ISNT THIS SO AI. In all my years of trashy fanfic and unedited self-published novels, I've never seen writing like this with such short sentence, such a repetitive structure, and that overall adds NOTHING to the novel and takes away from it.
In fact, I got 50% through before I decided to give up, but I wasn't going to write this because it was mean and accusatory and I have no evidence. Except. I decided to look back at Heidi Stark's earlier books, and there was one from 2022. I read the sample, and would you look at that? AMAZING writing. Expressive and emotional and purposeful and beautiful. Even just looking at the overall structure, it looked like a book with full paragraphs rather than the single-line paragraphs above.
I have no idea, absolutely no clue, why in the world she would stop that and replace it with AI. And it genuinely devastates me because this is SUCH a good book. I made it 50% through because I wanted to know what would happen, when she would push back, what she would find out, whether he would change or grow or what? This could have been a 5 star book based on idea alone, but the writing is absolutely excruciating, and it's not because the author can't write. Even if AI was used tastefully, I would've finished the book and rated it fairly, but the excessive explanation after EVERY SINGLE LINE OF DIALOGUE is disgusting and makes me hate the author, the book, my life, etc.
Y'all I read ANYTHING. I grew up on Wattpad. I will read books that don't have apostrophes in their contractions. The fact I can't read this because it's so AI-pilled is a testament to how bad it is. It literally has a vulnerable fmc, manipulative mmc, puppeteer dynamic, all my favorite tropes, but no, I really can't. I'm not even an AI-hater! I even think AI can have a place in editing. But like this??? No.
If I'm wrong, then I'm honestly super sorry and will take this down. But I just could not get it out of my head that it read like a straight-up ChatGPT response.
July 9, 2026
I've read a lot of dark romance, and I went into this one expecting an obsessive, twisted love story that would completely consume me. Instead, I found myself with very mixed emotions. The darkness is absolutely there—it's heavy, unsettling, and at times genuinely disturbing—but the romance, for me, never reached the same intensity. It often felt overshadowed by the thriller elements, leaving me constantly waiting for the emotional connection to catch up. The synopsis also gave me very different expectations, and I spent most of the book trying to figure out how everything was going to tie together. By the end, many questions were still left unanswered, though knowing there's a sequel makes that make a little more sense.
The pacing was another struggle. I usually love books packed with details because they help immerse me in the characters' world, but here some sections felt unnecessarily drawn out. There were repeated phrases and entire chapters dedicated to moments that didn't always move the story forward. While I genuinely appreciated the representation of Ivy's experiences—especially surrounding her health—and seeing Soren care for her during those vulnerable moments, I couldn't help feeling that some of it could have been condensed to keep the story flowing.
Soren... I still don't know how I truly feel about him.
He's every warning sign wrapped in a beautiful package: obsessive, possessive, manipulative, controlling, and completely unhinged. The kind of morally grey man you know you should hate, yet somehow you can't stop turning the page whenever he's there. It took me a long time to warm up to him because, honestly, he gives you very little reason to trust him. His redemption arc feels incomplete, with only small glimpses of the man hiding beneath all those layers of manipulation.
But then there are moments where he completely disarms you.
The way he listens to Ivy without dismissing her pain. The way he sees the trauma she's endured through her own eyes instead of forcing his perspective onto her. The way he tells her the words she deserved to hear as a child but never did. Those quiet moments were some of the most beautiful in the entire book, and they made me understand why Ivy found herself pulled toward him despite every instinct screaming that she should run.
"This level of affection isn't intended to be sustained. But he's like a bulb that never burns out, and I know that in some weird endless loop, I am the fuel that keeps him going."
That quote perfectly captures the unsettling dynamic between them. Their relationship isn't healthy—it's obsessive, toxic, and built on trauma—but that's exactly what makes it so fascinating to watch unfold.
Ivy, however, frustrated me just as much as she broke my heart.
After surviving multiple abusive situations, I expected her to be far more guarded. Instead, she places an incredible amount of trust in a man she barely knows, repeatedly recognizing his red flags only to justify them moments later. There were so many times I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her. But beneath that frustration was empathy. Trauma doesn't always create the responses we think it should, and while I didn't always understand her decisions, I appreciated seeing her slowly begin to reclaim pieces of herself. By the end, when she finally starts pushing back and standing up for herself, it felt like the beginning of the strength I'd been waiting to see.
And yes... the spice absolutely delivers. 🔥 Every scene is dripping with tension, obsession, and chemistry. The trauma bond between Ivy and Soren is as disturbing as it is addictive, making you question your own feelings chapter after chapter.
This wasn't the dark romance I expected—it leaned much more into psychological thriller territory—but despite my frustrations, I couldn't stop reading. It's messy, uncomfortable, emotionally complicated, and leaves you with far more questions than answers. While the romance didn't completely work for me, I'm invested enough in these broken, chaotic characters that I need to know where their story goes next.
If you love obsessive antiheroes, morally grey characters who collect red flags like trophies, toxic relationships, and dark stories that blur the line between love and obsession, this is one worth picking up. I'm definitely curious to see whether book two delivers the emotional payoff and character growth that this first installment was building toward.
The pacing was another struggle. I usually love books packed with details because they help immerse me in the characters' world, but here some sections felt unnecessarily drawn out. There were repeated phrases and entire chapters dedicated to moments that didn't always move the story forward. While I genuinely appreciated the representation of Ivy's experiences—especially surrounding her health—and seeing Soren care for her during those vulnerable moments, I couldn't help feeling that some of it could have been condensed to keep the story flowing.
Soren... I still don't know how I truly feel about him.
He's every warning sign wrapped in a beautiful package: obsessive, possessive, manipulative, controlling, and completely unhinged. The kind of morally grey man you know you should hate, yet somehow you can't stop turning the page whenever he's there. It took me a long time to warm up to him because, honestly, he gives you very little reason to trust him. His redemption arc feels incomplete, with only small glimpses of the man hiding beneath all those layers of manipulation.
But then there are moments where he completely disarms you.
The way he listens to Ivy without dismissing her pain. The way he sees the trauma she's endured through her own eyes instead of forcing his perspective onto her. The way he tells her the words she deserved to hear as a child but never did. Those quiet moments were some of the most beautiful in the entire book, and they made me understand why Ivy found herself pulled toward him despite every instinct screaming that she should run.
"This level of affection isn't intended to be sustained. But he's like a bulb that never burns out, and I know that in some weird endless loop, I am the fuel that keeps him going."
That quote perfectly captures the unsettling dynamic between them. Their relationship isn't healthy—it's obsessive, toxic, and built on trauma—but that's exactly what makes it so fascinating to watch unfold.
Ivy, however, frustrated me just as much as she broke my heart.
After surviving multiple abusive situations, I expected her to be far more guarded. Instead, she places an incredible amount of trust in a man she barely knows, repeatedly recognizing his red flags only to justify them moments later. There were so many times I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her. But beneath that frustration was empathy. Trauma doesn't always create the responses we think it should, and while I didn't always understand her decisions, I appreciated seeing her slowly begin to reclaim pieces of herself. By the end, when she finally starts pushing back and standing up for herself, it felt like the beginning of the strength I'd been waiting to see.
And yes... the spice absolutely delivers. 🔥 Every scene is dripping with tension, obsession, and chemistry. The trauma bond between Ivy and Soren is as disturbing as it is addictive, making you question your own feelings chapter after chapter.
This wasn't the dark romance I expected—it leaned much more into psychological thriller territory—but despite my frustrations, I couldn't stop reading. It's messy, uncomfortable, emotionally complicated, and leaves you with far more questions than answers. While the romance didn't completely work for me, I'm invested enough in these broken, chaotic characters that I need to know where their story goes next.
If you love obsessive antiheroes, morally grey characters who collect red flags like trophies, toxic relationships, and dark stories that blur the line between love and obsession, this is one worth picking up. I'm definitely curious to see whether book two delivers the emotional payoff and character growth that this first installment was building toward.
May 14, 2026
(How I would do absolutely anything for her. Including destroying her. Especially that.)
This took awhile to think of a review and with that let me say it is a 4 stars but something I have personally went through in some cases. I've been abused by an ex and left nearly dead, he stalked me and left me scarred from a knife. I know this book, I feel this book. I understand it deeply. My savior came in the form of a man much darker than my ex, one who protected me.
Tho my husband isnt controlling or a red flag like Soren.
There is a line in this story that lingers from the start, the feeling that he was watching her long before she ever knew his name. That presence sits over the entire book like a shadow you can feel but not always see. Soren doesn’t stumble into Ivy’s life. He studies it. Learns her. Memorizes her fractures like they are something meant to be solved.
And Ivy is not someone who has ever been allowed to take up space freely. She’s spent her whole life trying to prove she deserves to exist, carrying the weight of being adopted into a family that made her feel like she should be grateful just to be there. Add in a past she cannot outrun and you get someone who survives by shrinking herself.
Quiet. Careful. Controlled.
Then there is him. Soren does not experience people the way most do. He understands patterns, reactions, needs. He becomes what someone requires in order to stay close. With Ivy, that intensity turns into something consuming. He does not just want her. He wants everything she hides. The fear, the thoughts she never says out loud, the parts of her she has buried.
Yes, Soren is a red flag character in the most literal sense. This is a pitch-black dark romance where obsession, possession, and control are central themes. It is meant to unsettle you even while pulling you in. He is not safe, and the story does not pretend otherwise.
But Ivy is not passive in this either. She is drawn to the place where control feels like structure, where being seen so completely feels like relief instead of danger. The book plays heavily in that blurred space between protection and possession, love and fixation, comfort and surrender. It is intense, and at times uncomfortable, because it is meant to be.
The writing itself deserves credit here. It is detailed, immersive, and intentional. Nothing feels rushed or superficial. The tension builds slowly and deliberately, and the psychological weight of the story is carried through careful, layered prose that keeps you fully inside Ivy’s head. You do not skim this book. You sink into it.
And when it comes to the spice, it absolutely delivers within the tone it sets. The intimate scenes are intense, well written, and deeply character driven rather than just inserted for shock value. They reflect the same dynamic that defines the rest of the book, charged, consuming, and emotionally loaded. It fits the story rather than distracting from it, which makes it hit even harder when it arrives.
I will say this clearly as both a reader and someone speaking from experience. Fiction like this can feel deeply personal, especially if you have lived through real harm. But real control and real abuse are not love, even when they are dressed up as protection. The book explores extremes, not a model for what is safe or healthy in real life.
That said, Ivy’s reactions made sense to me. Her fear, her pull toward him, her confusion, all of it felt grounded in who she is and what she has survived. The story gives space for that internal conflict without simplifying it.
Overall this was a dark, immersive read that sits heavy after you finish it. It is not for everyone, and it should not be. But if you understand the genre going in, it delivers exactly what it promises.
This took awhile to think of a review and with that let me say it is a 4 stars but something I have personally went through in some cases. I've been abused by an ex and left nearly dead, he stalked me and left me scarred from a knife. I know this book, I feel this book. I understand it deeply. My savior came in the form of a man much darker than my ex, one who protected me.
Tho my husband isnt controlling or a red flag like Soren.
There is a line in this story that lingers from the start, the feeling that he was watching her long before she ever knew his name. That presence sits over the entire book like a shadow you can feel but not always see. Soren doesn’t stumble into Ivy’s life. He studies it. Learns her. Memorizes her fractures like they are something meant to be solved.
And Ivy is not someone who has ever been allowed to take up space freely. She’s spent her whole life trying to prove she deserves to exist, carrying the weight of being adopted into a family that made her feel like she should be grateful just to be there. Add in a past she cannot outrun and you get someone who survives by shrinking herself.
Quiet. Careful. Controlled.
Then there is him. Soren does not experience people the way most do. He understands patterns, reactions, needs. He becomes what someone requires in order to stay close. With Ivy, that intensity turns into something consuming. He does not just want her. He wants everything she hides. The fear, the thoughts she never says out loud, the parts of her she has buried.
Yes, Soren is a red flag character in the most literal sense. This is a pitch-black dark romance where obsession, possession, and control are central themes. It is meant to unsettle you even while pulling you in. He is not safe, and the story does not pretend otherwise.
But Ivy is not passive in this either. She is drawn to the place where control feels like structure, where being seen so completely feels like relief instead of danger. The book plays heavily in that blurred space between protection and possession, love and fixation, comfort and surrender. It is intense, and at times uncomfortable, because it is meant to be.
The writing itself deserves credit here. It is detailed, immersive, and intentional. Nothing feels rushed or superficial. The tension builds slowly and deliberately, and the psychological weight of the story is carried through careful, layered prose that keeps you fully inside Ivy’s head. You do not skim this book. You sink into it.
And when it comes to the spice, it absolutely delivers within the tone it sets. The intimate scenes are intense, well written, and deeply character driven rather than just inserted for shock value. They reflect the same dynamic that defines the rest of the book, charged, consuming, and emotionally loaded. It fits the story rather than distracting from it, which makes it hit even harder when it arrives.
I will say this clearly as both a reader and someone speaking from experience. Fiction like this can feel deeply personal, especially if you have lived through real harm. But real control and real abuse are not love, even when they are dressed up as protection. The book explores extremes, not a model for what is safe or healthy in real life.
That said, Ivy’s reactions made sense to me. Her fear, her pull toward him, her confusion, all of it felt grounded in who she is and what she has survived. The story gives space for that internal conflict without simplifying it.
Overall this was a dark, immersive read that sits heavy after you finish it. It is not for everyone, and it should not be. But if you understand the genre going in, it delivers exactly what it promises.
May 27, 2026
ARC REVIEW | Spoiler Alert!!
This book honestly left me with very mixed feelings.
Right from the dedication, the tone is immediately intense. “To the girls who want to be devoured by the psychopath who watches them sleep…” is certainly a way to grab attention, and it sets up exactly the kind of dark atmosphere the story is aiming for. The author’s writing style is also undeniably strong. Small details—like the location—are woven into the narrative very subtly rather than being explained outright, which makes the world feel more natural. Every scene is described with so much detail that it becomes incredibly easy to visualize everything happening.
However, the deeper I got into the story, the more disconnected I felt from the romance itself.
The MMC, Soren, immediately gives off strong Joe Goldberg (from ‘You’) energy, to the point where I could practically hear Joe’s narration while reading his dialogue. While that obsessive personality clearly seems intentional, it makes many of his actions deeply uncomfortable rather than romantic. If the book had fully committed to being a psychological thriller about a manipulative psychopath, I honestly think it would have worked much better. But marketing it primarily as a romance feels misleading.
A major issue for me was the relationship dynamic between the FMC, Ivy, and Soren. Although the story frames many of his actions as caring or protective, a lot of it comes across as controlling instead. He constantly inserts himself into every aspect of her life while revealing almost nothing about himself, yet she rarely questions it in a meaningful way. At several points, she is openly afraid of him, which makes the romantic framing even harder to accept.
Ivy’s development also frustrated me. I understand that the story is trying to portray someone learning how to become her own person after such a horrible experience at love, but so much of her growth revolves around changing herself for him—dressing differently, eating differently, centering her life around his approval. Rather than feeling empowering, it often feels like she is simply replacing one controlling influence with another. The irony is that Soren repeatedly claims he is different from the other men in her life, while often behaving in very similar ways.
There are moments that are clearly intended to feel attractive or intense, and I can understand why some readers would enjoy them. Soren is written as considerate in certain scenes, and the “he’s doing the bare minimum but somehow it works” effect is definitely present. Still, because of the context surrounding his behavior, most of those moments felt more unsettling than romantic to me.
Structurally, the story also struggles at times. Certain themes and phrases repeat so often that they begin to lose impact, and some plot points feel strangely random—especially the entire “being canceled” storyline, which feels disconnected from the rest of the narrative. The pacing also suffers because many scenes feel almost bullet-pointed rather than naturally flowing into one another. I found myself skipping lines occasionally because nothing was fully holding my attention.
Overall, I think this book succeeds much more as an unsettling exploration of obsession and control than as a romance. The writing itself is vivid and atmospheric, but the relationship dynamic felt deeply unhealthy in a way the story did not fully seem to acknowledge. By the end, none of the romantic moments felt genuinely sweet to me—only uncomfortable.
2/5 ⭐️⭐️
This book honestly left me with very mixed feelings.
Right from the dedication, the tone is immediately intense. “To the girls who want to be devoured by the psychopath who watches them sleep…” is certainly a way to grab attention, and it sets up exactly the kind of dark atmosphere the story is aiming for. The author’s writing style is also undeniably strong. Small details—like the location—are woven into the narrative very subtly rather than being explained outright, which makes the world feel more natural. Every scene is described with so much detail that it becomes incredibly easy to visualize everything happening.
However, the deeper I got into the story, the more disconnected I felt from the romance itself.
The MMC, Soren, immediately gives off strong Joe Goldberg (from ‘You’) energy, to the point where I could practically hear Joe’s narration while reading his dialogue. While that obsessive personality clearly seems intentional, it makes many of his actions deeply uncomfortable rather than romantic. If the book had fully committed to being a psychological thriller about a manipulative psychopath, I honestly think it would have worked much better. But marketing it primarily as a romance feels misleading.
A major issue for me was the relationship dynamic between the FMC, Ivy, and Soren. Although the story frames many of his actions as caring or protective, a lot of it comes across as controlling instead. He constantly inserts himself into every aspect of her life while revealing almost nothing about himself, yet she rarely questions it in a meaningful way. At several points, she is openly afraid of him, which makes the romantic framing even harder to accept.
Ivy’s development also frustrated me. I understand that the story is trying to portray someone learning how to become her own person after such a horrible experience at love, but so much of her growth revolves around changing herself for him—dressing differently, eating differently, centering her life around his approval. Rather than feeling empowering, it often feels like she is simply replacing one controlling influence with another. The irony is that Soren repeatedly claims he is different from the other men in her life, while often behaving in very similar ways.
There are moments that are clearly intended to feel attractive or intense, and I can understand why some readers would enjoy them. Soren is written as considerate in certain scenes, and the “he’s doing the bare minimum but somehow it works” effect is definitely present. Still, because of the context surrounding his behavior, most of those moments felt more unsettling than romantic to me.
Structurally, the story also struggles at times. Certain themes and phrases repeat so often that they begin to lose impact, and some plot points feel strangely random—especially the entire “being canceled” storyline, which feels disconnected from the rest of the narrative. The pacing also suffers because many scenes feel almost bullet-pointed rather than naturally flowing into one another. I found myself skipping lines occasionally because nothing was fully holding my attention.
Overall, I think this book succeeds much more as an unsettling exploration of obsession and control than as a romance. The writing itself is vivid and atmospheric, but the relationship dynamic felt deeply unhealthy in a way the story did not fully seem to acknowledge. By the end, none of the romantic moments felt genuinely sweet to me—only uncomfortable.
2/5 ⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒓: 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝑯𝒆𝒊𝒅𝒊 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏.
“You come here,” he murmurs. “You stay with me. You heal. You breathe. I’ll feed you properly. I’ll take care of you.”
Scars so Lovely by author Heidi Stark is not the dark romance I expected it to be. The first sign that this was going to be a deeply disturbing read was the extensive list of trigger warnings and readers should absolutely pay attention to them before diving in. This story does not shy away from trauma, abuse or obsession. From the opening chapter, where the MMC, Soren, is stalking our FMC, Ivy, it’s immediately clear that this is not a book for the faint hearted.
Ivy is a woman shaped by a lifetime of trauma and abuse. Her self esteem has been completely shattered, leaving her emotionally broken and trapped in survival mode, constantly trying to make herself smaller to avoid conflict or attention. After escaping a violent ex, she’s persuaded by a so called friend to move in with him, only to find herself caught in yet another toxic environment. He treats her less like a person and more like a project, parading her around when it benefits him, presenting himself as her guru and therapist while slowly tearing apart what little confidence she has left through cruel remarks disguised as helpful advice.
The MMC, Soren, is every red flag imaginable, taking the obsessed stalker trope to an extreme level. He’s convinced himself for so long that his obsession is love that he genuinely believes every invasive and manipulative thing he does is justified simply because Ivy “belongs” to him. There’s nothing traditionally soft or redeemable about him in the way many dark romance heroes are written. He’s possessive, controlling, emotionally volatile and completely consumed by Ivy in a way that feels both disturbing and relentless. Yet somehow, Heidi Stark manages to make him impossible to look away from, like watching a slow moving trainwreck unfold right in front of you. What makes this book so disturbing is how realistic Ivy’s mindset feels. Her trauma responses, her inability to trust herself and the way she accepts crumbs of kindness because she’s been conditioned to believe she deserves nothing more is heartbreaking to read. You spend most of the book wanting to shake her and protect her at the same time.
Also loved this part in the book when Soren asks Ivy if he’d hurt her physically (meaning the ex)
Soren doesn’t react immediately. He doesn’t look shocked or horrified. He goes still. Focused. “Did he use one hand,” he asks quietly, “or two?” My breath catches. “What?” His eyes don’t leave mine. Then he exhales. “Doesn’t matter.”
You automatically know he’s deciding whether the man that hurt her is losing one hand or both but then you can see his mind when he decides it doesn’t matter because he won’t be needing either of them! Loved that!
My view: This is not a glamorous or “spicy with a bit of darkness” romance. It’s uncomfortable, toxic, emotionally suffocating and genuinely unsettling in places. The tension between Ivy and Soren is intense but it’s layered with fear, dependency, manipulation and obsession rather than anything healthy or aspirational. In fact, I found myself wincing at times, willing Ivy to get away, to escape Soren’s unhealthy hold on her, how he has literally retrained Ivy, like you would a puppy, to bend to his will, it truly had me shaking my head!
Heidi Stark absolutely commits to the darkness of this story and I have to respect that. If you’re expecting a morally grey book boyfriend with a hidden soft side this is probably not the book for you. But if you want a truly deepest dark obsessive romance that pushes boundaries and fully leans into the psychological damage of its characters, Scars so Lovely delivers that for sure! Actually it definitely delivers in a way that lingers long after you finish reading it.
“You come here,” he murmurs. “You stay with me. You heal. You breathe. I’ll feed you properly. I’ll take care of you.”
Scars so Lovely by author Heidi Stark is not the dark romance I expected it to be. The first sign that this was going to be a deeply disturbing read was the extensive list of trigger warnings and readers should absolutely pay attention to them before diving in. This story does not shy away from trauma, abuse or obsession. From the opening chapter, where the MMC, Soren, is stalking our FMC, Ivy, it’s immediately clear that this is not a book for the faint hearted.
Ivy is a woman shaped by a lifetime of trauma and abuse. Her self esteem has been completely shattered, leaving her emotionally broken and trapped in survival mode, constantly trying to make herself smaller to avoid conflict or attention. After escaping a violent ex, she’s persuaded by a so called friend to move in with him, only to find herself caught in yet another toxic environment. He treats her less like a person and more like a project, parading her around when it benefits him, presenting himself as her guru and therapist while slowly tearing apart what little confidence she has left through cruel remarks disguised as helpful advice.
The MMC, Soren, is every red flag imaginable, taking the obsessed stalker trope to an extreme level. He’s convinced himself for so long that his obsession is love that he genuinely believes every invasive and manipulative thing he does is justified simply because Ivy “belongs” to him. There’s nothing traditionally soft or redeemable about him in the way many dark romance heroes are written. He’s possessive, controlling, emotionally volatile and completely consumed by Ivy in a way that feels both disturbing and relentless. Yet somehow, Heidi Stark manages to make him impossible to look away from, like watching a slow moving trainwreck unfold right in front of you. What makes this book so disturbing is how realistic Ivy’s mindset feels. Her trauma responses, her inability to trust herself and the way she accepts crumbs of kindness because she’s been conditioned to believe she deserves nothing more is heartbreaking to read. You spend most of the book wanting to shake her and protect her at the same time.
Also loved this part in the book when Soren asks Ivy if he’d hurt her physically (meaning the ex)
Soren doesn’t react immediately. He doesn’t look shocked or horrified. He goes still. Focused. “Did he use one hand,” he asks quietly, “or two?” My breath catches. “What?” His eyes don’t leave mine. Then he exhales. “Doesn’t matter.”
You automatically know he’s deciding whether the man that hurt her is losing one hand or both but then you can see his mind when he decides it doesn’t matter because he won’t be needing either of them! Loved that!
My view: This is not a glamorous or “spicy with a bit of darkness” romance. It’s uncomfortable, toxic, emotionally suffocating and genuinely unsettling in places. The tension between Ivy and Soren is intense but it’s layered with fear, dependency, manipulation and obsession rather than anything healthy or aspirational. In fact, I found myself wincing at times, willing Ivy to get away, to escape Soren’s unhealthy hold on her, how he has literally retrained Ivy, like you would a puppy, to bend to his will, it truly had me shaking my head!
Heidi Stark absolutely commits to the darkness of this story and I have to respect that. If you’re expecting a morally grey book boyfriend with a hidden soft side this is probably not the book for you. But if you want a truly deepest dark obsessive romance that pushes boundaries and fully leans into the psychological damage of its characters, Scars so Lovely delivers that for sure! Actually it definitely delivers in a way that lingers long after you finish reading it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
OVERALL: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
PLOT: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
CHARACTERS: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
WORLD BUILDING: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
SPICE: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
ENDING: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
I was really disappointed by this story. Considering I’m usually all for dark romance—obsessive/stalker MMCs, morally gray behavior, dark themes, all of it—this book somehow managed to completely miss the mark for me.
Honestly, it was a struggle to get through. I found myself actively avoiding reading because of how uncomfortable and frustrated the story and characters made me.
The FMC, Ivy, has recently escaped a traumatic relationship where she was nearly killed by her psychotic ex. She’s already dealing with the emotional fallout of that, along with childhood trauma and an unstable living situation, only to end up trapped in another relationship with an equally controlling and obsessive man: Soren, the MMC.
And when I say controlling, I mean controlling. He dictates what she eats, what she wears, who she talks to, her phone access, her job, when she leaves the apartment (which is barely ever), her exercise, and even her therapy. At a certain point, this stopped feeling like dark romance and started reading more like psychological horror.
The chemistry between Ivy and Soren also felt really lacking to me. Their relationship came across as forced because Ivy spends basically the entire book questioning whether she actually wants this dynamic and doubting every “choice” she makes. Honestly, I don’t think she makes a single genuine decision for herself until the very end—and even then, she still doesn’t follow through with what she’s been telling herself she wants all along.
Unfortunately, Ivy’s internal monologue also became repetitive very quickly. By the time her backstory reveal happened, I wasn’t even remotely surprised anymore because the groundwork had already been hammered in over and over throughout the book. Completely took the umph out of her reveal.
And the betrayal from Soren? Completely underwhelming and absolutely infuriating. They have maybe a two-second argument about it before Ivy essentially forgives him immediately after saying he’ll need to “earn her trust back.” It just didn’t feel believable or satisfying.
I also need to talk about the CNC aspect because this was probably my biggest issue with the book. I genuinely enjoy CNC in dark romance when it’s handled properly, but here it felt far closer to outright assault than consensual roleplay.
There’s a scene where Ivy was hesitant and repeatedly tells Soren to “wait” during sex—no less than 3 whole times—and he responds with: “You don’t tell me to wait.”
Aaaaaand that’s where you completely lost me.
The entire point of CNC is the consensual aspect. Yes, Ivy had previously mentioned fantasies about wanting to be “taken” and restrained, but there was no meaningful, follow-up conversation about boundaries, safe words, expectations, or consent beforehand. Without that foundation, the scene felt deeply uncomfortable rather than erotic.
By the end, their relationship felt less like a partnership and more like Soren viewed Ivy as another one of his possessions or pets rather than an actual human being.
Overall, this was a major miss for me. I’ll always encourage people to read and form their own opinions, especially with dark romance, but this one just did not work for me at all.
PLOT: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
CHARACTERS: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
WORLD BUILDING: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
SPICE: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
ENDING: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
I was really disappointed by this story. Considering I’m usually all for dark romance—obsessive/stalker MMCs, morally gray behavior, dark themes, all of it—this book somehow managed to completely miss the mark for me.
Honestly, it was a struggle to get through. I found myself actively avoiding reading because of how uncomfortable and frustrated the story and characters made me.
The FMC, Ivy, has recently escaped a traumatic relationship where she was nearly killed by her psychotic ex. She’s already dealing with the emotional fallout of that, along with childhood trauma and an unstable living situation, only to end up trapped in another relationship with an equally controlling and obsessive man: Soren, the MMC.
And when I say controlling, I mean controlling. He dictates what she eats, what she wears, who she talks to, her phone access, her job, when she leaves the apartment (which is barely ever), her exercise, and even her therapy. At a certain point, this stopped feeling like dark romance and started reading more like psychological horror.
The chemistry between Ivy and Soren also felt really lacking to me. Their relationship came across as forced because Ivy spends basically the entire book questioning whether she actually wants this dynamic and doubting every “choice” she makes. Honestly, I don’t think she makes a single genuine decision for herself until the very end—and even then, she still doesn’t follow through with what she’s been telling herself she wants all along.
Unfortunately, Ivy’s internal monologue also became repetitive very quickly. By the time her backstory reveal happened, I wasn’t even remotely surprised anymore because the groundwork had already been hammered in over and over throughout the book. Completely took the umph out of her reveal.
And the betrayal from Soren? Completely underwhelming and absolutely infuriating. They have maybe a two-second argument about it before Ivy essentially forgives him immediately after saying he’ll need to “earn her trust back.” It just didn’t feel believable or satisfying.
I also need to talk about the CNC aspect because this was probably my biggest issue with the book. I genuinely enjoy CNC in dark romance when it’s handled properly, but here it felt far closer to outright assault than consensual roleplay.
There’s a scene where Ivy was hesitant and repeatedly tells Soren to “wait” during sex—no less than 3 whole times—and he responds with: “You don’t tell me to wait.”
Aaaaaand that’s where you completely lost me.
The entire point of CNC is the consensual aspect. Yes, Ivy had previously mentioned fantasies about wanting to be “taken” and restrained, but there was no meaningful, follow-up conversation about boundaries, safe words, expectations, or consent beforehand. Without that foundation, the scene felt deeply uncomfortable rather than erotic.
By the end, their relationship felt less like a partnership and more like Soren viewed Ivy as another one of his possessions or pets rather than an actual human being.
Overall, this was a major miss for me. I’ll always encourage people to read and form their own opinions, especially with dark romance, but this one just did not work for me at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book… is one of those dark romances that immediately lets you know it’s going to push into uncomfortable territory and then fully commits to it. Scars So Lovely leans hard into obsession, control, and the psychological side of possession in a way that feels intense from the very first pages.
Ivy’s character honestly broke my heart a little. There’s such a deep exhaustion to her, like she’s spent her entire life trying to make herself smaller, quieter, easier for everyone else to handle. You can feel how much of her identity has been shaped by survival, and that vulnerability hangs over everything she does. It makes the emotional side of the story feel incredibly heavy because even when she recognizes certain things aren’t healthy, there’s still this desperate craving for safety underneath it all.
And then there’s Soren… who is genuinely unsettling in the best possible way for this type of story. He doesn’t come across as chaotic or explosive. He’s controlled. Calculated. Observant to a degree that feels invasive long before it ever becomes openly possessive. The way he studies Ivy, anticipates her, slowly inserts himself into every corner of her life. It creates this constant psychological tension that makes the entire story feel claustrophobic in a very intentional way.
What really stood out to me is how the relationship isn’t written as overtly destructive right away. It’s subtle at first. The control comes wrapped in care, attention, precision, and understanding, which honestly makes it feel even darker because you can see exactly why Ivy gets pulled into it. The story does a really strong job of showing how easy it is for comfort and dependency to blur together when someone has spent so long feeling unsafe.
The dynamic between them constantly walks that line between protection and possession, and the book never tries to pretend those things are separate. Every interaction feels layered with tension, not just physical tension, but emotional and psychological tension too. There’s this ongoing feeling that Ivy is slowly giving pieces of herself away while convincing herself it’s what she wants, and watching that unraveling happen creates such a heavy atmosphere throughout the story.
The setting and tone add so much to that feeling too. Everything feels isolated, controlled, almost eerily curated around Ivy, which mirrors the relationship perfectly. The pacing takes its time building that sense of unease instead of relying on constant chaos, and honestly, I think that made the darker moments hit even harder.
What I appreciated most is that the story fully understands what it is. It doesn’t try to frame the relationship as healthy or romantic in a traditional sense. It leans into the obsession, the manipulation, the body betrayal, and the emotional dependency without softening the reality of how consuming it all becomes.
Overall, this is absolutely a pitch-black dark romance meant for readers who enjoy morally black characters, possessive dynamics, psychological tension, and relationships that blur every possible boundary between love and control. If you like your dark romance unsettling, emotionally consuming, and deeply obsessive, this one will absolutely pull you in.
As always be mindful of any trigger warnings, what I like you may not.
Happy Reading! ✨📚
Ivy’s character honestly broke my heart a little. There’s such a deep exhaustion to her, like she’s spent her entire life trying to make herself smaller, quieter, easier for everyone else to handle. You can feel how much of her identity has been shaped by survival, and that vulnerability hangs over everything she does. It makes the emotional side of the story feel incredibly heavy because even when she recognizes certain things aren’t healthy, there’s still this desperate craving for safety underneath it all.
And then there’s Soren… who is genuinely unsettling in the best possible way for this type of story. He doesn’t come across as chaotic or explosive. He’s controlled. Calculated. Observant to a degree that feels invasive long before it ever becomes openly possessive. The way he studies Ivy, anticipates her, slowly inserts himself into every corner of her life. It creates this constant psychological tension that makes the entire story feel claustrophobic in a very intentional way.
What really stood out to me is how the relationship isn’t written as overtly destructive right away. It’s subtle at first. The control comes wrapped in care, attention, precision, and understanding, which honestly makes it feel even darker because you can see exactly why Ivy gets pulled into it. The story does a really strong job of showing how easy it is for comfort and dependency to blur together when someone has spent so long feeling unsafe.
The dynamic between them constantly walks that line between protection and possession, and the book never tries to pretend those things are separate. Every interaction feels layered with tension, not just physical tension, but emotional and psychological tension too. There’s this ongoing feeling that Ivy is slowly giving pieces of herself away while convincing herself it’s what she wants, and watching that unraveling happen creates such a heavy atmosphere throughout the story.
The setting and tone add so much to that feeling too. Everything feels isolated, controlled, almost eerily curated around Ivy, which mirrors the relationship perfectly. The pacing takes its time building that sense of unease instead of relying on constant chaos, and honestly, I think that made the darker moments hit even harder.
What I appreciated most is that the story fully understands what it is. It doesn’t try to frame the relationship as healthy or romantic in a traditional sense. It leans into the obsession, the manipulation, the body betrayal, and the emotional dependency without softening the reality of how consuming it all becomes.
Overall, this is absolutely a pitch-black dark romance meant for readers who enjoy morally black characters, possessive dynamics, psychological tension, and relationships that blur every possible boundary between love and control. If you like your dark romance unsettling, emotionally consuming, and deeply obsessive, this one will absolutely pull you in.
As always be mindful of any trigger warnings, what I like you may not.
Happy Reading! ✨📚
Displaying 1 - 30 of 430 reviews