Scars So Lovely

by Heidi Stark

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.

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance

436 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 13, 2026

About the author

Heidi 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

Reviews

[Jen Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Kayla Simonson · Rating 2 out of 5]

***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.

[Sabrina Malave · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

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 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

[Scarlet · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Nicole Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Chloe Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're wanting a darkly obsessive, dangerous, messed up, stalker vibes read, look no further. But do read the warning pages first.

We start with Soren, who is closely watching. Careful, controlled, watchful, but invisible. Loves his spiders. Initially, the decision to invite Ivy, who he met once some years back, to come and stay for the weekend seemed weird. It feels like a trap, but live capture, or a bear trap?!

Then have Ivy, major relationship trauma from her last relationship, staying with the shallow as a teaspoon, "good vibes" kind of absolute fatberg Adrian. This is the sort of person who, were he real, we all want to punch his teeth out. Victim blaming never goes over nicely, and he leaves us with the feeling of eating the entire extra-large pack of sorbitol sweetened candy.

"If I stay here much longer, I'm going to disappear. Not physically, but in every way that matters." - Chapter 6, about staying with Adrian.

Soren's work is hinted at, but never expressly stated, has serious mafia vibes, but allows for the sort of flexibility to look after Ivy closely. We see Soren coaxing Ivy out of her shell, but his treatment of her is juxtaposed by Adrian's: Soren is trying to pull her back from the brink via text, Adrian is hammering home how irreparably unstable she is in person, which pushes her to say yes, to get out and fly over to Soren because he's the only one offering hope of something different.

She arrives, and the tension starts. He has a closet full of clothes that fit her perfectly. Stalker perfectly. Red flag alert! But they're really nice clothes and she feels all princessy. Who wouldn't want to ignore that red flag? She can sense the control he has over everything, and part of her wants to fight it, and part of her wants to seek it out. His command of everything relaxes her, until he says "bedroom" and the red flags start waving at full mast again. Then he says he'll take the couch. Yay, green flag! Then he asks. Because he knows. Because he sees. We find out her ex hurt her physically - broken bones and strangulation. His reassurance still sounds loaded until he asks what she wants: "I don't want to be alone" (chapter 13). He stays with her in the bed, green flags. She feels safe, but recognizes that he probably wouldn't let her go if she tried.

By this point, I needed a knife to cut the tension, because it was at fever pitch. They're dancing around each other. She needs someone whose presence feels like rest, and he needs someone who will trust his decisions, but she's scared because this feels all too familiar, and knows where it went last time. The inside of Ivy is a broken, scared, has no sense of belonging or worth. He fast becomes her anchor, her gravity:
"Go," he says. Calm. Certain. "Before I change my mind and drag you out of here." at the airport just before her flight home.
"He's just - better at taking care of me than I am. And that's not a bad thing. Right?" - Chapter 23

We see a pattern emerge with these anonymous text messages that are peppered illiberally through the story, they appear to be from her ex. But he's in jail, right?

Then Soren convinces her to return. Ditch the dead weight of Adrian, but there is a weight to that decision: Soren goes full obsessive stalker, can't handle other guys looking at her. We discover the pressure of Ivy's obsessive, perfection driven adoptive mother, and the way it's dictated her adult relationships and destroyed her ability to self-regulate. He coaxes her sexual fantasies out of her, the sort of ones most people would never admit to. And then cancel culture comes calling, and Ivy ends up entirely financially reliant on Soren, which causes panic about her worth. There's something about an abusive mentor in Sorens past. Some part of Ivy recognizes her shrinking world and letting Soren decide everything, but will that part of her choose that, or choose to save herself?

The first chapters are a bit choppy, but once the style becomes familiar, it's an easy read. The tension is relieved is short bursts, and quickly built back up again, spice is consistent, but not too gratuitous, there are elements of various kinds of violence, but they are handled well and purposefully. Soren is absolutely compelling. I want to know his why and how and when. Ivy is relatable in many ways. The feeling of not being enough, of being too much of a burden, of not getting it right enough. I'm known a few Ivy's, too. I really need the next book in hopes of discovering why Soren is so screwed up.

Thank you so much to the author for this Advanced Reader Copy. It's been a heck of ride.

[Glitched.Havok · Rating 4 out of 5]

(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.

[Nicola Roche-Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[The Illiterate Goblin · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Jaime Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

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! ✨📚

[Jessi L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of Scars so Lovely from the author, here is my 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.”

What did I just read? And even better, why did I like it? Jokes aside, I loved Scars So Lovely. It was like watching a slow-motion crash, you know you should look away and yet you can't, you are mesmerized by it. A story of unsettling obsession, of body autonomy being taken. Where there is an unsettling layer underneath a life with a savior too good to be true.

We already know that Scars so Lovely is going to lean on the darker side, just from reading the trigger list alone. It fully commits and stays there sure of its footing. The story is intense, and with the dual POV we get to see inside the mind of the psychopath as they rationalize why they do the things they do. If you prefer your MMCs on the Grey side of the moral line, then the pitch black MMC Soren, maybe a step too far.

Ivy at times frustrated me, and the rest of the time broke my heart. The decisions she made, while she knew she deserved better and still chose to stay in her situations. She has spent a lifetime being manipulated and abused by various people in her life, so when a ‘friend’ from college offers her an escape I can understand her agreeing to a weekend getaway. And by the time she realizes that Soren isn’t what he presents himself as, she feels she is in too deep and cannot break away. She knows she deserves better yet accepts the ‘care’ that Soren gives her.


Soren, oh Soren. Why do I love him? He is everything you should hate in a partner. Controlling, manipulative, possessive, dangerous. The list truly goes on. Initially he seems an observant, generous friend. Slowly we see how dark his psyche is, and how deep his obsession with Ivy goes. He redirects Ivy throughout the book with suggestions of how she should do things, things that ultimately in the end are (mostly) better for her. Except they aren’t exactly suggestions, he is guiding and manipulating her to do things his way. By the time Ivy fully realizes how deep his obsession is she is already trapped in his web, like the Black Widow spiders he loves so much. If you want someone completely obsessive, an unhinged level of possessive and morally bankrupt then you will find just that in Soren. And excuse me, just how big is his damn apartment? How many ‘hidden’ rooms does this man have?

I loved Scars so Lovely. I loved how dark and black the romance is. (If we can even call it romance). I loved the unsettling tone, that is just under the surface the whole read. The blurred line between control/manipulation and guidance. I do wish we got to see more from Soren’s perspective. More of how he ‘handled’ situations and people in the background. Because from the glimpses we did have in his POV, I’m sure those barely scratch the surface of how broken he really is.

“And we’ll be stronger together having gone through it. Giving her the ability to see just how supportive I am.
How I would do absolutely anything for her.
Including destroying her.
Especially that.”

[Catmomdani21 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Advance Copy from Author

3.5

Miss Stark, you had me at “Buckle Up” well said. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a trigger warning list in a alphabetical order… that TW list was long. Some of the ones I liked were: coffee order being changed without asking (made me chuckle), heaven forbid the spiders are harmed (I wrote this BEFORE reading about his QUEENS). Gray sweatpants used as a weapon……this TW list gave Brynne Weaver a run for her money.

First we meet Ivy and Soren 3 months after and learn about the aftermath. Then later on, they take us back through the events of those 3 months. Soren is a problem solver, loves his Queens (spiders), and is a kind possessive soul. I like that he told her to come to Ravelle after all the trauma she went through and the lack of care from her roommate. Soren wanted her to relax and he did this by taking the reins from her to help her feel safe.

Ivy, was adopted and had a rough childhood. She was involved in a traumatic event where it’s hard for her to remember daily important details or events. She stated my body remembers everything as if someone applied a filter to my soul and turned the saturation down. Good way to explain it and good imagery. Her “friend” helped her after her trauma and he will have a separate paragraph.

Throughout the book, we learned about Ivy and Soren and how their souls came together. Soren protected Ivy while she healed. He allowed her to grow and learn new things about herself that she would not even allow herself to try in fears of being a burden or “just difficult”. The sex scenes were mostly tasteful and Ivy was able to explore a part of herself without judgement.

Through all this, Ivy is receiving anonymous messages, later to be her abuser. Soren took care of this and gave her a piece of art to remember her abuser by. Soren turned his possessiveness up a notch when he engaged in the sexual activities Ivy talked about prior. Soren’s moods were a roller coaster where he cared about her mental health, physical health, and then turned around and wouldn’t let her leave the house. His behavior turned manic when she tried to leave after he betrayed her trust and then she just ended up staying.

Adrian, this man, ticked me off. Excuse me sir, I’m sorry her trauma was affecting your Feng Shui.

I finished the book with more questions. I liked how on each chapter, the images changed such as: a wheel of cheese, frazzled cat, safe cat, Soren’s mask, and the cat in the web in the end. I would have liked to have seen more about his Queens, we only had that small intro and then nothing more. I hope they are in the next book. Not sure how to put this without getting in trouble, but Cvm Gvtters is definitely a term I have never heard of in all the smut I have read. The trigger warnings didn’t bother me, Adrian did. His reaction to her trauma and invalidating letting her take the time to heal. I can rant about him for hours. I wanted to smack him upside the head.

[Lourdes Echazabal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book felt less like reading a story and more like being trapped inside the minds of two deeply damaged people slowly unraveling into each other.

And honestly… I still don’t fully know how I feel about it.

The intensity between these characters was undeniable. Every interaction felt heavy, obsessive, consuming, and emotionally charged in a way that made it impossible to look away. The chemistry was there. The tension was there. And the psychological depth of both characters was explored so thoroughly that at times it almost felt invasive.

Soren especially was fascinating to watch because he never pretended to be anything other than what he was. Possessive. Obsessive. Controlling. Consuming. But strangely consistent. And I think that’s what made Ivy’s realization near the end hit so hard. She wasn’t seeing him as healthy. She was recognizing that for the first time, someone wasn’t manipulating her through performance. He was exactly who he presented himself to be from the beginning.

That distinction made their relationship feel psychologically complex instead of simply dark for shock value.

At the same time, I think this is where the book became difficult for me personally.

The entire story revolves almost exclusively around these two characters and their emotional dependency on one another. Their trauma, their thoughts, their obsession, their physical connection, their internal battles. The deeper the story went, the more emotionally claustrophobic it started to feel because there wasn’t enough happening outside of them.

I kept waiting for more external progression, stronger plot movement, or broader stakes beyond the relationship itself, but the story continuously folded inward instead. Eventually it began to feel repetitive despite the writing itself being strong.

And that’s what makes this review difficult because this is not a bad book at all.

The author absolutely succeeded in creating intensity, emotional instability, psychological realism, and an all consuming connection between two broken people. The spice was intense, the emotions were raw, and the writing did exactly what it intended to do.

I just personally needed the relationship to exist alongside a stronger story rather than become the entire story itself.

If you love deeply psychological dark romance focused heavily on obsession, trauma, emotional dependency, and consuming intimacy between morally damaged characters, this will probably work incredibly well for you.

For me, I can appreciate what the author accomplished while also recognizing that the structure and pacing didn’t fully land the way I wanted them to.

⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.5 stars

This book didn’t feel like a romance.
It felt like emotional possession wrapped in obsession, trauma, and desire.

[Sarah Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed of an ARC sent by the author.

I’ll start off by saying that I enjoyed Ivy and Soren’s story, and I’m looking forward to book two. By the time I reached the end of the book, I was completely invested, and now I’ll do my best to patiently wait for the next installment.

Soren truly is a stalker. In the beginning, he is literally outside Ivy’s apartment… watching her… learning her. What made this especially unsettling was that his behavior never really stopped once Ivy became entangled in his world. Even while she was staying at Soren’s place, his need for control and surveillance continued.

Soren’s obsession, possessiveness, and psychological control over Ivy developed as a slow burn. Before Ivy fully understood what was happening, she was already trapped in the web he had carefully built around her.

Ivy underestimated just how deeply Soren had inserted himself into her life, including the apps installed on her phone. I also found myself wondering whether Ivy ever checked for recording devices in Soren’s bedroom, especially after noticing glimmers on the shelf more than once.

At times, I felt genuinely uncomfortable, but that discomfort is exactly what made the story so compelling.

Soren’s dark psychology really made me think about how words and touch can alter someone’s perception of reality. The conditioning of Ivy’s body to react to Soren’s touch as calming came through incredibly well. The subtle ways Soren redirected Ivy’s thoughts and emotions felt calculated, manipulative, and disturbingly effective.

As a survivor of an abusive marriage filled with gaslighting, control, abuse, and violence, parts of this story had me reading with bated breath. The manipulation and conditioning felt frighteningly realistic at times, which made the emotional impact of the story hit even harder.

I do wish there had been a little more development of Ivy’s background earlier in the story. I would have liked more clarity on when Soren’s obsession truly began and how it connected to Ivy’s abusive past. From what I gathered, Soren met Ivy once at a party and then became obsessed, but I wanted a bit more detail surrounding Ivy’s former relationship and the timeline of events.

I’d also like to mention that the first night I started the book, I only read a couple of chapters. But by the second night, once I really got into the heart of the story, I couldn’t put it down.

Overall, Heidi Stark is an engaging author, and if you enjoy dark psychological romance filled with manipulation, obsession, and emotional tension, Scars So Lovely is absolutely worth reading.

[Alexandra Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay… this book was absolutely unhinged and I mean that in the best possible way.

First off, I was an ARC reader for this book and WOW. This is not one of those “cute dark romances with a little possessiveness” type books. No no. This is DARK dark. Toxic. Manipulative. Obsessive. Emotionally intense. The kind of book where you’re reading and constantly going “girl PLEASE run” while also being completely unable to stop reading.

Soren is genuinely next level delulu. Like this man fully convinced himself that obsession, manipulation, control, and basically uprooting someone’s entire life is love. And somehow the terrifying part is… the author writes it in a way where you can actually understand how his brain got there. He is completely consumed by Ivy and genuinely believes everything he does is for her, because of her, and out of love for her. Which honestly made the whole thing feel even more intense and disturbing.

And Ivy?? My heart hurt for her. You can really feel how much her trauma shaped the way she sees herself and the world around her. The emotional manipulation throughout this book was WILD because you could actually understand how she slowly gets pulled deeper and deeper into his orbit. It was frustrating, heartbreaking, concerning… but written SO WELL.

This book honestly felt like watching a car crash in slow motion. You KNOW it’s bad. You KNOW everything about it is toxic and unhealthy and absolutely feral behavior… but you physically cannot look away.

And these quotes?? Absolutely insane in the best way:

“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.”

LIKE SIR??? EXCUSE ME???

And then THIS ONE:

“We’ll be stronger together having gone through it. Giving her the ability to see just how supportive I am. How I would do absolutely anything for her. Including destroying her. Especially that.”

That quote alone basically sums up the entire vibe of this book.

This is definitely one of those books where the trigger warnings are there for a reason. It is heavy, psychologically intense, and very emotionally consuming. But if you like truly dark romances with obsessive morally black MMCs, manipulation, trauma heavy themes, and relationships that make you question your sanity a little bit… this book absolutely delivers.

I was disturbed. I was stressed. I was completely invested. And somehow I still could not stop reading.

[whatmrsdobbsreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book… I didn’t just read it—I felt it.
Scars So Lovely isn’t your typical dark romance. It’s the kind that burrows under your skin and lingers long after the final page. From the very beginning, I was pulled into something heavy, raw, and unapologetically intense—something that didn’t ask permission to break me a little.
I genuinely felt like I had a mutual trauma bond with Ivy. Her emotions, her reactions, her inner battles—they were written with such depth that at times I wasn’t just reading her story, I was experiencing it with her. That connection elevated this far beyond a standard dark romance.
And Soren… wow. I get it. I really do. In the beginning, I would have fallen hard for him too. There’s something dangerously magnetic about him—something that pulls you in before you even realise the risk. But at the same time, he’s exactly the kind of man you’re warned about growing up. The kind you know you should stay away from… yet somehow can’t. That push and pull? Completely addictive.
The characters are flawed, damaged, and beautifully complex. Their connection isn’t soft or easy—it’s consuming, intense, and at times uncomfortable to witness… but that’s exactly what makes it feel real. This is love shaped by pain, survival, and scars that never fully fade.
And yes—this is a spicy read. The chemistry is undeniable, translating into emotionally charged scenes that deepen the connection rather than distract from it. Let’s just say… Pilates class will never be the same again.
There were moments I had to pause—not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but because it hit that hard. Stark doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and I respect that. She leans fully into the darkness, delivering a story that feels brutally honest.
The tension? Immaculate. That slow burn had me hooked—every glance, every interaction layered with meaning. And when it finally gives? Intense, emotional, and completely earned.
For me, this was so close to a 5⭐. The pacing dipped slightly in the middle, and I found myself wanting it just a little tighter—but the overall emotional impact more than made up for it.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings:
This book contains heavy and potentially distressing themes including trauma, abuse, manipulation, violence, power imbalance, and explicit content. Please check these before reading.
If you love your romance dark, messy, emotionally consuming, and with a spicy edge—Scars So Lovely will absolutely deliver.
This one didn’t just leave a mark… it left scars 🖤

[Kayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

'People think flattery works. It doesn't. Recognition does. And I see her.'
Yes, yes, so much freaking Yes! I felt that in my core when I read that.
I went into this ARC prepared, at least I believed that I was prepared. I read the trigger warning and themes list and it had me howling out loud before I even started. Some of my favourites include,
'Coffee order being changed without asking', absolutely not my partner would be in a world of hurt if they messed with my caffeine.
'Grey sweatpants (as a weapon)', no notes, this is gold in my opinion.
'Hair tie worship', huh, a new kink I never knew existed; apparently it's a thing.
'Improper use of a Pilates reformer machine.' Ma'am, Heidi, there is no such thing; that scene was glorious and that is exactly how those machines should be used. Also I have one on my wish list now!
And finally the best warning I read, 'unsolicited life coaching from a man who goes on fisting dates.' I laughed so hard reading that but once I became acquainted with the character whom the warning foreshadows, I laughed even harder!
The relationship depicted is not healthy or aspirational... you can say that again, damn!
This was dark, like daaaark, dark. However it was not dark in the traditional sense, it was psychologically dark. The gaslighting, manipulation, obsession and control are heavy themes throughout.
The FMC is tortured internally by past trauma, the MMC is unhinged but it's tightly controlled. I found myself spiralling a few times, even yelling at the FMC to GTFO. But then Heidi hits with 'tattoos run down his forearms like warnings disguised as art,' and 'nothing like a chiseled pair of cum gutters to render a girl speechless.' Ummmm hello, that's a big yes for me! A well placed 'good girl' and 'I don't let anyone touch what's mine' or a simple 'you're mine' gets me every single time! I'm a sucker for an obsessed and possessive MMC, this one definitely hits the mark.
The intensity between these two is consuming. The red flags are flagging, constantly, but it's like a train wreck; you just cannot look away.
This book was a ride, a steamy, smutty, f*cked up ride... I loved every second of it!
I fell for the red flags, knowing exactly how crimson they were. If you enjoy dark, depraved, unhealthy, toxic, damaged, CNC, this book is absolutely for you!
Thank you Heidi for the ride, I can't wait for the sequel.

[Sam Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review**

“Possessive. Obsessive. Controlling. Consuming.” is how our MMC is described and it’s absolutely 100% correct. If you like reading about fictional men waving all their red flags, this one is definitely for you. It’s more of an emotionally, toxic, dark romance with a suffocating MMC.

I will say this one had me pretty annoyed with the FMC. I do have to give her credit though. Ivy is trying to HEAL (iykyk - sorry I couldn’t help but say it 🫣) from a traumatic relationship from her past. She lives with her roommate and seems to be stuck in a cycle of being around shitty men in general. Throw in the fact that she has next to no real support and she’s desperate for a reprieve and for someone to just take control so she doesn’t have to make all the decisions. What she doesn’t know is she’s always had the attention of the MMC for years and he’s willing and ready to apply his cold and calculating control to Ivy’s every day life.

“He isn’t normal. He isn’t safe. He has reach. Control. Access to things he shouldn’t.” At what point is it too much? Is this love or an unsettling obsession?

Now on to my 3.5 star rating…
It mainly stems from my annoyance of the FMC and repetition of her thoughts/actions. This may be unfair of me to say based on her past and also because I haven’t been in her situation. I won’t go too in depth in order to leave the plot as a surprise, but at what point will she stop sweeping his bright red flags under the rug? It felt like an endless cycle and I was just left wanting more. More awareness. More fight. With that being said - it could be coming in book two of this duet 👀
Now aside from the FMC, there was a little confusion through the first 40%. I couldn’t figure out the roommate situation. Who is Adrian and why is he the way he is? And the other guy? When TF did he get “back” and does he own the house or Adrian? Maybe none of that really matters in the end. I just wish we had more details there or maybe a more in depth look into her past (including her previous, violent relationship and how she came into her living situation).

I think book 2 will have me considering my outlook on these characters, specifically the FMC.

🖤 Obsessive & Possessive OTT MMC
🖤 Unhinged Stalker
🖤 Touch Her & Die
🖤 He Watches Her
🖤 Psychological Manipulation
🖤 Body Betrayal
🖤 Praise + Control
🖤 Trauma Bonding

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this as a dark romance, this isnt a romance. This is pure darkness, this is obsession and control, this is like reading a domestic abuse story, but this time you get to know understand the inner truth.
Ivy, who clearly has lots of trauma from her childhood and a messed up past relationship (that’s not delved into too much, but clearly she's struggling), clings to Soren like he's her last dying breath! He is the biggest red flag I've ever read. Not the "oh but I can change him" red flag, the kind that makes you literally scream run women run! Or what the actual f#*k are you doing!
Ivy is frustrating as hell, she has so much trauma, yet she's jumping on planes and moving across the country to be with a man she barely knows.
She also screams out the red flags herself so many times, but with one touch of Soren she's grounded and back to putty in his hands! I've never felt so frustrated reading a book, simply based on her absolute ignorance or idiocy that she either clearly needs someone to control her to function or she's so desperate to feel whole that she'll accept all kinds of toxicity! And don't get me started with her asking him to "wait" twice and him telling her, she doesn't tell him to wait, thats not CNC.
I also feel like they don't know anything about each other. They didn't have any connecting moments other than arguing, sex and him ensuring he has full control by manipulating everything he does to seem like its for her benefit! I'm really hoping Ivy gets a back bone soon and stands her ground!
Ivy goes into lots and lots of details about Soren and what he’s doing, which is quite repetitive but I read it as a inner monologue of a women desperately trying to understand and idolise a man she knows is abusing her. Like the more she justifies his actions and links them to her dark and stormy trauma and how she now feels, is her way of accepting it all.
Heidi has created the most frustrating characters that give you this anger deep inside like your watching friends damage themselves! And you want to give them a shake and say wake up!! I’m desperate to know more about his damaged self, his world and the weird little "anything goes" neighbourhood, so hopefully more next time.
But go into this for the darkness that’s truly a messed up spiralling mental health crisis with all the triggers.
This isn't a romance, maybe a dark thriller with spice.

[Robin Reads a Ton · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first picked up this book, I was expecting a really dark romance, at least from the way it was described. But honestly, it didn’t quite go there for me. Sure, the relationship has its intense moments, but it felt more like an emotional romance with a little bit of an edge. Think Colleen Hoover vibes, rather than something truly dark or heavy. So if you’re hoping for a story that’s deeply unsettling or full of moral twists, you might end up a bit disappointed.

The idea behind the story really pulled me in at first. Ivy’s got this complicated past, with all her struggles around who she is and where she belongs, and Soren comes across as this watchful, kind of distant guy whose obsession could have made things really interesting. It honestly seemed like it had everything you’d want for a story about control, vulnerability, and those blurry lines between love and possession.

But here’s where things got a little tricky for me: the way the story is put together, especially the pacing, just didn’t quite work. The early chapters jump around in time, and I found it hard to really settle in. The time jumps felt more confusing than anything, and it made the story feel a bit choppy. Instead of getting pulled along, I kept finding myself stopping and starting, waiting for things to click into place.

I also noticed that the narration, especially from Ivy’s side, started to feel a bit repetitive after a while. Her struggles matter, for sure, but the way they’re shared doesn’t really change much as the story goes on. It kind of circles around the same feelings, and I think that made it harder for me to really connect with her or feel the full weight of what she was going through.

That being said, there are definitely moments between Ivy and Soren that caught my attention. The way obsession sometimes looks like safety, or how control can get mixed up with love, is actually really interesting. There are little flashes where you can see what the story could have been if it had leaned more into that tension and tightened things up a bit.

I think this story has a lot going for it, even if it doesn’t quite get there in the end. If you like romances that are emotional with just a hint of darkness, you might still find something to enjoy. But if you’re after a truly dark romance with lots of depth and tension, this one might not be what you’re looking for.

[Mette Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book from the author. This review reflects my honest opinion.

This was a difficult book for me to get through.

I went into it expecting a dark romance, and while the darkness is absolutely there, the overall experience leaned much more toward a psychological thriller than a romance for me. The tone is heavy, emotionally intense, and at times deeply uncomfortable — not necessarily in a bad way, but it made the reading experience feel more draining than engaging.

The pacing was quite slow, and the level of detail sometimes felt overwhelming. While I usually enjoy deep character exploration, here it often felt like the story lingered too long in certain moments, which made it harder to stay immersed.

I also found myself struggling with the characters — especially Soren. There were moments where I genuinely disliked him and hoped Ivy would break free from him in some way. At the same time, there are glimpses of something softer beneath his behavior — moments where he listens to her, sees her, and gives her the kind of validation she’s never had. Those moments added complexity, but they weren’t enough for me to fully connect with him.

Ivy was equally difficult for me to follow emotionally. Given her past, I found it hard to reconcile some of her choices, even though I could understand the underlying trauma and emotional patterns driving them. There were small moments of growth toward the end that I appreciated, but I personally wanted more agency from her throughout the story. She frustrated me as a character.

More than anything, I struggled with the dynamic between them. It felt less like a dark romance built on tension and consent, and more like a portrayal of control and emotional dependency that blurred into something much heavier. At times, it crossed into territory that made it difficult for me to enjoy rather than analyze.

It’s intense, heavy, and very psychological. You really feel how damaged both characters are and how they kind of spiral into each other.

But for me, it just didn’t hit right.

I didn’t feel pulled in — I felt stuck. Like I was reading something I needed to finish rather than something I actually wanted to pick up again. And that’s always a sign for me that it’s not the right match.

[Amber 🖤📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC READ

I have such mixed feelings about Scars So Lovely. On one hand, Heidi Stark gives us a male lead who is the definition of a "walking red flag," and I’ll be the first to admit, I was kind of here for it. On the other hand, the execution of the story left me wanting a lot more than what was on the page.

The dynamic between Ivy and Soren is definitely the focal point. Ivy is a deeply broken protagonist whose PTSD and anxiety are palpable, you really feel for her as she navigates her trauma. Then there’s Soren. He is calculated, manipulative and has clearly been pining for Ivy in a way that is intense and giving dark romance vibes. He feels dangerous and sneaky, which kept me curious.

However, I struggled with the pacing of their relationship. It felt incredibly rushed. They met once, and after basically three text messages, she’s flying out to see him, no questions asked? I really missed the build-up. It made the connection feel less like a fated obsession and more like a convenient plot point.

Also, we have to talk about Adrian, Ivy’s roommate. I have never wanted to reach through the pages and punch throat a character more. He’s overbearing and masquerades his berating comments as "help," showing zero empathy for what Ivy is actually going through. He’s the kind of "friend" no one needs.

The book starts off a bit rocky. The timeline shifts at the beginning are a little bit confusing, and it took me a while to find my footing. Once the story settles into a groove, it does get better, but those first few chapters are a bit of a hurdle.

My biggest gripe, though, was the prose style. A lot of the passages are written in very short, clipped sentences. At times, it felt like "filler", words used just to pad the length of the book without adding real depth or emotional resonance. It made the writing feel a bit disjointed and "thrown together" rather than polished. However, I will say, I loved the short chapters, they are perfect for someone who doesn't like to just stop abruptly while reading and gives you plenty of breaking points.

If you love a morally pitch-black hero and a heroine who needs a safe, a bit toxic, place to land, you will for sure enjoy this one!

[Kaitlynn York · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just want to start this out by saying thank you Heidi for letting me ARC read this story…
This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions; happiness, anger, confusion, etc and I genuinely enjoyed the story overall. Honestly, the beginning of the book was confusing with the time jumps but once it picked up I couldn’t put it down until I was finished. Even then I didn’t want it to be over. The story is very captivating in a way that is hard to explain, I was rooting for her happiness while upset over the way he was essentially grooming her to want him endlessly. I was aware going into the book that it wasn’t going to be a very romantic story in the normal sense but I was still rooting for him to ultimately redeem himself in the romance department. Yes he took care of her completely and did nice things for her, but that control he was pushing on her was the complete opposite of romance.
Ivy as a trauma survivor was a very real and relatable character, but with that in mind I’m still trying to process how it took her so long to actually listen to the voice telling her something wasn’t right. She kept justifying every behavior or questionable thing that came out of his mouth, I lost track of how many times I yelled at her. Like girl what!? Don’t get me wrong, Soren seems very hard to resist in a lot of ways. But the way he smashed her phone and she just acted like nothing happened? I would’ve cried, at the least I would’ve been extremely pissed off but she was so nonchalant about it. (And I need to know what it was she kept seeing in the bedroom, was it a camera or something else??)
I absolutely loved the darkness and bit of mystery behind Soren’s character, but I’ll be honest, I wanted to punch the s*** out of him when she said she needed him to talk to her instead of doing things like he was and he was like “so you forgive me?” For someone so manipulative and observant he’s kind of dense.

My favorite part of the whole story was the care and attention Soren gave Ivy while she was struggling with her endometriosis and adenomyosis. He felt less like the crazy obsessed villain and more of the loving caring boyfriend I was rooting for the entire story even knowing it wasn’t that kind of story.

But the ending? How could you do that to us, I need more!!

[kymagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

She wanted safety. He gave her a cage that felt like devotion.

Ivy has spent her life surviving quietly, carrying scars she hides and fears she refuses to name. She’s guarded, hypervigilant, and used to making herself smaller so no one can use her pain against her. Then Soren finds the places she’s been protecting, because he’s been watching closely enough to know where they hurt.

Soren is patient, controlled, and dangerous in a way that doesn’t ask for permission. He doesn’t just want Ivy’s body. He wants her fear, her trust, her shame, and every hidden part of her that still believes wanting too much makes her unsafe. With him, care comes with commands, protection comes with possession, and tenderness has teeth.

The deeper Ivy falls, the harder it gets to tell whether she’s healing or being remade around him. Soren gives her safety, structure, praise, and attention that feels impossible to resist. But his love isn’t soft. It’s invasive, obsessive, and absolute, and Ivy fears how much relief she feels inside it.

Ivy moves from guarded survival into conscious surrender, where fear, desire, safety, and control tangle in ways she can’t ignore. Soren shifts from distant fixation into open possession, offering care, protection, and intimacy through control he has no interest in releasing. Their bond becomes consuming, built on obsession, command, body betrayal, dark caretaking, and the uneasy awareness that safety can become a trap.

A pitch-black, kink-forward, stalker erotic romantic suspense about obsession, trauma, control, and the blur between protection and possession. It’s about a woman shaped by fear who finds safety in the hands of a man who should terrify her, and a man so consumed by her that care becomes ownership, love becomes control, and being seen feels dangerously close to being claimed.

The Elevator Pitch: A guarded survivor with a body trained for fear catches the attention of a man who studies desire like a weapon. As his care turns sharper, closer, and harder to resist, safety begins to look dangerously like surrender. Their connection slips into the dark space between protection and possession, where wanting him may cost her the last piece of herself.

Heat Level: 🖤🔥 Erotica / Kink-Forward

[Courtney Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book from this author and I did enjoy this read. I liked her style of writing and . I loved that the chapters are short., so if your like me and don't like stopping mid chapter but have lots of stuff going on so you need to put the book down then this book is good for that. The trigger warning page is 4 pages long and who doesnt love a menu of trigger warnings. We get chapter pov of both the fmc ivy and the mmc soren but only a few chapters from the him which i wanted more off from him .

So the story is about a girl named ivy who has gone through a lot in her life which causes a lot of trauma and self doubt. With this we do learn a few things about her past like she is adopted and she has an abusive ex boyfriend and more but i dont want give to many spoilers. She is living with a roommate who is an absolute arse and is a character you cant help but despise. But she gets back in contact with a guy called soren who she met in her past and He invites her over to hang out for the weekend , which then becomes in to a permanent stay.
Soren is a possessive, controlling mmc who we first meet in the book as a stalker. Personally I would of liked more chapters of him stalking her. But we only get limited . You can't help but have a love hate relationship for soren as he is attentive and passionate when it comes to helping ivy with her healing and everything you want in a partner but then he can be unhinged, bit of a dick at certain times .

I was a bit confused at the first part of the book as the time line threw me off a little bit but after a couple of chapters I managed to get up to speed with it. I would of liked more story of both ivy's and sorens past as I think that would of helped me understand their trauma a bit more and why they was the way they are.
The spicy scenes in this book was spicy and the fantasy of the fmc was dark.

All in all this book was good read and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend this book to people who are after a controlling mmc.

Im rating this book 3 1/2 stars .

[Rachel Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Kaylie Kemenyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhhh where to begin. I was obsessed with Soren right from page 1. And how could a girl not be, 6’5 and tattooed. Oh. My. God…A man that knows every step, every reaction, know matter how small, knows exactly how she’s feeling… I eat that right up. I don’t even know how to explain him, he’s not controlling over Ivy but he is so obsessed and possessive of her that I can’t stop turning the page. The obsession, the way he notices everything, always watching, a hand on her thigh, leading her by the small of her back, hands in her hair, again, she doesn’t have to make a decision, she can let her mind relax and let her man take control, and, again, I am eating it all up and I never want it to end

And Ivy, oh Ivy. I want to wrap her up in a hug and never let go. She’s always on edge, always making sure she has her guard up. Always making sure she keeps herself small, hidden, quiet. But when Soren is around, her shoulders drop, she feels seen, cared for, she doesn’t have to hide. Just from reading the first few chapters, they both have a hold on my heart that I fear I never want them to let go.

The spice is *chef’s kiss*, the FaceTime, the hot tub, the hallway, the list goes on. It is so beautifully written, I will continue to think about it… oh and the anything goes…iykyk

Adrien can go away. I don’t like the way he talks to Ivy, and the way he treats her. Soren sees it and that’s all you need to know when it comes to Adrien

Soren “and I don’t let anyone touch what’s mine” ahhhhhh
“Im going to take care of you while you’re here ivy”, “so well you’re not going to want to leave” ahhhhhh again
“Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should” ahhhhh x3

The ending as well…. I read the last two chapters more times than I probably should have but I just want more, no, I need more!!!

You’ll want to scream at some parts but at the same time, make you want to crawl into the book and have Soren act the way he does for you. I cannot wait for others to read this and enjoy it as much as I did

[chantelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My PERFECT little poison 🐈‍⬛️

Scars so Lovely is spicy dark stalker romance that was definitely a satisfying read that I couldn't put the book down once I started it!!

Honestly, it took me a hot minute to get into it in the beginning because I was completely confused in the first two chapter but after we backtracked in chapter three when it all started, it made so much more sense after that.

Ivy, the FMC suffers from not only one traumatic experiences in her past but also medical issues as well. She's not only stuck trying to move on from her past with her crazy ex, then her controlling supposedly "best friend" who just gave me the ick was weird but nothing seems to be working out in her favor until she connects with Soren the MMC. Soren uses "unconventional" ways to express his love for Ivy, he's always aware of what she needs at the right time she needs it. Like he says he's "always watching" her. I mean if you can look past his psychological manipulation as a form of love, then we're golden. He's just that type of guy that's obsessed, possessive and unhinged all in one and we love him for it.

"That's my job, little poison to know you better than you know yourself"

Overall, there were some moments I wanted to strangle Ivy for being so clueless when she didn't act on certain situations but in the end it made sense. She just wanted to give up control and have someone take the reigns and boyyyy did Soren step up to the plate. He did some sketchy things mind you to get her there, but he had his reasons and in the end it worked out for the both of them. The only thing I would have like more was if we had more chapters from Soren. He handled some situations that would have been so soo nice to get a more in depth of how he "handled" them.

Thank you soo much Author Heidi for giving me the chance to read and review your book it was a pleasure and I'm already excited for Book 2!!!

****I received a Advance Reader's copy from the Author and these opinions are my own****

[Alex Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of Scars So Lovely from the author prior to release. Thank you so much for the opportunity!

Scars So Lovely is a dark romance centered on two deeply troubled characters. The male lead is intensely obsessive—his fixation on the female lead carries familiar tropes like “touch her and you’ll die” and “if I can’t have her, no one can.”

I found it to be an easy, fast-paced read. Within a few chapters I was invested, and I finished it in a single day. The alternating POV chapters between the male and female leads worked well, offering contrasting perspectives on the same events. That said, the story would have benefited from more chapters from the male characters point of view; additional insight into his background and motivations could have added more depth to the story.

Compared to others in the genre, this book sits on the lighter end of dark romance. I’d recommend it to readers new to the genre, or those who prefer darker themes without going to extremes.

The premise itself has strong potential, but the execution doesn’t always do it justice. The opening chapters can feel confusing, and the story would have benefitted from more context and a slower build-up to better establish the characters and their circumstances. At times, the pacing feels rushed, which makes it harder to fully connect with the characters or invest in their relationship.

With darker, more toxic male leads, it’s especially important to include redeeming qualities or a clearer exploration of their past. Without that, the character risks coming across as purely villainous rather than complex or compelling.

Overall, it’s difficult to tell whether the story is meant to be a dark romance the reader should root for, or a cautionary tale highlighting elements of domestic abuse—such as controlling behavior, love bombing, and gaslighting. That ambiguity may work for some readers, but for me, it left the story feeling somewhat unclear in its intent.