To All the Guys I Killed Before

The Right Kind of Wrong #1

by Sara Whitney

"Forgive me for being excited to meet someone like me."

Rue Bellamy thinks I'm the most boring man alive, and I intend to keep it that way.

As long as my pretty neighbor never sees past my beige cardigans and passionate opinions about rose fertilizer, she won’t realize I've been in love with her for every one of the 538 days I’ve known her.

She also won’t think to look for the cameras I installed in her half of our duplex. (What can I say? Surveillance is my love language.)

Best of all, she’ll never connect those impeccably staged accidents she processes as a county death investigator to the man watering the rosebushes next door.

Hugo Mohr lurks at my mailbox every single day to bore me to death with his small talk.

That's why it's always a relief to slip away, pull on a mask, and deliver justice where the system won't, one solitary kill at a time.

Or it was, until a rival vigilante starts turning up at my future crime scenes like he owns them (because as far as he's concerned, he does). I don’t know his name or what he looks like. I just know I’m taking risks I shouldn’t so I can see him again.

Then one of our murder-dates goes spectacularly wrong, and I discover that my nerdy psychologist neighbor and the seasoned killer I'm falling for are the same guy.

A vigilante situationship hits different when you share a wall—and that's before I find out Hugo's got even more secrets than I do.

To All the Guys I Killed Before is a delightfully unhinged mashup of Mr. and Mrs. Smith's secret double lives, Lights Out's morally gray golden retriever hero, and Butcher & Blackbird's blood-slicked banter. Book 1 in the Right Kind of Wrong series is funny, spicy, ridiculously romantic, and genuinely dark, with a killer found family and enough OMG WHAT??? moments to fill several unmarked graves. How to Slay a Guy in Ten Days and He's Just Not That Into Stalking You, books 2 and 3, are coming for you soon.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Found Family, Dark, Fiction, Adult

530 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2026

About the author

Sara Whitney writes spicy (and occasionally stabby) rom-coms so addictive, you’ll finish them in one sitting and immediately stalk her for the next one. Sara’s an award-winning author whose books feature banter, big feelings, and heroes who’ve been in love since page one but are absolutely not ready to discuss it yet.

A recovering journalist and film critic who went rogue and got a Ph.D., Sara splits her time between professering, writing romance, and badgering her friends into watching her latest TV obsessions. Her writing lair (aka house) is outfitted with hot pink hallways, entire rooms of bookcases, and three adorable but sociopathic cats. Sara lives in Central Illinois, surviving on Swedish Fish, Yankees baseball, and the unwavering belief that red lipstick can fix almost anything.

Keep up with the latest by subscribing to Sara's mailing list at http://www.sarawhitney.com/subscribe

Reviews

[Dani (Daniiireads)]

If you like:
- dark humor
- bad ass FMCs who are stabby
- cinnamon roll MMCs reminiscent of Josh from Lights Out
- murder meet cutes
- punny titled books

Then I highly recommend To All the Guys I’ve Killed Before because this was freaking fantastic 🤣

[litlindseyreads]

“ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ꜱᴘᴀᴄᴇ.” ɪ ꜱᴄᴏᴡʟ ᴜᴘ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴ ʟᴏᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴍᴇ.

ʜᴇ ʀᴇꜱᴘᴏɴᴅꜱ ʙʏ ꜱʜɪꜰᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʜ ᴄʟᴏꜱᴇʀ. “ʜᴏᴡ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴏᴛ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɪᴛ ʏᴇᴛ?” ʜɪꜱ ᴛᴏɴᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏ ᴜɴᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅʟʏ ᴘʟᴀʏꜰᴜʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴀʟᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇꜱ ᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ʜɪꜱ ᴅᴇᴀᴅʟʏ ᴅᴜʟʟ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʀꜱᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍʙᴀʀʀᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ ᴇᴀʀɴᴇꜱᴛɴᴇꜱꜱ. ᴀʟᴍᴏꜱᴛ.

“ɪ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪꜱᴇ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪ’ʟʟ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ɢᴇᴛ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɪᴛ.”

ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴅʀᴏᴘ ᴍʏ ꜱᴄᴏᴡʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪ’ᴠᴇ ʀᴀʀᴇʟʏ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ɪɴ ᴀ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʜᴀʟꜰ ᴏꜰ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴜɢᴏ: ɪ ʟɪɴɢᴇʀ. ʜᴇʟʟ, ɪ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴍɪᴍɪᴄ ʜɪꜱ ᴄʀᴏꜱꜱᴇᴅ-ᴀʀᴍꜱ ᴍᴀɪʟʙᴏx ʟᴇᴀɴ ᴀꜱ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴀꜱ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴜꜱɪɴɢ ᴀʟʟ ꜰɪᴠᴇ ꜰᴇᴇᴛ, ꜰᴏᴜʀ ɪɴᴄʜᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇ. ɪ’ᴍ ꜱᴜʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴅʀɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ, ɪᴛ ʟᴏᴏᴋꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴅᴏ ʙᴀɢɢɪɴꜱ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʀꜱᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴀɴᴏꜱ

𝒯𝑜 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒢𝓊𝓎𝓈 𝐼 𝒦𝒾𝓁𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝐵𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 by Sara Whitney

I loved this Dark Rom Com so much. I was intrigued in the first chapter, but by the second chapter from Hugo’s first POV I was HOOKED. Sara Whitney is SO dang funny. She had me chuckling, swooning, and kicking my feet with Hugo and Rue’s antics. Not only was it funny and swoony, but it also had me on the edge of my seat for several parts of the story! If you loved Dexter, Lights Out, and Butcher & Blackbird (with a side of feminine rage), you should add this book to your TBR IMMEDIATELY. The best part? It’s available TODAY!

Things about this book I think you’ll enjoy:
Dark Rom Com (and believe me it’s hilarious)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith meets Dexter
Masked man (and masked woman)
Cute nicknames
Touch her/him & die
Hidden Identities (his every day persona gives Clark Kent vibes)
Vigilante Serial Unalivers
Lovable goofy side characters
Psychologist MMC x Medical Examiner FMC
So much feminine rage (and her actions are SO satisfying)
They share a duplex (and he’s been surveilling her)

Thank you so much to Sara Whitney and Hambright PR for the opportunity to read this ARC!

[Wendy Marie (myrisingphoenixera.reads)]

4.5⭐️
3.5🌶️
🔪Murder as Meet Cute
🌹Dark Comedy
🔪Surveillance as Love Language
🌹Secret Identities / Dual Identities
🔪He Falls First
🌹Morally Dark Heroine and Hero
🔪Dual First Person POV

By day Rue is a forensic death investigator for the county, then by night she takes out vile men who got away with their crimes. She lives in a duplex next to a rather unassuming and boring psychologist she’s nicknamed Dr. Boring. Dr. Hugo Mohr has been obsessed with Rue since she moved in. Underneath the glasses and beige cardigan is a serial unaliver with a stalking hobby. He uses his beige cardigan and boorish identity to keep people, particularly Rue, at arm’s length. Hugo just so happens to be outside whenever she comes home without fail. They have awkward interactions at their mailboxes, except lately they’ve been less awkward. One night on a job, Rue is surprised by another masked unaliver hiding in the closet of her next target. After some smart comebacks and witty banter things heat up and they make a bet to see who gets to unalive their target. The instant chemistry and adrenaline rush from unaliving means there are some smexy and messy times. I loved the juxtaposition between their day jobs and their nightly shenanigans. The suspense built with each secret rendezvous waitning for the unmasking. When that does happen things quickly spiral out of control when the extent of Hugo’s surveillance is revealed. I had so much fun reading this book. I loved the premise of two serial unalivers living next door to each other and neither ever suspected the other. The story’s darker themes were perfectly balanced with humor and witty banter. This has a bit of everything a murder meet cute, humor, spice, and some light stalking. The perfect story for any dark romcom fan.

🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading.

Plot: 4.5
Engaging: 5
Character: 4

Thank you Sara Whitney and Hambright PR for the gifted advanced copy.

📚All thoughts and opinions are my own📚
🐦‍🔥Follow me on socials @myrisingphoenixera.reads🐦‍🔥

A Few Favorite Quotes:
“You’re burning up,” he murmurs. “I bet I could make you come faster than you could bleed me dry with that little kn!fe of yours.”

“Hugo Mohr is desperate to rip this man apart for me, and the bisected pieces of my heart realign and slot together with a click. Inevitable. He was inevitable. We were inevitable.”

“Yes, okay? I ki!ll3d for you before you gave me a second glance. Five stars, no notes, would k!|| for you again.”

“Let’s k!|| bad guys together forever.” She grins back. “Absolutely. But let’s not do it on hard mode next time.”

[Marissa C]

This is an extra spicy sort of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, specifically taking revenge on men who have mistreated women. Not to mention, an adorable dog named Cosmo.
Personally, this was a bit too violent and sexual for my taste.
A big thanks to Hambright PR for the ARC!

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕]

This was such a pleasant surprise. I had no idea that I was going to fall in love with not one but two crazy dysfunctional vigilante killers!!

[image error]

Rue has always marched to the beat of her own drum and she has no plans of changing the way she does things. Being a forensic medical examiner has made her see things beyond a clinical level and she uses that skill to her liking at night. But when she meets someone whose life's mission is to deliver their own kind of justice, Rue knows that kills as she knows it, is about to get a lot more complicated.



I really enjoyed this one and it had the perfect balance of dark humor, sexual tension, and hilarious banter. Hugo and Rue were the complete opposite of each on paper but the minute they were in the same room together, you knew immediately that these two were meant for each other. They moved in sync and I loved seeing them in their natural element because they made each other better.

This is my first time reading anything from this author and it certainly will not be my last! I'm really excited to see what she's going to do for the next few books in the series. If you're a fan of dark romance but you're looking for comedic relief as well, I highly recommend you read this one.

[Annotations&Air]

Apparently one of my favorite flavors of romance is now “what if women simply started killing terrible men?”

Who knew? 😂

To All the Guys I Killed Before is dark, sexy, and far more thoughtful than a book with this premise has any obligation to be. I had an absurd amount of fun with it.

What really worked for me was the anger running underneath the humor. There is a great sense of the particular exhaustion of watching misogyny flourish while women are expected to remain reasonable, careful, and endlessly invested in systems that don’t always protect them. Rue’s answer to that problem is obviously murder, which I cannot officially endorse, but fiction exists for a reason 😉.

And the men in this book? Whew. The manosphere has entered the chat, and things do not go particularly well for them.

The seemingly harmless psychologist neighbor manages to be sweet, deeply concerning, weirdly lovable, and a walking collection of red flags all at once. Their relationship shouldn’t be as charming as it is. Somehow, between the stalking, murder, secrets, and increasingly questionable choices, I was genuinely rooting for these two disasters.

I especially liked that the story still makes room for questions of consent and accountability. Loving someone doesn’t automatically erase the harm you’ve caused them, even in a world where both people have a remarkably flexible relationship with homicide.

This was cathartic in exactly the way I think dark fiction sometimes needs to be. It’s a fantasy about women having power in situations where women are so often denied it, wrapped inside a completely bonkers romance that knows exactly how bonkers it is.

🚩Read the content warnings. Seriously.

Then, if you’re still in: have fun. I certainly did.

Thank you to Hambright PR and Sara Whitney for the copy for review!

#hambrightpr #hprtoalltheguysivekilledbefore #sarawhitney #femalerage #darkromance

[The Calm Chapter Mandi Wiencek]

🔪 To All The Guys I Killed Before 🔪
((Spoiler- Free ARC Review))

Title- To All the Guys I Killed Before
Author- Sara Whitney
Genre- Dark Rom-Com
Series- The Right Kind of Wrong Book 1

Trope City-
🔪 Morally Dark MCs
🔪 Dark Rom-Com
🔪 Murder as a Meet Cute
🔪 Neighbors to Lovers
🔪 Secret Identities

This was literally the perfect balance of dark, witty, romantic brilliance. I ate this book up. I love my thrillers and this served right in the center of both my favorite genres. I’m so excited to see what this series becomes! This is the tale of a murder meet cute. Yes- a murder as a meet cute. A vigilante murder runs into a female counterpart with the same goal. Some betting, some spice and steam later, they’re taking turns murdering disgusting men who frankly, have it coming. Little do they know, they’re each other’s neighbors. Rue (FMC) and Hugo (MMC) experience daily awkwardness and forced interactions as neighbors. Those interactions become less and less awkward. They almost form a friendship with a side of crush. Realizing they’re also the killers who have had some hot physical interactions sends this in to a tail spin. I love these two so much. I need more of them! This was such a fun read.

Thank you Hambright PR for sharing this arc with me! 🔪💋

[The Morbid Mama ☠︎︎]

I don’t even know where to begin. I loved this goddamn book SO MUCH!!! Sara Whitney is probably one of my newest favorite authors 😍 The writing style was sooo palatable and was fun as HELL. The characters were lovable and the banter between our two MC’s was TOP NOTCH. There is nothing more satisfying than reading about a bad ass FMC taking down shitty men, then having a meet-cute with a stranger doing the same thing 🤣 This is definitely in the same wheelhouse as Butcher & Blackbird but I’ve gotta say… I liked this one more! I’m so thrilled to know this is the first in a trilogy and I cannot WAITTTT to see what’s going to happen next in the Big Apple!!!

Thank you so much to Hambright and LoveSpark Press for my arc of To All the Guys I Killed Before!

[Mandy Sickle]

I received To All The Guys I Killed Before in return for an honest review from Hambright PR.

Rue and Hugo are neighbors they share a duplex as well as secrets that they hide from each other. Hugo is in love with Rue and has been since she moved in and she thinks he's a boring man who likes to ramble. When a masked encounter leaves them flirting with each other they start in a game of meeting up however neither has forgotten about their neighbor.

I love Rue and Hugo they are so much alike as they flip from the normal boring life into the masked world. Plus they just have so much chemistry as they learn more about each other you can't help cheering them on. We have a great supporting cast that is great addition to the story plus a new puppy that moves into their lives.

This is a fast paced dark romance that captured my attention right from the start and kept me hooked till the very last page. I ended up devouring the book in one afternoon as I had to know how it would all end. I laughed and giggled throughout the story and I loved every moment of it. This is my first book by the author and I'm obsessed with her storytelling and need to read all her backlist. If you like a dark romance with characters to fall in love with I highly recommend.

[Michaela | bumblebeeslibrary]

To All the Guys I Killed Before, a serial killer romance

I loved this story from the first chapter, and couldn't put it down. It has everything, comedy, spice, stalker, revenge against bad men, enemies to lovers/friends to lovers/strangers to lovers all in one!

FMC Rue works by day as an ME, and by night as a woman out for revenge against men who deserve it. MMC Dr. Hugo aka Mr. Boring is a therapist who coincidentally also works by night as a serial unaliver, and also happens to be Rue's landlord. Sharing a duplex with thin walls, Hugo has been having fantasies about Rue since the day he said yes to her being his renter. While he is hiding behind his ugly cardigans and smashed hair, he has no idea Rue is also keeping dark secrets.

The characters in this story are amazing, both quite adept at taking out those who have gotten away with wrong-doing, and making it look like an accident. Rue just happens to have a perfect job to cover a lot of these "accidents," even ones that were not done by her. As the odd neighbor relationship between Hugo and Rue starts to heat up itself, both of them have been having unexpected rendezvous with an unknown masked vigilante just like themselves. I love that we as the reader know both sides of Rue and Hugo, and get to watch (ok read) as the two characters uncover each other's deepest, darkest secrets.

This is definitely more of a dark rom-com, with Rue and Hugo really getting off on their kills! Be prepared for some messy, spicy scenes! If we didn't get to know Hugo as a reader, his elaborate stalking would probably have been a huge red flag. But, you know, he has his reasons... until he realizes maybe he really was a creepy stalker, obsessing over his neighbor a bit much. Also, his secret love token reveal at the end is just beyond adorable!

Of course, neither of them could do their work alone, Rue has her sister who does all the analytics to find their next target, and Hugo has his friend xxx, a genius chemist. Then there is Pell, he is like the go to guy for all things serial killer vigilante. Oh and can't forget the adorable Cosmo!

I am so excited this is a trilogy, and cannot wait to read about what happens next!

Thank you so much to Hambright PR and the author for a copy!

Some fav quotes:
"“Actually, bitch was my mother’s name. You can call me Rue.”"

"“At least death by virgin would be quick,” I point out. “Awkward, but quick.”"

"He is, and there’s simply no other way to put it, cringe. Even if the cool kids aren’t saying it anymore, the word fits the man in front of me like a worn pair of Crocs."

"Truly, it’s a crime against humanity that this jaw was gifted to a man with the fashion sense of a colorblind eighteenth-century Quaker."

"I try to live my life so I don’t nod off while the guy’s still inside me, thanks."

"...the serial killer next door has a secret surveillance system, a moral code, and a crush."

"I stick to my imagination like the gentleman serial killer I am, and I bite my lip bloody to keep from shouting her name when I come."

"I bet post-kill sex with him would be incredible—if he doesn’t decide to snap my neck first. Most women would file that under reasons to run. I file it under foreplay."

"I’ve never met anyone like him. Dark. Funny. Curious. Confident. Competent. Really good with his fingers."

"Two murder dates, and I imprinted on that growl like a baby chick."

[Gosia]

Oh boy what a ride

If you’re craving similar vibes to Lights Out or Butcher and Blackbird, this is is!!! The vibes only, cause otherwise it’s absolutely NOT any type of copy paste situation.

I mean, we do have two serial unalivers but I would say that’s where the similarities to B&B end.

Tbh I don’t have any other words than: READ IT*
*obviously as long as you’re into dark-ish romcoms and you’re not scare of the triggers.

I’ve had super fun time with this book for like 95%, leaving the 5% for when I was a raging feminist at what some of these men said/did/represented (not main characters, obv) and when it got too gory and overall really explicit during the killing scenes.
Still solid 5⭐️! Just be ready for some details that can make you a bit (or a lot) nauseous 😅. Overall it was rather light and funny, the writing style kept the vibes like that for the most part, with just couple serious (or deeply enraging) moments.

I’m trying to keep it short cause it would be best if you go into this read blindly, without more details than the blurb and trigger warnings tell you.

I will just say that I loved the writing and execution of the idea. I loved how it was above all simply an entertaining read. The idea was interesting, especially the part where they BOTH have secret identities and are hot for each other “times two”. I liked when the secret identities got revealed (I don’t wanna tell you the % not to spoil it but let me just say I’m glad it happened when it did) and just overall how the whole plot was planned out and executed.

It’s dark romance but everything between the main characters is consensual 🖤🖤🖤 (ok, apart from the stalking but HEAR ME OUT)

And come oooon: he kills for her and she kills for him??? Kinda goals, am I right?

My only slight complaint is it felt like it was all happening very long in the “final act” (let’s call it that). Somewhere near 75% I could not stop reading and I was glued to my ereader, but from 80% to 90% it slowed (action-pace-wise) and I’m NOT saying I was struggling, just that it took more time to finish than I would assume.
I don’t have any notes on the writing, it was good throughout the whole read, but it was the kind of writing that I needed to focus on and couldn’t “fly through” this book. I don’t mean it as something good or bad, simply stating the fact how my brain was able to take in what I was reading (with 1.5 speed instead of my usual 2.0x)

Once again:
READ IT
HE KILLS FOR HER AND SHE KILLS FOR HIM
READ IT

Can I have book 2 now please?

Thank you HambrightPR and Sara for eARC


~~~
I’m too lazy now to go through my highlights but should I add some out of context quotes below?

[Amanda]

two serial killers living next door to each other & neither of them knows it!

by day, rue is a forensic medical examiner & hugo is a therapist. by night, they’re both serial killers talking out people who deserve it.

i had such a good time with this book. i loved the banter between the two, & i could not stop laughing! i think they’re both such a perfect match. & honestly, if i do say so myself, two peas in a pod 🥰

only reason this is not a 5 star is because, man, this book felt longed lol there were def some parts where i felt like the story was dragging on a bit.

but overall, i had a really good time with this one. & i would highly recommend it to all my dark rom-com lovers!

⚠️ please read trigger warnings first

thank you hambright & sara whitney for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Helen Ashley]

“This is a love story with a body count.”

Well, if ever there was a sentence designed to get my attention, it’s that one 😂🔪❤️

I was only a couple of chapters in when I found myself chuckling away. I love an author who writes with humour and this hit it perfectly. There’s crime, murder, romance, humour, lust AND spice. What more could a girl want? 🤭

I really enjoyed the dynamics between Rue and Hugo. Two morally questionable, Dexter-style vigilante killers ridding the world of bad guys, both keeping some rather big secrets from each other 🔪

Hugo is hot, protective and likes to take care of the woman he’s obsessed with in every possible way…even if that does include watching her through surveillance cameras. 🚩😂

And it isn’t just the main two I loved. Pell, Quinn, Felicity and, of course, Cosmo 🐾 make up such a likeable cast, with three strong, feisty women and a brilliant found-family feel.

Then there’s the spice…🥵 At 11% I realised this was officially the first murderous book to have my cheeks heating up 😂 The spicy scenes are fantastic and really well written, although there were definitely times when I was thinking, yes yes, very hot…now can we get back to the murders! 🔪😂

But it IS a sexy, stabby rom-com, so that’s kinda the point!

Dark, funny, spicy and completely unhinged. Romance, comedy, crime and murder all rolled into one gloriously chaotic package.

If you enjoyed Lights Out by Navessa Allen, I think you’ll have a lot of fun with this one!

And I’m very glad I already don’t like peanut butter 😂 IYKYK 😳

[Lexi Cubbins]

This book deserves waaaaaayyyyy more recognition in its genre. It was absolutely fabulous, funny, sexy, intriguing, and for a dark rom-com, the author wasn't afraid of the gory details. Basically, it was everything I like about a good book.

Rue works as a medical examiner during the day, but by night, she goes after vile men who deserve to die with the help of her twin sister. She lives next door to Hugo aka Dr. Bore, a nerdy psychiatrist who's also her landlord. He's been obsessed with Rue since the day she moved in - I mean, he never wanted to rent it out in the first place - and her side of the duplex might be full of hidden cameras. But Hugo has a very similar hobby, and his boring, clingy, slightly irritating persona is the perfect facade, because with secrets like his, he cannot possibly have a chance with a good girl like Rue.
One chance encounter at a target's house and Rue is halfway in love with Gomez, and Morticia is the first woman who has Hugo's interest other than Rue.
When they find out each other's identity? Inevitable perfection.

I literally loved everything about it, and I'm sure this little serial unaliver found family will bring us so much joy in the next books.

[Elizabeth]

I absolutely fell in love with all the characters in this book both the main ones and the side characters. This was such a good dark romcom. Hugo’s dorky day persona had me dying. Think Clark Kent but way worse! And his interactions with Rue were hilarious. And then they meet on “the job” not knowing who each other is. This was fast paced, humorous and entertaining the whole way though. I can’t wait to read Felicity’s story!


Murder as Meet Cute
Dark Comedy
Surveillance as Love Language
Secret Identities / Dual Identities
He Falls First
Morally Dark Heroine and Hero

Thank you to the author and Hambright PR for the advanced copy of this book.

[Jamie Reads]

To All the Guys I Killed Before by Sara Whitney is a really fun dark comedy romance that hits the sweet spot between romantic humor and true crime. I’ve been describing this book as Lights Out plus Butcher and the Blackbird having a baby, and honestly, that vibe is exactly what you’re getting here. It’s got clever banter, unexpected tender moments, found family, and main characters who are equal parts disaster and delight.

The tone of the book walks a perfect line, just dark enough to feel the seriousness of unhinged murder, but never so heavy that it loses its charm and romance. Whitney’s humor is snarky (Quinn), self‑aware (Rue), and laugh‑out‑loud funny (Pell). The chemistry between the MC’s is really fun too. They’re sweet together, yet sexy. They’re obsessively cute, but also obsessively protective of the other. I love their chemistry, tension, and inside jokes the best.

The pacing stays tight throughout and the ending sets up book two beautifully. February 2027 suddenly feels very far away.. But I’m already counting down.

Thank you to Hambright PR and Sara Whitney for this AMAZING ARC read!

[Tyla 🧚 🗡️ ☠️ 🩸 🖤]

ARC. 4.25 ⭐
I loved this.. if you love butcher & blackbird & lights out, that kind of dark romance humour, you HAVE TO add this to your TBR or read immediately. The quote “how about a little competition?” “First person to make the other one come gets to kill Howie.” 😈😈😈 FECK YEAH. Bit of me that.. I absolutely ate this up. The whole not knowing who they each are is a bit far fetched but for the purpose of the story, ok. It was funny! I loved the characters. I loved the side characters. I loved the dark stabby side to it. The FLOWERS AND THE MEANING behind it!! I love me a strong badass FMC and Rue is exactly that. And professor bore? Dark horse?! With glasses. Stop it. I need book 2 now. Autobuy author potential!!

[Ashley]

Omggggg I loved this one! Once I started I could not put this book down!

Rue and her sister have spent their girls night plotting their ☠️ to terrible people. Rue has found her next target and unexpectedly shows her cards to her annoying psychologist neighbor who can tell this crime bothered her. Rue doesn't expect to find another person in her targets house who had the same idea as her. They have a connection and find that they are looking forward to seeing each other again. Rue finds herself falling for mystery man but also her neighbor Hugo.

This book was exactly what I look forward to in a dark rom com. The banter was perfect and the grit was 🔥 Hugo lives behind this persona he's put in place and Rue is deeply guarded. Their push and pull was delicious. 10/10 no notes!

Thank you @hambright_pr and author for the gifted ebook!

[Romy]

I received this arc via Hambright Pr in exchange of my honest opinion.

I have to be honest with you all, this is one of those books I probably wouldn’t normally pick up. But, in this case, the title and blurb of this book immediately caught my attention. It sounded so intriguing and exciting! That’s when I decided to apply for this ARC, and I haven’t regretted it for a second!

There is quite a bit of spice in this book, so you definitely have to be into that — spoiler alert: I’m not that into it. But fortunately, I never felt like it came at the expense of the plot. There was enough going on outside of the steamy moments to keep me curious and make me want to keep reading. The spice therefore felt like part of the story rather than something that completely overshadowed it.

I also really enjoyed the fact that this book was so different from what I would normally choose to read. Sometimes stepping outside your usual comfort zone can turn out surprisingly well, and that was definitely the case here. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Hugo and Rue🥹.

One thing I do think is important to mention is that this book comes with a list of trigger warnings. I would definitely recommend reading through them before starting the book, so you know which topics you may encounter while reading.

Overall, I’m really glad that the title and blurb caught my attention enough to give this book a chance. It may not have been the most obvious choice for me, but it turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable read. Sara Whitney created an amazing and captivating story with this book and I am excited for her next books in these series!

[Tameaka (cozy_up_and_read)]

They say reading is therapy but maybe I need therapy for what I like to read 🤭 There was an actual plot and I was also invested in the love story. I laughed out loud so many times! The side characters and found family sealed the deal for me!

I received this as a eARC and the opinions are my own.

[Myrth :)]

Love me een Chicago vigilante romance

[Liv Niklas]

A partir de ahora mis reseñas estarán en Mistbook porque es más molon pero aquí dejo esto:

El libro es entretenido, traumático y perfecto para Halloween.

[nightlyreadingheather]

This is the first book in a series of interconnected stories, and I cannot wait to see what is next!

We have dual POV between Hugo & Rue.

Hugo is a nerdy psychologist, but a deeper secret lurks beneath his cardigan sweaters. Rue is Hugo's seemingly innocent next-door neighbor, but she is also harboring a secret life. The two get entangled one evening when they both choose the same target. Unbeknownst to each other, they do not know who they are actually dealing with.

This is a slow burn full of witty banter and shenanigans! The side characters were great also! Rue's sister, Hugo's BFF, and the friendly neighborhood "cleaner" all make for a highly entertaining read!

Be sure to check your triggers on this one. It can become quite graphic!

[Brennan]

Some books you have to rate 5 stars because you simply cannot find a single fault. This is one of them, though I must admit I wasn’t looking that hard since I was distracted by the hilarious banter, whip smart plot and the meticulously detailed deep dive into the “Manosphere”. This is Dark Romcom done right.
Rue is the sunny girl next door type who has been saddled with a psychiatrist neighbor so dull she has nicknamed him Dr. Bore. Luckily, he has never clued into the fact that her weekly girls nights out are actually an excuse to cover her murderous hobby of taking out the criminals that the justice system has failed to punish. She has just started to warm up to him when she meets a fellow vigilante while stalking one of her next victims. So will she pick the sweet but clueless neighbor or the dangerously exciting killer?
This book just hit all the right notes. You root for the main characters to not only fall in love but get the bad guys. The supporting cast is great and I’m sure will be featured in the next two books in the series - especially everyone’s favorite fixer, Pell. Their banter is smart and so funny. And the romance, while being super hot, was also surprisingly tender at times - I was not expecting to tear up on occasion.
This plot just speeds along without ever feeling rushed. I’m a fan of a ‘serial killers who only kill bad guys’ storyline and this is one of the best I’ve read. It was also particularly satisfying that our vigilantes got hurt performing their dangerous hobby, instead of skating through unscathed like some sort of super soldiers. I do feel bad for the obvious countless hours of research Whitney had to do to really bring us into the ugly depths of the woman hating online Incel community, but it made for fascinating reading.
And hey, if anyone is out there listening, this book is begging for an audiobook version. The wicked dialogue, heart stopping danger and blush inducing spice were made to be performed out loud.
Thank you to Hambright PR and author Sara Whitney for the chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book. I will absolutely be continuing with the series.

[Dawn Schock]

Everyone needs a meet cute, even serial unalivers. And this was it. I loved every minute of this one from start to finish. I don't feel like words will do this justice. You really just need to dive into it.

This is the first book in the Right Kind of Wrong series and it is an amazing series starter.

Rue is a forensic death investigator for the county, and moonlights as a 🥣🔪, taking out the worst of the worst. She spends her days processing crime scenes and being bored to tears by her nerdy psychologist neighbor.

Hugo is a 🥣🔪 who daylights as a nerdy psychologist. He spends his nights tensing to the criminals in the city in his own special way, and spends his days anxiously awaiting the return of his beautiful neighbor, and tenant, to return home.

Until chance brings them together as they are both targeting the same scumbag. However, neither realizes who the other is, because well, who removes their mask at a potential crime scene? They sure don't. But they most definitely do other things that ignite a fiery connection between the two. And from their both find themselves torn between the person next door they aee in the light and the masked 🥣🔪 they see in the night.

I loved the overall story. It sucked me in and I couldn't put it down. The premise was so intriguing and the way the events were woven together created such an engaging amd cohesive story, that there were literally no dull moments in the entire book.

Rue and Hugo quickly became two of my favorite leading characters and I loved all the nuggets of info about each of them that were sprinkled throughout the book.

Not only are Rue and Hugo amazing MCs, but the supporting characters are absolutely amazing, too. I love the dynamic between all of them and the ways they interacted with one another. No character felt flat or undeveloped.


And the bad guys . . . Oh, how I disliked them and may have cheered when they met their fates . . . just a little 🤏

The banter was fantastic. Some scenes had me laughing out loud. The spice was spicy. And the vengeance was deliciously vengeful.

I will not hesitate to read the next one when it comes out and I may have found my newest insta-buy author.

[Jessica]

Just finished reading an advanced copy of a book that was just released today called, To All the Guys I Killed Before. This is about Rue, she sees her neighbor Hugo as a dorky guy in glasses and beige cardigans who likes boring small talk and is always tending his roses. Hugo has had a crush on Rue since the day he met her, but there's a darker side to Hugo that Rue doesn't know about, like that he has killed for her. Hugo has been getting rid of terrible men for years, but then during one of his stake outs he runs into someone else, a woman that's there for the same reason as him. They both have masks on, they don't know who the other is, but this meet-cute has an instant connection and attraction sparking between them after finding someone else like them. And now Hugo is finding himself not only attracted to Rue, but also to this masked woman that keeps showing up when he's planning a kill. But what Hugo doesn't know, is there's a darker side of Rue he doesn't know about either.
I didn't want to give too much away above because there is so much more to this story, but let me start off by saying this book was beyond incredible! This was a top tier dark romance and I truly couldn't put it down! Basically it took me hostage right at the beginning and didn't let me go until the very end, and I loved every second of it! It had comedy, spice, stalking, nicknames (Morticia and Gomez), he falls first, morally grey characters, secrets, banter, found family, and vigilante justice. I absolutely devoured this story, if you love Lights Out and Butcher and Blackbird then you will absolutely loveee this book! This was my first book by this author, and I can't wait to read more! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book! ❤️📚

Thank you to Sara Whitney and HambrightPR for this ARC of To All the Guys I Killed Before, in exchange for an honest review.

[Sydney Lau]

Thank you to Hambright PR for sending me an ARC of this!

This book is like a combo of Lights Out and Butcher and Blackbird. It follows our pair of neighbors, Rue and Hugo. Both live double lives. On the outside, one’s a sweet crime scene analyst and the other is an uninteresting therapist. As they start to get closer, they begin to uncover each other’s secret identities. Both are killers, and both are obsessing over the other. This starts a steamy romance filled with suspense and high stakes!

I’m sorry to say that this one fell flat for me. The romance I particularly had issues with. To me, the couple moved quite fast and it felt like insta-love once they both figured out the other has a murder streak. I think it’s supposed to be implied that they knew each other for years before they finally clicked, but hearing our FMC’s internal monologue about the MMC being boring, creepy, and weird did not project attraction to me. Later on it’s said that she was lying to herself, but as a reader this felt like the wrong way to approach it. You only get a few scenes of pleasant interactions with them before the attraction sets in. I just wish we had a bit more!

Ultimately, this made their huge fallout feel unbelievable. There were several questionable moments regarding the murders that were explained away with the fact that the FMC worked on crime scenes and therefore could cover for them. I think we missed out on some suspense and an edge of danger by not playing into the complications of this more.

I did however enjoy the banter of some of the other characters! Quinn and Pell in the same room were a highlight for me. I could read a whole book about the two of them because they’re both so mysterious and interesting. This is what kept me reading and I hope that it carries into future books of the series!

[Mary]

Book Title: To All the Guys I Killed Before (The Right Kind of Wrong Book 1)
Author: Sara Whitney
Publisher: LoveSpark Press/Sara Whitney
Out Now? Y
Dates Read: September 9, 2026 – September 29, 2026

🗣️ 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔(𝚒𝚜𝚑) 𝚃𝚊𝚔𝚎: Can my whole review just be the word love? Probably not, but that’s how I feel about To All the Guys I Killed Before! It may have taken me a minute to get through, but I loved every second, and I savored my time in this storyline. I’m so happy it’s the first of a series, because these are characters that you just can’t get enough of. It might be a very spicy little romance, but it absolutely reads like a thriller to me as well, and you definitely can’t go wrong with a little bit of murdering bad guys à la Dexter. It was also sexy as hell, traumatic, and emotional all wrapped into one fast-paced (to me) read. So many tense moments kept me on my toes, and man, did I adore Rue and Hugo.

I bought a signed copy of the paperback from Whitney’s website before I even finished because I knew from the first QUARTER I’d love it. Now it is the waiting game until the next book, but I am in it for the long haul! You can check it out on Kindle Unlimited right now, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll need a copy to grace your shelves too. 😈

🎧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬: N/A (Maybe someday? 🥹)

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: N/A
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Aubrie Church]

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Recently I’ve gone on a streak of dark romances. It started with the Edge of Darkness series by Leigh Rivers and I was shocked by just how emotionally affected I was. Then, I read Butcher and Blackbird, another wildly popular book in this genre. So, when the ARC for this book became available, I jumped on it.

Rue hates evil men. So much so that she spends her free time killing them. Her and her twin sister enjoy searching for new targets, tracking them and executing carefully thought out plans to rid the earth of their existence. But when Rue runs into another self proclaimed vigilante while in the home of one of her targets, she gains a new friend that excites her mind as much as her body. She really likes this guy, but their killer identifies have to stay hidden if they want to continue their extracurricular activities. In her everyday life, after days spent processing crime scenes at work, she comes home to her very nerdy, sweet, somewhat annoying and slightly gorgeous neighbor. She may think he’s some innocent telehealth psychologist that takes too much interest in her life, but what she doesn’t know is that his interests are much more nefarious than she’d ever imagine.

This book starts off hot and the action continues throughout so you’ll never be bored. The characters are lovable and the author has you rooting for them the entire time. There’s a found family towards the end that flows right into their HEA. I’m not a big fan of third act breakups but the additional conflict towards the end and how everything came together really rounded out the story well. Would definitely recommend!

[Sarah]

Thank you Hambright PR for the advance reader copy!

Nothing says healthy relationship quite like secretly surveilling your neighbor, murdering terrible people, and accidentally falling in love with the masked vigilante who keeps showing up at your crime scenes.

Honestly, I have questions. Mostly for Sara Whitney. But also for myself.

Hugo might be one of the most hilariously deceptive men I’ve read in a while. Beige cardigan. Rose fertilizer. Awkward neighbor small talk. Secret serial killer. Apparently those things can coexist, because here we are.

And Rue is no better. She’s out here investigating suspicious deaths for a living while also going on mysterious murder dates with a masked vigilante.

The best part is watching these two slowly realize they’ve essentially been flirting with the same person while living next door to each other. The reveal was exactly the kind of ridiculous I signed up for, and the amount of “WAIT, YOU’RE WHO?!” energy in this book kept me fully invested.

The romance is somehow adorable. The banter is actually funny. The characters are walking red flags holding hands. And the found family? Weirdly precious considering everyone involved is at least a little bit terrifying.

Would I recommend basing your dating life on this book? Absolutely not.

Did I enjoy watching two homicidal weirdos fall in love? Unfortunately, yes.