Heart Eyes

Lovesick Duet #1

by Effie Campbell

She saved me once.

She probably doesn’t remember.
But I can’t forget.

Fourteen years ago, when we were small, I was starving.
Not just my stomach rumbling, but hungry for kindness. For someone to look at me like I mattered.

She did.

Until she couldn’t look at me at all.

I learned how to survive without being wanted in foster home after foster home. Holding on to my memories of her. Of how she saw me as more than nothing.

And now she’s back in my world.

Bright. Successful. Untouched by the ruin that shaped me into the monster I am.

I should stay away.
Men like me don’t get women like her.

But I’ve never been good at letting go.

So I watch. And I wait. Telling myself it’s harmless.
That loving her from the darkness is enough.

Until I see him.

A face from our past.
Someone who remembers what she did.
And wants to make her pay for it.

I have survived worse than him. I’m not afraid to abandon any remaining morals to keep her safe.

My love for her was born in darkness and fear. A glimmer of hope for a boy who had nothing.

Obsession.
Ruin.

But it’s the only good thing I’ve ever felt.

And this time… I’m not letting anyone take her from me.

Genres: Dark Romance, Stalker, Dark, Second Chance, Romance, Contemporary, Touch Her and Die

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 8, 2026

Reviews

[Caz]

4.25⭐️ I really loved Heart Eyes by Effie Campbell. From start to finish, this book completely drew me in with its emotional depth, compelling characters, and engaging storyline.



The story follows Kat and Liam—also known as “Heart Eyes”—who first meet as children 14 years ago. Their early connection is shaped by hardship, especially for Liam, who is not only physically starving but also deeply deprived of love and affection. This backstory adds a powerful emotional layer that carries through the entire novel. When they meet again years later, the chemistry between them is immediate and intense, making their relationship feel both authentic and deeply moving.



One of the standout aspects of this book is the character development. Kat and Liam are incredibly well-written, with complex personalities and believable growth. Liam, in particular, is a character who stays with you—his vulnerability, strength, and emotional journey are portrayed in a way that feels raw and real. Kat complements him perfectly, and together their dynamic is both passionate and heartfelt.



Effie Campbell’s writing style is another highlight. The prose flows beautifully, balancing emotional moments with tension and romance. The author does a great job of making you feel every moment, whether it’s the tenderness between the characters or the suspense introduced through the subplot involving a stalker. This element adds an extra layer of intrigue and keeps the story gripping throughout.



There is also a strong romantic and sensual element to the book, which is woven naturally into the story and enhances the connection between Kat and Liam rather than overshadowing it. Their love feels genuine and deeply felt, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their journey.



Overall, this is a captivating and emotionally rich story with well-developed characters, strong writing, and a plot that keeps you engaged. I would absolutely love to see more from this world—particularly a follow-up exploring where Kat and Liam are now, as their story feels like it still has so much more to give.



Thank you to Netgalley, and the author Effie Campbell for this ARC in exchange for my honest review



Publishing date: May 8th 2026

[Kursed Reads]

Fourteen years. One month. Two weeks. Three days. Fifteen hours. Thirty-three minutes.

That’s how long Liam has been without Kat. The girl who declared he was her “dear heart. Her new best friend.” The girl who brought him sandwiches, washed his hair, and saved his life.

Kat is going through the motions. But never really happy. Despite being a mere eight years old when she met him, Liam, continues to consume her thoughts.

When she begins receiving threatening messages that reference a fateful day 14 years earlier, she can only draw one conclusion.

Everything about this story is perfection! I loved the stalker vibes, the suspense, and, obviously, the steam! These two were absolutely made for one another and I’m so happy they found their way back to each other!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Format: 📱

🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, Mystery/Suspense, New Adult

Ending: 💕 {HFN}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present • Past}
Emotions: 😩😬🫣😳😍
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

✨ Tropes: Bad Boy x Good Girl, Childhood Friends-to-Lovers, Forbidden, Heroine in Danger, Hidden Identity, Stalker
 
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Caretaker/Protective MMC, Cat Dad, “Good Girl”, Good Girl > Dark Queen, Hand Necklace, It’s Always Been You, Panty Thief, Pierced 🐓, Scarred MMC, Size Difference, Tattooed MMC, Tragic Past

🔆 Character: Student, Underground Fighter

💋 Kinks: Biting/Marking, Brat, Masked MMC, Pearl Necklace/Spunk Art

🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a

🚩 Red Flags: Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, MINE!, OTT Hero, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying, “You’re Not Wearing That”

⛔️ Safety Squad: Kidnapping/Captive (Not by MMC), OM Drama (VERY MILD, Not Really/Before Together), Stalking (Not by MMC), Unaliving, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page and in the past and/or present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📍 Setting: College

📣 Type: Heart Eyes is the first book in The Lovesick Duet, but can be read as a standalone. The couple gets their HEA/HFN, but the overarching storyline will continue in future books.

⚠️ Warning: This smutty read will have you DoorDashing batteries for BOB.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[Hamsa•͙͙*★,°]

「 ✦ Heart Eyes ✦ 」
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5) 🌟

⤷i finished reading. closed the book. stared at the wall. screamed internally. sighed. then opened my laptop to write the review. i can't even form words to write it.
i need 5 business days to recover from this book.. I'm not okay and i don't think I'm going to be soon.
I devoured it! ate it up and left no crumbs. yes it was this good.
I'm really impressed. don't know why, but I didn't expect much at first. It was fast-paced and easy to read, but once I got into the plot, I was hooked. It was so intriguing that I couldn't put it down!!

Liam...my sweet boy he didn't deserve any of what happened to him he was deeply deprived of love and affection and went through so much shit. the amount of times i wanted to jump into the book just to hug him tight 🥹 but look at the man you've become🫂 i love him so much.

even kat my baby she was so strong and deserves the world. their relationship, love, resilience and perseverance while trying to survive together and figure everything out made my heart ache and break in the best painfully beautiful way ❤️‍🩹

‘‘I’ve loved you since the day we met, Kat. And I will love you to the day I die. If protecting you costs me that, it will be a life worthy of being lived.’’

these two broke my heart into pieces and never put it back. They suffered so much, but they had each other to hold onto while fighting their pasts and stepping into the darkness together. 🥹 and by the end of the book i was so emotionally damaged the last 20 pages were so heavy it tore my heart apart

But the moment I see her face, the rest of the world and its problems disappear. When I’m near her, it’s like she’s the only light, and everything else fades unless it’s close to her.

the thing that made me lower the rate is the mask 🙂 yes the mask. i knew it was a masked stalker romance from the beginning but what was it with the heart eyes 😭 it made me physically cringe so much every time it was mentioned.

overall it was intense and heartbreaking book that i'll go and recommend it to all my friends to make them live this incredible experience. 🫶🏼




⋆. 𐙚˚࿔ pre-read 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
time for a Masked stalker romance!! also the plot seems very interesting let's goo ❤️

[Adri]

• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 Stars)

●What I Liked
• Liam (Will): For me, Liam was the standout star of the story. His backstory is compelling, and his character arc felt well-earned. I found myself more invested in his journey and growth.
• The Mystery: The central mystery surrounding Kat and Liam kept me interested. Effie does a great job of building tension and has you questioning the "why" behind their connection.
• The Villain: A romance is often only as good as the threat keeping the leads apart, and the villain in this story was excellently written—genuinely impactful and necessary to the plot.
• The Ending: No spoilers, but that ending definitely left me wanting more! There is so much potential for a sequel to explore the fallout of the finale.

● What I Needed More Of
• Kat’s Development: Compared to Liam’s arc, Kat felt a little flat at times. But that may be because I liked Liam so much.
• Threads: We hear a lot about the expectations Kat’s parents place on her and her unhappiness at university, I don't think this was fully resolved.
• I’m crossing my fingers for a second book because I want to see how that ending works out for them!!!

● Accessibility & Formatting
• TTS Compatibility: I tested this using Text-to-Speech (TTS), and there were no general issues with the flow!
• Formatting Suggestion: One area for improvement would be labeling the text message exchanges. Adding "Liam:" or "Kat:" before the bubbles would greatly assist users who rely on screen readers or TTS to avoid confusion during dialogue.

● Who is this for?
If you are a fan of the following tropes, put this on your TBR immediately:
• Stalker Romance (with a dark edge)
• Second Chance Romance
• Victim-to-Saviour Arcs

[Brogan Elouise]

I really, really enjoyed this one and I would absolutely LOVE a second book following Liam and Kat’s hunting spree.

As dark romances go, this definitely sits on the softer side. Yes, there’s stalking. Yes, there’s revenge. But Liam is also an absolute sweetheart despite everything he’s been through. He is BABY BOY and should be protected at all cost and I’ll hear no different.

Kat is such a great FMC too, she’s brave, a little twisted, and more than willing to step into the darkness alongside him. They match each other so well in that way, never trying to pull the other back, just moving forward together.

Their story starts when they’re children, both dealing with different forms of abusive parents and finding comfort in each other when they need it most. Watching them find their way back to each other years later adds this really lovely emotional layer underneath everything else.

It’s sweet, spicy, funny in places, and has just enough darkness to keep you hooked without becoming overwhelming.

[Athena 💗]

So bummed over this one! I have read only one other book by Effie Campbell and even though the grammar needed some polishing I absolutely LOVED IT. It was The Unwilling Plus One and I told everyone I know about it. Her writing in that book was laugh out loud funny albeit a bit shocking at times and just an all around damn good time. I was very excited to see she had a new arc being released and jumped at the opportunity to read it.

The first chapter starts out so strong. I loved the setup, the characters backstories were intriguing and the MMC was giving mute, mysterious, walking red flag with a soft spot only for Kat.

This book was lacking the humor of Campbell’s other book but I was still enjoying it for the most part. If I spent a lot of time thinking on a scene I could kind of see the humor in it but I think most moments will go over the readers head because it required a lot of mental imagery and filling in the blanks to really get the full scene in my mind. Her writing in this book felt very one dimensional and often times it was creeping into amateur/wattapad territory.

I loved the concept, the backstory, the setting with them in college but then the writing started to fall completely flat and the final nail in the coffin for me was once they started getting intimate. It just got really weird after that. The scene with the ex-boyfriend could have been good if Liam had kept his mouth shut but how that entire scene played out gave me the ick. It was also so odd how he talks about being inexperienced (when it comes to choice) but then the things he does and says seems over the top for a person’s “first time”. Anytime they were together intimately I had to skip over because I would get thrown out of the story with how unrealistic it all played out - from actions to even just his dialogue.

Another thing that would throw me off is his mask. He kept it on pretty much the entirety of the book. It worked when Josh did it in Lights Out but it just didn’t work for me in this book. They are having a deep, heart to heart conversation while reliving a traumatic event from their past and then my mind would remember he’s sitting there in that scene with a stupid mask with heart eyes drawn on it. It wasn’t a scene meant to be funny so the whole thing was just really weird.

I truly do hate giving low ratings especially to indie authors. I know what Effie Campbell is capable of and this one didn’t quite reach the bar she has set for herself. With some polishing and a few tweaks I think this could have been a really fun book to get lost in when you’re in need of a guilty pleasure. I do plan to continue on with the other series but probably not this one.

This one wasn’t for me but maybe it will be for you. You can find it now for free borrow on Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you Effie Campbell for an ARC of Heart Eyes. My opinions are my own.

[Javi]

Riquísimo stalker romance (full con, sexo explícito y duro, etc) y aún con todo es de los libros que muestran que hay luz incluso cuando se nace en la mayor de las oscuridades

[Kims Book Coven]

This book did not disappoint. I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Perfect stalker dark romancr with so many good quotes. The crotch coffee has me howling! Thia nook reminded me why i love masked men!

A fab mix of suspence, plot and bingeworthy characters. So excited for the next book.

"Eyes on me
Breath with me
Stay with me"

"Ive loved you since the day we met, kat. And I will love you to the day I die. "

"The taste might not be as distinctive as I'd hoped crotch coffee might be but the thought of consuming kat was to much to resist. "

[Sarah Waldrop]

I am absolutely appalled at this book. Putting grammatical issues aside, this book is the most horrifying, soul-sucking, triggering book I have ever (attempted) to read. I made it halfway and then skipped to the end because I couldn't handle it anymore. It's not just trigger warnings, it's full-fledged trauma poorly packaged as a "dark romance." I do a damn good job setting my own trauma and PTSD aside, but this was absolutely stomach churning. Unnecessarily depraved details and plot and not of the kink variety. I would never recommend this book to anyone, even the most emotionally and mentally stable of us.

[Jessie B]

Heart eyes review

4.5⭐️
3🌶

I adored this book and was obsessed from the start. Liam has a huge soft spot in my heart!! This book is dark, emotional, spicy and thrilling!! I had every emotion possible reading about Kat & Liams story...happiness, sadness, anger, blushing moments, and just so much love for both of them. There was so much banter and humour and I loved the window scene 🥵 & of course the coffee filter 😂

Kat and Liam (Heart Eyes) met as children but came from 2 different lives. Liam didn't speak but they became friends through her caring nature, bringing him sandwiches and cleaning him up. He finds a heart shaped stone and gives it to her as a present which she treasures and keeps close to her heart for 14 years.

Liam is a survivor. After a life full of abuse and violence that nobody, and no child should endure, leaving him with both physical and emotional scars, leaving him feeling incomplete and feeling like he doesn't belong. Until being reunited with... Her. He's her stalker, he's her comfort, he's who she's been waiting for. But more than that, he's her protector. His obsession with Kat was next level, utterly morally grey & unhinged and yet i was here for it all.

Kat is a strong & fierce FMC, with a darkness in her, yet she was so full of life, loyal & compassionate especially with how patient she was with Liam as he worked through his trauma and insecurities. She was the perfect anchor for him, which made the spicy scenes so much better!! Despite everything and living a happy (ish) life, she's always felt like something has been missing, or someone.

I loved the dual POV as it was great to see inside both their heads, building up a better connection with the main characters. The plot twist was one i sort of saw coming but was not expecting it in a way. I thought the ending was almost beautiful in a way, making you think how people who have been through traumatic events are shaped in different ways and that you can get through it with the right person.

If you love a morally grey, masked, obsessed MMC stalker, with a story that gives you "touch her and ☠️" vibes combined with deep emotional bonds and healing....give this book a read.

"I will do whatever it takes to keep you in my life, Kat. My morals are deeply black when it comes to you"

"A scrap of pale pink cotton hangs out if the coffee machine's filter basket. I can't serve Ellie her roommates panty coffee. The taste might not be as distinctive as I'd hoped crotch-coffee might be, but the thought of consuming Kat was too much to resist. Explaining why a woman's underwear is replacing the coffee filter would be too much to bear."

[Emily (emilysdarkcorner)]

Heart Eyes by Effie Campbell


Please check your trigger and content warnings before reading this

I'm going to start this by saying that this is the first book by this author that I have read and I am OBSESSED! I WILL DEFINITELY be going back and reading more of her books ASAP.

The way this book hooked me in from the moment I started reading I knew I was going to love it. This book had me sat and not moving from my spot the whole time I was reading. Kat and Liam met as children near the water. Kat was in the river looking for toads and helping them find love and Liam was just looking to escape the darkness that waited for him back at the cottage. One day when Kat stumbles upon the cottage when she knew she was supposed to be at she saw things that she shouldn't have. From that moment that she was caught she would not know what happened to him and she was left wondering where he went and if he was okay.

"Fourteen years. One month. Two weeks. Three days. Fifteen hours. Thirty-three minutes."


From childhood Lian knew nothing but a life of pain. While he was in the ring and the other guy was getting the upper hand all he could think of was the one person he couldn't find. From the moment Liam finally laid his eyes on Kat he didn't know what to do next. He knew he wanted to tell her how much he loved her and not a day went by that he didn't think of her. But he remembered he didn't look like the little boy that she would have remembered.

The way that I loved Liam and Kat so much 💓 while reading this I just wanted to reach into my kindle and hug both of them many times. I LOVED the connection that they had from the moment she realized who he was I couldn't get enough of it. When that plot twist came and you figured out a certain thing that they were figuring out I sort of caught on. I NEED book two because I NEED more of Kat and Liam.

[Morgan | bookish_morgano]

I find I am at a loss for words finishing this story but here we go!

Unhinged stalker (good intentions kinda?) with a sad backstory, lonely rich FMC who falls for the stalker. There's another stalker (bad intentions) and this poor girl is just doin her best out here!

There's lots (in ratio to plot progression) of open door spice. Unhinged obsession (coffee filter panties) and an FMC who is not nearly weirded out enough by any of this.

I laughed, I cringed, I guessed the bad guy. What a wild ride!

I will not be reading the second book in the duet but if any of this sounds intriguing to you then I say go for it! I actually read it in one day, only 330 pages!

Add to your TBR if you like:
- stalkers
- obsessed (to the point of cringe) MMC
- darker themes (unaliving, sexual predators, harassment, illegal things)
- found family
- touch her and d!e

Thank you to the author for this ARC opportunity.

[Becca]

ARC review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heart Eyes is not your soft, sweet second chance romance it’s darker than that. It’s the kind of love that grows in the shadows, rooted in survival, memory, and a need so deep it borders on obsession.

From the very beginning, there’s this aching contrast between who he was and who he’s become. A starving boy hungry not just for food, but for kindness and the one girl who gave him something to hold onto. That small moment of humanity? It lingers, shaping everything that comes after.

And when they cross paths again years later it’s not simple. It’s not clean. It’s heavy with everything unsaid.

He doesn’t believe he deserves her. Not even close. But that doesn’t stop him from watching, waiting, holding onto her like she’s the last good thing in a world that never gave him anything else. And that quiet obsession? It’s intense in a way that feels both protective and deeply unsettling.

What makes this story hit is that his love isn’t gentle it’s feral. It’s built on survival, sharpened by pain, and willing to cross lines most people wouldn’t even approach. When danger creeps in from their shared past, that darkness in him doesn’t hesitate.

And honestly? That’s where the tension really takes hold.

Because you’re constantly asking yourself:
Is this love or something more dangerous?

The heroine adds a softer contrast bright, successful, everything he believes he’s not. But as their worlds collide, you start to see the cracks, the shared past, and the way fate keeps pulling them back together whether they’re ready or not.

[Hannah Cook]

ARC Review 🩷

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I generally had such a great time with this and would happily read more about Liam and Kat if Effie ever decided to continue their story - there's so much character from the two of them, I don't think I was ready for their story to end.

For a darker romance, this one feels surprisingly balanced. It includes some intense themes like obsession and revenge, but it never felt excessively heavy. I feel like this would be a good start for someone wanting to dip their toes into dark romance. Liam stole my whole heart, that man has been through it let me tell you; I just wanted to hug him forever 😢 Despite everything he's endured, there's such a vulnerable, caring side to him that makes it impossible not to love him.

Kat was equally compelling. She's utterly fearless and never shies away from embracing the darker parts of herself. To think she's been in love with Liam her whole life, never forgotten about him from when they were kids, and remembering every tiny detail about their childhood together is so sweet.

What I loved about their relationship is that they accept each other exactly as they are, neither tries to change or "fix" the other, they very much live in each others light. Their relationship started from when they were kids; they both grow up in rather difficult, abusive families and they come together to find comfort in one another. For me, the best thing about this story is seeing how their bond evolves to eventually bring them back together years later - it's generally a forever love kind of situation 🥹

I would love to see Ellie get her happily ever after too - she deserves to be with someone who isn't a complete maniac.

Thanks to Netgalley and Effie for the e-ARC 🩷

[Kristy]

I want to thank Effie Campbell for the opportunity to read this ARC. Now if you love a dark romance with masked man, stalker, unhinged and kill for her love then you need to meet Liam. The story starts out when Liam and Kat are only 8 years old. Liam has a horrible home life and Kat is his only brightness. But they loose touch and cross paths again 14 years later. But Liam is scared of being rejected so wears a mask around Kat, who is unaware that he is boy from all those years ago. What happened that summer that caused these two to drift apart? And what happens between them now? Please check TWs before reading. :)

[Rebecca]

4.35
Spice 🌶 🌶 🌶
This book had me hooked instantly the emotion and growth that the characters has during this book was well written after both having such bad trauma to see them overcome it and reunited year later was enjoyable

they way they just clicked and instantly worked as a team a lovely power couple moment fml didn't mind coming over to dark for the ml she was only making a wish come true.
the stalking elemental was a lovely added bouns to the plot who doesn't want a masked man or 2 the kidnapping chained up sceen 👨‍🍳 💋
Loved the hea and can't wait for book 2
Thank you for the arc

[lemmespoilyou.books]

4.5 ⭐
Liam's story is heartbreaking and the way they come back together 14 years after their shared tragic trauma was endearing. I enjoyed this story a lot, the way their past slowly came into view, the overarching mystery of who was threatening Kat, the stalking tendencies Liam experiences, wanting to keep her safe but unable to control this obsession of the girl he always wanted, and the spice was spicing and sweet. The ending was a bit too short and tidy, and predictable, but it did offer up a great opportunity for a fun and interesting sequel focused on revenge.

[Ecem Esen]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heart Eyes honestly completely pulled me in from the very first chapter. I absolutely adored Liam , he is the perfect mix of broken, obsessive, and fiercely protective. And then Kat brings so much heart to the story. There is a blend of childhood connection, suspense, emotional healing, and dark romance .it kept me HOOKED until the very end.

If you love masked MMCs, obsessive men, and a romance that’s equal parts sweet and intense, this is one you won’t want to miss. I already can’t wait for the next book!

[Kendra Renae]

⭐️4 🌶️4


Traumatic past✔️
Obsessed masked mmc✔️
Fiery, sassy, confident fmc✔️
Childhood friends to lovers✔️
Kicking her feet and swinging reader who loves dark romance✔️✔️


I fear I ate this up, but when there’s a masked man involved 9 times outta 10 that’s the case for me🫠. The only reason it’s not a 5 for me is because I fear in my opinion it was too obvious who the antagonist was and I like more of a “it could be anyone” situation.

[Jennifer]

The beginning was a little weird but once Liam opened up, things really got going. This book was equal parts cute, horrifying and spicy. It's definitely a stalker romance meets Still Beating in all the best and worst possible ways. I enjoyed it. Can't wait to see what the next book holds.

[Vulgxr]

Finally over my physical reading slump and was able to finish this one. I accidentally spoiled who the stalker was when I saw a page at the end 🙃🙂

[Rawan Nibili]

I'm in love with Liam 🤧🫦

[maddi ⋆˚ᨳଓ.⋆ (COMMENT LOCK)]

gr recommended this bcuz of pink ink so yk i had to add it

[Victoria]

Liam and Kat

I want to immediately point out for all who read reviews like I do before choosing a book….read the trigger warnings and then come back here and know the biggest trigger is off page:

🍇 and 🥊 of male children (8y) by the men in their lives. Again this is off page and it never comes right out and says it or even go into details, but there is enough hints dropped that you know it happened.

There. I wanted to make sure all readers know before going on this journey with Liam and Kat.

Review:

Dual POV
M/F
No OM or OW drama
No cheating
They both fall equally together
Tortured MMC
☠️

Liam and Kat met one summer when they were 8y old. Something tragic happens and they both carry a dark secret that doesn’t have them seeing each other again for 14 years.
Liam is a tortured soul. He’s dark and destructive, but has a heart of gold. He has loved Kat since they were kids and wants to find her. And one day he does, through an unlikely connection. It’s kismet.
*You feel so deeply for him and cry for the little boy he once was.
Kat grew up in a rich home with no siblings or parents who loved her. She yearns for that connection with someone and still holds hope she’ll one day see Liam again.

It’s a good book but it took me longer than it should have to finish it. I felt it needed more, so I’m excited for the second book.

[Amber R]

Finished this book in a day!

I love dark romance books! And I saw this book on insta- thought it sounded interesting, so I gave it a try! It's the first book I've read from Effie Campbell, and I will be back!!

Heart Eyes is a fast paced dark mystery romance. The FMC is Kat, she comes from a well-to-do family. Liam is our MMC. He has a dark and disturbed past full of abuse. Kat and Liam meet when they are children under terrible circumstances, both help heal each other in their own way- after a tragic incident, their lives change and they lose contacts with each other.

14 yrs later... Liam's foster sister's best friend looks familiar... could she be the girl from the woods??

Kat is getting mysterious threatening letters left on her car and at her home... who is behind the letters?? Are the secrets from the past coming to light?

There are some DARK aspects of this book. It makes me feel so much for Liam. I was totally pulled into this book. It grabbed me from the beginning and never let go!

Even though it technically didn't end on a cliffhanger- there is more story to tell at the end of this book... I will be looking for book 2!!

[Jules]

Absolutely heartbreaking backstory for the MMC and his trauma along with intimacy responses felt real. Adored how they were both pining for each other and they didn't have any misunderstandings or a third act breakup since they've been separated for so long.

Author gave just enough hints and mentions without gruesome details relating to the child SA MMC and others were subjected to. The way the villain was sprinkled throughout the book made it somewhat easy to figure out who it was.

Everyone says the coffee filter scenario was the funniest and most memorable part of the book but I disagree. I immensely enjoyed the phone call with the ex hook up while they were getting down 😏

Intrigued and will be reading the sequel when it releases.

Safety - both not virgins, no OWD, OMD from former hook up of FMC, MMC celibate by choice when he was no longer forced, no cheating, no sharing.

[Rachel]

Check the trigger warnings…but wanna read a masked stalker with a dark past and a FMC that has been waiting for the day he came back for her? I did and man it did not disappoint.

Liam-his tragic backstory and childhood made my heart break. His story is such a real story and I think that part made it so sad to me. I loved how he adores Kat from day 1.

Kat-she didn’t judge, or act self righteous when Liam would blur the lines with boundaries or be absolutely morally grey/black. She was all in and honestly I think we haven’t seen how morally grey/black she could be as well.

I can’t wait for book 2 Death Kiss! 💋

[Jess 𝜗𝜚˚⋆]

4.5 ⭐️

god i love them. like… I LOVE THEM SO MUCH 😭

for such a short book, I was so invested in Kat & Liam’s story. Effie Campbell really did her thing with this one because everything just hit. the romance, the backstory, the little moments, I love it all 🥺

The romance in this was everything I wanted and more. Liam is the definition of a soft boy but also somehow ridiculously hot at the same time!! he was the perfect mix of soft, caring, and emotionally open… but also somehow ridiculously hot?? like excuse me??? 🫠 I loved the way his feelings came through in his actions and it just made everything feel so genuine.

Kat was such a strong, well-written character. I loved how independent she was but also how real she felt. I honestly saw a lot of myself in her at times so watching her navigate everything felt really authentic.

The chemistry between them was INSANE. The slow build into the more intense moments was done so well and when the spice hit, it HIT. I was not prepared at all (the window scene??? OH MY GODDDD). It never felt overdone either, it just fit their relationship perfectly.

One of my favourite parts was their childhood friends backstory. It added so much depth to their relationship and made every interaction feel more meaningful. You could really feel that history between them and it honestly made me emotional to see how their relationship had grown over the years even with all that time apart.

The story itself was so well executed. Everything flowed nicely, the emotions were there, the romance delivered. I will say it was a little predictable in places but honestly? I didn’t even care. Sometimes you just want a story that hits different and this absolutely did.

ps. i’m still not over him using … as a coffee filter ✋🏼👀

Overall, this book was soft, emotional, chaotic in the best way and very spicy when it wanted to be. I had such a good time reading it and I’m genuinely so glad I picked it up.

Thank you so much Effie Campbell for the ARC 💌

[Remi Evans]

“Break glass in case of emergency.
‘My girl being railed by some twat definitely qualifies as a fucking emergency.’
I slam my fist into it.”

I liked this book but I wanted to love it because these tropes were right up my alley. I have not read a British English book before and honestly I thought it was great but it did take a moment to adjust to what specific things were and the slight change of “proper” writing. Because there is a difference but it was easy enough to get after a few chapters! I do wish there was an index at the beginning that maybe had British English to American English term guide so I knew ahead of time that words like “burn” meaning either pond or stream but also context clues helped to get me there.

Liam is a street fighter in order to have enough money to pay the bills for himself. They fight to the death and has been fortunate enough to win every fight. I wish I could add more and we saw more of this but it was mentioned in the beginning of the book and never really brought back up besides slight mentions. I hope in the next book there’s more about it because I felt like it was a raw character moment that we missed out on of who Liam is before he finds Kat again.

Liam’s devotion and obsession over Kat is totally unhinged but I’m here for it. Lots of things I’ve NEVER read in a book and equal parts gross and loved because I couldn’t handle a man doing that in real life but it just makes sense for Liam. Special mentions of flavorful coffee and ruined windows ;) iykyk.

Kats story was good but I do wish we heard more about her background as well. Why her parents chose this career path for her, why she didn’t try to change it, more of her relationship with her parents. I did love the flashbacks of when they were kids together and how that unfolded.

I loved the heart eyes mask idea but I do feel like once he took it off, it was very anticlimactic and I wished for just a little bit more of something with it.

I really can’t wait for the second book especially after the ending. That literally broke my heart and made me cry and I hope to read about how they recover mentally from things with Sam. Also as much as I want to hate Sam, I can’t. I don’t like him but it’s understandable why he became who he did and why he blamed everyone that didn’t save him. Logically it doesn’t make sense but to an 8 year old boy…it’s logical and emotional.

I also wish we got more on Will with his foster and adoptive family and a reveal with his adoptive sister but I feel like that’ll be a really good starting point for the next book!

“From that moment, there was no doubt that I’d follow her to the ends of the earth.”

“‘You really don’t hate me?’
‘Liam, I fucking love you. The darkness is part of you and me. They made us like that.’
‘You.’ My heart aches. ‘Love.’ I feel like I might pass out. ‘Me?’”

Thanks to the Author for the ARC in return for an honest review!

[Jennifer Amaral]

Tropes first because this one?? OBSESSIVE, HEARTBREAKING, and DARKLY DEVOTED 👀🖤🔥

• childhood connection
• “she saved me once”
• obsessive/protective MMC 😮‍🔥
• touch her and die
• stalker vibes but make it emotionally devastating 👀
• “I’d burn the world for her” energy

Yeah… this one CONSUMED me.

Heart Eyes is dark, emotional, and completely wrapped in obsession from the very first page 🖤

Because this isn’t just a man falling in love—
this is a boy who survived by holding onto the memory of the only person who ever showed him kindness 👀

And when she comes back into his life??

Yeah… he never had a chance.

The MMC in this book is INTENSE. Broken, morally grey, completely ruined by his feelings for her—and honestly?? The devotion HURTS 🔥

The way he watches from a distance convincing himself that loving her quietly is enough… while knowing he’d become something monstrous to keep her safe??

Absolutely feral behavior and I ate it UP 😮‍🔥

And then the danger from their past starts creeping back in and suddenly all those dark thoughts become very, very real 👀

✨ This is a 5⭐ because:
• the emotional depth hits HARD
• the obsession feels dark but strangely tender
• the protective MMC energy is EVERYTHING
• the tension between love and ruin is addictive

✨ If you love:
• dark romance 🖤
• obsessive/protective MMCs
• trauma-driven love stories
• morally grey men willing to destroy for her

This one is haunting, emotional, possessive, and impossible to put down 👀🔥