Glitch in the System: A Digital Stalker Forced Proximity Dark MM Romance

by River Beck

A Digital Stalker, Forced Proximity, Gay Dark Romance Short Read Fiction Book



Asher Lowe notices everything.

He just never noticed the cameras.

Hidden inside his apartment, an anonymous hacker has been streaming Asher’s life to the underground Faceless Network, recording every quiet moment, every secret, every private routine.



Grayson built the system.



And Asher became the one person he couldn’t stop watching.



When a blizzard traps them together, a rival hacker hijacks the stream and exposes Asher to thousands of viewers.



Now the man who stalked him may be the only one who can protect him.



But the most dangerous truth?



Asher might not hate being watched.



He might want the attention.



Dark MM RomanceVoyeur / ExhibitionistForced ProximityObsessive StalkerMorally Gray MMCHidden Identity / Secret SurveillanceHe Falls FirstTouch Him and Die

Glitch in the System is the First Book of 3 in the Interconnected Standalone Series The Faceless Network. It is a Spicy Dark MM Romance written in First Person Dual POV with a guaranteed HEA.
Spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

Genres: Queer

102 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 19, 2026

About the author

River Beck writes dark MM romance for readers who like their love stories with angst-soaked power games and high-heat scenes. Her books are filled with morally gray men, enemies who can't stay away from each other, and the kind of obsessive devotion that blurs every line.

An introvert at heart, she has relocated from the big city to a tiny island, writing from the beach and occasionally venturing out to explore the world.

Reviews

[Moraa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

RTC

[Maggie May · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should have been so good. The premise is hot hot hot. The set up was interesting. Once the two met in person you had to do some pretty serious suspension of disbelief, but I can totally do that for a good story. Unfortunately, it spiraled from there. The characterization went out the window, the flow of the story became nonsensical, and the conclusion did not solve the primary problem. Also, the author needs a continuity editor, they kept forgetting things like the characters had moved to another room, or the character had a mask on. This author could be great if they learned the craft of storytelling, but right now can only write good scenes that are poorly connected and don’t actually go anywhere.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so after having read book 2 in The Faceless Network, I knew I had to go back and read this book, and it did not disappoint. I'm just amazed at how much substance River Beck can fill in 100 pages. This dark MM romance is a thrilling, fast-paced, spicy AF read. The MCs Grayson and Asher have an intense chemistry that bleeds through the pages. I flew through this novella.

Tropes:
• Dark MM Romance
• Voyeur / Exhibitionist
• Forced Proximity
• Obsessive Stalker
• Morally Gray MMC
• Hidden Identity / Secret Surveillance
• He Falls First
• Touch Him and Die
• Dual POV
• Check TW

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my thing usually but today I was intrigued. It's basically a stalker and an exhibitionist trying to out do each other. It's the kind of read that makes you feel like you're the peeping Tom. It sounds a little ominous but this tale has a decent outcome. As I said, not normally my thing but this author made it good enough to hold me, and that says something.

[Mayami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, these 2 fit together like puzzle pieces. A voyeur and an exhibitionist. Someone who watches and someone who needs to be watched. One who puts a mask on to live, and one who doesn’t live at all. One who’s pretending and one who’s stagnant.
There’s this question in the book which is love vs obsession, and if it is really different, how different. What if a person sees them as the same?
Great line was Grayson had watched every moment and fallen in love with the act instead of the actor. I thought they fell way too fast but this is a short novella so I understand having to keep the ball rolling.
The book has this gothic, steampunk feel to it because of how it describes the city. Cold, dark and grey. I imagine it almost like Gotham City. It has no heart and leeches out any happiness that may be brewing in its people. The online aspect gives it that impersonal feel as well. I’m sure the other books will be the same. The ending was very fitting and I really liked it. They both decided how to live their lives and take back their choices. All around, a good quick read if you’re into dark and spicy stuff. I’d definitely be happy if they made these novellas into full novels.
I don’t care about the other reviews, I had fun! Red flags breathe air into my lungs! Right amount of dark, cyberpunk, and classy obsession. I’m not sure what else we can ask for.!

[J Mero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Highlights:
-Spice is fun
-Some character personality inconsistencies
-Writing is fine
-Ending is fine

Triggers
-Stalking
-Non-consensual/ Unknowingly being live-streamed
-Voyeurism/exhibitionism
-Distribution of private photos without consent

A fine enough quick read. Make sure you're comfortable with what's in the triggers. While the guy being stalked does end up being happy it happened in the end (at least the glitch part), it can be uncomfortable.

I did have some other problems with the story. There are a number of moments that feel like they only happen for plot reasons. For someone who is so careful and neurotic, Grayson misses a lot of stuff about his own space that feels really off for me. The miscommunication/couple fight scene also feels a little inorganic/ drawn out.

The characters themselves are fine and the spice is great if you're into what it's offering. They are quite passionate. Not much more to be said really.

To be honest, I read the second book in the series first and enjoyed it a lot more

[Deb Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella proves you don’t need a lot of pages to deliver something gripping. It’s fast-paced, intense, and dives straight into a dark, voyeuristic setup that keeps the tension high from the start.

The connection between Grayson and Asher is immediate and charged, built on an unsettling foundation that somehow still works within the tone of the story. There’s a constant edge to their interactions, especially as the situation escalates and the lines between danger, control, and desire start to blur.

Despite the shorter length, the story feels surprisingly full, balancing plot and character well. The forced proximity and high-stakes situation keep things moving quickly, while the dual POV adds just enough insight into both characters to make their dynamic compelling.

Overall, it’s a quick but impactful read—dark, spicy, and hard to put down. A strong start to the series that definitely leaves you curious for more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Glitch in the System' was a page turner. Of course the beginning was a little slow with a little background on both Asher and Grayson, but then it picked up speed. The events felt like a natural progression between how they met and how their relationship developed and boy does it get sexy fast. The characters seemed more realistic in their thought process.

However the back and forth that Asher does on whether what Grayson did was acceptable or not acceptable and how Grayson should show his love could be a little hard to follow. One minute everything was good and the next Asher was upset, but then he was good again. So if you like angst there is a smidgen of that involved. But don't let that stop you from reading it. If you like voyeurism, an exhibitionist, and some stalking read this.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Molly OBrien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay I wanted to like this but what irritated me beyond belief was something small in the grand scheme of things. Asher has to leave his apartment because of burst pipes and he can't inhabit it during the storm. But he leaves his two cats there to fend for themselves? Doesn't mention them in the way of being worried about them and stays away for days. Like what the fuck? I'm supposed to like this character when he could have brought them with him even if it took him a while to find help. I would've. I know, not the point of the story, but it just seemed heartless and pissed me off.

[Slayge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think the premise for this story was really captivating, it was just condensed into 100 pages on an accelerated timeline instead of being expanded into a full length novel.
It reminded me of a one-shot fanfic.
If that’s your thing, give Glitch In The System a go.

🔥 insta-love
🖤 hurt/comfort
🔥voyeur/exhibition
🖤 broken boys
🔥 “don’t mess with what’s mine”
🌶️🌶️

[Rachael Maass · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!

This is a beautifully written, short and sweet novella I didn’t know I needed it until I found it. Somehow, this author magically put all of the feelings we always desire from in a romance story into this delightfully, quick, sinful, lustful, MM romance story.

Literally, the only thing that “bothered” me was that he left his cats behind when the pipe burst in his apartment during the storm, lol. But that’s just my inner crazy cat lady peaking through.

[Denise DeLeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ Quick, easy & spicy. The concept was interesting. Pretty unrealistic at times but I’d read a full novel with this plot. Because it was so short, we weren’t able to explore the characters & get much buildup so I don’t feel like I can rate it any higher. I did really enjoy it though & thought the couple were sweet.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voyer and an Exhibitionist should be a match in heaven but these two make it hard with trying to prove how much they care and how well they know each other and screwing it up.

Great story, short and to the point.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Syd Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series and I started with a boom! I really enjoyed this book with Asher and Grayson. While this was a short read, it was a great length for a short get away from the real world. I really enjoyed this book and my favorite part was the back room with Asher.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jet Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great introduction into the world of dark stalker but with stalker ownership, if you will? There was a sprinkle of miscommunication and angst but made for a HEA. I enjoyed this fast read as it got right into the explanation of this dark web, some drama, a few threats, and ended with love.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tammy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great short read. I loved everything about it and it kept me sucked in and needing to know what happens. I loved the relationship and seeing them figure themselves out. The spicy scenes where definitely hot.

[Alora Truss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book….ahhh I wish it longer. I want more!! When k say don’t blink….i really mean it. 89 pages of the main book plus bonus content for the second book a total of 99 pages of of wanting more (through my kindle). The amount of drama and content River writes in that amount of pages is beautiful.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this so much, but I wanted more. I didn't want it to end 😂🤣 It felt rushed, but with only being 100 pages, that's expected. If it was a little longer, I think it would have flowed better and parts could have been added to. Loved Grayson & Asher 🥹.

[Ev Reads A Lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute little cyber stalker mm romance. The writing was really good. This book could have been a full length story. It is the 1st in a trilogy so I'll read the others too.

[Amanda Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glitch in the System is the first book in the new Faceless Network series by River Beck. This was an enjoyable story and I can't wait to read the next book.

[Eliana Suáres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amé 🖤🔥

[Sherika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great little novella with a good plot idea… and the spice was chefs kiss definitely worth the read

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a lot..... in a good way.