Pulse Zero

by River Hale

There are moments when everything stops.

A breath. A heartbeat.

Even when it feels like an ending, it isn’t. It’s not a beginning either. It’s something narrower, a precise point in time. It’s a transition, a reconfiguration. The space between one pulse and the next. The point where one part of your life collapses inward and converges with the one to come.

That’s what happens to me the day I’m taken. Turns out, being Cason Bellrose comes with consequences no one bothered to mention.

But then the man who stole me is ripped away. Reese Morgan. His name still tastes like something unfinished.

Years later, I’m still chasing truth, closure, tearing through shadows that don’t want to be found. Whatever will help me move on. And the deeper I go, the more I become tangled in things I don’t understand.

Life changes people. But so does death.

If there’s something waiting for me in the dark, I’ll find it. Even if it means stepping into that space between one pulse and the next.

And not coming back the same.


Pulse Zero is a dark MM romance with toxic, obsessive supervillains and a hard-fought HEA. It's a spin-off of the Echoes duet but can be read as a standalone. Specific content warnings can be found on the author’s website.

Genres: M M Romance, Dark Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Second Chance, Forced Proximity, Paranormal

505 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2026

About the author

River Hale is a pseudonym, created because her mother once told her that she'll read everything she ever writes. She's a writer with a tea addiction and a love for everything dark, twisted, haunted, and beautiful. She's written and published more appropriate books that her mother is allowed to read under her real name, but she'll always have a special place in her heart for dark romance.

Reviews

[Rachael Hamilton]

I'll admit I put this one off for a while. I wasn't a fan of Ricochet by this author, so my expectations were low. A friend peer pressured me, so I finally gave and went in completely blind.

I didn’t even realize this was a paranormal romance. I was shook at the reveal. It is pretty predictable who was behind everything. You can see it from the first 10% where this is leading. The paranormal element added back in the shock and mystery to the story to keep me interested.

The dynamics between Reese and Cason is everything. Reese is just a career kidnapper looking for an easy mark, but he gets Cason, a complete menace. He is so hilariously bratty that you almost feel bad for Reese instead of his victim. The banter is perfect . I was cracking up.

Cant forget to mention my favorite side character. I'm obsessed with Penelope the Unicorn and her fearless fight against tax fraud.

My only complaint is that I could tell I was missing some context from other books even though this does say it functions as a standalone, so I'll likely go back and read the Echoes Duet at some point.

[patrícia]

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“Are you going to behave, little menace?”
Panting, I scowl up at him again. “Fuck no. When have I ever done that?”
“Good,” he says softly as his hands move back down. “Wouldn’t want you any other way.”
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ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ:
💀 Dark MM Romance
💚 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 K!dn@pping
💀 Hacker/Mercenary
💚 Bi-Awakening
🖤 Revenge
💀 Age Gap
💚 Pew Pew, Breath, & Fear Play
🖤 Dub-con/CNC
💀 Shadow Daddy (no Daddy k!nk)
💚 Toxic, Obsessive Supervillains

River Hale... what the actual hell did you put in this book?

I went in expecting a dark captor/captive romance and somehow ended up with obsessive supervillains, conspiracies, powers, emotional destruction, and one of my favourite couples River has ever written. Every time I thought I knew where this story was going, the rug was pulled right out from under me.

What completely sold me wasn't just the romance, but how mutual it was. Reese would burn the world down for Cason without a second thought... and Cason would do exactly the same for Reese. Their devotion isn't healthy, it isn't rational, and it definitely isn't normal... it's obsessive, toxic, completely unhinged, and I loved every single second of it.

“Two dangerous things. Two ruined things.

“I’m yours like you’re mine. We can ruin each other forever.”

Reese… Beneath all the shadows, violence, and terrifying reputation is a man who loves with a devotion so absolute it borders on madness. He's possessive, obsessive, protective to an unhealthy degree, and yet somehow impossibly soft whenever it comes to Cason. The contrast between the feared mercenary everyone else sees and the man who would quietly burn the world down just to keep one person alive made him utterly irresistible. Also... I don't think I'll ever recover from Shadow Daddy. Those shadows had absolutely no business being that hot. Case absolutely stole the show for me. His sarcasm, his humour, his inability to stop being a little menace even in the worst possible situations... I laughed just as much as I hurt for him. And Reese? Yeah... I finally understand the Shadow Daddy obsession.

The powers deserve their own round of applause. Reese's shadows were ridiculously cool, Cason's abilities were electric in every sense of the word, and together they created some of the most cinematic scenes I've read in ages.

“Come for them, Cason. Come for my shadows.”

And the spice... WHAT. THE. HELL. 🥵 Shadow Daddy is one thing... but those shadows? I needed air conditioning, an iceberg, and a fan pointed directly at my face because WOW. River somehow made sentient shadows outrageously hot and I'm still trying to process it.

“Reese?”
Still breathing heavily, he peers back at me again. He must follow my line of sight because he says, “They’ll do whatever you want them to. Just tell them what that is.”
“I want them to fuck me while I eat your ass.”
They descend, aiming at the target I gave them. Cool shadow hands land on my ass cheeks and spread them. When something warm and wet sweeps over my hole, I have a similar reaction as Reese did.
“Fuck! Was that a fucking tongue?”
He smirks at me over his shoulder. “They were jealous.”

I did have a couple of tiny things that kept this from feeling absolutely perfect to me. I wish Reese had fought a little harder to find Cason during those seven years, and I would've loved the ending to make me suffer just a little bit more before letting me breathe again. But honestly? Those are tiny ripples in what was otherwise an unforgettable reading experience.

Dark, addictive, hilarious, heartbreaking, ridiculously sexy, and impossible to put down. I already know this is one I'll be thinking about for a very long time.

“And standing here in the wreckage of everything that tried to destroy us, I think I finally understand something.
Ascension does reveal who you really are.
Because I crossed Pulse Zero and came back wanting one thing more than I already did, just louder, deeper, stronger than I ever had before. One thing I would willingly burn the entire fucking world down for.
Not even death could keep us apart.”

Yes, this works as a standalone, but if you've read the Echoes Duet first, the experience is even better. Harrison and Lane aren't just quick cameos—they play an important role, and I was grinning every time they appeared. I missed those idiots. 💚

I received a copy of this book from River, and this is my honest review.

⚠️Author Content Warnings
Kidnapping, murder, assault, blood and gore, past death of a parent (not on-page), near-death experiences (on page), grief and trauma, PTSD, Stockholm syndrome, profanity, graphic sex, torture and violence between MCs, power imbalance, choking, gun play, breath play, fear play, pain play, edging, shadow play, sounding, dubious consent, consensual nonconsent

❣️Book Safety & Content
Other Person Drama: Nothing on page, its mentioned dates and other hookups but its not defined if its after they meet and that separation.
Third-Act Breakup: Yes, 7 years.
Role Dynamics: Versatile
POV: 1st person (dual)
Format: Standalone but connected with the Echoes Duet
Ending: HEA
Angst Level: Medium
Spice Level: Medium
Communication: Some miscommunication
Pining: Mutual

[Laura Lou]

Pulse Zero is a dark MM romance story about Cason and Reese.

This book is a spinoff of the Echoes duet, but can be read as a standalone. I actually didn’t read the Echoes duet and didn’t feel lost, but I do plan on reading it soon. I definitely need Lane and Harrison’s story after meeting them in Pulse Zero.

I was so excited to read Pulse Zero, especially after reading the blurb and tropes. This was such a unique and interesting story, and I was completely invested from the start. And let me tell you I was not prepared for the suspense and all of the twists. This felt like a movie and I was here for it. I don’t want to say too much because I think this is one you need to experience first hand. I will say that I absolutely loved Cason and Reese. I just couldn’t get enough of them and they deserved their hard fought HEA!

What you can expect in this book:
Dark MM Romance
Hacker/Mercenary
Enemies To Lovers
Bi-Awakening
K!dnapping
Stockholm Syndrome
Revenge
Age Gap
Lots Of Edging
Pew Pew, Breath & Fear Play
Dub-Con/CNC
Touch Him & D!e
Toxic, Obsessive Supervillains

[ʟᴀᴜʀᴀ]

4.25🌟

Obsessed x obsessed will forever be my favourite pairing. And what did I say once upon a time about tear licking 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

Going into this blind was probably the right choice because, after that freaking heatbreak, the story did a complete 180, and suddenly I’m reading a captor/captive romance turned paranormal action thriller with betrayals, superpowers, yearning, “minemineMINE”, kinky smut and *sucks in breath* yeah, I'll just stop right there.

Admittedly, I struggled a bit to get through that OTT drama in the last 20% or so. Anyways. Unhinged menaces like Cason and shadow daddies like Reese - who would do anything for each other - had me hooked until the end.

[haletostilinski]

I didn't read the duet proceeding this and I didn't need to to understand this one, as the previous characters only occasionally showed up and we were told vaguely what was happening in the plot of their books through Cason's POV, so this can absolutely be read as a standalone. But i just might read the duet anyway, because this book was wonderful and I couldn't get enough of Cason and Reese, and this world River Hale created.

It was certainly interesting, playing with the idea that people who experience near death - well, actually die but very briefly, like when people flatline and are able to be brought back to life - can come back and they come back with supernatural powers, each unique to the person.

This starts when Cason is 22, and Reese 36. Cason is the heir to a big company, and scientific Institute corporation that his father and uncle built together. Cason lost his father just a few days after he turned 19, and three years later he's still grieving but he has most of his spirit, and still a good outlook on life.

But he's then kidnapped by Reese, who is a mercenary for hire, who was hired by someone who he doesn't even know who it is, to kidnap Cason for a ransom from his uncle, who is very rich.

It makes sense that it would be something like that, but actually so much more is going on than that.

These two spend almost a month together while Reese is waiting for the ransom to be paid - and he also, the more he comes to know Cason, really doesn't want to have to kill him - and these two start to fall for each other.

They truly do, because after 25 days, Cason is seemingly "rescued" and Reese is shot and seemingly killed then and there (the reason for the Major Character Dead warning - and a future brief MCD as well - right there, but no worries, we learn it didn't last for long.)

Those 25 days really changed everything, because for the next 7 years, Cason grieves for Reese and can't move on, no matter how hard he tries.

But then one day he's kidnapped...again.

But it turns out Reese is alive, and he's very angry at Cason and seemingly hates him. Why? Well something happened 3 years prior in Cason's bid for vengeance against whoever it is who might have hired Reese and put him in that basement to be shot and killed 4 years prior. Cason is quite smart, a hacker, and he does something that ruins plans Reese and people like him had to take down who is at the heart of all this.

Because Reese is an "Ascended" which we learn is people who died, however brief, and were brought back to life and came back with powers. But someone is pulling the strings, trying to keep the Ascended people under control with their powers, and Reese had his life stolen from him, and he just wants his freedom back. And Cason unknowingly set him and his resistance movement back with what he does.

So he captures Cason for payback - but of course soon realizes he can't take hurting Cason, and he's not who he's really angry at.

And Cason learns the truth of what happened 7 years prior when he seemingly lost the love of his life, and what he finds himself embroiled in is beyond imagination.

We don't really learn what or who or how people come back with powers, and why they also have to be pretty traumatized to even come back with powers in the first place. I'm hoping we get future books about all this (maybe Sebastian finding himself a love of his own?), because otherwise those questions were left unanswered and that's a bit frustrating (although I'm not angry enough about it at all to take any stars off for it). But it's just something to keep in mind....also how is reincarnation real in this world? Are these these that just...are? Like if we're reading a vampire book and vampires just are able to exist, I guess we have to think of this supernatural elements like that as well?

I guess that makes sense, but I don't know, it'd still be nice to know why people who die briefly and are brought back to life (if they have significant trauma) can gain supernatural powers.

But this concept was so interesting, and the Ascended's powers were so interesting. (Reese's shadows are also used *ahem* in a very sexy way with Cason.)

The chemistry between Reese and Cason was wonderful and I loved Cason's more bubbly and humorous personality playing of Reese's very dark and serious personality. I love when a more lighthearted character can completely melt the heart of the hardened criminal character who is serious all the time, that's such a fun dynamic.

I definitely recommend this book, it was wonderful and had such readability - sleep was the only thing stopping me from finishing this last night, but I just wanted to keep reading it to the end. It was so engaging from the get go.

I can't wait for more from this author, I'm really loving this author more and more the more I read from her. Whether from this series/universe or her reimagined fairytale MM stories.

Until the next one! ❤️

[Jenni]

I really liked the Echoes duet, so I was sure I’d love this one too, but somehow, this was even better! Cason’s character really made the whole book for me—I absolutely loved him, especially his sarcasm and humor. I chuckled out loud so many times. 😂 And shadow wielding?? Are you kidding me? I actually did not see that coming, but count me the f in 🙂‍↕️

I could’ve almost given this 5 stars, but the ending didn’t quite live up to the rest of the book. I can’t really pinpoint exactly why—maybe because Cason’s character didn’t come through as strongly towards the end? Or maybe the final scene just wasn’t as powerful as I’d hoped. Either way, something kept it from being a full 5⭐️ for me.

But the way the plot unfolded, and especially how Cason and Reese’s relationship began and developed, worked really well for me. The tension, the banter, the sparks—so good. And usually, when a book’s plot involves a separation lasting several years, I find it hard to justify, but here it actually made sense within the story.

In the Echoes duet, one thing that bothered me a little was how the reincarnation aspect was handled. But in this one, the plot, the events, and all the twists worked much better for me.

Really enjoyed this one.



“What’s yours?”
”Pizza. Hawaiian.”
”That’s not pizza.”
”It absolutely is.”
”It’s a crime.”
”Well, you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?
It’s a delicacy. Sweet, salty, controversial. Just like me.”
”Fruit doesn’t belong on pizza.”
”Tomatoes are fruit.”
”That’s different.”
“Your taste is a red flag.”
”Your personality is a red flag.
You’re judging me for pineapple while you literally abduct people for money.”
”Priorities.”


’“Great job, Case,” I grumble, my words muffled as I keep my head down. “Stockholm syndrome in under a month. Next up, bringing him home to meet your mom before he buries you in the woods.” I’m emotionally spiraling over a man who owns duct tape in bulk. Really stellar life choices.’


“Are you going to behave, little menace?”
“Fuck no. When have I ever done that?”
”Good. Wouldn’t want you any other way.”

[Tay]

6⭐️

I beta read this amazing book!!!!




HOLYYYYY mother of pearls i cant even think this was suchhhh a good book, THIS WAS SOOOO SOOOOO INMARKABLY GOOOD I AM IN SHAMBLES, WRECKED BY A PHENOMEL BOOK.


CASON AND REESE MY BELOVED BOYS. i love these men so much. The way it stated off by the kidnapping and it went crazy after that. I knew i would fall in love with them, and i was so right, i was so drawn to both of these men the way that cason loves his family, the way he cares, the way he is so hurting and yearning for love and affection adn when he meets reese his world legit crumbles and its history after that.
Reese his whole character lord i love this mann he really became one of my favorites the way he was so hot, so caring, so down bad for cason but most of yall he yearned for the same love and affection that cason was yearning for.


I wasn’t EXPECTING THIS BOOK AT ALLLLL (in the best way possible). Those plot twists that were plotted throughout i was left staring at the wall almost screaming. BECAUSE WHAT DO MEAN I WAS GAGGED. I started crying cause i was like oh god what just happened, not een the wall staring saved me from that.

However this book really picked up at a certain point it was already one that i read so fast but at a point i legit devoured the pages like I was hungry and boy was I hungry to read about cason and reese cause these men are so hot so much tension, so much yearning, so much worshiping of each other like call me obsessed like reese was of cason cause I was locked in and they have become such a piece of me. This whole book is apart of me in a way .

I was captivated from the very start, I became simple in awe of how the story progressed, how it flowedd so well how it left me speahcles and how it left me crying my eyes out like a baby cause thse men are soooooooooo cute but my broken boys yearning for a better life and ughhh i

River hale has done it again with another masterpiece, one thing to note is that if river hale releases a new book you ebttter pick that book up becauws you never know what to expect even while reading your on edge and boy was i on the edge of my seat throughout, this is simply so good and im so glad i became a beta reader because this book is one to watch out for.

[Flora.reads.books]

I wasn't prepared for this. 😭😭💙 It was everything I didn't know I needed 🥹🥹🥹

[AnnaKitt]

“You think dying changed you? Just wait. I’m going to fucking ruin you.”

This was a WOW, this is an absolute favourite, this had the Entangled, the Neurovance, a number of other perfect books’ vibes and I loved it so much!



Do yourself a favour and go in blind. 



Felix is officially my crush - you’ll totally agree believe me 🐈



and OMFG how hot is all that shadow daddy thing, got me sizzling 🥵

I may return with more coherent thoughts, but HELL WAS THIS GOOD.
When the PLOT and the SPICE work perfectly together 🤌

[Rae]

Okay…WOW! That was a hell of a ride! This is such a unique story, very super science Villian, futuristic, matrix type stuff. The relationship between Cason and Reese is ON FIRE. I love that this story is told between the past and the present, SHOWING us the build up between them and the terrible things they went through while apart instead of just telling us about them. This story is emotional and a little painful, with a hard-earned HEA. The pacing was perfect. It was the perfect amount of emotion and angst plus the perfect amount of time where we see them together as a couple. Reese is my new favorite shadow daddy EVER. 🥵🔥🔥🔥🔥 These two together were amazing! Love the cast of side characters and of course Felix the cat!

I don’t believe you’d need to read the Echoes duet to enjoy this book (this is a spin off from that world with appearances from those main characters) but you should because those books are equally unique and exciting! It adds a lot of depth, I think, to have experienced those books too.

[Ayla Shoulders]

Oh man. This was a WILD ride!!! The suspense was literally killing me!!
Reese Morgan and Cason Bellrose are the fucking definition of Ride or Die (or Ride AND Die 🤣 I crack myself up). But for real, they were intense as hell. The days they spent together in the basement as captor and captive was the best 25 days OF MY LIFEEEEE. 0mg. This could have been 500 pages of gun play and shower sex and I would have been totally fine with it.
Just kidding.
Kind of.
The years long build up to their relationship was heartbreaking and I will never get over all the lost time. But the emotional punch you get hit with when they finally reunite wasEVERYTHING I could have ever hoped for.
Case was such a fun character. His personality had me laughing and crying at the same time. His snarky sarcasm had me dying! Cason and Reese were complete opposites in that aspect. Reese is serious ALL THE TIME and Cason is... Cason 🤣You'll see.

Cason was so easy to fall in love with. And Reese... I mean, I'd get stuck in that basement with him ANY DAY. Like, Stockholm Syndrome me Daddy!! He's probably the sexiest man alive-ish. Right? Where's people magazine when you need em?
They were SO SO SO perfect for each other.

Pule Zero was emotional and action packed. The supernatural element was a huge surprise. The world building was FIRE! The plot twists were insane! Just when you think you know where the story is going, BOOM, twisted!

[VR]

I've really enjoyed this one. I was gripped from the beginning, absolutely desperate to read more. Red hot tension between Case and Reese from the very start, great internal commentary from Case (which I'm always an absolute sucker for!), wonderfully visual writing, and lots of excitement to be had!

But........ (here comes my grumpy side, beware possible spoilers)

The introduction to Harrison/Lane - I am still unsure what the danger to Lane was, who was targeting him, and why, so, yes, their book does indeed need to be read in order to understand what is going on there. And then how they were able to pull off what they did with Case after a weekend of dead-end research, yet it had taken Belrose Insitute years of R&D to get there BUT also it was accidentally happening to people on a widespread scale anyway? Still confused. And then at some point around the 70% mark it started to feel kinda rushed, a lot of off-page planning or revelations that were anticlimactic. I felt unprepared for certain moments, like maybe more should have happened on page before they got to that point, and the pacing felt off for the last 30% of the book. And the villain had reasons other than simply power, which was a bold move, but it didn't sit right with me the way this person was treated in the end - cos when it comes down to it, they were just another person doing what they could to protect those they love, just like the heroes of the story. I'm still kinda in two minds about that. And lastly, I would have liked more world building to truly understand the world they were living in, as certain impossible things were just readily accepted with very little fanfare - another reason why it shouldn't really be advertised as capable of being read as a standalone.

But overall, a fun read and fantastic story, and I am now off to read the Echoes series to understand wth was going on with Harrison and Lane!

[LauraSt]

A-FREAKING-MAZING

“Till death do us part?” River Hale was like nahhh, what about after death?

Because this isn’t just a romance. It’s a story about obsession, grief, sacrifice, transcendence, and loving someone so fiercely that even death feels like a minor inconvenience.

I am officially convinced River Hale cannot write a bad book.

This was FIVE STARS from beginning to end. Adventure, plot twists, secrets, betrayals, revelations, comedy, HEAT, death and rebirth… every time I thought I had figured out where the story was going, River pulled the rug out from under me.

And Reese…
Oh my god, Reese.
Kidnapper romance has made it into my favorite trope list, and Reese has officially entered my hall of fame. The yearning, the devotion, the obsession… this man would burn the world down without blinking if it meant keeping Cason alive. It’s unhealthy. It’s toxic. It’s absolutely unhinged…and I ate up every single second of it.

But what makes this romance so special is that it isn’t one-sided. Cason isn’t just someone being dragged into this. He fights just as hard to find Reese, and to keep him. Not to mention the SASS ON THIS BRAT! That’s all I’ll say because spoilers, but the devotion between these two goes both ways, and that’s what completely sold me on their relationship.

The spice?
TEN. OUT OF TEN.
No notes.
So we usually love a shadow daddy, but what happens when his shadows are also daddies… who can fuck their own daddy? -INSERT SQUEAL-
I don’t even know how River Hale managed to make shadows THIS attractive, but congratulations, I’ll never look at a dark corner the same way again.
These things are basically sentient tentacles with hands, personalities, and enough creativity *cough* sounding *cough* to make me question everything I thought I knew about shadow magic.

The side characters were phenomenal too. Every single one added something to the story instead of simply existing to fill space. And Sebastian? Yeah… I’m going to need an entire book about that man. Cause I’m already obsessed.

This book had me laughing, stressing, gasping, and refusing to put my Kindle down.

If you love obsessive love interests, kidnapping romances, Stockholm syndrome, supernatural elements, insane chemistry, breathtaking plot twists, and characters who would literally transcend death to find each other…

READ IT. READ IT. READ IT!

[Chrissy_reads2727]

ARC Review!

Came for the Captive/Captor trope, stayed for the Shadow Daddy and his bratty Menace. 😮‍💨

This book was not what I was expecting and all I can say is go in blind and I'll see you on the other end friend! Every surprise, twist and turn had me shook, screaming at my only other friend who had also read it, and rushing to the finish line because I could not put it down. Now I wish I would have savored it because what do you mean it's over 😩

If you are looking for something different and unique, something with mystery and suspense, something with freaky spice that will have you lookin at shadows in a whole new light 🫠, look no further, you have arrived at your destination 🙂‍↕️

Cason is the a tech whiz nephew of a billionaire whom finds himself kidnapped and held for ransom. Cason isn't above taking any advantage even if it means trying to seduce his "totally straight" captor. Cason is one of the funniest MC's in existence and Reece is not as immune to his charms as he would like.

Things do not go as planned for either of them. People are hurt. Questions go unanswered. And nothing is as it appears.

I won't say more because I don't want to give away any more of the plot, just trust me, this is your next favorite read. I've never been more confident, run don't walk besties 🏃‍♀️

Other Tropes you may be interested in:
😈 fighting as foreplay
😈 slutty shadows
😈 bi-awakening
😈 stockholming
😈 gunplay
😈 dubcon

[ashlee ❤]

Cason + Reese

-mm romance
-enemies to lovers
-hacker x mercenary
-kidnapping
-stockholm syndrome (thats really just pining)
-shadow daddy
-toxic, obsessive supervillains
-dubcon/cnc
-age gap
-bi awakening
-gun, breath, + fear play

as always...river really fucked us in the big ol ass with his one & really it was just PERFECTTTT!! holy shit i did no expect that kind of twist coming even after everything we experienced with harrison & lane in echoes....but like still it was so unique & these crazy psychos were sooo down bad & absolutely everything!!

[Ian]

First of all thank you to River for this ARC!

This book completely blew me away!

I was transfixed from the start and then it held me like a vise grip and would not let go! I also think this was the most I highlighted in a book…👀

Cason and Reese. The chemistry between them was electric and consuming and while I don’t want to give too much away let’s just say that River’s writing is beautiful and I knew this from “Ricochet” but the way this one was written was truly so powerful. Like I can’t even put into words how good this book is. Like I’m rendered speechless now that I’m done and trying to process what I just finished. I envisioned a movie while I was reading. I laughed, I cried, I yearned. It truly tugs on every emotion and it’s a journey!

[Caroline Hurtig]

Dark mm romance med supervillains!

Nej men jag älskar River Hale. Och en dark romance med supervillains är en bok jag inte visste att jag behövde!
Har inte läst Echoes duet innan men hade inte svårt för att hänga med ändå.

Det är underhållande, stundtals hjärtskärande och hett!

[Sarah Taylor]

a very different kind of mm romance

Not my usual kind of read but I’ve loved every minute of it Cason and Reese are amazing characters and even better to together and the spice ohhhh so hot and sexy in a very weird way thank you river

[Tara Gillin]

wow..WOW. This was so unique. So good!! XMEN vibes. Lots of action. SHADOWS and Electricity.
And the SPICE? .GOOD GAWD. This is a great time.

[Katherine]

Meh. I don’t get the hype. Interesting story, but I didn’t buy how the two MC’s fall in love.

[Jessica Swan]

What a fantastic book. WOW.

[Aly]

I went into this book completely blind. Didn’t bother to read the description, just my friend yelling at me “READ THIS RIGHT NOW!” And I will say.. it was not what I expected at all after reading even the first few chapters but I was into it either way. These two had me splitting hairs! I needed that HEA like I needed my last breath. This story was unique, entertaining, and HOT! I loved the intensity of shadow daddy Reese and the humor of Cason. These two were perfect.

[Jalynn]

I can not get into this book and I have tried for a week can not get passed 10% .

[Liz]

Rtc

[TINA | DejaLu✨]

Was not expecting this book to be what it was, and I loved it. What happens when you die??

* Age Gap
* Death
* Revenge

[Sara Husser]

⚡I realized I never learned how to exist in a world where Reese Morgan isn't breathing☠️

"Of course. Of course my kidnapper would be hot. Figures my luck would land me an abductor who looks like a walking regret. Trauma, but make it confusing."

"Whatever it is you think you're doing, you're wasting your time and mine. I told you I'm not gay."
"Bet if I ate your a*** you'd change your mind."

"I'm getting attached to my captor, I mostly just rolled with it. Stockholm syndrome? Probably. Trauma response? Definitely. Embarrassing? Oh, absolutely."

"I think you have Stockholm syndrome, sweetheart."
"Ew. Don't call me that."
"Little menace?"
"That's better."

"The space between one pulse and the next. The point where one part of your life collapses inward and converges with the one to come. This is the collapse."

"And now he's here again. Different room. Different war. Yet the same impossible pull in my chest that I've spent seven years pretending doesn't exist. Duty says he is the enemy. Desire says something else entirely."

"For a second, less than a second, something shifts in the way the shadows envelope me. It feels almost...comforting. Like they're swaddling me."

"Reese Morgan is hardwired into my brain, and extracting him would mean cutting me open and hoping I don't bleed out. Like ripping out nerves and arteries and trying to survive."

"I would've burned everything down and walked away from it just to take him with me."

"It's then that I realize I never learned how to exist in a world where Reese Morgan isn't breathing."

"Touch me all you want, Cason. I'm yours." Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. F***, I might cry.

"You're mine, Reese. You always have been. Tell me I get to keep you."
"I'm yours, Cason. I'm yours like you're mine. We can ruin each other forever."

Wow, this was such a phenomenal and unique story. I've never read quite a story like this one before. The plot kept you guessing at every turn. There were so many twists and turns. I loved the supernatural element to this story! That really put this story on another level. The spice and different kinks in this were amazing 🔥🔥🔥. I also loved the emotional and traumatic ties that bled into the supernatural elements in this story. This story had some great troupes like: Mercenary/Hacker, Captor/Captive, Enemies To Lovers, Stockholm/Pining, Age Gap, Forced Proximity, Shadow Daddy, and Touch Him. And Die. This author created a unique and intriguing world and I hope we get more stories from it.

This story follows Cason and Reese. Cason works in IT at his father/uncle's company. He is kidnapped and held captive by Reese who is a mercenary. During this time, Case develops Stockholm syndrome and things get spicy and emotional between them. A month passes and Case gets rescued while Reese gets shot and killed. Case then spends 4 years creating and taking down whoever hired Reese to kidnap him, with his own cyber warfare. He also makes friends with Harrison and Lane and helps protect Lane. Now we're 3 years forward and he's back working at his uncle's intistiute again. He gets kidnapped again and it happens to be Reese, who's not dead and has supernatural abilities. Reese wants revenge on Malcom for turning him into this shadow monster so he grabs Case and hurts him. So many truths are revealed. Secrets are slowly being revealed. Case ends up getting his own supernatural powers too. Case and Reese finally get the relationship they yearned for 7 years ago. Enemies are threatening not only their love but also their existence. Can Case and Reese stop it all before it's too late? Can these two turn the world into a safer place? Will they finally find the peace they got robbed of 7 years ago?

I really loved the connection between these two men. Despite the time gaps, they always came back to one another stronger. They had a pull from the beginning and their connection/chemistry was kismet. I loved how opposite they were. Case was a snarky, sarcastic, bratty guy who used humor to deflect everything. Whatever came out of his mouth was hilarious 😂. Reese was guarded and more preserved. He was possessive and very protective. He not only had shadow Daddy vibes but the whole touch him and die ☠️ vibes too. Their banter was everything and had me cackling 😅. I loved how easily Reese accepted his new sexuality for Case. Their love flowed so freely. The chemistry and spice was out of this world 🔥🔥🔥. I loved the different kinks in this. The shadows alone had me 🥵😉😏💦. My heart broke for both of these men but it shattered for Case. He held onto so much pain and trauma for years 😭. Their first and second kiss was everything 🥹. I loved when Reese handed control over to Case 🥹. These two went through so much to get their HEA and it was the most satisfying thing ever. I really loved the side characters. I also loved all the cameos with Harrison and Lane! I hope this author expands more into this magical world. ⚡️🌚⛓️💻☠️🐈‍⬛🖤💚

[Mayami]

“To those who died a little and lived anyway”
I don’t think I’ve gotten captured within the first sentence before even the prologue, but here we are! I can’t say enough how much I love the deeper theme of this. That we’re all just pieces of time, energy, beats, standstills, strung together one after the other to create our lives. It could stop at any moment, it’s all so fragile. One heartbeat does not guarantee another will follow.

First off, the descriptions are amazing. It’s all there. It gives you the feel, that atmosphere, the texture of the world around you. The sight from the character. River Hale has always been able to plop you down in a world so you can see it for yourself. You know it’s gonna be a rollercoaster.

Second off, I love brats. I don’t think you could get a bigger brat than Cason. Who else have you seen become an even bigger brat when confronted with trials and tribulations and death?! He’s not stupid, he’s not naive, he knows exactly what is happening to him, but his brat button just doesn’t seem to turn off. I do get it’s his shield, his protection, but it made him damn well entertaining. Who doesn’t love their dark romances sprinkled with a little (okay, a lot) of Stockholm Syndrome? In fairness, we got Stockholm syndrome right next to Cason, just as bad!

“A precise point in time, a transition, a reconfiguration, the point where 1 version of me dies on the floor with him and another one stands. The space between one pulse and the next where part of your life collapses and converges with the one to come.” Knowing that nothing will be the same, you will not be the same. What you were is dead and gone, and now you’re something different, forced to move forward with what you now have. “The promise of vengeance was the last thing I had of him, and now I have nothing left.” Wishing a feeling could be extracted, wishing to be free. These chapters made me FEEL deeply, my god, as confused and heartbroken as Case. This is such great writing, especially these chapters. He’s such a great MC with dry, self deprecating humor. You definitely laugh at his mischief and inner thoughts. He also gets kidnapped more than Princess Peach! Choke me harder, Daddy had me rolling my ass off! Rock bottom indeed.

Even at around the 35% mark on, I was this mess of laughing, on the verge of tears, and outraged all together. Outraged for both Case and Reese, laughing since Case is who he is, but also registering the pain behind it all. It’s one of those books you really don’t notice the spice (though it was good) cuz you’re so engrossed in the plot. The possessiveness, the yearning, love stretching beyond life and breath and understanding. It’s a 5 star read if I ever read one!

“He who fights monsters might take care lest he become a monster
Ever since the day Reese Morgan stole me, I’ve only ever burned for him
I meant erase every part of you that thinks it can exist without me”

This ended up being one of my favorite reads this year.

[NitemareMoon]

Cason and Reese. DNF 89%. I wanted to love this book. I thought this was going to be a 4-5 star read based on how locked in I was in part one. I absolutely loved Cason's use of humor at the most inappropriate times. The tension between Cason and Reese and the sexual awakening was delicious, I was sat. Then as the book progressed things slowly fell off the rails.

Part two there was a significant time jump. I didn't think the connection between Cason and Reese felt developed enough to warrant the level of distress Cason was experiencing. I was willing to give it a pass because trauma can do funny things.

Additionally, at this point there were some small things that started pulling me from the story. I know it sounds nitpicky but I can't help what my brain fixates on. For example in part two Cason said he switched from wearing contacts to glasses immediately after his release to make himself less recognizable to the press. Not once in part one was it mentioned he wore contacts or glasses. During his captivity he didn't have access to a bathroom let alone contact cleaning supplies. He was there for almost a month, how was he not scratch his eyeballs out? I took a nap in mine once and it felt like I had sandpaper glued to my eyeballs. But in all seriousness if the author wanted the character to wear glasses moving forward there were many ways to handle this without creating a logic inconsistency.

Minor spoilers ahead but ill try to not give too much away
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In part three when I learned what a pulse zero event was and the very simplistic way powers were acquired, I was thrown for a loop. I read the Echos duet which is part of this same world and that was dark romance / sci fi so I was fully expecting the same. Powers happening without scientific experimentation or explanation shifts us into the paranormal or supernatural fiction. Then I started thinking of all the people in hospitals around the world this happens to yet know one knows about it except for a handful of people. Seems implausible. Also, shadow daddy Reese, I rolled my eyes so hard. Then Cason makes a snap decision to have his own pulse zero event and the resulting powers was just so convenient that I laughed out loud. To top it off, mastering powers straight away with no learning curve, are we for real?

Implausibilities stacked on implausibilities were making it real hard for me to take this book seriously and stay focused. I was determined to stick it out but I was fully checked out by 89%. I just kept spacing out and was not invested in the outcome. Along with the above mentioned issues the tension started to feel manufactured. The transitions to spice scenes felt clunky like the author was checking boxes. Outside of the spice scenes there wasn't much relationship building so when the I love you's came it didn't ring true. Explanations were unsatisfactory. Actions didn't make sense. I just couldn't do it any more. This book had the bones for a great story but the execution missed the mark for me.

[Ana Silva]

My mind has been freaking blown! This was my first time reading a River Hale book and I’m speechless in the best way. My only regret is not knowing about her work sooner.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this story but it was definitely an amazing read. I was hooked from the very first page and I just couldn’t put it down.

When Cason gets kidnapped by Reese, he never expected how much that would change him. Getting kidnapped was nothing compared to what happened afterwards. His world was turned upside down and his reason for living revolved around getting revenge for Reese being taken away from him.

Cason spent years trying to find the people who ripped his heart out when they took the man he was falling for. Was it weird that he fell for his kidnapper? Probably. Did he cared? Not one bit. Reese came to mean more to him than anyone else in the world.

Reese had one job: kidnap Cason Bellrose and get paid. Instead, he fell for him and then lost him. He was supposed to keep him safe but he failed him.

When Reese is made into a dangerous weapon by the people who hired him, he goes rogue and decides to destroy them. With just one click of a mouse, Reese loses the people he’s come to cared for as family and the many he’s been protecting. And when he discovers that Cason is the one who responsible for destroying everything he spent the last few years building, his focus turns to him.

Once again Cason is kidnapped but this time, the man he fell for years ago is heartless and ruthless, and only has one thing in his mind: make Cason paid for what he did.

Seeing Reese alive isn’t what surprises Cason. It’s the changes he’s gone through and how hard he’s become. There are no traces of the man who took care of him years ago, now there’s a man with vengeance on his mind and Cason is the target.

It’s not until Cason takes drastic measures to be on the same playing field as Reese that everything starts to make sense. They both realize they were manipulated into becoming the puppets of the one person Cason least expected.

Seeing how much Cason had gone through after they were separated, loosens the tension Reese had been feeling since the moment they found each other. The weight of how much Cason had grieved and hurt for him confirmed to Reese that what they felt for each other went beyond kidnapper and prisoner.

He finally understood that everything Cason did was to avenge him. Cason had no idea he would be destroying his plans though. All he wanted was some kind of closure for losing him.

This time around, Reese was more than ready to burn the world down for Cason. Losing him was not an option and if he had to die in the process, so be it.

“𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍.”

I can’t love this book enough! It truly was remarkable. I can’t wait to read River’s other books. My interest has been peaked 😁

[Nikki Thompson]

ARC Review

Cason is 22 years old, working part-time at the company his father and uncle built, drifting through life without any real direction or purpose.

Reese is fourteen years older, a mercenary hired to kidnap Cason. What begins as a terrifying captivity turns into something neither of them expected. Over the course of 25 days, walls come down, trust develops, and feelings begin to grow between them. Then everything falls apart. Cason is rescued, Reese is shot, and everyone believes him to be dead.

Four years later, Cason is still haunted by Reese's supposed death. Consumed by grief and anger, he creates a program capable of launching a devastating cyberattack against the people he believes were responsible for Reese's murder. Even after succeeding, he finds no peace. He remains stuck, unable to move forward with his life.

Three years after that, the impossible happens—Cason is kidnapped again. Even more shocking is discovering that his captor is Reese, very much alive.

But Reese is no longer the man Cason remembers.

After dying and being brought back to life, Reese has Ascended, gaining extraordinary abilities that allow him to control living shadows. He uses these powers to interrogate and torment Cason, believing him responsible for exposing and endangering others like him. The targets of Cason's cyberattack were fellow Ascended hiding from the man responsible for creating them all: Cason's uncle, a ruthless man determined to build an army of superhumans at any cost.

As secrets unravel, Reese and Cason realize that the feelings they developed seven years earlier never truly disappeared. When Cason himself dies and Ascends, the connection between them reignites with even greater intensity. Together, alongside other Ascended, they begin plotting revenge against the man responsible for so much pain and suffering.

This book had everything I love—high stakes, action, suspense, supernatural abilities, and a romance so intense it practically jumps off the page. Reese and Cason's relationship is messy, complicated, passionate, and impossible not to root for.

Pulse Zero kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Every time I thought I knew where the story was heading, River Hale threw in another twist that left me desperate to keep reading. The world-building was fascinating, the action scenes were gripping, and the emotional moments hit hard.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys MM romance mixed with science fiction, paranormal elements, and plenty of action. My only complaint is that I'll never get to experience reading it for the first time again.

Again, I received an advanced copy of this book with permission from the other to post a review.