Trigger Happy Ending

by K.J. Orchard

“I am your divine intervention. Your salvation. And I fear you are mine.”

Raine Maddox doesn’t believe in happy endings.
Soren Blackwood knows better than to want one.

Raised by the Agency, a covert empire built on secrecy and control, Raine has spent her life becoming exactly what they made her to be: the perfect assassin. Seduce. Manipulate. Eliminate. She doesn’t ask questions, and she never gets attached.

Soren is ex-black ops. A man forged by war and loyal to no one. He’s lethal and far too good at getting under her skin.

When they’re sent to recover PARM-17, a serum with the power to push human capability beyond its limits, they’re dragged into a brutal world of corruption, betrayal, and buried secrets, where trust is a liability and every moment alone together threatens to snap the line they’ve both sworn not to cross.

But the deeper Raine and Soren go, the more dangerous two things become: the truth, and each other.

Genres: Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark, Romance, Forced Proximity

Paperback

First published June 25, 2026

About the author

K.J. Orchard writes emotionally messy stories for good girls who like to do bad things.

Her debut novel, Wild Thing, was released in March 2025. Her second novel, Trigger Happy Ending was published in June 2026.

Based on the Gold Coast, Australia, she's a PR girl by day, spicy author by night.

www.katorchard.com
IG @kjorchard_author | TikTok @kjorchard

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS! *I ran out today to go get more tabs so I can annotate this tonight because I am in love with this story and these characters* This was my first book by K.J. and it will definitely not be my last! I am in love with her writing style, and I truly have never read a dark romance book with a storyline like this. Raine + Soren (two BADASS ASSASINS MIND YOU) are my legendary lovers. I LOVED THE SHIT OUT OF THEIR BANTER!! This man may be an assassin, but he WRITES POETRY ABOUT HER! UGH. He is perfection in my eyes. So suspenseful, emotional, spicy and bingeworthy.

"It's annoying how you make very person in your presence fall to their knees. The way you can shoot me, punch me, throw knives at me. The way you could rip my heart out and I'd still fucking crawl on my knees for you. The way I'd go to hell and back for you" FVCK!!! I love him.

Sooooooo.. K.J.... I'm going to need more now :)

[Kenia Coronado · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHUT UP!!!

I love love love this book! Its had everything i love about dark romance!!! Everything was the perfect balance!!!! I wont shut up until book 2 comes out.

[kotah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my fuck. Yes. This is the dark romance book I’ve searching for it. It has everything I needed and more.

AN SLOW BURN DARK ROMANCE (🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼) that has so much tension leading to it ugh 😩
The banter between Raine and Soren was perfect.
And Raine is such a badass FMC I wanna be her best friend. The plot kept me so entertained and needing to read to find out more.

No notes 👏🏼 I do need book 2 asap tho

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of compelling, addictive dark romance I like to see. It’s morally grey meets moral grey in the best way. The sexual tension, the slow-burn, the unhinged obsession. Delicious.

The downside is I thought this was a standalone. But the ending tells me this isn’t over yet babes.

Guess I’ll be back for another installment of our deadly assassins duo kicking ass and taking names 👀

[Skyllar Branch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I fell in love with Angel/Raine she is bad***. I loved how the story unfolded and you were on the edge of your seat waiting for what was next. 100% should read this book.
If you want passion, violence and love this book is for you!

[Shilpa🫧 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is EVERYTHING to me. It has officially joined my all-time favourite reads, with Raine Maddox and Soren Blackwood now among my favourite FMC, MMC, and couple EVER.

The story follows an assassin operative FMC from The Agency, a secret shadow organisation, and an ex-Black Ops MMC who are forced to team up to retrieve PARMA-17, a serum that is definitely not great for humanity. What follows is the most chaotic, addictive, unhinged ride with hilarious monologues and dialogues.

Firstly, K.J Orchard’s writing is phenomenal — a perfect balance of monologue and dialogue, with SO much sass. This is my first book by KJ Orchard, definitely not my last and I’m definitely picking up her debut novel soon!

From the hilarious prologue to their instant-hate meet-cute, witty banter, endless action scenes, sweetest love confessions to that ending, I was completely locked in. Not bored or distracted for a second.

THIS is how you write equal character development for both MCs. I absolutely LOVE Raine and Soren, they are the baddest, hottest, most electric couple.

If, like me, you’ve been chasing that high after reading The MindF*ck series by ST Abby, The Painted Sinners by Elena & Blake Lawson or The Bianchi Chronicles by Laura Bennett, PLEASE GIVE THIS A GO! Best to go in blind after checking the trigger/content warnings. If you’re a dark romance reader, this felt pretty light to me, just gory in a fun way.

Just a tiny teaser of an iconic scene:
- 🛥️
- 🙅🏻‍♂️
- 👁️
- 🦈

Okay, KJ Orchard… can I call you Kat? WHAT ABOUT THAT CLIFFHANGER?! Is it too EARLY to ask about Book 2? And if you ever need an ARC or beta reader, SERIOUSLY PLEASE SIGN ME UP!! Also if you ever decide to do a limited edition, I would treasure it for life — 5 FREAKING STARS!!

—
“I'm a mean girl, I guess. I'm Regina fucking George with an AK-47.”

“I wonder what we look like right now. My god of war, tortured and wild, kneeling at my feet like I'm some kind of higher power.”

“Those eyes were on my woman. And I'm not accepting that.
First, I took his voice. Now, I'll take his sight.”
—

[Brycee · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 ⭐️

Fantastic. Give me 14 more. I’m utterly completely obsessed with Raine & Soren 😭 THE BANTER IN THIS BOOK IS TOP FUCKING TIER. Raine is one of the baddest in the game. And SOREN. My ex black ops, 6’5, tatted up , emotionally unavailable daddy. Chefs kiss. Go read this right now.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

A special thanks to K J Orchard and Love Notes PR for this ARC. While the review copy was gifted, all opinions are my own.

Its been so hard for me to sit down and read lately but trigger happy ending was such a fast and easy read. The pacing was fast and entertaining! I loved the choas and the intricacies of the story. I adored wild thing and I'll be honest- i was expecting something similar but Trigger Happy Ending completely surprised me (in a good way).

Highly recommend giving it a go if you enjoy chaotic and unhinged characters and organized crime with some hot romance 🔥

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 ROUNDED TO 5 STARS FOR ME.

Raine and Soren,two assasins work for The Agency.They never work together and now they are forced to be a team.When two ego's clash and the attraction sparks Raine and Soren may get a chance at something both didn't expect.
Will they be risk their hearts once the mission is over?

Wow,wow, wow.What a fantastic read.Both characters think they don't deserve anything better,and the cold way of their lives is already complicated without the feelings gets in the way.At the beginning in the plane part I was not sure if I would like Soren,but when Raine turned tables on him that was the part that was so engrossing I knew it will be great.Raine,as an assasin was cold,calculated and didn't play fair,yet in a way she's so vunerable and sweet.Soren with his poetry really win me over,a badass with a heart.Chemistry between them was so hot,this tension and the hateful banter was so good,a slow burn that was explosive once they finally got together.A dangerous mission,The Agent O who's not a nice man,and compliced relationship betweeen them,Raine and Soren will literally fight for their lives.I suspected and was right that someone from Raine life was a person Raine was looking for about her mother's death,can't wait and really hope there will be next book and she gets revenge she deserves.My first book by this author and she's now on top of my favorites.

fAVORITE LINE-
"I am sin.I am all that is unholy,"he growls as he backs me up against the side of the dresser.I suck in a sharp breath,my body vibrating with attraction and desire and horniness I can't even find a word for.
He drops his lips close to mine,our foreheads are touching.
"But I am your divine intervetion.Your salvation.And I fear you are mine."

Like I said Soren is a killer poet ;)

Full of hate,death,romance and spice,what you waiting for?,grab it and induldge in this fantastic story.

Thank you Love Notes PR and author for arc,my review is honest and my own.

[Ingrid Iglesias · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Trigger Happy Ending. 100% recommended.

Kat is, without a doubt, one of the best authors I’ve ever read. This entire book is a ride from beginning to end, intense, addictive, completely unhinged in the best possible way, and deliciously packed with violence, revenge, tension, and heat.

Raine and Soren are pure dynamite together, and some of the scenes in this book are going to live rent-free in my head for a VERY long time. Seriously… 🔥

What I love most about Kat is her incredible ability to pull me in with every single line. She already did it with her first novel, and somehow she managed to do it all over again with this one. There’s just something about the way she writes, the intensity, the characters, the darkness, the references, the sexual tension, that makes it impossible for me to put her books down.

I honestly cannot wait to see what she writes next.

[Madison Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay this book had me LOCKED IN.

Two badass assassins, forced proximity, insane chemistry, revenge, plot twists, a bioweapon, and 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ spice??? YES PLEASE.

Raine is such a badass FMC and her inner dialogue had me CACKLING. Soren is 6’5, an assassin, emotionally damaged, and basically exactly what I needed 😂

Their chemistry was SO good, and I absolutely ate up the whole “I hate you” while internally thinking “I want you” dynamic.

And that ending??? I NEED THE NEXT BOOK. IMMEDIATELY.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. Def a 5 star read and I’m so happy I picked it up. From the beginning I loved the MMC and FMCs dynamic. Hated each other because of how attracted they were to each other 😂 the banter was top tier and the tension 🔥 the tension was definitely there as well as some good spice.. they both came from fucked up backgrounds, bad ass assassins, feel like life is bleak.. yet found something that made them feel alive in each other. I didn’t realize this was going to be a book 1 and now I can’t wait for book 2 😭

[Nicole Swinehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you to K.J. Orchard and Love Notes PR for this ARC*

Two assassins with insane chemistry? Count me in. I was hooked from the very first page. Raine and Soren’s banter had me grinning, but their heartbreaking backstories had me completely emotional. The tension, the action, and the slow-burn romance were perfectly balanced. I flew through this book and already need the next one!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no notes.

The characters insanely good (they were unhinged as fuck) but KJ wrote them sooooooo well!

Never thought I'd want a pair of eyes gifted to me before but here we are. Soren is swoooooon material and Raine? Ugh I just want to be her.

I finished this bar from 5% of the start in one sitting, I was absolutely SAT with this book.

Like assassins that are unhinged, murderous, and absolutely hot as fuck? Look no further this dark romance will have you guessing everything! 👏🏻👏🏻

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 ⭐️
ABSOFKNLUTELY OBSESSED with this book and these characters! Raine and Soren are fucking PERFECT!
I genuinely cannot fault either of them.

The banter, The hate, The flirting, The FAAAWKINGGG!
I was SAT 🥵 Raine is officially one of my favourite FMCs,i loved her so much!
This is easily one of my top reads of the year and I’m gona need Book 2 like right now please & thank you 😫

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending!!! I literally said “ What the F” and flipped my kindle over seeing if there is anything else. Because wtfff. I need the next book😭 and to Soren, my Gentle psycho Soren, has had my heart from the very first poem.

[Alaina Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely worth the loss of sleep. This was so heartbreaking and soul crushing for the MCs. I felt all of Raine's pain and just wanted to be her friend 😭 She is sooo badass and that scene at the Raptors club?? Badass af. Total Mr and Mrs Smith vibes I loved it. Soren is perfection and the banter was amazinggg. Had me giggling and kicking my feet for sure. Pure enemies to lovers perfection I swearrrr. I did not expect that little plot twist at the end at all. This book is definitely left open for more and I neeeeeeed it *insert spongebob voice*. Seriously, the first 5 ⭐️ book I've read in a long time.

[Ava Ly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morally grey and so much fun

Loss can drive a person to do unspeakable things… when you have nothing in this world to ground you- an immeasurable void consumes you… you’ll do anything to find balance. And what creates balance to loss? Revenge.

Raine is the most ruthless assassin. Known as a black widow, she has a perfect record of eliminating targets for The Agency- all on her own. No partners. Ever.

Soren is a wraith. He only exists in hushed conversations where people fear their words could summon him from the underworld itself. He seeks missions out for sport and basks in the glory- and blood- of the marks he takes out. A true employee of the month for The Agency…And he isn’t a babysitter. He doesn’t need anyone.

But when the most critical mission in the agency’s history requires these two to work together all bets are off. This is his way out and her way to find answers and nothing will stop either of them… did I mention he’s a tank of man.. tattooed and gorgeous and she’s the literal femme fatale of his dreams?? Yeah… buckle up. 😏

This was so fun with great banter and so witty. The story was engaging and has so much going on. A world was created that I need to know SO much more about. And the spice was *chefs kiss* well done, Ms Orchard. Well done.

[🖤 alyssa 🩶 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger Happy Ending was an amazing, suspenseful, spicy, and super interesting read that I consumed in one sitting ❤️ I absolutely loved the storyline and was fully invested, start to finish. Raine and Soren had an electric connection that couldn’t be ignored, and their bickering banter was hilarious, tense, and once their control broke, everything got real heated, really fast 😏 The pacing and build up are nonstop, but in the best, eagerly flipping the pages sort of way, and that ending!!! I didn’t want to say goodbye to them, and have such excitement and a need for book two now—I am dying to read more of Raine and Soren 🤍

Raine is confident, sexy, bold, unapologetically herself, and I loved every bit of her personality ❤️ She has so many layers to her character, and seeing them slowly revealed added so much depth to the story. She’s very good at her job, which ends up leading to a friendship with Cherry, who is such a sweetheart, and their relationship was heartwarming and gut wrenching 🥺 It showed a different, vulnerable, and softer side to Raine too. Not like with Soren, who she is majorly all fire with! Every interaction between them is loaded with sooo much chemistry, and her different thoughts about him (and in general) had me giggling a bunch; I found her really funny 😂 Seeing her open herself up to Soren slowly and be vulnerable with him was sweet, but their standoff breaking was beyond spicy and it couldn’t be contained once released 🥵 And she can’t be contained either, certainly not when it keeps her away from Soren! The lengths she went to for him show how much she cares about him, and I loved the way book one ended for her 🤍

Soren is all cold with hard, rigid edges on the outside (😍😍), but is someone who cares so deeply and has a sensitive side to him ❤️ I liked getting to learn more about his character and why he is the way he is, and also thought he changed in such a warm and fuzzy way! Just like Raine, I thought his character and inner thoughts were hilarious, especially when it came to him navigating his growing feelings for Raine and keeping within the lines of their job! From the beginning she had him hooked though, and I really enjoyed their banter and how charged it was, with them meeting each other’s feistiness 🔥 Their back and forth was aggressive and head on in a way at times, but that worked perfectly and just felt like it was naturally them. The tender and intimate moments between them felt really special because of that too 🤍 As his feelings for Raine grew, his perspective shifted in a way that made it clear just how deeply he cared for her and how far he’d go, how much he’ll do, all for her ❤️

This book had lots of suspense, spice, and a very interesting plot that keeps you on your toes! 🤍 Raine and Soren are some of my favorite characters that I’ve read, and I loved watching their journey and seeing them getting together. They each have so much fire and personality to them, and it made for banter that kept me laughing throughout the story! Raine is the perfect match for Soren, and she’ll certainly keep him in line 😌 The reveal near the ending was surprising, as well as their plan at the end, and I wasn’t ready to let them go at all by the last line… but thank goodness I won’t have to!! Book two cannot come soon enough after this amazing read! ❤️

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DEVOURED THIS IN LESS THAN EIGHT HOURS. Did I stay up until 3am to finish it—yes. Do I regret it? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Could I have read it slower—well no, it was that good. So why would I have wanted to do that. What’s the Gen Z slang the kids use these days? THIS BOOK SLAPS. IT ATE. LEFT NO CRUMBS.

Immediately from the prologue I was OBSESSED. How can you not be when it starts out with an assassin FMC POV. From there, the intensity just gets better. Raine (The Angel of Death) isn’t someone to be messed with. That’s not exactly by choice, she was raised in a secret society as a weapon, and she’s deeply terrifying (but, she does know how to crack jokes and her internal monologue is hilarious). She works alone, refusing to be responsible for anyone. Until she’s told she has to work alongside the “Bodysnatcher”. Someone as ruthless (and dead inside) as her it seems—real name, Soren—tall, tattooed, man of few words (but secretly, writes down his thoughts, observations—and it’s adorable; there’s a golden retriever of a man hidden in there somewhere). When they meet you can cut that thick tension with one of Raine’s knives. I can’t help but be captivated by both on them. They’re ruthless, calculated, and merciless. Absolutely daunting. But together—their chemistry is electric. You could feel through the pages the push and pull between them and everything leading up to the long awaited “fuck it” moment. And it was WORTH THE WAIT. Not only was their banter and hate for each other top tier—but the moment they both gave in—CHEFS MOTHERFUCKING KISS. I think they’ve become a top favorite in everything.

Regardless, not only was their connection perfect, the plot was impeccable. Working together to retrieve a highly secretive serum from high powered men—by any means necessary. Going undercover, befriending the enemy, lies and deception, lots of knives, schmurder. This story was built so flawlessly—action, secrets, betrayal, spice, connections, depth. I had all kinds of emotions getting lost in these pages. Laughing, crying, flustered, frustrated, angry, back to flustered—a damn sky high rollercoaster’s worth. And I regret none of them. I’ll happily put myself through them again to read this for the first time. Ending on a “soft” cliffhanger, this was truly a phenomenal book and I can’t wait to get more of Raine and Soren. I have so many questions and I’m desperate for those answers. Loved. Loved. Loved.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

🔎📚 ARC Review: Trigger Happy Ending by K.J. Orchard 📚🔎

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

First, a huge thank you to K.J. Orchard and Love Notes PR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC! I'm so grateful for the chance to experience this story before release—and it's officially out now! 🎉📖

"I am your divine intervention. Your salvation. And I fear you are mine."

This book was fascinating, dark, full of slow-building tension (in more ways than one 😉), and definitely brought the spice.

Raine Maddox is the Agency's perfect assassin—trained to seduce, manipulate, and eliminate without question. Soren Blackwood, an ex-black ops operative, is just as dangerous, and when the two are forced to work together to recover a powerful experimental serum, they're pulled into a deadly web of corruption, betrayal, and secrets where trusting anyone could be fatal.

The entire time I was reading, I kept getting John Wick meets Red Sparrow vibes, and I absolutely loved that combination. The action, suspense, and chemistry between Raine and Soren made it hard to put down.

There were two things I think would really elevate this book:
• Some scene transitions felt a bit abrupt, and I would've loved smoother flow between chapters and scenes.
• The grammar could use another editing pass, and I'm hopeful that with additional editing, it will make an already enjoyable story even stronger.

Overall, I had a great time with this one, and now I'm stuck waiting to see if revenge is actually served in the next book. Seriously... K.J. Orchard, I hate you for ending it there. 😂

If you enjoy dark romantic suspense, deadly assassins, morally gray characters, and plenty of tension with your action, this one is worth checking out!

Have you picked this one up yet? If not, it's available now! And tell me—which book cliffhanger has left you desperately waiting for the sequel? 👇📚

#BookReview #darkromamce #Bookstagram #morallygrey #BookCommunity

[Euphonious Times · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from Love Notes PR

Trigger Happy Ending is an enemies to lovers dark romance, with plenty of tension and spice ! There’s suspense, morally grey characters, touch her and die vibes, secret societies and deadly assassins and plenty of action.

Raine has trained her whole life to be an assassin and doesn’t even dare to consider a normal life could be possible for her. She’s focused on finding out the truth about her mother’s passing and getting revenge on those responsible and is singular in her focus. She gets paired with Soren, an ex black-ops operative, for a dangerous mission involving retrieving an experimental serum that is more connected to her than she initially could have assumed. This mission is a deadly mix of betrayal and corruption, making it almost impossible for either one to risk trusting each other.

There’s so much potential with the characters and the plot and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series. Having said that, I was definitely put off by some aspects of the writing and editing. There is absolutely no need for an extra internal monologue for the FMC, it was extremely distracting and it can be easily integrated in the first person POV writing. Similarly, some aspects can be shown through the character’s actions and thoughts rather than spelling it out - for example, we kept getting explicitly told that they have tension or that they find each other hot with every occasion when this could have just been shown through their interactions and thoughts instead of it being a recurring mention. At times, I found that the writing was almost like narrating a TV show, where you see the character go through the motions but also narrate them at the same time, not sure if that makes sense to anyone else but that’s how I perceived it.

Hopefully these are things that will be addressed for further instalments as I am

Thank you KJ Orchard and Love Notes PR for this advanced copy.

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

"What did you do?"
"I cut out his eyes and fed him to the sharks"
"Why?"
"Cause he looked at you"

This was so chaotic but in a good way!

Raine (aka Angel) and Soren (aka Lukas) both are assassins that currently work for the Agency were they are reluctantly paired together for a missions to acquire a new bioweapon, and let me tell you, neither one is anywhere close to being okay with that. It's hate from the first meeting.... and attraction.... definitely a lot of attraction and tension between them.

This book has moments that made me laugh out loud and moments where I was tearing up. Both Raine and Soren have gone through their shared amount of trauma and we get to learn more about them and their pasts even through they both clearly have trust issues.

Rain was exactly the person who I wanted my fmc assassin (who takes absolutely no shit from anyone) to be when we first meet her. She's strong, independent, and resilient. And Soren....... he's sexy af and a dick.... Okay no but he has his own issues for why he is the way he is and the second we get his POV I loved him.
Both characters have depth and they grow throughout the story, progressing from enemies, to hate, to tolerate, to possible friends, to more.

Trigger Happy Ending has banter, it has tension, it has spice, it has violence and a way of keeping you hooked and guessing what will happen next.

Be warned though, you're gonna want book 2 after that ending!


What you can expect from this wild ride:
🖤 enemies to lovers
💋 assassin romance (assassin x ex black ops)
🖤 two broken souls
💋 morally grey characters
🖤 forced proximity
💋 touch her and die
🖤 secret society
💋 suspense + violence
🖤 a "fuck it" moment
💋 and banter.... so much banter

[Kat Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review for LoveNotes PR

I had such a fun time with this book. From the first chapter, I was pulled into this dark, action-packed world of assassins, secret agencies, and high-stakes missions, and I didn't want to put it down.

Raine and Soren are both incredibly skilled assassins with heartbreaking pasts, but they're complete opposites when it comes to how they work. Raine is fiercely independent and refuses to rely on anyone, while Soren is just as dangerous but has zero interest in babysitting a partner. Watching these two be forced to work together on a mission to stop a dangerous super-soldier serum from falling into the wrong hands made for some fantastic tension.

Their chemistry was one of my favorite parts of the book. The banter was witty, the slow burn felt earned, and I loved seeing their walls slowly come down as the story progressed. They were equally capable, stubborn, and morally gray, which made their relationship even more entertaining.

The action kept the story moving, but there was also enough character development to make me care about both Raine and Soren beyond their assassin reputations. I also found myself wanting to know so much more about The Agency and the world K.J. Orchard has created.

And yes... the spice delivered. 🌶️ It fit the characters and their relationship perfectly without taking away from the plot.

If you enjoy romantic thrillers with assassins, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers vibes, plenty of action, and a satisfying slow burn, I'd definitely recommend giving Trigger Happy Ending a try. I'm already looking forward to seeing more from this world.

[Lani Bausewein · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC REVIEW**

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
Reading Method: 📚
Length: 401 pages
Genre: Dark Romance / Thriller

Thank you K.J. Orchard and Love Notes PR for an ARC of Trigger Happy Ending. It was unhinged and incredible!

Raine (aka Angel) and Soren (aka Lukas) both had dark childhoods, no friends or family, and are assassins by trade. One born into it, and one the only viable patch for survival. Neither wants to be paired together, they are lone wolves, however The Academy needs them both to hit their target.

Their mission? A DNA changing vialed solution that gives the people injected super human strength is being sold on the black market - infiltrate the sellers inner circle, but the vials, and don't let anyone or anything get in your way.

This was thrilling and murderous and sexy and so, so good. The 🌶️ was well done.


I can't say much more other than it was a fantastic book - the story, the writing, the character development, the execution - and I highly recommend this if you enjoy thrillers with some slow burn, forced proximity, enemy-to-lovers, spice.

The way the book ends leads me to believe there will be at least a Book 2, and I CANNOT WAIT!

*My only negative is that the author included an inner monologue (hi!) for the FMC (that's me) far too often. It was distracting (annoying) and could have just been built into the actual writing (instead of side thoughts like this).It was bothersome enough (for me) to remove 1/2 star for it.*

IG @lit.fic.lani

[Ashlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Assassin romance? Count me in! What a wild ride. I smiled 😈(crazy, of course, just like my girl Raine), I laughed, and heck... I even cried. While I wasn't quite sure what to make of it all at first, the story completely won me over.

I loved the depth of both main characters. We get to know their pasts naturally as the current story unfolds, making every revelation hit that much harder. When one character mentions Raine's eyes in Chapter 16, I had a feeling there was history unknown there. The way her truth is revealed throughout the story ties everything together beautifully and gives the emotional moments even more impact.

Soren's chapters are hilarious... and sometimes downright gruesome. 👀 iykyk. I loved watching him go from short, grumpy thoughts to full chapters, with pages from his notebook scattered throughout. Chapter 8 had me laughing out loud!

Chapter 10, where Raine turns Soren's own shitty tricks back on him, was one of my favorites. Her sarcastic humor in Chapter 14? Those lists had me cracking up., her daydreams about a normal life, and her friendship with Cherry all made me love her even more. (😭😭😭😭 Chapter 45.)

I don't want to say too much because I'd hate to spoil anything. The ending left my heart and mind mostly satisfied with a... somewhat happy ending. And that epilogue? I literally screamed at the irony!

Now the question is... will we get a Book 2 to bring everything full circle? Only time will tell.

[Allison Stepp · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars

First off, thank you to KJ Orchard for choosing me as an ARC reader!

This book was so good. It had assassins, spies, revenge, danger, and a romance that kept me completely hooked. Raine was an absolute badass from beginning to end. She’s smart, deadly, and fully capable of handling herself, which made her such a fun FMC to follow. I loved her femme fatale energy and the way she never backed down.

Soren was equally easy to love. A man who falls first is always a win for me, and watching him fall for Raine while navigating all the chaos around them had me invested from the start. Their chemistry was intense, and together they were impossible to look away from.

The action and espionage elements kept the story moving, and the revenge sprinkled in was incredibly satisfying. Every time I thought I knew where things were going, something happened to prove me wrong.

And that ending? 🤯 I did not see that coming. I was sitting there trying to process everything after I finished the last page. It was the perfect way to wrap up a story filled with secrets, twists, and high-stakes tension.

If you love dark romance with assassin and spy vibes, a fierce FMC, a MMC who falls hard, and an ending that will leave your jaw on the floor, Trigger Happy Ending is absolutely worth picking up June 25th. 🔥🖤📚

[Belinda McPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

I was lucky enough to be chosen to be an arc reader and what a privilege this was!

To say I loved this book is an understatement, this book is a must read if you love dark romance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, twists and turns, hot spice and a slow burn. And that’s just the characters! The story itself was pure brilliance.

You meet Raine, femme fatale, badass, strong, cheeky and the definition of strong. And Soren, sex on legs, tough guy with a past you need to know more of, quick wit, edgy and intrigue.

From the first chapter Raine has you hooked, I mean when it opens with her dressed as a sex worker assassinating some poor unexpecting man, how can you not be drawn straight in!

Raine and Soren work for The Agency, always lone wolves with attitudes full of anger for the paths their lives have brought them down, Raine trying to piece together her mothers death that has meant she is tied for life to The Agency, and Soren who wants to achieve the mission and be done with it, he doesn’t feel like he has anything to live for and has a hard uncaring brutal attitude.

They are thrown together on a forced joint mission (at both their disgust) and are instant enemies with instant loathing for each other. The mission to secure PARM 17, a legal injection that can make someone super human, unkillable, inhuman and a threat to society that can be duplicated to create an unbreakable army. If obtained by the wrong people this could be catastrophic.

Under the disguise of Angel and Lukas they begin their mission to be undercover and discover who has PARM-17 and how they can retrieve it back for the agency. From here leads twists and turns, murder, unplanned side quests and a chemistry they can’t deny as they are forced to work together. From deep hatred to sparks flying as you go on this adventure with them you feel like you are on the edge of your seat to see what happens next. Will the achieve the mission? Will their covers be blown? Will they both make it out alive?
This had me turning the pages so quickly and getting little sleep from not being able to put it down!

The ending leaves you in suspense with needing more and there has to be a book two as there is still so much to be unravelled and I need answers!!

Kat this book is pure joy, the best of suspense, dark romance and intrigue. I need more and these characters will be in my thoughts until you release the next book, yes I say that like it is happening because I refuse to accept there won’t be another book.

Thankyou for the privilege of being an arc reader and thank you to Love Notes PR for trusting me. It was an honour

[Zephyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book waas such an addictive dark romance filled with action, tension, secrets, and a relationship that completely pulled me in.

Raine Maddox has spent her entire life being shaped into the perfect assassin by the Agency — someone who follows orders, never questions, and never gets attached. Soren Blackwood is the opposite kind of danger: an ex-black ops operative who trusts no one and knows exactly how to get under her skin. When they’re forced to work together to recover a dangerous serum, they’re thrown into a world of betrayal, corruption, and secrets where trusting each other could be their biggest weakness.

I absolutely loved the dynamic between Soren and Raine. Their banter, their constant back-and-forth, and the tension between them were everything. The chemistry was so intense, and every interaction felt like they were fighting a battle against their own feelings. Watching them go from enemies who couldn’t stand each other to two people willing to risk everything for one another was one of my favorite parts.

The moment they finally gave in to what they felt was so satisfying because it felt earned. Their relationship wasn’t just about attraction — it was about slowly breaking down walls, learning to trust, and choosing each other despite everything they had been through.

My heart honestly hurt for Raine. Seeing everything she had to endure and how much of her life was taken away from her made me want so much more for her. She deserved kindness, freedom, and a chance to finally choose her own life.

And that ending?? The cliffhanger left me completely desperate to know what happens next. I need answers immediately because I am not emotionally prepared to wait 😭

[Manuella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5/5
Thank you to Love Notes PR and K.J. Orchard for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

There might be something wrong with me given how much I love books about unhinged killers. This time, however, I was not reading about serial killers – these were hired assassins. Which, somehow, made everything even more fun. Trigger Happy Ending tells the story of Raine and Soren, two unhinged human beings who find hate, lust, understanding, companionship and eventually love in one another while being on a mission to murder people. It was a delicious book. Raine's narration, her sense of humor and the way she grows in this story? Incredible. Soren was also delicious (in more ways than one), though I do think I could have used some more information about him.

I also wanted to give a shoutout to both Cherry, an angel who deserved better, and Carson, who was so intriguing that I would love to read a book about him. I love a good side character and these two are absolute favorites. The only thing that pissed me off? Not knowing this was not a standalone because that ending..... How dare you, K.J.? Cannot wait to read the sequel (AND I AM HOPING THERE IS ONE).

Also, how does one get a tattooed man obsessed with them? Asking for a friend!