Halloween Shadows : A Death Valley Ridge Story

by Lilliana O'Neill

Who says happily ever after has to be innocent?

78 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2026

Reviews

[Luna May · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Halloween Shadows by Lilliana O’Neil
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Okay, I’m pretty sure I just found my alter ego in Ophelia (Lia.) 🖤

By day, she’s baking amazing cupcakes and living her perfectly normal little baker life. The other part of her life? Nope. I’m not telling you. You’re gonna have to read this one and discover that side of Lia for yourself.

I will say I devoured this story faster than one of Lia’s Death Day cupcakes.🧁 The more I learned about her, the more I was like... yep. I like her. Probably more than I should.

And then we have Gabe.

Toxic? Absolutely.
Questionable? Oh, definitely.
Did any of that stop me from loving him? Not even a little bit. 🖤

Gabe has officially been added to my ever-growing collection of fictional toxic men I adore.

And listen... we listen and we don’t judge. So once you read Lia and Gabe’s story, I don’t want to hear a WORD about what my love for these two says about me. I know exactly who they are. I said what I said.

The obsession, the secrets, the masked-man vibes, Lia’s double life, and 🌶️🌶️🌶️ worth of spice... this one was completely my kind of messed up.

And Lilliana...

“To be continued...”

Ma’am. 😑

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?! You cannot just leave me there and expect me to behave like a normal person. 🔪🖤

Check your triggers... and your judgment at the door. 🖤🧁

[Mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I’ll need to keep an eye out thanks to that wee to be continued at the end. I really liked our trip back to the bakery.

I like that Gabe job is to unalive the unalivers.
When Lia isn’t baking she’s unaliving abusers.

Poor Gabe can’t bring himself to do the job he’s paid to do when he catches sight of his little rabbit.

I do wish we had got a little more back story on these two but maybe in the next part.

[Kalene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't want this world to end...... This story was my closing read for this shared world and I really want more of these! This was absolutely amazing and kept me hanging onto every word

[Bookish_Carisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the cutest serial killer book ever. I loved Ophelia and Gabe. I loved the reason's behind what Ophelia was doing. Wish it was longer but it's the perfect little novella.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabe has a job to do, as an unaliver of unalivers, he’s used to being sent after the worst of humanity, but there’s something different about his latest assignment. She’s a baker by day and femme fatale by night, eliminating men one at a time and although he knows he should keep his distance, he can’t help but want a closer look.

Ophelia has lived through the worst and refuses to let others suffer the same way, which is why each of her victims is chosen carefully. While she has always been meticulous in her work, she knows someone has been watching a little too closely, and when he shows up while she’s in the middle of a project, they connect in a way she never could have imagined.

I received an early copy of this book through the Death Valley Ridge shared universe and I have to say this is my favourite one so far. Gabe and Ophelia are so well matched, both having common goals, if only Gabe wasn’t supposed to take care of her. Their chemistry is off the charts and their spicy scenes are creatively gory. As a twist to separate this book from the others, it ended with a To be Continued, and I for one can’t wait to see what this diabolic duo gets up to next.

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be given an advanced reader copy of this book and I'm so glad I got to read this book. It's officially one of my favourite short stories to read. I absolutely loved everything about this book and couldn't put it down.

I loved the FMC, Ophelia and her basically living a double life. Baking cupcakes during the day and Killing abusers at night. And don't get me started on Gabriel. He kills serial killers and is sent to kill Ophelia but falls fast for her. This book was also very spicy. Like god damn.

It was such a cute, sweet and fun read and omg her cupcakes ooh la la. I'd kill to eat her cupcakes, literally. Especially her death day cupcake and the strawberry one. They sounded so good.

I loved the whole idea of Ophelia killing abusers and riding the world's of them and basically saving all the girlfriends and wives from ongoing abuse. It was so beautiful and inspirational to see.

[Read, Run and Rescue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again this one was a blast!
I really like the chemistry between Gabe and Lia it was fun and charismatic and I think it really carried through the potline. You know we know he was supposed to do that thing that he does because of what she does when she’s not baking cupcakes, but I guess he took one look at her and it was Insta Love and he could not end at all so I’m glad for that. I did enjoy the vigilante aspect as well. It was a super fun. Read those cupcakes sound delicious. Maybe we should get a recipe for them and again with several of the other books in this series my one and only complaint is that it was not long enough, but I understand it’s Novella Holiday quick read it was definitely enjoyable. Good job.

[De Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh dear lord. I know I said it before. But I’m saying it again. And I mean it. This might be my favorite of this series. I was absolutely and completely locked in to this story from the start. And not one time did it lose me. I love an avenging devil but add in an avenging baker and I’m so down. Rabbit and Gabe were a pair made in hell. And it was glorious to watch them. Their connection and chemistry were unmatched. So intense and so heated. Watching these two interact had me rolling. Their banter made me laugh so hard. And the dynamic they shared, while twisted, was natural and genuine. And that to be continued was unexpected but now I’m so much more invested. I need to know what goes down now.

[Libby Smits · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SO FUN!
A hard and fast paced read that had me not wanting to blink incase I missed something.
It was giving ✨ a good cross between Brynne Weaver’s ‘Butcher & Blackbird’ but also ‘Harvest Season’, IYKYK. 😉 Lilliana put a FANTASTIC spin with the cupcakes 🧁 👏🏼
And the spice was SPICY 🌶️ 🥵
I’d loooove to know what is happening next! I need more!

There was only one tiiiiny downfall and that would be the abundance of swear words threaded together 😅 other than that, it was hook line and sinker so I give it a 4.75/5 ⭐️ 🤣

This was my first ever Advanced Reader Copy and what a fun read to start with. Well done Lilliana, and thanks for letting me honestly review your Novella!

[Abbey Wales · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lilliana absolutely smashed Halloween Shadows! 🧁 🎃

This one felt extra special because not only is Lilliana a good friend of mine, but we’re also both authors in the Death Valley Ridge collaboration. Getting to experience her little corner of the same twisted world as Halloween Prey was so much fun. 🔪

Dark, addictive and perfectly spooky, friendship aside, this genuinely earned every one of those five stars.

Thank you so much to Lilliana for sending me an ARC, and I’m SO proud of you! 🥹

[ObsidianLibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halloween is my favourite time of year, so I jumped at the chance to read this Halloween ARC.

Gabe is hired to take Ophelia out, but after seeing her, his plans quickly change when he finds himself wanting her instead. Ophelia has her own way of dealing with abusive men, and when these two cross paths, things get bloody, dark and very spicy.

I loved the Halloween atmosphere and the little cupcake obsession running through the story. There was just enough spice without taking away from the darker elements.

My only complaint is that it was only 61 pages. I definitely wanted more!

[Kitty 💋 · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC review ✨

Halloween is my favourite time of year, so of course I had to get my mittens on this!

Super sweet and full of spice 🌶️
I devoured this quicker than one of Ophelia’s cupcakes! 🧁
Who doesn’t love a bit of female rage & stabby stabby times 🤭
*Queue the spooky music* 🎧

I found the humour between Gage & Ophelia so funny. I think they’ve found their match in each other, they’re perfect together!

I can’t wait to find out more about these two!
As always, thank you Lilliana for the opportunity to arc read this! 🖤

[Brooklyn L. Wolves · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!! I absolutely loved this story. Ophelia is a badass of women who is also a double threat. By day she baking amazing cupcakes and by night… well you just have to find out yourself. Gabe is a very questionable person who can be a little toxic at times. He qualifies as my new fictional book boyfriend. I’m sorry what was that ending?!? There will more of Ophelia and Gabe I can’t wait to see more from these characters as a continuation to this story.

[Allison King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this!
Perfect sweet, yet spicy, novella.
Loved everything Lia was doing & why. Total badass FMC.
Gabe fell quick & that kitchen scene is intense 😅🥵
I have to know what happens next….?!
Why the boss can’t find out about what is in the bags?


I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy & am writing this review voluntarily

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story , i was hoooed and left wanting more.

Lia and Gabe are a power couple with some twisted fetishes. Lia and gabe are so wrong it feels right if that makes sense they both the right about of twisted that they are an awesome power couple.

I cant wait to read more about them the bakery scene was just chefs kiss

[Desirae L · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Halloween Shadows by Lilliana O’Neill was definitely not what I expected!! This one turned out to be a LOT spicier than I anticipated! I liked the main characters and enjoyed the story, and the “to be continued” at the end definitely leaves me curious about what happens next. 🖤

Thank you Lillian O'Neil for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

[S.K. Swaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this book - this is my honest review 🫶🏾🖤

From the moment I started this one, I was instantly hooked by how unhinged Ophelia was. Unhinged female rage? Sign me up and take my money! And Gabe's energy matching that was 🔥 giving Joe Goldberg and Love Quinn vibes, IYKYK.

I just wish it hadn't ended on THAT cliffhanger 😱

[Melissa Keifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Amazing. This story was the right amount of justice and the right amount of dang did I just agree with a serial offer??? Hehehehe
Lia and Gabe are great together and y'all the banter and the spice fricken delicious. Oh and don't forget the cupcakes y'all seriously they sound AMAZING

Absolutely Recommend but y'all PLEASE CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS

[Kim Rahr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good masked stalker book and this one was amazing. I loved Lia and Gabe’s story and I honestly can’t wait to see more from them. I will say I won’t look at cupcakes the same way again, but I loved that little aspect of this book.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, Im gonna need more of the story. Hooked. Lia and Gabe are so wrong it feels right if that makes sense they both the right about of twisted that they are an awesome power couple.

The bakery scene was omg 🌶🌶🌶, I need more from this couple,

[Cassandra Joy Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

He i s hired to get rid of the bakery gal, and it turns into a hot obsession. Oh, it's still murdery too...
Oh , this was fun, and there's more to cum.
It's hot between these pages, and it isn't the oven . Read the book .

[Jennifer S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much the Death Valley Ridge Team for the ARC of this series!

When I tell you I devoured this novella, I'm not kidding.
Serial killer times two.. i'm allllll about it!
The spice is... wow! Pretty creative stuff Lilliana! LOL

Well done!
10 out of 10 - definitely recommend!

[syrenareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabe & Lia make the perfect couple in Halloween Shadows. Gabe gets rid of people who get end people and Lia gets rid of abusers. Put them together and theyre the perfect couple to make the world a better place. I would love to read more about their adventures!

[Melissa Walker · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Stalker ✔️
Hitman ✔️
Vigilante ✔️
Spicy 🌶️ ✔️
Spooky town ✔️

What did I just read?!?! When a serial vigilante has a hit on her can the hitman complete the job? To be continued!?!? I absolutely cannot wait for more! Awesome short read during the spooky season!

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun stalker novella. Lia and Gabe were so cute. I loved the darkness and the little twists and turns. This one definitely had me reading from beginning to end in one sitting. Loved this one.

[Jessica Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute with a side of unaliving. He’s sent to off her but then he falls for her. She offs abusive men so I automatically love her. There is spice yes but it also moves the story along in a weird perfect way.

[Korinna Romere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh. Seriously. There is nothing better than a pair of serial unalivers meeting and falling in love. As obsessed with this story as they are with each other. Absolutely adore their immediate chemistry. They're so perfect for each other. Definitely read this if you love spooky romances.

[Melissa Thorpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couples that kill together stay together?? Gabe and Lia, the perfect crime couple!! What an absolutely amazing Halloween masked stalker novella! True love can really conquer everything!

[B. Shytle · Rating 5 out of 5]

we love a masked man who can't keep his hands off of her... if you know you know.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It definitely made me want more. I'd definitely recommend it.