Love Shots

by Travis M. Riddle

They're dying for a chance at love.

America’s #1 dating show, Love Shots, gathers young, sexy singles in a tropical villa to compete in cheeky challenges, find love, and win a huge cash prize—with no small amount of drama.

Things go off-script when a recently ejected competitor reappears in the villa. But she isn't the girl the cast remembers... Something is deeply, horribly wrong with her, and she’s not the only danger lurking in paradise.

These 20-year-old influencers must fight to survive against a security team they believed was there to protect them, an onslaught of terror they can barely comprehend, and producers who have a decidedly sinister finale in mind, all while desperately trying to escape an isolated island.

But what chance do they have when hundreds of cameras are aimed at them, watching their every move?

Love Island meets Jurassic Park in this twisted, thrilling satire from the author of Carapace and The Narrows.

Genres: Horror

487 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 29, 2026

About the author

TRAVIS M. RIDDLE lives with his girlfriend in Austin, TX, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University. His work has been published in award-winning literary journal the Sorin Oak Review. His novels "Flesh Eater," "On Lavender Tides," and "Spit & Song" were all semi-finalists in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO.

Reviews

[Caz (Underlined) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into Love Shots by Travis M. Riddle not entirely sure what to expect—but what I got was a wildly entertaining blend of thriller and horror that completely pulled me in.

At first, everything feels almost deceptively normal. We’re introduced to a glossy, addictive reality dating show set on a stunning island, full of influencers, drama, flirting, and competition. It has that familiar, slightly chaotic “love show” energy—egos clashing, alliances forming, romances sparking. You settle into it thinking you know exactly what kind of story this is going to be.

And then… it shifts.

The horror creeps in slowly at first—just enough to make you uneasy—before everything spirals into something far darker and far more intense. The transition from light, almost satirical reality TV to full-blown survival horror is one of the highlights of the book. It’s done so well that you barely notice the line being crossed until it’s too late, and suddenly the glamorous setting feels claustrophobic and dangerous.

What really makes this book stand out is how sharp and clever it is. Beneath the tension and brutality, there’s a clear commentary on influencer culture, fame, and the idea of constantly being watched. The fact that everything is happening under the eye of the camera adds such an unsettling layer—these characters aren’t just fighting to survive, they’re doing it while being observed, judged, and consumed.

And when the horror fully arrives, it does not hold back. The brutality of the killings is intense and, at times, genuinely shocking—but it never feels pointless. There’s a raw, chaotic edge to the violence that matches the unraveling of the show itself. The creature at the center of it all is especially effective—unpredictable, relentless, and deeply unsettling. What I loved most is how it’s not just a physical threat; it carries this constant sense of dread, like it could appear at any moment, turning even the quietest scenes into something tense. The encounters are written with such urgency and clarity that you can almost feel the panic, the confusion, and the sheer desperation of the characters trying to survive.

The characters themselves are another highlight. At the start, they seem like familiar reality TV archetypes—but as the story unfolds, more depth comes through. Watching them react as the situation unravels is gripping. Some rise to the occasion, some completely fall apart, and others surprise you in ways you don’t expect. I found myself genuinely invested in who would make it through.

And the tension—this book does tension incredibly well. Once it fully leans into horror, it doesn’t hold back. It’s fast-paced, unsettling, and at times brutal, but always engaging. I couldn’t stop turning the pages because it constantly felt like anything could happen.

Overall, this was such a fantastic read. It’s bold, intense, and incredibly entertaining, blending genres in a way that feels fresh and exciting. Travis M. Riddle has created something that’s not only thrilling but also smart and memorable. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and author Travis M Riddle for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Publishing date: May 29th 2026

[livvy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the eARC.
‘Love Island meets Jurassic Park’ is absolutely the perfect summary for this book, btw.

We join the cast of Love Shots as they experience the final two recouplings of the season and get more drama than they bargained for. The first section of the book brings you into the middle of it, where you are inundated with people who would definitely make mind-numbingly good hate-watch TV.

The twist? The summer of love promised by the producers is actually the cover for an underground lab where voted off contestants are sent.

I adored how the book 1984-ified heteronormative stereotypes and the continuation of pushing for traditional gender roles and interests whilst simultaneously being the opposite of conservative. Being able to do this in a comedy-horror writing style with an increasingly batsh*t crazy plot was kinda perfect.

Each character personality (especially those who were increasingly horrifyingly evil) shone through exceptionally well and made it so difficult to put the book down!

At some points I did question where else this could be heading before it ended but you just have to embrace the chaotic energy.

The ending made me incredibly happy. Karma. I love good Final Girl(s).

[Sarah H · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC Book Review✨

Okay, yes! I’ve watched the shows the story parodies, so I fully get the horror twist 😂 Imagining those same kinds of shows but with a horror perspective is hilarious.

Honestly, what makes it so good is that the first solid 40% of the book really builds the relationships and sets the tone. Then you add in the monster hybrids, and you get pure horror comedy. Even the characters’ dialect felt on brand 😂👏🏻 When they were processing their situation, I honestly felt a kind of wicked joy 😈

It feels like an honest, chef’s kiss blend of macabre humor with a modern twist.

And the ending? Totally nailed it 👏🏻

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachael Forret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received by NetGalley

Thank you so much to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC!

3.5 stars. I went into Love Shots as a dedicated Love Island fan, and the reality TV elements were painfully accurate in the best way. The first 40% is very character heavy, and while I get the setup, I did find myself wanting to skip some of the banter and get straight to the drama (very on-brand for reality TV, honestly).

But once things hit that halfway point? Absolute chaos. The mix of slasher horror with a dating show setting was wild and so entertaining. I was genuinely surprised by several twists and character fates…. I did not see some of that coming.

A few plot points didn’t fully make sense, and the ending felt a little underwhelming compared to the buildup. I would have loved a “where are they now” style epilogue (give me the reunion episode, please).

Overall, this was a super unique, messy-in-a-good-way read. If you love reality TV and don’t mind a little blood with your romance, I’d definitely recommend it.

[frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Travis M Riddle and Netgalley for a copy of this arc

I don’t know what I was expecting with Love Shots exactly but it wasn’t this gracious of a take on the contestants of a reality show.

This book balances its large cast with a surprising ease and care thats a delight to read. I think it would be easy to lean into the in to the inherent campiness of the setting and deliver flat outlines of characters but thats not what Riddle chose to do here.

The plot is familiar enough to have nostalgic story beats, self aware enough to be a little silly and gory enough to pack a punch.

I had a really nice time reading this one and preordered it the second I finished.

Perfect for fans of life times unREAL and fans grady hedrix

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Love Shots” by Travis M. Riddle is basically what happens if Love Island and Jurassic Park had a deeply unhinged horror baby. And somehow… it works.

At first, the book really does feel like a reality dating show. You’ve got the flirting, the staged drama, the awkward recouplings, the contestants trying way too hard to look unbothered, and producers manipulating everything behind the scenes for maximum chaos. It honestly reads like watching an episode of Love Island, and if you’ve ever seen those kinds of shows, the parody is painfully accurate in the best way.

The story follows contestants and production staff on this island dating show, and for the first chunk of the book, it’s mostly exactly that with messy relationship drama, eliminations, confessionals, hookups, and a whole lot of people you would absolutely hate in real life.

And yes, there are a lot of names. Between contestants, producers, editors, security, and secret lab people, it can feel like you need a whiteboard to keep track of everyone. Some characters definitely get more depth than others, while some are clearly there to become monster food later.

But underneath all the reality TV nonsense, there are little hints that something is very wrong. The contestants who get “voted off” aren’t actually leaving the island. There’s an underground facility. There are weird experiments happening. People’s social media accounts are being faked so the outside world thinks they’re fine.

Which, yes, requires a huge amount of suspension of disbelief, but honestly, once you accept the chaos, it gets fun.

Around the 40% mark, the book basically says “okay enough pretending to be subtle” and everything goes absolutely feral.

The eliminated contestants—aka the “losers”—have been turned into these aggressive, bloodthirsty monster hybrids. They still look mostly human at first, but mentally and physically? Absolutely not. They’re stronger, faster, increasingly animalistic, and once one escapes, the entire island turns into a slasher survival game.

This is where the book really shines.

Suddenly it’s less dating show and more “who is getting eaten first,” and the body horror gets surprisingly intense. Some of the transformations are genuinely gross in a very memorable way. There are some truly wild deaths, a lot of gore, and a few moments where I would strongly recommend not reading while eating.

What makes the monsters extra creepy is that some of them still have enough human intelligence to manipulate people, while others are just running on hunger and violence. That mix makes them way scarier than mindless zombies.

I also weirdly appreciated that most of the female contestants actually support each other instead of doing the usual reality TV “women fighting over one mediocre man” thing. There’s a strong female camaraderie running through the whole book, while most of the men are honestly kind of the worst. Sexist, arrogant, and exactly the type of men reality TV seems to mass-produce.

There are also a lot of sex and sex-adjacent scenes, which makes sense given the setting, but sometimes the placement feels strange, like jumping from “someone is being horrifically mutated” straight into hookup drama. Since there aren’t chapter breaks, those tonal shifts can be kind of jarring.

The explanation for the experiments gets a little info-dumpy near the end, and the actual motivation behind it all is weirdly specific, kind of bizarre, and somehow also rooted in greed, power, and some genuinely awful small-minded thinking. It doesn’t always make perfect logical sense, but it is entertaining.

And honestly, that’s the best way to describe this whole book: entertaining chaos.

The ending is really satisfying too with bad people getting consequences, the producer’s awful plans falling apart, and there’s a surprisingly hopeful finish underneath all the blood and screaming.

Overall, “Love Shots” is ridiculous, messy, funny, gross, and way more fun than it should be. If “trashy dating show but everyone gets hunted by experimental monster ex-contestants” sounds like your kind of nonsense, you’ll probably love this. It’s horror-comedy with absolute disaster energy, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique and fun take on dating shows, I truly enjoyed reading this!

We follow a cast of very...interesting characters on a dating show called "Love Shots", which is alot like Love Island and shows of that sort. What they don't expect is what this island and the showrunners are hiding....

Honestly, given the huge list of characters, I was expecting to be confused and overwhelmed trying to remember everyone. But Travis Riddle does an outstanding job at making them all memorable and easy to place. I have seen a small bit of the dating shows this is based on, and it feels hilariously accurate to the types of people who sign up for these kinds of shows.

The characters themselves are an array of irritating, idiotic, gullible, vapid, and some charming personalities. This is not at all a negative! It was actually quite fun to dislike some of these people, all while cheering for others. As shallow as some are, there are depths that are explored with some that lend them a well rounded story. I'm still shocked he was able to pull this off with the large list of contestants and cast.

Easy to read, and the writing was fun and made me laugh a lot. (And roll my eyes and groan in disgust especially at some of the men!) I had such a blast plowing through this!

The horror elements are soooo satisfying too! The descriptions are gory and detailed, graphic enough to hit that horror fan in me while also being able to picture the almost unbelievable monstrosities described. I've found that when some authors try to go outlandish with "creatures" they can be difficult to imagine, but Travis Riddle did a fantastic job at giving me a delightfully graphic visual.

The first half spends alot of time with the cast, and I actually enjoyed that time with them before the reveals. It made the second half hit harder, I loved the slow burn and tension, beautifully done.

My only critique personally that I didn't enjoy as much was the reasoning for everything-I found the idea a bit of a let down. But that being said, I also read the afterword and found myself appreciating the explanation and it made me feel less averse to it. It definitely fits the vibe of the story.

Also, that ending? Pure satisfaction. I was pleased at the final survivors. VERY pleased.

Definitely a 4.25 when all is said and done and Ive had a day to sit on it. Would highly recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Madi · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝟰/𝟱

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

Travis M. Riddle has crafted something remarkably unapologetic and self-aware. While the premise might suggest something light, this book is far from vapid. It’s a scathing social commentary wrapped in "historically horny" reality TV tropes. Riddle managed to touch on nearly every major systemic issue facing the US today—from toxic masculinity and gun violence to systemic racism and the way the government orchestrates a system that values the 'unthinking man' to maintain power. (Sound familiar? It should.)


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞:
The Cast: With a cast this large, it’s usually impossible to keep track of everyone. Riddle nailed it. By the end, even the "non-players" felt like distinct human beings. He successfully humanizes the very archetypes that corporate greed usually exploits for entertainment.
The Themes: I loved the exploration of how AI and... saying this without spoilers is hard, um, let's call it 'medical research', is weaponized by those in power. The book makes a beautiful case for why lived experience and mundanity are more valuable than anything tech or otherwise can replicate.
The Pacing: The first 25% sets the stage perfectly, and the remaining 75% is just pure, unadulterated chaos. It’s "Girl Power" meets high-stakes survival.
The Critique: As someone who sees how shows like Love Island reinforce heteronormative stereotypes, I found the subversion of those values incredibly refreshing.


𝗧𝗟𝗗𝗥:
Love Shots is a masterclass in campy horror that functions as a mirror to our own capitalist anxieties. It’s an ode to the golden age of slashers but updated for a generation wary of corporate greed, political interest, and AI overreach. I will be recommending this to anyone who likes their horror with a heavy dose of "eat the systems of oppression" energy and a lot of heart.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, a massive thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley co-op for the eARC and to Travis M. Riddle for writing such a great book. 

 

When I read the tagline "Love Island meets Jurassic Park", I immediately jumped at the chance to request the book, and I am so glad I did.  Whilst I am not an avid fan of Love Island (I know what it is and what it is about), I am a huge fan of Jurassic Park (book and film). 

 

Love Shots is a story about a group of men and women who are on an island as part of a dating show.  The narrative is told by most of the characters, which I really enjoyed. The further you get into the story, the more you get to know the characters, their conflicts, their couplings, the drama, and how their appearance mattered.  You also get to know some of the show's staff, who work behind the scenes.

 

The first part of the book is mostly focused on the game show and the couples. At first, I found this a little confusing about who was with whom (which is common when introducing multiple characters), but soon I got to know them, and the further you get into the story, the more you get to really know some of the characters. I enjoyed this part of the book because I felt I was getting sucked into the drama.  The author really captured the game-show element and some aspects of modern-day society, such as influencer culture. 

 

 Once the show was in full swing, the book takes a nice turn, and then the chaos begins (don't worry, you're eased in at first and then boom!). At this point, I couldn't put the book down and wanted to know what happened next.  

 

The book was very easy to read, and I found the flow nice. The switch between character narratives flowed nicely, and there wasn't a point that confused me. 

 

Overall, I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed the modern-day element and a brilliant nod to Jurassic Park.  Travis M. Riddle has given book lovers a spicy, gory book with a hint of humour and packed with entertainment.

 

Publication date 29th May 2026.

[Claire Veldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Shots by Travis M. Riddle is a romance, thriller and horror book with some genius elements. 🔥 It's about a reality show called Love Shots, which made me think of Love Island. Some hot people show up in a villa and start dating each other. 🤭 While being here and filming everything, things get dark pretty quickly and they need to fear for their lives. Literally!! How will these influencers and reality stars survive?! 🌈

Well, this was a wild ride. I think you can imagine that by reading the blurb. 😂 Everything starts with the classic dating show elements. Everybody needs an introduction and there are a lot of characters in this book. A LOT! You have the contestants, the production people, the security guys... So the first 40% is really needed to give you an insight in everyone who will be involved. And I know that is necessary for the storyline but it could have been a little shorter imo. ❤️

After the introductions this book became crazy!! While switching between POV's you can follow everyone's storyline and you can imagine how they are experiencing this. Even though the chapters were incredibly long, the story was well paced and I couldn't put it down. ✨️ I loved the ending and it wasn't predictable to me at all! The creepy vibes and body horror elements were also nicely done. 🔥 The only thing that didn't needed to be included for me were scenes where people were kinda molested?! Idk, not my vibe. That aside, the book also had a really messy and funny energy and I really think many people would enjoy this! 💐

If you are a fan of reality tv and horror this book was written for you! It's an original story and a really nice read 🫶🏼

[Ruxandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went in wondering what on earth “Love Island meets Jurassic Park” would even look like on paper… and yep, that description is weirdly perfect. It also gave me the same chaotic energy as playing a Dark Pictures Anthology game where you know someone is absolutely not making it to the credits.

The story kicks off with our cast of contestants one week before the finale, and the opening chapters feel exactly like watching a Love Island episode. The chats, the flirting, the dramatic one-liners… painfully accurate and honestly hilarious to read. I also loved the sneaky behind-the-scenes producer moments, which made the whole thing feel extra real.

Then the book starts dropping little “something is VERY wrong here” crumbs, and by about the 40% mark the plot hits the gas and refuses to brake until the last page.
The writing was fun, the multiple POVs kept the chaos flowing, and the concept felt fresh. I devoured it in two days because I desperately needed to know what was happening and who, if anyone, was escaping this disaster island alive.

[Sam Ashurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good chunk of Love Shots reads like a (lengthy) official novelisation of a late season of Love Island. It feels like those old movie paperbacks, but for a sleazy reality series.

Challenges, recouplings, hideaways, inane conversations, you get all of it, in faithful detail. Eventually, horror enters the villa and it gets more interesting, but unless you’re a die hard fan of dating shows, you’ll probably want to change channels long before the gruesome imagery drops.

I read it based entirely on Clay McLeod Chapman’s (Ghost Eaters) cover quote, so there’s a good chance I’m not the target audience, but as an updated take on Charlie Brooker’s Dead Set genetically spliced with a Jurassic World sequel, it’s… okay?

Some of the (large) cast have interesting backstories, but the horror’s repetitive, the central mystery’s resolved with an exposition dump, and for a novel that features an editor as a key character, it could have really used some trimming.

[Petri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC for this book from NetGalley for free.

I thought this had a really promising concept and there was a lot I enjoyed in this book, but ultimately in the end it didn’t quite reach its full potential. It took almost half of the book to get properly to the thriller/horror parts and I found myself getting a little bored with just the dating show aspects of the story. I would have reworked/edited this to be like 30% shorter to make the spacing feel less lopsided.

I did think that the characters were well written and I liked how we switched between their POVs as the action unfolded. Also there were some really funny moments here and there that I appreciated. I also liked the author's afterword where he spoke about his intentions behind this book.

Overall not awful but I’m still left a little disappointed.

[Kas Marek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the E-ARC.

This definitely wasn’t bad, but I did have a few issues with the book.

It’s based on Love Island, like almost exactly everything from the show. That’s fine but it was explained in too much detail. If the author created a new world, I’d understand, but it was such a long book for the content, so a lot of the Love Island typical stuff could’ve been condensed.

Again, the story was too long and the length took away from how entertaining the story was.

I loved the sapphic couple we got out of this book and the body horror was amazing. We got back stories on pretty much every couple and I don’t think all of them were needed, but I did appreciate some of them.

Overall solid and I think many will enjoy it, I just wish it had more editing.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 rounded up.

This was so much fun.

I love myself some Love Island (or any similar show), so I was very excited to learn about a Love Island-inspired horror thriller novel.

The first half of this was a bit slow and I found myself disinterested because it read as if you're just watching Love Island. But then the second half got really exciting and fun because that's when the spookiness started happening.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a unique horror or thriller book and to anyone who likes Love Island-esque shows.

This was silly and fun and entertaining. I'm pretty sure I read through it in one sitting.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Chelsea Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are immediately transported into the Love Shots villa, it is recoupling night and we quickly get into the reality dating show drama!
This uncanny valley version of Love Island was expertly crafted. The characters, classic embodiments of the types of people we usually see on these types of shows.
In the second half of the book, we find ourselves in an 80's vibe camp horror with seriously intense and visceral gore descriptions that make you feel SICK! (And I mean that as a massive compliment!!)
I found the first half a little slow, but the pay off was so worth it because you get a LOT more joy from the outcomes knowing the characters personalities better.
Characters you love to hate, and then love to watch getting torn apart by monsters.

[Sukhdave Takhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

*thank you netgalley for the ARC so i could give a honest review*

I read what this was about and had to read it. I love chessy reality shows like this and the multiple POV made it feel like i was watching a show. Then when the story starts going after 1st main twist i couldnt read it fast enough. I dont want to ruin it but this is a must read loved it!

[Jenna Jaco · Rating 5 out of 5]

guzzled this down. the characters feel so real and lived in, which seems like it'd be hard to do in a book that takes place on a reality TV show known for having a few core archetypes of contestants. reading this feels like watching an Unseen Bits episode of Love Island while also being hunted. laughed a lot. almost threw up in my mouth once. incredible ending.