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Love Like Drowning: An MM dark horror romance
An obsession with his captor means there’s no need for escape–he’s already home.
The worst thing Gregory’s ever done is have the audacity to hope that he can be forgiven.
The second worst thing is murder.
He never wanted to. He had to. People just won’t leave him alone.
It doesn’t matter–cold stares and colder shoulders were all he ever knew long before there were any bodies buried in the ground.
Meeting the magnetic son of a billionaire by chance one night abruptly tears down the walls of the safe, isolated life Gregory built for himself.
Sinclair is charismatic, affable and inexplicably full of sunshine at two in the morning.
He accosts Gregory when he should have crossed the street to avoid him.
He flirts relentlessly instead of recoiling in disgust.
Gregory’s never had a friend before, let alone a boyfriend but Sinclair is hell-bent on peeling open Gregory’s shell.
Gregory’s afraid he might do something impulsive.
Something life-altering and reckless.
Something like text Sinclair back.
That is, if he can get back to his cabin and bury the dead body in the trunk of his car first.
Sinclair, meanwhile, is on the hunt for the latest victim to tie up in his basement–and he’s just found the perfect one, the kind he adores most of all: an isolated, anxious, lonely man who no one will possibly miss.
Gregory is strange and jumpy and flustered dizzy by the slightest attention–he’ll cry just right when Sinclair finally flashes his knife.
Sinclair only has two rules:
Don’t sleep with the victims.
Don’t let them live.
There's just one problem: Sinclair might like his new plaything a little too much. Enough to break every rule he's ever made for himself.
…And he has no idea Gregory has a body count of his own.
In the whirlwind of their mutual obsession, killing each other is easy–but keeping each other is hard.
Features:
🫀Instant mutual obsession + slow burn relationship development
🫀Kidnapping (captor x captive)
🫀He falls harder
🫀Morally Black & Gray characters
🫀Exploration of mental health and past trauma
🫀LONG length (773 pages)
🫀Slice-of-life elements
🫀Unreliable narrator
🫀Dark comedy elements
[Love Like Drowning is an MM dark, serial killer x serial killer horror romance with high heat, heavy horror themes and even heavier romance. The gore and violence is extreme and romanticized. Psychological and physical torture occurs between the main couple. Trauma will be had, limbs will be amputated, and domestic bliss WILL ensue. Happily ever after is guaranteed (for better or worse). An extensive list of content warnings can be found at the back of the book.]
The worst thing Gregory’s ever done is have the audacity to hope that he can be forgiven.
The second worst thing is murder.
He never wanted to. He had to. People just won’t leave him alone.
It doesn’t matter–cold stares and colder shoulders were all he ever knew long before there were any bodies buried in the ground.
Meeting the magnetic son of a billionaire by chance one night abruptly tears down the walls of the safe, isolated life Gregory built for himself.
Sinclair is charismatic, affable and inexplicably full of sunshine at two in the morning.
He accosts Gregory when he should have crossed the street to avoid him.
He flirts relentlessly instead of recoiling in disgust.
Gregory’s never had a friend before, let alone a boyfriend but Sinclair is hell-bent on peeling open Gregory’s shell.
Gregory’s afraid he might do something impulsive.
Something life-altering and reckless.
Something like text Sinclair back.
That is, if he can get back to his cabin and bury the dead body in the trunk of his car first.
Sinclair, meanwhile, is on the hunt for the latest victim to tie up in his basement–and he’s just found the perfect one, the kind he adores most of all: an isolated, anxious, lonely man who no one will possibly miss.
Gregory is strange and jumpy and flustered dizzy by the slightest attention–he’ll cry just right when Sinclair finally flashes his knife.
Sinclair only has two rules:
Don’t sleep with the victims.
Don’t let them live.
There's just one problem: Sinclair might like his new plaything a little too much. Enough to break every rule he's ever made for himself.
…And he has no idea Gregory has a body count of his own.
In the whirlwind of their mutual obsession, killing each other is easy–but keeping each other is hard.
Features:
🫀Instant mutual obsession + slow burn relationship development
🫀Kidnapping (captor x captive)
🫀He falls harder
🫀Morally Black & Gray characters
🫀Exploration of mental health and past trauma
🫀LONG length (773 pages)
🫀Slice-of-life elements
🫀Unreliable narrator
🫀Dark comedy elements
[Love Like Drowning is an MM dark, serial killer x serial killer horror romance with high heat, heavy horror themes and even heavier romance. The gore and violence is extreme and romanticized. Psychological and physical torture occurs between the main couple. Trauma will be had, limbs will be amputated, and domestic bliss WILL ensue. Happily ever after is guaranteed (for better or worse). An extensive list of content warnings can be found at the back of the book.]
814 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2026
About the author
Carson Wulff
4 books27 followers• About:
A non-binary, neurodivergent, queer, independent author with a love for m/m dark romance (emphasis on the romance).
I'm passionate about mental health advocacy and enjoy exploring neurodivergence through the funhouse mirror of fiction and horror.
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https://buttondown.com/wulff
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carsonwulff@gmail.com
Readers always have my permission for creating fanworks. Please show me!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 25, 2026
All I can say is…Wow! I think this is the most unique, fucked up, and awesome thing I’ve ever read 🤣 This is NOT a traditional romance, or a traditional relationship. I don’t know if I even like Sinclair OR Gregory, but I also kind of do…? Their ending made me all swoony🤣🤣
If you’re not squeamish, and you like DARK romance, just read it!
This book is a chonky boi, and for a minute it felt a little slow in the middle, but then when you get closer to the end you realize that the lull is necessary to really make that ending hit home…this is full of surprises, and twists, and mutual obsession and possession on a whole new level!
Spice: Yes
HEA: Yes
3rd Act Breakup: I wouldn’t call it that 🤣
Trauma: Yes 😂
If you’re not squeamish, and you like DARK romance, just read it!
This book is a chonky boi, and for a minute it felt a little slow in the middle, but then when you get closer to the end you realize that the lull is necessary to really make that ending hit home…this is full of surprises, and twists, and mutual obsession and possession on a whole new level!
Spice: Yes
HEA: Yes
3rd Act Breakup: I wouldn’t call it that 🤣
Trauma: Yes 😂
June 30, 2026
4.5 stars!
Wow. The author just didn't do this half-assed, did they? They just didn't mince words, did they? And oh man was I glad. Gotta respect how they did not hold back on the gore, the torture, the mental dilemma. MCs' actions were unfiltered and clearly intentional, given they have their own reasons.
Almost 800 pages and it just flew by.
The MCs' terrible behaviors weren't disguised with good intentions, not veiled with placating reasons.
Julian Sinclair was pure evil and totally sadistic. Even after getting together with Gregory. He did not mellow down at all even in love.
And I must say Gregory shared the same inclination, albeit in a slightly different vein. When he puts his mind into it, nothing could ever stop him.
It was mind-stirring to show their obsession and lbr, insanity, in such a romantic lens. I've awed and cooed while they're both covered in blood like WTF this what they're doing to me lmaooo
I wouldn't call it communication but Julian and Gregory have always been honest. About their desire to hurt, to possess, to protect, to live. Such visceral emotions hadn't been written as beautifully as they had in this book. They're both sick and twisted and in love.
And what a way for Gregory to get welcomed to the family I almost choked up from laughing. And oh Gregory, that final act of love for Julian at the end. I was not expecting that at all, I was hysterical until everything's over!
This was narrated via Gregory's POV all throughout. I think it would've been really interesting to see what's on Julian's mind as well. But it is what is, and this was still super good. Plus points that it's in a third-person PV.
All in all, never a dull chapter. I was always on my toes. I was always waiting for another shoe to drop. Like surely, right? But there's an odd beauty to a story like this and I just don't know how to explain it.
I'm sure I still have a lot more to say but long story short, I enjoyed everything in it.
Wow. The author just didn't do this half-assed, did they? They just didn't mince words, did they? And oh man was I glad. Gotta respect how they did not hold back on the gore, the torture, the mental dilemma. MCs' actions were unfiltered and clearly intentional, given they have their own reasons.
Almost 800 pages and it just flew by.
The MCs' terrible behaviors weren't disguised with good intentions, not veiled with placating reasons.
Julian Sinclair was pure evil and totally sadistic. Even after getting together with Gregory. He did not mellow down at all even in love.
And I must say Gregory shared the same inclination, albeit in a slightly different vein. When he puts his mind into it, nothing could ever stop him.
It was mind-stirring to show their obsession and lbr, insanity, in such a romantic lens. I've awed and cooed while they're both covered in blood like WTF this what they're doing to me lmaooo
I wouldn't call it communication but Julian and Gregory have always been honest. About their desire to hurt, to possess, to protect, to live. Such visceral emotions hadn't been written as beautifully as they had in this book. They're both sick and twisted and in love.
And what a way for Gregory to get welcomed to the family I almost choked up from laughing. And oh Gregory, that final act of love for Julian at the end. I was not expecting that at all, I was hysterical until everything's over!
This was narrated via Gregory's POV all throughout. I think it would've been really interesting to see what's on Julian's mind as well. But it is what is, and this was still super good. Plus points that it's in a third-person PV.
All in all, never a dull chapter. I was always on my toes. I was always waiting for another shoe to drop. Like surely, right? But there's an odd beauty to a story like this and I just don't know how to explain it.
I'm sure I still have a lot more to say but long story short, I enjoyed everything in it.
June 14, 2026
Sometimes love hurts
Wow...I devoured this book. Couldn't put it down! These two are CRAZY.
Gregory is a loner, a weirdo but honeslty I get him. Sinclair is a true extrovert which may be scarier than his other preferences. Together...
Well there's someone out there for everyone right?
Mind the trigger warnings and get ready for a bloody good time
Wow...I devoured this book. Couldn't put it down! These two are CRAZY.
Gregory is a loner, a weirdo but honeslty I get him. Sinclair is a true extrovert which may be scarier than his other preferences. Together...
Well there's someone out there for everyone right?
Mind the trigger warnings and get ready for a bloody good time
June 6, 2026
I cannot understate how much I adore this book. It has everything that I want in a dark romance. It is hysterically funny, deeply emotional, satisfyingly intricate and delightfully terrifying. I laughed, cried, giggled and yelled my way through this book.
Gregory is an incredible protagonist. He had me yelling at him like he could hear me because boy your priorities!! I know Sinclair is the man of your dreams and all because he's a person who looks at you, but you are still in danger!! This is not the time to be thinking about how hot your boyfriend is!!! Except that it totally is and I love Gregory for how much heart and how little self preservation he has.
Sinclair is… breathtaking. I agree with everything Gregory has to say about him. He's perfect and I am not exaggerating when I say I laugh at every single line of his. He's a serial killer who loves people and loves killing people and there's just something cool about a guy who's found his calling in life and is utterly satisfied with it.
So they're both great characters separately but then you get them together and something really wild and amazing happens. Sparks fly, people get shoved into barrels of water, kisses get sloppy, amputations happen, people fall in love, brothers are scandalized, garden parties are attended, and YOU KNOW people die.
Their love story is so beautiful and so meaningful and so touching and it changes them both in foundational ways and made me feel like if these two (affectionately) idiots can make it work then the rest of us regular joes out here are definitely getting in our own way.
I could not believe the turns this story took. Gregory as the protagonist is fantastic at lulling you into a false sense of security only for me to remember that oh yeah, this story is insane in the best possible way. And that exact thing happens like four different times and it got me every single time. It's a roller coaster of a story and the hills got steeper every time and I loved screaming about it every time. And I love detail that pays off in a story and this one has SO MUCH DETAIL and it always pays off and is always relevant and so satisfying to see. The tension baked into so many scenes is riveting, and there were so many scenes that I could just see playing out in my head like it's a movie (please please make a movie out of this book).
This story is genuinely a masterpiece. I loved the writing and the plot and all of the elements that came together in such a masterfully created package.
I loved every moment of the experience of reading this story and when it was over I was thrilled to live in a world where it exists.
Gregory is an incredible protagonist. He had me yelling at him like he could hear me because boy your priorities!! I know Sinclair is the man of your dreams and all because he's a person who looks at you, but you are still in danger!! This is not the time to be thinking about how hot your boyfriend is!!! Except that it totally is and I love Gregory for how much heart and how little self preservation he has.
Sinclair is… breathtaking. I agree with everything Gregory has to say about him. He's perfect and I am not exaggerating when I say I laugh at every single line of his. He's a serial killer who loves people and loves killing people and there's just something cool about a guy who's found his calling in life and is utterly satisfied with it.
So they're both great characters separately but then you get them together and something really wild and amazing happens. Sparks fly, people get shoved into barrels of water, kisses get sloppy, amputations happen, people fall in love, brothers are scandalized, garden parties are attended, and YOU KNOW people die.
Their love story is so beautiful and so meaningful and so touching and it changes them both in foundational ways and made me feel like if these two (affectionately) idiots can make it work then the rest of us regular joes out here are definitely getting in our own way.
I could not believe the turns this story took. Gregory as the protagonist is fantastic at lulling you into a false sense of security only for me to remember that oh yeah, this story is insane in the best possible way. And that exact thing happens like four different times and it got me every single time. It's a roller coaster of a story and the hills got steeper every time and I loved screaming about it every time. And I love detail that pays off in a story and this one has SO MUCH DETAIL and it always pays off and is always relevant and so satisfying to see. The tension baked into so many scenes is riveting, and there were so many scenes that I could just see playing out in my head like it's a movie (please please make a movie out of this book).
This story is genuinely a masterpiece. I loved the writing and the plot and all of the elements that came together in such a masterfully created package.
I loved every moment of the experience of reading this story and when it was over I was thrilled to live in a world where it exists.
Did Not Finish
June 6, 2026Love like Drowning by Carson Wulff was an interesting premise that in the end just wasn’t for me. It was well-written and intriguing and I made it about 30% in. I loved Gregory but not Sinclair. It was hard for me to root for the relationship after learning more about Sinclair. I think there will be a lot of people who will love this— just not me.
I received an ARC from the author and GRR for my honest review.
I received an ARC from the author and GRR for my honest review.
Read
May 24, 2026Love Like Drowning is an intense and psychologically immersive dark romance that blends horror, obsession, emotional vulnerability, and dark humor into a uniquely gripping reading experience. Carson Wulff creates a story that is unapologetically chaotic and emotionally charged, pulling readers deep into the unstable yet fascinating dynamic between two deeply damaged characters.
What makes the novel especially compelling is the contrast between brutality and emotional intimacy. Beneath the violence, tension, and morally complex decisions lies a surprisingly layered exploration of loneliness, trauma, identity, and connection. Gregory and Sinclair are both unsettling and strangely human, and their evolving relationship carries a level of emotional intensity that keeps the story consistently engaging.
The writing balances suspense, psychological tension, and moments of dark humor with confidence, allowing the emotional and character driven elements to remain at the center of the narrative. The atmosphere feels immersive throughout, and the slow unraveling of both characters creates a relationship dynamic that is unpredictable, disturbing, and emotionally charged all at once.
Bold, emotionally intense, and highly atmospheric, Love Like Drowning stands out as a memorable dark horror romance that will strongly appeal to readers who appreciate morally gray characters, psychological complexity, and emotionally driven storytelling.
What makes the novel especially compelling is the contrast between brutality and emotional intimacy. Beneath the violence, tension, and morally complex decisions lies a surprisingly layered exploration of loneliness, trauma, identity, and connection. Gregory and Sinclair are both unsettling and strangely human, and their evolving relationship carries a level of emotional intensity that keeps the story consistently engaging.
The writing balances suspense, psychological tension, and moments of dark humor with confidence, allowing the emotional and character driven elements to remain at the center of the narrative. The atmosphere feels immersive throughout, and the slow unraveling of both characters creates a relationship dynamic that is unpredictable, disturbing, and emotionally charged all at once.
Bold, emotionally intense, and highly atmospheric, Love Like Drowning stands out as a memorable dark horror romance that will strongly appeal to readers who appreciate morally gray characters, psychological complexity, and emotionally driven storytelling.
June 10, 2026
Review for Love like Drowning by Carson Wulff
Tropes: Long list of Triggers
Dark
Kink/BDSM
Instand mutual obsession
Kidnapping
Morally gray characters
Slow-burn relationship building
mental health and past trauma
Dark comedy
Serial killer romance
high heat
Heavy horror and gore
Physical torture between the main couple
This story was dark, but I kind of liked it. There were times I had to put it down because this is the first time I have read a story like this one. Gregory & Sinclair were intriquging but also quite dark. I have begun to love reading dark stories, but this was a new dark for me, which isn't bad. I felt this story was well-written to where even in hard parts I just had to keep reading till I found out what happens with these two. The way Carson wrote the psychologically dark romance was so well done. I haven't read anything like this story. I will have to read another to see more of their writing style.
Nicole Harvey
Tropes: Long list of Triggers
Dark
Kink/BDSM
Instand mutual obsession
Kidnapping
Morally gray characters
Slow-burn relationship building
mental health and past trauma
Dark comedy
Serial killer romance
high heat
Heavy horror and gore
Physical torture between the main couple
This story was dark, but I kind of liked it. There were times I had to put it down because this is the first time I have read a story like this one. Gregory & Sinclair were intriquging but also quite dark. I have begun to love reading dark stories, but this was a new dark for me, which isn't bad. I felt this story was well-written to where even in hard parts I just had to keep reading till I found out what happens with these two. The way Carson wrote the psychologically dark romance was so well done. I haven't read anything like this story. I will have to read another to see more of their writing style.
Nicole Harvey
June 13, 2026
Wow. It has been a long while since I read such a long book. Especially a dark romance with violence, unaliving, torture, comedy, spice, delusion, romance and all the unhinged madness that makes a 800 page book fly by! Gregory may seem lonely, unsuspecting and shy but Sinclair is about to find out he's anything but. He may at first have plans about making him one of his many victims and plans to keep his rules of not sleeping with his victims or letting them go but he comes to find that Gregory is like no other he's ever encountered and has underestimated him. Gregory is a man with a body count (not the sexual kind. Iykyk) as high as his. And what do you get when you have two serial unalivers together? This book. I cannot begin to explain the whole premise of this book because I'd be here all night but I definitely would recommend this book and one day re read just to go back into Gregory and Sinclair's world that may be heavy but is also so much more.
June 7, 2026
This is a deep dark psychological romance between 2 serial killers. Sinclair kills for the thrill, Gregory believes his kills are in "self defense" They meet one night on a quiet street, they text & call for awhile till they finally meet in person. Mutual obsession. Medium angst. Well written, long but so worth it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 7, 2026
Could not finish, after 1/4. Might be your cup of tea though
I did not know what I was reading when I chose it.
It is well-written, the plot started out quite intriguingly, the format of the narration is fast-paced and takes the reader along with the MC's constant flow of thoughts - although it leads to an untrustworthy narrator.
Learning about Gregory and his thought process got me hooked.
The fresh take on neuro divergency was surprising but some things were a miss. No diagnosis, no ideas, no indication, everyone hates and bullies him but he hasn't done anything wrong (apart from bring carcasses to his parents and not be able to talk to strangers ). He genuinely thinks he is fine but has seen countless therapists, doctors and psychiatrists, was prescribed pills.... he has no clarity on who he is, but constantly thinks he is worthless, abhorrent etc. both seem to clash.
However too many plot elements disrupted my reading and made it difficult to continue
- the MC's naivety was too much, I thought I was misreading sarcasm or poorly written character traits
- after two weeks they're all over each other. Gregory I understand because he's touch- starved and inexperienced ( also he's been verbally, physically and emotionally abused for 20 years). But he's not completely ignorant. He's agoraphobic and wary of social interactions therefore should be cautious 24/7. He bumps into one guy and loses his mind/falls head over heels because Sinclair is pretty and wants to talk?
-He observes fishes and animals all day in the woods, reads extensively about botany and wildlife, but has no gut instinct about some random stranger who is 'charismatic' because he becomes a massive sub after 2 texts ? I don't think it holds enough weight.
Also he invites him to his home ( what kind of introvert does that?) and lets him bolt the door ?
- he kills several people, skins animals, breaks and carves bones, and chops wood all day but doesn't overpower Sinclair in the car ? He's ferocious and introverted but fawns over Sinclair after 2 seconds..
Doesn't overpower in the basement ? Or pushes the barrel when it has holes in the lid so the water EMPTIES from the barrel?
- Sinclair's personality is all over the place and I could not keep up. Every time he opens his mouth I think ' sarcasm', and it doesn't ring as a true thing someone would say.
Oddly enough if Sinclair were out of the picture, I'd be more interested in the plot
Have fun reading it though because lots of people apparently did !
I did not know what I was reading when I chose it.
It is well-written, the plot started out quite intriguingly, the format of the narration is fast-paced and takes the reader along with the MC's constant flow of thoughts - although it leads to an untrustworthy narrator.
Learning about Gregory and his thought process got me hooked.
The fresh take on neuro divergency was surprising but some things were a miss. No diagnosis, no ideas, no indication, everyone hates and bullies him but he hasn't done anything wrong (apart from bring carcasses to his parents and not be able to talk to strangers ). He genuinely thinks he is fine but has seen countless therapists, doctors and psychiatrists, was prescribed pills.... he has no clarity on who he is, but constantly thinks he is worthless, abhorrent etc. both seem to clash.
However too many plot elements disrupted my reading and made it difficult to continue
- the MC's naivety was too much, I thought I was misreading sarcasm or poorly written character traits
- after two weeks they're all over each other. Gregory I understand because he's touch- starved and inexperienced ( also he's been verbally, physically and emotionally abused for 20 years). But he's not completely ignorant. He's agoraphobic and wary of social interactions therefore should be cautious 24/7. He bumps into one guy and loses his mind/falls head over heels because Sinclair is pretty and wants to talk?
-He observes fishes and animals all day in the woods, reads extensively about botany and wildlife, but has no gut instinct about some random stranger who is 'charismatic' because he becomes a massive sub after 2 texts ? I don't think it holds enough weight.
Also he invites him to his home ( what kind of introvert does that?) and lets him bolt the door ?
- he kills several people, skins animals, breaks and carves bones, and chops wood all day but doesn't overpower Sinclair in the car ? He's ferocious and introverted but fawns over Sinclair after 2 seconds..
Doesn't overpower in the basement ? Or pushes the barrel when it has holes in the lid so the water EMPTIES from the barrel?
- Sinclair's personality is all over the place and I could not keep up. Every time he opens his mouth I think ' sarcasm', and it doesn't ring as a true thing someone would say.
Oddly enough if Sinclair were out of the picture, I'd be more interested in the plot
Have fun reading it though because lots of people apparently did !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
literally had to sit for awhile before I could write this
This book was something totally different than I’ve ever read it was so damn complex and the story was unhinged but in the best possible way! This is a serial killer x serial killer mm romance
Gregory is almost mugged and ends up killing the man and he goes on a walk as an alibi where he meets Sinclair who asks to borrow his phone but Gregory lies and says he doesn’t have one so Sinclair gives Gregory his number on his arm and they begin texting
Gregory lives a very very isolated life so when this friendship starts he’s kind of dumbfounded that someone would have any interest in him at all
After their first date Gregory ends up in Sinclairs basement with the intent to kill him
Their relationship is different at first Sinclair likes scaring him I mean he ends up in a industrial sized tub with the goal of drowning him
What Gregory don’t know is that this is something Sinclair does all the time
There is multiple mutilations in this book some fingers and a leg LOL I feel like in the beginning it’s a little Stockholm syndrome for Gregory but it changes quickly because no one in his life has ever understood his uniqueness and Sinclair does because he is like Gregory but he had the supportive family
It takes Sinclair longer for him to admit his feelings and gets uncomfortable and dismissive when Gregory confesses his so freely
Sinclairs family will a absolutely nuts and I can see why it took him so long to introduce Gregory I mean the red room but Gregory did so good I cheered LOL
I laughed so many times during this with just the absurdity in the best way possible
Even though their relationship was NOT a usual one I cheered for them to make it and it was touch and go I mean a leg amputation would normally put a damper on things!
It’s a long book but if you don’t mind gore a little torture and absurdity then this is for you!
This book was something totally different than I’ve ever read it was so damn complex and the story was unhinged but in the best possible way! This is a serial killer x serial killer mm romance
Gregory is almost mugged and ends up killing the man and he goes on a walk as an alibi where he meets Sinclair who asks to borrow his phone but Gregory lies and says he doesn’t have one so Sinclair gives Gregory his number on his arm and they begin texting
Gregory lives a very very isolated life so when this friendship starts he’s kind of dumbfounded that someone would have any interest in him at all
After their first date Gregory ends up in Sinclairs basement with the intent to kill him
Their relationship is different at first Sinclair likes scaring him I mean he ends up in a industrial sized tub with the goal of drowning him
What Gregory don’t know is that this is something Sinclair does all the time
There is multiple mutilations in this book some fingers and a leg LOL I feel like in the beginning it’s a little Stockholm syndrome for Gregory but it changes quickly because no one in his life has ever understood his uniqueness and Sinclair does because he is like Gregory but he had the supportive family
It takes Sinclair longer for him to admit his feelings and gets uncomfortable and dismissive when Gregory confesses his so freely
Sinclairs family will a absolutely nuts and I can see why it took him so long to introduce Gregory I mean the red room but Gregory did so good I cheered LOL
I laughed so many times during this with just the absurdity in the best way possible
Even though their relationship was NOT a usual one I cheered for them to make it and it was touch and go I mean a leg amputation would normally put a damper on things!
It’s a long book but if you don’t mind gore a little torture and absurdity then this is for you!
June 17, 2026
Get ready for the degradation kink, boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Homies who don't love degradation kink can see themselves out. The rest of us refined freaks will handle this one.
Let me tell you about my boy Gregory. I just met him but if anything happened to him I'd kill everyone in this room and then myself (a joke, I jest, don't call the police on me. Or him). He is a shy sensitive 28 year old virgin who is SO lonely and isolated from social phobia due to childhood bullying that he weeps openly when someone is nice to him. He also pops a boner at the slightest hint of praise. My kind of man. He's my baby and he's never done anything wrong in his life. Except for the murder.
OKAY... so... yeah. HE'S A SERIAL KILLER. Fine. Let's jot that down. BUT only because people keep trying to hurt him! He doesn't wanna hurt anyone! He was defending himself! I am as delusional as he is!
Sinclair... he... he wants to hurt people. He loves it. It’s his favorite thing in life. He's the spoiled rich sadist son of a billionaire and he loves killing people. It brings him joy. I want him to stick his... knife... in my face and tell me to do my chores. So does Gregory. Sinclair's an extrovert who loves shy losers like Gregory and immediately is obsessed with him. He doesn't know Gregory's killed people too but when he finds out he's just that much more cooked. And by cooked I mean so in love it makes him look stupid. Don't let him fool you when he's calling Gregory "pathetic" and taunting him for his many flaws- he's really saying "I love you" and "I want to kiss you sloppy". You know, just like in The Princess Bride.
These guys are a match made in hell and I cheered so loud I THREW MY KINDLE when Sinclair finally broke and ***SPOILERS*** admitted he loved Gregory during the public marriage proposal. And I might have cried as hard as Gregory did.
Homies who don't love degradation kink can see themselves out. The rest of us refined freaks will handle this one.
Let me tell you about my boy Gregory. I just met him but if anything happened to him I'd kill everyone in this room and then myself (a joke, I jest, don't call the police on me. Or him). He is a shy sensitive 28 year old virgin who is SO lonely and isolated from social phobia due to childhood bullying that he weeps openly when someone is nice to him. He also pops a boner at the slightest hint of praise. My kind of man. He's my baby and he's never done anything wrong in his life. Except for the murder.
OKAY... so... yeah. HE'S A SERIAL KILLER. Fine. Let's jot that down. BUT only because people keep trying to hurt him! He doesn't wanna hurt anyone! He was defending himself! I am as delusional as he is!
Sinclair... he... he wants to hurt people. He loves it. It’s his favorite thing in life. He's the spoiled rich sadist son of a billionaire and he loves killing people. It brings him joy. I want him to stick his... knife... in my face and tell me to do my chores. So does Gregory. Sinclair's an extrovert who loves shy losers like Gregory and immediately is obsessed with him. He doesn't know Gregory's killed people too but when he finds out he's just that much more cooked. And by cooked I mean so in love it makes him look stupid. Don't let him fool you when he's calling Gregory "pathetic" and taunting him for his many flaws- he's really saying "I love you" and "I want to kiss you sloppy". You know, just like in The Princess Bride.
These guys are a match made in hell and I cheered so loud I THREW MY KINDLE when Sinclair finally broke and ***SPOILERS*** admitted he loved Gregory during the public marriage proposal. And I might have cried as hard as Gregory did.
July 10, 2026
I absolutely loved this book! As soon as I read the premise I was utterly fascinated and had to read it. Not my first serial killer romance. But a mm serial killer x serial killer is a rarer find for me. Great world building and wonderful characters. I loved both Gregory and Sinclair so so much! I was hooked from Gregory's very first page. Very introverted and very anti-people. A lot of pain inside him, yet desperate for someone to see him as worthy; as wanted. His and Sinclair's first meeting left him almost frozen to the spot in social anxiety, uncertainty, and shock. And knowing who Sinclair was from the blurb only fascinated me more. I can't help but wonder my reaction I'd I didn't know Sinclair was a killer from the start, but this book is perfect just the way it is. Tension, suspense, chemistry, humor, death. I never knew where things would go in their twists and turns. This book brought out all my emotions. And I was completely hooked. What a fantastic read! And my first story by this author. I am definitely looking for more! And I am desperate to listen to this in audio someday! Absolutely perfect! 5 stars
June 16, 2026
Read to me by Alexa
3⭐️ for pacing/ length I think. At some point…. I was just kind of like okay…. Let’s start wrapping this up. The rest of the rating is based on my general enjoyment. Not my fave, but not bad either and to no fault of the author. Some elements just were not my cuppa. None of the darker elements. That was fine.
Though…. I will say it was difficult to feel the connection between Sinclair and Gregory at times because of the way Sinclair is written but I think that may have been intentional. Gregory is also unsure because of the way Sinclair treats him. Part of me appreciates the challenge of writing a dynamic character like Sinclair. He’s pretty awful. And yet the author needs to make us like him at least a little. I don’t think they fully succeeded. When Sinclair is not with Gregory, the people in his life perceive him as charming and charismatic and I think some of that was missing for the reader. I think we could have used some of that version of him too.
But otherwise I liked that this is a true dark romance with unconventional relationship dynamics.
3⭐️ for pacing/ length I think. At some point…. I was just kind of like okay…. Let’s start wrapping this up. The rest of the rating is based on my general enjoyment. Not my fave, but not bad either and to no fault of the author. Some elements just were not my cuppa. None of the darker elements. That was fine.
Though…. I will say it was difficult to feel the connection between Sinclair and Gregory at times because of the way Sinclair is written but I think that may have been intentional. Gregory is also unsure because of the way Sinclair treats him. Part of me appreciates the challenge of writing a dynamic character like Sinclair. He’s pretty awful. And yet the author needs to make us like him at least a little. I don’t think they fully succeeded. When Sinclair is not with Gregory, the people in his life perceive him as charming and charismatic and I think some of that was missing for the reader. I think we could have used some of that version of him too.
But otherwise I liked that this is a true dark romance with unconventional relationship dynamics.
August 8, 2026
I know for a fact that no other book has ever pulled me so thoroughly into another person's psyche and made me not want to leave. I've never fallen in love with characters so terribly flawed, anxious, and frustrating. I've never met a character made up so thoroughly of shattered pieces... and felt the need to cut themselves into even tinier pieces. I've never seen a love simultaneously wrought with so much tenderness and brutality. Gregory and Sinclair fought tooth and nail for their love story and have earned a place in my heart forever. Everyone who has an open mind for gore, heartache, and an absurd level of mushiness should read this.
No words can ever truly describe what this book has done to or for me, but I still had to give it a try since it deserves so much more visibility. It's the longest book I've ever read and somehow it feels like I spent the shortest amount of time with it. Nearly 800 pages went by in the blink of an eye, but I will carry this story with me forever.
No words can ever truly describe what this book has done to or for me, but I still had to give it a try since it deserves so much more visibility. It's the longest book I've ever read and somehow it feels like I spent the shortest amount of time with it. Nearly 800 pages went by in the blink of an eye, but I will carry this story with me forever.
August 9, 2026
I had this book recommended to me on an extreme horror literature subreddit. And I'm so glad it was! The folk lured me in with character development, murder, and gay.
Beginning when I first started reading, I saw "Gatobob" and I strapped in. I had a feeling about what I was in for. I was not disappointed. Anyone who mentions Gatobob positively are my people.
This is certainly not going to be something everyone likes, and that's okay. I loved Gregory and Julian. Even their families, who didn't see much screen time, were fun to read about. Gregory's parents a bit less fun for me personally; my mother hated my hobby of doll collecting and threw away my rocks.
Where there is violence, gore, and sex, I felt like Wulff's writing style and addition of dark comedy in places make it a good introduction to dark fiction in general. If you can't handle this, you likely won't be able to handle the rest of what extreme horror offers.
Beginning when I first started reading, I saw "Gatobob" and I strapped in. I had a feeling about what I was in for. I was not disappointed. Anyone who mentions Gatobob positively are my people.
This is certainly not going to be something everyone likes, and that's okay. I loved Gregory and Julian. Even their families, who didn't see much screen time, were fun to read about. Gregory's parents a bit less fun for me personally; my mother hated my hobby of doll collecting and threw away my rocks.
Where there is violence, gore, and sex, I felt like Wulff's writing style and addition of dark comedy in places make it a good introduction to dark fiction in general. If you can't handle this, you likely won't be able to handle the rest of what extreme horror offers.
June 13, 2026
If you are a lover of dark romance, don't walk, run to grab this. You'll be so immersed that you'll feel like you're living inside Gregory's head, which is a terrifying place to be. Gregory wants to be wanted so bad and who can want you more than the serial killer out to get you?
Sinclair is a pretty bad serial killer but despite that is not a psychopath, he genuinely loves a select few and Gregory becomes one of those few. Sinclair fights this quite vehemently but can't resist falling for Gregory. Despite his horrible torture at first, he grows to love Gregory more fiercely than everyone thinks possible and truly becomes "sweet".
This book has an entire page of content warnings, heed them. But I would say this is the best serial killer romance I think I'll ever read.
Sinclair is a pretty bad serial killer but despite that is not a psychopath, he genuinely loves a select few and Gregory becomes one of those few. Sinclair fights this quite vehemently but can't resist falling for Gregory. Despite his horrible torture at first, he grows to love Gregory more fiercely than everyone thinks possible and truly becomes "sweet".
This book has an entire page of content warnings, heed them. But I would say this is the best serial killer romance I think I'll ever read.
June 18, 2026
My goodness! I read the information about this book and was honestly unsure about whether or not it was going to be for me. I like dark romance, but this kept using terms like horror and gore. I decided to take the plunge based on the idea of two serial killers with such different personalities getting together and I'm so glad I did. Yes, the promises of horror and gore weren't wrong, but I was so caught up in these two characters and how they interacted with each other as well as the atmosphere the author created that had every nerve stretched to its limits in places that I hated having to put the story down. Don't let the length put you off. For my money, it needed every page to fully develop everything in this world and with these characters.
June 8, 2026
'There's just one problem: Sinclair might like his new plaything a little too much. Enough to break every rule he's ever made for himself.
…And he has no idea Gregory has a body count of his own.
In the whirlwind of their mutual obsession, killing each other is easy–but keeping each other is hard.'
The characters were very complex and compelling and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
…And he has no idea Gregory has a body count of his own.
In the whirlwind of their mutual obsession, killing each other is easy–but keeping each other is hard.'
The characters were very complex and compelling and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 20, 2026
So, this book was a LOT. It kept me fully engaged and completely cringing and was really, really well written. I do NOT recommend it for any reader like me, who lives for swoony romance. This isn't that. It proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that while I've slowly, over time, come around to enjoying dark romance once in a while, horror romance - and body horror in particular - is definitely not for me. 😂 But despite all that, I can't NOT give it five stars for how well done it was and how much it kept my attention throughout (although (I do admit to skimming the final
July 14, 2026
4.75. I'm just going to start off by saying I don't normally rate things I have no intention of rereading that high but man was this so good. It escalated in ways I never saw coming and when things were good I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
This book was recommended on a reddit post asking for good cathartic crashouts and man does this have a good one around 90% into the book.
This book is basically a less extreme Jason from Friday the 13th and maybe Hannibal? But Jason in a way that he was vulnerable and angry and fragile.
MC was very likeable even though he isn't one I would typically like.
READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS OMG IT IS GORY!!!!!!!
This book was recommended on a reddit post asking for good cathartic crashouts and man does this have a good one around 90% into the book.
This book is basically a less extreme Jason from Friday the 13th and maybe Hannibal? But Jason in a way that he was vulnerable and angry and fragile.
MC was very likeable even though he isn't one I would typically like.
READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS OMG IT IS GORY!!!!!!!
July 17, 2026
Strange, unsettling and incredibly interesting. This is not your regular boy meets boy, boy falls in love story, this gets as toxic and twisted as it can be. While there are some sex scenes, this book IMHO isn't about smut, it's an uncomfortable look at an extremely different kind of love.
Don't read this if you're squeamish, it's not going to be for everyone, this is dark romance, it's very pitch black and it's very well written.
Highly recommend this for anyone who likes to read something out of the ordinary and won't flinch away from reading anout two very disturbed individuals who have their own brand of devotion.
Don't read this if you're squeamish, it's not going to be for everyone, this is dark romance, it's very pitch black and it's very well written.
Highly recommend this for anyone who likes to read something out of the ordinary and won't flinch away from reading anout two very disturbed individuals who have their own brand of devotion.
July 14, 2026
Beautiful
This was a wild ride in a fun way. It's dark like really dark but in a good way. Gregory is shy ackward and only kills if he feels threatened. Julian just doesn't care. It works for them completely. Your gonna be scared are they eventually gonna hack each other off. It's mushy with alot blood. Yes it's a long story but honestly I didn't notice it was so long. I hope we get a sequel I would love to revisit there lives ❤️❤️❤️❤️The ending I'll just say it's a pleasant surprise 🫢
This was a wild ride in a fun way. It's dark like really dark but in a good way. Gregory is shy ackward and only kills if he feels threatened. Julian just doesn't care. It works for them completely. Your gonna be scared are they eventually gonna hack each other off. It's mushy with alot blood. Yes it's a long story but honestly I didn't notice it was so long. I hope we get a sequel I would love to revisit there lives ❤️❤️❤️❤️The ending I'll just say it's a pleasant surprise 🫢
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I genuinely enjoyed every page of this book. There was so much suspense I felt like I was constantly on the edge of my seat. The themes of isolation and crippling fear of social interaction was something I found extremely relatable so alot of this hit me right in the feels.
The love story is so horrifyingly toxic but I just couldn't help but wish for their happily ever after. Be warned there are lots of heavy themes and SOOOO many emotions. Wow... Just wow
The love story is so horrifyingly toxic but I just couldn't help but wish for their happily ever after. Be warned there are lots of heavy themes and SOOOO many emotions. Wow... Just wow
June 12, 2026
Two men are about to meet each has a dark secret which is very similar and which could lead to a relationship neither expected. He is alone and isolated, he kills when he needs to. Meanwhile they are rich and he takes men and hides them in their cellar before slowly killing his victims. They are drawn to the other and things are going to get very interesting and dangerous between them. Follow them to see where it will lo lead
July 4, 2026
4.5 stars
Honestly a fucking crazy book. I loved it—although it feels like being dragged into a rollercoaster with no way out! If you’re debating reading this book, DO IT!!! It will surprise you in every way.
You can never really tell which of the characters is worse lol ??? At first I was like okay Sinclair’s nuts. But…. I was sleeping on Gregory. such an entertaining, dark read !! Absolutely recommend if you like dark romance.
Honestly a fucking crazy book. I loved it—although it feels like being dragged into a rollercoaster with no way out! If you’re debating reading this book, DO IT!!! It will surprise you in every way.
You can never really tell which of the characters is worse lol ??? At first I was like okay Sinclair’s nuts. But…. I was sleeping on Gregory. such an entertaining, dark read !! Absolutely recommend if you like dark romance.
August 2, 2026
This is absolutely no fault of the author—she’s completely transparent about the content and marketer accurately.
Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I love dark romance, but this leaned more into body horror than romance and a lot of parts made me uncomfy. it was hard for me to stay invested in the relationship or even a friendship at minimum when the characters were collecting each other’s body parts like snacks. Just wasn’t for me….
Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I love dark romance, but this leaned more into body horror than romance and a lot of parts made me uncomfy. it was hard for me to stay invested in the relationship or even a friendship at minimum when the characters were collecting each other’s body parts like snacks. Just wasn’t for me….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Super dark not so much a dark romance but a killer romance.
I really felt for Gregory though I shouldn't have.
Sinclair I liked more the end .
He really played with Gregory's mind though.
I loved Sinclair called him rabbit, like a rabbit caught I a headlight.
Really long but it worked for the story.
I really felt for Gregory though I shouldn't have.
Sinclair I liked more the end .
He really played with Gregory's mind though.
I loved Sinclair called him rabbit, like a rabbit caught I a headlight.
Really long but it worked for the story.
June 13, 2026
Gregory and Sinclair breaking their rules
OK you really have to like this kind of stuff if you want to read this book. BUT if you do it’s a marvel. These two really deserve each other and the funniest thing in the beginning is how oblivious they are. I laughed, cried, squeed, grimaced, grinned and just about everything else and I immediately wanted to read it again.
OK you really have to like this kind of stuff if you want to read this book. BUT if you do it’s a marvel. These two really deserve each other and the funniest thing in the beginning is how oblivious they are. I laughed, cried, squeed, grimaced, grinned and just about everything else and I immediately wanted to read it again.
June 23, 2026
I was hooked from the first page and thought worked well as a concept and how it uses the slice of life elements in a way that works in the horror element in this. Carson Wulff was able to weave a strong storyline and was glad I was able to read this.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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