Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Red Flags #1

The Scent of Crazy

Rate this book

She set the trap. He walked in smiling, convinced he was the hunter.


SUMMER


I manipulate.


I deceive.


I seduce.


I steal.


I kill.


I'm not a bad person!


And I'm definitely not a stalker, though some could argue that shadowing Atlas Holt and his friends for months, casing his business, or measuring him in his sleep out of boredom is the definition of stalking. I call it preparation.


I need Atlas's love as a means to a blood-soaked end. But playing carefully curated, sick and twisted games with this delusional psycho is pushing me dangerously close to the trap I set.


Simple plans rarely stay simple.


ATLAS


Summer Night is like a rollercoaster: exhilarating, unpredictable, and every once in a while, it leaves me wondering if it's passed the routine maintenance and I'd be getting off alive. That only makes me want her more.


Whether her ways of flirting would land me in a straitjacket or a grave is not the real question.


Who is she, and how many body bags does her real name drag behind it?


Hopefully, fewer than mine does.


I have a feeling the truth won't just hurt.


It will kill.


This dark romantic comedy features dual POV, a guaranteed HEA, and morally gray characters locked in unhinged power games where obsession, manipulation, and revenge-fueled murderous intent collide with killer banter and twisted humor. While each book in the Red Flags series can be read as a standalone dark rom-com, an overarching story unfolds across the installments, making the journey even more rewarding when read in order, as all the red flags begin to align.

Tropes:

♥ Morally gray FMC and MMC

♥ Mutual stalking

♥ Strong, vengeance-driven FMC

♥ Obsessed and unhinged MMC

♥ Predator-vs-Predator power games

♥ Secret identity

♥ He falls first

♥ Dark humor

Neither the “romantic” nor the “comedy” labels should fool you into thinking there isn’t plenty of darkness bleeding from the pages of The Scent of Crazy in the form of graphic themes, morally corrupt characters, and adult content throughout. You can find a comprehensive list of content warnings on my website. Please read responsibly!




Each book in the Red Flags series features a different couple.

396 pages, Paperback

Published July 7, 2026

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

D.A. Valerian

2 books74 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
379 (53%)
4 stars
223 (31%)
3 stars
74 (10%)
2 stars
19 (2%)
1 star
14 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
Profile Image for Barbara.
109 reviews8 followers
June 30, 2026
ARC review


Holy Mother of dark romance Gods what have I just read?! Be ware this book is very addictive! I ate it up like there is no tomorrow!
I cannot believe this was a debut novel! It was extremely funny and unhinged and I loved every second of it!
It kept me up all night, it made me read while I was walking to work and very literally nearly head butted a tree as I was not aware of what was happening around me! This book won’t let you keep your attention on anything else!
The main characters are pure gold. Their banter was perfect, the tension between them so hot it nearly put my kindle on fire! I loved the dark humour in the book, it made me laugh so much!

I definitely need more dark romance in my life especially if it’s written by D.A.Valerian! She instantly made a spot on my list of “if she writes it I buy it”!
I had the best time reading this book, I honestly can’t praise it enough!
If you love dark romance, excellent dark humour, intriguing side characters (their stories will unfold in the upcoming books), delicious tension and unforgettable main characters then you must read this book!
Just be aware of the trees appearing out of nowhere while you read and walk at the same time!

Thank you very much for the author for sending me her book before its release date! I cannot wait for book2!
Profile Image for Jules.
169 reviews
Read
November 1, 2026
NTS - Giving manwhore vibes. FMC starts off by stalking him during his numerous ONS to establish a pattern.
Profile Image for bookrat_reads.
226 reviews15 followers
July 9, 2026
So addictive! I devoured this book. I did not want to put it down. Just the right kind of book to hook me. You can never go wrong with morally gray main characters, yes both! Stalking from both ✔️
Crazy friends ✔️
Revenge plot ✔️
He falls first ✔️
Dark humor ✔️
It had me kicking my feet, giggling. 💜
Profile Image for Katie.
135 reviews12 followers
July 10, 2026
They are all a little crazy in this one! 😂

This book is great for fans of stalking, spy vs spy vibes, ride or die, Mafia family drama, intense spice, and found family.

When I say this book is intense, I mean it starts intense and stays intense all throughout. Our MFC is an orphan who is just "minding her business" and our MMC is obsessed the moment he sees her, not realizing that their meeting wasn't an accident after all. Their romance is explosive and feral, and the banter and games are strong!

There are quite a few triggers and I would recommend reading those before grabbing this one. Even though it starts off cutesy, it gets wild fast and contains a lot of darker themes too. Definitely a four pepper book (maybe 4.5).

I received an ARC from Greys Promotion and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Megan Cowell.
Author 3 books12 followers
July 7, 2026
So beautifully unhinged… I loved every second of it.

Just when I thought I could decide who was crazier… SURPRISE - crazy hit the fan again. Atlas was so effing sexy. Summer was too though.

I honestly don’t even know what to say lol. This was just SO good, so deliciously written, incredibly unhinged - and worth every single second I spent on it!
Profile Image for Ashly.
524 reviews58 followers
July 9, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
📚 Standalone in the interconnected Series
🗣️ Dual POV
🖤 M/F
😵 Mutual Stalking

Listen...if you're looking for a sane MMC, keep scrolling because this man is absolutely DELUSIONAL...and I loved every second of it 😂

This book fully embraces the "obsession isn't a red flag, it's a personality trait" mindset, and somehow it just works. Atlas is completely unhinged, wildly possessive, and has the most questionable logic imaginable, but the way his internal monologue tries to justify every insane thing he does had me laughing more than once.

Summer wasn't just there to react to his chaos either. She had MORE than enough personality to hold her own, which made their dynamic so much more entertaining. Every interaction had me wondering what ridiculous thing was going to happen next.

I also loved that this book didn't try to make the obsession seem normal or healthy. It knew exactly what kind of story it was telling and leaned all the way into the dark humor and absolute madness of it all.

The pacing was super fast, the chemistry was chemistry-ing, and before I knew it I had flown through the entire book wondering how I ended up rooting for two people who probably...NO, DEFIANTLY need several therapists 😂

**Tropes:**
🖤 Dark Romance
😵 Stalker Romance
🖤 Obsessive MMC
😵 Morally Gray MMC
🖤 Touch Her & Die
😵 Possessive MMC
🖤 Dark Humor
😵 Forced Proximity
🖤 "He's Absolutely Delulu" Energy
😵 Questionable Life Choices 😂
Profile Image for Amora.
49 reviews
September 10, 2026
“It doesn’t fuckin’ matter anymore. Her love is real now. The most real thing I’ve ever had. It’s mine. And I’ll never let her take it back.”

This one is so interesting!! I really love it. I love
all the characters. Even the side characters don't feel like side characters at all with their unique skill. I cant wait for the next book in the series🫶
Profile Image for Robin Primo.
178 reviews7 followers
July 9, 2026
⭐️.5

I don’t think I have ever disliked a book as much as this one, while continuously wanting to know how it ended. I don’t want to waste a lot of time and energy on this book. So I will just say a few things:
- He saw women as property that he could take….
- He did things to her while she was sleeping, but he thought it was okay, because she didn’t say no….
- It felt like the book started at chapter 10 because it felt like I missed an introduction to some things.

The ending is the only reason I’m giving this book any stars. The ending was fun, unexpected, and full of things happening. That was fun. So don’t get me wrong: the 1.5 stars are ONLY for the last 5 chapters.
Profile Image for Sarah Sweeney.
26 reviews2 followers
July 4, 2026
ARC review - 4.5 ⭐️

First, thank you, D.A. Valerian for the opportunity to read and review The Scent of Crazy. I had so much fun reading this book, and can’t wait for part 2!

If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers, stalking, and enjoyed the banter between the main characters in books like Butcher and Blackbird or Leather and Lark, this book is definitely for you.
Underneath the tough exterior, Atlas (MMC) is a giant cinnamon roll, and Summer (FMC) is a sharp tongued, quick witted badass. The banter between the two of them had me cracking up throughout the entire book.
I also really enjoyed the side characters. Raven and Link’s story is going to be interesting, for sure, but I can’t wait to read more about Dean, Conner and Carter, as well.

This was my first time reading D.A. Valerian’s work, and I’m looking forward to reading more.
August 20, 2026
“I thought you were playing me. I got sad, but then chose to get mad instead and . . . I filled your bed with snakes.”

Honestly, it being a debut novel for the author I never expected this book to be so good, but daaaaaammmn 🔥

From the beginning we were thrown in the middle of the action and the plot just kept on giving!! 🤩

Summer is a goddess ❤️‍🔥 this girl takes no prisoners and gives as good as she takes. I am soooooo glad she wasn’t a pushover and actually kept everyone in the book, and me, on their toes ✨

Atlas is the definition of an obsessed alpha boyfriend. He tried everything to make her his, manipulating, blackmailing, stalking, bullying, buying jewelry 😀 the guy really didn’t know what hit him.

And the boys! Their devotion to Summer and Atlas warmed my heart and I am soooooo looking forward to their own stories!

Just a sneak peak of our girl:

“A snake bit me,” I admit in a low voice, while pulling his hand down to continue cleaning it.

“A what bit you?”

“I thought you were playing me. I got sad, but then chose to get mad instead and . . . I filled your bed with snakes.” I bat my lashes, like that would make my words fly under the radar. And there it is, that look again as he goes speechless.

“I’m sorry. I’ll get rid of them.”
Profile Image for KellyReadsToo.
288 reviews12 followers
July 12, 2026
The Scent of Crazy by D.A. Valeria
Length: 398pages
Rating: 5Stars
FMC: Summer Night
MMC: Atlas Holt

Tropes:
• Stalking (both MC’s)
• Secret Identity
• Obsessed
• Dark Romance
• Revenge


A bit about the book: Summer was out for revenge against the family that was responsible for the loss of her foster sibling. All the information she found sent her on a stalking mission. She ends up getting way too close to her target.

My Thoughts: Hilarious banter between all the characters. This story was just what I needed for the perfect dark stalker romance.


Advanced Copy Gifted By:
#DAValeria
Profile Image for The Professor Reads .
5 reviews
October 28, 2026
Dark Rom-Com, competitive struggle for dominance, and emotionally intelligent, morally grey characters.

No red flags here.

At its core, The Scent of Crazy flips the classic stalking trope on its head having both FMC and MMC engaging in obsessive, playful stalking, which provide an avenue for both characters to compete for dominance in the relationship. The author has a unique and sarcastic writing style which takes a few chapters to fully understand but once you do, it is magical, witty and really immerses you into the world of crazy. Dual POV were even (not leaning too much toward FMC), which is unique and allows you to invest in MMC at a deeper level.

For a debut novel. I was impressed with the complexity and depth of not only the characters but the dark themes. MMC is somewhat a playboy but has awareness of his actions (especially in his actions toward FMC), deep concept of fairness (even when torturing), and love (should not be conditional or include exceptions).

Although consumed by revenge, FMC is not overtaken by it and explore concepts of responsibility (universal control when bad things happen), moral virtue (what make you a bad person and does doing bad things mean you can’t have a moral compass and empathy), death and revenge—all while, in my professional opinion, being a bad*ss.

The plot flowed leaving no down time on this wild journey as the characters dueled for control. Spice was unique and explored BDSM elements without getting too strict with it (e.g., collaring with belt for both, animalistic biting, O control).

Overall, I loved this book so much I read it twice, can’t wait for the next one and took 256 notes and highlighted 2,869 passages (yes, embarrassing).

Favorite chapter: Chapter 17 & 18 (prime example of competitive struggle)
Favorite quote: “Unfortunately for him, I don’t just get mad. I get creative…and committed.” - Summer Chapter 18
Profile Image for Nate (JokasChild1).
25 reviews7 followers
July 12, 2026
#ScentOfCrazy by @d.a.valerian.author
Y'all..if you want unhinged stalker dynamics, sleuthing, knife play, sex craze, revenge motives, and oh. Did I say sex craze???

Read 👏 This 👏 NOW!

The pacing is there, the spice is heavy 🥵

Summer is out for revenge against those who killed her family..she sets her sights on Atlas. A connection to the mastermind of her family's unaliving.

She reels him in...but all of a sudden she's reeling for him. The back and forth banter, the dark playfulness between these two is unparalleled. They see each other's fucked up flaws and accept them.

Can Summer continue her revenge plot if it involves Atlas and hurting him?

Every chapter had me begging for more (not unlike our two main characters).

Atlas's friend group is just as nutty and protective as he is.
The found family dynamic has ball-busting humor and they're all ready to jump into action if any of them are in trouble.

This was a great change of pace for me, and I can't wait to see what kind of hijinks our characters get up to next!
Profile Image for Marija Unkind.
181 reviews30 followers
July 11, 2026
I was entertained through the whole book. I really enjoyed the story about two crazy young people who matched each other so well. Their dynamic was fun to follow.

At times it felt a little juvenile and the story stayed a bit too surface level. I found myself wanting more depth, both in the characters and their relationship, because I think it would have made me connect with everything on a much stronger level.

That said, I still had a really good time reading it. It was an enjoyable, easy read and the side characters were wonderful. I honestly wouldn’t mind reading more about some of them in the future.

Thank you to D.A. Valerian and Grey’s Promotions for providing me with an ARC 🖤
All opinions are my own.
112 reviews
September 8, 2026
3,5 -3,75⭐️

Both FMC and MMC are crazy, I love their chemistry and how they challenge each other. I laugh more than once 😂 I liked the dark humor
The ending was good, BUT I wished that we would had gotten little more plot/background story earlier in the book. Because the beginning was fun but like I said it lacked a little bit.

Due to great chemistry between the characters, funny clap backs you did wanted to keep reading but the ending was better than I expected.

But to be the first book for the author it’s good

I will definitely read book 2
Profile Image for Melissa Sleeman.
36 reviews
July 11, 2026
Ugh I need book 2 NOW! I was addicted and didn't want it to end. It kind of gave me Butcher and Blackbird vibes? 🙃 Idk could be just me. The banter throughout was excellent and the spice was 🌶🌶🌶

Dark humor ✅️
Tension ✅️
An unhinged romance ✅️

If this outstanding debut is any indication, D. A. Valerian has an exciting career ahead of her!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Courtney Louise.
53 reviews3 followers
July 12, 2026
Im a bit late with my arc review due to circumstances and it took me a while to read due to this . But this book was really good the latness of the review and time length of this book had nothing to do with the book its self

. It's a dark Ron com and personally i loved it . The fmc was fiesty and fierce and a great fmc . The MMC you cant help but fall for him . There was a few things in the book which made me not rate it 5 stars .with out giving spoilers i feel like some parts were brushed aside which I think was needed in the book and the ending I wanted the FMC to finish a certain character as i felt like it was needed.

All in all this book is great , it makes you feel all the emotions and has you eating the chapters up
Profile Image for Karla.
319 reviews
September 19, 2026
Absolutely Amazing 🤩

One of my all time favorites……. Immensely enjoyable to read……. Entertainment at its best….. a totally wild and crazy thrill ride……. This book has a bit of everything…
Profile Image for Jackie.
68 reviews
June 27, 2026
ARC review: 2 crazies being crazy together, what more could you ask for?
59 reviews
July 20, 2026
I’m going to need book 2 asap! This is a series starter right?
73 reviews
August 15, 2026
What the circus did I just read? Strange writing style. But also entertaining. Author really likes exclamation marks. I liked that the FMC gave it back as good as she got. She was actually “not like the other girls”.
Profile Image for Yas.
38 reviews1 follower
July 26, 2026
why does every sentence end in an exclamation mark?? is everyone just shouting in this book like i don’t understand
Profile Image for Nell.
113 reviews
July 17, 2026
I like the premise more than the execution. Not everything needs a !
Profile Image for Toy.
293 reviews8 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
June 23, 2026
❤️‍🔥 The Scent of Crazy: Red Flags Book 1 by D.A. Valerian Book review❤️‍🔥


❤️‍🔥 CHILLS. ABSOLUTE CHILLS. ❤️‍🔥

Move over, seasoned charts-toppers—there is a new queen of dark romance on the scene! For a debut novel, The Scent of Crazy (Red Flags Book 1) by D.A. Valerian doesn’t just walk into the genre; it burns the whole house down and builds a throne on the ashes. 👑🔥 If you love your romance pitch-black, intoxicating, and utterly unhinged, eeny, meeny, miny, moe...this is a tantalizing book for shore! ✨

😴I started in the evening and read until 7am, while drinking coffee off and on. I could not put “The Scent of Crazy” down even when my finger cramped from swiping pages. I mean, how many people can say they had to call out of work sick because they were up all night reading. It’s that good! 😴

🚨 THE DISCLAIMER IS WILD 🚨

Can we just pause and talk about that content warning?! Going in, I was a little nervous. But then that deliciously twisted, dark romance-loving part of my brain took over and whispered, “Hell yeah, let’s do this!” 😈 From page one, I was completely snared. What makes D.A. Valerian a master-tier storyteller right out of the gate is that the intense themes aren't just there for shock value; every single boundary-pushing reference is eloquently executed and fits the narrative flawlessly. 💯



🎵 THE AUDIO ATMOSPHERE IS A MUST 🎵

Do yourself a massive favor: download the playlist before you start! 📲 I manually added every single track to my library so it was queued up and ready to go. Reading while wrapped in that specific, curated musical vibe creates an incredibly hypnotic, immersive audio atmosphere. It completely entrances you from the very first note! If you’re interested you can do it too with any music streaming service and/or free on YouTube 🎶🙌



👑 THE POV GAME: TIT FOR TAT 👑
Nothing satisfies a reader more than getting deep inside the minds of both characters. Valerian gives us a flawless, alternating dual POV format—going chapter-for-chapter between Summer/Maeve and Atlas. The tension? Electric. ⚡ The dynamic? Absolute fire. 🔥




👥 CHARACTER BREAKDOWN 👥


• Summer / Maeve 💎
o The Vibe: The ultimate “I’d rather die than tap out” heroine.
o The Verdict: Forged in steel with an iron will, she is a survivor who does not need a protector. Her dark past haunts her, serving as her ultimate driving force as she steps onto the campus of Veridian University seeking revenge. 🎓🖤



• Atlas Holt ⛓️
o The Vibe: The quintessential possessive, alphahole bad boy dialed up to a solid 100/10.
o The Verdict: He takes your typical criminal mafioso archetype and cranks the obsession to the absolute maximum. Once his sights are locked on Summer, her plotting and scheming don't stand a chance. He will own her. 🐺🖤


• The Sinful Inner Circle 🤫
o Dean Malik: The sole heir to a ruthless blood diamond empire. 💎
o Lincoln Cavanagh: A lethal hacker who is entirely consumed by a girl named Raven. 💻
o Connor & Carter Heyes: The twin playboys of the group who are maxed out on charm and trouble. 👥


• Raven 💥
o Summer’s fierce best friend. Even though they only cross paths briefly a couple of times due to the sheer chaos in their lives, her side arc is tantalizing! It heavily hints that she and Lincoln are either getting their own standalone or taking over major real estate in Book 2. I need it now! 🔎



⛓️ EVERYTHING YOU PROMISED & MORE ⛓️
This twisted tale delivers on every single promise with absolute perfection:

• Darkness bleeding through the pages ✅
• Morally corrupt characters ✅
• Psycho, crazy killers & and infatuated stalkers ✅
• Evil villains & explicit violence ✅
• Scintillating sex, blood, and sweet revenge ✅




📚 THE BRILLIANCE IS IN THE DETAILS 📚

• The Vocabulary: Huge kudos to the author for sprinkling in gorgeous, sophisticated vocabulary words! It never felt pretentious; instead, it completely elevated the prose. I absolutely love when a book challenges me to look up a word. It’s an elite experience for us readers! 🧠✨

• The Pizza Upgrade: Side note... I will literally never call it "four-cheese pizza" again. It is officially Pizza Quattro Formaggi (Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Fontina, Parmesan) for the win! 🍕🇮🇹


🏁 THE VERDICT: 5/5 RED FLAGS 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

The book wraps up on a mild cliffhanger. While you won't be dying of cardiac arrest waiting for the next drop, the anticipation is so real. We are definitely going to need Raven’s POV next, and I am already front row, center, waiting for the sequel.


If you want a debut that reads like a veteran dark-romance masterpiece, ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR IMMEDIATELY! 🖤✍️

Profile Image for Lisa.
182 reviews24 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
June 26, 2026
“Proceed with curiosity…and caution.” {D.A. Valerian}

Well holy shit! I just felt like I was on a rollercoaster straight out of a psychopaths mind! But like a really hilarious, unhinged and deranged psychopath! I fucking LOVED these characters, this story! Give me all of the absolute batshit crazy dialogue and interactions—because I was dying of laughter, my heart was racing but also SWOONING. Does that mean I’m crazy?! Most likely. I won’t deny it. Nor am I ashamed.

This story had me ENTRAPPED from the very first page. This book didn’t just meet my expectations—it devoured them. Summer is, without a doubt, an absolute chaotic, meticulous, fierce and unpredictable woman. But she’s also breathtaking, hilarious and determined—and she will do whatever it takes to get revenge for her family. That includes vetting and getting close to the son of the culprit. Atlas Holt, a man that you wouldn’t dare cross, is almost (just almost) as unhinged as Summer. His thoughts and his actions are manic. He sets his sights on Summer and realizes she’s not as innocent as she looks. That they are the same—disturbed, demented, feral and their actions are fueled by the past. And he will stop at nothing to make her “his”.

I CANNOT get over these two. The amount of times I was crying from laughter, blushing and processing their absolute unhinged behavior is obsessive. The back and forth between them was flawless and that dynamic has me loving the story and characters even more. They matched each other’s energy and seeing who could out-do the other was incredibly entertaining and satisfying. When the not-so-normal romance happened—it was everything. None of it was conventional, it was madness, but for them, it worked. And when that spice finally hit—IT HIT HARD. Don’t let that fool you though, the growth between the two was incredible. Not only do we continue to see their psychotic tendencies, but we see the kindness, compassion, respect and love that they keep buried deep down inside. It had my heart exploding with pure, unadulterated tenderness. I am absolutely obsessed with these two and I’m perfectly happy with them living rent free in my mind.

The supporting characters throughout, you couldn’t help but love and hate them at the same time. Atlas’ friends (Dean, Carter, Connor, Link) brought even more craziness and it made me even more intrigued. Each one had made their way into my heart and I truly hope in the future we get more of them. I’m so curious about all of them and how they got to where they are—and where they end up. Summer’s friend Raven, even though we only saw a little bit of her, I knew I was going to adore her.

The plot throughout was intense, unique and even touching at times. It had me in a chokehold. The way it continued to get better and better, page after page—I couldn’t stop. I simply just didn’t want to stop reading, nor did I want it to end. I could continue reading about these characters forever. There’s just something about the craziness of them that keeps me wanting more—and thankfully, I’ll get it. D.A. Valerian is gracing us with another story from a couple of the characters and I cannot wait to read it. I’m absolutely getting my hands on a physical copy for a shelf trophy. It deserves to be displayed like the masterpiece it is.

I cannot thank D.A. Valerian and Grey’s Promotions enough for allowing me to read a copy early.

Mind you, when I love a book, I have A LOT of highlights. And by a lot—I mean 268–and that’s with restraint. I have no regrets.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tracy Kemp.
232 reviews8 followers
July 7, 2026
I have never love two completely unhinged characters more than these two. I would rate this book 20 stars if I could.


Some books entertain you. Some books consume you. And then there are the ones that drag you into absolute chaos, make you laugh until you can't breathe, rip your heart out just enough to keep you addicted, and leave you staring at the final page wondering how you're supposed to survive until the sequel. This was that book.
From page one, I was completely hooked. The writing is effortlessly sharp, the banter is wickedly funny, the chemistry is electric, and every chapter somehow pulls you deeper into the madness. It's dark, hilarious, romantic, and completely impossible to put down.
Atlas and Summer are walking disasters in the most beautiful way imaginable.
Atlas? Consider my heart officially stolen. This man is dangerously attractive, hopelessly obsessed, morally questionable, and waving every red flag like it's a victory parade... yet somehow he still radiates golden retriever energy. Watching him fall harder every time Summer revealed another piece of her beautifully chaotic soul was honestly one of my favourite parts of the entire book. He's protective, completely gone for her, and absolutely delusional in the best possible way.
And Summer? She's everything. Fierce, resilient, vulnerable, chaotic, sarcastic, and unapologetically herself. She refuses to shrink for anyone, and that's exactly what makes her so compelling. She's the kind of heroine who makes reckless decisions, owns every one of them, and somehow makes you cheer her on anyway.
Together, they're pure anarchy.
Their relationship never relies on unnecessary toxicity to create tension. Instead, it's built on relentless teasing, razor-sharp banter, mutual chaos, and an undeniable connection that makes every interaction feel alive. They challenge each other, drive each other insane, and somehow fit together like two beautifully broken puzzle pieces.
Can we talk about the humour for a second? Because I genuinely laughed from beginning to end. Summer's very first strike against Atlas had me absolutely wheezing, and somehow the comedy never took away from the darker moments—it made them hit even harder. The balance between humour, romance, and emotional depth is executed so well that every scene feels effortless.
The spice sits comfortably around 🌶️ 3.5/5, but what I loved most is that it actually serves the story. It's passionate, playful, emotional, filthy when it needs to be, and perfectly reflects who Atlas and Summer are. It never feels forced—it simply deepens their connection.
Beneath all the flirting, chaos, and sizzling chemistry is a darker thread that kept me completely invested: the mystery surrounding Summer's family's murder and her relentless pursuit of revenge. While romance remains the heart of the story, the suspense adds just enough danger to keep you constantly turning the pages... and that cliffhanger? Absolutely criminal.
This book gave me everything I wanted: dark romance, addictive banter, laugh-out-loud moments, emotional depth, obsessive love, mystery, and two gloriously unhinged characters I never wanted to leave.
⭐ Rating: 5/5 🖤 If your favourite love language is "touch her and you'll disappear," morally grey men with puppy-dog devotion, chaotic heroines, razor-sharp banter, dark secrets, and couples who match each other's madness perfectly... prepare to become completely obsessed.
Profile Image for Shelby .
65 reviews5 followers
July 7, 2026
The Scent of Crazy by D. A. Valerian
Book 1 in the Red Flags Series
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 stars

What to Expect:
Revenge Plot
Mutual Stalking
Both Are Morally Gray
Secret Identity
Organized Crime
He Falls First
Dark Humor

ARC Review
This book is unhinged in the best way possible.

From the very beginning, you know you’re not getting a typical romance, and it delivers on that promise. Summer and Atlas are both chaotic, dangerous, and completely morally gray, which made their dynamic so damn good. The mutual stalking, the tension, the twisted games…. I ate it up!

One of my favourite things about the book was the banter. It’s genuinely funny, and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times. Their back-and-forth felt natural and unhinged at the same time, in a way that fits their personalities perfectly.

Summer
Her grief over her twin’s death is so powerful that it hits you right in your chest. Struggling to look at herself because she sees himself in her made me break a little. It honestly hit a bit close to home. When my mom passed, people had a hard time looking at me because I look just like her, so I can understand the emotional toll that takes on a person, and I could resonate with Summer in that moment. The bond she describes, how losing him feels like losing half of herself, adds an emotional toll to her story. It’s not just her revenge; it’s love, loss, and a grief that never truly heals.

Atlas
He’s possessive, intense, slightly unhinged (okay, very unhinged), but what I loved was how quickly he became gone for her. The “he falls first” trope is STRONG here, and watching him go from control to complete obsession was very entertaining.

Link
I needed to shout Link out; he quickly became one of my favourite characters. He stood out to me because he’s someone who actually tried to be the voice of reason and protect Summer in his own way, which added an interesting layer to the group dynamic.

Overall
Dark, chaotic, and completely addictive–this book had me hooked from start to finish. The mix of twisted romance, emotional depth, and unhinged characters made it impossible to put down. If you love morally gray characters, tension, and a little bit of “this is so wrong, but I’m obsessed,” this one absolutely delivers.

I’m 100% continuing this series, and I can’t wait for the next book.


Quotes:
"Fuck... She's the kind of woman wars get started over."

"Death only likes to bang me, but it never keeps me."

"Where others see your destructive side, I recognize a woman strong enough to fight for what she wants, not letting anyone push her around. You are a force of nature nothing compares to. Don't let anyone tell you the darkness you possess is something bad. It's the best part of you. A unique kind of darkness that brings light to me every time I think of you."

“Choke on your blood as I choked on my tears.”

“But the bottom line is, you took my brother from me, and for that… I’ll drown your fucking world in blood.”

Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews