Lovebug

by Tara Hanson, Jason Rowe (Narrator)

In the suffocating heat of war, Roger wanted only one to be loved. To be held by someone that would not leave. He cared not for beauty, only devotion. But some forms of love are not selfless—they consume you a little at a time until you no longer recognize yourself. In the end will he still want love, even if it drains him dry?

Genres: Horror

Audible Audio

Published July 31, 2026

About the author

Tara Hanson was born and raised deep in the mountains of rural West Virginia, lovingly brought up by her grandparents. A wife and mother, Tara has always found herself drawn to the strange pull of horror—where the eerie, the unspoken, and the downright terrifying can hide in plain sight.

Her love of reading took root during a unplanned vacation at a psych ward, where books offered escape, comfort, and the spark that would one day light her path as a writer. That spark now burns in the pages of her fiction—stories that don’t just seek to scare, but to peel back the skin of human nature and show what festers underneath.

Reviews

[Steph's_Creepy _Reads]

This was...bizarre! Probably one of the weirdest and most disgustingly entertaining splatterpunk books I've ever read.
Tara never fails to amuse you with her colourful brain. Oh what a place to live!

[Jason Rowe]

This is a sad, sad story… about Roger who just wants to be loved… but it’s also written by Tara Hanson so you know it’s going to be disturbing.

Well Chapter 2 grossed me out and finally realized what I don’t like to read about or shovel or play with.

This story is written in such a wonderful voice, think romance mixed with disgusting.

At least Roger wasn’t pick!

[Holly]

What the hell did I just read?? Lovebug was quite possibly one of the wildest and weirdest literary roller coasters I've ever experienced. A lonely man falls in love with a tick that has taken up camp in his urethra, and I promise you, you will expect absolutely nothing in this book!

Roger our protagonist is a creep in every sense of the word, however, Hanson writes his character in such a fantastic way that you cannot help but feel sorry for him. Then Hanson quickly gives us a reality check with dropping an extremely unhinged sentence or scene that reminds you how perverted and twisted Roger is. A huge example of their fantastic and gripping writing that will have you hooked and shocked from the get go.

I promise this is way more unhinged than you could ever imagine, so my fellow freaky girlies need to check this one out!

Thank you so much to the author for an arc of Lovebug. All opinions are mine and have been left voluntarily. I adore whatever is wrong with your mind Tara!!

[Andrew King]

(arc read)
This story is not for everyone, I think you'd know that even from the synopsis but if you can get past the shit and the insect romance you'll find inside a weirdly emotional story about abusive relationships and how difficult it can be to process when they are over. A surprisingly deep story about a guy fucking an insect and a protagonist that while not very likable you can feel sorry for

[BookSplatterBritt]

Gross, disturbing, nasty asf, what the hell did I read?! Grossly amazing

[Ang]

Not quite sure why i didn't dnf this one. I went into this one blind as I tend to do with most books, esp splatterpunk books. But honestly this one was simply too gross for words. If you can get thru the first few chapters then you'll almost certainly get to the end of this novella and it will make your skin crawl! Not for everyone this book.

[Meggan]

I received this as an advanced copy, it was my first Tara Hanson book and won't be my last! This book gave me the heebie jeebies but I couldn't put it down. This one will be stuck in my head for a while.

[K]

My God.... I have never had a book leave me so horrified... Disgusted... Completely and totally grossed out on every single level! This book is not for the weak... Or the weak stomached... I need bleach.. a lot of it... On that note though you should totally read it! I need someone to talk about this book with!!

Also I am slightly terrified of the author of this book and how her brain works to be able to think of this!

[Dani Rikku]

⭐️⭐️✨ 2 and a half stars

I received Lovebug as a gifted book as part of Indietron Horror, in exchange for an honest review.

Well… this was disgusting and absolutely rank 😂🤢

I went into this knowing it was splatterpunk, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for just how graphic and stomach-churning it was. This definitely isn’t a book I’d recommend to everyone, but if you’re specifically looking for splatterpunk horror, then this could be right up your street.

One thing I will say is that I really liked the author’s writing style. Her writing in general is lovely and descriptive, and I really appreciated the way she put things into words, even when what she was describing was absolutely horrific! 😂

I did read it all, so it kept me interested enough to see where the story was going, but overall, it just wasn’t for me.

I’m also quite a harsh critic when it comes to my star ratings 😂. I use my own personal rating chart to help me decide what stars a book deserves, and not every book is going to be a five-star read for me. For this one, 2½ stars feels right.

Definitely one for the splatterpunk horror lovers rather than me! 😂🤢

[renee w]

4.5 🤮
“In a world that is barren and unkind. To survive we must lean on hope. But hope alone won’t find you love. Don’t give up. Even if it isn’t true that there is somebody for everyone, and there’s nobody for you.”

Meet Roger, a lonely man who lives with his mother, who doesn’t seem to want much to do with him. As if his isolation weren’t enough, he also finds himself in the midst of the Vietnam War. More than anything, Roger wants to be loved and accepted for his oddities . When he finally gets his one true wish and is bitten by the “love bug,” The consequences take this story on a disturbing path. This book was extremely disgusting at times, but was a surprisingly sad story. Thanks so much to the author for the early read.

[Raychel Klotz]

Lovebug by @tarawriteshorror

If you take away the splatterpunk, you get 💯% a toxic relationship. Add in the splatterpunk, you get a Tick relationship 😂

Maybe if I was a guy, the itch factor would be highlighted. For any men reading this, how is that Phantom burning swollen pain treating you!

I will never look at corn the same way. I have enhanced my vocabulary with every possible name for a man’s thingy thanks to lovebug.

The description of steamy sh*t and swamp ass was juicy. I would love a side story on this man’s whole life as I found there was so much that was hinted at.

It was a fun one sitting read. I giggled and was queasy. It was a refreshing new storyline and one I will definitely remember.

#splatterpunk #arcreader #arcreviewer #newbookalert #ick

[Justine King]

Errrm Tara you sent me on a wild ride with this one! I’m new to the Splatterpunk genre so I wasn’t sure what to expect but this was a story ultimately about loneliness and isolation in a form even my strange brain would never of conjured up! Tara’s writing style is very good and this is fast paced so you certainly whizz through this. It’s gross, shocking and entertaining and I loved it !! Thank you Tara for sending me the e-copy i’ll be downloading your previous books on kindle very soon just after i’ve scrubbed and bleached my eyeballs 👀

[Rebecca Bectoria]

I received this story as an arc from the author for my honest opinion/review.

This book was gross, disturbing but also quite sad. Roger falls in love with a bug while in the Vietnam war. You go along their journey of love and hardship. This story even though sounds strange/funny I think has a darker meaning to it and I really felt for Roger. This was my first book by Tara Hanson but it won't be my last.

[Zaq Cass]

Read this for the #indietron event, but it was on my tbr.

Hanson ruined my day with this one. It was exactly as promised. Completely disgusting, cringe-inducing, and slightly romantic. Toxic romance, but romance nonetheless. Make sure you're not eating when you read this.

This is going to be one of those books content creators read in order to challenge themselves, followed by months of regret.

[Ash]

Seriously wtf did I just read? Not gonna lie, almost put it down. I have no triggers but sh*t play, craving, whatever you want to call that is not my jam. Glad I pushed through though. How was it the love was toxic but somehow almost heartwarming too? Poor Roger just wanted someone to love him. Mind your triggers but check it out.

[Hayley O' brien]

well what can I say .... this was definately verging on some weirdness and a lot of #bodyhorror but the underlying message behind it despite the content was strong. the pain of loneliness can lead you in a spiral of depression. the power another can have over you when you are vulnerable... so much beneath the horror of the story.

[Eszter Pálfi]

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

It was gross. Entertaining. Itchy.
It felt very satire but I think that was the intent. Roger is a weird ass guy to say the least! It was very funny at some parts, also throwing some very weird sh*t that happened out there so nonchalantly my eyes almost popped.🤣 i had a fun time, excited to read more by Tara!

[Ta LeighAnna]

I'll never turn down the opportunity to read anything Tara Hanson writes. Splatterpunk is my favorite genre, and she nails it every time.
Lovebug is nasty, disgusting, hilarious, and surprisingly sweet and heartbreaking. If you can get past the gross, there's a powerful message at its core.

[☽ Colette ☾]

Received an ARC from the author, and WOW what a story!!! This story will sTICK with you for a while.

[Koa]

This was so bizarre and entertaining, it gave me the ick in a good way with the giggles. 🤭 I like books that have a unique and questionable character and this was definitely that. Longing, and loneliness turns into obsession and sickness! The ending was kinda cute too.

[Mellisa]

Summary: Roger is desperately lonely, he just wants to be loved - and he will take any love he can get. Even if this is tick shaped and in a very intimate area.

Review: This was so gross, it's brilliant! I found myself actually cringing at parts, which honestly is hard to get me to do with books now! The complex emotions of feeling sorry for Roger whilst also feeling disgusted by him was an absolute rollercoaster. Highly recommend!

[Jennifer]

This book is such a delight! I especially love the audiobook. Jason Rowe killed it. His narration is hilarious and great to listen to. Definitely a cozy love story😂

[Emma Haughian]

This splatter-punk novella was nearly a limit for me at chapter 2, it was disgustingly good. But I persevered through it and it was a good read. Feel itchy now thou haha

[Jessica Heath]

ARC review!

“There is ‘someone’ for everyone”! I covered my mouth multiple times while reading this book; it really pushes the limits on disturbing! This book will get BURIED in your mind.

[Bee]

This one was absolutely bizarre and had me clutching pearls I don't even have. This story will not be for everyone, so read at your own risk. This was a refreshing Splatterpunk novella to read.

[Isaiah]

To see a full review check it out here.

This was vile, digusting, and I couldn't put it down. It is exactly what was promised and then some. Hanson is going to be a big name in splatterpunk, calling it now.

[Matthew Gleason]

I finished listening to the audiobook of Lovebug a week or so ago. It's a trip. The story is gross and unsettling and very human. Tara is something else.

[CoryReads]

Lovebug by Tara Hanson


“Most of all this tick that keeps playing peek-a-boo out my dickhole.”

The Toothfairy used to leave him what!?

This is the story of Roger, who is definitely a fucking weirdo but he just wants to be loved like everyone else right?
Drafted to the war he wishes every night that he had someone to love, well he finally gets his wish but i guess he didn’t specify if it was going to be human or not. I LOVED this little disgusting book. Hats off to Tara to be able to write a book that made me feel all the emotions. Almost feeling sad for roger at first because he wants to be loved, then absolutely disgusted at the next page, but yet giggling and not being able to take my eyes off the next page.
I’m definitely not going to be able to eat corn for a while after this read. My third book of #IndieTron

[E Singer]

I’m sure many people can relate to the desperate feelings of loneliness and wanting to be loved. This story follows Roger suffering severe loneliness, isolation, and bullying as a man drafted for the Vietnam war. He is a weird character with a horrifying back story, which has only fueled his horrifying interests. In his desperation to feel loved, he forms an unlikely relationship with a tick that feeds from his body in the most uncomfortable place. The story is quite possible one of the most insane one’s I’ve read as far as plot goes. But isn’t that the purpose? When someone is so desperate they will cling to the things that suck the life from them and create delusions that make them feel the things they want to feel? The descriptive language was fantastic and literally had me gagging. The visuals, smells, and textures are creatively described and so tactual. I don’t know why I was so invested in Roger’s journey, but it had me.

[Sammy]

Poor Roger just wants to feel loved. Desired. Chosen. Thank God he meets the perfect girl… who just so happens to also be a tick. I ✨loved✨ this. It was foul and sometimes poetic. It made me itch and squirm while also being hilarious at times, especially whenever Roger offers us snippets of information about his family. I also loved the romantic quotes used between chapters, including Tara’s own quote at the end. She is right, “you deserve to be picky”. 🖤