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Rapturous Chaos Collection #1
Tormented & Tulips
Patience doesn’t kill for fun; she kills for justice. She’s dedicated her life to artistically dismembering sadistic scumbags and keeping everyone but her sisters at a distance—ideally six feet under. Unfortunately, her current hunt has put her in unfamiliar territory, because while she’s ready for a fight, she’s not ready for him.
As a full-time financier and part-time mass murderer, Ethan Passmore knows how to bleed companies dry, and bodies drier. Stringing them up like macabre marionettes is the only time the obsessive-compulsive precision in his brain goes silent. His calling cards are precise, ordered—everything the thorny, chaotic bouquets he suddenly finds popping up in the city – are not.
They’re also his next fixation.
From light stalking to infuriating cat-and-mouse games, Patience and Ethan clash in a deadly battle of wits, slowly growing from bitter enemies to something unthinkable. But in this business, love is a lethal liability, and the hunters will become the hunted if they’re not careful. Will this pair of hunters find their prey in time? Or will they remain blind to the danger lurking in the shadows?
As a full-time financier and part-time mass murderer, Ethan Passmore knows how to bleed companies dry, and bodies drier. Stringing them up like macabre marionettes is the only time the obsessive-compulsive precision in his brain goes silent. His calling cards are precise, ordered—everything the thorny, chaotic bouquets he suddenly finds popping up in the city – are not.
They’re also his next fixation.
From light stalking to infuriating cat-and-mouse games, Patience and Ethan clash in a deadly battle of wits, slowly growing from bitter enemies to something unthinkable. But in this business, love is a lethal liability, and the hunters will become the hunted if they’re not careful. Will this pair of hunters find their prey in time? Or will they remain blind to the danger lurking in the shadows?
307 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75★
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
This was ridiculous and so much fun, I love the serial killer vs serial killer romance and the banter between them. I did not expect it to be as cute as it was, even the stalking was so unserious and funny.
Yeah the writing wasn't that strong and some parts were questionable but my god I've been in such a reading slump lately and this totally obliterated it
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
This was ridiculous and so much fun, I love the serial killer vs serial killer romance and the banter between them. I did not expect it to be as cute as it was, even the stalking was so unserious and funny.
Yeah the writing wasn't that strong and some parts were questionable but my god I've been in such a reading slump lately and this totally obliterated it
October 15, 2026
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC, views are my own)
I enjoyed this as a quick murdery romance comedy between two serial killers.
I liked that Ethan is very particular and obsessive. One hint of something being messed with and he has to pull it apart.
However, for a stalker, he didn't know she had a pet? He must have been preoccupied with a different pussy.
I would have liked more of a dive into what happened in their tormented pasts.
I did get a bit sick of the fluttering and quivering in anticipation and adjusting of pants.
Bonus fact: The F word is used 197 times!
I enjoyed this as a quick murdery romance comedy between two serial killers.
I liked that Ethan is very particular and obsessive. One hint of something being messed with and he has to pull it apart.
However, for a stalker, he didn't know she had a pet? He must have been preoccupied with a different pussy.
I would have liked more of a dive into what happened in their tormented pasts.
I did get a bit sick of the fluttering and quivering in anticipation and adjusting of pants.
Bonus fact: The F word is used 197 times!
October 16, 2026
Thank you to the author, LB Vines, Publisher Victory Editing NetGalley CoOp and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I received a gifted copy and am leaving my review voluntarily.
Two rival serial unalivers, one a chaotic mess and the other a neat freak, take their “artwork” to the next level in this dark, romcom, suspense!
Patience and Ethan had me flipping the pages so quickly with their equally unhinged ways. And sweet Gerald just stole my heart! Check the trigger warnings for sure but like these unalivers, there was great balance between the darkness and banter.
I’m super excited to see what’s up next in the Rapturous Chaos Collection!
Two rival serial unalivers, one a chaotic mess and the other a neat freak, take their “artwork” to the next level in this dark, romcom, suspense!
Patience and Ethan had me flipping the pages so quickly with their equally unhinged ways. And sweet Gerald just stole my heart! Check the trigger warnings for sure but like these unalivers, there was great balance between the darkness and banter.
I’m super excited to see what’s up next in the Rapturous Chaos Collection!
September 14, 2026
This was a very fun read. Dark rom com, so definitely had me laughing at times. I loved the banter between the characters. There was a slow burn, but you do get your HEA. I really hope there will be another book with Mark’s story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was so fun. Was it unhinged?! Yup, most definitely! But I ate it up! Who doesn’t want to read about two serial killers, with flair for drama and art, falling in love in crazy stalky ways?! Am I right?! Fun times!
I really enjoyed it!
I really enjoyed it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I always love a dark romcom, especially when both characters are a bit unhinged. 🤭
Patience and Ethan being both serial killers..and sorta rivals in a sense made for some good tension and banter. As well as fun sabotage pranks on each other's "art work" aka their victims. Don't worry they only go after the bad guys. If only we learned more about how they chose their targets and why. Though you can kinda guess. Especially near the end.
The stalking one another, pretending to hate on another, the protectiveness that Ethan has over Patience is so sweet lol in a stalker way of course. 😅
But then they started working together. Trying to find their big target that keeps slipping by them.
The slow burn between these two was perfect too. So worth the wait for the spice to pick up.
Definitely wish we learned just more about Ethan. Both characters obviously have trauma from their past, but we get some glimpse to Patience story. But not much on Ethans.
Nonetheless though I enjoyed this book.
Looking forward to the next book in the series. ☺️
Thank you so much L.B. Vines and flyingpigpr for the arc. 🫶🏻
Patience and Ethan being both serial killers..and sorta rivals in a sense made for some good tension and banter. As well as fun sabotage pranks on each other's "art work" aka their victims. Don't worry they only go after the bad guys. If only we learned more about how they chose their targets and why. Though you can kinda guess. Especially near the end.
The stalking one another, pretending to hate on another, the protectiveness that Ethan has over Patience is so sweet lol in a stalker way of course. 😅
But then they started working together. Trying to find their big target that keeps slipping by them.
The slow burn between these two was perfect too. So worth the wait for the spice to pick up.
Definitely wish we learned just more about Ethan. Both characters obviously have trauma from their past, but we get some glimpse to Patience story. But not much on Ethans.
Nonetheless though I enjoyed this book.
Looking forward to the next book in the series. ☺️
Thank you so much L.B. Vines and flyingpigpr for the arc. 🫶🏻
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Netgalley for the chance to read this early in exchange for my honest review.
A pair of vigilante serial killers who are nemesis' and pull pranks on each other???! Say less.
This was so darkly fun.
For fans of Brynne Weaver and the MindF*ck series, and anyone who loves dark humor and morally gray fmcs and mmcs.
I only marked off a star for some slight confusion in dialogue. Like during their text exchanges it wasn't consistent with who was on the left side of the screen vs right, so as the reader i had to reread it several times to understand. Some slight stuff like that in their talking dialogue too, I just had to really stop and calculate who was saying what at certain points.
But with some editing, this is easily a 5 star read!!! I had so much fun with this one.
🔪 💉 🩸
A pair of vigilante serial killers who are nemesis' and pull pranks on each other???! Say less.
This was so darkly fun.
For fans of Brynne Weaver and the MindF*ck series, and anyone who loves dark humor and morally gray fmcs and mmcs.
I only marked off a star for some slight confusion in dialogue. Like during their text exchanges it wasn't consistent with who was on the left side of the screen vs right, so as the reader i had to reread it several times to understand. Some slight stuff like that in their talking dialogue too, I just had to really stop and calculate who was saying what at certain points.
But with some editing, this is easily a 5 star read!!! I had so much fun with this one.
🔪 💉 🩸
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Yes, please! Ugh!! Thank you!
A dark suspense romantic comedy piqued my curiosity, but this book truly captivated me and kept me engaged.
Featuring two rival serial unalivers, with a sprinkle of obsession and stalking, it's a thrilling ride!
They are rivals and enemies, and Ethan is determined to make her leave his town. However, as he becomes obsessed, he also helps her flower blossom beautifully.
Thank you for this amazing opportunity to read the eARC, and I am happy to provide my honest review in return.
A dark suspense romantic comedy piqued my curiosity, but this book truly captivated me and kept me engaged.
Featuring two rival serial unalivers, with a sprinkle of obsession and stalking, it's a thrilling ride!
They are rivals and enemies, and Ethan is determined to make her leave his town. However, as he becomes obsessed, he also helps her flower blossom beautifully.
Thank you for this amazing opportunity to read the eARC, and I am happy to provide my honest review in return.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I spent most of Tormented & Tulips thinking, 'I really like these two. Now please tell me more about literally everything else.'
Patience and Ethan were easily the best part of this book for me. Their personalities work ridiculously well together, the banter was genuinely funny, and their chemistry felt natural instead of like the story was desperately trying to convince me they belonged together.
And THANK YOU for not immediately throwing them into bed.
The tension actually gets time to build before the spice shows up, which made it so much better when it finally did. The spice itself was great, there was just enough of it, and it never felt like it swallowed the entire story.
Unfortunately, almost everything outside of Patience and Ethan's chemistry left me wanting more.
Both characters clearly have a lot going on psychologically, and we get little snippets of mental health struggles, pieces of their histories, and hints about why they are the way they are. Every time one of those moments appeared, I thought, 'Okay, HERE we go.'
And then we would move on.
That was probably the biggest missed opportunity for me. I wanted to understand these two beyond the humor, attraction, and murder. There was so much potential to explore their mental health and past experiences in a way that could have given both characters significantly more depth. Depending on how that had been handled, it honestly could have changed my rating quite a bit.
The murders had the same problem.
I understand the basic premise. They kill bad men.
Okay.
But bad HOW?
I needed more than being told someone deserved it. If these murders are supposed to be something Patience and Ethan can morally justify to themselves, I wanted enough information to understand that justification too. Tell me who these men are. Tell me what they did. Make me hate them. Give me a reason to care when they're being hunted.
Instead, once someone was captured, that was basically that.
There wasn't much struggle, very little commentary afterward, and not enough surrounding the kills to make them feel particularly important. I wanted the murders to tell me something about Patience and Ethan, their morality, or even the people they were targeting.
Instead they mostly just happened.
And despite the subject matter, I personally would not consider this particularly dark.
At all.
The murders aren't very detailed, the violence is mild, and nothing here came remotely close to pushing my limits. Obviously darkness is subjective, but if you're someone who regularly reads genuinely extreme dark romance, I would temper expectations going into this one.
Which is completely fine, by the way. A book does not need to psychologically scar me to earn a good rating.
Probably healthier if it doesn't.
The ending was another place where I wanted more. I had a pretty good idea where things were heading, so the reveal itself wasn't particularly surprising, but what bothered me more was how quickly everything happened once we got there.
Again, I wanted the WHY.
Something that should have carried quite a bit of weight felt like it was introduced, explained just enough to move the plot forward, and then we were wrapping things up.
Ma'am.
I have follow up questions.
Mark suddenly getting his own POV for a few chapters also threw me a little. I didn't mind being in his head, and I understand why those chapters were included because they clearly set up where this world can go next and give the side characters room for their own story.
But the switch still felt abrupt.
Like somebody quietly added another narrator while I wasn't looking and hoped I wouldn't ask questions.
I noticed.
Still, Patience and Ethan kept me entertained through all of it. They're funny together, their banter is easily the strongest part of the book, their chemistry works, and the spice delivered without taking over.
I just kept wishing the story surrounding them had gone as deep as the characters themselves had the potential to go.
3.5 stars for me.
I liked it. I had fun with it. But there were too many moments where I was handed the beginning of something interesting and then left waiting for the rest of it.
Great banter. Great chemistry. Great spice.
Now please give me everyone's psychological records and the murder dossiers.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Tormented & Tulips. I'm genuinely grateful to have had the chance to read it before release, and all opinions here are completely my own.
Patience and Ethan were easily the best part of this book for me. Their personalities work ridiculously well together, the banter was genuinely funny, and their chemistry felt natural instead of like the story was desperately trying to convince me they belonged together.
And THANK YOU for not immediately throwing them into bed.
The tension actually gets time to build before the spice shows up, which made it so much better when it finally did. The spice itself was great, there was just enough of it, and it never felt like it swallowed the entire story.
Unfortunately, almost everything outside of Patience and Ethan's chemistry left me wanting more.
Both characters clearly have a lot going on psychologically, and we get little snippets of mental health struggles, pieces of their histories, and hints about why they are the way they are. Every time one of those moments appeared, I thought, 'Okay, HERE we go.'
And then we would move on.
That was probably the biggest missed opportunity for me. I wanted to understand these two beyond the humor, attraction, and murder. There was so much potential to explore their mental health and past experiences in a way that could have given both characters significantly more depth. Depending on how that had been handled, it honestly could have changed my rating quite a bit.
The murders had the same problem.
I understand the basic premise. They kill bad men.
Okay.
But bad HOW?
I needed more than being told someone deserved it. If these murders are supposed to be something Patience and Ethan can morally justify to themselves, I wanted enough information to understand that justification too. Tell me who these men are. Tell me what they did. Make me hate them. Give me a reason to care when they're being hunted.
Instead, once someone was captured, that was basically that.
There wasn't much struggle, very little commentary afterward, and not enough surrounding the kills to make them feel particularly important. I wanted the murders to tell me something about Patience and Ethan, their morality, or even the people they were targeting.
Instead they mostly just happened.
And despite the subject matter, I personally would not consider this particularly dark.
At all.
The murders aren't very detailed, the violence is mild, and nothing here came remotely close to pushing my limits. Obviously darkness is subjective, but if you're someone who regularly reads genuinely extreme dark romance, I would temper expectations going into this one.
Which is completely fine, by the way. A book does not need to psychologically scar me to earn a good rating.
Probably healthier if it doesn't.
The ending was another place where I wanted more. I had a pretty good idea where things were heading, so the reveal itself wasn't particularly surprising, but what bothered me more was how quickly everything happened once we got there.
Again, I wanted the WHY.
Something that should have carried quite a bit of weight felt like it was introduced, explained just enough to move the plot forward, and then we were wrapping things up.
Ma'am.
I have follow up questions.
Mark suddenly getting his own POV for a few chapters also threw me a little. I didn't mind being in his head, and I understand why those chapters were included because they clearly set up where this world can go next and give the side characters room for their own story.
But the switch still felt abrupt.
Like somebody quietly added another narrator while I wasn't looking and hoped I wouldn't ask questions.
I noticed.
Still, Patience and Ethan kept me entertained through all of it. They're funny together, their banter is easily the strongest part of the book, their chemistry works, and the spice delivered without taking over.
I just kept wishing the story surrounding them had gone as deep as the characters themselves had the potential to go.
3.5 stars for me.
I liked it. I had fun with it. But there were too many moments where I was handed the beginning of something interesting and then left waiting for the rest of it.
Great banter. Great chemistry. Great spice.
Now please give me everyone's psychological records and the murder dossiers.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Tormented & Tulips. I'm genuinely grateful to have had the chance to read it before release, and all opinions here are completely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of an Advanced Reader Copy
Thank you to L.B. Vines and Victory Edition for the opportunity to discover this story in exchange for my honest review.
Tormented & Tulips follows Patience, a slightly unhinged curator whose expertise lies in, let's say, nice and alternative forms of art... In her free time, Patience has a rather productive hobby: deleting (human male) predators from existence. During her hunt for a specific target, she crosses paths with what might just be her very own stalker. Except he isn't exactly the type she wants to send straight to the afterlife, and the two of them might have to learn how to share and team up on this one.
"If only he knew. There is no mercy in my darkness."
"I'm not a jealous man, Patience. But I will be for you. If you go out with him again, I won't be setting off just a car alarm."
"Of all the women in the world, I chose the one who is like navigating quicksand, carrying dynamite."
RATING : 2.5/5, rounded up to 3.
In my opinion, the absolute highlight of this book is definitely the chemistry between the FMC and the MMC. While their first few scenes did feel a bit awkward, their connection and dynamic noticeably took off around the 30% mark, and I ate it up. Ethan, especially, stole my heart on this one. He is an adorable little bundle of paradoxes, and I too would look past the stalking and killing if he talked to me like that. I loved watching his softer side bring out Patience's, just as I loved watching her behavior bring out his unhinged side. I'm also always rooting for a man who is a protector but still knows his woman can handle herself (side note: I wish the plot did not forget her own power and strength). Their goodnight scene was one of the cutest things I've read in a while. The thing is, Patience and Ethan feel like a genuine match, they actually do make sense together and complement each other, which is, to me, the main ingredient for a romantic relationship to hit its mark. While on the topic of relationships, the supporting cast of siblings were a major and deeply enjoyable addition to the story. The brothers added a fun touch, while the sisters added a relatable one.
With that said, I had a bit of a hard time fully getting into it.
First, I initially kept comparing it a bit too much to another popular serial killers romance book published a few years ago. As the story went on, though, I managed to stop looking for similarities or differences, separate the two, and fall deeper into Patience and Ethan's story.
Second, the writing style and editing could use a final round of polishing to fix missing words, awkward phrasing, and some deeply overused vocabulary. I also wish the author had explored other types of attractions beyond the sexual one. Do not get me wrong here, I am not saying they only connect in a physical way, but it is the channel that is constantly referred to. The FMC kept describing herself as basically leaking every time the MMC breathed and that was a bit too much for my liking. Also, please, there is more to sexual tension than just getting wet and/or hard.
Third, I got a bit frustrated with the non-romantic plot being buried under the romance until the last few pages. Yes, it is a Romance, and that's why I picked it up. I do want the relationship to be the main event. Yet, the supposedly high stakes hunt and the characters' traumatic backstories were only given a few pages to shine, which felt quite unbalanced. Especially since most of the plot points were highly predictable for any seasoned reader.
Overall, I believe the marketing chosen for Tormented & Tulips does not always do it justice. As for any other book, in order to enjoy it to its full potential, it is important to go in with the right expectations. It's a Romance, period. Do not go in expecting some kind of big Thriller or Mystery. I'm even torn on the Rom-Com label, as the humor is kept subtle and felt somewhat underexploited (I'm begging for more of Gerald, thank you very much).
From what I gathered, this is a debut novel and it definitely feels like one, which is by no means a bad thing. I am genuinely curious to see this author grow into her craft. Since I believe Tormented & Tulips sets up a series of interconnected standalones, I look forward to discovering what L.B. Vines has in store next !
If the blurb sounds like something you could enjoy and if you love morally grey leads, character-driven stories, tension and romance with a side of darkness, I would encourage you to give this series a try. Remember that no review can replace the personal experience of reading, and the most meaningful opinion you can form is the one you build for yourself !
Thank you to L.B. Vines and Victory Edition for the opportunity to discover this story in exchange for my honest review.
Tormented & Tulips follows Patience, a slightly unhinged curator whose expertise lies in, let's say, nice and alternative forms of art... In her free time, Patience has a rather productive hobby: deleting (human male) predators from existence. During her hunt for a specific target, she crosses paths with what might just be her very own stalker. Except he isn't exactly the type she wants to send straight to the afterlife, and the two of them might have to learn how to share and team up on this one.
"If only he knew. There is no mercy in my darkness."
"I'm not a jealous man, Patience. But I will be for you. If you go out with him again, I won't be setting off just a car alarm."
"Of all the women in the world, I chose the one who is like navigating quicksand, carrying dynamite."
RATING : 2.5/5, rounded up to 3.
In my opinion, the absolute highlight of this book is definitely the chemistry between the FMC and the MMC. While their first few scenes did feel a bit awkward, their connection and dynamic noticeably took off around the 30% mark, and I ate it up. Ethan, especially, stole my heart on this one. He is an adorable little bundle of paradoxes, and I too would look past the stalking and killing if he talked to me like that. I loved watching his softer side bring out Patience's, just as I loved watching her behavior bring out his unhinged side. I'm also always rooting for a man who is a protector but still knows his woman can handle herself (side note: I wish the plot did not forget her own power and strength). Their goodnight scene was one of the cutest things I've read in a while. The thing is, Patience and Ethan feel like a genuine match, they actually do make sense together and complement each other, which is, to me, the main ingredient for a romantic relationship to hit its mark. While on the topic of relationships, the supporting cast of siblings were a major and deeply enjoyable addition to the story. The brothers added a fun touch, while the sisters added a relatable one.
With that said, I had a bit of a hard time fully getting into it.
First, I initially kept comparing it a bit too much to another popular serial killers romance book published a few years ago. As the story went on, though, I managed to stop looking for similarities or differences, separate the two, and fall deeper into Patience and Ethan's story.
Second, the writing style and editing could use a final round of polishing to fix missing words, awkward phrasing, and some deeply overused vocabulary. I also wish the author had explored other types of attractions beyond the sexual one. Do not get me wrong here, I am not saying they only connect in a physical way, but it is the channel that is constantly referred to. The FMC kept describing herself as basically leaking every time the MMC breathed and that was a bit too much for my liking. Also, please, there is more to sexual tension than just getting wet and/or hard.
Third, I got a bit frustrated with the non-romantic plot being buried under the romance until the last few pages. Yes, it is a Romance, and that's why I picked it up. I do want the relationship to be the main event. Yet, the supposedly high stakes hunt and the characters' traumatic backstories were only given a few pages to shine, which felt quite unbalanced. Especially since most of the plot points were highly predictable for any seasoned reader.
Overall, I believe the marketing chosen for Tormented & Tulips does not always do it justice. As for any other book, in order to enjoy it to its full potential, it is important to go in with the right expectations. It's a Romance, period. Do not go in expecting some kind of big Thriller or Mystery. I'm even torn on the Rom-Com label, as the humor is kept subtle and felt somewhat underexploited (I'm begging for more of Gerald, thank you very much).
From what I gathered, this is a debut novel and it definitely feels like one, which is by no means a bad thing. I am genuinely curious to see this author grow into her craft. Since I believe Tormented & Tulips sets up a series of interconnected standalones, I look forward to discovering what L.B. Vines has in store next !
If the blurb sounds like something you could enjoy and if you love morally grey leads, character-driven stories, tension and romance with a side of darkness, I would encourage you to give this series a try. Remember that no review can replace the personal experience of reading, and the most meaningful opinion you can form is the one you build for yourself !
October 15, 2026
I won't beat around the bush, this book felt like it was trying really hard to be a book in a different stand alone series. Honestly, that hindered it a lot in my mind. Before anyone thinks I mean this based on premise, I actually don't. Yes, serial killer romances is a niche, but this actually felt like the pacing, the storytelling, and even the characters were based on it. It actually sort of felt like the Scary Movie franchise, but not purposefully.
Now, part of me wants to think that maybe it wasn't TRYING to be but just ended up, but honestly the entire time I read this, I wished I was reading Butcher and Blackbird or reading something a bit less similar because B&B is written better.
Things I did like:
As weird as it sounds, I liked the actual killers. I enjoyed their methods and how detailed the author went in making them. Despite both being very unrealistic, I don't really need realistic serial killers in my killer romances. The imagination of them both though was oddly fun to read.
I enjoyed Ethan's character quite a bit. While I don't love the insta love trope in books like this, Ethan was fun enough that I forgave it and really only finished the book for him.
Things I did not like:
Patience. She annoyed me so much. I actually loved her more cynical view especially in the first few chapters but why DEAR GOD WHY would a woman written to be cynical ... act like Patience? Like good golly miss molly, this woman actually is guarded, jaded, but tells her entire family what she's doing on the regular. She also just opens up to Ethan in under half the book. Like, fully opens up and is confiding in him? Why? Yes, he's hot and he likes you but he also told you his motivation was to get rid of you being on his turf? As readers, we know he's being genuine trying to get to know her, but her? WHY WOULD SHE OPEN UP SO QUICKLY? It makes no sense and it just really made her much more idiotic than what the author intended. I wished that she would have been more tight lipped. Make Ethan work for her more, he was willing.
That issue actually leads into my next one because it felt like the author sort of realized that she shouldn't be moving as quick as she was so kept trying ot backpedal. One chapter would be intimate and them bonding in a way no one else had ever bonded with them and the next chapter it would be back to wrath filled motives and Patience wanting nothing to do with Ethan. You want it develop fast? Fine. Let it. It felt like each chapter forgot the character growth of the one prior. It just made the entire thing read very sloppy, rushed, and confused.
Now, normally I would not want to compare books especially not comparing a book to one of the first books that made me fall back in love with reading again, however, between the title and the characters, and the premise and all of it, this just doesn't live up to what it very clearly is based on. I've read other serial killer rom coms and LOVED them (not just B&B) but this one just felt too blatant a copycat instead of having anything new to say. I feel awful writing that because I think the actual writing was really good. The banter had moments of brilliance but sadly, I can't think of an audience I would recommend this to. Reader of B&B will be disappointed and people looking to get into the genre, I would have many other recommendations before this one would ever come up.
Now, part of me wants to think that maybe it wasn't TRYING to be but just ended up, but honestly the entire time I read this, I wished I was reading Butcher and Blackbird or reading something a bit less similar because B&B is written better.
Things I did like:
As weird as it sounds, I liked the actual killers. I enjoyed their methods and how detailed the author went in making them. Despite both being very unrealistic, I don't really need realistic serial killers in my killer romances. The imagination of them both though was oddly fun to read.
I enjoyed Ethan's character quite a bit. While I don't love the insta love trope in books like this, Ethan was fun enough that I forgave it and really only finished the book for him.
Things I did not like:
Patience. She annoyed me so much. I actually loved her more cynical view especially in the first few chapters but why DEAR GOD WHY would a woman written to be cynical ... act like Patience? Like good golly miss molly, this woman actually is guarded, jaded, but tells her entire family what she's doing on the regular. She also just opens up to Ethan in under half the book. Like, fully opens up and is confiding in him? Why? Yes, he's hot and he likes you but he also told you his motivation was to get rid of you being on his turf? As readers, we know he's being genuine trying to get to know her, but her? WHY WOULD SHE OPEN UP SO QUICKLY? It makes no sense and it just really made her much more idiotic than what the author intended. I wished that she would have been more tight lipped. Make Ethan work for her more, he was willing.
That issue actually leads into my next one because it felt like the author sort of realized that she shouldn't be moving as quick as she was so kept trying ot backpedal. One chapter would be intimate and them bonding in a way no one else had ever bonded with them and the next chapter it would be back to wrath filled motives and Patience wanting nothing to do with Ethan. You want it develop fast? Fine. Let it. It felt like each chapter forgot the character growth of the one prior. It just made the entire thing read very sloppy, rushed, and confused.
Now, normally I would not want to compare books especially not comparing a book to one of the first books that made me fall back in love with reading again, however, between the title and the characters, and the premise and all of it, this just doesn't live up to what it very clearly is based on. I've read other serial killer rom coms and LOVED them (not just B&B) but this one just felt too blatant a copycat instead of having anything new to say. I feel awful writing that because I think the actual writing was really good. The banter had moments of brilliance but sadly, I can't think of an audience I would recommend this to. Reader of B&B will be disappointed and people looking to get into the genre, I would have many other recommendations before this one would ever come up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Final rating: 3.5/5
gore is 3/5 not terribly explicit
spice is 5/5 explicit
This was a fun read! Somewhere between a dark romance and a romcom, the story mostly follows the perspectives of two serial killers as they happen to meet while tracking their victims. Patience is our FMC while Ethan is our MMC. Both lethal in their own right, Patience carries an elegance to her craft while Ethan is straight-up ruthless. Either way, I was all in.
Pacing of this story was good up until the end, which seemed to rush itself a little too quickly. Side note, I feel like a broken record, so many of my previous posts have had similar critiques. Is this a common thing, or is this just me?
The humour in Patience’s perspective and her inner monologue is genuinely funny. She’s got a bit of deadpan humour in her as she chastises herself, but it’s not pushing the boundary of reasonableness in my opinion. On the flip side, Ethan has a yearning yet possessive quality about him that is delicious to read, but comes with some quirks.
The main fall of this story is the insta-love, at least from Ethan’s perspective. I would have loved to have seen less of that and more of his growing interest in her, BUT I will say that we dive into the story from Patience’s POV first, and without his corresponding POV, I can see why we start at the place we start. Still not a fan of it, but I get it.
For Patience’s part, she struggles to get over her cynicism, but somehow Ethan’s charms push through. I would have liked to have seen more of the actual change in her mind, as the story jumps forward a little too far for my liking.
We also get to see a hint of a side pairing that I won’t spoil but loved getting hints of. I hope they get to play a bigger role in the next book, in whatever form they come.
This is an adult book, and boy, does it show it.
Gore is 3/5, explicit but not gratuitous. I mean, they’re serial killers who like to play with their food. SOME level of gore is expected, right?
As for spice, we are given several explicit scenes, which I would rate 5/5 in terms of how explicit they are. Definitely open door, heavy description. Well-written but the number of scenes (there were 3 if I recall correctly) was a little much as they weren’t as scattered in the book as I would have liked. Better placement and use of them would have been the better choice.
There are still some mysteries left in the story, and based on the ending, I expect the sequel to help tie up those loose ends.
Despite enjoying some parts of it, the pacing, gratuitous spice, and insta-love makes it difficult for me to see myself rereading this book, which is the mark of a 4-5 star rating.
gore is 3/5 not terribly explicit
spice is 5/5 explicit
This was a fun read! Somewhere between a dark romance and a romcom, the story mostly follows the perspectives of two serial killers as they happen to meet while tracking their victims. Patience is our FMC while Ethan is our MMC. Both lethal in their own right, Patience carries an elegance to her craft while Ethan is straight-up ruthless. Either way, I was all in.
Pacing of this story was good up until the end, which seemed to rush itself a little too quickly. Side note, I feel like a broken record, so many of my previous posts have had similar critiques. Is this a common thing, or is this just me?
The humour in Patience’s perspective and her inner monologue is genuinely funny. She’s got a bit of deadpan humour in her as she chastises herself, but it’s not pushing the boundary of reasonableness in my opinion. On the flip side, Ethan has a yearning yet possessive quality about him that is delicious to read, but comes with some quirks.
The main fall of this story is the insta-love, at least from Ethan’s perspective. I would have loved to have seen less of that and more of his growing interest in her, BUT I will say that we dive into the story from Patience’s POV first, and without his corresponding POV, I can see why we start at the place we start. Still not a fan of it, but I get it.
For Patience’s part, she struggles to get over her cynicism, but somehow Ethan’s charms push through. I would have liked to have seen more of the actual change in her mind, as the story jumps forward a little too far for my liking.
We also get to see a hint of a side pairing that I won’t spoil but loved getting hints of. I hope they get to play a bigger role in the next book, in whatever form they come.
This is an adult book, and boy, does it show it.
Gore is 3/5, explicit but not gratuitous. I mean, they’re serial killers who like to play with their food. SOME level of gore is expected, right?
As for spice, we are given several explicit scenes, which I would rate 5/5 in terms of how explicit they are. Definitely open door, heavy description. Well-written but the number of scenes (there were 3 if I recall correctly) was a little much as they weren’t as scattered in the book as I would have liked. Better placement and use of them would have been the better choice.
There are still some mysteries left in the story, and based on the ending, I expect the sequel to help tie up those loose ends.
Despite enjoying some parts of it, the pacing, gratuitous spice, and insta-love makes it difficult for me to see myself rereading this book, which is the mark of a 4-5 star rating.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
To say I tore through Tormented & Tulips would be an understatement. Our main character (MC), Patience, is a private curator specializing in antiquities by day and a vigilante serial killer by night. The book opens with fitting irony: Patience is stuck in traffic on her way to an auction and already contemplating killing the driver in front of her. Yet, for someone with so little patience for everyday annoyances, she brings remarkable patience to her kills, planning each one with meticulous care.
Patience’s current hunt leads her into the territory of Ethan Passmore, a striking, blue-eyed British serial killer who wants her gone. What starts as a territorial tug-of-war and mutual stalking between two stubborn killers turns into an intense attraction. It also becomes clear that their individual hunts may be more connected than either initially realized. Can they put their differences aside and join forces?
L.B. Vines seamlessly blends the everyday lives and homicidal impulses of serial killers with dark humor and witty dialogue, making the book a fun and playful read. She does it so naturally that, as a reader, you almost accept everything as perfectly reasonable instead of constantly clocking all the red flags. Patience and Ethan’s relationship beautifully balances their personal quirks with their unhinged proclivities, while their relationships with their siblings add unexpected warmth and depth to both characters. The slow-burn tension between Patience and Ethan practically crackles off the pages, with just enough spice to keep you immersed in the story.
The ending left me satisfied and looking forward to more. Patience is a strong, genuinely likable MC who remains refreshingly easy to root for, and I have a feeling Ethan will quickly earn a spot on plenty of book-boyfriend lists. Patience’s pet chinchilla, Gerald, is also a true scene-stealer. I will definitely be adding L.B. Vines to my list of authors to follow, and I look forward to the next installment in the Rapturous Chaos Collection.
If you are a fan of Brynne Weaver, Navessa Allen, or spicy dark rom-coms, this is a must-add for your TBR.
Be sure to grab your copy when the book drops on October 15, 2026.
Thank you to the author, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and NetGalley for the free advance copy. All opinions in this review are my own.
Patience’s current hunt leads her into the territory of Ethan Passmore, a striking, blue-eyed British serial killer who wants her gone. What starts as a territorial tug-of-war and mutual stalking between two stubborn killers turns into an intense attraction. It also becomes clear that their individual hunts may be more connected than either initially realized. Can they put their differences aside and join forces?
L.B. Vines seamlessly blends the everyday lives and homicidal impulses of serial killers with dark humor and witty dialogue, making the book a fun and playful read. She does it so naturally that, as a reader, you almost accept everything as perfectly reasonable instead of constantly clocking all the red flags. Patience and Ethan’s relationship beautifully balances their personal quirks with their unhinged proclivities, while their relationships with their siblings add unexpected warmth and depth to both characters. The slow-burn tension between Patience and Ethan practically crackles off the pages, with just enough spice to keep you immersed in the story.
The ending left me satisfied and looking forward to more. Patience is a strong, genuinely likable MC who remains refreshingly easy to root for, and I have a feeling Ethan will quickly earn a spot on plenty of book-boyfriend lists. Patience’s pet chinchilla, Gerald, is also a true scene-stealer. I will definitely be adding L.B. Vines to my list of authors to follow, and I look forward to the next installment in the Rapturous Chaos Collection.
If you are a fan of Brynne Weaver, Navessa Allen, or spicy dark rom-coms, this is a must-add for your TBR.
Be sure to grab your copy when the book drops on October 15, 2026.
Thank you to the author, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and NetGalley for the free advance copy. All opinions in this review are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
📚🥀 Tormented & Tulips by L.B. Vines 🥀📚
** ARC review - releasing 10/15/26 **
Ratings✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
The Basics✨
🔪 Neurotic, OCD serial killer MMC x chaotic, fury-filled serial killer FMC
🤪 LOTS of witty, sarcastic banter with *several* sprinkles of dark humor
🤬 Enemies to lovers…after they torment the ever-living HECK out of one another
🔪 Touch her and ☠️ …lliterally
An antagonist that you absolutely will NOT see coming 🤯
🔥Sloooooooooooooooooooooow burn 🐢
🌶️ Open-door spice
My Review✨
The fact that this is the authors debut novel quite LITERALLY blows my mind - it is INCREDIBLE. I am officially a fan for LIFE. In less than 24 hours, even while managing work & household tasks, I managed to both start AND finish this book…I literally could NOT put it down!!
The overall plot of Tormented & Tulips was a solid 5/5 for me. Written incredibly well with (what I consider) perfect pacing is what quite literally got me hooked...and then ✨kept✨ me hooked. Action, dialogue, and internal monologue were well-balanced with one another making the entire thing flow from the 1st word to the last. Stellar descriptions/descriptors with the perfect amount of detail - not so overflowing with it that it feels overdone or disingenuous.
Balance between spice & plot was 5/5 as well! This is the type of book that favors the slow burn & leans heavily into the plot as opposed to spice. There were only a small handful of spicy scenes but trust me when I say: you’ll probably need to just go ahead and stick yourself in the freezer after you read them to cool yourself down 🥵
Is this the book to pick up if your mood is all spice all the time? Definitely not. Is this a book that gives you a captivating plot, main characters (and supporting characters, too, tbh) you love even though in theory they are walking red flags just...in the best way? Yes. 1,000% yes!!!
Oh, and trust me ✨again✨ when I say this: Ethan? Yeah, he’s totally going to be your next book boyfriend 😂
If any of this sounds like a fit for your bookish interests, then you are going to WANT to get your hands on this ASAP!!!
** ARC review - releasing 10/15/26 **
Ratings✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
The Basics✨
🔪 Neurotic, OCD serial killer MMC x chaotic, fury-filled serial killer FMC
🤪 LOTS of witty, sarcastic banter with *several* sprinkles of dark humor
🤬 Enemies to lovers…after they torment the ever-living HECK out of one another
🔪 Touch her and ☠️ …lliterally
An antagonist that you absolutely will NOT see coming 🤯
🔥Sloooooooooooooooooooooow burn 🐢
🌶️ Open-door spice
My Review✨
The fact that this is the authors debut novel quite LITERALLY blows my mind - it is INCREDIBLE. I am officially a fan for LIFE. In less than 24 hours, even while managing work & household tasks, I managed to both start AND finish this book…I literally could NOT put it down!!
The overall plot of Tormented & Tulips was a solid 5/5 for me. Written incredibly well with (what I consider) perfect pacing is what quite literally got me hooked...and then ✨kept✨ me hooked. Action, dialogue, and internal monologue were well-balanced with one another making the entire thing flow from the 1st word to the last. Stellar descriptions/descriptors with the perfect amount of detail - not so overflowing with it that it feels overdone or disingenuous.
Balance between spice & plot was 5/5 as well! This is the type of book that favors the slow burn & leans heavily into the plot as opposed to spice. There were only a small handful of spicy scenes but trust me when I say: you’ll probably need to just go ahead and stick yourself in the freezer after you read them to cool yourself down 🥵
Is this the book to pick up if your mood is all spice all the time? Definitely not. Is this a book that gives you a captivating plot, main characters (and supporting characters, too, tbh) you love even though in theory they are walking red flags just...in the best way? Yes. 1,000% yes!!!
Oh, and trust me ✨again✨ when I say this: Ethan? Yeah, he’s totally going to be your next book boyfriend 😂
If any of this sounds like a fit for your bookish interests, then you are going to WANT to get your hands on this ASAP!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Three hundred and seven pages is not a long book, and I mention the number only because I felt each of them, which is not a thing one wants to say about a comedy. Tormented & Tulips is laden with all the contemporary paraphernalia of the dark romantic comedy – serial killers, vigilantism, stalking, elaborate bodily desecration, sexual provocation, a courtship conducted through antagonism and threat. Patience kills men she considers deserving of it; Ethan, financier by occupation and murderer by vocation, arranges bodies with compulsive exactitude. On paper, this should have had the gaudy pleasure of pulp, but instead, much of it felt quizzically bloodless.
The trouble is that a dark romantic comedy is quite teetering. It has to hold two differing moods in the same hand without letting either one spill, and here and there the dark and the funny took turns instead, so that a joke would come just as I was settling into the gore, or the gore would come just as I was settling into a joke, and I was left slightly wrong-footed in both directions.
I do not hold a rush of speed against a romance, though it is, after all, a form that lives on delay, but a delay has to be paid for in tension, and I rarely felt the heat I was being promised. The two people at the centre trade barbs with great energy, and I could see the effort and admire it, but I never quite believed in the thing they were supposedly circling. They were pleasant, brisk, but rather forgettable.
I want to be fair, because two stars is a modest verdict and not a hostile one. The idea of the book is a nervy one, and I think the author took a real risk with its tone, and I would rather read a mixed attempt at something odd than a perfect copy of something safe. I would try this writer again. I simply could not make this particular book work on me, and I tried. I really did.
Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the ARC!
The trouble is that a dark romantic comedy is quite teetering. It has to hold two differing moods in the same hand without letting either one spill, and here and there the dark and the funny took turns instead, so that a joke would come just as I was settling into the gore, or the gore would come just as I was settling into a joke, and I was left slightly wrong-footed in both directions.
I do not hold a rush of speed against a romance, though it is, after all, a form that lives on delay, but a delay has to be paid for in tension, and I rarely felt the heat I was being promised. The two people at the centre trade barbs with great energy, and I could see the effort and admire it, but I never quite believed in the thing they were supposedly circling. They were pleasant, brisk, but rather forgettable.
I want to be fair, because two stars is a modest verdict and not a hostile one. The idea of the book is a nervy one, and I think the author took a real risk with its tone, and I would rather read a mixed attempt at something odd than a perfect copy of something safe. I would try this writer again. I simply could not make this particular book work on me, and I tried. I really did.
Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley for the free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Normally, I don't go for books with the romance label. I gave an honest shake to the romantasy subgenre and bounced right off it. I enjoy romance in my stories, but when the WHOLE story is based around romance, I tend to have a harder to time with it. So, if I'm going to read some kind of romance, I need it to be VERY unconventional. Thankfully, this wacky serial killer romcom was just that...unconventional. Apparently, serial killer romances are a thing (as are mafia romances), so I'm clearly out of my depth in this genre, but I had a fine with my first exposure to this dark subgenre. This is also apparently the first enemies to lovers book I've read! How about that!
Jumping between the POVs and their different mindsets was entertaining, I always enjoy multiple perspectives in the stories I read. The evolution of the relationship between Patience and Ethan was quite fun, starting as bitter rivals cutting into each other's hunting grounds and gradually growing into major passion. I do admit to not being as interested in the supporting characters, but I suppose that's always a possibility when you have two engaging leads. Them working together to hunt down creeps was an entertaining way to illustrate their growing feelings for one another as they learned to cooperate. While I had a bit of fun, parts of this did drag and I was tempted to skip through those sections (that might be more my fault than anyone else's). Again, I am out of my usual reading comfort zone here, so I'm not the right audience for this particular story style. If any of this sounds more up your alley than mine, definitely give it a shot! The writing was definitely engaging at times.
Normally, I don't go for books with the romance label. I gave an honest shake to the romantasy subgenre and bounced right off it. I enjoy romance in my stories, but when the WHOLE story is based around romance, I tend to have a harder to time with it. So, if I'm going to read some kind of romance, I need it to be VERY unconventional. Thankfully, this wacky serial killer romcom was just that...unconventional. Apparently, serial killer romances are a thing (as are mafia romances), so I'm clearly out of my depth in this genre, but I had a fine with my first exposure to this dark subgenre. This is also apparently the first enemies to lovers book I've read! How about that!
Jumping between the POVs and their different mindsets was entertaining, I always enjoy multiple perspectives in the stories I read. The evolution of the relationship between Patience and Ethan was quite fun, starting as bitter rivals cutting into each other's hunting grounds and gradually growing into major passion. I do admit to not being as interested in the supporting characters, but I suppose that's always a possibility when you have two engaging leads. Them working together to hunt down creeps was an entertaining way to illustrate their growing feelings for one another as they learned to cooperate. While I had a bit of fun, parts of this did drag and I was tempted to skip through those sections (that might be more my fault than anyone else's). Again, I am out of my usual reading comfort zone here, so I'm not the right audience for this particular story style. If any of this sounds more up your alley than mine, definitely give it a shot! The writing was definitely engaging at times.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was such a crazy read! I loved the idea of two serial killers meeting and becoming interested in each other. Patience and Ethan are not your usual romance leads. Patience is a private curator who has a very dark side. She is smart, sarcastic, and has a mind of her own. I loved her attitude and the way she handles things. Ethan is just as interesting, and his obsession with Patience had me laughing at times. Their banter is one of my favourite parts of the book. Neither of them wants to back down, and their conversations are so entertaining. They are both crazy in their own ways, and together, they are a whole different level of trouble!
The plot has romance, murder, dark humour, and mystery. Both characters have their own ways of killing, and the whole flower and art theme makes the story even more unusual. The writing is easy to follow, even with the dark subject. I really liked the first person narration because we get to understand what is going on inside both Patience and Ethan's minds. Their thoughts are wild, funny, and completely unhinged! The author also balances the funny moments with darker scenes, so there is always something happening.
I had a great time reading this book. If you enjoy dark romance with serial killer leads, possessive characters, funny banter, murder mysteries, and chaos, this one is worth checking out. Just keep in mind that it has graphic violence and explicit scenes, so check the trigger warnings before reading.
Tropes:
- Serial killer romance
- Morally grey characters
- Stalker romance
- Touch her and die
- Dark humour
- Forced proximity
- Dual POV
The plot has romance, murder, dark humour, and mystery. Both characters have their own ways of killing, and the whole flower and art theme makes the story even more unusual. The writing is easy to follow, even with the dark subject. I really liked the first person narration because we get to understand what is going on inside both Patience and Ethan's minds. Their thoughts are wild, funny, and completely unhinged! The author also balances the funny moments with darker scenes, so there is always something happening.
I had a great time reading this book. If you enjoy dark romance with serial killer leads, possessive characters, funny banter, murder mysteries, and chaos, this one is worth checking out. Just keep in mind that it has graphic violence and explicit scenes, so check the trigger warnings before reading.
Tropes:
- Serial killer romance
- Morally grey characters
- Stalker romance
- Touch her and die
- Dark humour
- Forced proximity
- Dual POV
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Tormented & Tulips turned out to be such an addictive, darkly playful surprise. If you go into this expecting a full-blown procedural thriller, you might miss the point this book is first and foremost a dark character-driven romance with a wicked sense of humor and two deeply unhinged protagonists.
The tension between Patience and Ethan is undeniably the heartbeat of the book. Watching them navigate from cutthroat rivals to a duo that shares late-night takeout, mutual obsession, and morbid hobbies was pure entertainment. Ethan brings that rare mix of lethal protector and surprisingly tender partner, while Patience remains refreshingly sharp throughout. When the slow burn finally gives way to explicit spice, the chemistry is explosive.
The sibling banter also deserves special mention. The chaos that Patience’s sisters bring into the fold keeps the narrative light on its feet and balances out the gorier elements perfectly.
The only reason it’s a 4 rather than a 5 comes down to a few typical debut growing pains. The pacing in the middle stretches out a bit while the overarching plot takes a back seat to the dynamic between the leads, and the suspense subplot wraps up quite quickly near the finish line.
Still, L.B. Vines created a fantastic playground for this series. It’s bloody, hilarious, filthy in all the right ways, and sets up the next standalone brilliantly. Definitely looking forward to whatever chaos comes next!😘
Thank you for granting access to the ARC on NetGalley!
The tension between Patience and Ethan is undeniably the heartbeat of the book. Watching them navigate from cutthroat rivals to a duo that shares late-night takeout, mutual obsession, and morbid hobbies was pure entertainment. Ethan brings that rare mix of lethal protector and surprisingly tender partner, while Patience remains refreshingly sharp throughout. When the slow burn finally gives way to explicit spice, the chemistry is explosive.
The sibling banter also deserves special mention. The chaos that Patience’s sisters bring into the fold keeps the narrative light on its feet and balances out the gorier elements perfectly.
The only reason it’s a 4 rather than a 5 comes down to a few typical debut growing pains. The pacing in the middle stretches out a bit while the overarching plot takes a back seat to the dynamic between the leads, and the suspense subplot wraps up quite quickly near the finish line.
Still, L.B. Vines created a fantastic playground for this series. It’s bloody, hilarious, filthy in all the right ways, and sets up the next standalone brilliantly. Definitely looking forward to whatever chaos comes next!😘
Thank you for granting access to the ARC on NetGalley!
Did Not Finish
September 9, 2026**ARC REVIEW**
I got an ARC copy through NetGalley.
When I read the blurb for this book I was hooked. It reminded me a lot of Butcher & Blackbird. A dark romance with serial killers.
We follow Patience who is a curator with a very unusual side hustle. She kills men that prey on (young) women and she makes flower art out of her victims. All while trying to find the big prize: a man that is kidnapping young women and kills them.
As a curator, she has a new enemy: Ethan. He outbids her on multiple occasions and tries to get under her skin. Meanwhile he is also her stalker and is a serial killer too. The Puppeteer, if I am not mistaken. I don't know how he exactly does it, cause... I DNF'ed the book at 20%.
Why did I DNF this book? The way the book was written was very immature and the F-word is being used WAAAAAAAY to much to my liking. I swear a lot too, but it's getting out of hand when they use the F-word at least 10 to 20 times in one chapter. You can see that this is a debut novel and the author really needs to polish her writing skills. Especially the swearing needs to be toned down. It makes me annoyed with the FMC because she has a fiery and irritating personality. She acts very childish and like a brat.
Ethan has the British charm and he is lowkey the only character that I liked in this book. But I couldn't make myself read the rest of this book as I was so annoyed with the FMC.
There is no use for me to keep on reading a book that irritates me.
So yeah... I DNF'ed a book that had potential, but it just annoyed the hell out of me...
I got an ARC copy through NetGalley.
When I read the blurb for this book I was hooked. It reminded me a lot of Butcher & Blackbird. A dark romance with serial killers.
We follow Patience who is a curator with a very unusual side hustle. She kills men that prey on (young) women and she makes flower art out of her victims. All while trying to find the big prize: a man that is kidnapping young women and kills them.
As a curator, she has a new enemy: Ethan. He outbids her on multiple occasions and tries to get under her skin. Meanwhile he is also her stalker and is a serial killer too. The Puppeteer, if I am not mistaken. I don't know how he exactly does it, cause... I DNF'ed the book at 20%.
Why did I DNF this book? The way the book was written was very immature and the F-word is being used WAAAAAAAY to much to my liking. I swear a lot too, but it's getting out of hand when they use the F-word at least 10 to 20 times in one chapter. You can see that this is a debut novel and the author really needs to polish her writing skills. Especially the swearing needs to be toned down. It makes me annoyed with the FMC because she has a fiery and irritating personality. She acts very childish and like a brat.
Ethan has the British charm and he is lowkey the only character that I liked in this book. But I couldn't make myself read the rest of this book as I was so annoyed with the FMC.
There is no use for me to keep on reading a book that irritates me.
So yeah... I DNF'ed a book that had potential, but it just annoyed the hell out of me...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I wanted to love this so much more than I did. The premise sounded absolutely perfect for me, although it did feel a little similar to another series.
Unfortunately, for the first 50–60% I found myself constantly comparing it to Butcher & Blackbird and Tourist Season. The similarities are pretty obvious, and I think that stopped me from fully settling into this story. Once I stopped comparing it, though, I really started to enjoy it.
Patience and Ethan were easily the highlight for me. Their personalities worked ridiculously well together, the banter genuinely made me laugh, and their chemistry felt natural rather than forced. I wouldn't call it slow burn, but I don't think it's insta-love either. The tension gets plenty of time to build before the spice arrives, which made it hit even better when it finally did.
There were a few things I wish we'd had more of, though. Patience and Ethan clearly have a lot going on in terms of their mental health, and we get snippets of their struggles, their histories and hints about what made them who they are. Every time we got one of those glimpses, I found myself wanting more only for the story to move on. I wanted more depth to their pasts and what shaped them.
I was also really thrown by Mark suddenly getting his own POV for a few chapters. The switch felt quite abrupt, and it was clearly setting up where the series could go next, it pulled me out of the story a little.
Not perfect, but addictive enough that I already know I'll be picking up book two!
🌶🌶🌶
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I wanted to love this so much more than I did. The premise sounded absolutely perfect for me, although it did feel a little similar to another series.
Unfortunately, for the first 50–60% I found myself constantly comparing it to Butcher & Blackbird and Tourist Season. The similarities are pretty obvious, and I think that stopped me from fully settling into this story. Once I stopped comparing it, though, I really started to enjoy it.
Patience and Ethan were easily the highlight for me. Their personalities worked ridiculously well together, the banter genuinely made me laugh, and their chemistry felt natural rather than forced. I wouldn't call it slow burn, but I don't think it's insta-love either. The tension gets plenty of time to build before the spice arrives, which made it hit even better when it finally did.
There were a few things I wish we'd had more of, though. Patience and Ethan clearly have a lot going on in terms of their mental health, and we get snippets of their struggles, their histories and hints about what made them who they are. Every time we got one of those glimpses, I found myself wanting more only for the story to move on. I wanted more depth to their pasts and what shaped them.
I was also really thrown by Mark suddenly getting his own POV for a few chapters. The switch felt quite abrupt, and it was clearly setting up where the series could go next, it pulled me out of the story a little.
Not perfect, but addictive enough that I already know I'll be picking up book two!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advance reader copy via NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op, and I am sharing my honest thoughts voluntarily.
From the second I laid eyes on the title and cover, I was sold. As a huge fan of dark romantic comedies, I had high expectations, and this story delivered in the best way possible.
There is something strangely satisfying about two serial killers falling for each other while targeting people who actually deserve it. Patience and Ethan’s dynamic is top-tier; they view their dark habits as a fine art form, and watching them challenge and refine each other's "work" was incredible to read. Beyond the main pairing, the familial loyalty is stellar. The deep bond and unconditional acceptance between Patience and her sisters—as well as Ethan’s connection with Mark—added so much heart. Gerald was an absolute scene-stealer, adding just the right amount of comic relief.
The book nails the stalker rom-com vibe: it is unhinged, chaotic, hilarious, and genuinely fun. The supporting cast brings so much personality to the table that I desperately hope the author expands this universe into a series focused on them.
My only minor critique is that a few chapter transitions felt slightly abrupt, and a couple of plot points could have used more depth and backstory. However, that didn't stop me from having a blast reading it.
If you are looking for a dark, morally gray romance packed with humor, obsession, and pure chaos, Tormented & Tulips is a must-read.
From the second I laid eyes on the title and cover, I was sold. As a huge fan of dark romantic comedies, I had high expectations, and this story delivered in the best way possible.
There is something strangely satisfying about two serial killers falling for each other while targeting people who actually deserve it. Patience and Ethan’s dynamic is top-tier; they view their dark habits as a fine art form, and watching them challenge and refine each other's "work" was incredible to read. Beyond the main pairing, the familial loyalty is stellar. The deep bond and unconditional acceptance between Patience and her sisters—as well as Ethan’s connection with Mark—added so much heart. Gerald was an absolute scene-stealer, adding just the right amount of comic relief.
The book nails the stalker rom-com vibe: it is unhinged, chaotic, hilarious, and genuinely fun. The supporting cast brings so much personality to the table that I desperately hope the author expands this universe into a series focused on them.
My only minor critique is that a few chapter transitions felt slightly abrupt, and a couple of plot points could have used more depth and backstory. However, that didn't stop me from having a blast reading it.
If you are looking for a dark, morally gray romance packed with humor, obsession, and pure chaos, Tormented & Tulips is a must-read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75 easy
Thanks to NetGalley and LB Vines for this ARC!
This was a lot of fun—in a dark, twisted sexy way! The characters had great chemistry, and the sexual tension was high. The spice was definitely spicing (explicit, open-door, detailed, and kinky). We have Stalkers AND serial killers? Why not! Having both worked so well.
I’d definitely recommend this to my dark romance lovers who are maybe on the lighter side of dark, but enjoy some shadows. If you enjoy authors like Butcher & Blackbird's Brynne Weaver or Nevessa Allen, I think you’ll enjoy this one.
My main and really only critique is that the central plot line felt a bit lost at times, reading more like a subplot (though maybe that was intentional?). The reason that brought this unlikely pair together, it was a solid and interesting premise that i felt could have been more fleshed out. I also felt like the emotional backstories for both main characters lacked a bit of depth, we had snippets of trauma, history, mh issues etc which i would lobe tp have explored more and would have given more context to their behaviours.
The characters are fun and likeable, we have cute pet side characters and some gory and violent murders and spicey spice - what more could you want?
All in all, it was a fun, fast-paced read that kept me completely hooked. I’m definitely here for Ethan and Patience! ❤️
Please check trigger warnings before diving in
Thanks to NetGalley and LB Vines for this ARC!
This was a lot of fun—in a dark, twisted sexy way! The characters had great chemistry, and the sexual tension was high. The spice was definitely spicing (explicit, open-door, detailed, and kinky). We have Stalkers AND serial killers? Why not! Having both worked so well.
I’d definitely recommend this to my dark romance lovers who are maybe on the lighter side of dark, but enjoy some shadows. If you enjoy authors like Butcher & Blackbird's Brynne Weaver or Nevessa Allen, I think you’ll enjoy this one.
My main and really only critique is that the central plot line felt a bit lost at times, reading more like a subplot (though maybe that was intentional?). The reason that brought this unlikely pair together, it was a solid and interesting premise that i felt could have been more fleshed out. I also felt like the emotional backstories for both main characters lacked a bit of depth, we had snippets of trauma, history, mh issues etc which i would lobe tp have explored more and would have given more context to their behaviours.
The characters are fun and likeable, we have cute pet side characters and some gory and violent murders and spicey spice - what more could you want?
All in all, it was a fun, fast-paced read that kept me completely hooked. I’m definitely here for Ethan and Patience! ❤️
Please check trigger warnings before diving in
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
From the moment I read the dedication, I knew Tormented Tulips would be a hit for me, and it certainly did not disappoint.
We follow our FMC, Patience, who balances her day job working with antiques and high-end clients with a much darker hobby: hunting down cruel men and restoring the balance between "ugly" and "beauty" by creating elaborate, artistic displays of their remains. When someone begins interfering with her work, she meets Ethan, our MMC. Their dynamic immediately brought the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith to mind—they both share a penchant for removing horrible people from the world, and the sexual chemistry between them is electric.
As they navigate their slow-burn relationship, they find themselves working toward the same goal: hunting a serial killer who is targeting women. The tension builds as they realise this killer is much closer to Patience’s daily life than she ever imagined.
Without spoiling anything, I’ll say this book perfectly balances the grim with the beautiful and throws in some enjoyable spicy moments too. If you’re a fan of the Hannibal TV series, you’ll appreciate the vibe here; the way the characters treat their victims like art feels very much like, "This is my design."
Overall, this was an incredibly enjoyable read. It’s a dark, aesthetic, and gripping story, and I’m definitely looking forward to exploring more from this author.
We follow our FMC, Patience, who balances her day job working with antiques and high-end clients with a much darker hobby: hunting down cruel men and restoring the balance between "ugly" and "beauty" by creating elaborate, artistic displays of their remains. When someone begins interfering with her work, she meets Ethan, our MMC. Their dynamic immediately brought the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith to mind—they both share a penchant for removing horrible people from the world, and the sexual chemistry between them is electric.
As they navigate their slow-burn relationship, they find themselves working toward the same goal: hunting a serial killer who is targeting women. The tension builds as they realise this killer is much closer to Patience’s daily life than she ever imagined.
Without spoiling anything, I’ll say this book perfectly balances the grim with the beautiful and throws in some enjoyable spicy moments too. If you’re a fan of the Hannibal TV series, you’ll appreciate the vibe here; the way the characters treat their victims like art feels very much like, "This is my design."
Overall, this was an incredibly enjoyable read. It’s a dark, aesthetic, and gripping story, and I’m definitely looking forward to exploring more from this author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a ridiculously dark and twisted read, but I honestly had a lot of fun with it. The idea of two serial killers basically hunting each other while becoming obsessed with each other is completely unhinged, and somehow the story makes it work.
Patience was definitely my favorite. She’s ruthless and clearly has no problem getting her hands dirty, but her relationship with her sisters gives her a softer side that keeps her from feeling completely one-dimensional. I also loved how confident she is when it comes to Ethan—she’s not intimidated by him, which makes their cat-and-mouse dynamic even better.
Ethan is just as messed up, but in a completely different way. His obsessive need for order compared with Patience’s chaotic personality makes them such an entertaining pair. The stalking, mind games, and constant attempts to get under each other’s skin kept me wondering who was actually going to get the upper hand.
The dark humor also helped balance out the more disturbing parts of the story. This definitely isn’t a romance for everyone, but if you can handle the darker subject matter, the chemistry and ridiculousness make it surprisingly addictive.
Overall, this was dark, violent, spicy, and completely chaotic in the best way. Patience and Ethan are absolutely terrible for each other, which is exactly why they’re so much fun to read.
Patience was definitely my favorite. She’s ruthless and clearly has no problem getting her hands dirty, but her relationship with her sisters gives her a softer side that keeps her from feeling completely one-dimensional. I also loved how confident she is when it comes to Ethan—she’s not intimidated by him, which makes their cat-and-mouse dynamic even better.
Ethan is just as messed up, but in a completely different way. His obsessive need for order compared with Patience’s chaotic personality makes them such an entertaining pair. The stalking, mind games, and constant attempts to get under each other’s skin kept me wondering who was actually going to get the upper hand.
The dark humor also helped balance out the more disturbing parts of the story. This definitely isn’t a romance for everyone, but if you can handle the darker subject matter, the chemistry and ridiculousness make it surprisingly addictive.
Overall, this was dark, violent, spicy, and completely chaotic in the best way. Patience and Ethan are absolutely terrible for each other, which is exactly why they’re so much fun to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the advanced copy for review.
I absolutely loved Tormented & Tulips! This was dark, twisted, hilarious, spicy, and completely unhinged in the best possible way! Give me two morally questionable serial killers falling for each other, and I'm immediately interested.
Patience and Ethan were such a fun couple! I loved their chemistry, the banter, and the ridiculous cat-and-mouse games between them. Neither one is exactly normal, which made their relationship even more entertaining.
Patience was easily one of my favorite characters. She's strong, independent, a little crazy, and definitely not someone you want to mess with. Ethan was just as entertaining, and watching these two try to outsmart each other while becoming increasingly obsessed was so much fun.
The dark humor was another highlight. There were some seriously disturbing moments, but the mix of romance, suspense, and humor kept me hooked. I also enjoyed the side characters and what they added to the story.
If you enjoy dark romance, serial killers, morally questionable characters, stalking, spice, and unhinged humor, I highly recommend this one. Just make sure to check the trigger warnings!
I absolutely loved Tormented & Tulips! This was dark, twisted, hilarious, spicy, and completely unhinged in the best possible way! Give me two morally questionable serial killers falling for each other, and I'm immediately interested.
Patience and Ethan were such a fun couple! I loved their chemistry, the banter, and the ridiculous cat-and-mouse games between them. Neither one is exactly normal, which made their relationship even more entertaining.
Patience was easily one of my favorite characters. She's strong, independent, a little crazy, and definitely not someone you want to mess with. Ethan was just as entertaining, and watching these two try to outsmart each other while becoming increasingly obsessed was so much fun.
The dark humor was another highlight. There were some seriously disturbing moments, but the mix of romance, suspense, and humor kept me hooked. I also enjoyed the side characters and what they added to the story.
If you enjoy dark romance, serial killers, morally questionable characters, stalking, spice, and unhinged humor, I highly recommend this one. Just make sure to check the trigger warnings!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Torment and Tulips by L.B. Vines was a pleasant and entertaining read that blends mystery, emotion, and character-driven storytelling. The premise was intriguing, and I enjoyed watching the story unfold as secrets, relationships, and challenges gradually came to light.
The characters were easy to follow and generally likable, with enough depth to keep me invested in their journeys. The author does a nice job balancing lighter moments with more serious themes, creating a story that feels both engaging and approachable. There were several moments that held my interest and encouraged me to keep reading to see how everything would come together.
That said, the book didn't completely captivate me. Some sections moved more slowly than I would have liked, and a few plot developments felt predictable. I also found myself wanting more depth in certain character relationships and storylines to make the emotional moments hit harder.
Even with those shortcomings, the writing was enjoyable, and the story maintained enough charm and intrigue to keep me engaged through to the end. It is the kind of book that offers a solid reading experience, even if it doesn't leave a lasting impression.
The characters were easy to follow and generally likable, with enough depth to keep me invested in their journeys. The author does a nice job balancing lighter moments with more serious themes, creating a story that feels both engaging and approachable. There were several moments that held my interest and encouraged me to keep reading to see how everything would come together.
That said, the book didn't completely captivate me. Some sections moved more slowly than I would have liked, and a few plot developments felt predictable. I also found myself wanting more depth in certain character relationships and storylines to make the emotional moments hit harder.
Even with those shortcomings, the writing was enjoyable, and the story maintained enough charm and intrigue to keep me engaged through to the end. It is the kind of book that offers a solid reading experience, even if it doesn't leave a lasting impression.
October 17, 2026
Tormented & Tulips by L.B. Vines is a dark romantic comedy with thriller elements, following Ethan, a killer who arrives in Seattle with a target in mind, only to become fascinated by Patience Hynes, a woman with a disturbing reputation of her own. Their unexpected connection develops into a twisted game of attraction, rivalry, and obsession, creating a premise that blends dark humour with unconventional romance.
Ethan and Patience stand out through their morally ambiguous personalities and unpredictable behaviour. Their shared darkness creates an unusual bond built on fascination, competition, and mutual understanding. Their contrasting temperaments add tension and humour, keeping their interactions engaging while challenging conventional ideas of romantic relationships.
Vines combines sharp humour, provocative characterisation, and an unconventional premise to create a distinctive reading experience. Although some moments lean more towards shock value than emotional depth, the central dynamic remains entertaining. Rating: 4/5 stars. This book is best suited to mature readers who enjoy dark romance, morally complex characters, and twisted humour.
Ethan and Patience stand out through their morally ambiguous personalities and unpredictable behaviour. Their shared darkness creates an unusual bond built on fascination, competition, and mutual understanding. Their contrasting temperaments add tension and humour, keeping their interactions engaging while challenging conventional ideas of romantic relationships.
Vines combines sharp humour, provocative characterisation, and an unconventional premise to create a distinctive reading experience. Although some moments lean more towards shock value than emotional depth, the central dynamic remains entertaining. Rating: 4/5 stars. This book is best suited to mature readers who enjoy dark romance, morally complex characters, and twisted humour.
August 29, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the chance to read this book.
First and foremost.....WOW!!! I loved this book. The first thing that captured my attention was the title and cover. I am already a fan of the dark rom com genre and when I saw this, I knew that it would be an instant must read for me. The story did not disappoint.
I will always be rooting for the love between to serial killers that are "balancing the scales". Patience and Ethan did not disappoint. They both look at what they do as art and think it is done to perfection when they each manage to actually perfect the art of the other.
The relationship between Patience and her sisters is beautifully love, loyalty, and acceptance to an amazing level. The same can be said to Ethan and Mark. I wish we had more back story for both but I am hopeful that there are more stories to come from this universe.
An honorable mention is Gerald. That little guy had me chuckling at the antics.
First and foremost.....WOW!!! I loved this book. The first thing that captured my attention was the title and cover. I am already a fan of the dark rom com genre and when I saw this, I knew that it would be an instant must read for me. The story did not disappoint.
I will always be rooting for the love between to serial killers that are "balancing the scales". Patience and Ethan did not disappoint. They both look at what they do as art and think it is done to perfection when they each manage to actually perfect the art of the other.
The relationship between Patience and her sisters is beautifully love, loyalty, and acceptance to an amazing level. The same can be said to Ethan and Mark. I wish we had more back story for both but I am hopeful that there are more stories to come from this universe.
An honorable mention is Gerald. That little guy had me chuckling at the antics.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an ARC copy of the book!
I really wanted to love this book; serial killer romance and a feisty FMC? That's a bit of me... and it was really great until 35% of the way in when the pacing just went crazy!
We went from Ethan and Patience having met in person only a couple of times to there being a scene where the two were so openly vulnerable with each other and the romance ramped all the way up... only for their next interaction to be so the opposite! This was then a pattern throughout the rest of the book, along with confusing descriptions, and it made immersion in the story really difficult because I never understood the tone from one scene to the next.
Also, just because this is smut does NOT mean you need to use the words P*ssy and c*ck so much! Multiple mentions of those appendages in one sentence actually had me rolling my eyes.
I think the book just needed a few more drafts before this could've been a book to rival Butcher & Blackbird by Brynn Weaver but the pacing let it down a lot.
I really wanted to love this book; serial killer romance and a feisty FMC? That's a bit of me... and it was really great until 35% of the way in when the pacing just went crazy!
We went from Ethan and Patience having met in person only a couple of times to there being a scene where the two were so openly vulnerable with each other and the romance ramped all the way up... only for their next interaction to be so the opposite! This was then a pattern throughout the rest of the book, along with confusing descriptions, and it made immersion in the story really difficult because I never understood the tone from one scene to the next.
Also, just because this is smut does NOT mean you need to use the words P*ssy and c*ck so much! Multiple mentions of those appendages in one sentence actually had me rolling my eyes.
I think the book just needed a few more drafts before this could've been a book to rival Butcher & Blackbird by Brynn Weaver but the pacing let it down a lot.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Dark romcom is my absolute favorite genre and this book did not disappoint. It was funny and cute and surprisingly artistic. The sibling relationships were my favorite part of this book because they were actually relatable sibling interactions.
I am the type of reader who likes a lot of background and I didn't love that this book starts in the middle of a story. There were multiple references to whatever happened in San Francisco but the reader is never told what happened. Why did the sisters move to Seattle? Did they know their target was there or was it lucky? I got too caught up in trying to understand the circumstances that lead to the start of this book that it became distracting.
I think this the first book I've read that makes me understand character illustrations. So much care and detail is used in describing Patience and Ethan's creations that I would've loved to see some illustrations. I had a really hard time picturing the poses and flower petals and I felt like I was missing out because of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the free eARC.
I am the type of reader who likes a lot of background and I didn't love that this book starts in the middle of a story. There were multiple references to whatever happened in San Francisco but the reader is never told what happened. Why did the sisters move to Seattle? Did they know their target was there or was it lucky? I got too caught up in trying to understand the circumstances that lead to the start of this book that it became distracting.
I think this the first book I've read that makes me understand character illustrations. So much care and detail is used in describing Patience and Ethan's creations that I would've loved to see some illustrations. I had a really hard time picturing the poses and flower petals and I felt like I was missing out because of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the free eARC.
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